"Hiruzen, the Daimyo is right. You should just stay home and enjoy your retirement."
Directly ignoring Homura Mitokado's accusations, Danzo Shimura watched Hiruzen Sarutobi—who looked ready to strike—and curled his lips into a smirk. He turned away, paying the man no further mind. Instead, he turned toward Tobirama Senju and bowed slightly.
"Sensei, I will prove myself to you!" Danzo's voice carried a sharp edge of triumph. "It seems that, in the end, I have won!"
Tobirama Senju looked at Danzo Shimura with a calm, indifferent gaze. Unmoved by the declaration, he simply said, "If that is the case, then prove it to me."
Seeing Tobirama's composed demeanor, Danzo's smile twitched. A trace of resentment flickered in his eyes. "Even now... do you still refuse to acknowledge me?!"
However, Tobirama said no more, gesturing for him to leave. Seeing the Second Hokage's cold, distancing attitude, Danzo's expression darkened. He turned to his subordinates and barked, "What are you standing around for? We're leaving!"
At Danzo's command, the Root operatives sheathed their drawn katanas and followed him out of the Sarutobi estate. Before exiting, Danzo glanced back at his lifelong friend and rival.
"Hiruzen, my Hokage inauguration ceremony is in two days. I hope you'll be there to see it."
Watching Danzo's retreating figure, Hiruzen Sarutobi felt a surge of overwhelming fury crash against his heart.
"Pfft!"
A spray of crimson blood erupted from Hiruzen's mouth.
"Hiruzen!" Homura Mitokado cried out in shock, rushing forward to support his friend's staggering frame. "We're going to find Tsunade!"
Without another word, Homura hurriedly helped Hiruzen out of the estate, heading straight for the Senju Clan district.
Tobirama Senju, who had watched the entire scene unfold with icy detachment, vanished from the spot.
Sakura...
Danzo has made his move, using the Daimyo's decree to execute a desperate reversal of the situation. How will you break this deadlock?
The Counter-Move
Break the deadlock?
What deadlock?
I'll just flip the board and beat everyone who opposes me to death with it!
In the dense forest along the border of the Land of Fire:
"Who goes there?!" a Konohagakure ninja stationed at the border shouted.
"It's me," a voice replied as four figures emerged from the thicket.
"S-Sakura-sama?" The border guard stared at the figures in disbelief.
"Yes. I am leaving now for the Land of Waterfall," the tall, pink-haired girl said calmly. Her expression was cold and aloof. "Clear the way."
"Right... of course! However, Sakura-sama, I still need you to show your travel permits," the guard said tentatively, his posture stiff with nervousness.
Hearing the guard's words, Sasuke Uchiha's eyes narrowed. His crimson Sharingan flared to life with three tomoe as he prepared to move.
"I have no permits," Sakura stated, glancing back at Sasuke to signal him to stand down. The glow of the Sharingan faded. "I am forcing my way through."
"Uh... but... that... that's against the regulations..." The guard stammered, looking at Sakura with a conflicted expression, unable to find the right words.
"You can't stop me anyway. Let me through, and I'll be back in two days. Just remember to leave the gate open for me."
Before the guard could respond, Sakura led Karin, Sasuke, and Hikari past him. The guard's mouth hung open as he watched the four-person team brush past.
I mean, just go if you're going, the guard thought, feeling somewhat speechless. I know I can't stop you, but could you at least give me some face? You want me to 'leave the gate open' for you?
Despite his thoughts, he remained frozen in place, paralyzed by Sakura's overwhelming presence. He didn't dare lift a finger to stop them.
Sakura glanced back at the guard. He's sensible. I'll make sure he gets a promotion later.
"Sakura, according to the Intelligence Division, the Seven-Tails Jinchuriki should be in the northern part of the Land of Waterfall, not far from Takigakure," Karin said, her expression grim as she flipped through the intel documents. "We should end this quickly. We need to secure her before the Hidden Waterfall Village notices."
"Understood," Sakura replied. "Find her, and we finish it in three minutes."
The team of four sped toward Takigakure.
Sakura didn't know why the Daimyo had been foolish enough to veto her appointment as Hokage. But did it matter? Not really.
Breaking the hierarchy between ninjas and nobles wasn't something that could be achieved overnight. Any new rule had to fit the era. Trying to shatter an entire era in one go was too idealistic. She thought of Cao Cao from her previous life—a man who controlled the Emperor but never declared himself Emperor.
Why? Because declaring himself Emperor would have invited immediate destruction. Controlling the feudal lords through the Emperor was the far more advantageous move.
"Holding the Emperor hostage to command the lords."
Anyone in the world who dared to disobey would be a rebel, a traitor seeking their own death. This strategy provided a righteous cause for any military action and the power to command the lords at will.
Sakura's plan was simple: seize the Seven-Tails from Takigakure, drop it directly onto the Daimyo's estate, and eliminate the current Daimyo. Then, she would "happen" to be "passing through" on a "mission" and descend from the heavens to suppress the Seven-Tails. Afterward, she would install one of the Daimyo's more obedient sons as the successor, who would then issue a new decree for the Hokage's appointment.
Sakura could simply follow Cao Cao's blueprint. Besides, this world didn't have a Liu Bei or a Yuan Shao to challenge her.
By doing this, Sakura wouldn't just be preserving the status quo of the ninja and noble hierarchy—she would be planting the seeds for its eventual demise. If any fool tried to cause trouble, she could use the Daimyo's own mouth to declare them a rebel.
The penalty? Execution!
How could anyone dare to slander Haruno Sakura, such a "loyal and righteous general"?!
Furthermore, to ensure such "accidents" never happened again, the Daimyo would be moved to Konohagakure for his safety. In recognition of Haruno Sakura's merit in saving the sovereign, she would be granted the special honors of "entering the palace with sword and shoes" and "being excused from announcing her name to the lord."
In this way, the ultimate authority would rest firmly in Sakura's hands.
Who would dare to act out? Even if the Daimyos of other nations protested, Sakura could use her puppet Daimyo to bark right back.
Mind your own business. Why are you so worried about how salty our radishes are?
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