Chapter 92

Even though Tsunade hadn't been in charge of the Anbu for long, and despite it being an unconventional move to reorganize the Anbu during wartime, her promotion to Minister brought new regulations.

For instance, the Anbu was now required to report to her for approval before undertaking significant missions, even if the orders came directly from the Hokage's office.

So, when the Anbu received instructions to investigate the Hyuga team's disappearance, they dutifully approached Tsunade for approval.

After hearing the details, Tsunade's response was immediate:

"Refuse this mission. The Anbu is already stretched thin with critical wartime assignments. If the Hyuga clan's people are missing, let them investigate it themselves!"

"But… this mission came directly from the Hokage's office…"

The Anbu team, ready to deploy, exchanged anxious glances. They were caught between conflicting orders and didn't know whose authority to follow.

"I am the Minister of the Anbu. If anyone defies my orders and leaves the village without authorization, they will be expelled from the Anbu," Tsunade declared, slamming her hand on the table. The force reverberated through the room, and the Anbu members felt their hearts race with dread.

Serving in the Anbu was a badge of honor. Being expelled without clear justification would be humiliating, a stain on their record.

Faced with such a stark ultimatum, the Anbu members had no choice but to remain in the village. The investigation was halted before it began.

The Third Hokage, under the impression that the Anbu had already set out, remained unaware of Tsunade's interference. Nearly two weeks passed before he was confronted by the head of the Hyuga clan, demanding answers.

When the truth emerged, the Third Hokage was livid.

In the Hokage's office, his frustration was palpable. His beard quivered as he glared at the Anbu team leader.

The head of the Hyuga clan stood beside him, his expression equally displeased. The clan had sent a main family member and branch guards to the border on the Hokage's orders. Now, none had returned, and the Hokage's office had shown no urgency.

*We supported you, Hokage, and even sent members of our main family. Now they're missing, and you've done nothing?* The Hyuga leader's eyes spoke what he did not say aloud.

"Did you disobey orders?" The Third Hokage's voice trembled with barely contained fury.

He felt his authority slipping. If he had discovered this privately, he could have contained his anger. But with the Hyuga leader standing witness, it was a humiliation he couldn't bear. The situation only worsened when he summoned the Anbu and they hesitantly admitted:

"Hokage-sama, we wouldn't dare disobey orders, but the Minister explicitly forbade this mission. She said the Hyuga clan should conduct their own investigation and threatened to expel anyone who proceeded."

The silence that followed was heavy.

The Hyuga leader's gaze sharpened, while the Third Hokage's face flushed with embarrassment.

Tsunade's words had been harsh, and she had made her disdain for the Hyuga clan clear, rooted in how they had once treated Shinki. She had no qualms about obstructing their request.

"This is preposterous!" The Third Hokage slammed his hand on the desk, shaking the room. "I am the Hokage!"

*You may be the Hokage, but we have a Minister now,* the Anbu members thought. They dared not speak, avoiding eye contact and waiting for the storm to pass. Tsunade's authority over the Anbu was absolute; defying her was unthinkable.

The Anbu operatives, realizing the mess they were caught in, remained silent. If the Hyuga clan wanted to search, they'd have to do it themselves.

"Get out," the Third Hokage said, waving them away. The Anbu members didn't need to be told twice; they departed swiftly, eager to escape the suffocating tension.

Once they were gone, the Hyuga leader finally spoke. "Hokage-sama, the main family has been affected. We need an explanation. The death or disappearance of one of our own is significant, and it endangers our clan's secrets."

The branch family's loss could be tolerated, but losing a member of the main family was catastrophic. The possibility of the Byakugan falling into the wrong hands chilled the Hyuga leader.

The Third Hokage nodded, regaining a measure of composure. "You have my word; I will find an answer. Please allow me some time."

Without the Anbu, he'd need to turn to other means. Directly ordering Nara Shikaku to conduct an investigation would draw unwanted attention. The mission had to remain discreet.

Using family assets instead of Anbu meant taking more risks. Unlike the Anbu, clan operatives would not command the same cooperation from others and lacked the specialized privileges of Konoha's elite black-ops.

These realizations weighed heavily on the Third Hokage. His earlier choices, influenced by the politics of the F4 group and his attempt to appease Utatane Koharu, now felt like grave errors.

Regret gnawed at him, but it was too late. He had created this tangled mess himself.

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