Sarutobi Hiruzen's voice was calm—unnaturally so. And precisely because of that calmness, Danzō knew the truth.
Hiruzen was genuinely furious.
Yet Danzō himself was already boiling with rage and had no intention of backing down. He immediately snapped back, his voice sharp and resentful.
"Hiruzen, I am the Hokage's assistant of Konoha, and you've kept me locked in this prison for over two years!"
Sarutobi Hiruzen's eyes narrowed.
"Then it seems that isn't enough," he said coldly. "Perhaps I should execute you right now."
His anger finally broke through.
A terrifying aura befitting a Shinobi Hero burst forth from his body. Almost without realizing it, Sarutobi had drawn a kunai, its blade pointed straight at Danzō's throat.
Seeing this, Danzō froze.
No… Hiruzen, are you serious? We are brothers. Old comrades. Family.
The killing intent was real.
"Hiruzen… I was wrong this time," Danzō said quickly, swallowing his pride. "I'll stay here quietly. I'll live out my retirement honestly from now on."
In the end, he still backed down. This was for the greater good—absolutely not because he couldn't defeat Hiruzen.
"Hmph. It had better be." With a cold snort, Sarutobi Hiruzen put away his kunai.
"I'll say this one last time, Danzō," he said heavily. "This is your final chance. If you make another mistake—no matter who pleads on your behalf—I will not protect you again."
His tone left no room for doubt.
Danzō understood immediately. Hiruzen was not joking.
Though resentment churned in his chest, he nodded stiffly, indicating that he understood and would not cross the line again.
Only then did Sarutobi Hiruzen turn and leave the prison.
"That damned Hiruzen…" Danzō snarled after he was gone. "When I become Hokage, I'll make you understand true power!"
He ranted and cursed for a long time before finally forcing himself to calm down.
"Find Orochimaru," he ordered into the empty darkness. "I want every detail of this operation."
At once, a Root shinobi slipped into motion.
---
Aoshi's Apartment
After leaving the Hokage's Office, Aoshi and Yakushi Nono came here together.
As the saying goes—once you've tasted it, you crave more.
The mission had just ended, and the tension they'd been holding back finally snapped. At Hōzuki Castle, circumstances had forced restraint.
Now, within the safety of Aoshi's home, there was no reason to hold back.
"Mm—" The door had barely closed when Nono was already silenced by Aoshi's gentle lips.
She didn't resist. On the contrary, she responded eagerly, even helping him remove her clothes.
"Brother Aoshi… I love you." Those simple words ignited Aoshi instantly. He lifted her up without hesitation.
Nono wrapped her arms around his neck, leaning into him as she kissed his ear repeatedly.
Feeling her warmth, breathing in her familiar scent, Aoshi carried her straight into the bedroom.
Nono's personality resembled Mikoto's in many ways—gentle, devoted, and trusting. But unlike Mikoto's reserved nature, Nono was far more uninhibited.
Whatever Aoshi asked, she agreed without hesitation.
Of course, this didn't mean Mikoto was lacking. Their differences were simply matters of temperament.
And Aoshi cherished them both equally.
"Nono, let's take a bath," he murmured.
"Mm," she replied softly, letting him carry her into the bathroom.
Aoshi had specially installed a large bathtub—more than enough for two.
Given their youth and energy, the bath quickly turned into something more.
By the end of it, Nono was completely exhausted, lying limp in Aoshi's arms, letting him guide her gently.
Meanwhile, Tsunade emerged from her research base and walked through the streets of Konoha—only to hear the news of Orochimaru's defection.
The joy on her face froze instantly.
"So… Orochimaru really chose this path in the end."
As his former teammate, Tsunade had always understood him better than most. In truth, she'd long sensed this outcome coming.
Unlike Jiraiya, she had never bothered to interfere. She sighed once—then immediately changed direction, heading straight for Aoshi's apartment.
She had good news to share. Anyone familiar with Tsunade would immediately notice the changes in her appearance.
Most striking was the diamond-shaped mark now etched clearly on her forehead.
The Yin Seal was complete. After nearly three years, Tsunade had finally succeeded.
In truth, learning the seal itself hadn't taken long—it merely required patient chakra accumulation. But during that time, she had also perfected the Strength of a Hundred Seal.
And today, it had borne fruit.
No one would believe she was a kunoichi in her thirties.
Her skin was smooth and radiant, her figure proud and firm—youthful, vibrant, enchanting.
This was why she had declined the Hōzuki Castle mission and handed it to Aoshi instead. At the time, she had been at a critical stage and could not afford to leave.
A woman adorns herself for the one she loves.
Tsunade wanted nothing more than to tell Aoshi and feel his embrace.
But when she opened the door, the first thing she noticed was Nono's clothes scattered across the floor.
As someone experienced, she understood immediately what had happened.
"Hmph. What a pervert," she muttered lightly.
Fresh from a mission, no less.
Even so, she calmly removed her own clothes, revealing a flawless figure—one meant for Aoshi's eyes alone.
"Oh? You two are busy." Walking into the bathroom, Tsunade smiled faintly at the scene before her.
"Ah!" Caught red-handed, Nono's face flushed crimson. She buried herself shyly in Aoshi's arms.
Aoshi, on the other hand, reacted very differently. He released Nono, stood up, and reached for Tsunade without hesitation.
"Tsunade, you came at the perfect time."
With Nono exhausted, Tsunade could take over.
"You little rascal," Tsunade scolded playfully—only to be pulled into his embrace, her lips sealed immediately.
"Tsunade," Aoshi murmured, noticing the changes in her, "you're making me like you more and more."
He lifted her effortlessly, burying his face against her, drawing a soft gasp from her lips.
Tsunade wrapped her arms around his neck, legs locking around his waist, happiness written clearly across her face.
At this moment, she felt completely fulfilled. Everything she had done had been worth it.
Afterward, Aoshi carried both Nono and Tsunade back to the bed and let them rest properly.
Feeling refreshed, he cleaned up and prepared dinner.
"I really didn't expect you to be so bold in private, Nono," Tsunade teased with a grin.
Nono covered her face immediately, her ears burning red. She could be uninhibited with Aoshi—but being exposed like this was another matter entirely.
"And didn't Tsunade-sama cooperate just as well?" Nono shot back shyly.
"Oh? You dare mock me now?" Tsunade replied, feigning anger as she reached out playfully.
Nono retaliated, and soon the two were laughing together. There was no real hostility—only warmth.
They both knew one thing clearly. Aoshi would never abandon either of them.
"Tsunade, Nono—dinner's ready." Aoshi walked in, smiling faintly as if watching a delightful show.
He had always enjoyed watching women quarrel the most.
--
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