One Piece of Good News, One Piece of Bad News

With Koki's support, Scorpion's arm hung limply, seemingly resting against his neck, as he breathed heavily in pain.

Scorpion looked up, her breath weak but filled with confidence, and said, "Perhaps I have the ability to heal her."

"Really?!" A glimmer of hope flashed in Tsunade's eyes.

"Mmm..." Scorpion murmured softly, snuggling closer into Koki's embrace, as if seeking some kind of dependence.

Koki felt uncomfortable with this and subconsciously tried to push him away to keep her distance.

Scorpion, however, seemed oblivious, remaining nestled close to him.

"Tell me quickly! Can it really be cured?" Tsunade pressed urgently.

Shizune's heart was destroyed. Although Tsunade could temporarily prolong her life, she could not provide a fundamental cure.

"Alright." Sasori regained his cold demeanor when facing Tsunade.

Those two simple words stirred up a tidal wave of hope in Tsunade's heart.

"You know I need time, and given my current status... I'm afraid it will be difficult for me to reach Konoha."

Scorpion's intentions are clear; his identity will bring him many troubles.

However, he also understood that only by going to Konoha could he be with Koki, which had become the only thing on his mind.

Tsunade instantly understood his unspoken meaning and replied eagerly, "There's absolutely no problem with this. As long as you can bring the patient back to health, there's no need to worry about your identity."

She was full of confidence, well aware of her own abilities, and besides, hadn't the old man sent Koki to investigate the disappearance of the Third Kazekage?

She had just witnessed Scorpion display the Kazekage Puppet, which must contain crucial clues.

If he can restore Shizune to her health, Tsunade will do everything in her power to fulfill his wish, but after that...

She sneered inwardly, unable to offer any guarantee regarding Sasori's possible fate in Konoha!

Thinking of this, Tsunade's eyes narrowed slightly, a complex and indescribable emotion flashing across them.

With the Danzo affair finally over, Koki felt a sense of relief and paid little attention to the subtle details around her.

At this moment, how could he possibly foresee the monstrous waves and chaotic battlefield that Sasori's return to Konoha would unleash?

Turning her gaze to Tsunade, Koki asked, "What is the current situation in Konoha?"

Although her daily letters were filled with greetings from everyone, Koki knew that they, like herself, always reported good news and never bad.

He wanted to know the truth, to know the current situation of those he cared about.

Tsunade finally smiled, "There's nothing seriously wrong."

"After the battle with Minato, Kumogakure witnessed the strength of Konoha. Upon receiving new orders, they joined forces with the Third Raikage to attack Sunagakure."

"Rasa inherited the Magnet Release power of the Third Kazekage and, controlling Gold Dust, led an elite force to successfully intercept the Raikage's offensive."

"The Raikage didn't understand Rasa's abilities very well, and therefore failed to gain a clear advantage."

"The two villages were locked in a stalemate, but under Rasa's leadership, Sunagakure ultimately withstood the invasion of Kumogakure."

"Their infighting left them no time to attend to anything else. I rushed to the Land of Rain as soon as I received the news, Jiraiya remained at the front to consolidate the position."

At this point, Tsunade glanced at Sasori, who stood quietly, his expression unchanged despite hearing about the situation in his village.

"Shisui used extraordinary Genjutsu to defeat two enemies from Kirigakure in the distance. The Mizukage dispatched the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist. Initially, they underestimated these young Konoha members, but these teenagers performed exceptionally well. Although they ultimately defeated them, however..."

Tsunade paused briefly, Koki pressed on urgently, "But what?" His heart leaped into his throat.

"Shisui sustained a minor injury, but thanks to Hatake Sakumo's timely assistance, he was out of danger."

Hearing this, Koki felt a little relieved. It seemed that Uncle Sakumo was secretly protecting them after listening to his words.

"That's good then," he sighed softly.

Hatake Sakumo?

Upon hearing the name, a twist of emotion flashed across Scorpion's face, and complex feelings flickered in his eyes.

Seeing Koki's relaxed expression, he secretly clenched his fist, trying to suppress the turmoil in his heart.

