PART 5.

Meetings were one of the many things that turned his stomach. It would be laughable (and disgraceful) if it was due to fear, but it was not.

From time to time; When the clock struck the time and the date was listed, Tsunade was in the habit of at least commenting as little as possible between the discussions between the Advisors and the rest of the council.

But today would not be one of those days.

On this particular occasion, she was the one who had to speak. Well, that was a pretty low-key way of saying that I owed an explanation to the Council Elders, and the rest.

Shizune had given him the information with just a hint: The members of the council had gathered, and they were waiting as soon as possible for the Hokage to arrive to get everything that had been going on for him.

She was no fool, and she knew that many, the vast majority being manipulated by the two Elders, would turn against her idea of resting their elbows in the face of this strange situation.

The affairs that the village had with Trozani had been closed to his eyes. Trozani had asked for their help in the disappearances of his Ninjas, and upon coming up with the theory that they had disappeared with something related to a scroll that did not belong to Konoha, the elders considered that the deal was already done.

However, knowing the elders' lack of tact, and acknowledging their complex morals, they would have taken it as a betrayal for Tsunade to accept without question, the Scroll that they claimed was of interest only to the deceased Hokage, and the village hidden from the outside world.

"They are not able to recognize the fear they have of them. Saturo-sama showed enough evidence in front of Kakashi, and I had no choice but to believe in the story of the danger that hangs over Konoha... Haven't you thought about that detail, at least?"

Elders Homura and Koharu were abnormally uneasy when they discussed Trozani and his existence the first time.

Tsunade was able to recognize in his time that perhaps the reason was the uncertainty of the techniques that were used there.

Kakashi argued in front of her that Saturo used to replace the techniques created by his people, with others that he considered less influential!

Tsunade swallowed dryly.

How many dangerous techniques are created there? How easy is it for an average person to create such a ruthless skill?!

The parchment was the only proof of what would happen if the King allowed the free creation of the techniques.

The Slug Hokage believed that the silence the King kept when he deceived his own people about the creation of the techniques they themselves created was clever.

Although it was not something Tsunade would do, as she herself personified brute force and the consequences of not following his orders; But equally intelligent.

By the time the Scroll came into her hands from the King, she had revealed the truth to the Ninjas and more important people, including the clans.

Subsequently, it spread discreetly like wildfire, with civilians being the only innocent minds in this cosmic game... as surely, so were the victims of the cataclysm at the time.

"It's inconceivable... To bestow such an amount of trust on people we don't know... Just because they say they come from Konoha, can't be the absolute truth!" The fussy old lady on the council, he argued. 

Everyone at the table, made up of clan heads and important members of their own families; Chunin, and Jōnin Important, were unfazed by the reactions of the respected woman, who fought side by side with the third Hokage.

"How irresponsible, Tsunade. While I might consider habitual behavior in you, I wouldn't expect you to act without consulting us; Not when things have escalated so much!"

"We have accumulated a significant number of testimonies." A Chunin added. He passed the stack of papers in his hands to the Elder next to him: Homura. While he read the names and testimonies over him, the jet Chunin continued. "The owners of the grocery stores, people who frequent the cemetery, and the landlady herself. Everyone agrees that the children appeared just after the Portals."

"Is there anything about the three adults?" Homura asks. 

"Only the Landlady's." Replies the youngest, looking genuinely disappointed. He watched his hands on the table. "He described the Man perfectly, and says that he was only present with the children at certain times. He could not explain the time lapses, but other witnesses agreed that he was sometimes accompanied by the Anbu that Tsunade-sama interrogated."

"That woman." Koharu grunted to herself. The wrinkles on her face didn't make the Hokage respect her more, and when she saw Tsunade under the wrinkled skin of her face, the blonde just looked away, and Koharu accentuated his frown. "He proved to have an uncertain ability for us, and Inoichi himself confirmed that he came from a Konoha that was turned to ashes. I can buy you that, though with a lot of complaints."

