Hokage: Immortal, I Open Unlimited Eight Gates

After Senju Nawaki noticed that the tribe member stopped talking upon hearing about his older sister, his resentment towards Tsunade deepened once again.

"Forget it, just wait patiently."

An hour later.

"Why isn't Chiba here yet? It's already 10 o'clock," Nawaki muttered, growing impatient as he scanned the area but still couldn't spot Uchiha Chiba.

"Wait a minute, Chiba is always punctual. How could he be late? Hiss... could my sister have tricked me? Did she send me on a wild goose chase?" Nawaki wondered aloud, growing more suspicious.

The more he thought about it, the more it seemed like Tsunade had played him. After all, this wasn't the first time she had deceived him.

"Hmph, that old sister of mine, lying to me again. I'll make sure to teach her a lesson," Nawaki growled, but as he continued to think, his confidence waned. "Forget it. What can I do? Bloodline suppression, after all."

Just then, a familiar voice broke his train of thought.

"Nawaki, what are you doing here?"

Senju turned around and saw a man wearing a white royal robe, with a bamboo hat inscribed with the character "火" (fire).

"Ah! Uncle Hiruzen!" Senju exclaimed. "By the way, what brings you here?"

Sarutobi Hiruzen puffed out a cloud of smoke and answered calmly, "I'm here to discuss something with Mito-sama."

"What about you, Rope Tree? What brings you out here?"

Nawaki paused for a moment, then shrugged. "I'm just waiting for someone."

He looked at Hiruzen and asked curiously, "You must be busy with important matters with Grandma, right?"

Hiruzen gave a slight nod. "Indeed, I have some matters to discuss with Mito-sama. But you, Nawaki, take care."

Nawaki didn't think much of it and waved him off. "Alright, Uncle Hiruzen. Go ahead."

After Hiruzen left, Nawaki's impatience was at its peak. Just as he was considering going to find Uchiha Chiba himself, a familiar figure finally appeared in the distance.

"Chiba, over here!" Nawaki waved frantically.

Uchiha Chiba, noticing Senju's excitement, couldn't help but wonder why he was so happy to see him.

"You're here! I was worried my sister tricked me," Nawaki said, his voice laced with irritation. "Why were you so late? I've been waiting for over two hours."

Uchiha Chiba raised an eyebrow. "Am I late? It's not even noon yet. What's the rush?"

Chiba continued, "I told Tsunade I'd come around noon, but I never mentioned a specific time."

"..."

At the same time, inside the Senju clan's compound...

"Mito-sama, I've found a location for the next Jinchūriki. Are you certain you want to proceed with the plan?" Sarutobi Hiruzen asked respectfully.

Uzumaki Mito nodded gravely. "Yes, the plan is set. I can only suppress the Nine Tails for one more year at most. We must proceed."

She continued with a serious tone, "This information must be kept strictly confidential. No one from other villages can learn of it."

Hiruzen Sarutobi understood the weight of the situation and replied, "Of course, Mito-sama. I will ensure it remains secret."

Mito gave a small smile, acknowledging Sarutobi's dedication. "Good. And remember, after I'm gone, you must watch over Danzo and his 'roots' carefully. He's your brother, but don't let him run wild."

Sarutobi Hiruzen seemed a little uncomfortable. He knew of Danzo's ambitions to recruit members from various ninja clans into the 'roots.' While Danzo's influence was currently limited, it wouldn't be long before his ambitions grew.

"I understand, Mito-sama. I will keep an eye on him," Hiruzen said awkwardly.

Mito nodded. "It's good that you understand. Now go, you have much to do as Hokage."

Sarutobi Hiruzen acknowledged her with a bow and left the room. But as he passed through the hall, he froze, noticing the Uchiha clan's presence.

"Why is the Uchiha clan here?" he muttered to himself. Then, what happened next made him more concerned.

"Chiba, Grandma's getting older. Please make something lighter for lunch today," Tsunade instructed.

Uchiha Chiba nodded, smiling. "Of course, Tsunade, don't worry. The food I'm making today will be just right."

As Tsunade prepared to speak again, she noticed Hiruzen Sarutobi in the corner of her eye.

"Hey, old man, it's almost noon. Let's talk after lunch," she called out to him.

Sarutobi, though taken aback by the casual way Tsunade addressed him, didn't let his surprise show. He'd already learned that Uchiha Chiba had a close relationship with Tsunade, calling her "sister."

"Ah, Tsunade, can't you call me 'sensei'? After all, I'm Hokage," Hiruzen said, trying to mask his discomfort with a joke.

Uchiha Chiba, hearing the exchange, turned and greeted him. "Hello, Hokage-sama."

"Hello, Chiba," Hiruzen replied. He was pleased to see the respect Chiba showed, unlike Tsunade or Jiraiya, who often teased him.

But Hiruzen Sarutobi was taken aback when he realized that Uchiha Chiba knew his name. Given Chiba's ties to the Uchiha clan and his connection to Senju Nawaki, it made sense that Hiruzen would have heard of him.

"I'll skip lunch. There are still many matters I need to attend to. I'm leaving now," Sarutobi said, trying to exit quickly.

As Sarutobi left, Uchiha Chiba, though curious about what Hiruzen Sarutobi was doing, knew better than to pry into things that weren't his business.

Turning back to Tsunade, Chiba grinned. "I've decided what to make for lunch."

"Oh? Can you tell me what it is?" Tsunade asked, intrigued.

Chiba grinned mischievously. "Don't worry, I'll keep it a secret for now. You'll find out soon enough."

Tsunade pouted but couldn't suppress a smile. "Well, fine. Let's go check the kitchen, and see if we have everything."