Forty-seven: Gift

After four months of sleepless research by Sunagakure and Konoha, the antidote for the toxins of the Demigod Hanzo of the Salamander finally arrived in this snow-swept winter.

This meant that the ninjas of the Konoha-Suna alliance no longer needed to evade the Demigod's poison, and the allied forces would no longer have to pay a countless price to contain the Demigod's toxic lines along the borders of the Land of Rain.

Uchiha Sakuya, Hatake Sakumo, and the other top-tier powerhouses of the current ninja world would no longer need to continue executing missions like assassinating high-ranking officials or cutting off supply lines.

They now possessed the qualifications to face the Demigod directly and engage him in head-on combat.

"The first batch of antidotes has arrived. The rest are being prepared urgently and are expected to reach the front lines within a week."

Watching Tsunade, who had traveled thousands of miles from the Konoha research facility to deliver the antidotes, Hatake Sakumo's expression was filled with immense excitement.

"Good. You have worked hard during this time, Princess Tsunade."

"I am a Konoha ninja as well; these are things I ought to do."

Having stayed in the rear research facility since the war began to develop antidotes for the allied forces, Tsunade nodded with a smile.

"Very well, everyone, let us adjourn. I am going to inspect this batch of antidotes."

Hatake Sakumo clapped his hands, then led everyone outside, leaving the space to Tsunade and Uchiha Sakuya.

He was a sharp man and saw things very clearly.

Ever since Tsunade had walked into the tent, her eyes had remained fixed on Uchiha Sakuya.

However... a union between the Senju and the Uchiha.

If it truly came to pass, the village would likely undergo a seismic shift.

He glanced back at Tsunade, who was beaming happily in front of Sakuya, and sighed inwardly.

He wondered if the Third Hokage was aware of their relationship. Given that Hokage's obsession with power, would the union of these two clans... no, Mito was still alive; in the end, it would depend on her.

Thinking this, he glanced at the pair once more, nodded at Sakuya—who had noticed his gaze—and turned to exit the tent.

Tsunade, however, was oblivious to the melancholy in Hatake Sakumo's heart.

She stood happily before Sakuya and laughed, "I heard about it all the way at the research facility—Red Flash. Not a bad name at all."

"I think it's quite mediocre. The guys from Iwagakure really don't know how to come up with nicknames."

Sakuya shook his head, replying as he packed his things.

"Not at all, I think the nickname Red Flash is really cool."

Tsunade said, following Sakuya out of the meeting tent.

Just copying the Yellow Flash, that's all.

Sakuya mused to himself.

Those guys from Iwagakure only knew how to give people nicknames based on colors and flashes; Minato Namikaze's nickname would eventually come from the same mold. Honestly, he didn't think it sounded good at all.

"Speaking of which, Sakuya."

Tsunade looked around the camp, speaking with a puzzled expression.

"Hmm?"

"Why does it feel like there are so many people missing?"

Tsunade wondered, "I wanted to say it while we were in the tent, but it seems like quite a few people are gone. I don't see many familiar faces."

She pondered, "For instance, that Dan Katō, or the ones from the Sarutobi clan, and the branch members of this generation's Ino-Shika-Cho. Where are they? They weren't transferred elsewhere, were they? Or perhaps..."

"Them?"

Sakuya said indifferently, "They are all dead."

"Eh?"

Tsunade froze.

"A few days ago, the Eight-Tails jinchūriki from Kumogakure ambushed our camp. Many comrades, including Dan, died in that raid."

"How could that be..."

Having experienced war formally for the first time, Tsunade's expression turned dull.

Although she had anticipated that many comrades from the village would die due to the war before she arrived, and had mentally prepared herself, seeing it all with her own eyes now caused a sudden wave of anxiety to rise in her heart.

In just a few months, so many vibrant lives had simply flickered out.

If the war were to continue, would even more people die?

Could those people include her own loved ones?

Or even...

She stole a glance at Sakuya, forcibly suppressing the unease in her heart.

Don't be a jinx, you idiot.

How could that ever happen?

Sakuya was so formidable, and he even possessed the Mangekyō Sharingan.

"Stop letting your imagination run wild. Here."

Seeming to notice the confusion on Tsunade's face, Sakuya pulled a jade pendant from his robes and handed it to her: "A gift I prepared especially for you."

"What is this? Whoa! It's so beautiful!"

Tsunade took it, only to see that it was a glazed-colored pendant adorned with beautiful flame patterns, sparkling brilliantly under the sunlight and looking truly exquisite.

Upon seeing this pendant, the restlessness that had originally filled Tsunade's heart vanished in an instant.

She happily hung the pendant around her neck and smiled at Sakuya: "Does it look good?"

"It looks good."

"Hehe."

Hearing Sakuya's praise, Tsunade felt as sweet as if she had eaten honey.

She clutched the pendant and asked Sakuya: "Hey, Sakuya, where did you buy this? Looking at the quality, it must have cost a lot of money, right?"

"I didn't buy it."

Sakuya shook his head: "When I was fighting an expert from Iwagakure last month, my flames accidentally melted a rock. After I killed that guy, I found it while clearing the battlefield. Seeing that it looked quite nice after being scorched, I kept it and had someone polish it up a bit."

He looked at Tsunade and said: "As long as you like it, that's all that matters."

"I love it, I love it!"

Tsunade tucked the pendant into her collar with a beaming smile and said very earnestly: "I will treasure it well."

"By the way, Tsunade."

Sakuya recalled the matters discussed during the earlier meeting and asked: "How was your interaction with Chiyo while you were at the research institute? What kind of person is she?"

"Aunt Chiyo?"

Tsunade pondered: "She is a very impressive person. Her medical ninjutsu, puppet techniques, and ninjutsu are all top-tier."

"How is her temper?"

Sakuya asked.

"Hmm... quite gentle, I suppose."

Tsunade said: "She was actually quite easy to get along with. Why do you ask?"

"Nothing. Once the operation against Amegakure concludes, our relationship with Sunagakure will likely take a turn for the worse."

Sakuya stated.

"Why?"

"Because, Sakumo-senpai killed her son and daughter-in-law a few days ago."

Sakuya's lighthearted words made Tsunade's eyes widen.

"Sunagakure... Land of Pupil... Aunt Chiyo's son and daughter-in-law..."

A massive amount of information flooded into Tsunade's head along with Sakuya's words, leaving her mind buzzing.

"This is war. A friend you just met might become your enemy the very next day... Tsunade."

Sakuya said: "You've been researching toxins at the institute for months and know nothing of the news from the ninja war. I imagine it's the same for Chiyo. Once she learns this news, her view of Konoha, and the friendship you've just built... all of these things will shatter."

"...I hope I won't have to see her on the battlefield when that time comes."

Tsunade lowered her head and said.