Chapter 72: I, Tsunade, Will Protect Everything in Konoha!

Konoha’s streets were alive with a particularly eye-catching sight. "One hundred more laps! One hundred more! Youth knows no surrender!" "Charge!" Might Gai sprinted ahead with reckless abandon. Behind him, Genma and the others gritted their teeth, forcing themselves to keep up. They weren’t aiming for speed—just completion. This was their current state. A month ago, running three hundred laps would have been their limit. Now, they could push to four hundred. The improvement was staggering. "Everyone’s here? Mind if I join?" "Kyohiko?" The group turned. Kyohiko and Kakashi stood atop a nearby tree before flickering down in a shunshin, landing right in their midst. The others quickly gathered around. This wasn’t their first meeting. Over the past month, they had gathered once before to exchange insights on taijutsu—nothing too advanced, but enough to establish mutual respect and camaraderie. "Kyohiko, Kakashi? What brings you here today? Weren’t you supposed to be at your jōnin promotion ceremony?" Genma asked, his voice tinged with envy. "I’m two years older than you, and I’m still a genin. Haven’t even taken the chūnin exams yet." "You’ll get your chance. This year was just unusual. With your current strength, next year’s a sure thing," Kyohiko reassured him. And it wasn’t empty praise. After their recent training, Genma and Ebisu had improved significantly. They might not match prodigies like Gai or Kakashi, who had trained since childhood, but they were far stronger than before—easily among the elite of their peers. But comparisons were cruel. Next to Kyohiko’s jōnin status, even Kakashi’s record as a six-year-old chūnin paled in comparison. "You guys hungry? I brought some food." Kyohiko lifted a box of sushi. Might Gai immediately perked up. "Perfect! Food first, then running!" He eagerly took the box and led the group to the riverside, where they sat down to eat and chat. Ebisu sighed, lamenting how few of their original training group remained. A month ago, many had joined their runs, but most dropped out. The last holdout—Uchiha Obito—had vanished recently too. "He stopped coming?" "Yeah. Haven’t seen him around much lately. Even his usual street good deeds have dried up," Genma remarked, twirling a senbon between his lips. "You think something happened?" "Graduation exams are coming up. Maybe he’s finally taking them seriously," Kyohiko mused, thinking of Rin. Back in the Academy, Obito had never felt urgency—not with Rin as his friend. But now that Rin had joined the early medical-nin training program, effectively graduating ahead of him, Obito must have felt the pressure. He wants to catch up, huh? Kyohiko couldn’t help but reflect on how quickly time passed. In just a few months, another year would be gone. But at least their efforts hadn’t been wasted. Shaking off his thoughts, Kyohiko focused on Genma and Ebisu. Their strengths lay in different areas. Genma excelled in weaponry, with decent taijutsu and mediocre ninjutsu. Ebisu, on the other hand, was more theory-oriented—strong in ninjutsu and genjutsu concepts but lacking in execution. But that didn’t mean he was hopeless. "Ebisu, last time we talked, I mentioned how solid your theoretical foundation is. Your logic is sharp," Kyohiko said. "Thanks." Ebisu stiffened slightly. At their last gathering, he hadn’t known Kyohiko was about to become a jōnin. Now, the status gap made him self-conscious. Gai, however, remained as blunt as ever. "Theory’s great, but if you can’t apply it, what’s the point? You gotta train!" His words were harsh, but... Everyone nodded, including Ebisu himself. Kyohiko chuckled. "What I mean is, you might benefit from a different approach—breaking down techniques theoretically first, then adapting them to your style. Not everyone learns the same way." Theory and analysis were a teacher’s tools. Ebisu had the potential to become a tokubetsu jōnin through instruction—he wasn’t untalented. His issue was understanding techniques but failing to master them. Before, Kyohiko couldn’t help much. But after his Water Wall reached Master rank, he’d gained deeper insights into hand seals and jutsu mechanics—knowledge worth sharing. And it wasn’t just Ebisu who listened intently. Well, except Gai, who quickly grew dizzy and gave up, rubbing his temples. Once Kyohiko finished, Ebisu seemed deep in thought. "I think I get it..." He then shared his recent findings on Fire Release, followed