"After this battle, Kirigakure completely backed down, while the Hidden Tōshirō of Iwagakure fought to intercept Minato. Meanwhile, the forces led by Mahiru Taiseki encountered Kakashi and his group at the Kannabi Bridge in Kusagakure."

"Kannabi Bridge? Is Rin alright?" At the mention of Kannabi Bridge, Koki couldn't remain calm.

"Rin? Are you worried about her?" Tsunade looked at Koki with a puzzled expression.

"She's safe and sound. She's my personally trained disciple, how could anything happen to her?" She had complete confidence in her disciple.

"That's good." Koki breathed a sigh of relief, realizing her reaction had been too strong. "Continue."

"The situation at Kannabi Bridge was once extremely precarious, but they ultimately succeeded in destroying it. Minato discovered something strange beneath the blasted ground."

Strange thing?

Could it be Lord Madara?

Koki's gaze was fixed on Tsunade, her mind filled with doubt.

"A figure entirely in black was instantly reduced to wisps of black dust and vanished into the air by Obito's hand. Another figure entirely in white also failed to escape Obito's grasp and was caught by him."

"Don't tell anyone I told you," Tsunade said softly, a hint of amusement in her voice.

He specifically told me he had a surprise for you when we got home!

Upon hearing this, Koki's heart skipped a beat: Could it be...?

Is that one dressed entirely in Black Zetsu?

It was so easily destroyed by Obito-nii?

"That's wonderful!" Koki was so excited she almost jumped up, her face beaming with a bright and cheerful smile, like the warm spring sun.

Looking back, I did describe Black Zetsu's appearance and characteristics to them in detail, and repeatedly told them that if they ever encountered this extremely dangerous guy, they must not hesitate to be ruthless and must not show the slightest mercy.

He truly took his words to heart and ultimately succeeded in completely eradicating the Black Zetsu, this malignant tumor.

Thinking of this, Koki felt particularly at ease.

It's important to know that Black Zetsu went to extreme lengths to resurrect his mother, employing all sorts of insidious, cunning, and despicable methods.

Now, this major threat has finally been eliminated.

Ōnoki withdrew his vast army, but his inner resentment spurred him to quickly gather ten thousand elite soldiers, turn around, and launch a fierce attack on Kumogakure.

"Faced with the overwhelming enemy forces, at a critical moment, the Third Raikage Kumogakure stepped forward and personally led the charge into the enemy ranks, facing thousands of ninjas alone."

"This fierce battle lasted for three days and three nights. The battlefield was filled with deafening shouts and billowing smoke. The Third Raikage repelled the enemy's attacks time and time again, but finally died from exhaustion."

When he mentioned this incident, his tone was filled with genuine respect.

Standing to the side, Koki couldn't help but admire him inwardly. Without a doubt, the Third Raikage had taken individual heroism to its extreme.

"Where is my brother? Is he alright?" Koki missed her brother terribly.

Tsunade smiled slightly, a hint of relief in her eyes. "Of course everything's alright, we're safely back home now."

It must be said that in this battle, the new generation of Konoha, led by Koki, performed exceptionally well, truly impressing Tsunade.

Kakashi, Obito, Shisui, and others shone brightly in the battle, demonstrating extraordinary strength and courage.

Rin, Might Guy, Ebisu, Gekko Hayate, Hyuga Haruka, Hana Inuzuka, and others performed admirably in the Third Shinobi World War, making indelible and significant contributions to the victory of this war.

However, what surprised Tsunade the most was undoubtedly Uchiha Itachi!

Itachi was still very young, but he resolutely followed his father onto the battlefield filled with bloodshed and slaughter.

Tsunade once personally went to the battlefield where Fugaku was to provide support.

When she arrived there, the sight before her shocked her—the entire battlefield was shrouded in thick smoke, and the shouts of battle rose and fell, deafeningly loud.

This land seemed to have become a living hell, chaotic and extremely noisy.

In such a chaotic scene, Itachi's small and frail figure appeared exceptionally insignificant.

Compared to the burly, battle-hardened ninjas around him, he was utterly insignificant; one could easily overlook him if not paying close attention.

