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"So… it really was him."
After wrapping up his responsibilities at Kumo's Chūnin Exams, Roshi spent three days traveling back to Konoha. The moment he arrived at the village gates, he sensed something was off.
Hyūga Tokuma, on gate duty, wore a peculiar expression—like someone desperately holding back anger while forcing himself to remain professional.
Something had clearly happened while Roshi was away.
It wasn't until he reached the Hokage Building and completed his routine report that Tsunade filled him in on the general situation.
"So," Roshi asked once she finished, "what's the follow-up on Uchiha Mōka and the others?"
"The Uchiha Clan carried out an internal purge," Tsunade replied calmly. "They're currently being held in a special detention facility under Anbu supervision. As for how long… that still needs discussion. This incident isn't exactly suitable for public disclosure."
"And Enjin?"
"The Interrogation Division has him. Inoichi is overseeing it as well." Tsunade's tone cooled noticeably. "Hopefully, we'll pry something useful out of his head."
After confirming everything Tsunade had already dealt with, Roshi began recounting his experiences during the Chūnin Exams.
When Tsunade heard that Kumogakure had proactively offered to participate, she snorted. "They weren't so cooperative last time. But if they want in now, let them."
Roshi nodded, then brought up the idea that had been forming throughout his return journey.
"Maybe we can take some inspiration from Kumogakure's approach and attempt a few reforms for the September Chūnin Exams."
"A competition-based format has enormous commercial potential."
"And when it comes to hosting large-scale events, Konoha actually holds advantages that other villages simply can't match—whether it's transportation, infrastructure, or the sheer number of neighboring villages we can invite."
Tsunade propped her chin on one hand, thoughtful.
"It does sound interesting," she admitted. "But a vague concept alone won't cut it."
She lifted her gaze, fixing Roshi with a sharp look.
Roshi's brow twitched almost imperceptibly.
Tsunade jerked her chin toward the empty desk in the corner of the office.
Roshi pretended not to notice.
"Process planning, detailed rules, risk assessment, integration with the existing Chūnin selection system," Tsunade continued evenly. "All of that needs to be backed by a complete proposal."
"I just got back from a mission," Roshi replied flatly. "I haven't been home in two months."
"Go home?" Tsunade sneered. "Fine."
She turned sharply toward the door. "Shizune!"
Shizune entered at once, Tonton cradled in her arms.
"Gather all records from previous Chūnin Exams," Tsunade ordered. "Financial reports from the past three years. Mission assignment regulations. Anything even remotely related to reforming the Chūnin Exams."
"Bring all of it."
She stood, looking down at Roshi's increasingly stiff expression.
"Then we'll send Jōnin Roshi… home."
"Uh…" Shizune hesitated, glancing between them. "Lady Tsunade, shouldn't Roshi rest for at least a day—"
"Silence, Shizune! Work doesn't wait!" Tsunade clenched her fist, producing a sharp crack. "Since you came up with such a brilliant idea, you're obviously the one responsible for carrying it out."
As several Anbu efficiently packed towering stacks of documents into specially crafted wooden boxes, Roshi could only stare in silence.
In the end… this was entirely his own doing.
—
Being sent to the interrogation room did not mean surveillance on Enjin had been relaxed in the slightest.
Hiruzen Sarutobi, the Third Hokage, personally remained in the adjacent observation room, accompanied by Shisui and Hyūga Kamon.
"Uchiha Madara…"
"And someone calling himself Zetsu."
With an Uchiha wielding the Mangekyō Sharingan and Inoichi conducting the interrogation, it was impossible for nothing to be extracted.
The self-proclaimed "Uchiha Madara," a Mangekyō user, immediately became Hiruzen's highest-priority concern. The confirmation of such a figure's existence validated their earlier investigative direction regarding the Nine-Tails' attack and the external conspirators lurking beyond the Village.
If that was the case, then the long-held suspicion that the Uchiha Clan within Konoha had directly planned and orchestrated the Nine-Tails' attack could, at last, be largely dismissed.
The next step was clear: uncover this dangerous individual hiding in the shadows.
As for the being known as Zetsu—capable of infiltrating the Village undetected—had he been brought in by "Madara," or had he slipped past Konoha's defenses on his own?
The list of threats to address had not grown shorter.
But at least… the direction was improving.
It was time to have another conversation with Danzō.
With Root's extensive surveillance network, he would surely possess some information...
—
The wooden document boxes were stacked neatly in one corner of the living room.
After setting them down, Shizune departed with the Anbu, leaving behind a grim-faced Roshi—and a Tsunade who clearly had no intention of leaving anytime soon.
Briefly experiencing what it felt like to have one's home buried in official paperwork like Danzō, Roshi sat at the dining table and quietly slurped his noodles.
Grandma Momoka had already finished cooking her signature ramen and retired to her room to rest.
Tsunade, unhurried, finished the noodles before turning her attention to the travel bag Roshi had brought back from the Hidden Cloud Village.
