Sunagakure Withdraws

"Lord Hokage, an urgent report has arrived from the front lines!"

Just as the two were talking, Nara Haruna pushed open the door and walked in.

"Lord Kurenai."

Upon seeing Kurenai Yūhi, she immediately bowed, then handed the document sent from the front lines to Hiruzen Sarutobi.

"Lord Hokage, I'll take my leave first."

Kurenai Yūhi nodded to Nara Haruna, then looked at Hiruzen Sarutobi and prepared to rise and leave.

"No need. Stay seated."

After taking the document, Hiruzen Sarutobi raised a hand to stop Kurenai Yūhi.

"Good! Sunagakure has finally withdrawn."

After reading the document, Hiruzen Sarutobi could not help bursting into hearty laughter.

Sunagakure had withdrawn? Upon hearing the news, Kurenai Yūhi's eyes widened in surprise, his face full of delight. He could hardly believe that just a few days after he had left the front lines, Sunagakure had retreated.

Question after question surfaced in his mind. He stared anxiously at Hiruzen Sarutobi, hoping to get an answer from him.

Old man, stop laughing! I still don't know what's going on! Watching Hiruzen Sarutobi laugh so hard he could barely close his mouth, Kurenai Yūhi anxiously rubbed his hands together. Yet he did not dare ask rashly and could only grumble inwardly.

"Kurenai, take a look."

After a bout of excited laughter, Hiruzen Sarutobi noticed the resentful look in Kurenai Yūhi's eyes. He immediately understood and handed him the battle report from the front lines.

"Don't be nervous. You deserve some credit for this as well!"

Seeing Kurenai Yūhi take the report from his hand with slight trembling, Hiruzen Sarutobi spoke reassuringly.

I deserve credit? Kurenai Yūhi steadied himself, let out a soft breath, and began reading carefully.

The battle report recorded the course of the war in detail:

First, the fierce clashes in over a hundred small-scale engagements, along with critical intelligence provided by spies.

Second, the team led by Kurenai Yūhi had successfully severely wounded Ebizo and captured Shūji, throwing Sunagakure into chaos.

Third, Nara Shikamaru had proposed issuing a Challenge Letter for a decisive battle.

Fourth, Yūske had defeated Chiyo in fierce combat, leaving Sunagakure no choice but to withdraw.

Fifth...

Tenth, our side had captured over a thousand Sunagakure shinobi, while Sunagakure's remaining forces had fled back to the Land of Wind.

At the end of the report was an additional estimate of the battle losses. Due to the pressing circumstances, detailed statistics had not yet been completed. Finally, the report asked whether they should provide support to the battlefield in the Land of Earth.

"That was truly a magnificent battle!"

After finishing the report, Kurenai Yūhi turned to Hiruzen Sarutobi. "Lord Hokage, I wouldn't dare claim the credit. This was all Yūske's achievement."

Hearing this, Hiruzen Sarutobi looked at Kurenai Yūhi with a meaningful expression. "I know. But Yūske is still young and cannot bear such immense credit. Once he returns from the front lines, I will give him the compensation he deserves."

Then, Hiruzen Sarutobi looked out the window with satisfaction, gazing at the stone faces of the First and Second Hokage as he sighed. "When I first sent Yūske to the front lines, I only wanted him to gain experience. I even specifically instructed Tsunade to keep a close eye on him. I never expected Yūske to become the key figure in this war."

"Yes. Only after witnessing Yūske's miraculous Kekkei Genkai with my own eyes did I realize just how immense his potential was!"

Kurenai Yūhi could not help sighing as well, while feeling fortunate that he had not misjudged him.

"His potential goes far beyond that. Perhaps in the future, Konoha will produce another figure like the previous Hokage, someone capable of sweeping across the entire shinobi world."

Hiruzen Sarutobi spoke with deep meaning, his words filled with profound expectations.

"The previous Hokage?"

Kurenai Yūhi gave Hiruzen Sarutobi a deep look, as though pondering something.

