"For ten years, nothing in the Village has changed. It's the same as when the Second Hokage handed it over to the Sandaime," Miki said. "Without change, there's no progress, and it might even regress. You know, the Village has always been on the verge of collapse. Even with all his effort, he can only maintain this stalemate."
"Why?"
"Why couldn't the Sandaime do anything?" Miki said, "Because no one trusts him. Shinobi Clans can only trust Shinobi Clans themselves."
"If things continue like this, there will be no change. This great tree will eventually fall under the Sandaime's care."
"What's most ridiculous is that instead of uniting everyone's strength, he created opposition between Shinobi Clans and civilian Shinobi, leading the charge against the Shinobi Clans."
"A leader of the Shinobi Clans, chosen by the Shinobi Clans, fighting against the Shinobi Clans."
"This is largely due to the immense pressure the Shinobi Clans put on him. He worried he couldn't control the power of the Shinobi Clans, so he would try to uproot the true foundation of this great tree, the Shinobi Clans, wouldn't he?"
"So, the Hokage leading a rebellion, how laughable. Constantly talking about the Village, are the Shinobi Clans not part of the Village?"
"Everyone just sees this. They can't trust him, and thus can't give him the power to change things."
"And his own abilities are insufficient to change all of this."
"But you are different, Tsunade. Everyone is willing to entrust their power to you, even their lives."
"As for why, you are a Senju, and also the Princess of Konoha."
"Did everyone gather around the First Hokage because they were subdued by his power?"
"Everyone just wanted to see the ideal world the First Hokage spoke of and follow him forward."
"The day that ideal is abandoned is the day Konoha dies."
"And this simple wish is merely for the Shinobi Clans to no longer live in precarious turmoil and strife, but to live in peace and tranquility."
"The bottom line is that at least the children of the clan can have a peaceful childhood. For this, they can fight for Konoha in this cruel Ninja World."
"And when even this bottom line is trampled..."
"Who would still fight for the Hokage?"
"The signs have already appeared."
"The Sandaime, cold and unaware, is not as great as he imagines himself to be."
"Without the Sandaime's tacit approval, Danzo wouldn't be able to do such things. Currently, he's only targeting helpless orphans, taking them to train in preparation for the upcoming Shinobi World War."
"In the future, it's uncertain whether he'll target the children of the Shinobi Clans."
"Besides, should these helpless children, like weeds, die for the Village?"
"And after the great war, the power of the Shinobi Clans will weaken, making them even more powerless to resist the Village."
"They can only cling tightly to the Village, allowing the Village to take whatever it wants."
"Everyone is afraid of such things, afraid of the Village, afraid of this monster Konoha, this cruel war machine that everyone created with their own hands."
"Therefore, everyone wants to strive for the top, to become Hokage, to bring vitality to their clan."
"And the Sandaime betrayed everyone."
"Between the Village and the Shinobi Clans, the Sandaime chose the Village. For the Village, everything is expendable, including children, civilian Shinobi, and himself."
"So his bottom line is no bottom line."
"Everyone can die for the Village."
"Whoever threatens the Village, dies."
"Perhaps you don't quite understand yet."
"Let me put it another way: between this monster of a Village and living people, Tsunade, who would you choose?"
"People or a monster?"
"But Tsunade, you must know, there is a Village only because there are people."
"If the people's hearts scatter, the Village will cease to exist."
"In the face of people, the Village must yield. It's not 'everything for the Village,' but 'everything for everyone's lives.'"
"The Sandaime got the most important thing wrong: between people and the Village, which is more important?"
"Leaves can burn; people burn and die. The great tree that absorbs this blood and tear-soaked nourishment, illuminated by the Will of Fire, will only become ugly and hideous, terrifying, because the Village is devouring people."
Is the Village really that scary?
Tsunade's eyes trembled...
"After this Shinobi World War, the fate of the Village and everyone will be decided."
"Don't back down at this crucial moment, future Fourth Hokage. Let the Sandaime retire gracefully."
"First, set a small goal: win this Shinobi World War."
"And after that, you must change this Village."
Tsunade knew why she had to become Hokage...
"But..." Tsunade looked at Miki helplessly and said, "I'm afraid I'll..."
"Don't be afraid..." Miki said, reaching out and placing her hand on Tsunade's head, "Whether it's me, Jiraiya, Orochimaru, the Senju, the Hyuga, the Uchiha, or everyone in the Village, we will all protect you with our lives."
"No..." Although Tsunade was very touched, she still said awkwardly, "You know I always lose when I gamble. I'm afraid I'll lose Konoha..."
"..."
This...
This truly is a big problem.
"Then, let's bet our lives as chips."
"If you bet your life, you won't lose. Haven't our battles always been like this?"
Hearing this, Tsunade's eyes lit up.
I think I can do it!
I'll bet my life too!
Tsunade smiled at Miki with a bright and bold smile, like the sun.
As a Princess, she was the great sun shining brightly in everyone's eyes in the Village.
With the sun, who needs the light of fire to illuminate the Village?
It's just that sometimes the sun is too intense and can peel off a layer of skin.
But that's better than burning, right?
A new era needs a new will.
"Tsunade, after you become Hokage, don't be like the Sandaime and promote something like the Will of Gambling. Promise me, okay?" Miki said.
Hearing this, a vein throbbed on Tsunade's forehead.
"Insect Woman!!!"
"Feeling confident again, Big Forehead?"
Tsunade lunged at Miki with force.
Miki said, "It's a Bug Clone."
Her form dispersed into a swarm of insects, once again engulfing Tsunade.
"Ah ah ah ah ah ah!!"
"You sent a clone to fool me!!!"
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