Konoha Azure Dragon's Roar!

Silence! An even more utter deathly silence than when the Wall of Giant Trees had risen blanketed the entire battlefield!

The Konoha Ninja forgot to cheer, and the Kirigakure ninja forgot to attack. Everyone's eyes were fixed on the top of that barrier, on the figure who had single-handedly confronted Juzo Biwa, one of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen, and blasted him away!

He stood there, moonlight tracing him with a silver edge. The blood at the corner of his mouth stood out starkly against his pale face. His body swayed slightly, as though he were a dying candle in the wind, yet he was also like a mountain that would never fall!

"W-What kind of power was that?" A Kirigakure chunin's voice trembled, and he could barely hold onto the kunai in his hand. First, he had created a forest barrier out of thin air to divide the battlefield. Then, he had scattered Life Rain to heal their wounds. And now... with just one palm strike, he had sent Lord Juzo Biwa, renowned for his strength, flying into an unknown fate? This had completely surpassed their comprehension!

"M-Monster! He's a monster!" Another Kirigakure ninja staggered back in terror, his eyes filled with fear as he looked at the towering emerald barrier and the figure standing atop it.

"Azure Dragon... it's Lord Azure Dragon!" Inside the barrier, a Konoha chunin whose arm wound had been healed by Life Rain burst into excited tears. He raised his kunai and roared with all his strength, "Konoha's Lord Azure Dragon!!"

That roar was like a spark thrown into boiling oil, instantly igniting the emotions of every Konoha ninja!

"Lord Azure Dragon!!"

"Konoha's Azure Dragon!!"

"Kill! Follow Lord Azure Dragon and drive those Kirigakure dogs back!!"

Earth-shaking roars erupted from within the barrier, carrying the wild joy of surviving disaster, boundless worship for their protector, and soaring battle intent rekindled anew! At that moment, the title "Konoha Azure Dragon" was no longer merely a description. It was deeply branded into the hearts of every Konoha ninja who had witnessed this miracle, becoming a symbol of power and protection!

Tsunade stood beneath the barrier, gazing up at that figure. Her initial shock had passed, replaced by emotions surging like a tsunami. Pride! Pride in the peerless power he had displayed and his fearless protection! Adoration! Adoration for his towering stance and his heart that wished to protect! Reassurance! It was as if, so long as he was there, there would be no obstacle in heaven or earth that could not be crossed! Her hemophobia, amid the life barrier and Life Rain created by Duanmu Ci, had long been washed away before that overwhelming sense of security. All that remained was her love for this man, a love she had completely fallen into. At that moment, her heart had utterly surrendered, without the slightest hesitation left.

"Retreat! Retreat now!" Among the Kirigakure forces, a surviving commander looked at Juzo Biwa, whose fate was unknown, heard Konoha's thunderous cries of "Azure Dragon," and then saw the impregnable giant tree barrier and the godlike figure atop it. His courage shattered. He gave the order in a hoarse, desperate scream.

Kirigakure's morale completely collapsed. Missions, revenge—before absolute power and the fear of death, all of it became meaningless. The remaining Kirigakure ninja fled like homeless dogs, casting aside their weapons and armor as they desperately ran back the way they had come, wishing their parents had given them two more legs.

Duanmu Ci stood atop the barrier, coldly watching the routed enemy without pursuing them. He maintained an outward appearance of weakness, breathing heavily, but deep in his eyes was cold calculation. He knew that the real crisis—Danzo—might only be beginning. He raised a hand and gently wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth. His gaze swept over the excited crowd below before finally settling on that golden-haired figure.

Their eyes met in midair.

The concern, pride, admiration, and complete trust in Tsunade's eyes reached him without reservation. Duanmu Ci saw it. On his pale face, slowly and with immense difficulty, he gave her a tiny yet deeply reassuring smile.

That smile made tears stream down Tsunade's face at once.

Kirigakure's defeat had come swiftly, and it ended even more swiftly. When the last Kirigakure ninja's silhouette disappeared into the darkness at the edge of the forest, only Konoha's exhausted breathing and irrepressible cheers remained on the battlefield.

"We... won?"

"We won! It was Lord Azure Dragon! Lord Azure Dragon saved us!"

"Taoyuan Village has been saved!"

The joy of surviving disaster spread like a plague. Many people collapsed limply onto the ground, laughing and crying at once. Duanmu Ci, who had been manipulating wooden spikes and vines atop the barrier, finally allowed his taut nerves to relax.