Koharu took a moment to accentuate in his mind the fragments of the written interrogation that had been provided to him.

Her wrinkled brow made her look as if she knew there were so many things that only added to Tsunade's reason, who was desperate to find a little piece of sugar in the salt water, just to annoy the blonde.

Tsunade leaned her back on the back of her chair, and put a hand on the table, considering it enough not to appear disrespectful to those who still had doubts.

"I decided what was most convenient at the time, I couldn't risk it." The blonde sighed. Their eyes went over the familiar faces of the family leaders, now they were nothing more than elongated faces as they were not taken into account in that decision-making. "If we had let them go, we would have been left without information. I cannot overlook what the King said, let alone what Inoichi saw in his memories."

Surprising everyone, it was the head of the Hyuga clan who took the floor.

"Did anyone mention anything about just letting them go?" Hiashi Hyuga let out an exasperated sigh, but kept calm so as not to appear disrespectful in front of his Hokage. "They could have left them in the place where they were interrogated, they could even have sealed them so that they could serve us later. Things seem to get uglier and uglier to allow a pulsating threat to return after being released by ourselves."

"The problem with that medium is another, Hyuga-sama."

All eyes were directed in a particular direction. The voice that had respectfully called out to the head of the Hyuga Family, was a man, and not just any man.

It was the main head of the Nara family: Nara Shikaku.

The man was well known, even beyond the borders, as it was thanks to his mind that they were saved from the casualties of war in the past, even though he was very young at the time.

Sharing similarity with her own son, Nara Shikaku was unfazed by the stinging stares that were thrown at her.

They didn't think it possible for just a couple of people to agree with the Hokage without being loyal supporters of it, like Shizune.

So, being devoted to his principles, Shikaku remained calm, and his head held high; His eyes were sharper than the gazes with deep-seated tension.

"Those three adults can be made up of two experts in battle, and one person in the theoretical field. They already make up a threat with the first two, but the third person seems to be a woman who safeguards additional information about the defenses that could be granted to us if we allow them to stay in Konoha."

"Ha!" The leader of the Inuzuka clan let out a wry laugh. "Are you suggesting that we sell ourselves for two more lines of details that we are tired of hearing? I think it's absurd!"

Tsunade did not take his eyes off Shikaku, who remained impassive; His usual expression bruised by wounds from battles won.

"It couldn't be further from the truth of my words, Inuzuka-san." He answered. "What I was trying to say was that if we decide to proceed with the method that Hyuga-sama mentioned, unfortunately, and by extension, the children who encounter them will also be affected. The treatment they suggest has to do with the safety of these children, not so much with that of adults... To ask more, it seems that they prefer that, of the three, it is the non-Ninja woman who remains outside of all punishment."

After making sure that everyone took the initiative to measure their own words, Shikaku looked at Tsunade.

"Am I wrong, Tsunade-sama?"

Homura and Koharu looked restlessly at Tsunade.

The blonde could only grab a little air, and make the weight of having to explain everything in detail, go away in a single breath.

"No... you're right, Shikaku." She said, grateful that someone took the time to read all the notes Shizune wrote when Tsunade spoke with the Inuzuka of the future. 

He cleared his throat. That was supposed to be confidential, just between the two of them, and she was open to deals if that information was hidden from others, and Tsunade was going to comply.

In none of the copies of the exchange, the surname is mentioned. Glancing sideways at the leader of said clan, Tsunade wondered if it was really true... but I didn't want to find out either.

He already had a lot on his hands, and honestly, he cared less about the family or personal matters that these people might have, unless they had to do with the cataclysm that Inoichi witnessed in memories.

Koharu didn't take his eye off Tsunade, but when he was about to ask, Tsunade raised her voice.

"The three adults have the names of Soku, Ro and Akita. Apparently, the latter was a Ninja, but she retired and was part of a department specializing in modern technology."

