"Enough!"
A commanding voice came from outside the door.
Everyone turned.
Tsunade strode into the office.
Her expression was frighteningly dark, and the overwhelming presence of the Fifth Hokage radiated from her entire body.
"Tsunade-sama!"
Kakashi looked surprised.
"Why are you…"
"I came back the moment I heard what was happening."
Tsunade's gaze swept across everyone in the room.
Finally—
It settled on Advisor Tsuchida.
"Advisor."
"You people certainly move fast."
"Our heroes have barely returned, and you're already in a hurry to put shackles on them?"
Tsuchida forced an awkward smile onto his face.
"Lady Hokage, you misunderstand."
"We're merely discussing matters concerning postwar reconstruction—"
"Discussing?"
Tsunade sneered.
"I heard everything clearly from outside."
"A Joint Oversight Commission?"
"Ideological evaluations?"
"That's what you call a discussion?"
She walked to the desk.
Then glanced at the scraps of paper scattered across the floor.
Her expression became even uglier.
"So this is how you thank the heroes who saved the world?"
"Lady Tsunade, please understand our position."
Tsuchida tried to explain.
"The power possessed by these shinobi is simply too dangerous—"
"Dangerous?!"
Tsunade's voice shot up several octaves.
"Do you even know what dangerous means?!"
"Dangerous was when Kai was trying to format the entire world while you so-called 'leaders' hid somewhere safe and trembled in fear!"
BANG!
Her fist slammed into the desk.
The solid wooden table instantly shattered into pieces.
"And now…"
"My students risked their lives to save everyone!"
"Yet the moment they come back, you jump out and try to put collars around their necks?!"
"Do you people have no shame?!"
Tsuchida was clearly shaken by Tsunade's pressure.
Even so, he forced himself to continue.
"Lady Hokage, I understand your anger."
"But we must consider the future."
"If this kind of power ever gets out of control—"
"Out of control?"
Tsunade laughed mockingly.
"You people are the biggest uncontrolled variable of all!"
She pointed directly at Tsuchida.
Her voice burned with fury.
"You never step onto the battlefield."
"You never face real danger."
"Yet you're always thinking about how to control the people who bleed and suffer on your behalf!"
"We are also considering the greater good—"
"The greater good?"
Tsunade cut him off.
"Your 'greater good' is making sure your position of authority is never threatened!"
The atmosphere inside the room grew increasingly tense.
The samurai had already drawn their swords completely.
Yet against several top-tier shinobi—
Those blades looked almost laughably powerless.
"Granny Tsunade is right!"
Naruto stepped up beside her.
"We risked our lives to save the world!"
"We didn't do it so we could come back and become your slaves!"
"No one is trying to turn you into slaves."
Tsuchida's tone hardened.
"But you cannot place yourselves above the law either!"
"The law?"
Sasuke sneered.
"Did your laws protect the Uchiha?"
"Did they protect innocent civilians?"
"When Orochimaru was conducting human experiments, where were your laws?"
"When the Akatsuki were hunting Tailed Beasts, where were you then?"
Every question struck like a blade.
Straight toward Tsuchida's heart.
"Those…"
"Those were exceptional circumstances…"
"Exceptional circumstances?"
A trace of killing intent flashed through Sasuke's eyes.
"And now?"
"Is this another 'exceptional circumstance'?"
"Everyone…"
"I think we should calm down."
Shikamaru suddenly spoke.
"I don't agree with this Framework either."
"But arguing like this isn't helping anyone."
"Shikamaru."
Tsunade looked toward the intelligent young man.
"What are you trying to say?"
"What I'm saying is…"
Shikamaru's expression became serious.
"The core of this problem is actually very simple."
"It's trust."
He looked toward Advisor Tsuchida.
"You don't trust us."
"You're afraid we'll abuse our power."
Then—
He looked toward Naruto and the others.
"And you don't trust them."
"You believe they only want to control you."
"But the problem is…"
Shikamaru continued.
"Without trust, there can never be real cooperation."
"And without cooperation…"
"This world will never truly know peace."
Tsuchida frowned.
"So what exactly are you proposing?"
"I'm saying…"
Shikamaru looked around the room.
"Maybe we need an entirely new solution."
"One that preserves the dignity of shinobi…"
"While also giving ordinary people peace of mind."
"For example?"
Tsunade asked.
"For example…"
Shikamaru thought for a moment.
"We could establish a new organization."
"One jointly composed of shinobi and civilians."
"An organization that genuinely represents the interests of everyone."
"You mean…"
Tsuchida's voice carried obvious doubt.
"Shinobi and civilians cooperating as equals?"
"Why not?"
Shikamaru countered.
"You're afraid of shinobi power."
"Shinobi resent your attempts to control them."
"But if both sides can speak as equals and create rules together…"
"Wouldn't that be better?"
The proposal plunged the room into a brief silence.
"It sounds reasonable."
Sakura spoke.
"But how would it actually work?"
"The details would have to be discussed slowly."
Shikamaru replied.
"But the basic principle is simple."
"Any decision involving shinobi must include shinobi participation."
"And likewise…"
"Any decision involving civilians must include civilian representatives."
"You really think that solves everything?"
Sasuke's voice still carried skepticism.
"At least it's better than this kind of confrontation."
Shikamaru looked at him.
"Sasuke."
"What do you think?"
Sasuke remained silent for a moment.
Then—
He shook his head.
"I'm not interested in politics."
"There's only one thing I want to know."
He looked directly at Tsuchida.
His gaze was sharp as a blade.
"If I leave right now…"
"And return to traveling the world…"
"What will you do?"
"Send people to hunt me down?"
Tsuchida's expression changed.
"Uchiha Sasuke."
"You cannot simply run away from your responsibility—"
"Responsibility?"
Sasuke sneered.
"I have no responsibility to this world."
"I saved it because I wanted to."
"I protect it because I want to."
"But if someone tries to force me…"
"Then I'd rather do nothing at all."
He turned and began walking toward the door.
"I'm tired of these boring political games."
"Naruto."
"If you want to stay here and play along with them, that's your choice."
"I'm leaving."
"Sasuke!"
Naruto hurriedly called after him.
"Where are you going?"
"Anywhere."
Sasuke did not look back.
"As long as it's far away from these irritating people."
"Wait!"
Tsuchida finally panicked.
"Uchiha Sasuke!"
"You cannot simply leave!"
"Your power is too dangerous!"
Sasuke stopped.
Slowly—
He turned around.
Dangerous light flickered within his Rinnegan.
"You want to stop me?"
That single sentence—
Caused the temperature in the entire room to drop by several degrees.
Tsuchida stared into Sasuke's eyes.
And suddenly realized something.
The man standing before him was not some subordinate he could order around.
He was someone who truly possessed enough power to destroy heaven and earth.
If Sasuke genuinely wanted to leave—
There was no force in this world capable of stopping him.
"I…"
Tsuchida opened his mouth.
But no sound came out.
"Looks like you still have at least some self-awareness."
Sasuke smiled mockingly.
"Remember this."
"I am not your tool."
"I am not your slave."
"I am Uchiha Sasuke."
"And I fight only for my own will."
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