Konoha's Young Faction, Namikaze Minato's Image in Tsunade's Eyes Was Purely That of an Ambitious Schemer, Deeply Unfathomable

At the very heart of Konoha lay the Senju Clan Compound.

It had once been vast, but had now shrunk considerably. Even so, it remained quite large.

By then, many people had been added to the Senju Clan Compound. As night gradually fell, the number of ninjas coming to register finally began to decrease.

Senju Gō had approved many ninjas joining and bestowed the Senju surname upon them. These people were rapidly cleaning up the Senju Clan Compound.

Tsunade had just finished gathering with Orochimaru and Jiraiya. She had drunk quite a lot and returned to the Senju Clan Compound with Shizune supporting her. Seeing the Senju Clan Compound filled with life again, her eyes grew somewhat dazed.

"Back?" Senju Gō asked calmly as he came out.

"Mm..." Tsunade turned her head away.

"Come on. There are a few people you need to meet."

When Tsunade entered the main hall, she saw several people.

"Lady Tsunade." The handsome blond Namikaze Minato offered a gentle, sunny smile and nodded to Tsunade.

"Lady Tsunade."

"Lady Tsunade."

Hizashi Hyuga and Uchiha Fugaku both braced their hands against their knees and solemnly nodded to Tsunade.

"Greetings, Lady Tsunade." Uchiha Miya spoke in a flat tone.

"What is this...?" Tsunade looked utterly bewildered.

Everyone before her was a young person around twenty years old.

Yet their credentials were astonishingly impressive.

While speaking with Jiraiya and Orochimaru, Tsunade had heard about many things, especially the recent extermination of the Hyuga Family.

After the Hyuga Family had been wiped out, the Uchiha Clan and Hyuga Family began forming a deeply connected alliance, and both clans supported Namikaze Minato...

Tsunade thought of the Third Hokage bowing and yielding earlier that day, then recalled the scene of Senju Gō raising her arm and shouting at the top of his lungs.

"Tsunade," Senju Gō said, "I've already settled everything. Regarding territory, shops, food and oil, medicine, ninja tools, and so on, the Uchiha Clan Head, Uchiha Fugaku, and the Hyuga Clan Head, Hizashi Hyuga, have both agreed to fully assist the Senju Clan in restoring its strength. At the same time, Namikaze Minato has called for even more ninjas to join the Senju. I believe that if everyone works together, the Senju Clan can quickly recover!"

The new Uchiha had seen a major improvement in their political status.

The new Hyuga had abandoned the Doctrine of the Mean, combining the Byakugan with various ninjutsu.

The New Senju had gathered scattered Senju bloodlines along with other Civilian Ninjas.

The village's strongest young faction had actually gathered here.

Tsunade was secretly astonished.

They were different from her, Jiraiya, and Orochimaru, who were already in their forties.

They were also different from older people like Hiruzen Sarutobi and Danzo.

This group was full of youthful vigor, and... they were powerful.

Especially Namikaze Minato. It was said that he had earned the title of "Golden Reaper" on the battlefield, a man who killed without blinking and even smiled while doing so. He was practically the opposite of a Medical Ninja.

"Namikaze Minato... you're very impressive. No wonder you're Jiraiya's disciple."

Tsunade spoke to Namikaze Minato with complicated emotions.

Namikaze Minato's appearance was extremely upright, but in Tsunade's eyes, he was inexplicably shrouded in the shadow of a schemer and an ambitious man... He gave off an unfathomable feeling.

This guy... He feels like the sort who is extremely calculating and possesses tremendous power. Terrifyingly strong.

After all, for a Civilian Ninja to rise to the point where everyone was shouting for him to become the Fourth Hokage, while also gathering so many powerful ninja clans around him, naturally made people think too much. It was easy to come up with all kinds of speculation and imagined schemes.

"No, not at all... It's everyone's effort." Namikaze Minato laughed cheerfully.

Then Namikaze Minato's expression turned serious. "Tomorrow, we'll set out and attempt to cut off Kannabi Bridge. We can't let Iwagakure continue sending reinforcements. We need to focus our strength on dealing with the threats from Iwagakure and Kumogakure first."

Hizashi Hyuga said, "I think so too. We need to cut off their logistics. We can't let Iwagakure continue sending reinforcements."