"Ugh..." He let out a suppressed groan, and his body swayed violently. It was not all an act. Maintaining such a massive Wood Release barrier, casting Life Rain, and forcibly using the Rinnegan to unleash Shinra Tensei—even if he had disguised it—had indeed placed an enormous burden on his mind and consumed a tremendous amount of Chakra. Now that he had relaxed, intense dizziness and a hollow weakness swept over him like a tide.

"Duanmu!" Tsunade had been watching him intently. The moment she saw him lose his balance, her heart clenched. She no longer cared about anything else. Chakra erupted beneath her feet, and she turned into a streak of golden light, instantly rushing to the top of the towering barrier.

Just as Duanmu Ci's vision darkened and his body tipped backward, a warm, powerful embrace caught him firmly.

A familiar scent, carrying a faint aroma of alcohol and medicinal herbs, filled his nose. Duanmu Ci's consciousness blurred for a moment, then he felt himself tightly held by strong arms, his head resting against a soft warmth that made him feel safe.

"Lord Tsunade..." He forced his eyes open and saw Tsunade's beautiful face close at hand, filled with anxiety and heartache.

"Don't speak!" Tsunade's voice trembled almost imperceptibly. She quickly examined Duanmu Ci's condition and, after confirming that he was mainly suffering from excessive exhaustion rather than a fatal injury, felt slightly relieved. Yet her heartache only deepened. "You've done more than enough. Leave the rest to me! Sleep!"

Her voice carried an unquestionable command and profound tenderness. Duanmu Ci's tightly wound nerves finally relaxed, and overwhelming exhaustion drowned him. Before he completely lost consciousness, he used the last of his strength to move his lips. His voice was weak but clear as it reached Tsunade's ears. "The base... I leave it to you... our... home..."

Before he could finish, his head tilted to one side, and he fell completely unconscious—an act. The trace of blood at the corner of his mouth, still not wiped away, looked especially glaring beneath the moonlight.

"Duanmu!!" Tsunade's heart stabbed with pain, and she hugged him even tighter. The words "our home" were like a warm current that instantly washed away the last trace of restraint in her heart. Tears blurred her vision again, but she forcibly held them back, her gaze becoming incomparably resolute.

"Shizune! Take over medical command! Prioritize the severely wounded! Organize people to clear the battlefield and restore our defenses! Immediately send Konoha a highest-level battle report!" Holding the unconscious Duanmu Ci, Tsunade spoke with steady authority. Her voice instantly overpowered the commotion below and brought the situation back under control. At that moment, she was no longer the fragile woman troubled by hemophobia. She was Princess Slug, one of the Sannin, and the mistress of Taoyuan Village!

"Yes, Lord Tsunade!" Shizune immediately accepted the order, tears shining in her eyes. She was worried for Duanmu Ci, but also delighted that Tsunade had regained her strength.

Below, the crowd watched as Tsunade leaped down from the barrier while carrying the unconscious Lord Azure Dragon. The people automatically parted to make way, their eyes filled with reverence, gratitude, and concern.

"Lord Azure Dragon..."

"Lord Tsunade..."

Holding Duanmu Ci, Tsunade walked with firm steps toward the safest ward in the base. Her back, illuminated by firelight and moonlight, appeared immensely tall and dependable. She knew the battle was over, but the protection had only just begun. She had to hold up this "Taoyuan" that he had defended with his life until he awoke.

Konoha, Hokage Office.

An urgent report marked "Top Secret: Taoyuan Victory" was like a massive stone cast into deep water, instantly stirring monstrous waves among the upper ranks.

Hiruzen Sarutobi abruptly rose from his seat, nearly dropping the pipe in his hand. He stared fixedly at the words in the report, especially this passage: "...At the critical moment when the base faced destruction, genin Duanmu Ci erupted with what is suspected to be the Wood Release Kekkei Genkai of the First Hokage, employing a defensive ninjutsu on the level of 'Wood Release: Deep Forest Emergence' to form a giant tree barrier that stopped Kirigakure's main force... He also deployed the large-scale group healing secret technique 'Life Rain'... Later, at the critical moment, he severely wounded Juzo Biwa, one of Kirigakure's Seven Ninja Swordsmen, using an unknown powerful defensive/repulsive secret technique... He reversed the battle by himself... All of Konoha calls him 'Konoha Azure Dragon'... He is currently unconscious from exhaustion and is receiving Princess Tsunade's full treatment..."

"W-Wood Release?! Deep Forest Emergence?!" Hiruzen Sarutobi's voice shook with disbelief. An unprecedented sharp light burst from his aged, clouded eyes before turning into a mix of deep concern and wild delight. "Heaven blesses Konoha?! The First Hokage's power... has reappeared?! Tsunade... you have taken in an extraordinary disciple..." he murmured. His fingers tapped unconsciously against the desk as his emotions surged. Was this power a blessing or a curse? But regardless, driving back Kirigakure and preserving Tsunade and that base was a great achievement!

