The First Lie

The Land of Rain Front.

Kitahara Kaede lifted the flap of the command tent.

The atmosphere inside was colder than the rain outside.

The sand table was covered in little black flags.

Each one represented a Konoha squad that had been defeated or gone missing.

The commander was a Jonin in his early forties. His left eye was wrapped in bandages, and his right arm was in a sling across his chest.

His face was as ashen as the sky outside the tent.

When he saw the three of them enter, he froze for a moment. His gaze swept over Tsunade and Jiraiya before finally settling on Kitahara Kaede.

"Yuyi Kaede from the Western Front?"

"Yeah."

The commander let out a long breath, like someone who'd been holding on too long and had finally seen relief arrive.

"Hanzo entered the fray in person three days ago. A single cloud of poison covered our entire B3 Position."

He pointed to an area crossed out on the sand table.

"Two companies, 127 people. Fewer than forty made it back alive."

Tsunade fixed her gaze on the crossed-out area, her lips pressed into a thin line.

"What about the wounded?"

"The rear tents are full. The Medical Corps has only a handful of people left, and we're almost out of medicine."

Tsunade turned and headed straight for the exit.

Kitahara Kaede reached out to stop her.

"Listen to the rest first."

Tsunade halted.

The commander gritted his teeth. "This godforsaken place is full of canyons and waterways. With the rain pouring down nonstop, our attacks are severely restricted. And Hanzo's Poison Style spreads twice as far in the moisture. The people on the front line don't dare get close."

"What about ranged attacks?" Jiraiya asked.

"His summoning beast, Ibuse, can swallow an entire cloud of poison and spit it back out. Ranged attacks are even less effective."

The commander gave a bitter smile.

"Honestly, I don't know how to fight this."

Kitahara Kaede stared at the sand table for several seconds.

"Where's Hanzo now?"

"Six kilometers ahead, upstream in the river valley." The commander swallowed. "He hasn't tried to advance. He's just holding his ground and spreading poison."

Understood.

Jiraiya rolled his wrist and chuckled.

"Hiding in the poison like a coward? Come on, let's go pay him a visit."

Kitahara Kaede looked at Tsunade.

"Leave the wounded to you. We'll take the front line."

Tsunade didn't waste words. She nodded and left through the tent flap.

The rain grew heavier.

At dawn the next day.

Kitahara Kaede and Jiraiya led three Chunin squads to the front line.

Amegakure's position was set up on high ground upstream in the river valley.

It commanded a clear view of the area below.

More than thirty Amegakure shinobi were spread out among various outposts, forming a sodden wall of iron.

Kitahara Kaede didn't waste a word.

She formed Hand Seals, and her Shadow Clones spread out along the canyon walls on either side.

The original gripped a Chidori Sharp Spear and charged straight into the heart of the enemy position.

The instant the lightning exploded through the rain, the entire river valley lit up as bright as day.

Three Amegakure shinobi were blasted away before they could even make out her figure.

The lightning tore a hole through the defense line.

Jiraiya came in from the flank.

"Summoning Technique!"

Gamabunta's enormous body slammed into the center of the river valley.

The wave of water he sent splashing outward flipped two guard posts right over.

With a pipe clenched in his mouth, Gamabunta swept his short blade across the high ground and shaved away a layer of the defensive fortifications.

"Hey, Jiraiya," Gamabunta said, blowing out a puff of smoke. "Who's the opponent this time?"

"Hanzo."

Gamabunta fell silent for two seconds.

"Could've told me sooner. I want a pay raise."

Jiraiya ignored him and used Gamabunta's cover to charge up the high ground.

Fire Style: Great Flame Bomb blasted through the final line of defense.

The Shadow Clones closed in from both sides, while Lightning Release cut off the enemy's retreat.

In less than half an hour.

Amegakure's iron curtain on the front line was torn open by force, and the enemy troops were driven back toward the high ground.

The flap of the rear tent opened and closed as reports came in one after another.

Tsunade listened to the front-line reports without pausing her work.

She poured chakra into the wounded, while Katsuyu's clones moved between the tents.

Dozens of little Katsuyu clung to the seriously wounded, their green glow flickering one after another.

By noon, the front line was completely secure.

The Konoha shinobi's morale, as if lifted out of the mud by a pair of enormous hands, surged back to life.

During a shift change, one Chunin leaned close to his comrade and whispered:

"Did you see? That silver-haired one cut through the defense line all by himself. The Slug Princess is keeping the mobile medical network running in the rear, and Gamabunta trampled Amegakure's fortifications flat—"

"We can win this fight."

Night fell.

Tsunade rose from beside a wounded soldier.

In the corner of the tent, a bandaged boy lay still.

Thirteen years old.

About the same age as her younger brother, Nawaki.

Tsunade crouched beside him for a long time.

The boy had been carried in half an hour earlier. His abdomen had been pierced, and most of his internal organs were shattered.

Tsunade had tried everything she could.

She'd pushed the Mystical Palm Technique to its limit, and Katsuyu had done all she could to help.

The boy's fingers moved. His lips parted as if he were calling for someone.

Then there was nothing more.

Tsunade slowly drew her hand back.

The green light went out.

Only the sound of rain remained in the tent.

She stood and went outside, sitting down on a wet stone.

Her knees were together, her hands resting on them.

She stared into the darkness ahead without moving.

No one knew how long passed.

Footsteps sounded behind her.

Kitahara Kaede sat down beside her.

Neither of them spoke. They sat in silence for a long time.

"As a medical ninja, I watch people die every day."

Tsunade spoke at last.

Her voice broke apart beneath the sound of the rain.

"I should've gotten used to it by now."

Kitahara Kaede didn't respond.

"But that boy was the same age as Nawaki."

Her body swayed.

Tsunade slowly leaned toward her, resting her forehead against her shoulder.

Then she slid down a little, laying her head in the hollow of her shoulder.

Her body trembled faintly.

"I felt his heartbeat stop beneath my hands."

"I poured chakra into him, but I couldn't keep him here. I couldn't keep anything here. It feels awful."

"Kaede."

Kitahara Kaede turned to look at her.

Tsunade stared into the rain, speaking one word at a time.

"Don't you dare die before me."

Kitahara Kaede's breath caught, so faintly it was almost imperceptible.

The rain filled the silence between them.

"Okay."

That was probably the first lie Kitahara Kaede had ever told her.

Tsunade said nothing more.

Leaning against her, she slowly steadied her breathing.

Rustling footsteps came from behind the tent.

Jiraiya had gotten up to relieve himself.

Before his footsteps could draw near.

Tsunade sprang away as if she'd been burned.

Her face was bright red, and even the rain couldn't hide it.

Jiraiya emerged from behind the tent, still fastening his belt.

He looked half asleep.

"Why aren't you two asleep?"

"It's too hot. I can't sleep," Tsunade replied expressionlessly.

Jiraiya shivered and looked at the cold rain still falling outside.

He opened his mouth, then shut it again.

"Oh."

He turned and went back into the tent.

Tsunade stood and spoke softly. "I'm going to sleep."

She walked away without looking back.

Kitahara Kaede sat on the stone, staring into the night.

The first lie.

Maybe it would be the last, too.

From inside the tent came the sound of Jiraiya rolling over, followed by a mumble in his sleep.

"...Don't you dare die before me... Man, I'm jealous..."

After two seconds of silence, he began to snore.

Kitahara Kaede's mouth twitched.

The next morning.

A messenger ninja lifted the tent flap.

"Lord Hagoromo, the forward scouts have sent an urgent report—"

"Hanzo's summoning beast, Ibuse, is moving toward our position."