by Genma’s weapon techniques, Kakashi’s insights, and Gai’s own progress. The exchange was fruitful. But Ebisu knew his contributions weren’t equal. Kyohiko and Kakashi didn’t need Fire Release tips. I’ll just have to work harder. Still, Kyohiko hadn’t come just for this. "Gai, you guys been on any missions lately?" "A few, but mostly D-ranks. Barely any C-ranks. Nothing challenging." Kyohiko nodded. "Soon, you might be joining me and Kakashi on missions." Kakashi stayed silent. "Wait, what?!" All three shot to their feet, stunned. They exchanged glances. Genma was the first to recover, removing his senbon with a wry smile. "Makes sense. Gai’s always been ahead of us. He just lacks ninjutsu and genjutsu—something your team covers." He turned to Gai. "Congrats, Gai. You’ll grow even faster with them." "I..." Gai looked lost. He’d grown used to his current team—the idea of leaving hadn’t crossed his mind. Ebisu, however, frowned. "If you’re teaming up, the missions won’t be easy, right? Is Kyohiko leading?" "No way. I’m too young to lead even as a jōnin. Captain Minato will be in charge," Kyohiko clarified. Ebisu’s worry deepened. "Captain Minato... I’ve heard he’s strong. But a team like yours... the missions must be dangerous." "Yeah." Gai looked at his friends, touched by their concern. But he flashed a bright grin, thumbs up and all. "D-ranks and C-ranks are boring! Bring on the challenge! The Blue Beast of Konoha is ready!" His theatrics lightened the mood. The Blue Beast of Konoha... Genma and Ebisu stifled laughs. That was Gai’s self-proclaimed title. But the thought of parting still weighed on them. "As shinobi, genin teams are just the beginning..." Kakashi muttered, though he trailed off when he saw their expressions. Kyohiko tugged his sleeve. "Gai, we’ll head out first." "Got it. Thanks, Kyohiko. You too, Kakashi." Gai might not be the sharpest, but he wasn’t dumb. He knew Kyohiko and Kakashi had come specifically for this—and that their earlier discussion was partly to help Genma and Ebisu improve. "We’ll leave you to it." Kakashi gave a slight bow, and the two departed. Left behind, the trio no longer felt like running. --- The next day team assignments were finalized. Minato, Kyohiko, Kakashi, and Might Gai stood together in the Hokage’s office—their new four-man squad. "You’re all exceptional young shinobi. This team is meant to help you grow, and for Minato to hone his leadership..." Hiruzen Sarutobi droned on about the Will of Fire. The others listened dutifully. Well, except Gai, who pumped his fist at every other sentence, fueling Hiruzen’s speech with sheer enthusiasm. By the time they left to receive their mission, the Hokage was in high spirits. Outside, Gai turned to Kyohiko, eyes shining. "Kyohiko! The Hokage’s speech was amazing! It sounded just like what you always say!" "Wait, that’s why you were so excited?" "Yeah! Helping each other grow, protecting the village—isn’t that the Will of Fire? You basically said the same thing!" Gai radiated pride, as if Kyohiko’s words matching the Hokage’s was some grand achievement. Kakashi’s eye twitched. Or maybe Kyohiko’s ideas just align with the Will of Fire to begin with? Either way, Gai’s presence was going to test his patience. But orders were orders. Taking a deep breath, Kakashi turned to Minato. "Captain, are we heading to the mission desk, or do we have other duties?" "We already have a mission." Minato’s expression turned serious. "Let’s go. I’ll brief you on the way." "Yes, sir!" Bypassing the mission desk meant this was a direct assignment—no small matter. --- "Captain, what’s the mission?" "Kyohiko, you might remember—the Hyuga clansman you rescued before?" "Yeah." Minato nodded. "Our target is the one who injured him. Intelligence suggests it’s Sasori of the Red Sand—a missing-nin from Suna." He shared the details. The intel came from Suna itself. Their squad wasn’t the only one involved—the Ino-Shika-Cho team was also deployed. But with their team’s speed, they’d been chosen as well. Yet Kyohiko suspected another reason. The political battle in Konoha was heating up. Sending him away could mean many things—keeping him out of the conflict, or some scheme of Hiruzen’s. As Tsunade-nee said... never underestimate the Third Hokage. Or perhaps both Hiruzen and Danzo were waiting— Waiting for a patient only Tsunade could save. --- Konoha Hospital Beneath Konoha’s calm surface, tensions simmered. As Kyohiko’s team left for the border, another