Tsunade's Team in Action

"South! The alarm barrier over there has been triggered!"

"Damn Konoha Ninja!"

"Get ahead and cut off those little pests!"

All manner of clamor rang out behind them, only to swiftly vanish into the wind roaring past their ears.

They leaped between massive trees faster and faster, yet the growing sense of danger in their hearts kept everyone in the squad from daring to stop.

Tsunade charged at the very front of the squad, the ponytails at either side of her blond hair pulled into straight lines by the howling wind.

Countless thoughts tangled together in her mind.

Damn it, when did their patrol range expand this far?

Damn it.

A month had passed since they infiltrated the Land of Lightning.

Throughout that time, they had maintained a schedule of hiding by day and moving by night. Following the intelligence initially provided by the village, they had prepared to ambush the Third Raikage in a mountain range midway between Cloud Village and the front line between the Land of Lightning and Earth.

For this operation, all of Konoha's most elite personnel had been mobilized.

Tsunade glanced back.

Herself, Kunugi Mokume, Ando Ooyama, and Dan Katō.

All four were Veteran Jonin with proven records.

They also had three Anbu squads providing support.

Within their squad, everyone except Dan Katō was a Taijutsu-Type Jonin. Although Ando Ooyama also handled some Chakra Sensing duties, his swordsmanship was well-known throughout the village.

As for Dan Katō, he was renowned throughout the Ninja World for his mysterious Soul Ninjutsu.

He was also the operation's trump card.

Their target, the Third Raikage, was the Land of Lightning's acknowledged strongest Raikage, famous throughout the Five Great Nations as the Strongest Spear and the Strongest Shield.

Rumor had it that he could even face the powerful Eight-Tailed Beast head-on and forcefully defeat it.

To this day, there had never been any word of the Third Raikage being injured by anyone—the man's muscular body was unquestionably the strongest in the entire Ninja World.

That was precisely why Dan Katō's technique, which could directly attack the soul, was so important.

The reason they had deployed so many powerful Taijutsu-Type Jonin was to create that single instant of opportunity for Dan Katō to launch a killing strike.

Yet over the course of this month of lurking and searching, their group of sixteen had rapidly dwindled to seven. They could no longer even make up two full squads.

Tsunade's brow furrowed ever more tightly.

Though she had no definite information, instinct and experience still told her that this operation had most likely been exposed.

The reason was simple.

Recently, the frequency with which they had been attacked had suddenly grown denser and denser.

That was highly abnormal.

Just as Tsunade was struggling to determine what to do next, Ando Ooyama, on the squad's right flank, suddenly halted. He pressed his fingers to the ground, rapidly spread out his Chakra Sensing, and shouted a warning:

"Northwest, three kilometers."

"About two squads are rapidly approaching us."

Tsunade, as the captain, did not hesitate in the slightest and immediately gave the order:

"Charge through! Break out toward the designated stronghold."

"Yes!"

The members behind her answered in unison.

For ninja, a mere three kilometers was less than two minutes of travel.

Almost in the blink of an eye, the two Cloud Ninja at the very front came into Tsunade's view.

The captain of the Hidden Cloud seemed to recognize her the instant he saw the leader of this Konoha squad. His steps faltered, and his voice turned shrill.

"It's—it's one of the Konoha Three...!"

The instant they heard that title, the entire squad's advance visibly slowed by half a beat.

Tsunade, however, did not hesitate at all. Her phoenix eyes narrowed, and her whole body abruptly shot forward like Lightning Flash.

Her seemingly slender, beautiful body twisted as blazing Monster Strength chakra was suddenly refined and gathered at her delicate heel in an instant. The soft jade-like sole of her foot, pale with a hint of pink, erupted with terrifying force.

While still in midair, Tsunade used the force of her rotation to split her extraordinarily flexible legs into a perfectly straight split.

"Heavenly Foot of Pain!"

Momentum, flexibility, and speed.

The three violently combined in that instant, forming a ferocious strike that shattered the ground within a thirty-meter radius.

"Boom!"

Earth and stone, trees, human figures.

Countless things were blasted into the air by the shockwave.

The Cloud Ninja who had just been standing atop branches and charging at the front suddenly seemed to be standing on soft trampolines the next second, their bodies helplessly freed from gravity's restraints.

It took only that brief pause.

Kunugi Mokume and Ando Ooyama, following behind, immediately pushed their Body Flicker speed to its limit. The short swords at their waists bloomed like arcs of light.

In an instant, several blossoms of blood burst open in midair.

Perfect coordination.

After only a brief exchange.

Two entire standard patrol squads led by Chunin perished in the depths of that nameless forest.

The Anbu at the rear even had time to briefly alter the battlefield with Earth Style Ninjutsu, preventing the enemy from learning too much.

Tsunade and the others showed no reaction at all, their escape accelerating by another fraction.

