The Hokage's Office.
"That's what happened. I'll have someone write up a report with the details."
Tsunade briefly reported on the mission, her face heavy with exhaustion.
Hiruzen Sarutobi instinctively reached into his pocket for his pipe, but found nothing.
"You're saying you encountered ANBU from both Kumogakure and Kirigakure?"
"That's right! The village's intelligence was wrong."
Tsunade clenched her fists. It should have been nothing more than a routine intelligence handoff.
Their opponents had been a Kumogakure ANBU squad.
Then a Kirigakure ANBU squad had appeared out of nowhere, bringing the enemy's combined numbers to more than twice those of her team.
Despite giving it everything she had, she had escaped with fewer than half her teammates.
Hiruzen Sarutobi frowned. "Danzo verified the intelligence for this mission. Perhaps the Kirigakure ANBU's appearance was a coincidence."
"A coincidence?"
Tsunade snorted. "The mission took place deep within the Land of Lightning. You're saying Kirigakure ANBU being there was a coincidence?"
Hiruzen Sarutobi fell silent, serious doubts stirring in his mind.
Unless they had reached some important agreement, no hidden village would ever allow another village's ANBU squad to operate on its territory.
"...Then it's the worse possibility. Kumogakure and Kirigakure have joined forces."
Over the past few years, all the major hidden villages had come to the same conclusion: war was not far off.
As a result, though things remained peaceful on the surface, dangerous currents churned beneath it.
Border clashes and attempts to steal intelligence from one another had grown increasingly frequent.
Of all the major hidden villages, Konoha was the wealthiest, thanks to the Land of Fire's uniquely abundant natural resources.
Kumogakure and Iwagakure had relatively barren lands, Sunagakure ate sand day in and day out, and Kirigakure lay far across the sea.
That made Konoha the prize every major hidden village coveted most.
And now, of all times, Kumogakure and Kirigakure appeared to have joined forces.
For Konoha, this was hardly good news.
"That seems likely," Tsunade said gravely. "Otherwise, it doesn't make sense."
Hiruzen Sarutobi let out a long sigh. "Fortunately, Uzushio Village can help Konoha keep an eye on Kirigakure. Otherwise, if Kumogakure and Kirigakure launched a joint attack..."
He shook his head without finishing.
Konoha had ample resources. Even with its long coastline, it could afford a war of attrition.
What truly worried him was that, once he deployed large numbers of ninja along the coast, Iwagakure and Sunagakure would attack Konoha from other directions.
Being caught between enemies then would be real trouble.
Fortunately, Uzushio Village could help Konoha hold its defensive line.
Fortunately, the major hidden villages would find it difficult to truly set aside their differences and cooperate.
The two dropped the subject. Any cooperation between hidden villages would have to be confirmed through intelligence from multiple sources.
After a brief silence.
Tsunade suddenly said, "Sensei, what do you think of the idea I mentioned before, about training medical ninja?"
"What?"
"Assigning one medical ninja to every ninja squad," Tsunade explained. "On this mission, I was the only medical ninja, but I had to hold off the strongest enemy. If we'd had one more medical ninja, we might have saved another couple of people."
Hiruzen Sarutobi rejected the idea without hesitation. "Tsunade, you faced twice your numbers. Even with another medical ninja, there would have been no time or opportunity to save anyone."
"Sensei, war is coming. Wouldn't it be better to train more medical ninja and save more of the wounded?"
Hiruzen Sarutobi still shook his head. "Training medical ninja takes too long. They won't be ready for this war. Let's discuss it once the war is over."
Tsunade sighed helplessly, her eyes full of disappointment as she looked at the Hokage.
They won't be ready for this war, but what about the next?
If we always use war as an excuse and never prepare in advance, when will we ever establish a complete medical ninja system?
She turned to leave.
"Wait."
"Hmm?" Tsunade stopped. "Sensei, have you changed your mind?"
"No." Hiruzen Sarutobi stood and met her eyes. "I'd like to introduce someone to you as a potential student."
"A student?"
Her hopes dashed, Tsunade twisted her lips. "Not interested. Find someone else."
"You're the best person for this!"
"Oh? Is it someone with a talent for medical ninjutsu?"
"Tsunade, stop dwelling on medical ninja!" Hiruzen Sarutobi's tone grew considerably sterner.
Tsunade sounded impatient. "If they're not going to be a medical ninja, why make them my student? Ask Jiraiya or Orochimaru."
"Don't be willful, Tsunade. This is Lady Mito's wish as well."
Hearing that it was Mito Uzumaki's wish piqued Tsunade's interest. "Who is it?"
"Moonlight Ruyun."
Konoha Hospital.
Tsunade stood at an office window, arms folded across her chest, staring absently at the bustling crowd outside.
Moonlight Ruyun knocked and entered after receiving permission.
"Lady Tsunade, you wanted to see me?"
"Have a seat."
Tsunade turned and unfolded her arms, setting off a ripple before casually slipping her hands into the pockets of her white coat.
"I'm sorry about your uncle."
He paused, not expecting Tsunade to apologize for something like that.
He shook his head. "Please don't say that, Lady Tsunade. My uncle is very grateful that you saved him. Without you, he would probably have lost more than an arm."
Tsunade waved a hand, weariness showing on her face.
As a medical ninja, what she hated most was watching teammates fall before her eyes while she was powerless to treat them.
It was a situation that could be changed.
She couldn't bring herself to say any of that. After a few seconds of silence, she pulled herself together.
"Kid, this is our second time meeting, isn't it?"
"Yes."
Tsunade looked him up and down, then abruptly asked, "Want to become my student?"
"Huh?" His brain stalled for a few seconds.
Once he recovered, he hurriedly nodded. "Yes!"
He couldn't spare a thought for why Tsunade was offering to take on a student.
In Konoha as it stood, becoming the student of any one of Jiraiya, Orochimaru, or Tsunade would place him within the Hokage's inner circle.
Of those options, becoming Tsunade's student was ideal.
The reason was simple: she had plenty of good stuff.
By his estimation, many of the things Hashirama Senju had left behind might qualify as equipment materials recognized by the system.
And almost all those things would ultimately belong to Tsunade.
From that perspective, Tsunade was undoubtedly the richest person in the entire shinobi world.
In the original story, after losing Nawaki and then Dan Katō, Tsunade had left Konoha in despair.
Who knew where the things Hashirama Senju had left behind had ended up?
Always kindhearted, Moonlight Ruyun couldn't bear to see such waste. He was willing to help Tsunade find those things a good home...
Of course, there was also one other tiny, insignificant factor.
Who doesn't love an older blonde woman?
"Becoming my student won't be that easy."
There was a mischievous edge to Tsunade's voice. She casually grabbed a sheet of paper, picked up a pen, and bent over to write.
A breathtaking curve flickered in and out of view. He sat perfectly straight, his gaze fixed firmly ahead.
A few minutes later.
He accepted the paper Tsunade handed him. Looking at the long list of book titles, he felt his throat go dry. "What's this?"
"Looks like you've guessed. That's right, it's a reading list."
The corners of Tsunade's mouth lifted, and she held up one finger. "Master all of it within a year, and you'll be my student."
Before you continue