Seeing Tsunade Again

A kunai was wedged into a crack in the boundary marker number thirty-seven of the Land of Grass, its blade glinting coldly beneath the moonlight. Neji pressed his hand against the marker's rough surface, his fingertips feeling the stone's texture and the chill of the night. The Flying Thunder God Formula on the kunai's hilt flickered faintly, brightening and dimming like a breath.

"Let's gamble."

It was not the best plan, but time did not allow for anything more elaborate. Tsunade had to receive this kunai, and he had to see her—not because he distrusted the Naruto World's corrective force, but because he could not afford to lose. Jiraiya surviving was like a stone cast into still water. No one knew how far the ripples would spread.

One day. He gave himself one day.

He spread his Sage Arts perception, confirming that there were no Zetsu spores within five kilometers, no Akatsuki scouts, and no wandering shinobi. Neji gave the boundary marker one last look, then vanished into the night as an afterimage.

He needed to maintain the movements expected of "Sake": remaining on standby at the Land of Rivers base and occasionally heading out to "scout." Zetsu's surveillance had relaxed somewhat with Pain's operation approaching, but it had never truly disappeared.

Twenty-four hours of waiting stretched every minute unbearably long.

Konoha, Hokage Office.

Tsunade set down the report in her hand and rubbed her brow.

Shizune entered, placing a stack of documents on the desk. "Lady Tsunade, this is the recent work summary from each squad and the sensory unit."

"Leave it there." Tsunade sighed, her gaze falling on an unremarkable kunai at the corner of the desk.

It was an "anomalous item" submitted by the Covert Intelligence Department that morning. What should have been intelligence from Neji had instead become a specially made kunai. A specially made kunai inscribed with an unknown yet intricate space-time formula, placed at boundary marker number thirty-seven. The pattern on the kunai—the style of that formula—reminded her of a man who had been dead for many years.

The Fourth Hokage, Minato Namikaze.

But Minato was dead, and his Flying Thunder God Technique should have been lost. Unless...

Tsunade reached toward the scroll, only to stop halfway. She looked out the window, where the setting sun bathed Hokage Rock in gold. The First, Second, Third, and Fourth Hokage, along with herself—the Fifth Hokage.

"Shizune," she suddenly said, "are there any urgent matters today?"

"No, Lady Tsunade. Shall I prepare dinner?"

"No." Tsunade rose to her feet. "I still have some documents to deal with. I may be staying in the office overnight."

Shizune gave her a worried look, then quietly retreated to the side with Tonton in her arms.

Tsunade held the kunai in her hand, letting her chakra flow slightly as she sensed the structure of the formula.

Exquisite and complex, yet it truly carried traces of the Flying Thunder God. Compared to Minato's effortless style, however, this formula seemed somewhat... impatient. As though someone had forcefully recreated incomplete technology within a limited amount of time.

"Could it be you, Neji..." Tsunade murmured.

At that moment, the formula on the kunai suddenly flared with light.

Tsunade instinctively stepped half a pace back, her right hand already forming seals in preparation for battle. But the next second, she forced herself to relax—if it were an enemy, they would not make such an obvious entrance.

Space twisted.

A figure in a black cloak patterned with red clouds emerged from the light. The Akatsuki uniform looked particularly glaring beneath the lamps of the Hokage Office. Tonton squealed anxiously in Shizune's arms, and Shizune set Tonton aside as she prepared for battle as well.

"Lady Tsunade, chakra fluctuations have been detected in your office. Do you need us to come in?"

The tense voice of an ANBU guard came from outside the door. Tsunade stared at the Akatsuki member before raising her hand. "It's fine. Return to your positions and continue working."

Her voice was steady, without the slightest hint of abnormality.

"Shizune, go outside and stand guard. Don't let anyone disturb me," she added.

Shizune picked up Tonton and left through the door. Her footsteps gradually faded, and silence returned inside and outside the office.

The cloaked figure raised a hand, and a transparent barrier swiftly spread out, enclosing the entire room. Soundproofing, light blocking, anti-detection—Tsunade could sense the complex chakra structure within it. This was not something an ordinary shinobi could set up.

Then, the figure removed his mask.

