Chapter 102: Tsunade, the Master of Changing Faces

Night had fallen, yet the lights in the Hokage Building remained lit. "Hiruzen, the current battlefield situation is extremely dangerous. We can't afford to be so reckless. Holding the eastern front is enough for now—we at least need to wait until..." Mitokado Homura spoke with deep concern in the office. The next moment— Bang! With a loud crash, Tsunade kicked the door open. Hiruzen Sarutobi rubbed his temples. A headache. Dealing with just Homura was already troublesome enough, and now Tsunade had barged in. He could already see where this was going—it was going to be another exhausting argument. He got up, just about to scold her. But before he could say a word, Tsunade slammed a scroll onto the desk. Truthfully... She had actually wanted to smash the entire desk for better effect. That would have made the scene much more imposing. But then she remembered that she might need to use this desk in the future, so she decided to hold back. "You old-timers sure love to drag things out. Old man, just look at this!" Tsunade shot a glance at Homura, her eyes filled with scorn and disdain. Always pointing fingers, acting like he knew everything about warfare—what a joke! Hiruzen was briefly stunned, then immediately realized—if Tsunade had personally brought this over, it had to be an important battle report from Kyoichi. With a wave of his hand, he signaled for Homura to shut up. Sёarch* The nôvel_Fire.ηet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Then, he picked up the scroll and opened it. At first glance, his breath caught in his throat. He almost choked on his own excitement. "Cough, cough! Cough, cough, cough!" "Hiruzen! What's wrong, Hiruzen? I knew it—" Homura rushed forward to help him, assuming that Sarutobi was enraged and ready to lash out at Tsunade. But then, out of the corner of his eye, he caught sight of the report’s contents— ‘The Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist, along with an additional member, launched a surprise attack on the eastern front. They were intercepted by Kanda Kyoichi, Might Duy, and Shirakumo Hayama. Four were killed, three were captured alive, and only Hōzuki Mangetsu managed to escape by liquefying into water.’ The Hōzuki Clan is notoriously difficult to capture. That was common knowledge in the ninja world. The last time Kyoichi had managed to capture Hōzuki Chikage had been a rare exception. So it wasn’t surprising that Hōzuki Mangetsu had escaped—but what was surprising was that three people had managed to wipe out the Seven Ninja Swordsmen? Was this some kind of joke? Homura opened his mouth but couldn't find the words. "Incredible... Absolutely incredible... I agreed to let you coordinate with him because I trusted Kyoichi's abilities and knew he wouldn't suffer a loss, but I never expected him to completely crush the eastern front like this!" Hiruzen was at a loss for words. He was too excited. The Seven Ninja Swordsmen were each armed with a legendary blade, utilizing the Hiding in mist Jutsu and assassination techniques to wreak havoc in battles. Their presence alone posed a massive threat to Konoha's forces. But now, with four dead and three captured, the threat from Kirigakure’s eastern front had been cut in half. "Heh, I really don’t get your generation. You clearly have the strength, yet you all act so timid—like a bunch of cowards. Three villages are attacking us. We need to break the deadlock somewhere. If we don’t take down Kirigakure first, are you suggesting we should start by taking on Kumogakure instead?" Tsunade swept her gaze across the room, her tone dripping with contempt. Mitokado Homura fell silent. In the face of undeniable facts, words became meaningless. Mitokado Homura stared at the battle report, still finding it hard to believe. But reality was more convincing than any argument—especially when Yamanaka Inoichi’s seal was stamped on it. Yamanaka Inoichi would never falsify something like this. Hiruzen Sarutobi remained silent. Tsunade wasn’t just verbally blasting Homura—her words were directed at him too. But he had nothing to say in response. Holding the report, Hiruzen was both thrilled and ecstatic. After a long pause, he lightly tapped the desk and turned to Homura. "Old friend, why don’t you head to the frontlines?" Homura was stunned for a long moment. He looked at Sarutobi, then at Tsunade. Seeing the determined, almost desperate expression on Tsunade’s face, he let out a bitter laugh. "Perhaps I truly am old… Forget it. If I go to the battlefield, I might end up being more of a hindrance than a help. But if the village ever needs me, I won’t hesitate!" "Homura-sama, don’t say that. Everyone knows the contributions you’ve made. But now that you’re older, it’s our turn, the younger generation, to step up and protect the village. We won’t let you risk your life on the battlefield." "Konoha isn’t that desperate yet!" Tsunade’s tone softened in an instant. Just a moment ago, he was one of the "old geezers," and now he had become "Homura-sama." Her change in attitude was so fast that even Hiruzen was left speechless. But… Hiruzen understood Tsunade’s true intentions. She simply didn’t want Homura at the frontlines. His seniority and status were too high. If he went, it would interfere with battlefield command. And if he started nagging during a battle, even Jiraiya would find it unbearable. It was better for him to stay in the rear. Hiruzen felt a little guilty, but Homura’s decision to step back voluntarily was already the best outcome. If he really went to the battlefield… With their aging bodies, they would probably end up getting themselves killed. The problem was— He wasn’t sure what to have Homura do now. After some thought, Hiruzen finally said, "The war hasn’t fully begun yet. Why don’t you help train the younger genin and chunin in the village?" "That sounds good. And if I’m ever needed, please trust that I won’t hesitate to give my life," Homura said solemnly. With that, he didn’t linger any longer, sighing as he