Chapter 189. Tsunade’s Unease

Chapter 189 - 189. Tsunade's UneaseLand of Snow, Konoha Village's main base. Orochimaru was holding a document, reading it intently. In front of him, Shimura Danzo was rambling on and on, saying the same things over and over—urging Orochimaru to find ways to achieve greater accomplishments. Orochimaru paid him no mind. The document detailed Uchiha Shisui's recent performance. Orochimaru had a vague sense that something was off. Shisui's Sharingan was just too powerful—so powerful that it didn't seem like it was merely a three-tomoe Sharingan. Especially during the earlier battle where Hatake Sakumo's team severely injured the Two-Tails Jinchuriki. There were many suspicious points about that fight. Could a combat-type Jonin and a newly awakened three-tomoe Uchiha really defeat a Jinchuriki? It seemed unlikely. Orochimaru suspected that Uchiha Shisui might have awakened the Mangekyo Sharingan. Senju Tobirama had conducted very detailed research on the Uchiha clan. As a senior figure in Konoha and a scientific enthusiast, Orochimaru had naturally reviewed this research. The Mangekyo Sharingan... its power was still unknown. Orochimaru fell into thought, considering the idea of testing Uchiha Shisui. "Orochimaru!" Shimura Danzo shouted in frustration, dissatisfied with being ignored. He was reminded of how Orochimaru had once said Hatake Sakumo wouldn't surpass him, and that made his blood boil. So far, the biggest achievement in Konoha's conflict with the Hidden Cloud Village was severely injuring the Two-Tails Jinchuriki. At that moment, there was a knock on the door outside. "Lord Danzo, Lord Orochimaru, this is intelligence from Konoha regarding the Hidden Stone Village battlefield." A ninja from the Anbu entered, though he had once been a member of the Root, so he handed the scroll to Shimura Danzo. "You may leave." Shimura Danzo took the scroll and waved him off. "Yes." The Anbu ninja turned and left. "This is probably more bad news," Shimura Danzo muttered, hesitating for a few seconds before opening the scroll. His entire body began to tremble. After reading that Hanekawa and Tsunade had captured the Four-Tails Jinchuriki Roshi alive, his first thought was: My chance to become Hokage is gone! "Did the Hidden Stone Village retreat?" Orochimaru glanced at him, speaking in a calm tone. "See for yourself!" Shimura Danzo slammed the scroll onto Orochimaru's desk and stormed out of the tent, his face ashen. The tide had turned, and there was nothing he could do to change it. Unless Orochimaru could conquer the Hidden Cloud Village and capture A, Killer B, and the Two-Tails Jinchuriki alive. But was that even possible? Orochimaru frowned slightly. What was that old man's attitude? He skimmed through the scroll and understood why Danzo was so upset. Tsunade's student, Hanekawa, had grown to such a level already? Orochimaru had met Hanekawa a few times before, but apartalreadyis striking appearance, he hadn't left much of an impression. After all, he didn't care about so-called geniuses. Because he was a genius himself. "It seems the position of Hokage is destined for Tsunade," Orochimaru murmured as he closed the scroll. Even he couldn't see anyone else who could compete with Tsunade for the role. Unless someone killed her. But Orochimaru wasn't going to do such a thing. And as her teammate, he knew full well how difficult it would be to kill Tsunade. Shaking his head, Orochimaru dismissed the thought. The position of Hokage had always been something he considered optional. Now that it was out of reach, he felt no bitterness. On the contrary, he felt the war had brought some valuable gains—particularly the surprises involving the Sharingan and Uchiha Shisui. In a nearby tent, Hatake Sakumo's team had also received the intelligence from Konoha. "Hanekawa captured a Jinchuriki alive?!" Sarutobi Asuma couldn't help but widen his eyes. "This... this sounds almost unbelievable." Shizune froze for a few seconds, her expression filled with shock. "As expected of Hanekawa!" Uchiha Shisui's reaction was much calmer. As Hanekawa had guessed, it was indeed because Shisui had awakened the Mangekyo Sharingan that he had been able to severely injure the Two-Tails Jinchuriki. Originally, Shisui thought that after awakening his Mangekyo, he would surpass Hanekawa. Now, it seemed uncertain. In terms of raw strength, the Four-Tails was stronger than the Two-Tails. Moreover, Shisui had relied on Hatake Sakumo's help to severely injure the Two-Tails Jinchuriki. But after thinking about it, he wasn't too surprised. After all, from childhood to now, Hanekawa had always been the strongest among their group of friends. Even without a bloodline limit, he couldn't be measured by normal standards. "This is bad!" Sarutobi Asuma lamented, "I'm going to live in Hanekawa's shadow for the rest of my life!" ... Mizukage Tower, Hidden Mist Village "Kurīare Kushimaru's loss to him is not unjustified," said the Third Mizukage calmly with his eyes closed. Mei Terumi stood frozen, holding a scroll in her