Tsunade’s Respect, Hiruzen’s Bitterness

Bang! Bang bang! Inside the Hokage's office, hearing the almost smashing-like "knocking" that only Tsunade would use, Hiruzen Sarutobi felt the body he had only just nursed back to health begin to ache again. Still, the fact that Tsunade now knew to knock before entering the Hokage's office rather than simply pushing the door open was already enough to make Hiruzen Sarutobi breathe a sigh of relief. Tsunade's strength had originally placed her in Konoha's second tier, surpassed only by him, the "Kage.