Yoru swept his gaze across the jonin's shocked expressions, finding their reactions quite amusing.
Before today, the Senju Clan had always been the ones who fought the hardest on the battlefield.
During the First Great Ninja War, and again now in the Second Great Ninja War, the Senju had always been the ones leading the charge.
From jonin to genin, every Senju had lived up to the village and to the Will of Fire.
No jonin was a fool.
The Senju's claim that they wanted to strengthen the village's medical system was, in reality, a way to formally withdraw from the frontline combat roster.
More importantly, this signaled something critical.
Sarutobi Hiruzen's political credibility had collapsed within the Senju Clan.
The Senju would no longer give Hiruzen their unconditional support.
Senju Hanaki and Tsunade had laid everything bare, especially the clan's dwindling numbers, showing exactly how much the Senju, once the Leaf's greatest founding clan, had sacrificed for the village.
At the same time, from this day onward, every Senju casualty, no matter how many, would be fully recorded.
Hiruzen immediately objected:
"Over 150 Senju shinobi converting to medical-nin?
This influence on the village is far too great. Tsunade, don't be willful. You're already an elite jonin, and together with Orochimaru and Jiraiya you fought the Demi-God Hanzō to a draw, you three are known as the Legendary Sannin. The Senju are a founding clan of the Leaf. You can't allow yourselves to be labeled as cowards who fear battle."
This was basically an insult.
Tsunade slammed her fist into the table, furious:
"Third Hokage!
You're saying the Senju Clan fears battle?
Isn't that going too far?!
Over seven hundred members of my clan died in the First Great Ninja War!
My grandfather, Hashirama, died prematurely after fighting Uchiha Madara!
My father, mother, grandmother, and more than seven hundred Senju died for the village's Tailed Beasts!
Setting aside the Nine-Tails sealing transfer, another three hundred of my clan died in the Second Great Ninja War!
My little brother Nawaki died in the Land of Grass for this village!
My grand-uncle, Second Hokage Senju Tobirama, died protecting the very people sitting on that stage!
And you tell me the Senju Clan fears battle?!"
When it came to the Will of Fire, the Senju, now barely over two hundred shinobi, burned hotter than anyone.
Tsunade's rebuttal was like a verbal beating.
Hiruzen's face visibly darkened.
Especially when she mentioned Tobirama dying to protect the village leadership. The jonin began whispering among themselves.
The fate of the Senju Clan made them feel a chill of shared fear. Some even began looking at the village leadership with suspicion.
Yoru recalled the original timeline.
Hiruzen's credibility had collapsed completely in front of Tsunade, so much so that even after his death, she did not return to the village for years.
Hiruzen's credibility had long collapsed with the Hyuga Clan as well. Yoru didn't believe for a second that the Hyuga didn't notice anything during Orochimaru's invasion of Konoha.
His political standing deteriorated slowly through constant internal friction. In the end, he stood alone on the rooftop, facing his traitorous student, Orochimaru.
Guy, with his straightforward nature, wanted to run up and save the Hokage multiple times, but Kakashi held him back each time.
It was hard to say how much trust Kakashi himself still had in Hiruzen.
The death of a leader does not occur on the day his body dies. It occurs the moment his credibility collapses.
The murmuring of the jonin made Hiruzen and the leadership look even more uncomfortable.
Even Danzo, usually expressionless, had twitching eyelids.
But Tsunade had not finished. She continued like a storm:
"The Senju Clan has sacrificed this much. Has the village grown stronger?
When the Senju founded Konoha, we had over three thousand shinobi, and our Uzumaki relatives numbered over two thousand.
Now the Senju have only two hundred left. The Uzumaki have only Kushina remaining.
And what did Konoha do with the foundation built on Senju sacrifices?
My brother Nawaki died at age twelve on the front lines!
How many of his classmates are even alive today?
Third Hokage, I do not approve of your way of 'protecting' Konoha. I admit we can do nothing to change the system during wartime. I don't have the power to reform Konoha's structure.
But I will strengthen Konoha's medical system and protect the village our way!'"
The jonin understood immediately, This was not a negotiation. This was a declaration.
The Senju still loved the village more deeply than any clan. But continuous deaths had broken their endurance.
Their passion had not cooled. Their retreat into the medical system was their final act of resistance.
If the Senju controlled Konoha Hospital and the frontline medical corps…
Their influence would not decrease, it would increase.
During the night of the Nine-Tails Sealing Transfer, Yoru had saved several Senju.
Now their counterattack had arrived.
Tsunade's furious storm of words shattered the façade maintained by the village leadership.
And they could do nothing to her. In terms of identity, strength, and personality, Tsunade was beyond their control.
This jonin meeting had been a humiliation for the upper echelon.
A resounding slap across the face.
Especially when Tsunade questioned whether the villagers had been properly protected, Hiruzen had no answer.
There had been too many deaths. So many that people were already discussing expanding the cemetery behind the Memorial Stone.
Hiruzen took a deep breath:
"Tsunade…
You won't even call me sensei anymore?"
Tsunade didn't retreat an inch:
"Third Hokage!
This is a jonin meeting, not a place for reminiscing!
While we are working, please address yourself as the Hokage."
Yoru took in a sharp breath.
As expected of Tsunade, the real heroine of Konoha, second only to Sasuke in plot armor.
Hiruzen swallowed the rebuke and said:
"Regarding the Senju Clan's proposal to strengthen Konoha Hospital and the frontline medical division, the matter involves too much. We will discuss it later.
For now, we must address the more urgent issue: The Land of Rivers War.
The Hidden Sand Village has declared war on Konoha. We have just endured major conflicts in the Land of Hot Water and the Land of Grass, and the Land of Grass conflict even spilled into the Land of Rain borders.
In the face of the Hidden Sand Village declaration, the Leaf must not appear weak. I will now announce the commander and vice commanders for the Land of Rivers battlefield."
Seeing Hiruzen shift the topic, Tsunade let it go, this was official business.
Her objective was already achieved. The Senju's objective was achieved.
Nara Shikakuro, took out the prepared list and glanced at Hiruzen.
After all, the list named Tsunade herself as one of the vice commanders.
Seeing no objection from the Hokage, Shikakuro read aloud:
"Commander of the Land of Rivers front,
Nara Shikakuro.
Vice Commander Tsunade,
who will also serve as chief jonin of the frontline medical corps.
Vice Commander Sakumo Hatake,
chief jonin of the elite operations unit.
Remaining jonin unit captains include…"