In Boruto, Sakura's house was still rented, and despite being the director of Konoha Hospital, she still had to pay off loans, living just like Chi-Chi.
Tsunade couldn't comment on the high cost of specialized Ninja services or the monopoly drawbacks of Konoha's medicine, because she was a vested interest.
She could be so glamorous and drink so freely in izakayas because completing a few surgeries in a day could keep her fed and hydrated for an entire year.
Plus, there were the subsidies from the Senju Clan's business operations in the Village.
Growing up wealthy made Tsunade uninterested in money; the amount she lost in a single high-stakes gamble was enough for an ordinary person to earn in ten lifetimes.
Pardon her, but someone like her cannot empathize with low-level Ninjas, just as her response to Pain in the original work—'Your small nations have suffered Pain, but do large nations not have Pain as well?'
Originally, Nagato was about to leave, but Tsunade's arrogance made him decide to leave a parting gift when he left Konoha.
"Let's go, Kushina, Mikoto. Ryou is dead; I have no heart left to explain what was right or wrong."
"Alright!"
Kushina's heart was also a bit heavy; if Minato could become Hokage, would he hope to reform Konoha's medical monopoly?
But would touching the cake of the Village's noble clans make him a target for everyone? Could a person as kind as Minato fight those old foxes?
Someone stopped Tsunade: "Lady Tsunade, was Lord Ryou's defection because his selling of counterfeit medicine was exposed?"
"Lord Ryou's medicine worked quite well for me; that day, I even saw my great-grandmother waving at me. You must not capture Lord Ryou."
Tsunade took out the person's medicine to inspect it and shook her head: "This kind of medicine can only alleviate your symptoms; to eradicate the cause, you must buy legitimate medicine."
"..."
Everyone fell silent. If they could afford legitimate medicine, would they still come to take Ryou's fake medicine?
Tsunade ultimately couldn't bear it: "Everyone, do not lose heart. At the next Ninja meeting, I will propose to Hokage-sama to lower the pricing of special-effect medicines."
Tsunade felt it was a bit strange; Ryou's selling of fake medicine at Konoha Hospital could be found out with a simple check, so why hadn't it been exposed for so long?
Could it be that someone was acting as his protective umbrella?
Tsunade didn't think too much about it, and the group left Konoha Hospital with heavy hearts.
Tsunade suddenly stopped and looked at Mikoto: "Mikoto, did you just say that you found a bunch of his counterfeit Exploding Tags and counterfeit medicine in Ryou's home?"
Mikoto nodded, a bit uncertain about Tsunade's sudden attention: "Lady Tsunade, what's wrong? The Uchiha did not privately withhold any of my brother's illicit gains; his home truly was destitute."
Tsunade became a bit anxious: "Quickly, take me to see his counterfeit Exploding Tags."
Tsunade recalled the exploding tag Ryou had swallowed that day—could that one have also been drawn by himself?
But Ryou had already exploded into fragments! That was witnessed by the Sannin with their own eyes.
In the entire Ninja World, who could deceive the eyes of the Sannin?
Tsunade still held a sliver of hope in her heart; how could a scourge like Ryou go offline so easily?
Konoha Root Base.
Danzo entered Orochimaru's secret laboratory leaning on his cane. A stench of rotting corpses wafted from within, making even a Ninja who believed in darkness like Danzo frown slightly.
Orochimaru was becoming less and less human! Compared to him, the human experiments of Ryou and Hiruko were completely child's play.
"Orochimaru, what the hell are you doing? You've even injured the Anbu members monitoring you. Do you really think Hiruzen is a pushover!"
Busy with his own affairs in the dim laboratory, Orochimaru sneered: "So what? Kirigakure hasn't been driven away, and Iwagakure, Kumogakure, and Sunagakure are all posturing as if they'll bite at any moment. What can Teacher do to me?"
Danzo frowned: "In this state, do you still expect me to hope for your election as the Fourth Hokage?"
Orochimaru stopped and turned back to look at Danzo: "What? The Village is going to select the Fourth?"
Danzo walked closer, looking at Orochimaru working on a person on the experimental table, not knowing what to say.
If you're not going to eat it, don't mess with it!
Danzo nodded: "This time, the Daimyo specifically had Hiruzen go to the capital to explain. Looking at his state, I expect he will petition to resign upon his return."
"At that time, the election for the Fourth Hokage will be brought to the forefront of Konoha."
Orochimaru sneered: "Is the technique of immortality something a useless sack of wine and meat like the Daimyo can touch?"
Danzo corrected the topic: "Let's not talk about the Daimyo. Regarding the Fourth, if the Senju Clan wants to get involved, neither you nor Jiraiya can beat Tsunade."
Orochimaru continued his work on the person: "Hmph! Who in all of Konoha can beat Tsunade in popularity?"
