Kill Him!

Tsunade, the granddaughter of Hashirama Senju, the First, was one of the Konoha Sannin alongside Jiraiya and Orochimaru. Gentle on the inside but tough on the outside, she could be called Konoha's toughest woman—or its most violent. She was also a compulsive gambler who always lost, making her the biggest fat sheep in the eyes of gamblers throughout the Shinobi World. In the original story, after Hiruzen Sarutobi died, she would become the Fifth Hokage in Konoha Year 60.

To most Naruto fans, though, that was secondary. In the original story, Tsunade's most dazzling feature was... her figure!

Tsunade was Kushina Uzumaki's aunt? Really?

Li Tong wasn't sure. That relationship had never been mentioned in the original story. However, Tsunade and Kushina Uzumaki were definitely related. Tsunade had Uzumaki blood herself—her grandmother was Mito Uzumaki—and Kushina came from the Uzumaki Clan.

So Tsunade could be Kushina's aunt, if not her actual aunt. Looking at their family tree, there didn't seem to be anything wrong with calling Tsunade "Aunt Tsunade."

"Tsunade..." Li Tong muttered. Then he asked, "What time is it?"

"Six thirty in the morning," Chen He replied.

"No, no, I don't mean the time of day. What year is it?"

"You don't even remember the year?"

"No."

"Konoha Year 32, April."

"Year 32..." Li Tong murmured. "Tsunade was born in Konoha Year 10, so she's twenty-two this year. Kushina Uzumaki was born in Konoha Year 24, so she's eight now... The Second Shinobi World War will erupt in full this year. Hiruzen Sarutobi, who's just turned forty and is in the prime of his life, is currently in charge of Konoha..."

"Come on." Chen He glanced at Li Tong, who had finished getting dressed. "I'll take you to where you'll be staying."

At dawn, Konohagakure, quiet through the night, stirred to life once more.

The busy streets were full of people. Shops along the roadside had opened to welcome their first customers of the day. Vendors pushed their carts and called out their wares, while ordinary Konoha residents with bamboo baskets haggled with shopkeepers. Groups of Ninja came and went.

As Li Tong walked down the bustling street with Chen He, he looked around. Curious glances and whispers followed him.

"Look at that kid. Dual-Colored Eyes."

"He's so good-looking."

"What's so good-looking about him? He looks strange."

"An Anbu big shot is with him. Who is he?"

"A Konoha Ninja? Why don't I recognize him?"

After they passed through the busy district, Li Tong had confirmed two things. First, he was the only Ninja in Konoha with Dual-Colored Eyes. The feature was so conspicuous that it wouldn't be long before people found out he was a Rain Ninja defector. Second, Anbu Ninja were greatly respected. Even Ninja with far higher reputations than Chen He would go out of their way to give him room on the street.

Leaving the busy streets behind, Chen He led Li Tong onto a path through the woods.

"People will find out you defected to us before long," Chen He said again. "For now, you'll have to live alone. We'll arrange for people to protect you in secret."

"Protect me?" Li Tong's brow twitched. He understood that it meant more than protection. They'd be keeping an eye on him, too.

"You'll have to take care of your own meals. Also, try not to get into conflicts with anyone. Your identity will bring you a lot of trouble, so you'll have to put up with it. It won't be for long. Once you've earned enough merit in Konoha, you'll become a true Konoha Ninja."

By the time Chen He finished speaking, Li Tong had already spotted their destination.

At the end of the path lay a clearing. A lake sat in its center, and a wooden cabin stood beside it.

"This is the place." Chen He stopped with Li Tong by the bench outside the cabin. "You'll live here from now on. I've prepared all the daily necessities. The lake connects to an underground river, so its water is fresh. You can get all the water you need from it. And..."

As Chen He spoke, he pulled a palm-sized cloth pouch from inside his clothes and handed it to Li Tong.

"This is your living allowance for this month. Think of it as relief money. I'll bring you more every month for the next year."

Li Tong took the pouch and opened it. Inside were some metal coins and two paper bills. There were banks in the original Naruto story, but that was in Konoha Year 60. It was only Konoha Year 32 now, and banks hadn't developed yet. Li Tong also had no idea what these coins could buy.