There were murmurs of surprise. Engineering was a foreign field for them, since it was one that the Sand Village used to handle with more caution and detail. They were in times of war, and any detail that could give them military power pleased them. But Tsunade was not going that way, and she saw many disappointed faces.

"He agreed to lend us his knowledge, only under the circumstances of defending us from people who come from the future. If not, she demanded that we keep her out of all that."

"And why do you think you have the right to 'Demand'? It's not in the place to do it!" Homura, the old man with glasses, protested. Tsunade closed his eyes, a similar reaction was expected. "The best option is, if she wants to protect those children, to give us everything that has to do with defenses, weapons, and even detailed information on the technology she handled. It's a fair price, considering that one of the adults will be out of questioning."

Many agreed, and they proved it by commenting among themselves.

Tsunade exhaled a long sigh as she massaged her temple, feeling the pressure growing between her fingers.

His back sank into the back of the chair, tense and heavy, as if the thoughts swirling in his mind were a ballast he couldn't let go.

The atmosphere in the council room was dense, fraught with unspoken expectations and a tension that electrified the air. The warm light that filtered through the windows could not dispel the seriousness of the situation.

Around her, the familiar faces of clan leaders and elders watched her cautiously, assessing every word that escaped her lips.

The Hokage, on the other hand, tried to keep her composure, but inside her thoughts crowded one after another. The weight of loyalty to the third Hokage and the pact with the first king of Trozani.

The scroll, that mysterious artifact, had been protected under a sacred oath, and now that it had been activated, he felt the pressure to honor that treatment.

But beyond historical loyalty, he now had to deal with the political complexity of the second king, who had entrusted him with the scroll and who, no doubt, expected reciprocity in terms of security and support.

It was like walking on a thin wire, one wrong step could cost them much more than trust between nations.

She was about to speak, when the old lady Koharu, who had been silent until then, slightly straightened up in her seat and asked the ninja in front of her to pass her some documents.

Tsunade watched sideways, surprised that the elders, particularly Koharu, had gone so deep into the interrogations.

I didn't think they had bothered to read everything so thoroughly, but now I saw that he had been wrong.

Koharu, his face stern and wrinkled like the bark of an old tree, took the papers in his hands before casting a calculating glance at Tsunade.

"Here you go." The old woman said, holding out the documents to Tsunade, but with an expression that denoted her distrust. "Soku, the Anbu, stressed in her interrogation that anything related to the deal between the covenanters and the scroll is blocked in her memories. A mental barrier, according to her."

Tsunade raised an eyebrow as she took the papers. Some lines were highlighted with neat underlining, as if Koharu had studied every word.

The Hokage flipped through the pages quickly, finding the fragment that mentioned the mental barrier imposed on Soku's memories.

It wasn't something Tsunade had anticipated at the time he witnessed the interrogation, but if Inoichi, a master of the mind, hadn't managed to unravel those memories, then that wasn't a mere obstacle.

Koharu continued, his tone growing more skeptical.

"I don't think it's possible. There is always something else we can get out if we press hard enough. If Inoichi didn't see it, that doesn't mean there's no way to break that barrier. They need our help now, which puts us in an advantageous position."

Koharu's words floated in the air with an implied threat, as if she was willing to do whatever it took to get more information out of the Anbu and the children who had arrived in Konoha.

Tsunade closed her eyes for a second, pondering what that meant. I couldn't let that pressure get out of control.

Soku, Ro, and Akita had already shown signs of wear and tear, and she knew that the loyalty and trust they needed could not be built on coercion.

Before Tsunade could reply, Shikaku, with his usual calmness, decided to intervene. His tone was soft, without raising his voice, but his words cut with surgical precision.

"I understand your concern, Koharu-sama." He began, his eyes fixed on the old woman, but with his mind clearly working on a deeper level. "But there's something we all need to remember. Among those children, one of them is a Genin from Konoha. He is not simply a spectator in all this."

