Tsunade's Team in Action

"To the south! The alarm barrier over there was triggered!"

"Damn Konoha ninja!"

"Go ahead and cut off those little bugs!"

The various noisy sounds behind them were endless, and quickly disappeared into the sound of the wind filling their ears.

The speed of their leaps between the giant trees grew faster and faster, but the increasingly intense sense of crisis in their hearts made everyone in this small team dare not stop.

Tsunade rushed at the very front of the entire team, her ponytails on both sides, tied with blonde hair, were pulled into a straight line in the whistling wind.

Various thoughts swirled and tangled into a mess in her mind.

'Damn it, when did the patrol circle expand to here?'

'Hateful.'

It had been a month since they infiltrated the Land of Lightning.

During this time, they had maintained a schedule of hiding by day and traveling by night, and according to the intelligence initially provided by the village, they were in a mountain range midway between the front lines of the Cloud Village and the Lands of Lightning and Earth, preparing to ambush the Third Raikage.

For this operation, the entire Konoha had mobilized its most elite and top personnel.

Tsunade glanced back.

Her, Kime Kunou, Ando Ooyama, Dan Katō.

Four veteran Jonin, with proven track records.

At the same time, there were three Anbu squads providing support.

Within their team, apart from Dan Katō, the other three were all Taijutsu-Type Jonin. Even though Ando Ooyama also partially handled the duties of a Sensor Ninja, his swordsmanship was quite famous throughout the village.

As for Dan Katō, he was known throughout the ninja world for his mysterious Soul Ninjutsu.

At the same time, he was the 'trump card' for this operation.

Their target, the Third Raikage, was renowned throughout the Five Great Nations as the Strongest Spear and the Strongest Shield, the undisputed strongest Raikage of the Land of Lightning.

Legend had it that he could even confront the powerful Eight-Tailed Beast head-on and forcibly defeat it.

To this day, there had been no news of this Third Raikage being injured by anyone—that robust physique was undoubtedly the strongest in the entire ninja world.

Because of this, Dan Katō's technique, which could directly attack the soul, appeared so important.

The reason they had deployed so many powerful Taijutsu-Type Jonin was to create that momentary assassination opportunity for Dan Katō.

However, during this month of stealthy search, their group of sixteen people had rapidly dwindled to seven, not even enough to form two squads.

Tsunade's brow furrowed even tighter.

Although there was no concrete information, she judged by instinct and experience that their current operation had a high probability of being exposed.

The reason was simple.

Recently, the frequency of their ambushes had suddenly become increasingly dense.

This phenomenon was very abnormal.

Just as Tsunade was trying to figure out her next move, Ando Ooyama on the team's right flank suddenly stopped, pressed his fingers to the ground, rapidly expanded his Chakra Sensing, and loudly warned:

"Northwest, three kilometers."

"Approximately two squads are rapidly approaching this way."

As the captain, Tsunade did not hesitate and immediately ordered:

"Charge! Break through towards the predetermined stronghold."

"Yes!"

The team members behind her responded in unison.

For ninjas, a mere three kilometers was less than a two-minute journey.

In the blink of an eye, the first two Cloud Ninjas came into Tsunade's sight.

The Cloud Ninja captain on the opposite side seemed to recognize her appearance the moment he saw the leader of this Konoha squad. His footsteps faltered, and he shouted sharply:

"It's, it's one of the Konoha Three!"

The moment they heard this title, the entire squad's Forward Speed visibly slowed by half.

However, Tsunade did not hesitate at all. Her Phoenix Eyes narrowed slightly, and she suddenly shot out like a Lightning Flash.

Her seemingly slender, beautiful figure twisted. The chakra she Refined and Burned with Monster Strength instantly gathered at her Grasping heel. Her sole, appearing White with Pink like Soft Jade, suddenly erupted with terrifying might.

As Tsunade was in mid-air, using the force of her spin, her exceptionally Flexible legs split into a straight Straddle Split.

"Heavenly Foot of Pain!"

Inertia, flexibility, and high speed.

These three elements reacted violently in that instant, culminating in a Violent Strike that Shattered the ground within a thirty-meter radius.

"Boom!"

Earth and Stone, Trees, Figures.

Countless things were sent flying into mid-air by this counter-shock.

The Cloud Ninja who had been standing on the tree trunk just moments ago, charging at the very front, suddenly felt like they were standing on a soft trampoline, their bodies uncontrollably losing their grip on gravity.

In this brief pause.

Kime Kunou and Ando Ooyama, following behind, immediately accelerated their Shunshin to maximum speed, their tachi flashing like arcs of light.

Suddenly, several blossoms of blood bloomed in mid-air.

A perfect coordination.

In just a short exchange.

