Chapter 93: Third Hokage: "Am I No Longer in Command of the Anbu?"

Even though Tsunade hadn't been in charge of the Anbu for long.

Even though it wasn't appropriate to reorganize the Anbu during wartime, Tsunade's appointment as Anbu Commander still brought about some new rules.

For instance, when the Anbu received important missions, they were required to report to her as Commander, even if the mission came directly from the Hokage's office.

As a result, the Anbu ended up circling back to Tsunade for approval.

After learning the origins of the mission, Tsunade decisively said:

"Reject the mission. During wartime, every Anbu squad has critical responsibilities. If members of the Hyuga Clan are missing, let them investigate it themselves!"

"But..."

The Hokage had ordered them to set out immediately and carry out the mission.

Now the Commander was telling them to reject it and let the Hyuga Clan handle it themselves. The Anbu team, already prepared to leave, suddenly found themselves confused and unsure of whom to follow.

"I am the Commander of the Anbu. Anyone who dares to disobey orders and leave the village without my permission will be kicked out of the Anbu!"

Tsunade slammed the table, startling the Anbu members to their core.

In Konoha, being part of the Anbu was a source of pride. Getting kicked out for something like this would be a disgrace.

Thus, the investigation was left unresolved.

The Third Hokage assumed the Anbu team had already been dispatched. However, because of Tsunade's orders, the Anbu remained motionless, leaving the matter in limbo.

By the time the Third Hokage realized what had happened, ten to fifteen days had already passed.

If not for the Hyuga Clan Leader coming to the Hokage's office, the Third Hokage might still have been in the dark.

The Anbu hadn't acted?

When he learned this, the Third Hokage nearly choked in anger.

In the Hokage's office, the Third Hokage's hands trembled with rage.

Beside him, the Hyuga Clan Leader's expression was grim.

The clan had sent a main family member along with a team of branch family guards to the border camp for the Hokage's mission. But they had gone silent ever since.

If the branch family guards were lost, it was tolerable. But a main family member was missing too!!

What was most infuriating was the complete lack of response from the Hokage's office.

What's this? My Hyuga Clan goes out of its way to help you, even sending a main family member, and now they're missing, possibly dead, and your office does nothing? How does that make sense?

"You defied my orders?"

The Third Hokage was on the verge of exploding with anger.

He felt as if his reputation had been utterly destroyed. If he'd found out about this privately, he wouldn't have been so furious. But the Hyuga Clan Leader was present, and he had confidently assured him that the Anbu had been sent to investigate.

However, when he summoned the Anbu for clarification, he discovered that they hadn't moved at all.

His old face burned with humiliation.

The Third Hokage's face turned red as he glared at the Anbu members, who, feeling wronged, quietly explained:

"Lord Hokage, the Anbu would never defy orders. But the Commander said that if the Hyuga Clan's main family members are missing, they should investigate it themselves. She also said that anyone daring to carry out this mission would be kicked out of the Anbu."

It's not that we defied orders—it's that we didn't dare.

Caught between the Hokage and the Commander, the Anbu were in a miserable position. They didn't know which side to obey.

Hyuga Clan Leader: "..."

Third Hokage: "..."

So it wasn't defiance—it was that Tsunade had forbidden them from carrying out the mission, threatening to expel anyone who disobeyed.

Under those circumstances, who would dare execute the mission?

Given how poorly the clan had treated Takashi in the past, Tsunade held no fondness for the Hyuga Clan. Her bluntly worded directive reflected this.

"This is outrageous!"

The Third Hokage angrily slammed the table. "I am the Hokage!!!"

You are indeed the Hokage, but we Anbu now have a Commander overseeing us. What can we do?

If you're unhappy, go take it up with the Commander. Don't vent your anger on us—we're already in an impossible position as it is.

The Anbu members kept their heads low and said nothing, determined to remain invisible to avoid further ire.

Besides, the Commander wasn't wrong. If the Hyuga Clan's people went missing, they should investigate it themselves. Why involve the Anbu? During wartime, the Anbu already had their hands full with critical missions.

"You..." Seeing the Anbu members fall silent, the Third Hokage was left speechless with fury.

He finally understood.

The Anbu were no longer the same as before. With Tsunade now overseeing them, every mission had to go through her. If she blocked the mission, the Anbu couldn't move.

This was incredibly frustrating!!!

The Hokage's personal unit, and yet the Hokage couldn't even deploy them.

And to make matters worse, it was all his own doing. Thinking back to how he'd restructured the Anbu to appease Koharu Utatane, the Third Hokage deeply regretted his decision.

If only he'd been firm back then and shut down Koharu's meddling, things wouldn't have come to this.

Now, the Third Hokage found himself completely stuck.

"Forget it. You're dismissed."

He waved the Anbu members away, and they quickly withdrew, relieved to escape the tense atmosphere.

After they left, the Hyuga Clan Leader finally spoke up: "Lord Hokage, you need to give the clan an explanation. A main family member is involved, and this greatly impacts the clan."

If a branch family team were wiped out, the Clan Leader wouldn't bat an eye. But a main family member was an entirely different matter.

The loss of even one main family member was deeply felt.

The most pressing issue, however, was the potential loss of the Byakugan.

The Hyuga Clan Leader paled at the thought of their precious Byakugan falling into enemy hands.

Thus, the Third Hokage had to provide an explanation.

After all, the Hyuga Clan had acted on his behalf.

"I will give you an explanation. Please allow me some time." The Third Hokage knew he needed to calm the Hyuga Clan Leader down.

With the Anbu unavailable, he would have to use other means to investigate.

The best approach would be to directly order Nara Shikashin to seal off the camp and investigate.

However, given the secretive nature of this matter, the investigation had to be carried out covertly.

With the Anbu off the table, the Third Hokage decided to mobilize family ninjas instead.

But relying on clan ninjas carried its own risks and complications.

Unlike the Anbu, who focused solely on completing missions, clan ninjas brought additional challenges. Moreover, when Anbu operatives conducted missions, the village was obligated to provide full support—a privilege not extended to the Sarutobi Clan's ninjas.

Realizing these limitations, the Third Hokage's regret deepened.