He knew that the Otogakure Four were by no means ordinary opponents, yet Sasuke had managed to achieve such results in such a dangerous battle through his own strength, it was truly unbelievable.
"Another genius of the Uchiha clan," Asuma murmured to himself, his eyes filled with admiration and emotion.
"But it seems his approach is a bit different from Kakashi's?" Asuma recalled the strange techniques Sasuke had used.
Seeing that the matter had come to a close, Sasuke bid farewell to Asuma and prepared to go back and rest.
He walked slowly along the road back to his lodgings. The streets of Konoha were as lively as ever, bustling with people.
But Sasuke had no heart to appreciate this familiar scenery. His mind kept replaying the battle just now, reflecting on what he had gained and lost during the fight.
Suddenly, as he reached the halfway point, a dark figure appeared without warning in front of him.
Sasuke instantly became alert, his body tensing, his Sharingan instinctively rotating slightly as he prepared for battle.
Only when he saw that the newcomer was an Anbu ninja did he relax his guard slightly.
The Anbu ninja, his form hidden beneath a black robe and mask, spoke in a low, cold voice: "Sasuke, the Fifth Hokage wants to see you."
Sasuke was momentarily startled, inwardly guessing the reason for the Hokage's summons, but he didn't ask any questions. He merely nodded silently and followed the Anbu ninja toward the Hokage's office.
Could it be that the Fifth Hokage was urgently summoning him because of that fierce confrontation with the Otogakure Four just now?
This thought swirled in his mind, making him increasingly curious.
Inside the Hokage building, the atmosphere was tense.
Tsunade's brows were deeply furrowed, flames of anger burning in her eyes. She slammed a set of scrolls heavily onto the desk, the impact producing a dull thud.
"You actually dared to do such things regarding the Uchiha," Tsunade said, her voice cold.
Danzo, dressed in a strange white outfit, had formed a bizarre balance within his body since Roy had stolen all his Sharingan eyes, under the constant erosion of Hashirama's cells. However, his appearance had become like White Zetsu's, radiating a chilling aura.
Faced with Tsunade's accusation, he not only showed no sign of backing down but met her gaze defiantly.
"This was for the sake of Konoha, and it was Hiruzen's decision."
Danzo's voice was low, like sandpaper scraping, carrying an unyielding firmness.
He narrowed his eyes slightly, a sinister glint flashing within them, as he continued coldly: "We did this all for Konoha. Without me, Konoha would have been dragged down by the Uchiha long ago."
His tone was full of sarcasm toward Tsunade. For this person who had taken the position of Hokage from him, his discontent surged like a powerful undercurrent, constantly churning. In his view, he had devoted himself wholeheartedly to Konoha, doing everything for the village's long-term interests, yet Tsunade failed to understand his painstaking efforts.
Tsunade let out a cold laugh upon hearing Danzo's words.
"For the sake of Konoha? Your methods are utterly appalling! The Uchiha clan rendered so many meritorious services to Konoha, yet you..."
Sasuke arrived at the door to the Hokage's office. Before entering, he heard voices inside. Due to the barrier, he couldn't tell what they were discussing.
After a while, the sound of arguing inside abruptly ceased.
Then, the door was flung open with a loud bang. The sudden noise made Sasuke instinctively take a step back.
He saw Danzo stride out of the room with a dark expression. His strange white attire appeared even more sinister under the corridor lights.
"Tsunade, if you don't take my advice, you will regret this," Danzo said, his words carrying a strong threat.
As he passed by Sasuke, Danzo tilted his head slightly, glancing at him with his only remaining eye.
That look made Sasuke feel as though an icy gaze had pierced through his body, making him deeply uncomfortable.
Sasuke's heart skipped a beat. He keenly sensed that although this person before him looked bizarre, he exuded a powerful sense of pressure, he was clearly very strong.
Sasuke's curiosity was instantly piqued. He silently wondered who this person was. Why had he been arguing so fiercely with the Hokage?
Moreover, for some reason, just seeing this person made him feel very uncomfortable.
"Come in." Tsunade's slightly weary voice came from inside the room. Sasuke composed himself and walked in slowly.
Tsunade sat at her desk, her expression grave, traces of lingering anger on her face. She looked up as Sasuke entered, her gaze falling upon him.
As Sasuke stepped into the Hokage's office and laid eyes on Tsunade sitting behind the desk, a wave of intense surprise washed over him.
Originally, he had imagined the Hokage to be a dignified elderly figure with a face marked by the passage of time. But the woman before him had fair, taut skin, a heroic air between her brows, and her long blonde hair casually tied up. She exuded charm and appeared remarkably beautiful and youthful.
"The Hokage is this young," Sasuke muttered inwardly, his eyes filled with disbelief.
He naturally had no idea about Tsunade's true age hidden beneath her youthful appearance. If he knew just how old this seemingly vibrant and beautiful woman really was, he would certainly be shocked.
However, Sasuke was not one to be easily distracted by beauty. His heart was consumed by the flames of revenge, and anything unrelated to that goal struggled to stir much emotion within him.
Just as Sasuke was momentarily stunned, Tsunade put down the report she was holding and raised her head.
A hint of surprise flickered in her eyes.
"You are Sasuke?"
Sasuke snapped back to attention, straightening up slightly and giving a small nod.
Tsunade nodded slightly and continued, "Top score in the Chunin Exams... able to hold your own against the Otogakure ninja who killed two special jonin..."
Tsunade's tone carried a hint of astonishment as she carefully appraised Sasuke. The young man before her was still young but had already displayed strength and potential far exceeding his peers.
"Truly a genius of the Uchiha clan," Tsunade murmured, her gaze lingering on Sasuke for a moment, a mix of emotions swirling within her.
Her eyes held both admiration for Sasuke's talent and a touch of indescribable complexity.
Since taking over as Hokage, Tsunade had become aware of the dark, hidden secrets buried deep within Konoha.
Someone had been conducting experiments using her grandfather Hashirama's cells, and then there was the massacre of the Uchiha clan...
Tsunade never imagined that beneath the seemingly peaceful and prosperous facade of Konoha lay so much bloodshed and darkness.
Now, standing before her, the more Sasuke displayed his genius, the more Tsunade felt a profound sense of regret.
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