hands, unable to recover from the shock. How long had it been since their last meeting? And yet, his strength had grown to the point of defeating the Four-Tails Jinchuriki, Roshi? Was this even reasonable? How had he trained to such a level? As the unparalleled genius of the Hidden Mist Village, Mei Terumi had already achieved near-miraculous speed in mastering Water Release jutsu. But Hanekawa's abilities were on a whole other level. She felt as if she'd never get back the money or shoes she had lost to him. Worse, the next time they met, she might lost even more. That maniac! Mei Terumi gritted her teeth in frustration. "Truly impressive," said a young-looking, baby-faced ninja after a moment of silence. This was Yagura Karatachi, who in the original story would become the Three-Tails Jinchuriki and the Fourth Mizukage, a formidable figure. However, he would soon fall under Uchiha Obito's control, turning the Hidden Mist Village into a bloodier and more oppressive place. "What should we do now?" asked Ao in a deep voice. In the original story, Ao would be known as the "Byakugan Hunter" after obtaining a Byakugan. However, at this point, he was still a skilled Jonin without such fame or a Byakugan. "Wait," said the Third Mizukage slowly. "Konoha has captured Roshi, the Four-Tails Jinchuriki. The Hidden Stone Village will definitely respond, perhaps even by launching an all-out war." His meaning was simple—wait until the others fought each other to the death, then swoop in to pick up the spoils. "Understood," Ao nodded. This approach was undoubtedly the most beneficial for the Hidden Mist Village. "Our primary target remains Konoha," the Third Mizukage continued. "We cannot let the deaths of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen go unavenged." Of course, he had another reason he didn't voice. The Hidden Mist Village was renowned for its Water Release jutsu. Yet Hanekawa's mastery of Water Release had allowed him to defeat the Four-Tails Jinchuriki, Roshi. For the strongest Water Release user not to be from the Hidden Mist Village was a disgrace that could not be tolerated. If they could defeat Hanekawa, it would prove that the Hidden Mist's Water Release techniques were superior. In the Third Mizukage's eyes, Hanekawa's victory over Roshi was due to the natural advantage of Water Release over the Four-Tails. If it had been him, the result would have been the same. He was confident that his Water Release techniques were no weaker than Hanekawa's. After all, he was the Mizukage! --- Night Tsunade returned to Konoha's camp. As she entered her tent, she saw Hanekawa already waiting for her. "How's your condition?" Tsunade kicked off her shoes, walked barefoot to him, and plopped down on the carpet. "I have the Yin Seal, so I've recovered," Hanekawa replied with a sigh. "But the chakra I used up won't come back quickly." "You little brat! Complaining even after getting such a huge advantage!" Tsunade leaned forward and flicked his forehead. Hanekawa's eyelid twitched. It wasn't just his forehead she flicked—her precariously loose clothing also added to the distraction. "What advantage did I get?" Hanekawa quickly averted his gaze. "Capturing Roshi alive while only depleting your chakra—how is that not a huge gain?" Tsunade rolled her eyes at him. "Fair point," Hanekawa admitted with a nod. "So, what's my reward?" "Don't worry, you'll be well rewarded," Tsunade said with a laugh. "When you return to Konoha, the old man will definitely reward you." Searᴄh the ηovёlFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "And you, Sensei?" Hanekawa asked, blinking expectantly. "What can I give you? I've already taught you everything I can," Tsunade replied. Suddenly, as if recalling something, she said, "Well, there is one thing you haven't learned yet—the Sage Mode of the Shikkotsu Forest." "Sage Mode?" Hanekawa was momentarily stunned. He hadn't been expecting this when he asked for a reward. But Sage Mode was intriguing. Whether or not he could learn it was another matter, but it was worth a try. "That's right," Tsunade explained. "In the ninja world, besides chakra, there's also natural energy, which can only be utilized through Sage Mode." She then delved into an explanation of Sage Mode, which was similar to its depiction in the original story. Sage Mode is a special state where natural energy is absorbed and combined with physical and spiritual energy to create Sage Chakra. Sage Chakra can be used for senjutsu (sage techniques) and to enhance taijutsu, ninjutsu, and genjutsu, making it incredibly powerful. The enhancement isn't just a doubling of power—it's a massive multiplication. At present, only Jiraiya could use a semi-complete Sage Mode. Before him, Senju Hashirama had used Sage Mode in combination with Wood Release and his massive chakra reserves to dominate the ninja world. In the original story, the number of ninja capable of using Sage Mode was extremely small. Only Kabuto Yakushi, Naruto Uzumaki, and Minato Namikaze, perhaps along with Madara Uchiha, had ever successfully