Chapter 181 - 179: A Very Sound Argument (For His Own Execution)

Hisashi didn't waste a single moment under the pressure Azula had so deliberately applied.

The instant he returned to the Hyuga compound, he convened the elders' council, and he didn't bother with preambles or softening his words. He stated his opposition to the abolition of the Caged Bird Seal directly, completely, and without the slightest room for interpretation.

Hiroshi tried to stop him by every means available. He argued, reasoned and even briefly considered the therapeutic benefits of beating the old man unconscious before he could doom them all.

But there was nothing he could realistically do. Hisashi had led the Hyuga through the Warring States period, and even if age and peace had worn down his strength, it hadn't worn it down nearly enough for Hiroshi to overpower him.

"So the fish have taken the hook?" Azula couldn't help but smirk as she read the reports.

Hisashi, apparently no longer content with merely declaring his stance to the elders, had gone on a public tour of the major clans, stating his opposition to anyone who would listen.

He framed the Hokage's intention to remove the Caged Bird Seal from the branch families as an existential threat to the Hyuga's sovereignty and, by extension, to every clan's right to govern its own affairs.

His arguments were, objectively, quite sound. He reminded everyone that when the village was founded, the clans were promised autonomy over their internal matters.

He pointed out that without the Caged Bird Seal, the Byakugan would have leaked across the world decades ago, stolen by every enemy who'd ever killed a Hyuga on the battlefield.

He argued that the new Hokage was authoritarian, dictatorial, and determined to centralize power at the expense of traditions that had stood for centuries.

From Azula's point of view, he had just successfully and eloquently declared his own death sentence. She almost admired the craftsmanship of it.

She was still savoring the irony when a sudden burst of memories slammed into her consciousness like a wave against a cliff.

It was her Shadow Clone, the one she regularly stationed at the Daimyō's mansion to ensure the old man remained exactly as cooperative as he needed to be.

Azula, being a master of communication jutsu, had long since developed a method to receive memories from her clones without requiring them to dispel themselves.

It was more efficient that way, and it prevented awkward situations where a clone popped while she was in the middle of a meeting.

What the clone had discovered was extremely interesting. The 'conflict' between Azula and Hisashi had been formally discussed in the Daimyō's court today, with Fukuyoshi, the Daimyō's closest confidant, expressing grave concern over the matter and suggesting that the Daimyō might need to intervene.

The Shadow Clone, suspicious, had 'borrowed' a private moment with Fukuyoshi and discovered the reason for his sudden interest in Konoha's internal politics.

The man was branded with the Cursed Tongue Eradication Seal, applied neatly and recently. Danzō's work, unmistakably.

The clone had also found the letter Danzō had sent, written in his own hand, outlining the 'threat' Azula posed and urging Fukuyoshi to pressure the Daimyō into action. It was one more piece of evidence to add to the growing pile, and this one was particularly damning.

Azula's smile widened into something truly beautiful. "Yup, they're done for."

She stood, donned her Kage cloak with a practiced sweep, and vanished from her office without a sound.

•••

•••

"Yo, Tsunade. Busy?"

Azula materialized in the hospital director's office without warning, which was standard for her and would never stop being startling for everyone else. She was carrying an unconscious man slung over her shoulder like a sack of rice.

Tsunade, who had been deep in a medical document, jolted slightly at the sudden appearance.

Her reaction was far less dramatic than it would have been a year ago, because living with Azula meant accepting that doorways were merely suggestions and personal space was a negotiable concept. But when she registered the unconscious body, she raised an eyebrow.

"Since when did you start kidnapping people? Or is the kidnapping business really paying that well these days?"

Azula rolled her eyes with the long-suffering patience of someone who had expected exactly this response. "I took a quick tour to the capital. This is Fukuyoshi, Yoshiyuki's confidant."

Tsunade knew perfectly well who Yoshiyuki was, the Fire Daimyō himself, and Azula had never hidden the fact that the man was firmly under her control. What she didn't understand was why his confidant was currently unconscious in her office.

"Okay, but why is he here?" she asked, genuinely curious now.

Azula dropped Fukuyoshi onto the floor with all the ceremony of someone setting down a piece of luggage and settled familiarly into one of the chairs. "Danzō planted the Cursed Tongue Eradication Seal on him. He's also taken the man's favorite hidden mistress and their illegitimate child hostage as additional leverage."

"Oh?" Tsunade's interest sharpened immediately. "So he really is more courageous than the old man. What a pity he wasn't blessed with a functional brain to match."

Azula nodded, appreciating the assessment. "He would have made an excellent commander and a very effective weapon. Unfortunately, he's too power-hungry for his own good. It makes him predictable."

Tsunade made a noncommittal sound. Danzō's qualities and defects were ultimately academic to her because the man was already on her personal 'to punch' list, and everything else was just footnotes. "What do you plan to do with him?"

Azula had said she would deal with Danzō and the Hyuga rumors within the week, and when Azula said she would act, things tended to happen quickly. Given the current pace, it would very likely be today or tomorrow. Tsunade felt her fighting spirit stir at the prospect.

Azula, who could read her girlfriend's mood as easily as she could read a mission report, didn't miss the sudden gleam in Tsunade's eyes.

"I'll deal with him today, actually. I should have already summoned a council meeting, Danzō, all the clan elders, the department heads, everyone who matters." She paused, a teasing smile curving her lips. "But I knew you might miss the show if I didn't warn you, so I dropped by first. Well? Are you touched?"

Tsunade had a particular habit when she was working in her office. She sealed the door from the inside, shut out every distraction, and focused entirely on whatever was in front of her.

It meant she sometimes missed major events happening in the village because no one could reach her, and no amount of knocking could penetrate a properly applied sealing barrier. She claimed it helped her concentrate.

Azula privately suspected it was more about creating a space where no one could demand things from her for a few hours.

Either way, Azula didn't really care about the reason. She just wanted to see Tsunade's face when she realized she almost missed the takedown.

Tsunade didn't bother responding to the teasing. She simply smiled, rose from her seat, the main seat, the director's seat, and crossed the room with deliberate, unhurried steps.

"Yeah," she said, settling herself onto Azula's lap without the slightest trace of shame, looping her arms around the Hokage's neck like she belonged there. Because she did. "It's very touching. How about I reward you? What kind of reward do you want?"

The position was familiar to both of them by now. Tsunade was bold, proactive, and never hesitated to go after what she wanted.

But there was something about moments like this, when she let herself be held instead of holding, when she allowed herself to act soft and small, that touched something deeper in her.

She didn't allow herself this vulnerability anywhere else, not in front of her peers, not in front of her subordinates, not even in front of her grandmother. Only with Azula.

The understanding between them had long since transcended words. They didn't need to speak to know what the other was thinking. They just knew.

Azula chuckled. "No thanks. If you keep this up, we'll have to report that dealing with Danzō has been postponed until tomorrow. I don't think the council would appreciate the reason."

"Tsk, tsk." Tsunade clicked her tongue, knowing full well her seduction attempt had failed yet again. She climbed off Azula's lap with the air of someone who had expected this outcome but felt obligated to try anyway. Then she cracked her knuckles, and the gleam in her eyes shifted from playful to predatory. "It's Danzō, isn't it? I hope he's resistant to a good beating. I'd hate for it to end too quickly."

(END OF THE CHAPTER)

A transitional chapter towards the end of the Danzō Arc, what do you think should be Danzo's punishment? Also the next chapter is an omake.