"He definitely can. I believe in Yūske!"

Firm conviction shone in his eyes.

Front Lines.

Medical Department.

Yūske slowly opened his eyes. What greeted him was the familiar tent and that familiar hospital bed.

He felt an unprecedented ache throughout his body. With difficulty, he raised an arm and tried to sit up.

Suddenly, he touched soft hair beside him. Enduring the pain, Yūske finally managed to slowly sit up.

Tsunade was lying beside him, her face turned toward him. Her beautiful, smooth cheek had been pressed red, and she seemed deeply immersed in a pleasant dream, with a few drops of drool at the corner of her mouth.

Only then did Yūske realize that he had never looked at Tsunade this carefully before. Perhaps because of the familiarity from his previous life, he seemed to have immediately regarded Tsunade as someone familiar, like a friend.

By now, Tsunade had shed the immaturity of her teenage years. She had lost some of her former purity and optimism, gaining a touch of mature charm instead. Though her appearance had not changed much, her temperament was completely different.

Yūske could not help sighing. Thinking that he had never known Tsunade during her teenage years, he actually felt a little regret.

As he thought, he inexplicably stretched out his aching hand toward Tsunade. Closer and closer it went, until it stopped at her cheek and gave it a light pinch.

Smack!

As though she had sensed some danger, Tsunade swiftly knocked away the hand pinching her cheek and hurriedly stood up, warily scanning her surroundings.

After confirming there was no danger, she glanced over and saw Yūske half-reclining on the hospital bed, vigorously rubbing the back of his hand. Her anger immediately flared.

Tsunade returned to the bedside and, without another word, sat directly on Yūske. Then she reached out, pinched his cheeks, and tugged them twice as she scolded him without mercy, "So you dare pinch me. So you dare pinch me."

However, at that moment, the door suddenly opened with a click.

"Tsunade, how is Yūske? His condition..."

Nara Shikamaru's voice came from the doorway. One hand was still gripping the doorknob, and he had not fully entered yet.

"Strange, where are they? Looks like Yūske must be awake."

Before he could finish speaking, the hand that had been on the doorknob quickly pulled with force.

Bang!

The door slammed shut. Yūske and Tsunade instantly fell into awkward silence, their playful antics coming to an abrupt end. Their gazes met, and a faint blush rose on both their faces.

Tsunade quickly got off Yūske, somewhat flustered as she adjusted her clothes. Still blushing, she lightly poked Yūske on the head and complained, "Even after waking up, you can't behave yourself. What if I accidentally broke your hand?"

Yūske responded to Tsunade's reproach with a grin. Gathering his courage, he took her hand, his tone carrying a hint of teasing. "It wouldn't matter even if it broke. Don't you know medical ninjutsu? You'd definitely set it right for me, wouldn't you?"

His gaze was full of gentleness and amusement as he quietly watched Tsunade.

Tsunade's cheeks grew even hotter. She lowered her head slightly, avoiding Yūske's eyes. Looking at the hand he was holding, a different kind of emotion welled up in her heart.

She secretly took a deep breath, trying hard to restore calm to her expression.

Yet Yūske did not let up. He continued teasing Tsunade with a grin, as though testing her reaction. The two simply gazed at each other in silence, as though time had frozen at that moment.

An indescribable emotion showed in their eyes—awkwardness, shyness, and a faint trace of anticipation.

In that brief silence, Tsunade's heartbeat gradually quickened. She felt as if she were caught in a warm whirlpool, while Yūske's smile shone over her like sunlight. The hand holding hers was so hot that it filled her with incomparable warmth.

And in that moment, Yūske felt Tsunade's charm and the softness in her heart more clearly than ever.

Gradually, their expressions softened. Yūske's smile revealed his concern and affection for Tsunade, while Tsunade no longer avoided his gaze. Instead, her eyes held a little more tenderness and tacit consent.

"This time, you've rendered a great service!"