The murmur in the room died down as eyes turned to Shikaku. The leader of the Nara clan maintained a relaxed posture, but his sharp mind was aware of every reaction.

"Akita, the woman whom Tsunade-sama interrogated, confessed that this young Genin is the one chosen as the mediator. If what she says is true, this girl could be the key to any future communication or conflict related to Konoha. We cannot ignore the role it plays."

Tsunade, grateful for Shikaku's discreet support, let her words resonate in the room.

The Nara's comment had been calculated; it did not directly contradict Koharu, but it did establish an argument that pushed the council to be more cautious with its decisions.

The Hokage knew that Shikaku was always three steps ahead, and while he didn't openly show it, his loyalty to Konoha's stability made him a valuable ally at times like this.

Koharu frowned, clearly annoyed by Shikaku's intervention, but she couldn't deny what he was saying.

"Mediator or not." He said in an icy tone. "Konoha must put his own interests first. If this girl is so important, we must make sure that what she has in her hands does not turn against us."

Shikaku bowed his head slightly, as if accepting the point, but without retreating from his posture.

"Of course. But pushing now could backfire. If you really are the mediator, it is better that you collaborate with us voluntarily, and for that we need your trust, not your fear."

Tsunade nodded imperceptibly, knowing that Shikaku had once again managed to divert the conversation onto more manageable ground. Koharu could continue to insist on squeezing more information, but Tsunade felt that, at least for now, he had bought some time.

The air in the council room was thick, charged with a tension that seemed to amplify with every word that was spoken. Tsunade, frowning, massaged his temple as he tried to collect his thoughts.

Soft afternoon light filtered through the windows, bathing the room in a golden glow that only underscored the gravity of the situation.

The silence was heavy, broken only by the faint whisper of papers being moved, while the elders assessed the situation. The stern faces of the counselors offered no comfort, and the Hokage couldn't help but feel the weight of responsibility crushing her.

Tsunade's inner conflict was apparent to anyone who knew how to read her body language. He had a commitment to the agreement made between the Third Hokage and the first king of Trozani: to protect the scroll, to keep the peace.

However, that same scroll had been activated, and now it was to honor the loyalty of the second king, who had entrusted it to Konoha.

Could he afford to fail in both promises? His fingers drummed on the back of his chair, his mind torn between duty and strategy.

Shikaku's soft, yet firm, tone broke the silence, attracting the gazes of everyone in the room.

"We should not judge her just because she is a girl." He said calmly, his voice soft, but full of meaning. His words echoed through the room, and although he didn't raise his voice, he captured everyone's attention, including the elderly. 

Koharu, with his years of experience, watched him with a mixture of skepticism and curiosity, but remained silent, waiting for what would come next. Shikaku held a moment of silence, as if weighing his every word before continuing.

"What Inoichi saw in his mind." Shikaku continued. "It is more than enough to give us an idea of what could be unleashed. We are facing a possible war. And we cannot afford to pass up a resource that could prevent bloodshed."

Tsunade watched him out of the corner of her eye, grateful for his indirect support. Always so calculating, always measuring his words to achieve the greatest impact.

Despite not openly showing interest in the situation, Shikaku was providing a strong defense for his case.

Shikaku paused briefly, his gaze wandering around the room before landing back in Tsunade. His serenity contrasted with the growing tension in the room, especially when he added:

"Two Anbus, both highly trained, are following a girl of just thirteen. The woman, capable of launching beams of electricity with deadly precision... Man, able to hide his Chakra and that of others, making them completely undetectable. What kind of girl can get two ninjas of that caliber to follow her faithfully?"

Tsunade's eyes narrowed, a mixture of anxiety and determination reflected on her face. He knew that the scales were beginning to tip, but there was still resistance, especially from the elders.

Koharu exchanged a glance with Homura, who frowned, clearly uncomfortable with the idea of trusting such a young girl.