walked out of the office. Now that he was gone, Tsunade had no reason to be harsh anymore. She grinned and said to Hiruzen, "Sensei, Homura-sama has made plenty of contributions." "Ah… It’s good that you understand. In the end, it’s just a difference in ideology." Hiruzen shook his head and said no more. He flipped through the scroll again, frowning. "What about the six swords?" "Kyoichi sealed them away in Shikkotsu Forest to prevent Kirigakure from retrieving them." Tsunade’s face turned slightly red. Kyoichi’s intentions were clear. Part of it was indeed to keep Kirigakure from reclaiming the swords, but more importantly, he was preventing Hiruzen from using them as bargaining chips—such as handing them over in exchange for a truce. She had to admit—Hiruzen might actually do something like that. Hiruzen was silent for a few seconds before he finally spoke again. "Tsunade… is your ‘illness’ better now?" "Uh…" Tsunade’s expression darkened, and she slowly shook her head. But after a moment, she said, "It’s eased a little, though not completely gone. But since I’ve decided to take over, I will carry their will and become a worthy Hokage!" "Good. If that’s how you feel, I’m truly relieved. When this war is over, you will take over as Hokage." Hiruzen let out a breath. Kanda Kyoichi’s performance had far exceeded his expectations, and this battle was critical—it had nearly secured the eastern front. He could already foresee— By the time this war ended, Tsunade and Kyoichi’s combined prestige would make her succession as the Fourth Hokage undisputed. His only lingering concern was Tsunade’s "illness." If it was improving, it meant her emotional wounds were healing. --- Back at the camp— "Kyoichi-sama." "Reduce patrols by half and have the teams rotate shifts. If Kirigakure sends envoys for peace talks, just ignore them. We’ll deal with them in a few days." "Yes!" After returning, Kyoichi issued a series of orders. The Seven Ninja Swordsmen were almost entirely wiped out, but Kirigakure’s main forces were still intact, posing a significant threat. Unless they suddenly decided to stab Kumogakure in the back, there was no way Kyoichi could lower his guard. After finishing the arrangements, he dispelled his shadow clones. Then, he headed toward Might Duy’s tent. "Kyoichi-sensei!" Might Guy wiped away his tears, his face full of worry. "Let me check first." Duy was unconscious. He was used to opening the Sixth Gate, but the Seventh Gate and Daytime Tiger—this was his first time using them. Kyoichi carefully examined him. After a moment, he smiled. "Guy, your father is fine. He’s just exhausted." "Really?" Hearing that, Might Guy’s eyes lit up with joy. "Yes. But when he wakes up, he’ll need to rest for a few days. Make sure he doesn’t train during that time. Your job is to take care of him." "Yes!" Might Guy was overjoyed. Kyoichi patted his shoulder and stepped outside. Asuma and the others looked worried but didn’t dare to approach. "He’s fine. Everyone, get some rest." "Yes!" Hearing that, they all sighed in relief. "Sensei, that technique from Duy-san…" Shisui was curious. It didn’t seem like ninjutsu, but it was far beyond ordinary taijutsu. "I suspected that beyond the Sixth Gate, each gate might bring a different transformation, possibly leading to unique taijutsu techniques. That move must have been something Duy-san developed himself." Kyoichi glanced at them and continued, "If you lack talent, then just stay focused. Even mastering a single technique can make you strong." "Yes!" Everyone was encouraged. Their teacher was right—if they focused on one thing, they could still become powerful! Of course… That was a half-truth. Focusing on one thing could make someone strong, but not necessarily to a remarkable level—certainly nowhere near the level of the Eight Gates. Take Kurenai Yuhi as an example. She specialized in genjutsu. And in the end? She was… just decent. In fact, Kurenai was a year older than Asuma and the others, yet she didn’t become a jōnin until just before the new generation graduated. So really, inspirational speeches were nice and all, but reality was a different story. A system notification appeared. Kyoichi glanced at it indifferently. Just another ordinary ninjutsu. Nothing particularly valuable. After exchanging a few words with his students, he went to see Yamanaka Inoichi. Inoichi was working overtime. The three captives weren’t urgent matters, but Ameyuri Ringo, who had died, needed to be dealt with quickly. Seeing Inoichi’s exhausted face, Kyoichi had a sudden thought— Could his chakra absorption technique be modified into a chakra transmission technique? It seemed worth trying. But… It wasn’t a priority for now. Chakra absorption was already difficult to master. It required precise chakra control, and without that, the absorption rate would be terrible—just like Akado Yoroi. Later that night— The Uchiha’s second wave of reinforcements arrived. This time, Fugaku led the team personally. He had originally assumed he was walking into an intense battle, where he would play a key role in turning the tide. In fact, he had even debated how much effort the Uchiha should put in, worried that showing too much strength would make Konoha wary. But when he arrived— The battlefield was… completely calm. After a brief conversation with Uchiha Yashiro, Fugaku was left utterly dumbfounded. The Seven Ninja Swordsmen were already dead? The eastern front was practically secured? All that strategizing, and in the end, he had been outwitting himself. Fugaku stared blankly, momentarily at a loss for words. After a long silence— "Has anything else happened?" "The next Hokage will likely be Tsunade." "I figured as much. Anything else?" Fugaku wasn’t surprised. With Kyoichi’s influence and Tsunade’s return, it was clear she was being positioned as the next leader. Yashiro shook his head. Fugaku stared blankly at the night sky. So... He had rushed all the way here, only to be left with nothing but scraps. If Kirigakure surrendered... Would he have to head back tomorrow?