Just as Bai Ye was about to carry Senju Tsunade away, a squad of Anbu suddenly appeared and blocked his path.
"Stop! Where are you taking Lady Tsunade?!"
"Put Lady Tsunade down at once!"
"..."
The Anbu members gripped their weapons and shouted their questions.
The Anbu had arrived as soon as they sensed the fighting nearby.
However, when they saw that the one fighting was Senju Tsunade, they hadn't shown themselves.
Tsunade was the Third Hokage's disciple. How could they dare interfere with one of the Third Hokage's students?
In fact, once they saw that the person fighting Tsunade was Uchiha Byakuya, the Anbu had cheered him on.
After all, the Anbu had suffered plenty at Uchiha Byakuya's hands lately.
Why would they stop Tsunade?
Not only would they not stop her, they were practically hoping she'd beat Byakuya to a pulp and avenge the Anbu.
But they hadn't expected Tsunade not to beat Byakuya at all—instead, he had captured her.
The Anbu had no choice but to step in.
"Hmph. Senju Tsunade damaged Konoha. The Security Force has already arrested her..."
"What are you Anbu doing? How dare you obstruct the Security Force..."
"Do you want to betray Konoha too?!"
Byakuya looked at the Anbu and spoke in a hostile tone.
"B-But Lady Tsunade is the Hokage's disciple..."
"Lord Hokage should decide what happens to Lady Tsunade..."
"Besides, Lady Tsunade is the head of the Senju Clan. You can't take her away..."
"..."
One of the Anbu replied without backing down.
"Hmph. I don't care if she's the Hokage's disciple..."
"Anyone who dares violate the Will of Fire must be punished..."
"Anyone who stands in my way is an enemy of the Will of Fire..."
"Security Force, where are you?"
At Byakuya's command, a squad of the Security Force led by Uchiha En appeared behind him.
As the force responsible for Konoha's security, they had also sensed the fighting and hurried over.
But without Byakuya's orders, they had kept out of sight.
Now that they'd heard Byakuya's command, they all emerged at once.
"Lord Byakuya, the Security Force is here to report for duty..."
Uchiha En bowed respectfully to Byakuya.
"Excellent! Security Force, listen up!"
"Anyone who dares to undermine the Will of Fire—kill them without mercy!"
"Yes, sir!"
At Byakuya's words, every member of the Security Force swiftly drew their Ninja Swords and pointed them at the Anbu before them.
"C-Captain, what should we do?"
"The Security Force wouldn't really attack us, would they?!"
"Lady Tsunade is about to be taken away..."
"..."
The Anbu members all looked to their captain.
Faced with the Security Force, whose members held Ninja Swords at the ready, the Anbu truly didn't know what to do.
"Don't make any sudden moves..."
The Anbu Captain was under immense pressure facing the Security Force.
He had no doubt that if he made even the slightest move, the Security Force would attack without hesitation.
And so, under the Anbu's watchful eyes, Byakuya carried Tsunade away.
"Damn it, the Security Force has taken Lady Tsunade..."
"What should we do?!"
"The Security Force is far too brazen now..."
"..."
The Anbu members spoke, seething with frustration.
In the past, the entire village of Konoha had been under the Anbu's control.
The Security Force wouldn't have dared defy their orders.
But now, with Byakuya and the Security Force on the rise, the Security Force paid the Anbu less and less heed.
The Anbu felt increasingly useless.
Sometimes, the Security Force's words even carried more weight than theirs.
It left every Anbu member feeling as though they'd fallen from grace.
"Stay on guard. I'll report what happened here to Lord Hokage..."
The Anbu Captain thought it over, then spoke.
Neither Byakuya nor the Security Force was someone the Anbu could afford to offend.
Reporting to Lord Hokage was their only option.
"What?! What did you say?! Byakuya took Tsunade?!"
"Has Uchiha Byakuya really grown that strong?!"
Hearing the news, Third Hokage Hiruzen Sarutobi was extremely surprised.
Hiruzen knew his disciple, Senju Tsunade, and her abilities very well.
Tsunade was not only highly skilled in Medical Ninjutsu, but also exceptionally powerful in Taijutsu.
Her Super Strength Punch, in particular, could easily split mountains and shatter rocks.
Senju Tsunade was unquestionably at Kage Level.
Even if Hiruzen went up against her himself, he might not be able to defeat her.
So how could he not be shocked to hear from the Anbu that Byakuya had defeated Tsunade?
"Yes, Lord Hokage..."
"Lady Tsunade was easily defeated by Uchiha Byakuya..."
"Uchiha Byakuya has mastered Space-Time Ninjutsu..."
The Anbu quickly recounted the fight between the two.
"Space-Time Ninjutsu?! That damned Uchiha..."
Hearing the Anbu's report, Hiruzen cursed under his breath.
Byakuya's forceful attitude had already put him in a difficult position.
He hadn't expected Byakuya to be so powerful, too.
It gave Hiruzen a terrible headache.
Over the years, he had used all kinds of schemes and methods to completely suppress the Uchiha Clan.
But he'd never expected someone as troublesome as Byakuya to emerge from the Uchiha Clan.
Byakuya had not only ruined his plans, but had also made him suffer several setbacks.
Now Byakuya had taken Tsunade, too. This was utterly outrageous.
"Hmm... Tell the Senju Clan about this..."
Hiruzen pondered for a moment before speaking.
Tsunade was the head of the Senju Clan. Now that she'd been taken by someone from the Uchiha Clan, the Senju Clan certainly wouldn't sit idly by.
Although many Senju shinobi had died on the battlefield during the Second Shinobi World War,
and the Senju Clan had declined as a result, its strength was far below what it once was,
a dying camel was still bigger than a horse. The Senju Clan still had its foundations.
So Hiruzen planned to use the Senju Clan to oppose the Uchiha Clan.
As for himself? He would sit back and reap the benefits.
When the Senju and Uchiha Clans had fought each other to exhaustion, that would be the time for him to make his move.
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