Even so, the atmosphere was clearly affected by Shikaku's words. A profound silence followed, before he, in his ever-controlled tone, added the last:

To better defend ourselves against possible enemies of the future, we must count on it and on those who support it.

It was at that moment, when Shikaku's words were still ringing, that the door opened with a soft creak. The figure that appeared at the entrance made the already tense atmosphere almost unbearable. All eyes turned to the entrance, and absolute silence enveloped the room.

Danzo had entered.

Their presence commanded respect and, at the same time, caused deep discomfort. Tsunade's face hardened, the golden glow of the evening light underscoring the shadow in her eyes.

He didn't expect it, but he wasn't entirely surprised either. Danzo always found a way to insert himself into the most critical issues. The problem was that his entry meant one more political battle.

"Tsunade." Danzo said, his tone as cold as ice as he closed the door behind him. He offered no bow of respect, only a slight glance that swept over those present in the room before landing on Tsunade. 

Tsunade pursed her lips, keeping an eye out for some of the elders to straighten up in their seats, listening to what he had to say. He wouldn't support her, he knew, and even worse, he would try to manipulate others against her.

Tsunade's thoughts ran frantically. Danzo wasn't here out of simple curiosity, no, he was looking for control, and if they let him speak, he would get it.

The room remained enveloped in a suffocating atmosphere, full of unexpressed tensions and repressed feelings.

The air, though dense, was permeated with a sense of contained expectation, as if the atmosphere itself were waiting for the next word to unleash conflict. Evening light streamed in dimly through the windows, casting long shadows on the faces of those present.

Tsunade, sitting in her chair, maintained a rigid posture, her hands resting on her lap, though every muscle in her body seemed ready to jump.

When Danzo entered, the silence became even heavier. Tsunade's gaze did not lose sight of him at any time.

She watched him with that slow but calculated gait, his figure wrapped in a dark cloak that seemed to absorb the light from the surroundings.

Danzo's every move was measured; He knew how to handle his presence, how to occupy a space so that everyone could feel his power without having to raise their voices.

Danzo scanned the room with his eyes, assessing each member as if he had already anticipated his thoughts, before finally deciding where to sit.

Shikaku, always discreet, showed hardly a visible reaction. But Tsunade, who knew him well, picked up on what others didn't.

A slight click of the tongue, so subtle that no one else would have noticed. Shikaku also felt the discomfort that Danzo's presence generated, though his face remained stoic.

Tsunade couldn't help but think that, like her, he knew exactly the kind of complications that Danzo's entrance would bring.

Finally, Danzo took a seat, right near Koharu and Homura. The faint sound of the chair scraping against the floor echoed in Tsunade's mind, reverberating like an echo that brought back unwanted memories.

The last time Danzo had been so close to power, he had betrayed the village's trust.

A flash crossed his mind: Yamato's team on their mission to get Sasuke back... the serious face of Sai, the Anbu who had been secretly assigned by Danzo to infiltrate Orochimaru.

And then, the revelation that still boiled his blood: Danzo had sent Orochimaru a complete record of the Anbu, while pretending to support the mission.

Traitor.

A shiver ran down Tsunade's spine. His gaze hardened. The memory was fresh, and with it, the words Akita had whispered to him before Tsunade left for the meeting.

"Someone close to you, knows everything."

Danzo?

Doubt pierced her like a sharp blade. Tsunade tensed, trying to keep her composure. She could not afford to be vulnerable now, not in front of Danzo or in front of the elderly.

But the thought enveloped her, clouding her judgment. If Danzo knew more than he was showing, if he had access to information he shouldn't... His mind wandered momentarily, getting lost in the labyrinth of conspiracies and betrayals that always seemed to surround Danzo.

While Tsunade was still immersed in her thoughts, the meeting continued without her noticing. The voices of the others became a distant hum, mingling with the echoes of their own memories and suspicions.

