Kawaki and Sakumo stood in the shadows, watching Tanzō leave with a grudging look on his face.
"Just kill him," Sakumo said with a dark look in his eyes and a menacing tone in his voice. He figured that with his strength, he'd kill Tanzō with a single strike.
Kawaki explained to his Aniki, "He's a peer of the Third Hokage and a Konoha higher - up. Killing him like this would be hard to justify. After all, our roots are in Konoha. As for his lackeys, they don't really matter."
Kawaki gave a reasonable explanation, and he was right. At present, Tanzō's strength is mediocre, far from being as troublesome as when he clashed with Sasuke later. Apart from the Third Hokage needing him, there was no other real threat. And if the Third Hokage became angry with the Hatake family because of Tanzō, it would be a great loss.
"I wonder what other tricks he has up his sleeve," Sakumo said disdainfully, spitting on the ground. "An ambitious man in the shadows wants to come into the spotlight."
"Some people in this world value power too much. He just doesn't have the luck," Kawaki said with a calm smile, not taking Tanzō seriously at all. In the original plot, Tanzō was killed by Sasuke shortly after serving as the acting Hokage, putting an end to his sinful life. Whether he could live that long in this life was uncertain.
"That old bastard, I'll teach him a lesson sooner or later," Sakumo said. People might think he'd taken a big hit, but he had actually defeated Tanzō's men and still felt aggrieved.
"Haha, it's late, Aniki. Time for bed. Sister - in - law's waiting for you to start a family," Kawaki joked, pretending to attack his elder brother's private parts.
Sakumo quickly dodged, and then Kawaki rushed into the room.
"You're all grown up. Still pulling pranks on your Aniki," Sakumo said helplessly. Shaking his head, he slowly made his way to the bed where Natsuki had been waiting.
Kawaki was still daydreaming. If Aniki's child was born earlier, would Kakashi still be the same Kakashi? This was a question worth thinking about.
With Kakashi on his mind, Kawaki even saw Tsunade in his dream. It seemed that his nephew was just an accident, and Tsunade was the true love.
The next morning, at dawn, Tsunade showed up again with Nawaki, who hadn't had breakfast either. Kushina was following behind them. They were even coming in a group to come for a free breakfast.
Since Nawaki boasted about how delicious and sumptuous Aniki's breakfast was after he went back yesterday, Kushina promised to learn the Sealing Technique for three straight days in exchange for today's breakfast.
At the table, Kushina wolfed down the food. Otherwise, it would be a waste of what she had promised.
After breakfast, it was back to the same old training routine. Nawaki automatically went to the weapon rack and started doing squats. Kushina followed suit and also started squatting.
Tsunade, Sakumo and Kawaki sat down at the stone table, sipping the top - notch tea from the Land of Tea.
"Tanzō showed up last night," Kawaki said, sipping his tea and eyeing Tsunade.
"What did he want?" Tsunade asked, showing she had no clue who Tanzō was in Kawaki's account.
"It was about the hospital."
Sakumo was a bit dumbfounded. His IQ seemed to be failing. Didn't they say they already knew?
"Haha, she only knows how to eat."
Kawaki laughed out loud looking at Aniki's expression. Only then did Tsunade react.
She still pretended to be calm and slowly took a sip of tea.
"So that's how it is. I guessed wrong."
If it weren't for the embarrassed blush on her face, Kawaki would have believed her.
"Then were the people who came yesterday afternoon from Root?"
Nawaki had also told her about the matter when he got back. Hearing the name Tanzō, there was no doubt about the identity of this ninja.
"Yes. He wants to be the Honorary Director and is willing to use Root to protect the hospital. He won't participate in hospital operations or profit sharing."
Kawaki gave Tsunade some face and didn't expose her. He just assumed she really guessed wrong.
"Isn't this a good thing?"
Tsunade didn't care about her position as the director. Obviously, this matter didn't have any obvious drawbacks for opening the hospital.
"He wants to use the hospital to gain popularity among people. Do you think he can do what he said if he really becomes the director?"
Kawaki made it very clear, just afraid this silly girl wouldn't understand.
Sakumo was a bit jealous on the side. He didn't figure this out until last night when he was resting in bed. Doesn't Tsunade need to think?
"How did your talk go last night?"
Tsunade knew it must have struck. She just didn't know what the situation was exactly.
"I killed two of his men and let him go."
Sakumo finally got a chance to speak while drinking tea.
"Then he definitely won't let it go."
Tsunade knew Tanzō quite well. He was the darkest figure in the depths of Konoha.
"So there's one thing I need you to do."
Kawaki already had a plan in mind. Even if Tsunade hadn't come, he would have gone to find her.
"What thing?"
"If I remember correctly, Advisor Nemu is a Medical Ninja, right?"
Kawaki still looked at Tsunade gently, with a bright smile on his face.
"Yes. What's the problem?"
Tsunade couldn't figure out what role Nemu Koharu could play in this matter. Her eyes were full of curiosity.
"I want you to invite her to be the deputy director of the hospital, just an honorary position. I'll give her an annual salary of five million."
Kawaki believed that this amount of money was something a middle - aged and approaching - old - age medical ninja couldn't refuse.
She didn't need to do anything, just take the honorary position. Even if she was an advisor to the Hokage, it was no exception.
After all, no one would dislike having more money.
"What's the meaning of doing this?"
Tsunade turned into a curious cat, asking questions non - stop.
"You don't need to worry. Just do as I say."
Kawaki didn't reveal his plan. He didn't want to disclose too much before the matter was settled.
"Then how much salary will you give me as the director?"
Tsunade's eyes turned into little stars. If the honorary deputy director got five million a year, it shouldn't be too much for her, the real director, to get six million, right?
"You'll get a year - end bonus. You're working for the hospital you're involved in, so you'll get a share of the profits."
Covering his forehead, Kawaki gave an answer that didn't meet Tsunade's expectations.
Kawaki could hardly follow Tsunade's line of thought. Did she love gambling so much that she was so interested in money?
"Alright, then I'll go to Advisor Nemu."
Saying that, Tsunade finished the last cup of tea and got up to leave.
"Kawaki, snap out of it."
Sakumo couldn't stand his younger brother's good-for-nothing look anymore and snapped him back to reality.
"Ah, what?"
"What's the point of Advisor Nemu?"
Sakumo finally asked the question that had been on his mind. Why does he have to rack his brains when it's so much easier to be a good-for-nothing?
"The Third Hokage has more than one fellow apprentice."
Kawaki said just this one sentence, figuring that Aniki's smarts would let him piece the rest together.
With the Flying Raijin, he instantly appeared beside Nawaki. Now the house was under the coverage of the Flying Thunder God Technique.
His sudden appearance didn't disrupt Nawaki who was doing the horse stance, but it really startled Kushina.
"Whoosh!" A living person suddenly appeared in front of her. It really scared this little firecracker.
But this move was really awesome. It'd be great if Minato could master it.
Her little head was filled with thoughts of little Minato.
Sakumo was sitting on the stone bench, tugging at his hair.
Damn it! I even know the Third Hokage has a total of five fellow apprentices.
Can you just spit it all out at once?