Konoha’s Internal Affairs

"Ino, where exactly did Sasuke go?"

At the Konoha Ninja Academy, Haruno Sakura asked her friend Ino weakly. Ever since Second Pillar had been forcibly taken away from the training ground behind the Ninja Academy some time ago, he had never returned.

Sakura and Ino had secretly gone to the Uchiha Compound to look for Sasuke, but there had not been a single person there. Some of the roads had even been sealed off.

"I don’t know either. My father won’t tell me anything about the Uchiha. Shikamaru, Choji, do you know anything?"

Hearing Ino’s question, Shikamaru, who had a blade of grass in his mouth, clicked his tongue quietly. What a troublesome woman. Then he said, "No idea. My old man hasn’t been home either. And it’s not just Sasuke—even Naruto hasn’t come to school. Maybe only the Anbu know what happened to them."

Shikamaru thought of the sounds of fighting that had come from near the Ninja Academy that night, as well as the Anbu who had taken Naruto away. This was far beyond what they could possibly investigate.

"Same here. Dad only told me to attend class properly and forbade me from asking about anything else."

Choji spoke while eating chips. Though he looked unconcerned, he had gone home to ask about Naruto as soon as possible. However, he had gotten nothing from Choza.

After hearing what Shikamaru and Choji said, Sakura’s expression immediately fell.

Shikamaru suddenly said, "If you really want to know, why not ask the Fifth Hokage directly? Tsunade-sama definitely knows, though she probably won’t be in the mood to answer questions from students like us."

"The Fifth Hokage? Isn’t Grandfather Third the village’s Hokage? Why is there suddenly a Fifth Hokage?" Sakura froze and asked in confusion.

"Sakura, the Third Hokage isn’t in the village. And Tsunade-sama is the strongest and most beautiful female ninja! My mom said the village went to great lengths to bring Tsunade-sama back. But Shikamaru’s suggestion is basically useless. Tsunade-sama is so busy—how could she possibly have time to answer our questions?"

After explaining it to Sakura, Yamanaka Ino turned and rolled her eyes at Shikamaru. What kind of terrible idea was that?

However, Sakura silently remembered what she had learned about Tsunade. Having obtained that information, she could no longer focus on class for the rest of the day.

After school, Sakura chose not to tell her companions. She felt that Ino was not optimistic about this matter, so she quietly headed toward the Hokage Tower by herself.

Although the Hokage Tower was busy right now, Ninja Academy students were not forbidden from entering.

Tsunade had just dismissed Kimura, who had come to report to her. Then she secretly took out a bottle of shochu Hyuga Mirai had given her, intending to take a couple of drinks and relax.

This was the last bottle in her collection. Once she finished it, there would be nowhere to buy more. She had asked Hyuga Mirai where the shochu came from, but he had guarded the secret tightly and refused to tell her.

His reason was that he was afraid she would become addicted to drinking and turn into a drunkard.

That damn kid! Did he really distrust her that much?

Tsunade poured herself a cup, then eagerly took a big drink.

"Ahh, as expected, shochu is the finest thing in the world!"

The flavor and sheer satisfaction instantly swept away the exhaustion from a full day of handling official business. Unfortunately, only Hyuga Mirai had this kind of liquor. She had traveled through several countries and had not found anything comparable. After drinking this, everything else tasted far inferior.

Knock knock!

A knock sounded at the door. Tsunade instantly became alert and shoved the bottle into a drawer. Then she opened the window and circulated Chakra to clear the smell of alcohol from her mouth before speaking majestically, "Come in."

However, when she saw that the one entering was a little pink-haired girl, Tsunade clicked her tongue. I scared myself for nothing. Only after Sakura had fully entered did Tsunade ask, "You’re a Ninja Academy student, right? What do you need?"

"Tsunade-sama, may I ask if you know where Second Pillar… and Uzumaki Naruto are? Neither of them has come to school for several days."

When Sakura mentioned Sasuke, she remembered what Shikamaru had said about Naruto. She felt their disappearances were somehow connected, but she knew nothing and could only come ask Tsunade-sama.

"Tch. Children shouldn’t ask about such things. The most important thing for you right now is to study properly. Otherwise, you won’t even be able to become a ninja in the future."

Tsunade gave Sakura a brief appraisal and could tell that she was the type of student whose head was filled with romance. She wore a skirt, and her palms showed no calluses from hard training, nor were there any traces of sweat.

Tsunade herself had not even started a new relationship at her age. Why was a child in such a hurry?

Each generation at the Ninja Academy was worse than the last, Tsunade suddenly lamented inwardly. In her generation, they had begun carrying out C-rank Missions at eight. By Hyuga Mirai’s generation, aside from that deeply hidden little monster, there had also been Kakashi, who became a Chunin at six.