It was only when Danzo's tone, with its usual mixture of coldness and arrogance, broke through the air, that Tsunade returned to the present.

"The thought of the Third Hokage..." Danzo began, his tone calm but charged with subtle malice. "It's harmful in situations like this. It doesn't matter if there are children involved."

The words caused Tsunade to open her eyes wide, her heart racing as fury began to boil inside her. Danzo, as always, aimed directly at the wound, with no qualms about stabbing him in the back.

"If what worries you is that those children are from Konoha and that we must protect them." Danzo continued, directing his cold gaze towards Tsunade without blinking. "Then they're wrong. The one who failed to protect them was the Hokage who fought in the future and died. We have the obligation to watch over our Konoha, the one of now."

Danzo's words fell like a hammer on the table. Homura's expression hardened, but not in disagreement.

Instead, Koharu nodded slowly, though with a visible doubt on his face. They, as always, gravitated toward Danzo's pragmatic reasoning, even when it bordered on the cruel.

Tsunade gritted her teeth, biting her lower lip as she tried to contain her rage.

How could they hear such words and not stand up for those children?

The mere fact that Danzo used the death of the Third Hokage as justification for his ruthless logic was an offense in itself. But what irritated him most was that, despite the twistedness of his argument, some of the elders seemed to be leaning in his favor.

Shikaku, who had remained silent until now, kept his gaze downcast, but Tsunade noticed how his eyes followed Danzo with an intensity that could not be ignored.

Shikaku disagreed.

He knew it, but, as always, his approach was strategic, waiting for the right moment to intervene.

The air in the room became thicker. Tsunade could feel the weight of anticipation, the growing pressure of having to respond, of maintaining control.

But the discomfort that Danzo generated inside her, along with Akita's warning, kept her in a state of alert that almost suffocated her. Danzo wasn't just there to participate in the discussion, he was there to take control, to manipulate Konoha's future to his convenience.

And Tsunade, now more than ever, knew he couldn't afford it.

The room, though brimming with powerful and influential figures, seemed to weigh heavier than ever on Tsunade's shoulders. The flickering lights of the dying day barely managed to illuminate the tense and expectant faces of those present.

Between the clan leaders, the Jōnin in charge of security, decryption, and medical affairs, and the former advisors, the tension was palpable, but the atmosphere was not only one of concern, but also of distrust.

The silence of those in the most secluded seats, such as the leaders of the Nara and Aburame clans, spoke for itself.

Shikaku Nara stood still, his gaze fixed on the ground, but his eyes, though narrowed, revealed that his mind was always on the move, thinking of possible strategies.

Beside him, Shibi Aburame, silent and almost motionless, barely reacted to the situation, as if everything he heard had already been calculated and evaluated beforehand. Inoichi Yamanaka, on the other hand, shifted nervously in his seat, feeling the weight of uncertainty in the room.

However, the focus was on Danzo. Though Tsunade knew she would never harm Konoha, she was also aware that his methods, as dark as the shadows he seemed to wield, ran counter to everything she stood for, everything that stood for the Will to Fire.

His earlier betrayal, handing over the Anbu information to Orochimaru, was still etched in his memory. Danzo had done this not out of hatred for Konoha, but to ensure that Orochimaru would not attack the village. A calculated sacrifice, like everything he did, but unacceptable to Tsunade.

And the worst thing was knowing that, if Danzo had more power, he would do the unthinkable: declare Sasuke a renegade in the eyes of the world, allowing any village to hunt him down and kill him without having to worry about Konoha's retaliation.

Tsunade knew, because in her mind, she saw Naruto. He couldn't let what happened to Sasuke reach the point of no return, not as long as Naruto still considered him a brother.

Sasuke was still young, still manipulable, and Konoha had a future, even if it was one that, according to that cursed scroll, was destined for destruction.

