Outside Tsunade's house.
Hanekawa stood in an open space, forming hand seals.
Beside him, the ground turned into a swamp as the head of a massive dragon emerged. The dragon opened its mouth and spat out a mud bullet.
The bullet struck a tree not far away and scattered like a shower of sparks.
Crack!
The tree, unable to withstand the immense force, toppled backward.
Hanekawa nodded in satisfaction.
Earth Style: Mud Dragon Bullet had been a resounding success.
It was a B-rank Earth Style technique that had taken him about a week to learn.
At that moment, Hanekawa's body froze as a flood of memories surged into his mind.
The experiences of his shadow clone in the Hidden Cloud Village were now vividly etched in his memory.
"Not bad," Hanekawa said with a smile.
His objectives had been achieved perfectly.
Not only had he acquired the training method for the Lightning Release Chakra Mode, but he'd also had a sparring match with Yugito Nii.
He had expected the Hidden Cloud to cut ties with him after this, but surprisingly, they hadn't.
Although trust between them was likely hanging by a thread now.
Upon reflection, the Hidden Cloud's hands were tied.
After all, they couldn't resolve Chiyo's poison on their own.
If they had fallen out with Hanekawa, it would've meant alienating Tsunade as well—given their teacher-student relationship.
And seeking help from Chiyo was even more out of the question.
---
"Hanekawa."
A familiar voice called out.
"Coming!" Hanekawa snapped out of his thoughts and responded.
He turned and walked a few steps, quickly spotting Tsunade at the door.
She stood there, stretching lazily, her slender waist curving gracefully. As she leaned to the side, her clothes shifted under gravity, swaying slightly in the air.
"Sensei," Hanekawa blinked, gazing at her striking figure, and asked, "Are you tired?"
"Just stretching after sitting at the casino all morning," Tsunade replied as she turned to face him. "Still practicing Earth Style?"
"Yeah," Hanekawa glanced at the sky and said, "I was just about to cook."
"No rush to cook," Tsunade said, shaking her head. "Come with me to the Hokage's office."
"Is there a mission?" Hanekawa asked curiously.
"Not sure," Tsunade yawned. "The Anbu just delivered a message saying the old man wants to see me."
"Then why are you dragging me along?" Hanekawa asked, his mouth twitching.
"Don't you want to become Hokage someday?" Tsunade asked, crossing her arms and glaring at him.
"I do, but only after you," Hanekawa replied, his expression unchanged.
"Then wait your turn," Tsunade said with a sly grin. "Maybe one day, when I'm in a good mood, I'll let you have the spot."
"You seem to be in a good mood now," Hanekawa teased. "Why not march into the Hokage's office and claim it?"
"…?" Tsunade flicked his forehead and warned, "Be careful, or the Anbu will drag you off for interrogation."
"Not if you're there, Sensei," Hanekawa said, catching her hand. "You'd never let that happen."
Tsunade's breath hitched slightly. She pulled her hand free, turned away, and said, "Alright, stop wasting time. The old man is waiting."
"Yes, Sensei," Hanekawa said, following her. "What would you like for lunch?"
"Anything's fine," Tsunade replied after a moment's thought, knowing that whatever he cooked would be delicious.
The two walked and chatted casually, quickly arriving at the Hokage's office.
---
Bang!
Tsunade kicked the office door open.
To her surprise, in addition to Hiruzen Sarutobi, Danzo Shimura was also present.
"Tsunade, you have no sense of decorum!" Danzo reprimanded her.
"You're in no position to lecture me!" Tsunade retorted without hesitation.
"Hiruzen!" Danzo said, displeased. "How can someone like her be tasked with welcoming the Sunagakure delegation?"
"I'm handling the reception?" Tsunade asked, raising an eyebrow in surprise.
"Pakura holds a high position in Sunagakure and is a strong contender for the next Kazekage," Hiruzen explained calmly. "We can't just send any random jonin to greet her."
"She's not suitable! Let me handle it!" Danzo said seriously.
"Enough, don't meddle," Hiruzen said with a slight frown.
Danzo had originally come to discuss matters regarding the Hidden Rain and the Akatsuki but had suddenly jumped in at the mention of the Sunagakure delegation.
In Hiruzen's view, the best candidates to receive Pakura were his three students.
After all, their statuses and positions were similar.
As for Danzo Shimura, as the secretive leader of the Root division, it would be inappropriate for him to show himself publicly. Moreover, his appearance and demeanor could easily cause misunderstandings and would not reflect well as a representative of the Hidden Leaf Village.
"I'm doing this for the sake of the Leaf!" Danzo argued, trying to justify himself.
"It's time for you to leave, Danzo," Hiruzen Sarutobi said flatly, not giving him any room to argue, while gesturing dismissively.
"You'll regret this, Hiruzen!" Danzo fumed, leaving behind harsh words as he turned and stormed off.
"Pakura should arrive in about an hour. Prepare yourself," Hiruzen said, turning to Tsunade.
"You really want me to go?" Tsunade said, pouting slightly. "What a hassle!"
"This matter is somewhat related to you," Hiruzen said, ignoring her attitude.
"What do you mean?" Tsunade asked, a bit surprised. "Does it have something to do with the incident in the Land of Rain?"
"Exactly," Hiruzen nodded. "We wiped out 1,000 Cloud Village shinobi, which naturally puts us on the same side as the Sand Village."
His thinking was simple: Cloud Village already harbored intentions of starting a war with the Leaf. Since conflict was inevitable, forming an alliance with the Sand Village would reduce the pressure. It would also leave them more prepared to deal with potential opportunistic attacks from the Stone or Mist Villages. This was undoubtedly the most prudent course of action.
"Fine," Tsunade agreed.
