Among the Uchiha clan, only Uchiha Sasuke remained, making him a vital asset to Konoha.
Sarutobi Hiruzen felt the anger rising within him, but when he saw the smug look on the Cloud Shinobi Village envoy's face, he forced himself to remain calm.
Could Konoha afford a war against Cloud Shinobi Village right now?
Naruto had left Konoha, taking the Nine Tails with him. Without a Jinchūriki, the village was vulnerable. If a war broke out, Cloud Shinobi Village would undoubtedly take advantage of the situation.
By then, the price of avoiding total destruction wouldn't just be a few individuals—it would be much worse.
As Sarutobi Hiruzen pondered his next move, a clear, confident voice echoed from outside the room.
"Cloud Shinobi Village sure has a big appetite. Aren't you afraid of choking?"
Boom!
The door to the Hokage's office was kicked open with a loud crash.
Several figures strode in confidently, led by a tall woman with a commanding presence and a unique weapon slung over her back.
Trailing behind her were three young women: Shizune, Ino, and Haruno Sakura.
There was no mistaking who had just arrived—Tsunade, one of the legendary Sannin.
Her sudden entrance left both Sarutobi Hiruzen and the Cloud Shinobi Village envoy momentarily stunned.
But Sarutobi Hiruzen quickly recovered, his eyes lighting up with hope.
"Tsunade! You've returned to the village?"
Tsunade's return meant that Konoha had regained some leverage.
The envoy from Cloud Shinobi Village, on the other hand, wasn't as pleased. He had come expecting to pressure an aging Hokage, confident that Konoha's leadership was weak. But Tsunade's unexpected arrival changed everything.
Unlike Sarutobi Hiruzen, Tsunade was still in her prime.
And as a Sannin who had once survived a battle against Hanzo the Salamander, her strength was undeniable. No one knew how powerful she had become over the years.
The envoy hesitated, his previous confidence shaken.
But Tsunade wasn't interested in his concerns. She folded her arms and raised an eyebrow.
"So? What were you saying just now?"
The envoy forced a smile, deciding to shift tactics.
"Ah, Lady Tsunade! I was merely relaying Lord Raikage's proposal." He adjusted his tone, trying to appear diplomatic. "Cloud Shinobi Village wishes to strengthen its relationship with Konoha through a marriage alliance."
Tsunade wasn't buying it. She scoffed, waiting for him to continue.
The envoy hesitated, then pressed on, "If Konoha agrees, we will overlook the... previous incidents between our villages."
His words dripped with arrogance, and it was clear he still thought he had the upper hand.
What he didn't expect was the immediate reaction from one of the young women behind Tsunade.
Haruno Sakura, who had been standing quietly until now, couldn't hold back any longer.
"Wow. Cloud Shinobi Village is really pathetic, huh?" She scoffed, crossing her arms. "Trying to take advantage of Konoha like this? Do you guys have no pride?"
The envoy's eyes darkened as he turned toward the pink-haired girl.
"And who are you supposed to be?" he sneered. "Do you even have the right to speak on behalf of Konoha?"
Sakura hesitated for a brief moment, but then she squared her shoulders and glared at him.
Sarutobi Hiruzen exchanged a quick glance with Tsunade, signaling for her to rein the girl in.
But Tsunade remained silent, watching with interest.
Sakura wasn't done.
"If you lay a hand on Hinata, you'd better be prepared for Naruto to send a few Tailed Beast Bombs your way in the middle of the night."
The room went silent.
The envoy flinched at the mention of Naruto's name, his confidence visibly wavering.
"What... did you just say?" His voice was lower now, less sure of himself. "Hyūga Hinata knows Nine Tails' Jinchūriki?"
Sakura smirked. "Of course! And they're engaged, too. If you think Naruto will let you take her, then you must have a death wish."
The envoy paled.
Naruto Uzumaki's strength was no longer a secret. His battles had already gained him a fearsome reputation.
Even if the details of his fights against the Akatsuki were unknown, the world had seen what he could do.
He had gone toe-to-toe with Shukaku's Jinchūriki.
He had displayed power beyond what any normal shinobi could achieve.
And worst of all—he was still growing stronger.
Messing with someone like that was not a wise decision.
The envoy hesitated before regaining some of his composure. "Fine. Forget the Hyūga girl. Then Konoha must hand over Uchiha Sasuke instead!"
Sakura's smirk widened.
Ino, standing beside her, started to panic.
She tugged on Sakura's sleeve, whispering, "Sakura, stop. You're going too far."
But Sakura wasn't done yet.
She threw off Ino's grip and sneered, "Are you serious? Sasuke is Naruto's student. Do you really think Naruto is going to let you lay a single finger on him?"
The envoy clenched his fists.
This girl—this little brat—was cornering him.
Sarutobi Hiruzen and Tsunade exchanged another glance, both silently agreeing to let Sakura continue.
If things went south, they could always claim that she was just a reckless child speaking out of turn.
And if she succeeded?
Well, that would be even better.
The envoy took a deep breath, then exhaled slowly. "Alright," he finally said, "Cloud Shinobi Village will not demand the bloodlines of the Uchiha or Hyūga clans."
Then, he turned back to Sakura, his eyes narrowing. "But since you're so eager to talk, perhaps you should make a sacrifice for peace instead."
Sakura raised an eyebrow. "Oh? And what exactly do you mean by that?"
The envoy smirked, regaining his arrogance. "You must be Tsunade-sama's disciple, right? Why not strengthen the alliance between our villages by marrying into Cloud Shinobi Village yourself?"
The room went dead silent for a second.
Then, Sakura burst out laughing.
"Wow. You really don't get it, do you?" She wiped away a fake tear. "I'm already taken."
The envoy frowned. "Is that so? And who, exactly, is your husband-to-be?"
Sakura's smirk was positively smug as she said, "I'm Naruto's wife."
The envoy's face twitched.
The room remained silent for a beat.
Then, the envoy's eyes rolled back, and he collapsed onto the floor, unconscious.
Everyone stared at him.
Ino let out a long sigh. "Sakura... What the hell did you just say?"
Sakura grinned. "I just saved us a war. You're welcome."
Sarutobi Hiruzen chuckled under his breath.
Tsunade smirked.
And in the end, no one argued with her.
Cloud Shinobi Village had lost this round.
For now.
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