[Bonus]
To avoid Danzo stirring up trouble, Tsunade didn't go herself but instead sent Pakura to inform Takuya.
"Behaving? Seriously?"
Takuya burst into laughter.
Tsunade, confused by his reaction, watched as Takuya laughed so hard that he nearly doubled over.
"You should hurry up and send him some food," Takuya finally said, still grinning. "The old man is probably starving by now. He's been eating nothing but ration pills for days—he's close to breaking. Oh, and send plenty of food. He has company, after all."
"You can't be serious..."
Tsunade's eyes widened in disbelief, her lips slightly parted.
Are you a devil?
How long had she given Takuya this assignment?
This guy has been keeping an eye on Danzo and hasn't even given him proper meals?
Tsunade could already imagine Danzo looking gaunt and thin from days of eating nothing but ration pills.
Ration pills were effective for restoring chakra and staving off hunger, but they came with serious side effects. Constant consumption caused significant damage to the body.
No one would willingly eat them for days on end—unless absolutely necessary.
Not even the special, high-grade ration pills produced by the Akimichi Clan were available in abundance. Those were a luxury few could afford.
"You're not actually worried about starving him to death, are you?" Tsunade snapped, rubbing her temples in frustration.
She shot him a glare, clearly exasperated.
"Fine. I'll send someone over with food before things escalate. If he really collapses, it'll only create more problems for us."
"By the way, I came here to talk to you about something—"
Tsunade paused mid-sentence as realization hit her.
"Wait, did you just say Danzo has guests? There are people at his house?"
Ever since Danzo was stripped of his power, he had become a pariah. Not even Koharu Utatane or Homura Mitokado, his closest allies, had visited him.
As for the Third Hokage? He had been far too busy with the war to spare even a glance in Danzo's direction.
So the question was—who were these guests?
Who would dare approach Danzo during such a precarious time?
"Two sneaky guys," Takuya replied with a smirk. "They've been hiding in Danzo's secret chamber since the day I got the assignment. I guess they were afraid I'd find them, so they've been holed up in there ever since."
Just thinking about it made Takuya want to laugh. Those two subordinates had been stuck inside for days, dealing with all their needs—eating, sleeping, and relieving themselves—in that cramped space.
The smell in Danzo's house must have been unbearable by now, and the stench inside the chamber? Best not to imagine it.
Tsunade's expression darkened instantly.
I knew it!
The old fox was up to something. Of course he couldn't sit still.
It made perfect sense now—during the recent protest at the Hokage office, someone had probably slipped out unnoticed.
But what were they planning?
Hiding for days like this clearly indicated something suspicious.
There was no doubt they were Danzo's subordinates. Anyone who followed him would bear the Curse Mark of the Tongue Eradication, an effective tool for preventing betrayal. If they captured these people, they could confirm everything.
It would be concrete proof that Danzo was still pulling strings in the village.
"Restrain them first," Tsunade ordered coldly. "I'll take them away for interrogation. Don't worry about Danzo—I'll handle him."
"Your call."
"Right, you were about to say something earlier. What was it?"
Tsunade's earlier train of thought had been derailed by this revelation, and she looked back at Takuya expectantly.
"What a mess," she muttered under her breath.
She wasn't even Hokage yet, and there were already endless issues piling up.
How chaotic would things get if she officially took the position?
Seriously, what's wrong with people who fight to become Hokage?
Tsunade let out an exhausted sigh. She couldn't understand those who viewed the position as a prize.
For her, this wasn't ambition but duty. She was stepping up because she refused to watch the village descend into chaos under the wrong leadership.
Regaining her composure, Tsunade continued, "Orochimaru and Jiraiya shared some intelligence with Chiyo. They suspect that the Third Mizukage is either being controlled or someone is impersonating him. They want the village to send someone to investigate. Ideally, we should meet with Yagura and, if possible, speak with the village elder."
"Now you realize this?"
Takuya rolled his eyes dramatically.
Even someone as powerful as the Sage of Six Paths couldn't escape mortality.
The Third Mizukage was already ancient, bedridden for years, and now he was suddenly hale and healthy? That alone was suspicious.
Add to that Sakumo Hatake's report. How could someone on the brink of death suddenly have skin as smooth and youthful as a young man's?
And now, after months of pointless war, they were just beginning to suspect something?
"What's with that look? Do you know something?" Tsunade shot him a sharp glance.
"Of course not," Takuya replied with a casual shrug. "Let me ask you this—do you think your great-uncle could've lived this long, let alone jumped back into the battlefield to lead an army?"
"..."
"What kind of comparison is that?"
Tsunade's fists clenched as she glared at him.
"Relax, it's just an example," Takuya said quickly, gesturing for her to calm down. "Don't take it so seriously. Violence won't help either of us."
"Stupid example," Tsunade muttered under her breath. "Of course that wouldn't happen. Ninjas from that era had it much harder than we do. My grandfather—the so-called God of Shinobi—was worn down by injuries and illness. My great-uncle wouldn't be any different."
Even Tobirama Senju, her great-uncle, was just a man. The God of Shinobi couldn't escape mortality—why would anyone else?
"Exactly."
Takuya shrugged. "It's obvious there's something wrong with this situation. Someone in Kirigakure is probably already investigating. They just haven't found any evidence yet."
"Wait a minute. You're not suggesting I infiltrate Kirigakure to investigate, are you?"
Takuya's eyes narrowed with suspicion as he realized where this was headed.
"Not happening. I refuse. I need rest. I've been bouncing between two battlefields for too long—I'm exhausted. There are plenty of other candidates for this mission. Besides, Kirigakure's people probably hate me by now. If I show up, I'll only cause more trouble."
"Send Orochimaru instead," he added with a grin. "He's excellent at escaping sticky situations, and his silver tongue is perfect for this kind of task."
Orochimaru rarely showed his persuasive skills, but when he did, he could convince almost anyone.
As for the frontlines, wasn't Jiraiya already managing things? He just didn't want to get dragged into the mess.
Lazy, as always, Tsunade thought to herself.
She had expected this response. Takuya wasn't the type to shoulder extra burdens willingly.
"You're right—I won't force you. I'll handle the Third Hokage. You just keep an eye on Danzo. But don't starve him too much, okay? Give him at least one meal every two days. Ration pills alone won't cut it."
Compared to Takuya, Tsunade considered herself merciful.
Danzo was an old man. One meal every two days was surely enough.
"You call me ruthless, but you're not much better," Takuya said, giving her a strange look.
Women really hold grudges, he thought to himself.
"Fine. I'll go capture those two sneaks. You take care of the rest."
With that, Takuya turned to leave, already planning his next move.