Shinji did not directly answer Tsunade's doubts.
Because this involved an ability of the Hegemon, which was that the more the Ninja World understood the Hegemon, the closer the Hegemon would be to the Ninja World.
For Shinji, the key right now was still time.
Although the Ten-Tails was already in hand, promoting to Ten-Tails Jinchuriki was a completely new experience for him. So wanting to thoroughly adapt to this new power required time.
If at this critical juncture, information about the Hegemon spread widely in the Ninja World, the consequences would be unpredictable.
Perhaps in the next moment, the Hegemon would break the barrier of the Ninja World and launch an invasion.
Seeing Shinji didn't answer directly, Tsunade immediately weighed the situation.
Right now Konoha, or rather the entire Ninja Village Alliance, simply didn't have the confidence to reason with Shinji. So for this deal proposed by Shinji, she had no ability to change conditions, could only make a choice between accepting and refusing.
Accepting, the price paid was just helping Shinji cover his identity a bit, without much substantial loss.
And refusing meant war!
Although frustrated, reason told her she could only agree now. So she nodded and said: "Okay, I can agree to you. But if you or your subordinates attack the Five Great Ninja Villages without reason, I will consider you have abandoned the agreement between us."
"Okay!"
Shinji agreed immediately.
Seeing Shinji seemed ready to leave, Tsunade hurriedly stopped him: "Tell me, was Yakumo also recruited into your organization by you?"
Shinji thought for a while, then nodded: "Yes, she is 'D'."
"Sure enough..."
Tsunade breathed a sigh of relief.
After the war started, Yakumo disappeared, which made her very worried. Later she calmed down and pondered, discovering some clues. Asking Shinji for confirmation now was just for peace of mind.
After confirming her disciple's safety, Tsunade asked with a complex expression: "How did you persuade her?"
Tsunade asked herself she had given everything to Yakumo, so she didn't understand why Yakumo would hide from her and join Shinji's subordinates.
"I think you misunderstood!" Shinji shook his head, saying slowly: "She was recruited by me first, then selected by you as a disciple!"
Tsunade was stunned instantly: "So that's how it is!"
Immediately, those doubts pressing on her heart all along were swept away.
From being sickly and unable to continue being a ninja, to being selected as a disciple by her, one of the 'Legendary Sannin', the most critical point was that Yakumo awakened the 'Ketsuryugan' pupil technique Kekkei Genkai which seemed to have never appeared in the Ninja World before.
Thinking about it now, the so-called Yakumo awakening 'Ketsuryugan' should also be Shinji's handiwork.
Whether she was there or not, Yakumo would become strong. So it wasn't Yakumo betraying her as a teacher, but before becoming a disciple, Yakumo was already Shinji's person.
Thinking of this, Tsunade looked at Shinji again, expression becoming more solemn.
She had long seen that Shinji was not simple. Although also a Mangekyo Uchiha, his mind was far deeper than Sasuke.
This was also why after Shinji offended and humiliated Danzo, she still handed over the defense power of the village to Shinji's Konoha Military Police Force.
Because subconsciously, she actually realized the village had long lost control over Shinji. So with the great war imminent, she chose to appease Shinji to avoid intensifying contradictions and causing turmoil.
Thinking further about Shinji using the village's hand to train Alliance ninjas using 'Takamagahara' to deal with Nagato's Akatsuki organization before, and letting 'B' and 'D' perform a scene of internal strife. Looking at it now, all were pushes to promote the great war between the Ninja Village Alliance and Nagato's Akatsuki organization.
Tsunade even began to suspect whether Shinji retrieving Itachi's top-secret intelligence from that ninja's brain in Konoha Hospital back then was just a coincidence, or arranged by Shinji single-handedly.
If it was the latter, then the Ninja Village Alliance from the Five Kage to ordinary ninjas, nearly a hundred thousand people, were really played around by Shinji alone.
Seeing the expression on Tsunade's face changing constantly, Shinji couldn't be bothered to calculate, saying: "Let Naruto cultivate as soon as possible, become as strong as possible. Time left for us is not much!"
Tsunade asked: "What do you mean?"
Shinji waved his hand: "You just need to convey it!"
Swish...
Just then, a Communication Squad ninja landed outside the tent, reporting anxiously: "Lord Hokage, just received an urgent request for help from the village. Itachi Uchiha attacked the village!"
"What?!"
Tsunade was startled, lifting the tent curtain and walking out.
The Communication Squad ninja wiped sweat: "The village is already assembling military force to encircle and suppress Itachi Uchiha, but Itachi Uchiha's strength is very formidable, our casualties are heavy!"
Tsunade suppressed her anger, asking: "Sure it's Itachi? Only him alone?"
The Communication Squad ninja hurriedly answered: "Yes, confirmed the attacker is Itachi Uchiha. Currently no other accomplices found!"
"Go notify the other four Kage, and Jiraiya, convene an emergency meeting immediately!" Tsunade instructed the Communication Squad ninja, then returned to the tent, saying to Shinji: "Itachi Uchiha attacked the village, this matter has nothing to do with you, right?"
Shinji shook his head.
Tsunade wondered: "Why did he attack the village at this time? Could it be Nagato's group still hasn't given up, wanting to abduct Naruto, snatching that half Nine-Tails inside Naruto?"
Shinji also pondered.
Obviously, the one attacking Konoha couldn't be the real Itachi Uchiha. He should have just finished fusing the Eternal Mangekyo Sharingan. With his cautious style, he should be adapting to power, collecting intelligence now, preparing for the next step.
So who the attacker was was self-evident.
Just Shinji was somewhat puzzled. The fake 'Itachi Uchiha' had clearly been chasing Orochimaru all along recently, how come suddenly turned target to attack Konoha?
"Did the Hegemon realize something, so changed the behavioral logic of the fake 'Itachi Uchiha'? Then why attack Konoha? Wanting to force me to appear through this way of slaughter?"
Shinji really dared not deny this possibility now. Because the fake 'Itachi Uchiha' possessed all of Itachi Uchiha's abilities. Considering the destructive power of 'Susanoo', if the fake 'Itachi Uchiha' was bent on slaughter, the destructive power would definitely not be inferior to rampaging Tailed Beasts.
Seeing Shinji indeed didn't know, Tsunade said: "Since Itachi Uchiha is not your person, then we won't be polite!"
Her words were full of murderous intent. The Five Kage couldn't afford to provoke 'A', but couldn't they deal with you, a mere Itachi Uchiha!
The Ninja Village Alliance just suffered a big defeat right now. Headquarters breached, all Jinchuriki lost, heavy personnel losses. At this time if letting Itachi's provocative behavior go, then the Five Great Ninja Villages would soon become the laughing stock of the entire Ninja World. Afterwards, without Shinji taking action, the Five Great Ninja Villages probably couldn't maintain themselves.