Chapter 87: Tsunade: This Time, I’m Not Gambling

Teaching the jōnin didn’t take much time—after all, they were all sharp-minded. They gathered in the morning and dispersed by noon. During lunch, Kyoichi ate with Tsunade. At some point, she brought up the true intention behind the Third Hokage’s actions— Promotion. Establishing authority. Every step was paving the way for Kyoichi’s upcoming deployment to the Eastern Front. And the shinobi benefiting from today’s training? They were likely the very ones who would be heading east with him. Kyoichi wholeheartedly agreed. As a seasoned commander, Tsunade knew exactly what was going on behind the scenes. A few days later… Sure enough, Kyoichi received the deployment list. The jōnin on the list were those heading to the Eastern Front ahead of him. Most of them were the ones who had benefited from his teachings the other day. And on this very day, Kyoichi also had to set out for his patrol mission in the eastern region of the Land of Fire. However… It wasn’t because Kirigakure was stirring up trouble. Quite the opposite. It was Kumogakure that had begun making moves first! Along the border of the Land of Lightning, Kumo-nin activity was growing more frequent, and there were even reports of their presence within the Land of Fire—alongside Iwa-nin. At the same time… There was intel from Iwagakure’s Anbu. A significant number of Iwa-nin were also active along the borders, showing signs of preparing for cross-border conflicts. This was a bad sign. It was possible that all three villages had reached some kind of mutual understanding! --- That Evening After discussing the upcoming mission with Asuma and the others, Kyoichi returned home at dusk. He was contemplating whether to go out for dinner when, the moment he opened the door, a rich aroma of home-cooked food greeted him. He froze. Turning his head, he saw Tsunade and Shizune gathered around the table, which was filled with an array of dishes. “Welcome home! Come eat,” Tsunade said with a warm smile. “Uh… Tsunade-nee, did you… cook this?” Kyoichi asked, skeptical. The food wasn’t fancy, but it looked delicious—definitely not some culinary disaster. Could Tsunade really cook this well? No way! He distinctly remembered how Nawaki had nearly “ascended” after eating her cooking. “What, you don’t believe me?” “One look and I can tell Shizune made it. It smells amazing! But still, thanks for waiting for me, Tsunade-nee.” “You talk too much!” Tsunade’s face stiffened, her expression turning sour. Shizune burst out laughing. She had already told Tsunade she wouldn’t be able to fool Kyoichi, but Tsunade just wouldn’t listen. The three of them picked up their chopsticks. “Itadakimasu!” Under the warm glow of the lamp, the house felt unusually cozy. --- The Next Day “I’m heading out. No need to see me off.” “Hah, it’s just a battlefield. Who’d bother sending you off? Get lost already…” Tsunade scoffed. But… The moment Kyoichi stepped out the door, she leaned against the doorway, watching his departing figure with a mixture of worry and melancholy. “This time, I’m not gambling.” “You better come back!” She muttered under her breath—so softly that no one else could hear. Shizune said nothing. But she knew that at this moment, Tsunade-sama was just as worried about Kyoichi as she had been for those two in the past. “Tsunade-sama…?” “Shizune, from today onward, I’m doubling your training. If you dare slack off… hmph!” “Eh?” Shizune was stunned. Then, she saw Tsunade walk back inside and pull out a notebook. Next to it was a towering stack of books. All medical books. Some were Tsunade’s personal notes, while another pile was pushed toward Shizune. “Read them. If you don’t understand something, ask.” With that, Tsunade buried herself in research—she had to master seal-less healing as soon as possible! --- At the Village Gate Kyoichi had already regrouped with Shisui and the others. “Sensei, what’s our mission this time?” Asuma asked curiously. Standing nearby, Kurenai and Shisui weren’t focused on the mission itself—each had their own thoughts. Kurenai was contemplating medical ninjutsu. As for Shisui… His mind was preoccupied with how to persuade his clan members. Kyoichi’s strategy had worked well. Over the past