First, a skin mask was carefully peeled away, revealing a young face beneath. Then specially made lenses were removed, exposing a pair of pure white eyes beneath the office lights. On his forehead, the Caged Bird Seal looked like a vicious scar.

"Lady Tsunade, it's been a long time."

His voice was deeper than it had been three years ago, carrying the hoarseness of a youth becoming a man. Yet Tsunade still remembered the look in those eyes—calm, restrained, with an indescribable weight hidden deep within.

She opened her mouth, yet for a moment, she did not know what to say. Three years had passed since Neji left Konoha as an undercover agent. The last time they had met was when he exchanged intelligence with Orochimaru. After a long silence, his information had suddenly resumed, bringing intelligence on the Akatsuki as well. She had imagined countless times what this child had become, how he had survived in a place like the Akatsuki, and how he had navigated among those dangerous rogue shinobi.

Now he stood before her. He had grown taller, his shoulders broader, but he was terribly thin. The Akatsuki cloak hung a little loosely on him. Only those eyes had become sharper than before, and more exhausted as well.

"Orochimaru actually gave you the Flying Thunder God Technique?!" The first words Tsunade finally spoke carried shock she had not even noticed herself.

"I asked him for it myself," Neji answered calmly, placing his mask and lenses on the nearby desk. His movements were light, making almost no sound.

Tsunade took a deep breath and forced herself back into the role of Hokage. She walked around the desk and stopped before Neji, studying him closely. There were no obvious injuries, but a pale scar crossed his left wrist, as though it had been cut by a sharp weapon. There were faint tattoo marks on the side of his neck, though they had been scrubbed away, leaving only light traces.

"You risked returning to Konoha to see me this time. Did something major happen?" she asked gravely. Her tone carried both the authority of the Hokage and a trace of concern that was difficult to detect.

Neji nodded, lowering his voice.

"In two days, the Six Paths of Pain will launch a full assault on Konoha to capture the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki. Also, Madara Uchiha has stepped out from behind the scenes."

The air seemed to freeze.

Tsunade's hand stiffened in midair, and her pupils contracted slightly.

"What do you mean? Madara Uchiha? Has it been confirmed that Tobi is Madara Uchiha?" Her questions came one after another as she leaned forward, nearly grabbing Neji by the shoulders.

"At present, Tobi is leading the Akatsuki in Madara Uchiha's name in place of Pain. The Six Paths of Pain's full assault on Konoha in two days was ordered by Tobi." Neji paused, seeming to weigh his wording. "I also obtained Akatsuki intelligence collected by Itachi Uchiha. Itachi's analysis suggests that Tobi may be Obito."

He handed her one of the scrolls.

Tsunade accepted the scroll, her fingers turning faintly white from the force of her grip. She released the seal and quickly unrolled it. The handwriting on the scroll was neat and calm, systematically listing the Akatsuki's members, abilities, operational patterns, funding sources, and—an extensive deduction regarding the true identity of "Madara Uchiha."

From the Battle of Kannabi Bridge, to Obito's "death," to Kakashi's Sharingan... Itachi's reasoning was extremely rigorous.

Tsunade's breathing grew heavier. She raised her head and looked at Neji. "Itachi..."

"He's dead," Neji said without any change in tone. "Sasuke killed him. That was between the brothers. Also, Itachi asked me to pass on one message: Itachi never betrayed Konoha."

"I know..." Tsunade sounded sorrowful, but this was not the time for grief.

"What about you?" Tsunade pressed. "In two days, the Six Paths of Pain will invade Konoha. What is your assignment?"

"Tobi told me to assist Pain, but Pain's plan does not include me. I was told to remain on standby. Zetsu, who is responsible for intelligence gathering, instructed me to monitor Pain's movements," Neji answered truthfully, withholding no details. He knew that at a time like this, any discrepancy in information could lead to a disastrous misjudgment.

"So there is currently a gap between Tobi and Pain." Tsunade's eyes lit up with the gleam of a strategist. "Is there a way to intensify their conflict and redirect their operation to capture the tailed beasts?"

Neji thought for several seconds. During those seconds, his mind raced. What was the essence of the conflict between Obito and Nagato? A difference in ideals, a struggle for power, or a different understanding of how to realize the Eye of the Moon Plan?