His youthful face displayed a composure and calmness far beyond his actual age.

His eyes showed no fear whatsoever, only endless calm and composure.

Calm and composed, he will go all out to do whatever he decides to do, striving for perfection and reaching his full potential.

In this crucible of blood and fire, Itachi seemed like an uninvolved observer, calmly analyzing the situation and making the most accurate judgments.

His abilities, the depth of his thoughts, and his mature and composed demeanor far surpass what his peers could achieve.

Tsunade said with a hint of mockery, "It seems your younger brother is far more capable than you."

"Of course!" Upon hearing someone praise Itachi, Koki instantly straightened her back.

His own brother is the best! In Koki's heart, Itachi is his pride.

"I'm so envious," Tsunade couldn't help but exclaim.

She knew very well that Konoha was about to undergo a complete transformation.

The Uchiha Clan's outstanding achievements on the battlefield during this war are undeniable.

The unparalleled strength and indomitable fighting spirit they displayed in the life-or-death struggle were truly awe-inspiring and admirable.

In stark contrast, the old man's actions...

Thinking of this, Tsunade couldn't help but sigh.

Koki asked, "What on earth happened?"

Tsunade quickly composed herself and readjusted her demeanor. "Koki, I have some good news and some bad news. Which one would you like to hear first?"

Tsunade actually resorted to such tricks?

Koki couldn't help but laugh out loud, and said softly, "In that case, tell me the bad news first."

Although the smoke of war has gradually dissipated, the aftershocks of the Third Shinobi World War are far from over.

Tsunade continued, "A, residing in the Kumogakure Village, was deeply shocked upon learning of his father's passing. Without hesitation, he immediately returned to attend his father's funeral. With no leader in sight, A stepped forward and resolutely took on the heavy responsibility of Fourth Raikage."

Tsunade paused briefly, then continued, "Fortunately, Ōnoki ultimately made a wise choice. He stopped stirring up trouble and creating conflict, and instead chose to reconcile with the other ninja villages, shaking hands and making peace with each other."

"I thought that this would gradually stabilize the situation, but who knew..." Tsunade's voice unconsciously rose a few decibels as she said this.

"However, the newly appointed Raikage actually held a secret meeting with the Tsuchikage, Ōnoki! The outcome of this unknown meeting was that Konoha had to hand over the Hyuga Hiashi Hyuga Clan leader, Hiashi Hyuga. Otherwise, they would join forces to attack Konoha again!"

At this moment, Tsunade clenched unconsciously due to anger.

Clearly, this is an extremely difficult problem for Konoha.

Any misstep could lead to utter disaster.

"Hmph." Koki chuckled lightly, her tone cold and sarcastic. "He's so 'lenient.' He just lost his father, and now he's cooperating with his father's killer. Anyone with a brain can see that there must be a huge conspiracy hidden here."

He was puzzled by the Raikage's actions, and a deep disgust for this conspiracy arose within him.

"Who says otherwise? What's worse, some damned bastard leaked the news, and now the entire village of Konoha knows about it!"

When Tsunade returned to the village and reported the battle situation to the Hokage, she saw that as the deadline given by Kumogakure drew Tenten closer, the faces of the pedestrians on the streets of Konoha were showing increasing anxiety.

The villagers, who had always longed for peace, began to gradually distance themselves from and even openly attack the Hyuga Clan, due to the deliberate instigation of certain individuals with ulterior motives.

For a time, the Hyuga Clan became the target of everyone's anger, and they were subjected to cold stares from many villagers.

The Hyuga Clan is mired in an unprecedented and immense predicament.

"Hmph, those familiar, disgusting tactics again."

"Is Hiruzen Sarutobi really going to compromise!?" He was incredibly disappointed by the Hokage's potential weak decision.

Tsunade did not reprimand Koki for her form of address; her expression was equally grave.

"I warned the old man before I left, but he... didn't seem to want the negotiations to break down."

"Tsunade, Konoha can no longer afford any more war." Although Hiruzen Sarutobi didn't say it explicitly, Tsunade could sense his helplessness from his unspoken words.

"That's nothing but his weak excuse!" Koki retorted angrily.