Danzo, as if reading Tsunade's thoughts, let out an ironic sound. He didn't look at anyone in particular, but his voice echoed with a mixture of sarcasm and coldness.

"Maybe we should take advantage of it." He said, calmly. "and find out who it was that allowed this to happen." His words dragged away, full of insinuations. "That way we could prevent it from becoming Hokage at all costs. Even—" He added, a smile barely visible on the edges of his mouth. "... not allowing him to be a ninja if that mysterious Hokage from the future is already among us."

The comment fell like a bombshell. The elders, Koharu and Homura, nodded almost automatically, but before the agreement could be consolidated, Shikaku raised his voice, interrupting unexpectedly.

"Playing with the future is not so simple." He said in a tone that combined respect and firmness. "One wrong move and we could be damned."

Danzo, always quick to respond, did not miss the opportunity.

"Akita... No? She was clear that the changes will not harm the people of the future. That's what parchment is for, right?" He snapped unscrupulously, looking at those present with his visible eye full of conviction. "How the future happened is their problem. We, who were shaken by their troubles, should be concerned about what is happening now."

Tsunade leaned forward in her seat. Fury boiled inside her, but she couldn't afford to explode. He caught everyone's attention by placing his hand firmly on the table, the sound echoing through the room, cutting through the whispers and doubts that began to flow.

"I've already made a deal with Akita." He said, maintaining a controlled but firm tone. "They'll give us whatever defense we need, but only if we swear to keep the children safe."

A murmur of surprise ran through the room. Everyone present, except the elders, seemed shocked by the revelation. Shikaku, ever calculating, closed his eyes for a moment, processing the information.

Koharu stood, pointing his finger at Tsunade in anger.

"How can you do this to us?!" He exclaimed, his face contorted with anger and disbelief. "That was an unprepared move!"

Tsunade watched as the old counselor trembled with indignation, but did not respond immediately. Instead, his gaze drifted to Danzo.

He, as usual, kept his eyes straight ahead, without moving or reacting. He didn't even look at her, as if what she had just revealed was of no interest to him, or worse, as if he already knew.

He would not lose sight of Danzo. If he turned out to be the traitor Akita mentioned, he would not allow his plans to be carried out.

Then, tempted to provoke a reaction, Tsunade spoke calmly, intending to make him uncomfortable:

"Akita said that we have an enemy within Konoha."

The silence that followed was overwhelming. Every pair of eyes in the room turned to her, and the murmurs ceased completely. Danzo remained impassive, his expression as cold and calculating as ever. There was not the slightest change in his countenance, not a wrinkle of concern.

"The traitor could be present right now." Tsunade added, his voice unchanging as he cast an icy glance at Danzo, waiting for some reaction. But nothing. 

As the elders looked at each other, shocked by the revelation, Tsunade sighed, feeling frustration grow in her chest. Danzo was impenetrable. Not a word, not a gesture. It was as if he had foreseen all this and was simply biding his time.

"Although I couldn't get him to know who the traitor is..." He said, looking sideways at Danzo. "Akita made it clear to me that we couldn't take any chances. That's why I've made the deal, and there's no going back."

Koharu and Homura began to murmur to each other, trying to guess who this supposed traitor was.

Tsunade, on the other hand, was thinking about the lie he had just spouted. Akita had mentioned a traitor, but he was not allowed to elaborate. The warning had been clear: they couldn't get too involved in Konoha's affairs of the past.

But that hint was just what he needed to keep Danzo in check.

Breaking the speculation, Tsunade cleared her throat.

"Because of this revelation, I request that you allow me to act cautiously and alone. I will call another meeting only when necessary, but, because of the possibility of betrayal, I cannot speak too much."

"What if they're lying to you?" Koharu asked, his voice full of doubts, anxious. "Maybe 'betrayal' is a strong word, Tsunade. It could just be a misunderstanding."

Tsunade gritted her teeth.

They knew.

