Chiba's Confession!

Near noon.

In the forest along the border of the Land of Fire.

Sunlight filtered through the canopy, spilling onto a clearing in the woods.

A whole massive wild boar was roasting over the campfire.

Chiba held a jar of seasonings, skillfully turning the meat.

Not far away.

Shizune held her pet pig, Tonton, and had long been swallowing her drool.

Tsunade held a cup of sake, watching Chiba with a complicated look in her eyes.

It had been over a year.

Ever since she had taken this boy in.

Tsunade had never seen him so relaxed.

The Chiba of the past had been a tireless training machine.

To save time, the guy usually survived on Military Ration Pills.

Even when he occasionally ate meat.

He would only catch a few wild rabbits, roast them over a fire, and make do.

But today.

Chiba had actually prepared an incredibly lavish lunch.

Something was definitely suspicious!

The fingers holding Tsunade's sake cup tightened slightly.

She knew her bargain disciple's personality well.

There was no way he had made such a grand display merely to improve their meals.

"Dig in."

Chiba carved off a roasted boar leg, placed it on a wooden plate, and handed it to Tsunade.

"Mmm... This is so good!"

"Big Brother Chiba, your cooking is amazing!"

Shizune cheered and immediately dug in.

She stuffed roasted meat into her mouth while mumbling indistinctly.

Chiba chuckled, picked up a piece of roasted meat himself, and began eating at an unhurried pace.

Only Tsunade.

She stared at the boar leg on the plate before her and did not take a bite for a long time.

The atmosphere gradually became somewhat delicate.

"When are you planning to leave?"

After quite a while.

Tsunade drained the sake in her cup in one gulp.

She looked at the boy before her and asked casually.

Shizune abruptly stopped chewing, staring at the two of them with a bewildered expression.

"After we finish eating."

Chiba swallowed the food in his mouth.

His voice was calm, as though he were discussing something utterly trivial.

"The Senju Clan's prestige has been silent in that village for far too long."

"So long that some people seem to have forgotten who exactly founded Konoha."

At that point.

Chiba slowly raised his head.

His gaze crossed the campfire and met Tsunade's eyes.

There was no concealment, no pretense.

Only undisguised ambition and supreme arrogance.

Tsunade fell silent.

In truth, she had anticipated this day long ago.

Because more than half a year earlier.

Chiba's overall combat strength had already surpassed hers in every aspect!

Whether it was his immense Chakra reserves.

His Strength of a Hundred taijutsu, refined to its utmost purity.

Or his Wood Style ninjutsu, practically miraculous in nature.

This kid was simply a replica of the First Hokage, perhaps even more terrifying in certain respects!

Most importantly.

Ye had never hidden his disgust toward Konoha's current state.

He wanted to change Konoha.

Or rather... seize control of Konoha.

"I'll go back with you."

Tsunade took a deep breath and suddenly rose to her feet.

Her beautiful eyes held an unyielding determination.

"You are taking Konoha's politics too lightly."

"The Konoha High Command's hidden cards are far beyond what you can see on the surface!"

In Tsunade's eyes.

Although Chiba possessed strength comparable to her grandfather's.

When it came to political struggle, the kid was still a greenhorn.

The Konoha High Command's methods were filthier than ordinary people could imagine.

She absolutely could not watch the Senju Clan's last hope fall to those dirty schemes.

"There's no need."

"Teacher, you seem to have misunderstood something!"

"I'm not returning to Konoha this time to play games of political balance with them."

"Nor do I plan to sit in a conference room and slowly reason with them."

Chiba shook his head and rejected her outright.

His tone was exceedingly arrogant.

This time, he was returning to Konoha to clean out the trash.

If Tsunade went back with him.

Sarutobi Hiruzen would certainly play the emotional card and use the so-called Will of Fire for moral blackmail.

If it truly came to that.

Tsunade, caught in the middle, would only be torn both ways.

"Have you lost your mind?"

"No matter how strong your Wood Style is."

"You can't fight the strength of an entire village by yourself!"

"Do you know what that place is?"

"It's the strongest military fortress among the Five Great Nations!"

Tsunade grew anxious.

She stared fixedly at Chiba, hoping he would change his mind.

However.

Tsunade was disappointed.

Not only did Chiba not back down, he even laughed softly.

"Fight the entire village?"

"No."

"I'll make them unable to summon even the courage to fight."

The instant his words fell.

A terrifying aura erupted violently from Chiba!

Invisible Natural Energy surged madly into Chiba's body like a frenzied tsunami.

The campfire that had been blazing fiercely was instantly crushed and extinguished by the invisible pressure!

"This Chakra..."

At the sight.

Tsunade's pupils suddenly contracted, and she involuntarily stumbled back half a step.

So heavy!

This pressure was unbearably heavy!

Even with her Kage Level strength, she found it difficult to breathe.

Shizune's legs gave out beside her, and she collapsed to the ground, clutching Tonton as she trembled.

This was not an ordinary Chakra outburst at all.

It was an absolute crushing superiority on the level of life itself!

Dark red markings appeared around Chiba's eyes.

A diamond-shaped mark also emerged in the center of his forehead, emitting a palpitating aura.

Perfect Sage Mode!

"Impossible!"

Tsunade cried out in disbelief.

This was Sage Mode!

To give Chiba another trump card.

She had indeed made him sign a summoning contract with Shikkotsu Forest.

But in her plan.

Training in Sage Mode was extremely dangerous; one careless mistake could turn someone into a stone statue.

She had intended to wait another two or three years before taking Chiba to Shikkotsu Forest to seek guidance from the Slug Sage.

But now.

Chiba had never even been to Shikkotsu Forest!

This guy had actually comprehended Sage Mode on his own!

"You..."

"How did you do it?"

Tsunade's throat felt dry.

Even seeing it with her own eyes, she still found it hard to believe!

"Teacher."

"Nothing in this world is impossible."

Chiba drew back the Natural Energy surrounding his body.

That suffocating pressure instantly vanished without a trace.

"If I fully unleash my Wood Style now."

"Teacher, who in Konoha do you think could stop me?"

Tsunade fell silent.

She looked at Chiba's youthful face.

Wood Style combined with Sage Mode.

This was no longer a realm that Kage Level warriors could contend with.

This was the absolute forbidden domain belonging solely to the God of Shinobi!

Before this absolute power.

Even if Konoha's strongest all attacked together, they could not possibly be Chiba's match!

"I understand."

Tsunade let out a long breath.

She looked at Chiba, countless complicated emotions flickering in her eyes.

There was relief, shock, but above all, an indescribable fervor.

The Senju Clan was about to welcome a true Deity.

"Go."

"Since you have that strength."

"Then go turn that rotten village completely upside down!"

"Remember, don't embarrass me!"

"..."