Yet by Sakura’s generation, it seemed the top student was Second Pillar, while everyone else was fairly ordinary.

Calling them ordinary might have been going too far, but there was no one outstanding enough to make people’s eyes light up.

"But, Tsunade-sama…"

"Go back. Ninjas must follow the Ninja Regulations. Don’t ask about things you shouldn’t be asking about. You haven’t become a ninja yet, but if you can’t even do this much, then don’t become one at all."

Tsunade’s tone was slightly harsh, making Sakura’s body tremble. Without saying another word, she bowed to Tsunade and slowly left the Hokage’s Office.

Not long after Sakura left, Kimura knocked and entered with Shizune. Having learned from last time, Tsunade had prepared well this time. Even after Kimura entered, she could not smell any alcohol around Tsunade.

"Tsunade-sama, this is an urgent request from the front line. The Third Hokage needs not only a batch of medicine and Medical Talismans, but also Medical Machines and Medical-nin support."

"Why doesn’t he just move Konoha Hospital over there too? And Kimura, don’t invoke the Third Hokage’s orders. I’m the Hokage now."

The moment Tsunade heard Sarutobi Hiruzen’s name, anger rose in her heart. She took the request form from Kimura, and after reading it, the fury on her face only intensified.

"There are only four hundred people at the front line. Why is that old fool asking for supplies meant for eight hundred? Does he think he can falsify supply demands just because I haven’t returned to the village for several years?"

Tsunade slammed the supply request onto the desk and asked Kimura,

"Kimura, don’t approve such outrageous requests in the future. Review the supplies needed by all front line personnel, then submit the report to me."

Kimura said with some difficulty, "Tsunade-sama, this may include the needs of the Iwa-nin side as well."

"The Iwa-nin? Why would Konoha provide medical supplies to the Iwa-nin?"

Tsunade asked in surprise. Kimura then told her about some of what had happened at the front line. The Iwa-nin had suffered devastating losses at the hands of Amegakure’s leader, and every survivor was wounded. Treating the Iwa-nin ninjas had already forced the medical teams at the front line to work nonstop. Sarutobi Hiruzen’s request for supplies was a helpless measure.

Moreover, the Anbu had been afraid Tsunade would get angry upon seeing it, so they had let Kimura bring the request in at the door.

"The Rinnegan…"

Tsunade frowned slightly. She remembered that he had once been Jiraiya’s student. His family had died because of Konoha Ninja, while his close friend had died due to Hanzo and Danzo’s collusion. That was why he hated the Ninja Villages of the great nations so much.

Tsunade had learned this intelligence from Hyuga Mirai. Before she completely took control of the Anbu, there would likely be no shortage of underhanded schemes beneath her. Every generation of Hokage had to go through this. Even the Fourth Hokage, who had become Hokage with his military achievements, had not controlled all of the Anbu.

Seeing Tsunade lost in thought, Kimura could not help asking quietly again, "Tsunade-sama, this supply request…"

"Have the Logistics Department prepare it, but tell the front line that this is the last time we will support the Iwa-nin."

After considering it, Tsunade felt that the front line could not be allowed to collapse yet. If the Rain Country battlefield was defeated, Kikyo Castle would likely suffer a chain reaction as well. She had only just become the Fifth Hokage; if something went wrong now, it could cause countless complications.

"Kimura, have Shizune familiarize herself with Konoha Hospital’s affairs as soon as possible. Her Medical Ninjutsu is not a problem; what she lacks is experience. Once Shizune can take over, I need you to help me take charge of the Logistics Department."

The Finance Department, Logistics Department, Mission Hall, Intelligence Department, Anbu, Medical Department, and Barrier Sealing Team—these were the major departments supporting Konoha’s operations. There had previously also been the Military Police Force, but after the Uchiha collectively left Konoha, the Military Police Force had been temporarily abandoned.

However, Tsunade would rebuild the Military Police Force sooner or later, and she had already considered the candidates. The village’s daily patrols still relied on the Anbu and mission squads, but that was not a long-term solution. The Military Police Force had to be rebuilt to handle villager complaints, guard against spies from other villages, and deal with similar matters.

The Hyuga, Aburame, Inuzuka, and other Ninja Clans skilled in reconnaissance would jointly reorganize Konoha’s Military Police Force. As for the captain, Tsunade intended to select someone in the village whom she trusted to take the position.

Tsunade had heard that the Hyuga Clan had a "rebellious" Main Family ninja. She could assess him when the time came. If he was suitable, making the Hyuga Clan the main force of the new Military Police Force would not be a bad idea.

There would be another chapter later.