Chapter 422: Disposition
Koharu Utatane's pupils contracted violently.
Homura Mitokado's body swayed, almost losing his balance, and he quickly reached out to support himself on the table.
The two looked at Haruno Sakura. There was not a trace of a smile in the girl's eyes, and her cold gaze chilled them to the bone.
She crossed her arms over her chest, and the cyan water snakes beside her swayed leisurely, seemingly restless, waiting for their answer.
Koharu simply couldn't answer this question.
Brush it off with rhetoric? The old woman felt that Danzo would probably be her role model. It was clear that without an answer that satisfied Haruno Sakura, she would not let it go. The only difference in the outcome was whether she would speak while bound by Sakura or walk out freely.
Koharu Utatane felt her lips and teeth go cold, and she couldn't utter a single word.
She turned her head to look around the room, but no one dared to make eye contact with her.
She looked at the Third Hokage again, who had unknowingly walked to the window at some point and was silently smoking. He looked out the window without turning his head, as if something outside had caught his gaze.
She took a deep breath, and finally... looked at the Fifth Hokage with difficulty.
The latter leaned leisurely against the back of the chair, motionless, only the corners of her mouth curled up slightly in mockery.
"This old woman..." Utatane said, "It was this old woman and Homura who were momentarily confused..."
Homura Mitokado was stunned for a moment, looked at his companion beside him, smiled bitterly, and sat down: "That's right, our old eyes were dim, and we failed to investigate for a moment. We were deceived by that old fool Danzo Shimura, so we mistakenly thought... cough cough... Fortunately, now the truth is out, and Jonin Haruno Sakura was not wronged. It is truly a great fortune."
They certainly washed themselves clean.
"Hmph! Nonsense!" Danzo, who was unresponsive like a withered log just now, suddenly opened his eyes upon hearing this. A turbid old eye glanced coldly at Homura, and he scolded in a deep voice, "It was clearly you two who took the initiative to find me and wanted to set up a trap—"
"Shut up, you old fool!" Koharu Utatane was anxious and angry, and quickly interrupted Danzo loudly, "You harmful bastard, do you still want to sow discord now?!"
Seeing that several people were about to quarrel shamelessly, Tsunade couldn't help rolling her eyes.
"Enough! You lot! Isn't it embarrassing enough? Have some dignity!" The blonde woman said with a dark face.
After suppressing the three quarreling people, Tsunade scanned the venue back and forth several times before slowly saying: "Sakura, sit down first, and let Danzo Shimura down."
Then, she stood up tall and said loudly—
"Danzo Shimura, you have a notorious record and show no repentance. This time, you dispatched Root ninja to attack Konoha Jonin Haruno Sakura, intending to force her to join Root and serve you, distorting our consistent Konoha spirit and harming a large number of Konoha ninja!"
"I, the Fifth Hokage Tsunade Hime, announce the removal of Danzo Shimura from all positions, demotion to an ordinary ninja, and temporary detention in Konoha Prison, waiting for the investigation of your past misdeeds and evidence of crimes before trial! As for Root, it is disbanded on the spot, and all personnel are to stand by, waiting for reorganization!"
The conference room was silent.
Danzo sat on the chair next to Sakura, and upon hearing this, he suddenly went limp.
"Yes, Hokage-sama." He seemed to have suddenly aged many years, responding weakly.
"Take him away."
Tsunade didn't even look at him, waved her hand to call a few Anbu to bind Danzo and take him away, and then turned her gaze to Koharu Utatane and Homura Mitokado.
"Two Hokage Advisor-samas," Tsunade suddenly slowed down her voice and said softly, "Presumably, you two were also too concerned about village affairs, resulting in overwork, which led to 'momentary failure to investigate' and created this small misunderstanding today."
"Not noticing in time that your energy is no longer sufficient to handle such heavy affairs is my dereliction of duty as Hokage. I am extremely sorry. In that case, since you two mentioned that your old eyes are dim and you really can't bear the fatigue, then for the sake of your health, as Hokage, I naturally should be duty-bound to take over the burden on your shoulders, so as to avoid damaging your physical and mental health."
"I wonder what you two think?"
Tsunade said with a fake smile.
"This, this..." Homura Mitokado hesitated, wanting to say something but daring not to, so he could only mutter and repeat this word repeatedly.
Koharu Utatane's voice trembled a little, using all her strength and courage to say: "Thank you for Hokage-sama's concern and arrangement. It's just that this old woman's heart is with Konoha. Although I am old and weak, I can still contribute some residual heat."
"Contribute residual heat?" A gleam flashed in Tsunade's eyes, and she smiled, "Alright, then change the Hokage Advisor from a substantial position to a nominal position. From now on, you will no longer handle practical affairs, only responsible for making suggestions to me. Today's matter will no longer be pursued, how about that?"
The last bit of luck in the hearts of Koharu Utatane and Homura Mitokado was completely shattered. The blood on their faces suddenly disappeared completely, becoming pale.
"Thank you, Hokage-sama, for the arrangement." Koharu Utatane stood up with difficulty. "This old woman is feeling unwell and has to leave for now. Please forgive me, everyone."
"I am also... feeling unwell. Please forgive me, forgive me." Homura Mitokado followed her狼狈ly (in a wretched state).
Only after the two advisors were far away did the atmosphere in the conference room suddenly relax from the heaviness.
"The fight between gods is finally over." Shikaku Nara breathed a sigh of relief secretly. Just now he really wished he could use the Transformation Jutsu to turn into a piece of furniture or decoration in this room!
Exchanging glances with the ninja on his left and right, Shikaku smiled bitterly.
Only Haruno Sakura looked relaxed, with her head held high, leaning against the back of the chair, revealing her exquisite chin, looking very proud.
Tsunade glanced at her grumpily and suddenly said: "As for you, Jonin Haruno Sakura!"
"Disregarding meeting discipline, disrupting meeting order! Go back and copy the Ninja Code once and hand it in!"
"Breaking the conference room door! Repair fees must be handed in today!"
"What? This counts too?" Haruno Sakura's eyes widened.
"Nonsense!" Tsunade glared back at her and added, "Double if overdue!"
Hotaru Hyuga almost couldn't help laughing aside.
After saying a few more polite remarks and comforting the ninja, Tsunade announced the end of the meeting.
Walking out of the conference room, on the way back to the Hokage Building.
"Master, do I really have to pay?" Haruno Sakura followed behind Tsunade and asked pitifully.
"What do you think?" Tsunade looked back at her, her heart softening, "Alright, no copying as punishment, but the fine for destroying the door must be paid! That was made of precious solid wood, century-old ebony, used since the founding of the village!"
"Even precious wood shouldn't be that expensive, right? And I remember the wood used when the village was built was all grown by the First Hokage using Wood Style. Let alone ebony, even more precious yellow rosewood and red sandalwood were everywhere..." Sakura muttered in a low voice behind her, "This fine won't be used by Master for eating, drinking, and gambling, right?"
"What did you say?"
"Ah, no, no, nothing!"
"I always feel like you are secretly speaking ill of me?"
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