Jiraiya, standing nearby, remained silent, watching Hiruzen Sarutobi with a solemn expression, waiting for his answer.
Hiruzen Sarutobi was silent for a moment, appearing to have aged several years in those brief seconds.
He raised his head, his eyes filled with relief and the desolation of an ending, and slowly nodded:
"Yes... I am old. It is time... to completely retire."
He looked at Tsunade, his eyes holding a hint of gratification and gratitude:
"Tsunade, I troubled you... to still consider me. Rest assured... I will keep them in check."
"If they truly appear again... you no longer need to consider me."
"Furthermore, without word from you, I will no longer appear in the Hokage Building!"
This time, his promise felt exceptionally heavy and genuine.
After speaking, Hiruzen Sarutobi did not linger. He led the pale-faced Homura Mitokado and Utatane Koharu, who had completely lost all their bargaining chips, and truly left the Hokage Office with somewhat stumbling steps.
This time, it was a complete withdrawal, a handover of eras.
After the door closed, the office fell into a brief silence.
Tsunade slowly sat back down in her chair and let out a long sigh of relief.
Jiraiya walked over to her side and patted her shoulder, everything understood without words.
The news that Konoha's Fifth Hokage Tsunade had, on the very day of her succession, swiftly eradicated the "Root" organization and issued a warrant for the arrest of former advisor Danzo Shimura, swept across the entire Ninja World like a spiritual storm.
The first reaction of everyone who heard this news was utter astonishment!
The speed was too fast!
The methods were too ruthless!
It completely denied the old guard any chance to catch their breath or retaliate!
However, after the initial shock wore off, the Kage of the major Hidden Villages, sitting in their respective offices, shared a surprisingly unanimous reaction—a silent nod of approval.
Fourth Raikage A crossed his arms and roughly commented, "Hmph! Those old geezers in Konoha were truly rotten to the core! That woman Tsunade... she's ruthless and decisive enough! If she had waited a few more years, or been as indecisive as Hiruzen Sarutobi, Konoha might truly have collapsed from within."
Third Tsuchikage Ōnoki floated in the air, a rare look of approval appearing on his cunning face. "Scraping the bone to cure the poison, cutting off a limb to save the body... it truly was the only way to save Konoha. Princess Tsunade has guts."
The Ninja World was abuzz with discussion, but most people admired Tsunade's decisiveness.
Meanwhile, in the Land of Rain.
Through Zetsu's intelligence network, Uchiha Itachi learned of this earth-shattering news almost immediately.
He stood there, as if all his soul had been instantly drained away.
For the first time, his perpetually icy face displayed a blank stupor, and his scarlet Sharingan lost focus.
Danzo Shimura... fell?
Listed as an S-Rank Rogue Ninja?
Kill on sight?
"Root" was completely uprooted?
All of this happened too quickly, too suddenly, completely exceeding all his expectations and planning!
He had sacrificed everything, bearing the infamy of a butcher and a traitor, all to protect Sasuke under the threat of the Konoha Leadership and eliminate the hidden danger of civil war for Konoha, hadn't he?
But now... his greatest threat, one of the root causes of all his suffering, was just... easily destroyed by Tsunade in such a brutal and direct manner? Turned into a stray dog?
Then what was his sacrifice for?
And what did the blood of his clansmen on his hands mean?
And what became of the "love" that made Sasuke hate him and live with the goal of killing him?
For a moment, Uchiha Itachi felt the world spin, his mind a complete mess.
He didn't know what he should do, or even what reaction he should teach.
Should he feel relief?
Or should he feel absurdity?
Or perhaps... a deep-seated confusion and a sense of powerlessness, having been played by fate?
Uchiha Itachi had always believed he was playing a grand game of chess, walking alone in the darkness for a noble goal.
But now... the chessboard had been flipped over.
His opponent had been directly eliminated.
Only he remained, stubbornly clinging to chips that had long lost their meaning, standing right where he was.
Like a... clown.
All his persistence, all his calculations, all his pain, seemed to lose their weight at this moment.
"Shu shu shu..." Orochimaru's spine-chilling laughter rang out, his long tongue uncontrollably licking his cheek, his golden vertical pupils flashing with extreme greed and excitement.
While Itachi was momentarily distracted, Orochimaru struck without warning!
Several thick venomous snakes shot out from the shadows like lightning, instantly coiling around the seemingly defenseless body of Uchiha Itachi, their cold bodies tightly restraining him.
"Hehehe... Uchiha Itachi!" Orochimaru slowly approached, admiring this "easily obtained" perfect vessel, his voice slightly trembling with excitement.
"It seems the news from Konoha has thrown your mind into chaos! What a godsend! These beautiful Mangekyo Sharingan, this perfect body of yours... hand them over to me!"
Although Orochimaru knew the Sharingan countered him, he couldn't control his desire for it, let alone the Mangekyo Sharingan.
However, Uchiha Itachi, tightly bound by the venomous snakes, didn't even struggle.
He simply raised his eyes. In those scarlet Mangekyo, there was no panic, no anger, only an abyss-like, chilling coldness and calm.
He looked at the smug Orochimaru as if watching a buzzing fly, and spoke the words that sent a shiver down Orochimaru's spine, his tone utterly placid:
"Orochimaru... when did you get the illusion that you had captured me?"
"What?!" Orochimaru's pupils contracted sharply, and the intense sense of crisis made him instantly want to retreat!
But it was already too late!
The surrounding scene shattered and peeled away piece by piece, like broken glass!
The cold walls of the Akatsuki Base disappeared, replaced by a bizarre, boundless world where a massive blood-red moon hung in the sky!
The Tsukuyomi Space!
And Orochimaru himself was tightly bound to a massive cross, unable to move!
He didn't even know when or how he had fallen under the Genjutsu!
"When?! How is that possible?!" Orochimaru was utterly terrified. He believed he had thoroughly researched and guarded against the Sharingan, yet he had still been completely ensnared without realizing it!
Uchiha Itachi was in an extremely foul mood right now.
The upheaval in Konoha had shaken the conviction he held onto, and the confusion and unvented negative emotions surged within him like magma.
Orochimaru's overconfident provocation had conveniently run right into the muzzle, making him a perfect punching bag.
Itachi completely ignored Orochimaru's shock and questions.
He walked expressionlessly toward the bound Orochimaru, and a long blade radiating chilling coldness materialized in his hand.