They were suspicious of Danzo, but they did not dare to expose him directly.

Looking at the three old men out of the corner of his eye, he clasped his fingers on the table and announced:

"From now on, I will deliver encrypted information to every clan chief and involved in these meetings, and I will do so through my Anbu. This way we avoid meeting in person."

Some Jōnin, surprised, began to whisper among themselves. One of them asked:

"What if the traitor is out of this room? In any department that gives you access to this information?"

Tsunade sighed, tired of the speculation, but knowing that the seed of doubt had already been planted. He watched the exchange of nervous glances, the discussions in low voices.

Shikaku, sitting in the background, watched everything in silence, oblivious to the whispering, as if he were watching a game of Shōgi that had not yet ended.

Tsunade held her ground, the atmosphere around her being filled with subdued murmurs.

The Jōnin and clan leaders, seated along the table, discussed in whispers the possibility of the Hokage taking the reins alone.

Among them were renowned figures, each with an expression of caution or uncertainty: the leader of the Aburame clan, with his impenetrable countenance and dark glasses that hid his eyes; beside him, the head of the Hyuga clan kept his composure, but his fingers gently drummed on the table, revealing the tension he felt.

Others, such as the leader of the Inuzuka clan, crossed their arms, looking less convinced.

Tsunade glanced sideways at the elders, Koharu and Homura, knowing that they both shared a knowledge she could not ignore: the matter of Trozani.

Although both were suspicious of Danzo, their silence in the face of the possible betrayal of Sarutobi's former companion was a testament to their reluctance to expose him.

At that moment, Koharu leaned over to Homura and whispered something inaudible to him. The old man, ever meticulous, straightened up in his seat and addressed Tsunade with a mixture of discretion and firmness.

"We will accept it, Tsunade." Homura said, his voice raspy but clear. "But it must stay in Konoha, no matter what happens outside the village. If the Sand, which has already been informed, should face a similar situation, we will help them to save face. But no one else outside of here should know what is happening."

Tsunade closed her eyes for a moment, letting out a faint sigh of resignation. I knew they were caught in a dangerous game and that the decisions they made now would have profound repercussions. Still, he nodded.

"I accept it."

At that moment, the atmosphere was interrupted by a soft knock on the door. Everyone present, from clan leaders to elders, turned their attention to the entrance, tense.

The door slowly opened, revealing a visibly anxious Shizune. His countenance was grave, and his nervousness was palpable as he hurried toward Tsunade, apologizing with a hurried bow to the room.

Shizune whispered in the Hokage's ear, his voice barely audible to the rest. —

Silence took over the place, as if every person in the room could sense that something important was coming.

The calm was fragile, sustained only by the tension that dominated the room. The whispers that had once filled the room evaporated instantly, and everyone's eyes were fixed on Tsunade, waiting for his reaction.

"What do you say?!" Tsunade exclaimed, his voice ripped with surprise and disbelief. He slammed up from his seat, staring at Shizune intensely. 

Shizune, embarrassed but firm, nodded once more, confirming what she had just communicated to him.

Tsunade's expression changed from surprise to a mixture of fury and frustration, as she stared into space, lost in thought. A cold sweat began to form small droplets on the sides of his forehead, slowly sliding away as his mind processed the gravity of the situation.

Koharu, always insightful, broke the silence.

"What's going on, Tsunade?" She asked with a mixture of concern and authority, her brow furrowed as Homura glanced at her sideways, waiting for an answer. 

Tsunade didn't respond immediately.

Instead, she stood still, motionless, her eyes still lost in some undefined point in the room. Each person in the room was waiting for her answer, but she seemed to be struggling with something internal, information that had altered her entire plan.

Shikaku noticed the small details: Tsunade's pursed lips, the slight tremor in her hands, the icy gaze in the direction of the door.

As the rest whispered nervously to each other, he looked up at the entrance, wondering what it was that had upset the Hokage so much.