Chapter 115: Eavesdropping at Konoha Hospital
Tsunade could not understand why Sarutobi Hiruzen was acting with ever-increasing extremism.
Senju Hanaki wanted Tsunade to stand firm and fight for the Senju Clan without letting her bond with her teacher hold her back. She said, "Tsunade, this is your first real brush with the political struggles within Konoha, which is why there's so much you don't understand.
"When the Third Hokage was the disciple of Second Uncle Tobirama, he was gentle and deeply valued his comrades. Yet ever since taking the seat of Hokage, he has grown increasingly hypocritical. The root cause is simply that his own strength falls short.
"Father and Second Uncle could each suppress the entire village on their own. When an order issued from the Hokage Building, no one dared to show outward compliance and inward disobedience.
"Forget Konoha—back then, looking across the whole ninja world, which hidden village would have dared face our village alone?
"At the very first Five Kage Summit, Father merely penned a few letters, and the other four Kage had no choice but to attend.
"Although the Third bears the title of 'The Professor of Ninjutsu,' his personal strength lags far behind Father's and Second Uncle's.
"The Senju Clan, the Uchiha Clan, the Hyuga Clan, alongside top-tier geniuses like Hatake Sakumo—everyone has their own agendas and demands.
"The Third Hokage has no choice but to rely on Shimura Danzo, employing ruthless, underhanded schemes to achieve his ends.