Danzo proposed: "Orochimaru, Jiraiya likely has no interest in the position of Hokage. You only have two opponents: one is Tsunade, and the other is Minato."
"Minato?"
Orochimaru was somewhat surprised.
Danzo frowned, feeling that Orochimaru was out of the loop: "Orochimaru, have you gone senile staying in this gutter?"
"Whether it was repelling Kumogakure's AB Combo or cutting off Iwagakure's logistics route at Kannabi Bridge, Minato has shown the qualities of a Hokage-level Ninja."
"Hiruzen seems to be very fond of this student of Jiraiya's and has built up momentum for him multiple times."
Orochimaru remained disdainful: "Nothing more than a wet-behind-the-ears junior."
First, Minato had no clan; second, Minato had only recently emerged as a dark horse. In terms of prestige and foundation, he simply couldn't compare to himself or Tsunade.
And the most important point: Minato was too young, only in his early twenties. Such a young Ninja was simply not enough to stand alone, nor could he put the old-timers at ease.
If it were the next term, Minato might have a chance, but this term... he, Orochimaru, would become the one in charge of Konoha.
Danzo frowned, not knowing where Orochimaru got his confidence. Throughout the Third Great Ninja War, Orochimaru had participated in very few battles, spending most of his time busy with his own forbidden jutsu.
Did he think this was still the Second War, and his contributions were still on everyone's lips?
Danzo felt that Orochimaru was becoming increasingly detached from social realities.
"Orochimaru, you are in a dangerous position—"
Orochimaru shut Danzo down: "No need to say more. Minato is not my opponent; Tsunade is. Find a way to smear Tsunade, use the same tactics you used against the White Fang."
Danzo struck his cane hard: "Orochimaru, Tsunade has the Senju Clan behind her; she is not Sakumo."
"And Tsunade is not like you; besides her gambling habit, she basically has no dirt in the Village."
Orochimaru sneered: "If there isn't any, can't you make it up? Ryou's forbidden jutsu was developed based on Tsunade's Ninjutsu data; can't you make something of that?"
Danzo was stunned. Right! Ryou and Tsunade had rumors about them. If he could direct the fire from Ryou onto Tsunade, he could smear her to some extent.
Danzo shook his head again: "Orochimaru, Tsunade's prestige in Konoha is extremely high. The people she has saved over the years are spread throughout the Village. I expect even the Senju's rival, the Uchiha, would support her for Hokage."
"She isn't as fragile as Sakumo, not so easily..."
Danzo didn't continue. Back then, he only wanted to spread rumors to strike at Hatake Sakumo's prestige; he hadn't expected that sharp blade would be so fragile.
It snapped at a touch and went to sleep forever.
Orochimaru put down the forceps in his hand and smiled: "Danzo, do you think Tsunade is strong?"
"..."
Danzo was puzzled. Was Tsunade not strong enough?
Even if Tsunade wasn't a mission machine like the Anbu or Root, she was still a qualified Ninja.
A hint of memory surfaced in Orochimaru's eyes, as if he were mourning the past: "Tsunade is actually not as strong as she appears on the surface. I saw her fragility when Nawaki died."
"She cares about emotions more than anyone. Such a person is not suited to be a Ninja, and even less suited to be a despicable politician like the Hokage."
Nawaki had been blown up while in Orochimaru's squad. From Nawaki's tragedy, Orochimaru saw the fragility of life and became more convinced of the path to immortality.
Danzo frowned: "Orochimaru, you really want to move against Tsunade? You are comrades, after all."
Orochimaru turned his head and looked at Danzo calmly.
Danzo felt embarrassed by the gaze; he felt a sense of disdain from Orochimaru's eyes.
What are you pretending for?
Orochimaru's line of thought had already been given; now, even if Orochimaru wanted to call it off, Danzo wouldn't agree.
Danzo held dirt on Orochimaru, so supporting him for Hokage was clearly more in line with Root's interests than supporting Tsunade or Minato.
Danzo changed the subject: "Orochimaru, let's not talk about the Hokage. Have you found Ryou's forbidden jutsu?"
Orochimaru asked Danzo back: "What? Did Root turn Ryou's house upside down and not find a single trace?"
Danzo shook his head: "Nothing. That kid was very cunning. The characters written in his house were all self-created; Root couldn't find a single clue related to his forbidden jutsu."
Orochimaru shook his head: "Don't count on it. I almost snatched it this time, but the sudden appearance of Jiraiya and Tsunade made my plan fall through."
"Minato then killed Ryou on Teacher's orders. Finally, in order to prevent me from getting his forbidden jutsu, that kid Ryou blew himself up."
"This year is the Year of the Snake, my zodiac year. My luck is truly bad!"