mastered Sage Mode. Even Orochimaru hadn't succeeded. Instead, he created an inferior version, the Cursed Seal. This highlighted the difficulty of learning Sage Mode. "Learning Sage Mode takes a long time. Once the war ends, I'll take you to meet Katsuyu," Tsunade said, stretching lazily. Then she asked, "I'm hungry. Do you have anything to eat?" "I do," Hanekawa replied, taking out a bento box. "You just made this?" Tsunade asked, noticing it was still warm as she accepted it. "About two hours ago," Hanekawa said after a brief pause. "I kept it warm with Fire Release." Tsunade's heart softened as she looked at the bento box in her hands. It was obvious this meal had been prepared for her in advance, yet she'd been delayed by issues with the Hidden Stone Village. Despite this, Hanekawa had ensured her dinner was ready and warm. Tsunade suddenly realized how lucky she was to have someone who cared so thoroughly for her, someone who didn't mind her temper. Shaking off her thoughts, she opened the bento box. As usual, it was a sumptuous meal. Picking up a piece of chicken cutlet with her chopsticks, she took a bite and immediately closed her eyes in satisfaction. Hanekawa's cooking never disappointed. "I've already had Minato take Roshi back to the Hidden Leaf Village," Tsunade said suddenly. "If there's anything from the Hidden Stone Village that interests you, let me know, and I'll add it to the negotiation terms." "Lava Release techniques," Hanekawa said without hesitation. "Are you sure?" Tsunade asked, surprised. "Lava Release is a kekkei genkai. Even if you get the scroll, it'll be hard to learn." "Not necessarily," Hanekawa replied with a smile. "Lava Release is a combination of Fire and Earth Release, and I know a thing or two about both." "It's not that easy," Tsunade said, biting into a rice ball. "Too bad there's no sake." "There's no harm in trying," Hanekawa said casually. "Besides, it's better not to drink during a war. Save it for when we're home." "Fine," Tsunade agreed after some thought. "Considering how valuable a Jinchuriki is, we can demand plenty. Adding Lava Release techniques to the trade is reasonable." "Thank you, Sensei," Hanekawa said with a smile as he watched her eat. "There's nothing to thank me for," Tsunade replied, shaking her head. "Without you, we couldn't have captured Roshi, let alone profited so much." "All the Water Release techniques I know are thanks to you," Hanekawa said earnestly. "You deserve the most credit." "Your next line is probably about making me Hokage, isn't it?" Tsunade said, narrowing her eyes at him. "Congratulations, you've learned to anticipate me. That's exactly what I meant," Hanekawa admitted with a light cough. Tsunade looked away and bit down hard on a piece of chicken cutlet. "...?" Hanekawa felt a slight tension in his chest. "Becoming Hokage isn't that simple," Tsunade said after chewing and swallowing. "The old man's not that old yet. If he doesn't step down, he could stay in the position for a long time." Hanekawa raised an eyebrow. Was she wavering? Tsunade wasn't wrong—Hiruzen Sarutobi had served two terms as Hokage in the original story, holding the position until his death. Minato Namikaze only became the Fourth Hokage because Konoha had suffered heavy losses during the Third Shinobi War. Under immense pressure, Hiruzen took responsibility and voluntarily stepped down. But the current situation was different—Konoha was winning. Still, it wasn't hopeless. Tsunade's reputation was already so high that it was nearly on par with Hiruzen's. If she sought the Daimyo's support, the ninja clans and individual shinobi would naturally rally behind her. "If you want the position, Sensei, it's only a matter of time," Hanekawa said, staring at her. "What do you think?" "I..." Tsunade met his gaze but couldn't bring herself to refuse outright. Her eyes shifted to the bento box in her hands. "It's too early to talk about this now," she said, shaking her head with an impassive expression. "True," Hanekawa said with a chuckle. "Let's wait until after the war." He had already noticed her wavering. Once doubt took root, it would grow, eventually leading to acceptance. Tsunade unknowingly let out a sigh of relief. For some reason, she felt a slight pressure in Hanekawa's presence. Was it because she cared too much? Silently finishing the bento, she said, "I'm going to rest now. See you tomorrow." "Goodnight, Sensei," Hanekawa said, picking up the empty bento box and leaving her tent. Within three days, shocking news spread throughout the camp. The Tsuchikage, Onoki, had led 10,000 ninja from the Hidden Stone Village in a surprise attack by sea, catching the Hidden Cloud Village completely off guard. _ Patreon.com/rashta 1. 340 adv ch of Talent System In Naruto 2. 560 adv ch of Qian Renxue's Younger Brother 3. 270 adv ch of Uchiha Madara's Cousin 4. 163 adv ch of WDQK: Divorcing Ling Qingzhu (Complete) 5. 487 adv ch of This Danzo Is Weird (All the funds collected for the charity have been distributed. You can check the details on my patreon. Thank you)