The current Tsunade was not yet the "Konoha's Big Sucker" who would one day become famous throughout the Ninja World.

At this time, she was the young Medical Saint who had fought Chiyo of Sand in poison techniques and won despite her youth; the direct disciple of the Shinobi Hero Sarutobi Hiruzen; one of Konoha's three top young ninja who had survived under the demigod Hanzo; and the direct head of Konoha's Senju Clan.

She was in the prime of youth, famous from a young age, with a boundless future ahead.

Even ninja from enemy villages would never dare take her lightly upon meeting her on the battlefield.

Only, no one in this era knew.

Though she seemed draped in countless halos and surrounded by glory and acclaim, Tsunade was not as resilient under pressure as everyone imagined.

An entire month of lurking, the squad's rapid losses, the powerful foe awaiting them, and the life of her lover who was also in the squad.

All kinds of pressure had piled together, stretching her nerves to their limit.

"Whew."

When they reached a designated underground stronghold excavated by Land of Lightning spies, confirmed that the surrounding traces had been cleared, and found no sign of enemies within several kilometers.

Tsunade briefly set up a warning barrier outside the stronghold before returning underground and lighting a small flame in the darkness.

This tiny campfire cast dust through a smoke vent toward another preset location, giving off a warm glow.

Kunugi Mokume quickly used Earth Style Ninjutsu to make several clay jars and handed them out to the squad. Dan Katō and an Anbu had already begun preparing ingredients they had caught along the way, while Ando and two other Anbu went out to stand guard.

Everyone busied themselves with their own tasks, relaxing their bodies in the process.

Since the previous pursuit began, they had fled for three days and three nights straight.

After going so long without rest, even though most of them were Jonin, they were nearly unable to hold on.

Only Tsunade sat alone before the fire, lost in thought.

"Tsunade, have some water first."

As she pondered, someone handed a clay jar over from the other side.

Tsunade raised her head and saw Dan Katō holding out the steaming jar to her. His smile was as sunny and gentle as ever.

"Mm, thank you."

She accepted the jar, took a slow sip, and gave him a somewhat forced smile.

Perhaps because she had grown up with that unreliable, lecherous bastard Jiraiya, a younger, gentle, considerate, and practically sexless man like Dan Katō—his complete opposite—particularly won her favor and gave her a great sense of security.

Yet this lack of initiative could sometimes be rather frustrating.

For instance, they had been dating for nearly three months, yet their relationship had only progressed to the childish stage of holding hands, exchanging tokens of affection, and taking ages just to kiss each other on the forehead.

Or in situations like this, where the slightest misstep could bring a life-or-death crisis, Tsunade had no way to rely on Dan Katō to help her make a decision.

The crushing pressure could only be borne by her, the squad captain.

Darkness silently spread through the underground cavern.

Everyone quietly rested on their own.

Tsunade's eyes lowered as she watched the fire at the center of the cave. The burning wood gave off faint crackling sounds.

Who knew how much time passed.

Until Ando Ooyama, who had been on watch, returned to switch shifts with the Anbu.

Tsunade suddenly raised her head and spoke to the others.

"I have a suggestion."

The rest of the squad all turned to look at her.

Tsunade took a deep breath, her tone utterly resolute.

"We abandon this mission."

"..."

"?!"

The prolonged exhaustion made everyone take a second or two to understand Tsunade's words. Then they all straightened from the rock walls.

"Lord Tsunade?"

Kunugi Mokume spoke instinctively, his face full of confusion.

Tsunade patiently explained, "Based on the targeted searches conducted by Cloud Village's patrol units over the past three days, I can basically conclude that Cloud Village has already obtained basic information about our mission, and there is even a strong possibility that they know our squad's composition."

"I believe that under these circumstances, assassinating the Third Raikage is a mission that is fundamentally impossible to complete."

"To preserve the squad's remaining strength, I cannot lead you into danger."

"As the commanding officer, I will bear full responsibility for this decision."

Her tone was extremely firm.

This judgment was actually correct. After the targeted blockades of the past few days, Kunugi Mokume and the others had vaguely realized the same thing—they were Veteran Jonin who had carried out countless missions, not greenhorns fresh out of the academy.

But this was still the era of the Second Great Ninja War.

Not much time had passed since the Warring States Period, and many of the iron rules of being a ninja were still deeply etched into the hearts of ninja in this era.

"In the Ninja World, those who do not follow the rules are trash."

The words that would nearly drive Kakashi to his death at a certain point in time were still an almost unwritten iron law in the current Ninja World, a rule woven through every aspect of a ninja's life.

Anyone who abandoned a mission, regardless of status or strength, would inevitably face condemnation and scorn from many people.

And for an S-Rank Mission that was practically a national war, the responsibility to be borne went without saying.