Uchiha Fugaku said, "Agreed."

Senju Gō said, "The reconstruction of the Senju Clan cannot be delayed either. We can gradually carry out the reconstruction while the war continues. Moreover, the Senju Clan's strength can also provide assistance to Konoha in the war."

Namikaze Minato asked, "Do you have any suggestions?"

Senju Gō said, "My suggestion is that Tsunade establish a medical school, open more hospitals, widely teach Medical Ninjutsu, and produce Medical Ninjas in batches. Our New Senju Clan upholds an open attitude toward ninjutsu."

Tsunade froze. "I've never heard anything about this."

Senju Gō said, "Tsunade, you're an outstanding Medical Ninja. You pioneered the system of assigning Medical Ninjas to squads. Don't you want to develop it further? Don't worry. The Uchiha and Hyuga can handle the construction of the schools and hospitals. They have deep pockets."

"This..." Tsunade was somewhat at a loss.

Thinking about it carefully, it did seem reasonable. This had indeed been her wish for a long time, and she had originally proposed assigning Medical Ninjas to squads. Since she now suffered from hemophobia and could not go to the battlefield, it made sense for her to handle these matters in the rear.

Now that Senju Gō had arranged everything like this... there did not seem to be any problem?

Yet Tsunade felt uncomfortable all over. She always had the feeling that everything had been arranged for her perfectly.

She could not help looking toward Namikaze Minato, who wore a serious expression. Could this also be part of Namikaze Minato's calculations? Namikaze Minato, you're terrifying...

Over there.

Namikaze Minato: "?"

He noticed her gaze.

Then he gave Tsunade a friendly smile before continuing to participate in the discussion.

"The battle at Kannabi Bridge is of vital importance. Everyone, give it your all."

That was right. The battlefield at Kannabi Bridge could very well reverse the situation of the war.

If they succeeded, Konoha would change from its current state of "retreating step by step" and shift into a "stalemate."

Ōnoki, the Tsuchikage of Iwagakure, was by no means a fool. He would certainly send heavy forces to guard Kannabi Bridge.

Namikaze Minato would not underestimate the enemy. He would commit all their elite forces directly.

Uchiha Fugaku would lead the vast majority of the Uchiha elites, Hizashi Hyuga would lead the Hyuga elites, and Namikaze Minato would also bring the Civilian Ninja elites. They would mobilize in full force!

They had to strike hard and smash that damned Kannabi Bridge!

They had to reverse Konoha's current disadvantageous position!!

That night, many people found it difficult to sleep.

Unable to sleep in the middle of the night, Tsunade went out to get drunk again, only to run into Jiraiya.

Jiraiya invited Tsunade to have a few drinks with him, and Tsunade did not refuse. She gulped down cup after cup of wine.

"Your disciple is truly incredible. A whole crowd of people follows him, and now the new Three Great Ninja Clans are all tightly gathered around him. His lover is Kushina Uzumaki, who is also the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki. He himself has mastered the Flying Thunder God Technique and even developed the hand-seal-less ninjutsu Rasengan."

"Haha, any ninja seems inferior when compared with Namikaze Minato." Jiraiya laughed heartily. "That's my prized disciple. Haha."

Tsunade drank one cup after another.

A moment later, she said, "This young faction represents the village's strongest force for reform. Perhaps... they really can change many things, change the things we were unable to change..."

"Mm, yes. Who could say otherwise..." Jiraiya gazed up at the night sky. "Reform, huh? Reform..."

"Do you still believe in that prophecy? The so-called child of prophecy."

"I think Namikaze Minato looks very much like one, don't you? Actually, he and another person both resemble the child of prophecy."

"Oh?"

"It's a child in the Land of Rain... But I haven't seen him in a long time either."

The moon shone brightly among sparse stars, while the night wind carried a hint of chill.

Under that same night sky, Hiruzen Sarutobi was also gazing upward.

Beside him, his wife, Biwako Sarutobi, came over and draped a piece of clothing over his shoulders.

"It's getting cold... Go to sleep." Biwako Sarutobi urged him gently.

"I'm old." Hiruzen Sarutobi looked deeply dejected. "Perhaps it's time to hand the reins of power to someone else."