Inside the Hokage Office at the Konoha Headquarters.
Danzo Shimura stormed in furiously to meet Hiruzen Sarutobi, his face twisted in fury.
"Daybreak, the Hyūga Clan has gone too far this time. Won't you do something about them?"
"They've actually recalled members I had just recruited for Root not long ago, claiming they had important matters to attend to."
"Does that despicable lot even care about laws or ethics anymore?"
It wasn't without reason that Danzo was angry—the Hyūga truly acted shamelessly.
He had only recently established Root and was still understaffed.
After finally managing to recruit some Branch House members of the Hyūga to serve under him, they were now suddenly recalled.
They claimed it was because of an important family matter—what nonsense! It was like treating him like a child.
Not that Danzo needed any confirmation—he ran Root, after all, and had an excellent intelligence network.
He knew everything taking place in the Village Hidden in Leaves.
In truth, the Hyūga were mobilizing people across the land to launch those so-called Hyūga Massage Shops.
That accursed Elder of the Hyūga refused to show him, the "Shadow of the Hokage," even a shred of respect.
"Take it easy, Danzo," Hiruzen said, looking at his close friend with concern. "Don't let this get to your health."
"I know about the Hyūga issue, but really, we're just talking about a few people. Later, I'll assign some Anbu to you."
"It's not a question of numbers," Danzo snapped angrily. "The problem is that the Hyūga have extended their reach too far—they've even meddled into Root!"
He was the Shadow of the Hokage, the unseen root beneath the towering tree that protected Konoha from the shadows.
To casually take away personnel like that—where did he think his dignity stood?
"Friend, it's not bad at all for the Hyūga to open massage shops. This might actually help cultivate more commoner ninjas."
"And besides, they've promised to donate part of their profits back to Konoha."
"For the good of Konoha, perhaps you should tolerate them a little longer," Hiruzen said with righteous conviction.
"But the Byakugan itself is one of Konoha's key strategic assets. Are we just going to let the Hyūga Clan abandon their duties like this?"
"And even if they pay taxes, how significant could their contributions possibly be?" Danzo grit his teeth, slamming his cane forcefully against the floor.
The Byakugan was extremely valuable for reconnaissance and perception—it was a strategic asset.
Other hidden villages eyed enviously, always seeking opportunities to acquire the bloodline trait of the Byakugan.
"What's so great about massage parlors? Is that really something shinobi should be doing?"
"The Hyūga Clan is getting worse by the day."
"That infernal Ultimate Massage Chair causing chaos around Konoha earlier was bad enough—but now they're opening shops too? Greed incarnate!"
As he spoke, his eyes accidentally caught sight of a corner of the office out of the corner of his vision.
There, sitting proudly in the corner, was a brand-new Ultimate Massage Chair—clearly the latest model.
Satori Hyuga had been constantly researching and upgrading the Ultimate Massage Chair, attempting to create three different versions:
A basic civilian version designed for affordability,
A ninja version offering premium services,
And a special edition designed for luxury experiences.
The Ultimate Massage Chair inside the Hokage's office was none other than that luxury flagship model.
Whether in appearance, materials used, or various functions—it was a top-of-the-line setup.
"Hiruzen, have you… fallen too?" Danzō Shimura, the fiercely patriotic young man, was so furious he could barely speak.
"Did someone from the Hyūga family bribe you?"
At this point, he was still bursting with youthful energy and had not yet completely fallen into darkness.
As for the village, he truly loved it with all his heart.
Seeing his childhood friend now openly accepting bribes…
Even though Hiruzen hadn't done anything to harm the village yet, just accepting bribes was enough to enrage him.
He never thought that Sarutobi Hiruzen, a man of such strong principles, would actually reach the day when he took bribes.
Has becoming Hokage really made it that easy to fall into corruption?
"Hiruzen, what about the Will of Fire within you?" Danzō lamented bitterly.
Scolded harshly by Danzō, Hiruzen Sarutobi hurried to explain.