"At present, it seems impossible." He finally shook his head. "Capturing the tailed beasts is their shared objective. The difference between Pain and Tobi should lie more in how they intend to achieve their goals after capturing them. Before that goal is accomplished, the foundation of their cooperation remains firm."

Tsunade fell silent. She returned behind her desk but did not sit. Instead, she stood there, her fingers unconsciously tapping the desktop. It was a habitual motion whenever she thought.

"Then what do you think of the Akatsuki's operation two days from now?" she asked, fixing her gaze on Neji again.

This question required a careful answer. Neji knew Tsunade was testing him—testing his attitude toward Konoha, whether he still stood on the village's side, and his ability to assess the situation.

"With the strength of the Six Paths of Pain, even Madara Uchiha cannot claim with absolute certainty that he can defeat them," he chose to begin with an objective comparison of strength. "You saw the Akatsuki's previous three-pronged assault. Kumogakure deployed only Three Paths of Pain, yet Yugito Nii, a perfect Jinchuriki, was captured with ease. If all Six Paths of Pain move together, Konoha is in danger."

He did not say that Konoha was doomed, but the word "danger" was heavy enough.

After hearing Neji's words, Tsunade's brows furrowed deeply. Of course she knew how terrifying Pain was—that power capable of casually destroying an entire village, those abilities that transcended ordinary understanding of ninjutsu. Even though Konoha now had a warning, they were still powerless in the face of truly overwhelming strength.

Their chances of victory were slim.

The office sank into prolonged silence. The clock on the wall ticked away, every second sounding like a countdown. Neji stood quietly without urging her or adding anything. He knew Tsunade needed time to process this information and make a decision.

But he had his own purpose as well.

The intelligence had been delivered. Next came his selfish request.

"Lady Tsunade," he said softly, pretending to cough once to draw her attention, "Pain's attack is coming with overwhelming force. We must not confront him head-on."

Tsunade looked up, her eyes sharp. "Do you have a good idea?"

"Avoid his edge." Four simple, direct words.

"Impossible." Tsunade's refusal was just as decisive. "Konoha is one of the Five Great Shinobi Villages. Even if we die in battle, we cannot run away." She paused, and a trace of bitterness entered her voice. "And even if we did flee, what would happen to Konoha's people?"

Neji fell silent. This was not the response he had expected, but upon reflection, it made complete sense. Tsunade was the Hokage. She carried the entire village on her shoulders. As for him... he only wanted to protect a handful of people.

Their positions were different, so naturally their perspectives were different.

"Then hand over Naruto." When he said it, his tone was as calm as if he were discussing the weather.

"Absolutely not!" Tsunade slammed her palm onto the desk, producing a thunderous crash. "Not unless I'm dead!"

Her voice echoed inside the barrier, making the air hum. Neji looked at Tsunade's furious face. What burned in her eyes was both a Hokage's resolve and an elder's protective instinct. She truly regarded Naruto as her own child.

Neji smiled bitterly inwardly. He would not die even if they handed him over. Naruto was the protagonist—of course, he could not say such a thing aloud. In the Naruto World, "protagonist's aura" was not a concept anyone could understand or accept.

"Then Lord Jiraiya can only go speak with Pain," he said, changing direction while keeping his tone calm.

"What do you mean? Is Pain Nagato?" Hope hid in Tsunade's question—if the enemy was Nagato, if he was Jiraiya's student, perhaps there was still room for negotiation.

"Zetsu mentioned Nagato during one of our conversations. It is not difficult to infer that the actual controller of the Six Paths of Pain is Nagato." Neji chose his words carefully. "However, I do not know Nagato's location."

It was both true and false. He knew the general location of Nagato's real body, but he could not say so—there was no intelligence source that could explain how he knew that.

"So it really is Nagato..." Tsunade's voice lowered. She turned to look out the window, her back seeming slightly hunched. "What happened to the three students Jiraiya took in back then? Why did they end up like this?"

There was no answer to that question—or rather, the answer was too heavy, so heavy that Neji did not wish to say it aloud. War, hatred, loss, despair... those words could explain everything, yet they were powerless to explain anything.

"At this point, the only option is for Lord Jiraiya to speak with Nagato. Perhaps there is still room to turn things around," Neji repeated his suggestion, this time more specifically. "Naruto must go as well. Otherwise, there will not even be an opportunity to talk."