"Immediately! Convene an emergency high-level meeting!" Hiruzen Sarutobi ordered in a deep voice that brooked no objection.

Root, deep within its dark base.

The same intelligence was respectfully presented. Shimura Danzō merely skimmed it, and horrifying greed, almost tangible, instantly burst from his single eye! He clenched his fist fiercely, his knuckles cracking under the force, while a piece of his chair's armrest was crushed apart in his grip!

"Wood Release! True Wood Release! Deep Forest Emergence!!" Danzo's voice became hoarse and twisted with extreme desire, like a venomous snake hissing. "The First Hokage's power... awakening within some brat?! Perfect... absolutely perfect! This power... must belong to me! To Root! To Konoha's future!" He abruptly rose and paced back and forth through the dim room, suppressing his fanatical excitement. "The plan... must change! At any cost! Infiltrate! Monitor! Find his weakness... or... seize him directly! Draft a new plan immediately! Quickly!"

Because of that battle report, the shadows of Root became thicker and more dangerous.

Within Konoha.

The news spread as swiftly as though it had grown wings.

"Have you heard? A great victory on the front lines! Kirigakure was driven back!"

"More than driven back! They say a medical ninja named Duanmu Ci used the First Hokage's Wood Release ninjutsu! He created an entire forest to stop the enemy!"

"Azure Dragon! They all call him Konoha Azure Dragon! He sent one of Kirigakure's Seven Ninja Swordsmen flying with a single palm strike!"

"Really? He's that incredible?!"

"Absolutely true! The battle report has already come back! Konoha has produced another remarkable hero!"

"Lord Azure Dragon... may he be safe and sound..."

In streets and alleys, taverns and teahouses, everyone was discussing the Taoyuan Victory and the Konoha Azure Dragon who had turned the tide. Overnight, Duanmu Ci's name rang throughout all of Konoha, becoming a new legend and a new hope.

Taoyuan Village, special ward.

Moonlight streamed through the window, falling over Duanmu Ci's unconscious face on the bed and over the golden-haired beauty who refused to leave his side.

Tsunade held Duanmu Ci's slightly cool hand, her fingertips gently stroking the skin on the back of his hand with unimaginable tenderness. She looked at his pale face, his tightly shut eyes, and the bloodstain that pained her so deeply.

"Idiot..." Tsunade murmured softly, her voice thick with tears as they silently slipped down and fell onto their clasped hands. "Who told you to push yourself this hard... Who gave you permission... to stand in front of everyone alone..." She lowered herself and gently pressed her cheek against the back of his cool hand, feeling his presence.

"Do you know... when I saw you fall... I felt like the sky was collapsing..." Her voice was soft, as though she were speaking to herself, yet also pouring out her heart. "I finally... finally found you... found this place... where I could see the light again... How could you... how could you dare leave me behind..."

The ward was silent, save for Tsunade's suppressed sobs and Duanmu Ci's steady breathing—an act.

"Wake up soon..." She raised her head, looking at him through tear-filled eyes. Her gaze held unquestionable resolve and love too deep to dissolve. "Our 'home' has only just begun... How can it work without you, the head of the household? I'm warning you... Duanmu Ci... if you dare not wake up... then I... I'll..." She seemed to want to make a harsh threat, but in the end, she could not say it. She only gripped his hand tighter.

"I... I won't allow anything to happen to you... do you hear me..." Her voice finally became a choking command that was almost coquettish.

At that moment, Duanmu Ci's eyelashes seemed to tremble ever so slightly. Tsunade's heart leaped. Holding her breath, she watched him nervously.

However, Duanmu Ci did not wake up. His breathing merely seemed to become a little steadier. Tsunade was somewhat disappointed, but she felt even more heartache. She picked up a warm towel and carefully wiped away the remaining blood from the corner of his mouth, moving as gently as if she were tending to a priceless treasure.

What she did not know was that, at the instant she lowered her head to focus on wiping him clean, the corner of Duanmu Ci's mouth, while he lay unconscious, lifted ever so faintly—so slightly that it was almost impossible to notice.

Outside the window, the moonlight was like water. Taoyuan Village, only beginning to take shape, stood quietly beneath it, simple yet full of life. The saplings nurtured by Wood Release swayed gently in the night breeze. This seedling, watered by blood and protection, had endured the baptism of a storm. Not only had it not fallen, it had instead driven its roots deeper, stubbornly reaching toward the sky. Its future was destined to be extraordinary. And the Azure Dragon who protected it would eventually awaken and lead it toward a wider sky.