"Dear friend, don't misunderstand. This is not a bribe I've accepted."
"It's a donation from Satori Hyūga, freely offered in appreciation for the Hokage's contributions to Konoha."
"Not only does the Hokage's office have one, but the medical department and Ninja Academy received them as well."
What he didn't dare to say aloud, however, was that those massage chairs elsewhere weren't as good as his own.
But how could Hiruzen Sarutobi dare to say that out loud?
His closest friend's eyes were burning with rage, as if he might leap forward and tear him apart any second.
It seemed like he definitely couldn't let Danzō find out about the Hyūga Clan recruiting personnel from Root.
In fact, Hiruzen Sarutobi already knew long ago that the Hyūga Clan wanted to open a massage parlor.
Initially, he had opposed the idea as well, but the compensation they offered turned out to be far too tempting.
After all, everything was for the sake of Konoha—and this move could also weaken the influence of prestigious families on the village.
However, Anbu members were directly under his command, so naturally he wouldn't touch them.
That left only one option: using Branch House members from the Root division.
He wasn't about to sacrifice himself, but sacrificing his closest friend for the greater good—well, that he could accept.
"Hiruzen, don't you see this is their scheme?" Danzō implored desperately.
"You accept a massage chair today, tomorrow you'll start taking bribes! How can you be so foolish?"
"Stop this madness, my friend, and return to your true path!"
Danzō pleaded earnestly.
Hiruzen Sarutobi feigned careful listening, but his mind was firmly made up—no one could change his decision.
He calmly picked up his pipe and took a slow puff before replying, "I know exactly what I'm doing. Just a simple massage chair won't possibly shake my Will of Fire."
"You may go. I'll arrange new Anbu members for you shortly."
"Oh, and one more thing—I am the Hokage."
Sarutobi's tone was firm; clearly, he had no intention of listening.
Danzō stared at Hiruzen Sarutobi, a flash of regret flickering in his eyes.
Had he known how easily Hiruzen would fall, he should've fought harder for the title of Hokage in front of their teacher.
"Hiruzen, you will regret this."
Fueled by rage, Danzō stormed out, slamming the office door shut behind him.
Watching his closest friend leave, Hiruzen Sarutobi exhaled deeply.
"Forgive me, Danzō. For Konoha's sake, I must ask you to endure this hardship first."
After saying that, he checked around to make sure nobody else was there, then reclined into the massage chair.
Years of grueling training and administrative duties had finally caught up with him, leaving his body worn and battered.
That was why Hiruzen Sarutobi inevitably had a few minor health issues.
After using the Ultimate Massage Chair for a therapeutic massage, those minor physical discomforts had been greatly reduced, leaving him feeling much more relaxed overall.
"Ahhhh, that's amazing!"
Hiruzen closed his eyes, quietly savoring the pleasant sensations coursing through his body.
Meanwhile, elsewhere...
Danzo arrived at a laboratory.
The laboratory was vast and state-of-the-art, filled with every form of scientific research equipment imaginable.
Along the corridor walls were displayed items that could shock the outside world.
They were products cultivated from the cells of the First Hokage, Hashirama Senju.
Clump after clump of grotesque, malformed flesh.
On the other side, two-meter-tall incubation chambers stood against the wall, each containing another test subject.
"Danzo, what brings you here?" Orochimaru's cold voice echoed from the end of the passage.
Being in the shadows made both his face and voice seem even colder than usual.
Danzo gazed at one twisted test subject after another, each sprouting gnarled branches like tree limbs, and responded coldly, "I've come to see how the experiments are progressing—have you seen any results yet?"
<><><><><><><><>
Thank you for reading! Your support will keep me updating!
~ Every 50 Powerstones = **4 Bonus Chapters** this weekend!
<><><><><><><><>
~ 100+ Advanced Chapters Available on Patreon!
~ More *Free* Chapters and Books Available on Patreon!
patreon.com/Tansnovel
<><><><><><><><>