That was the key. Without Naruto, Nagato would not meet Jiraiya. Without Naruto, the conversation would not happen. Without Naruto, the corrective force might fail as well.

"What if Jiraiya's negotiation fails?" Tsunade turned back, staring intensely at Neji. "Konoha will still protect Naruto at all costs. What will you do?"

The question was both a test and an interrogation. Tsunade was asking: when Konoha and the people you care about are pushed into a desperate situation, when the conflict of your dual identities reaches its peak, which side will you choose?

Neji met her gaze. There was no evasion in his pure white eyes.

"I will protect the people I care about in my own way," he said.

He made no promise to protect Konoha, nor did he promise to stand on the village's side. His honesty was almost cruel, yet so real that no one could blame him for it. Tsunade looked at his young face and suddenly remembered the boy three years ago, whose eyes during the Chunin Ninja Exams had been full of unwillingness and struggle. Back then, Neji should have hated the Main House, hated fate, yet lacked the power to resist.

Now, Neji had walked his own path. It was dangerous and lonely, but it was undeniably his own choice.

"Alright, I understand." Tsunade finally nodded, her tone softening. "I will discuss this with Jiraiya as soon as possible."

She paused, her gaze lingering on Neji's face for a long time, as if confirming something—or committing something to memory.

"The Akatsuki are stepping from the shadows into the open now. Do you want to return to Konoha?" She asked it softly, almost as if speaking to herself.

Neji shook his head. "It's not time yet. Tobi's true identity still needs to be verified, and the Akatsuki's purpose is still unclear. Leaving now would be too much of a waste."

The reasons were sufficient, but Tsunade heard the meaning beneath them: the Caged Bird had not been lifted, his goal had not been reached, and he did not want to return.

She stepped out from behind the desk and stood before Neji. In three years, Neji had grown taller than her. She reached out as if to pat his shoulder, but in the end, her hand merely hovered in midair.

"Be careful," she said. Something in her voice shattered, then pieced itself back together.

Neji nodded and took three specially made kunai from his robe. Each hilt was inscribed with a Flying Thunder God Formula, but they were more refined than the previous one, clearly having taken considerable time to make.

"Please give these three kunai to Mitaraishi Anko, Hyuga Hinata, and Hyuga Hanabi respectively. Tell them to carry them on their persons at all times." He placed the kunai on the desk, paused, then added, "If possible, they should keep them in their hands at all times."

"What about Hiashi?" Tsunade asked.

The corner of Neji's mouth moved slightly. It could barely be called a smile. "Wherever Hanabi and Hinata are, Lord Hiashi can surely be found nearby."

He did not call him an old bastard, but the distance and coldness in his tone were obvious enough. Tsunade sighed inwardly but said nothing. As Hokage, it was not convenient for her to interfere too deeply in the Hyuga Clan's affairs.

"I understand." She put away the kunai and carefully placed them in a drawer.

Neji put his mask and lenses back on. The skin mask fitted his face, the lenses concealed his Byakugan, and the hood of his black robe rose over his head. Within seconds, Neji Hyuga disappeared, replaced by Akatsuki's "Sake."

The barrier vanished, and the office returned to normal. Moonlight streamed in through the window, laying a sheet of silver across the floor.

"Take care," Tsunade said. The two words weighed a thousand pounds.

Neji gave her one last look, his body beginning to turn into specks of light. The Flying Thunder God Technique activated with almost no sound, accompanied only by a slight distortion of space. The next second, he was gone, leaving Tsunade alone in the office.

She stood there for a long time, then walked to the window and looked out over the sleeping Konoha. Only scattered lights remained, and most villagers had already fallen asleep, unaware of what awaited them two days later.

On the desk, the kunai from the Land of Grass boundary marker lay quietly. Tsunade walked over and grasped it in her hand. The metal was cold, but she could feel the lingering chakra within the formula—Neji's chakra, calm and restrained, with a certain urgency hidden deep within.

"In your own way..." she softly repeated Neji's words, her eyes gradually growing resolute.

No matter what, she was the Hokage. No matter how powerful the enemy was, no matter how tragic the sacrifices, she had to protect this village and every person within it.

Including that child walking alone through the darkness.

Under the moonlight, Tsunade stood before the window for a long time, until the east began to pale with dawn.