The moment Tsunade made this judgment, it essentially meant the end of her political career in Konoha—if she were not the current head of the Senju Clan, the granddaughter of the First Hokage, the granddaughter of the Second Hokage, and the disciple of the Third Hokage.

"I disagree."

Ando Ooyama spoke coldly. "The village is currently under immense pressure on the front against the Land of Wind and Land of Earth, while Cloud Village could launch a two-front assault at any time. The Third Raikage's son has not yet grown up, and there is no one in the entire village qualified to become the Fourth Raikage."

"If we kill him now, there is a strong chance we can stop the war. Even if we all die, it will be worth it."

Though he was a ninja, his parents had been Immigrants from Land of Iron in their early years. He possessed the typical temperament of a samurai, leaving himself not the slightest room to retreat from anything he had set his mind on.

Stubborn and unyielding.

Tsunade remained patient, though anger had gradually begun to enter her voice. "The question is, can we kill him? The Third Raikage must be on guard by now. Even if we go to the battlefield, he will surely be accompanied by a large number of guards! What about us? We spent an entire month circling around, and only seven of us are left! Could it be that—"

She suddenly stopped halfway through, unable to continue.

—Could it be that they were supposed to gamble all their lives on the tiny possibility that the Third Raikage might die?

Tsunade lowered her head slightly and pressed her lips tight, swallowing the rest of those words.

Because she knew that whether it was Kunugi Mokume or Ando Ooyama, their answers would be the same.

"Yes."

That was their resolve as ninja.

Before they had even set out, they had already prepared themselves never to return, hadn't they?

And Tsunade herself had been no different.

Ever since graduating from the ninja academy at six and stepping onto the battlefield, Tsunade, who had long since fought through countless battles and always charged at the front beside her comrades, had never feared death.

But—

The mere thought that Dan might very well die during this operation made Nawaki's vacant eyes, staring up at the sky when he died, rise uncontrollably in her mind.

Her heart twisted in pain.

Tsunade instinctively looked up toward Dan Katō, who had remained silent the entire time. She unknowingly bit her lip until the faint taste of blood spread in her mouth.

Her silent gaze, lit by the firelight, was almost pleading.

If they followed the original ambush plan, using the prepared to strike the unprepared, there would naturally be nothing to discuss.

But if they were to forcibly assault the numerous and tightly guarded Raikage escort troops as they were now, it would be almost certain death for Dan Katō, who should have stood at the rear and delivered the killing blow with the Spirit Transformation Technique.

Because once his body activated the Ninjutsu, it could not move.

Everyone present understood that.

Including Dan Katō himself.

A trump card was meant to be used only once.

That was why everyone waited for his decision.

"Tsunade."

Dan Katō had been quiet for a long time before suddenly raising his head.

His face still bore the same gentle smile as always, and even his tone was soft. "If you want to become Hokage, you can't back down at a time like this."

"Besides, I am prepared to give everything for the village."

Wherever leaves fly in Konoha, the fire burns on.

Konoha had been able to grow strong despite countless petty schemers and parasitic worms because there were countless people like them who upheld this responsibility even when facing death.

Those who used their lives to kindle the flames were the true inheritors of the Will of Fire.

"Dan..."

Tsunade still wanted to say something.

But Dan Katō had already seized her hand.

"Trust me."

He took a deep breath and smiled as gently as ever. "Even if it's for you, I'll make it out alive."

"..."

Crackle, crackle.

Inside the underground hideout, only the faint crackling of burning firewood remained.

Even everyone's breathing was nearly inaudible.

"Three days."

In the end, Tsunade gritted her teeth and made her decision, glaring at her companions with the ferocity of a mother wolf. "We'll search for another three days. That's the final deadline!"

"If the Third Raikage still doesn't appear at the designated location within three days, then the intelligence for this mission has completely failed, and the squad must immediately break through the encirclement and abandon the mission."

"Otherwise, under the Cloud Village's main force's siege, even we won't be able to escape like we did before."

"As for any consequences afterward, I'll bear them alone."

"Any other objections?"

Under that cold, predatory gaze, Kunugi Mokume and Ando Ooyama finally agreed to her request.

Even they would not choose a meaningless death.

The underground hideout fell silent once more.

Wearily, Tsunade rested the back of her head against the hard stone wall, unconsciously rolling the two dice she carried with her in her palm.

Will it really be okay?

Just as she worried over this, one of the dice slipped from her hand and rolled onto the ground.

Tsunade did not pick it up. She merely leaned tiredly against the stone wall, closed her eyes, and feigned sleep.

The die spun and rolled into the distance until it struck a stone in the corner and abruptly stopped.

Six pips faced upward.

(In the main anime, Tsunade didn't have many good-looking pictures. The games, Pixiv, and all kinds of fan works had plenty worth appreciating instead—but Yukiko was too big, so I couldn't post them ┑(-Д-)┍)

This chapter was nearly 5,000 characters long, so I didn't split it up for the sake of continuity.