Two entire standard patrol squads, led by Chunin, met their demise in the depths of this nameless forest.

The last Anbu in the rear even had time to casually use Earth Style Ninjutsu to modify the battlefield, preventing the enemy from gleaning too much intelligence.

Tsunade and her group reacted not at all, their escape speed increasing by another fraction.

Tsunade now was not the "Konoha's Fat Sheep" who would later be famous throughout the ninja world.

She was now a young Medical Saint, capable of clashing with the renowned elder Chiyo of Sand in poison techniques and emerging victorious. She was a personal disciple of the Shinobi Hero Sarutobi Hiruzen, one of the three top young Konoha ninja who could survive against the Demigod Hanzo, and the direct heir of Konoha's Senju Clan.

In her prime, famous at a young age, with a bright future ahead.

Even enemy village ninja, upon encountering her on the battlefield, would never dare to underestimate her.

However, everyone in this era was unaware.

Tsunade, who appeared to be adorned with countless accolades and surrounded by numerous honors and praises, was not as resilient as everyone imagined.

This entire month of lurking, the rapid casualties within the squad, the powerful opponents they were about to face, and the life of her lover who was also in the squad.

Various pressures piled up, stretching her nerves to their limit.

"Hoo."

Upon reaching a predetermined underground outpost dug by a Land of Lightning spy, and confirming that the surrounding traces had been cleaned up, with no enemy presence within several kilometers.

Tsunade casually set up a warning barrier around the outpost before returning underground, lighting a small flame in the dark environment.

This small campfire, using a smoke-vented stove, directed the ashes to another pre-set location, emitting a warm light.

Kime Kunou quickly used Earth Style Ninjutsu to create several pottery jars, distributing them to the squad members. Dan Katō and an Anbu began processing the ingredients they had casually grabbed along the way, while Ando and two other Anbu went out on patrol.

Everyone was busy with their own tasks, also taking the opportunity to relax their bodies.

They had been fleeing for three days and three nights since the last pursuit began.

After such a long time without rest, even though most of them were Jonin, they were close to their breaking point.

Only Tsunade sat alone by the campfire, lost in thought.

"Little Tsunade, have some water first."

As she was thinking, a clay pot was handed to her from the other side.

Tsunade looked up and saw Dan Katō holding out the steaming clay pot to her, his smile as sunny and gentle as ever.

"Mhm, thank you."

She took the pot and took a slow sip, forcing a smile at him.

Perhaps it was because she grew up with Jiraiya, that unreliable, perverted old fool, that she particularly favored gentle, considerate, and fundamentally innocent men like Dan Katō, who were the complete opposite of Jiraiya. He also made her feel completely at ease.

However, this lack of assertiveness could occasionally be frustrating.

For example, they had been dating for almost three months, and their relationship had only progressed to the point where they held hands like children, exchanged tokens of affection, and took a long time to even kiss each other on the forehead.

Or, in a situation where a slight mistake could lead to a life-or-death crisis, Tsunade couldn't rely on Dan Katō to make decisions for her.

The heavy pressure could only be borne by her, as the Captain.

The darkness in the underground cave spread silently.

Everyone rested quietly on their own.

Tsunade lowered her eyelids, gazing at the campfire in the center of the cave. The firewood crackled softly as it burned.

After an unknown amount of time.

It was when Ando Ooyama, who was on guard duty, returned to switch shifts with that Anbu member.

Tsunade suddenly looked up and spoke to everyone:

"I have a suggestion."

The other members of the squad turned to look at her in unison.

Tsunade took a deep breath and said with conviction:

"We, are abandoning this mission."

"..."

"?!"

The long-standing fatigue caused everyone to take a second or two to comprehend Tsunade's words. They all straightened up from the cave walls.

"Lord Tsunade?"

Kime Kunou spoke subconsciously, his face full of confusion.

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

"I judge that, under these circumstances, assassinating the Third Raikage is an almost impossible mission."

"To preserve the strength of the team, I cannot take you all on an adventure."

"As the direct leader, I will take full responsibility for this decision."

Her tone was firm.

This judgment was actually correct. After days of targeted encirclement, Kime Kunou and the others had vaguely realized this point—they were, after all, veteran Jonin who had completed countless missions, not green recruits.

However, it was still the Second Great Ninja War.

The Warring States Period had not long passed, and as a ninja's iron rule, many ninjas of this era still held firmly to certain principles.

"In the ninja world, those who do not follow the rules are trash."

This sentence, which almost drove Kakashi to his death during a certain period, was still a near-unspoken rule in the current ninja world, a rule that permeated ninja life.

Those who abandoned their missions, regardless of their identity or strength, would inevitably face criticism and condemnation from many.

