Princess Katsuyu

On the third day of mass-producing the antidote, half of the straw mats in the field hospital were cleared away.

By the fifth day, there were no more people lying outside the tents.

On the seventh day, the first group of recovered chunin removed their bandages, picked up their kunai once more, and were reassigned to the front-line combat sequence.

Tsunade finished portioning out the final batch of detox serum, applied the labels, and pushed them toward the medical squad waiting at the entrance.

"Distribute them by dosage; the stock is sufficient."

The medical chunin took the crate and ran off.

Tsunade leaned against the medicine cabinet and let out a long breath.

After ten full days of work, she could finally catch her breath.

A commotion came from outside.

It wasn't the sound of an enemy raid—it was cheering.

Tsunade lifted the tent flap and stepped out.

In the open space of the camp, a group of ninjas who had just been discharged from the hospital were surrounding a chunin who had returned from the front, slapping his shoulders with loud thuds.

"Did you hear? The Sunagakure puppet corps retreated twenty kilometers!"

"Hagoromo Kaede led a counterattack on the front line and took three strongholds in a single night!"

"Chiyo's poison doesn't work anymore—we can finally fight without holding back!"

Tsunade listened for a moment, then turned and headed back into her tent.

Her steps were much lighter than when she had come out.

On the front line.

The situation had reversed faster than expected.

Once the antidote arrived, the morale of the Konoha ninjas ignited instantly, as if someone had poured a bucket of hot oil over their heads.

The front-line troops, who had previously been hamstrung by Chiyo's poison, were now pushing forward like madmen.

Kitahara Kaede stood on a newly captured ridge, watching the dust kicked up by the retreating Sunagakure forces in the distance.

Sakumo returned from the flank, his short white blade still stained with blood.

"Southwest stronghold number three is cleared."

Kitahara Kaede nodded.

"What about Chiyo?"

"She's retreated," Sakumo said, wiping his blade. "Once her poison was countered, she couldn't keep dumping poison puppets onto the front line like before. Sunagakure is pulling back their entire line to wait for reinforcements from the rear."

Kitahara Kaede scanned the map.

"Don't pursue too deep. Stop at the River Valley Line; our supply lines can't keep up."

Sakumo glanced at him.

"Your right arm still isn't fully healed."

"It won't be an issue."

Sakumo said nothing more and turned to pass on the orders.

Kitahara Kaede flexed his right hand.

Tsunade's detoxification plan was truly remarkable; it had saved his life and preserved this arm.

However, the meridians eroded by the toxins had not fully repaired, and the strength in his right arm had only recovered to seventy percent.

Three days later.

Sunagakure officially withdrew completely from the River Valley defensive line.

This tug-of-war on the western front, which had lasted nearly a month, ended in a total victory for Konoha.

The final large-scale engagement took place at the entrance of the river valley.

The remnants of the Sunagakure forces attempted to organize an orderly retreat to cover the transfer of their wounded and supplies.

Kitahara Kaede led his team to cut off their flank, while Sakumo led his men in a frontal assault.

The battle lasted less than two hours.

But what truly made everyone on the front line remember this day was what happened after the fighting ended.

As the last batch of Sunagakure wounded were being pushed to the exit of the valley, Chiyo's puppet corps suddenly launched a suicide charge.

It wasn't for a counterattack; it was to buy time for the rear to retreat.

Thirty heavy-duty puppets, all loaded with poison-tipped hidden weapons, lined up in three rows, pressing forward like a wall of poison.

The Konoha ninjas instinctively retreated.

The shadow of the poison had not yet fully faded from their minds.

Just then, the ground shook.

White smoke billowed from the rear.

The figure of Katsuyu emerged.

Then, she began to divide.

One became two, two became four, four became sixteen.

Hundreds of fist-sized slugs detached from the main body, a white tide rushing toward every Konoha ninja on the front line.

They attached themselves to shoulders, clung to backs, and stuck to arms.

Almost simultaneously, everyone felt a gentle flow of chakra pouring into their bodies.

"Don't fear the poison."

Tsunade's voice came from the rear—not loud, but clear enough for everyone to hear.

"If you're poisoned, Katsuyu will neutralize it instantly. Just keep pushing forward."

There was a second of silence.

Then, the front line exploded.

The Konoha ninjas let out a roar and charged.

The thirty heavy-duty puppets were dismantled into piles of scrap wood within minutes.

Whenever someone was struck by a poison needle, the slug on their body would immediately glow green, suppressing the toxin before it could spread.

Chiyo stood on a distant hilltop, watching the scene.

Hundreds of slugs were operating simultaneously, each one independently performing detoxification and healing.

The young Konoha kunoichi stood on a high platform in the rear, her hands pressed together, outputting a constant stream of chakra.

She was controlling hundreds of clones at once, providing real-time medical support to hundreds of ninjas simultaneously.

Chiyo's lips moved.

"Princess Katsuyu..."

She turned and vanished into the ranks of the retreating Sunagakure forces.

Within days, this title spread across the entire front line.

The Konoha side called her "Princess Katsuyu."

The Sunagakure side called her that, too.

Only, their tone held an extra three parts of dread.

The cleanup took another four days.

Clearing the battlefield, tallying casualties, repairing defensive lines, and settling the wounded.

Kitahara Kaede handed back command, took one last patrol of the front-line positions, and headed back.

He passed through a valley that had been burned to the ground. The trees were gone, the earth was scorched black, and the distant ridgeline was barren.

Tsunade emerged from the rear carrying her medical kit and walked up beside him.

The two stood side by side.

The wind blew up from the valley floor, carrying the scent of scorched earth.

Tsunade looked into the distance, silent for a while.

Kitahara Kaede asked casually.

"What do you want to do most when you're done with all this?"

Tsunade tilted her head.

"Why ask that?"

"Just curious."

Tsunade looked back toward the distance.

"See the ocean."

Kitahara Kaede didn't respond.

"Ever since I was little, leaving home has always meant either war or missions," Tsunade's voice was faint. "I don't even know what the ocean looks like."

The wind blew her hair across her face, and she brushed it aside.

"When all this mess is over, I want to go to the beach and sit for a day. Not do anything, just sit."

"Then I'll take you when the time comes."

Tsunade looked over at him.

"Really?"

"When have I ever lied to you?"

Tsunade squinted against the wind and turned her face away.

She didn't speak, but her expression couldn't hide her feelings.

The two walked back.

Tsunade, walking in front, suddenly spoke up.

"How much has your right arm really recovered?"

"It's about there."

"How much?"

Kitahara Kaede didn't answer.

Tsunade didn't press him, didn't stop, and didn't turn around.

As they walked, she tossed a sentence over her shoulder in a flat tone.

"Come to the medical room every afternoon after we get back; I'll give you acupuncture. Don't be late."

It wasn't a question.

In the past, when she said things like that, she would have turned around to glare at him.

This time, she didn't even look back.

Kitahara Kaede watched her retreating figure.

"Fine."

Back at the rear camp, the flap of Kitahara Kaede's tent was lifted.

A messenger ninja stood at the entrance, looking hurried.

"Lord Hagoromo, an urgent order from the Hokage Tower—a recall order."

"The Third Hokage requires you and Lady Tsunade to return to Konoha immediately."

The messenger paused, lowering his voice.

"Something has happened on the eastern front. Amegakure has entered the war, and Hanzo has taken the field himself."