"I'm off. Good luck." After making all the arrangements, Chen He turned and left.

Li Tong watched Chen He walk away, his gaze lingering. It was hard to tell what he was thinking. Only after a long moment did he turn and head toward the cabin.

Hearing the door open behind him, Chen He, who had just reached the edge of the woods, glanced back. Then he formed Hand Seals and vanished into thin air.

In the woods, a hundred or so meters from the cabin.

Chen He reappeared on a tree branch.

Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!

Five shadows leaped over to Chen He one after another and greeted him respectfully in unison. "Sir."

"You, you, you, and you—go watch him!" Chen He ordered quickly. "You two can start spreading the news."

"Yes!"

The five accepted their orders and vanished in a flash.

Chen He turned to look toward the cabin again. His eyes, hidden behind his mask, held complicated emotions. At last, he sighed, formed Hand Seals, and vanished.

On April 15, Konoha Year 32, Hiruzen Sarutobi, the Third of Konoha, decided to restart the Surrender Acceptance Plan. Li Tong, a Rain Ninja defector, had joined Konoha as the first step in the new plan.

That morning, the news swept through Konoha like the wind, sparking widespread discussion. No one dared oppose the Third, who could make decisions with a single word, but almost everyone thought the plan was doomed. It wasn't the first time it had been launched, and every attempt had ended in failure.

Many Konoha Ninja knew why it had failed. Ninja captured by Konoha before defecting had blood on their hands—the blood of Konoha Ninja. By joining Konoha, they also had to betray their former village. That meant not only would they have to endure assassinations from outside Konoha, but they might also be attacked from within.

At noon, in the Hyuga Clan compound.

Deep inside the main residence stood a huge indoor training hall.

A boy in a white Japanese-style martial arts uniform dashed around the training hall, his feet scraping against the floor with a piercing squeal. His long legs lashed like whips, his punches struck like mountains, and the wind from his kicks cut like blades!

Twelve adult Hyuga Ninja stood around the training hall like guardians, watching the boy with respectful expressions.

Whoosh!

A whirlwind suddenly swept up before the training hall's entrance. A tall, lean Hyuga Ninja appeared out of thin air and dropped to one knee. "Young Master Hizashi."

The boy in the hall abruptly stopped. He lowered his arms, took a deep breath, and slowly exhaled. Only then did he turn to face the tall Ninja, his gaze cold. "What is it?"

"The man who killed Lord Kaiyang has been released by the Anbu. Lord Hokage has decided to take him in as a Konoha Ninja," the tall Ninja replied respectfully.

Hizashi Hyuga frowned at once. His eyes narrowed as he slowly clenched his fists. The flesh on his face twitched.

Kaiyang Hyuga had been a Chunin of the Hyuga Clan and a member of the Hyuga scout unit.

Within the Hyuga Clan, Kaiyang Hyuga had been an average talent. He had no renown and wasn't especially important. But ten years ago, he had served as the teacher of Hyuga Hiashi, the young heir of the Main Family, and Hizashi Hyuga, the young heir of the branch family.

Ten years ago, Hiashi and Hizashi had both been only four years old. They were just beginning their training, and Kaiyang Hyuga had taught them with great care, laying a solid foundation for their future training.

The Hyuga Clan was a rigidly hierarchical clan, but that didn't mean its members lacked affection.

Hizashi had thought highly of his teacher and treated him well. To keep Kaiyang Hyuga from dying on a dangerous wartime mission, he had even asked his father to transfer him to the Konoha Patrol Force. His routine duties had amounted to little more than patrolling around Konoha—a job that was hardly dangerous.

And yet, Kaiyang Hyuga had still died!

His death had been sudden!

Just a day ago, he had been killed by an assassin from Amegakure. The Anbu had captured the assassin afterward, and Hizashi had been waiting to hear that he'd been executed. He hadn't expected this...

"Kill him. Have Anan do it," Hizashi Hyuga ordered calmly after considering the matter. "Within three days, I want to see his body hanging from the flagpole at the village entrance."

"Yes!" The tall Ninja accepted the order without hesitation, formed Hand Seals, and vanished.