For an S-Rank Mission of this magnitude, akin to a national war, the responsibility to be borne was self-evident.

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

"I disagree."

Ando Ooyama spoke coldly, "The pressure on the Land of Wind and Land of Earth front is immense right now, and the Cloud Village could launch a surprise attack on both fronts at any time. The Third Raikage's son hasn't grown up yet, and there's no one in the entire village qualified enough to succeed him as the Fourth Raikage."

"Killing him now has a high chance of stopping the war. Even if we all die, it would be worth it."

Although he was a ninja, his father had been an Immigrant from the Land of Iron in his early years, and he possessed a standard samurai personality, leaving no room for retreat when he set his mind on something.

Stubborn and obstinate.

Tsunade still patiently replied, but a hint of anger began to creep into her voice, "The problem is, can we kill him? The current Third Raikage must already be on guard. Even if we go to the battlefield, he will definitely be accompanied by a large escort! And us? We've circled for a whole month, and only seven people are left alive! Are we supposed to—"

She stopped midway, not continuing her sentence.

—Are we supposed to gamble the lives of all of us on the slim chance of the Third Raikage's death?

Tsunade lowered her head slightly, pursing her lips tightly, holding back the latter half of the sentence.

Because she knew that whether it was Kime Kunou or Ando Ooyama, their answer would undoubtedly be the same.

"Yes."

This was their resolve as ninja.

They had already prepared themselves for the possibility of not returning before they even set out, hadn't they?

Wasn't Tsunade herself no different?

Having graduated from the Ninja Academy at six and stepped onto the battlefield, Tsunade, who had long since been battle-hardened and always fought on the front lines with her comrades, when had she ever feared death?

But

Just the thought that Dan would very likely die during this mission, and her mind uncontrollably conjured the vacant eyes Nawaki had when he looked up at the sky after he passed away.

Her chest ached with waves of pain.

Tsunade subconsciously raised her head, looking in the direction of Dan Katō, who had remained silent. She unconsciously bit her lip, drawing out a hint of blood.

Her silent gaze, reflecting the firelight, was almost a plea.

If it were the original planned ambush, where they had the advantage of surprise, there would be nothing to discuss.

However, to forcefully charge into the heavily guarded escort of the Raikage, who were numerous and well-prepared, as they were doing now, was almost a certain death for Dan Katō, who was supposed to be in the rear, unleashing a killing blow with his Spirit Transformation Technique.

This was because, once his body released ninjutsu, he would be unable to move.

Everyone present understood this.

Including Dan Katō himself.

A trump card was, by its very nature, a one-time use item.

Precisely because of this, everyone waited for his decision.

"Little Tsume."

Dan Katō remained quiet for a long time, then suddenly looked up.

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

"Moreover, I am also resolved to offer everything for the Village."

Where the leaves dance, the fire is also endless.

The reason Konoha has grown to this day amidst countless schemes and corruptions is precisely because there are countless people like them who uphold this responsibility even when facing death.

They, who ignite the fire with their lives, are the true inheritors of the Will of Fire.

"Dan"

Tsunade still wanted to say something more.

But her hand was already held by Dan Katō.

"Trust me."

He took a deep breath, smiling gently as always: "Even for you, I will live."

"."

Crackling, crackling.

In the underground stronghold, only the slight crisp sound of burning firewood remained.

Even the breathing of everyone present was barely audible.

"Three days."

Finally, Tsunade gritted her teeth and made the decision, looking at her companions with eyes as fierce as a mother wolf: "Search for three more days, this is the deadline!"

"If within three days, there's still no trace of the Third Raikage at the designated location, it means the mission intelligence has completely failed, and the squad must immediately break through the encirclement and abandon the mission."

"Otherwise, under the encirclement of the Cloud Village main force, even we won't be able to escape as we did before."

"As for any subsequent consequences, I will bear them all."

"Any objections?"

Under her intimidating, cold gaze, Kime Kunou and Ando Ooyama finally agreed to her request.

They wouldn't engage in meaningless death either.

The underground stronghold returned to silence.

Tiredly, Tsunade leaned the back of her head against the hard stone wall, unconsciously playing with two dice she carried in her palm, spinning them silently.

Is this really okay?

Just as she was worrying about this in her heart, one of the dice accidentally slipped from her palm and rolled onto the ground.

Tsunade didn't pick it up, just leaned wearily against the stone wall, closing her eyes as if dozing.

The die spun and rolled into the distance, until it hit a corner stone and suddenly stopped.

A six faced up.

(There aren't many good-looking depictions of Tsunade in the main anime; games, Pixiv, and various fan works have many worth appreciating—but Yukiko is too large, can't post it ┑(-Д-)┍)

This chapter is nearly 5k characters, so I won't split it for continuity.