"What's this?" She pulled out a small, sealed jar.
"Protein powder."
"All of it?" She pulled out another jar. Then another. And another. Finally, she unearthed a large metal can emblazoned with a bold A. Weighing it in her hand, she set it aside. "Why did you buy this much?"
"It's… a specialty of the Hidden Cloud, I guess," Roshi replied without looking up, still eating.
"A specialty?" Tsunade raised an eyebrow and picked up one of the jars, carefully reading the label. "Since when is protein powder Kumogakure's specialty?"
She paused, recalling something. "Come to think of it, you brought Uzumaki Hagi and Karin back when you went to the Grass Village."
"And before that, you went to the Hidden Sand Village, didn't you? What 'specialty' did you bring back then?"
Roshi's chopsticks froze midair.
After thinking for a moment, he answered uncertainly, "That was a while ago… Last year, I don't think I bought anything."
"But the year before that…" He hesitated. "I think it was perfume."
"Perfume?" The Senju Princess stared at him suspiciously. "Protein powder I can excuse as a boy's strange hobby—but perfume?"
"Yes. I picked it up while observing conditions in Sunagakure. I originally planned it as a return gift."
Roshi suddenly remembered something. He set down his chopsticks, went into his room, rummaged through a cabinet, and returned with a small, elegantly designed glass bottle.
"A return gift?" Tsunade scoffed. "One that's been sitting around for two years without being given? You really are hopeless in some areas."
"Something that's been sitting for two years shouldn't be given anymore, right?" she muttered, taking the bottle anyway. She frowned slightly and gave it a cautious sniff. "…It smells pretty nice, though."
"Does it?" Roshi lowered his head and resumed eating. "Then consider it officially given."
"After all, you took good care of me at Deai Port."
Tsunade's movements halted.
She looked up at him. "Hm?"
The Fifth Hokage pointed at herself. "Me?"
"Yes."
She set the perfume bottle down, stepped in front of Roshi, her face darkening as she enunciated each word slowly:
"A… return… gift… from… two… years… ago?"
"Well, you did say it smelled nice."
She took a deep breath.
Then suddenly reached out, grabbed him by the collar, and flung him toward the door.
"Go buy me a new one, you idiot!"
The several large boxes of documents Tsunade had dumped on him were… of limited value.
Aside from minor adjustments to the wilderness survival elimination round in last year's Chūnin Exams, Konoha's examination system had remained largely unchanged for many years.
In the end, Tsunade had mostly created trouble for herself.
Seated in his study, Roshi stared at the scrolls and reports spread across his desk. He lifted the top document—a financial statement covering the past three years.
The income and expenditure related to the Chūnin Exams were laid out with merciless clarity.
Ticket sales were negligible. The real economic stimulus came from the Daimyō and wealthy merchants who spent freely in the village during the viewing period.
As for profits negotiated through mission quota adjustments, joint Chūnin Exams did not automatically translate into increased quotas. More often than not, the existing arrangements remained unchanged.
For Konoha, the host village, the Chūnin Exams had long been a net loss.
Post-exams restoration of the Forest of Death. Barrier deployment to isolate foreign shinobi. Expanded patrols and security. Each item carried a heavy price tag.
Seen from this perspective, the Hidden Cloud Village's approach was undeniably clever.
By abolishing the wilderness survival assessment, they eliminated one of the largest drains on the exam's budget.
At first glance, constructing a dedicated venue appeared to be a massive one-time expense. In reality, even if they never hosted another Chūnin Exam, the structure could still be repurposed for ninja combat events, ensuring it would never truly go to waste.
"Roshi, Itachi is here."
Grandma Momoka's voice came from outside the study.
Roshi set the report aside, rose, and stepped out.
Itachi stood in the corridor, dressed in dark-blue casual clothes, holding a box of delicately packaged sweets.
"Excuse me for intruding, Captain."
They sat down together on the veranda, the afternoon sunlight slanting warmly across the wooden planks.
After Grandma brought tea, she quietly withdrew, leaving behind only the faint rustle of leaves in the courtyard.
"During your absence, some matters arose within the Uchiha Clan," Itachi said, his voice lower than usual.
"I know."
Itachi dipped his head slightly, his gaze fixed on the pale green tea swirling in his cup.
"At the clan meeting two days ago, many members voiced dissatisfaction with Father's decision to hand over twelve people—including Mōka—to Anbu custody."
"Even knowing they were at fault. Even though the Anbu was only exercising nominal supervision."
"Even those who had actually benefited from the reforms reacted the same way."
He looked up at Roshi, dark eyes clouded with uncertainty.
"Captain… even if Enjin and Mōka are successfully imprisoned this time, will the reforms that follow truly proceed as smoothly as we hope?"
"The Clan's ideology had finally begun to loosen," he said quietly.
"But a single incident was enough to drag it backward again."
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