few days, Shisui had been working with Tekka to slowly influence Inabi. And the best part? Inabi himself had been figuring things out through reading. Unfortunately… Right at this crucial moment, they had to go on a mission. Would Tekka be able to handle it alone? Shisui sighed, feeling a bit anxious. But he forced himself to focus on the present—only to hear something shocking. “We’re heading to the Eastern Front.” “Is there a war?” All three of them immediately tensed up. A war?! And they were the first to go? A mix of fear and excitement surged through them. “In a way. The timing depends on Kirigakure’s movements… or on me.” “…You’re the commander?” Shisui’s eyes widened in shock. For the past few days, he had been reading books outside of ninjutsu for the sake of persuading his clan. Even though much of it was difficult to understand, he still grasped one crucial fact— Command meant power. Could it be… That sensei had a real shot at becoming Hokage? Excitement bubbled up inside him. If sensei became Hokage, then the Uchiha’s biggest concerns would be resolved. Kyoichi’s attitude toward their clan was far more favorable than most. “Yeah, but don’t overthink it. I’m just in charge of the battlefield. Besides, I’ll be coordinating with Tsunade-sama—it’s not like I have full authority.” Kyoichi smiled. He said this mostly for Shisui’s sake. After all, he had already received information from his shadow clone regarding Shisui’s recent discussions with his clan. He knew exactly what was on the boy’s mind. Shisui was growing quickly, but his thoughts sometimes veered off track. He tended to overanalyze things. Shisui understood the hint and gave a slight nod. Tsunade-sama… She should be trustworthy too. I should do some research on her when I get back. Regardless, this is definitely good news for the Uchiha. “Sensei is amazing… You’re only seven years older than me, and you’re already the commander of the Eastern Front.” Asuma spoke with genuine admiration and respect. “Haven’t you noticed? Lately, everything has revolved around sensei. Clearly, something big is happening,” Kurenai added. She spent a lot of time at the hospital, where Kyoichi’s name was prominently displayed on the bulletin boards. It was impossible to ignore. Plus, her father had mentioned Kyoichi’s growing status recently. So… She had already sensed that the higher-ups were preparing something for him. And now, it was all happening. “Becoming a chūnin really makes a difference, huh? Your intel gathering and analysis skills have improved a lot. Keep it up,” Kyoichi said, ruffling Kurenai’s hair. It was soft and silky… The texture was excellent. “Sensei, even you’re teasing me now.” Kurenai didn’t think her chūnin rank was anything special. “In terms of ability, I’m nowhere near Shisui. This promotion should’ve been his.” She felt it was unfair to Shisui. After all, during the second exam, Shisui had contributed far more—he just hadn’t been in the spotlight. At least, that’s how she saw it. “Haha.” Kyoichi chuckled but didn’t comment. Shisui, however, explained, “You’re overthinking it. Your strength is more than enough. As for me… I requested not to be promoted. I didn’t want to become a chūnin just yet.” “…Huh?” Asuma was dumbfounded. He had always thought his father was being biased against the Uchiha. Searᴄh the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. But… Shisui asked to stay a genin? That was unexpected. “Why?” Kurenai was equally stunned. “The reason is complicated. But I did request it. I even discussed it with sensei, and he agreed with my decision.” Shisui didn’t elaborate on the reason. It wasn’t a matter of distrust. This was an internal Uchiha affair—dragging Kurenai and Asuma into it wouldn’t be appropriate. He didn’t want them to get entangled in Uchiha’s issues. As for his teacher… Shisui did a quick mental count and realized—there wasn’t a single person in the Uchiha clan who could pose a real threat to Kyoichi. Right now, the Uchiha… They no longer had a true top-tier genius. Shisui had once been proud of his own talent. But after stepping out into the wider world, he understood—there were far more geniuses outside their clan. Without their past glory, the Uchiha had little left to be proud of.