squad rushed into the village, carrying a wounded comrade. "Medic! We need a medic!" The hospital staff scrambled to respond. But the injuries were severe—crushed bones, embedded debris, infection setting in after days without treatment. A brutal case. Shizune, the lead medic grimaced. This would be a nightmare to fix. At best, amputation—ending the man’s shinobi career. "Get him inside!" As the medics worked, the squad leader grabbed Shizune’s arm, desperation in his eyes. "Can you save him?" Shizune hesitated. One of the other shinobi spoke up. "Isn’t Tsunade-sama back? Can’t she help?" "Enough!" The squad leader—Mokuzen Kodachi—snapped at his teammate. But the question lingered. Kodachi had once been on a team with Tsunade and the late Dan Kato. The memories were painful, but... If anyone could save his comrade, it was her. Swallowing his pride, he turned back to Shizune. "Is... is Tsunade here?" Shizune hesitated. "She is, but she’s currently researching a critical medicine. She can’t take surgeries right now. We’ll do our best." "Where is she? I’ll beg her myself—" Before Kodachi could finish, a bystander sighed. "Don’t bother. Rumor is Tsunade-sama’s been unfit for surgery for a while now." "What?!" Kodachi recoiled. "Yeah. Since her return, she hasn’t performed a single operation." The whispers spread. Tsunade... can’t heal anymore? Kodachi thought back to Dan’s death, to Nawaki’s— Was that why she left Konoha? But why return now? As the murmurs grew, a voice cut through the noise. "What’s going on? Kodachi? Is that you?" Tsunade stepped into the hall, her presence commanding instant silence. Of course, she’d known about the commotion. She’d waited deliberately—letting the situation build before making her entrance. "Tsunade, my teammate—he’s badly hurt. But I heard... you can’t operate anymore?" Kodachi’s voice was thick with emotion. Tsunade’s fingers trembled slightly—just enough to be noticed. Before she could respond, the other shinobi—Daizu—dropped to his knees. "Please! Save him! He’s got a kid—he can’t lose his leg!" Shizune glanced at Tsunade. "Tsunade-sama, you—" Tsunade’s expression flickered with fear, confirming the rumors. The crowd’s hope shattered. If even Tsunade hesitated, the situation was dire. Then, Tsunade spoke, her voice unsteady. "It’s true. After Dan and Nawaki died... I developed hemophobia. I’ve been fighting it, but..." The admission hung in the air. Daizu crumpled. Kodachi looked heartbroken—yet understanding. But Tsunade wasn’t done. She took a deep breath, then straightened. "No. I couldn’t save Dan or Nawaki. That’s exactly why I can’t fail anyone else!" Her gaze swept the room before locking onto Shizune. "Prep the OR. I’ll scrub in." "Tsunade-sama, are you sure—?" "Trust me." With that, Tsunade strode forward, her voice ringing clear. "Protecting this village, protecting its people—that was my grandfather’s dream. My uncle’s. Dan’s. Nawaki’s." She paused at the operating room doors, her back to the crowd. "And mine." "I will protect everything in Konoha!" Then she stepped inside. Silence. Then, murmurs. Then, as the hours passed—hope. By noon, the hospital was packed. The news had spread. Tsunade’s hemophobia. Her vow. The surgery. People prayed for a miracle. Inside the OR, Shizune watched in awe as Tsunade’s hands steadied—her fear vanishing with each precise movement. "Begin." Her voice was calm. And in that moment, everyone believed— She would succeed. The surgery was grueling, even for Tsunade. But her skill was unmatched. Debridement. Detoxification. Reconstruction. Healing. Step by step, flawless. She commanded the room like a queen. Outside, the crowd waited. And waited. Until— Shizune emerged, exhaustion lining her face but triumph in her eyes. "The surgery was a success. Please keep noise to a minimum." A beat of silence. Then— Cheers erupted, spilling into the streets. Most were genuine, celebrating Tsunade’s return. But not all. For some, this wasn’t the outcome they’d wanted. Tsunade had turned the tide—not just in the OR, but in the court of public opinion. And now, against the roaring approval of the villagers, they had no choice but to cheer along. Inside, Kodachi wiped his tears. "Shizune... is Tsunade alright?" "She pushed herself hard, but she’ll be fine. The patient will make a full recovery. Only Tsunade-sama could’ve pulled this off." Shizune’s voice held nothing but reverence. Because in that operating room, she’d witnessed a legend reclaim her throne.