Just then, a knock came from outside the meeting hall.
Knock, knock, knock.
Uzumaki Jiro was engrossed in the Second Uzukage's explanation of the "Katyusha Rocket Launcher," and the interruption immediately annoyed him.
"Who's knocking? Don't they know the fate of our entire clan is at stake right now?"
Before Uzumaki Jiro could finish complaining, the door opened with a click. He stared at the person who walked in, dumbstruck, a glint flashing in his eyes.
The Forehead Protector on her head marked her as a Konoha Ninja, and she looked somewhat familiar.
He hadn't expected Senju Tsunade to be the one sent to help. She was also the legendary "Big Slug," granddaughter of the God of Shinobi, Hashirama Senju.
Could the Shadow Squad's mission in Konoha have paid off, securing them aid? It looked like the Uzumaki Clan might be saved.
Everyone smiled with delight. Uzumaki Shori was also surprised to see Tsunade arrive, and he stood to welcome her.
"I'm the Second Uzukage of the Land of Whirlpools. Lady Tsunade, thank you very much for coming to our aid. May I ask how many ninjas Konoha sent?"
Tsunade recalled how, lately, she had often seen her grandmother, Mito Uzumaki, standing by a tree in the courtyard, staring at it in a daze all by herself.
She would often stay there all afternoon, until sunset. Only when Kushina Uzumaki called her in for dinner would she smile.
After her grandfather's death, her only family left were her and the Uzumaki Clan. Now the Uzumaki Clan was under attack from Kirigakure.
When the Shadow Squad went to the Hokage Building, Mito Uzumaki could only wait at a distance to find out what was happening.
She knew that the Third Hokage had refused the clan's plea for aid, using the threat of a Suna Ninja attack as an excuse.
But when the Shadow Squad came to ask Lady Mito for help, the guards stationed at the Senju Residence stopped them on the Third Hokage's orders. All she could do was stand behind the door, silently grieving.
Lady Mito was the Nine-Tails' jinchuriki and Konoha's pillar. But Konoha was now at war with Suna, so she couldn't return to help her clan.
If the Nine-Tails appeared in the Land of Whirlpools, it wouldn't be just Kirigakure invading. Kumogakure would take advantage of the chaos too, and the war would destroy the Konoha founded by Hashirama Senju.
It was her own clan, facing the threat of invasion, yet she had no choice but to refuse to see them. Her heart must have been full of pain, though Tsunade still couldn't understand how that felt.
Seeing Mito grow more and more despondent, Tsunade knew she had to step up. She wanted to do something to help Grandma Mito, so she took her grandmother's hand.
"Grandma Mito, I know why you're sad. The Uzumaki Clan is under attack, and you can't go help them.
"Don't be sad. I'll go to the Land of Whirlpools in your place and defend it against Kirigakure."
Mito Uzumaki's eyes grew moist. She turned and went into the bedroom, then beckoned Tsunade to follow.
"Tsunade, hold out your hand. You're going to the Land of Whirlpools, where dangers abound. You need to learn to protect yourself."
"These two scrolls contain 'Ninja Art: Creation Rebirth' and 'Summoning: Slug Reverse Summoning.' You can leave for the Land of Whirlpools once you've mastered both."
"Tsunade, don't blame Grandma for meddling. In wartime, parents are always burying their children."
As she aged and youth slipped away, she found herself burdened with too many regrets. Each one brought her heartache.
Mito only wished for everyone close to her to be safe and sound.
Tsunade looked at the two scrolls with a pained expression, but still nodded to show she understood.
Mito's stern instructions still rang in her ears. The corner of her mouth twitched.
Snapping out of her thoughts about Mito's training, Tsunade looked around at everyone, then fixed her gaze on Uzumaki Shori.
"No other Konoha ninjas came. I'm the only one here. My grandmother, Mito Uzumaki, couldn't come, so I came in her place. Just tell me what you need help with."
Uzumaki Shori already understood the situation. If Konoha had sent aid as it did in the original story, Kirigakure wouldn't have destroyed the clan's country. Tsunade must have come on her own.
Considering the circumstances, he glanced at the young Tsunade, then clasped his hands together and stepped forward.
"As a medical ninja, your main duty is to treat the wounded. When our armies meet, stay with the support team and tend to the injured."
"With your Medical Ninjutsu, I'm sure our wounded will be able to return to battle quickly."
Tsunade wasn't pleased with Uzumaki Shori's plan for her. She had come to help, after all.
Yet he was assigning her to the support team, clearly doubting her abilities. She felt deeply frustrated.
"Lord Uzukage, I came here to fight. Please don't assign me to the support team."
Uzumaki Shori looked troubled. Tsunade would become very powerful in the future, but could she protect herself in the heat of battle at just twenty years old?
"If you're that confident in your abilities, then how about a match? We'll fight in the courtyard outside Uzukage Hall, and stop once one of us has the advantage."
"Elder Keimei, arrange for the people of the Land of Whirlpools to produce the supplies and materials we need."
"Uzumaki Kyokei, arrange for people to patrol and investigate, so we can prevent this morning's incident from happening again."
"Uzumaki Sasuke, arrange for people to produce the Sealing Scrolls for the 'Katyusha Rocket Launcher' and assemble the weapons. Make sure they take precautions."
Tsunade noticed that the Uzukage was about her age, and felt confident about their upcoming match. She walked alongside Uzumaki Shori toward the courtyard.
They faced each other and formed the Seal of Confrontation.
The Seal of Confrontation showed respect for an opponent, signaling that an attack was about to begin and telling them to prepare.
The Chunin stationed around Uzukage Hall were each busy protecting the meeting hall.
Tsunade was undoubtedly popular. You could tell from the name "Princess Tsunade": in classical Chinese, "princess" was an elegant way to praise a beautiful woman.
She also came from a prestigious family and was Lady Mito's granddaughter. She was strong, too, though she had terrible luck at gambling, earning her the nickname "the legendary Big Slug."
That didn't stop Tsunade from being popular. The crowd eagerly gathered to watch the match.
Uzumaki Shori had mastered Body Control.
He expanded the muscles throughout his body.
Most importantly, he precisely focused chakra around his left fist and charged at Tsunade.
Tsunade herself possessed Strength of a Hundred.
It was a special ability of the Senju Clan: by concentrating chakra in any part of the body, one could unleash tremendous destructive force.
Chakra surged through Uzumaki Shori's eyes, making them glow red.
His arm seemed to hold boundless strength as he swung it forward with all his might.
Sensing her opponent's power, Tsunade concentrated even more chakra to amplify the force of her Strength of a Hundred.
As their momentum peaked, they struck at each other.
A tremendous force surged through her fist, and Tsunade couldn't withstand it.
Uzumaki Shori's punch overwhelmed her and sent her flying.
Tsunade could only lessen the impact in midair. After a few turns, she landed on her feet and skidded three meters.
Her entire arm had gone numb, but a resolute glint flashed in her eyes.
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