Tsunade Returns to the Village

Just as the two men were about to make a move on Tsunade,

a voice suddenly rang out, stopping them.

"Stop."

The two thugs, interrupted, immediately turned around in anger and shouted,

"Which bastard are you? Haven't you heard of the Trio Gang? How dare you stick your nose into our business?"

"Are you tired of living?"

The moment they turned and saw who was there, they froze. A white-haired man dressed as a ninja stood before them. It was Jiraiya.

Then, a voice full of fear came from both of them at once.

"N-Ninja, sir?"

The knives in their hands immediately began to tremble.

They had never imagined that the timid kunoichi who was afraid of blood would have a companion—and that he would show up at just the right time. If they'd known, they wouldn't have dared do this, even if they'd had ten times the nerve.

Realizing they had no chance of escape, the two immediately fell to their knees and begged Jiraiya to forgive them.

After all, in their eyes, all ninjas were killers who could take a life without blinking.

Jiraiya had wanted to kill them with shuriken, but when he saw Tsunade curled up in fear, he decided to let them go. Tsunade had hemophobia, and he didn't want to kill anyone in front of her.

Seeing Jiraiya let them leave, the two were overjoyed and immediately ran off.

Just as they thought they'd escaped with their lives and smiles appeared on their faces, a sudden pain struck their chests.

Looking down, they saw two shuriken buried in their chests. Blood slowly seeped out, staining their clothes.

The two could only collapse to the ground, dying unwillingly. Their deaths frightened the nearby vendors into packing up and fleeing, afraid something else might happen and they'd be caught up in it.

The one who had thrown those two shuriken was, of course, Jiraiya. Anyone who would do something like that couldn't be a good person.

And more importantly, you dared to lay a hand on the woman I, Jiraiya, love? You're asking for death.

Jiraiya calmly scooped Tsunade into his arms and carried her away in the opposite direction.

They had barely gone any distance when, with no more blood in sight, Tsunade recovered. Her face flushed, and she forced herself out of Jiraiya's arms, insisting she could walk.

Jiraiya could only rub his nose and let her down.

He wasn't the domineering sort, especially not with Tsunade, the woman he loved.

The two then walked together toward the inn they had rented.

Back at the inn, Tsunade had completely calmed down. She turned to Jiraiya and asked,

"All right, tell me. What's going on?"

"You wouldn't have come to find me at that time unless something had happened."

Hearing this, Jiraiya remembered why he'd come. His expression turned serious.

"The Fourth World War is about to begin."

"A Konoha spy reported that the other four great ninja villages have secretly reached an agreement."

"They're all making moves at once and gathering their armies to head for the Land of Fire's borders."

Tsunade froze at his words.

"How is that possible?"

"That doesn't make sense. After every war, we usually get at least ten years of peace."

"Why is this one happening so soon?"

"And how could the daimyos of each country agree to it?"

Jiraiya could only shrug helplessly, admitting he didn't know.

Then the two fell silent.

The news left Tsunade torn. She knew the village her grandfather had founded needed her, but she hated returning to the place where the two people she loved most had disappeared.

She didn't even dare look too deeply into their deaths, afraid she couldn't bear the truth.

She couldn't bring herself to face her teacher—or herself—so she still couldn't overcome her hemophobia.

Even though Jiraiya had told her Danzo was dead.

Agitated, Tsunade picked up the gourd of liquor on the table and took a long swig. With a faint trace of drunkenness on her face, she headed outside.

"Let me think about it."

"Tomorrow... I'll give you an answer tomorrow."

Watching Tsunade leave, Jiraiya almost regretted coming to find her.

But what else could he do if he didn't?

She was the only one qualified to inherit the Hokage Position.

As for himself, Jiraiya had always known he wasn't suited for it.

That night,

Tsunade sat alone on a rooftop, gazing quietly at the moon.

It was as if she could see her grandfather, her younger brother, and her lover in it once more.

The village and the Hokage's dream—they had loved them both.

Could she really stand by and do nothing?

Could she really do it?

"..."

In the end, Tsunade got drunk and passed out there. In her dream, she seemed to see her grandfather, grandmother, younger brother, and lover again.

And Jiraiya, who had saved her that day.

Perhaps I really can't keep running away. I should go back.

The next morning,

Tsunade, fully dressed and looking more like herself, tossed her things to Shizune and said to Jiraiya,

"Let's go. We're returning to the village."

Hearing Tsunade's decision,

Jiraiya excitedly dragged the still-bewildered Naruto Uzumaki along as they set off for home.

Land of Earth,

at the Sarutobi Clan's encampment on the border of the Land of Grass.

Sarutobi Hiruzen had already reached the front lines. When he received the message from his summoned beast, a rare smile spread across his face.

Tsunade was coming back. With her identity and prestige, Uchiha Fugaku might not be able to win the position after all.

After all, Tsunade carried the last of the Senju Clan's influence.

What's more, Sarutobi Hiruzen planned to rotate the Hokage Position before the war ended, catching Uchiha Fugaku off guard.

Even if Uchiha Fugaku led the Uchiha Clan to victory, so what?

He still wouldn't get the Hokage Position.

Sarutobi Hiruzen then sent word to his two former teammates, Mitokado Homura and Utatane Koharu, asking them to help carry out his plans.

Uchiha Fugaku had just arrived in the Land of Hot Water. Though he was a little late, he had also received the message.

Tsunade was returning to the village?

Orochimaru's incident had never happened, so why would she choose to come back?

And even with Naruto Uzumaki, without Orochimaru's attack and Naruto risking his life to save her, how could she have moved on from that incident?

It seemed he would have to change his plans.

If Tsunade had come back earlier, Uchiha Fugaku might have chosen to back down. After all, Tsunade wasn't Sarutobi Hiruzen and wouldn't deliberately target the Uchiha Clan.

But now he had a system mission. Uchiha Fugaku was determined to claim the Hokage Position this time.

But was simply returning enough?

Uchiha Fugaku then summoned one of his subordinates and had him relay a message through a Ninja Cat to the Great Elder, who had remained with the clan.

He told him to spread some rumors around the village.

Meanwhile,

Black Zetsu, secretly gathering intelligence for the Akatsuki, used the black market to offer the Akatsuki a large reward for a mission to kill Uchiha Fugaku.

As soon as the mission appeared, Orochimaru, who had long coveted the Sharingan, took it on of his own accord.

Sasori, who had a serious grudge against the two men, set out for the Land of Hot Water, heading straight for Uchiha Fugaku.

The next day,

The Uchiha Clan, having arrived at their encampment in the Land of Hot Water, set up camp along the route Kumogakure would have to take.

They then continued teaching the clan members how to cultivate Senjutsu.

That afternoon, two more Uchiha finally succeeded in learning Senjutsu.

As their strength advanced, the Uchiha Clan finally reached the first-stage reward threshold and received one designated draw.