Chapter 120: Absurd
Listening to Tsunade's watertight official speech, though Sasuko felt it was making mountains of molehills, she still tried arguing: "Lady Hokage, I heard ordinary ninja registration procedures aren't this complex..."
"Indeed so." Tsunade maintained an impeccable smile. "But Miss Sasuko's situation is special. Your potential is enormous. We must ensure we match you with the most suitable guiding Jonin and mission types. This is both responsible to you and responsible to missions."
Naruko on the side couldn't help chiming in: "Granny Tsunade, I can vouch for Sasuko..."
"Naruko!" Tsunade gently interrupted her, though her eyes carried warning. "Jonin recommendation rights also require Upper Ninja Council review. And stop calling me Granny!"
She looked at Sasuko again, softening her tone. "Please believe Konoha greatly values every ninja's growth. Precisely because we see your future possibilities, we need more thorough arrangements."
This speech was high-sounding, both affirming Sasuko's value while dissolving all her arguments into nothing.
Sasuko opened her mouth, discovering all possible rebuttals had been preemptively blocked.
"Then... I'll trouble Lady Hokage to arrange this quickly." Sasuko could only bow slightly in the end.
"Certainly." Tsunade rose with a beaming smile to see them out. "Shizune will contact you within a week."
The office door closed softly behind them.
Sasuko and Naruko walked one after another through the empty corridor.
Sasuko's brow furrowed slightly. She felt something wasn't quite right but couldn't articulate why.
"I didn't expect it to be this troublesome..." she murmured softly.
Naruko scratched her head. Though simple-minded, she also vaguely sensed Granny Tsunade's attitude was somewhat too cautious.
Still, she optimistically comforted: "It's fine! It's just waiting a few days anyway!"
Just as their figures disappeared at the corridor's end, Tsunade inside the office instantly withdrew all smiles.
"Shizune!" Her voice was urgent and low. "Immediately notify all major clan heads—emergency meeting in ninety minutes!"
Shizune's expression turned stern: "All clans?"
"All!" Tsunade spoke decisively. "Including Hyuga, Nara, Yamanaka, Akimichi... especially the Uchiha Clan's current head. He must attend personally!"
Shizune rapidly formed seals. Several messenger crows flew swiftly from the window.
Tsunade paced back and forth in the office, fingers intermittently tapping the desk.
Ninety minutes later, the Hokage conference room.
Major clan heads arrived successively, exchanging puzzled glances.
Such unprompted emergency meetings were extremely rare during peacetime.
After the last clan head took their seat, Tsunade got straight to the point: "Just now, Uchiha Sasuko applied to register as a Genin."
The conference room immediately fell silent.
Hyuga Hiashi frowned slightly: "Uchiha Sasuko?"
He suspected he'd misheard. That lord's sister wanting to become Hokage would be a matter of one word. Why would she become a Konoha Genin for no reason?
"Yes." Tsunade surveyed everyone, voice grave. "Uchiha Yu's adoptive sister."
This name made every clan head's expression turn serious.
"Everyone should understand that person's strength." Tsunade spoke slowly. "Now his most valued sister wants to become a ninja. What this means needs no elaboration from me."
Nara Shikaku rubbed his temples—his habitual action when finding matters troublesome: "In other words, we can neither refuse her application nor ensure she's absolutely safe."
"Precisely." Tsunade nodded. "But the problem is, the ninja profession inherently accompanies danger. How should we ensure her absolute safety without showing obvious concern?"
The conference room fell into contemplation.
Everyone understood this task's importance—this concerned not merely one Genin's safety, but the entire Konoha's stability.
Tsunade turned her gaze to Shisui on the other side of the conference table.
As the Uchiha Clan's current head, Konoha's currently most powerful and influential clan leader, and someone personally recommended by Uchiha Yu himself, his friendship with that lord was known to everyone present.
"Chief Shisui," Tsunade's tone carried appropriate respect. "I'd like to hear your thoughts."
All eyes in the conference room instantly focused on Shisui.
In everyone's view, that lofty man ultimately bore the Uchiha surname. Even if ordinarily uninvolved in worldly affairs, unknown connections with the clan must exist.
As clan head, Shisui should know some inside information.
Suddenly becoming the focus, Shisui was actually equally confused—he'd only just learned this news.
Considering Yu's devotion to this adoptive sister, he pondered before carefully choosing words: "From what I know, Yu greatly values this sister. First, we must confirm whether he knows about this."
This sentence plunged the entire conference room into deeper silence.
If Uchiha Yu knew and even agreed, everything might be manageable. But if he didn't know...
Shisui immediately raised a more critical question: "Additionally, why would Sasuko suddenly want to become a ninja? Given Yu's personality, he'd never proactively make such a suggestion. Is there another reason behind this?"
Everyone present understood well—in Uchiha Yu's heart, all of Konoha's weight likely couldn't compare to that adoptive sister.
How would such a person bear letting his treasured sister become a mere Genin?
Tsunade completely recounted her earlier conversation with Sasuko.
Nara Shikaku stroked his chin, contemplating: "From this perspective, that lord very likely doesn't know." He raised his eyes to survey those present. "The urgent matter is sending someone to test the waters. If we can satisfy both sides naturally, that's best..."
He paused, voice deepening: "If truly unable to satisfy both... we may have to trouble Miss Sasuko."
Everyone understood the meaning of "trouble"—politely declining Sasuko's application without offending that person.
"Then we need a suitable candidate to test the waters." As Tsunade finished speaking, everyone's gazes unanimously focused on Shisui.
Shisui met these earnest yet uneasy looks, a trace of indescribable absurdity rising in his heart.
He recalled the Uchiha Clan's position in Konoha years ago, then looked at now—Konoha's entire leadership actually trembling with trepidation over one person's attitude.
All these changes stemmed from Uchiha Yu's power transcending everything.
Once, he and Uchiha Itachi had exhausted themselves for the so-called "village's greater good" and "Will of Fire," even willing to sacrifice clan interests.
Looking back now, how laughable those high-sounding justifications were.
True power and peace had only ever originated from absolute strength.
If back then he and Itachi had both firmly stood with the clan, would tragedy not have occurred? Would Danzo have been cautious and not dared treat the Uchiha Clan so excessively?
"I understand." Shisui nodded calmly, his face showing no emotion.
His words barely fell before subtle sighs of relief sounded throughout the conference room.
"Then we'll trouble Chief Shisui."
These usually high-ranking figures now seemed granted amnesty.
After all, this involved that lord's family matters. Aside from Shisui with his past friendship with Yu, no one dared rashly investigate.
What if some word angered the other party, ending up like Danzo back then...
Everyone present clearly remembered how Danzo had been easily crushed before everyone's eyes.
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