[The Next Day]
All of Konoha was shrouded in a strange and eerie atmosphere.
Every elder of the village wore a serious expression as they entered the conference room of the Hokage Building.
As soon as everyone came in, quiet murmurs began to spread around the room. After all, too many things had happened yesterday.
Many elders weren't well-informed, so they were busy sharing bits and pieces of the news with each other.
Behind Rengoku followed Fugaku and Orochimaru as they arrived at the entrance of the Hokage Building.
He looked left and right, beneath the shade of a nearby tree stood the woman known as the strongest in the ninja world, arms crossed, already waiting.
When Tsunade saw Rengoku appear, she strode forward with powerful steps.
"Why are you only coming now?", she said, her face showing obvious impatience.
Rengoku understood Tsunade's mood and didn't take offense. He simply pointed to the two people behind him who were covered by cloaks.
"I was getting your witnesses ready."
Tsunade had already noticed the reanimated Danzo, and the other, taller figure beside him.
A faint, hoarse cough could be heard, it was Akimichi Torifu.
"Tsunade, don't rush. Just follow Rengoku's plan."
Tsunade took a breath and calmed her irritation, "Don't worry, I know what I'm doing."
At that moment, members of the Anbu had already gone to report to the Third Hokage.
Rengoku waved his hand, "Enough talking. Let's go in."
When Rengoku and his group entered the conference room in a grand procession, everyone except for members of the Hyuga clan was already there.
Jiraiya was standing next to the Third Hokage.
When Jiraiya and Hiruzen saw Tsunade enter together with Orochimaru, their hearts suddenly sank.
The room instantly fell silent.
Rengoku's entrance was clearly not friendly, and now even Tsunade was standing on the Uchiha's side.
Tsunade didn't bother pretending. The moment she stepped through the door, she glared at the Third Hokage, her eyes filled with unmistakable killing intent.
Dark clouds gathered on Hiruzen's face. He didn't yet understand exactly what had happened, but he knew, it was bad.
Jiraiya moved closer to him, confused as to why Tsunade harbored such hostility toward her former teacher.
As soon as Rengoku entered, he locked eyes on the Third Hokage and asked coldly, "Third Hokage, you actually dared to collude with the Akatsuki organization to seize the Nine-Tails' jinchuriki, and even surround and kill me, a senior advisor?"
Rengoku didn't bother with pleasantries, he opened with direct accusation.
Hiruzen narrowed his eyes slightly.
"What do you mean by 'seizing' the Nine-Tails' jinchuriki? The Nine-Tails has always been the property of Konoha."
"Even if we replaced the jinchuriki, that has nothing to do with your Uchiha clan."
Rengoku snapped back, "So you replaced the Nine-Tails' jinchuriki with someone from your Sarutobi clan, his name's Sarutobi Ishishu, isn't it?"
Hiruzen's expression darkened. He didn't know how Rengoku had learned Ishishu's name, but it didn't matter now.
He countered, "Compared to the jinchuriki from other villages, Naruto has no combat strength at all."
"Now that Ishishu has become the jinchuriki, after just one day he's already capable of partial tailed transformation."
"I'm still the Hokage. Trying to strengthen Konoha's power, what's wrong with that?"
"But you, Uchiha Rengoku, you slaughtered members of the Anbu without reason. That is the true crime."
"Oh? You surround and attack me, and I'm not allowed to fight my way out?"
By saying this, Rengoku deliberately appeared to take a step back in the argument.
Hiruzen seemed to have the upper hand in words, but he didn't dare feel victorious, knowing full well that the Uchiha were unpredictable.
He softened his tone slightly, "They only tried to restrain you. After all, the original jinchuriki was closer to the Uchiha."
"Although Naruto had the Nine-Tails extracted, he wasn't harmed."
"So this whole thing is just a misunderstanding."
Some of the elders who hadn't yet heard the news were shocked, so the Third Hokage had extracted the Nine-Tails from Naruto and given it to someone from his own clan?
And he had even tried to block Rengoku from interfering.
A Sarutobi as the Nine-Tails' jinchuriki, the implications of that alone were staggering.
Rengoku's face showed no disappointment. On the contrary, he spoke with amused calm, "I don't really mind. After all, the ones who died were all your direct subordinates. If you say it's a misunderstanding, then a misunderstanding it is."
The amount of information in his words wasn't small, people began murmuring to each other.
Rengoku's tone sounded mocking, but in reality it was a calculated retreat, as if he no longer intended to pursue the matter of the stolen Nine-Tails.
Nara Shikaku's expression tightened. From what he knew of Rengoku, the man would never swallow such humiliation quietly.
"Hehehe!", A mocking laugh came from one of the cloaked figures behind Rengoku.
At this moment, Koharu Utatane could no longer stay still. Seeing Rengoku apparently backing down, she decided to press harder.
She looked at the group Rengoku had brought in and asked coldly, "Elder Rengoku, this is a Konoha high-level meeting. What's the meaning of you bringing all these people here?"
Rengoku sneered, "Oh? Are you talking about Orochimaru or Tsunade?"
As he spoke, his gaze shifted to Jiraiya.
Technically speaking, those three, Tsunade, Orochimaru, and Jiraiya, did not hold official elder titles.
But due to their special status, everyone tacitly accepted their right to attend such meetings.
Koharu's eyes flickered slightly as she looked toward the two figures still covered in cloaks.
"I'm talking about those two."
Rengoku laughed heartily, "Since when can't an elder advisor attend a Konoha high-level meeting?"
Before anyone could understand what he meant, the first cloak was lifted.
"Wha—"
Everyone in the room gasped.
Because the man beneath the cloak shouldn't have been able to appear here at all.
Tall and broad-shouldered, wearing a robe with the large character "Food" written on it, it was none other than Akimichi Torifu, who hadn't been seen for years.
Choza Akimichi instantly stood up, his face lighting with surprise.
"Uncle! You've recovered?"
Torifu waved a hand, signaling Choza to sit, "I've improved."
"Hiruzen, I'm still an elder advisor of Konoha. Am I not allowed to attend this meeting?"
Sarutobi Hiruzen, Koharu, and Mitokado Homura all stared at Torifu in disbelief.
They couldn't believe that the man who had been bedridden and near death could now stand, looking not only alive but in fairly good health.
"Torifu, if you'd recovered, why didn't you inform us?", Koharu asked, her voice syrupy but false.
Torifu had suffered terribly from illness. He wasn't as plump as before, but his large frame and stern presence still carried weight.
He snorted coldly, "Sorry to disappoint you, I didn't die in bed."
Koharu's expression hardened. Since the pretense was gone, there was no need to act polite anymore.
She turned her gaze to the other cloaked figure.
When that person pulled back his hood, everyone in the room drew in a sharp breath.
Though his pupils were wrong, and cracks lined his face, there was no mistaking him. Everyone knew who this was.
A cold, venomous voice, like that of a lurking snake, echoed through the room, "What's wrong? Don't you recognize me?"
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