The Anbu operatives had no idea what their minister, Tsunade, planned to achieve. Nevertheless, once she issued an order, they obeyed without question. Amidst the protests and dissatisfaction, the Hyuga clan elders were locked in the interrogation rooms. After rushing back to the village and quickly understanding the chain of events, the Hyuga clan leader worked to calm the clan members, urging them to stay quiet, avoid causing trouble, and refrain from speaking out.
As soon as he stabilized the situation, Tsunade made her move, leading the Hyuga elders to the Anbu headquarters. This was a clear, calculated maneuver. The Hyuga clan had its share of unresolved cases in Anbu records, and even without those, an Anbu investigation was something the clan would have no choice but to comply with.
Such was the power of the Anbu.
Even the proudest clans, like the Sarutobi, would submit to an investigation if Tsunade ordered it.
When her duties were done for the day, Tsunade didn't head home. Instead, she went to the tavern where she often dined with Orochimaru and other friends and sent for the Hyuga clan leader, inviting him to join her.
Upon receiving the invitation, the Hyuga clan leader felt a measure of relief. If the Anbu summoned him for dinner right after arresting his elders, it signaled that the Anbu did not intend to truly move against the Hyuga clan. This was a warning, nothing more.
"Please, have a seat," Tsunade said casually, seated confidently with a bottle of sake in hand as she gestured to the chair opposite her.
The Hyuga clan leader adjusted his robes, maintaining his composure as he sat down.
"Bang!"
Tsunade set her sake bottle down on the table with a sharp thud. "Technically, I should call you 'senior,' but considering how the Hyuga clan has treated Shinki, I'm not inclined to show that respect."
"Tsunade-sama, family inheritance must be upheld above all else—"
"Rubbish!" Tsunade cut him off, eyes blazing.
*Family inheritance above all else?* Only the Hyuga clan could make such a statement. Other clans valued heritage but nowhere near the level of obsession the Hyuga displayed.
Tsunade leaned forward, her voice cold. "I don't care about your family's traditions. The Senju clan once stood above everyone, and where did that lead us?"
"This is my first warning, and I hope it will be the last. Keep your distance from Shinki. If you don't, I will ensure your clan members spend time rotating through the Anbu's interrogation rooms."
"Some cases may have been overlooked by my grandfather and the Third Hokage for the sake of peace. But I am not them, and my priorities are different."
"If you're not happy, feel free to lodge a complaint with the Hokage," she added, taking a long drink from her bottle.
Tsunade knew the Hyuga clan's behavior might provoke Shinki into a drastic response. If he ever removed his headband and walked away, it wouldn't just cost a few lives; it could throw the entire Hyuga clan into turmoil and upheaval.
She wasn't willing to take that risk. By acting preemptively, Tsunade made her intentions clear.
As head of the Anbu, she now wielded significant influence, and she knew how to leverage it. The Anbu's files were a silent yet powerful reminder that Tsunade had the means to keep the Hyuga in check.
Tsunade took another swig of sake and stood up, bottle in hand. She needed to return to help Kushina with training.
Back at the Hyuga compound, the clan was barely holding it together. Without the clan leader's efforts to keep them calm, chaos would have erupted already.
Meanwhile, the Hokage's office was equally unsettled.
Koharu Utatane voiced her discontent. "Hiruzen, are you really just going to let Tsunade run wild like this? What is she trying to achieve? Locking up all the Hyuga elders in the Anbu's interrogation rooms?"
*Do you dare ask me that?* the Third Hokage thought, stifling his irritation. *If you hadn't pushed so hard, Tsunade wouldn't have ended up heading the Anbu.*
Now that Tsunade had control of the Anbu, even he was cautious about taking any action.
He never felt such anxiety when he commanded the Anbu. But after handing it over to Tsunade as a concession, the Third Hokage realized just how much leverage he had lost.
*If not for compensating you all, would this situation even exist?*
Mitokado Homura, noticing Koharu's increasing agitation, subtly tugged at her sleeve to signal her to stop.
"Hiruzen," Homura said, interrupting gently, "Koharu's concerns aren't without merit. Tsunade's actions—bringing people to the Anbu like this—are bold. The Hyuga clan isn't a minor family. If things escalate, it could lead to significant trouble."
The Third Hokage took a long drag from his cigarette and exhaled slowly. "The Hyuga clan's ambitions have been growing unchecked. A reminder of where they stand is overdue. I trust Tsunade not to go overboard."
The truth was, having Tsunade put pressure on the Hyuga wasn't entirely unwelcome to him. Sometimes, only after facing hardship would the clan show restraint.
"You... do as you see fit."
With that, the Third Hokage waved the two elders off, signaling the end of their conversation. He didn't want to hear more about it.
Koharu and Homura weren't advocating for the Hyuga out of sympathy; they feared that their families could be next. The Anbu's unrestricted power to detain anyone at will was frightening. What hadn't seemed concerning before now felt like a looming threat.
No one wanted to receive an unexpected visit from the Anbu.
Even if the elders themselves were fearless, what about their clans?
If the Anbu requested cooperation in an investigation, who would dare refuse?
Walking out of the Hokage's office, Homura sighed. "Koharu, our push for compensation backfired badly."
"I didn't foresee this," Koharu admitted grudgingly. *It's easy to remain calm when you're not the one at risk.*
"Let it be," Homura said. "Hiruzen won't limit the Anbu's powers before the war ends. Stability in the village takes precedence."
He looked at her with resignation. "Tsunade is tough but fair. As long as we don't provoke her, she won't come after us, Koharu."
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