The Titan Curse: A Shinobi’s Reign

Chapter 9: Doubt in the Hokage

Tsunade sat in her office, her hands resting on the desk, but her mind was elsewhere. The fight with Kurozan was over, yet his words echoed in her mind, shaking the foundation of everything she believed in.

"Your village is built on lies and sacrifices."

"The Senju were never meant to rule… only to be eliminated."

Tsunade shut her eyes, exhaling sharply.

She had always known Konoha had its secrets. She had accepted that sacrifices had to be made for the village's future. But now… she was beginning to wonder if those sacrifices had ever been necessary at all.

And the worst part?

She couldn't talk to anyone about it.

Not Jiraiya.

Not Naruto.

Not even Shizune.

Because if she did, she knew exactly how they would react.

They would tell her she was overthinking it.

They would tell her to forget about it.

But she couldn't.

Not when the truth was staring her in the face.

A knock on the door pulled her from her thoughts.

"Hokage-sama," Shizune's voice came from the other side. "The council is waiting for you."

Tsunade sighed, rubbing her temples. "I'll be there in a minute."

She had called this meeting herself.

It was time to get some answers.

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The Truth Buried Beneath Konoha

The council chamber was silent as Tsunade took her seat at the head of the table. Across from her, the elders—Homura Mitokado, Koharu Utatane, and Danzo Shimura—sat watching her carefully.

Other clan heads were present as well—Hiashi Hyuga, Shikaku Nara, and a few others—but it was the elders Tsunade was focused on.

Because they were the ones who knew the village's darkest secrets.

Tsunade folded her hands, her gaze cold. "Tell me about the Hashirama cell experiments."

Silence.

Danzo remained expressionless, but the slight tension in his jaw told her he hadn't expected this.

Homura cleared his throat. "Hokage-sama, I'm not sure what you mean—"

"Don't waste my time," Tsunade snapped. "I know what Konoha has done. The experiments. The bodies stolen from battlefields. The attempts to recreate my grandfather's power."

Koharu sighed. "That information is classified for a reason, Tsunade. You—"

"I'm not asking," Tsunade interrupted. "I'm demanding the truth."

A tense silence followed.

Danzo leaned forward slightly. "And what brought this sudden… curiosity?"

Tsunade's jaw tightened. "That doesn't matter."

Danzo smirked. "It does, actually. Because if someone is feeding you information, we should eliminate the source."

Tsunade felt a flicker of anger. Kurozan's words had been harsh, but they had also been true—Konoha feared the truth.

Hiashi Hyuga finally spoke up, his voice calm but firm. "Hokage-sama, I believe we all deserve to know the truth. If the Senju legacy was being used for… questionable purposes, then the village's integrity is at stake."

Shikaku Nara nodded in agreement. "The more secrets we keep, the more dangerous this situation becomes."

Tsunade stared at Danzo. "So? Are you going to answer me?"

Danzo's one visible eye met hers. "Fine," he said. "You want the truth? Then here it is."

He leaned back.

"Yes. The experiments were real. They were conducted for the good of Konoha—to ensure we never fell behind in power. Hashirama Senju's abilities were… a gift from the gods. It would have been a waste to let such power die with him."

Tsunade's fingernails dug into the table. "And how many lives were sacrificed for those experiments?"

Danzo didn't blink. "Enough to make it worthwhile."

A cold rage settled in Tsunade's chest.

"You mean my grandfather's legacy was nothing but a tool to you," she said bitterly.

Danzo shrugged. "A means to an end."

Koharu sighed. "Tsunade, you must understand—Konoha's survival comes before all else. Even the Senju were not exempt from that."

Tsunade stood up abruptly, her chakra flaring. "I see. So that's how it is."

She turned to leave, but Danzo's voice stopped her.

"You've been speaking with someone, haven't you?" he said smoothly. "Perhaps an… outsider?"

Tsunade froze for just a second.

But that was enough.

Danzo smiled slightly. "Be careful, Hokage-sama. Traitors can be found in the most unexpected places."

Tsunade said nothing.

She simply walked away.

But as she left, she knew one thing for certain—she couldn't trust the council anymore.

---

Naruto Notices the Change

Later that evening, as Tsunade sat in her office drinking sake, a familiar voice interrupted her thoughts.

"Tsunade-baa-chan," Naruto's voice called from the window. "You okay?"

Tsunade glanced up to see Naruto perched on the windowsill, his usual grin replaced by concern.

She sighed. "What do you want, brat?"

Naruto hopped inside, crossing his arms. "You've been acting weird lately. Even Shizune noticed. Did something happen?"

Tsunade hesitated.

She wanted to tell him. Naruto was one of the few people in the village she actually trusted.

But if she told him the truth… what would he do?

He was still loyal to Konoha.

He still believed in it.

Just like she once did.

"I'm fine," she said instead.

Naruto frowned. "You don't look fine."

Tsunade forced a smirk. "You're annoying, you know that?"

Naruto grinned. "Yeah, I hear that a lot."

Tsunade chuckled softly. For now, she would keep her doubts to herself.

But deep down, she knew the truth.

Something inside her had changed.

And there was no turning back now.

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