Chapter 96: A Heated Debate—Tsunade Concedes!

Uchiha Jin’s expression was calm.

Looking at the slightly angry Tsunade, he nearly laughed—this woman could be his mother, yet she acted more like a child.

But.

After a brief moment of thought, he instantly understood.

Though Tsunade’s early life had been utterly tragic—her brother and lover both died violently, and the Senju clan vanished entirely—her personal life had actually been quite comfortable.

There was no way.

Even to preserve the Senju name, Hiruzen Sarutobi dared not treat Tsunade too harshly; in many matters, he had to let her have her way.

Even Orochimaru, the Shadow of the Ninja World, dared not even consider moving against her—Hiruzen Sarutobi would strike without hesitation.

So.

This created the dissonance Tsunade projected: though her heart remained steeped in darkness, she occasionally revealed the temperament of a little girl.

He glanced at Tsunade, then spoke casually.

“I rarely argue with people—it’s meaningless.”

“But given your behavior, Itachi’ve actually saved me a lot of time, so I’ll play this argument game with Itachi.”

“First, no ninja clan will choose Itachi.”

“There are two reasons.”

“First, they betrayed the Hidden Leaf’s high command—if they now betray Uchiha, their credibility will be shattered; no future ruler will ever trust them again.”

“Of course, I know Itachi, Tsunade, would believe them—but the issue is every ninja clan represents an entire tribe’s survival; they dare not gamble on that.”

“Second, I gave those clans hope—I promised I would never restrict their development. That alone is something Itachi cannot match.”

“From the village’s perspective, whether or not Itachi become the Fifth Hokage, it changes nothing for me.”

“Because today’s village is a massive mess!”

“The Hidden Leaf’s high command has spent years acting against its own interests, leaving the village riddled with holes. Take the current ninja stipends and war contract payments—can Itachi muster the courage to exterminate the Sarutobi and three other clans?”

“Itachi’re too soft-hearted—I’m certain Itachi can’t. Your only option is to go to the Daimyo and demand more money.”

“This might temporarily stabilize the village, but never forget: unless Itachi completely purge the high command, this issue will remain a thorn in every villager’s and ninja’s heart.”

“And don’t forget—I won’t stop stirring trouble. Why should I? The Hidden Leaf’s high command are monsters. I can ignite public outrage at any moment.”

“As long as Itachi don’t exterminate the current high command and Qingsuan them Chedi , the Hidden Leaf will never know peace.”

“Finally!”

“Even if Itachi muster the courage to kill those old bastards, I, Uchiha Jin, can build a new Hidden Leaf—and I’m certain the Daimyo will support me.”

“The reason is even simpler.”

“No matter how close Itachi are to the Daimyo, he is a being of power—and he would be lying if he claimed no fear of a ninja village that operates beyond his control.”

“Even if he can’t control Uchiha, for a power-broker like him, a new ninja village with a grudge against the Hidden Leaf is a blessing.”

“At the very least, he can tilt the balance—support whichever village is weaker, subtly influencing the ninja world.”

“Would the Daimyo refuse such an advantage?”

“Meanwhile, I have the entire Uchiha clan, plus all the major and minor ninja clans of the Hidden Leaf. Even if I need to relocate some civilians from outside, within ten years I’ll have a brand-new Hidden Leaf.”

“But what about Itachi?”

“On one hand, Itachi’re dragged down by the Sarutobi and other vested interests; on the other, how many geniuses can Itachi possibly find among the common villagers?”

“Itachi must admit: ninja clans produce geniuses far more frequently—and with their clan techniques, their odds of becoming strong are far higher than those of commoners.”

“Itachi know this well!”

“Over the years, the only true strongmen to emerge from the common folk of the Hidden Leaf are Jiraiya, Orochimaru, and Minato Namikaze.”

“But how many geniuses have emerged from the ninja clans?”

“Of course.”

“I don’t think Itachi’d side with the Hidden Leaf’s high command—Itachi have your own grudges against them. What Itachi truly care about is the village: the true crystallization of your grandfathers’ legacy.”

“So this whole argument is pointless.”

“I’ve already prepared countless plans—no matter what reaction Hiruzen Sarutobi makes, I’ve already got countermeasures ready.”

After speaking,

Uchiha Jin lifted his teacup again and refused to look at Tsunade.

Yes!

In his view, it meant nothing.

If Tsunade joined him, it would be good—he’d gain another card to hasten the downfall of the high command.

But, equally,

How much real help would it be? Actually, very little.

Even if Tsunade truly chose to aid the Hidden Leaf’s high command—even if she became the Fifth Hokage—I still have countless countermeasures ready.

The Hidden Leaf’s high command are doomed!

Had I not wished to waste excessive resources, I could have repurposed even the Sarutobi and three other clans. And I’m deeply wary of the Sage of Six Paths—I don’t want to provoke the hidden players behind the scenes by making things too extreme.

Otherwise, heh!

I could have killed the Hidden Leaf’s high command long ago—there was no need to wait this long.

Meanwhile,

After hearing this, Tsunade couldn’t help but shudder.

There was no way!

Uchiha Jin’s plan was too comprehensive—no matter how hard she strained her mind, she couldn’t conceive of any way to break the deadlock.

Yes.

Only if her great-grandfather could be resurrected, wielding absolute power to crush Uchiha, would there be any hope.

Otherwise, it was useless!

And this was even without Uchiha using force or spilling blood—only through political maneuvering.

Remember:

Uchiha Jin and Fugaku both now possess Mangekyo Sharingan, and they command the most elite forces in the Hidden Leaf: the Uchiha and all the major and minor ninja clans.

Could the village truly withstand this?

Even if she chose to side with the Hidden Leaf’s high command, the only true power she could muster were herself, Jiraiya, and Hiruzen Sarutobi.

But Hiruzen Sarutobi was old, and she herself suffered from hemophobia.

Could Jiraiya alone suffice?

Realizing all this, Tsunade let out a deep sigh.

“Itachi win.”

“It seems I’m not as important as I thought—but for me, that’s actually a good thing.”

“I’m joining Uchiha. But Itachi clearly don’t need me in your struggle against the village—I’ll handle medical affairs for Itachi from now on.”

“Of course, there’s a condition!”

“Itachi Uchiha must settle all my external debts.”

“Am I worth that price?”