Hiruzen stroked his beard. Though Tsunade wasn't enthusiastic about her duties, she wouldn't hesitate when it came to the Leaf's best interests. This was one of the reasons Hiruzen believed she was fit to become Hokage.
---
Root Base
"Damn it!" Danzo's long-restrained anger erupted as he slammed his desk.
He felt like he was nothing more than a glove to Hiruzen—worn when needed and discarded when not.
As for becoming Hokage, it seemed increasingly out of reach. Judging from Hiruzen's favoritism, the next Hokage would most likely be one of his three students.
"Power! I need power!" Danzo clenched his fists, his thoughts turning to Yamato's Wood Release.
If he had Wood Release, why would he need to fear Hiruzen Sarutobi?
With the power and symbolic significance of Wood Release, he could rally support with ease and claim the Hokage title for himself.
Suddenly, Danzo had a bold idea.
Once Yamato's skills matured, he could send him to assassinate Hiruzen Sarutobi. In the ensuing chaos, Danzo could seize the position of Hokage.
"Lord Danzo."
A knock came at the door.
"Enter," Danzo said, regaining his composure.
A Root shinobi stepped in, holding a letter with both hands. "Lord Danzo, this is a secret letter from Hanzo of the Rain Village."
Danzo nodded slightly, taking the letter and opening it.
After reading it, his expression darkened with dissatisfaction.
The letter wasn't complicated. It was a scathing rebuke, accusing him of betrayal—collaborating with Hanzo while secretly supporting the Akatsuki.
From Hanzo's perspective, Danzo was a high-ranking figure in the Leaf, and such support for the Akatsuki couldn't have escaped his notice. Hanzo believed it might even have been orchestrated by Danzo to provoke conflict and weaken the Rain Village.
"Ridiculous!" Danzo growled. "Who does he think he is to speak to me like this?!"
Throughout his life, only Tobirama Senju and Hiruzen Sarutobi had dared to speak to him so bluntly.
But in this case, Hanzo's anger was somewhat justified.
Danzo genuinely hadn't expected the Leaf to assist the Akatsuki. He only found out after the Leaf annihilated 1,000 Cloud Village shinobi and learned that Tsunade had been the driving force behind the decision.
As for Hanekawa, Danzo dismissed him outright.
Tsunade often claimed she didn't want to be Hokage, but Danzo considered this a lie.
Her suggestion to support the Akatsuki was, in Danzo's eyes, a clear indication of her ambition.
His attempt to sabotage her by opposing her role in welcoming Pakura had been an effort to curb her growing influence.
Unfortunately, Hiruzen Sarutobi hadn't taken his side at all.
"The Akatsuki must be dealt with!" Danzo's eyes gleamed with a cold and dangerous light.
The stronger the Akatsuki grew, the more they bolstered Tsunade's standing. If they succeeded in defeating Hanzo and removing a major threat to the Leaf, Tsunade's reputation would soar.
Resolved, Danzo pulled out paper and pen. He would write back to Hanzo, clarify the situation, and discuss how to eliminate the Akatsuki once and for all.
---
At the Leaf Village gates.
Hanekawa exhaled a breath of warm air.
The weather had begun warming in March, though it was still chilly. However, it was far better than the bitter cold of the Land of Frost.
He glanced around.
In addition to Tsunade, Hiruzen had sent eight other shinobi led by Shikaku Nara.
Hiruzen Sarutobi clearly understood Tsunade's personality. She was fine for hosting a meal, but when it came to negotiating alliances, a professional was needed.
Nara Shikaku, a brilliant tactician, was undoubtedly that professional.
He had accompanied Tsunade to the Land of Frost previously, and now that the Cloud Village forces had retreated to the Land of Lightning, he had returned to the Leaf Village with her.
"They've arrived," Shikaku said as he spotted a group of shinobi in the distance.
Hanekawa perked up and looked over.
The Sand Village delegation wasn't small—sixteen shinobi in total, led by Pakura.
She wore a backless black robe, her hair pinned up with a hairpin, with two strands of bangs framing her face. She looked young and strikingly beautiful.
"Princess Tsunade," Pakura stepped forward with a warm smile, "it's a pleasure to meet you."
Her attitude was friendly, as they were seeking an alliance.
The Sand Village had suffered heavy losses and needed to avenge itself against the Cloud Village. Failing to do so would dishonor the memory of those like Fugi who had fallen.
The best solution now was to ally with the Leaf Village.
"You've had a hard journey," Tsunade said, extending her hand for a handshake.
"Princess Tsunade, let me introduce everyone," Pakura said, briefly introducing the Sand Village delegation.
There were four Jonin and twelve Chunin, a display of sincerity.
Hanekawa recognized two of them.
One was named Baki. In the original story, he was the teacher of Gaara, Kankuro, and Temari, a trusted aide to the Kazekage. He had even killed Hayate Gekkou during a conspiracy with Kabuto Yakushi.
The other was Yura. After Gaara became the Fifth Kazekage, Yura rose to prominence in the Sand Village but was later controlled by Sasori and turned into a spy. He even acted as a guide for Deidara during the invasion of the Sand Village.
"How is Chiyo?" Tsunade asked suddenly. "I heard she fought the Third Raikage."
"Granny Chiyo is fine," Pakura said after a brief pause. "She's staying in the Sand Village to manage things. She sends her regards."
"Let's go," Tsunade said nonchalantly. "The Leaf Village has prepared food and drinks. Follow me."
As for Chiyo's regards, Tsunade dismissed it as superficial. That old woman probably wished for her death.
The animosity between the two had been seeded during their battles of poisoning and antidotes.
"This is Hanekawa, isn't it?" Pakura asked, looking at him.
"You know him?" Tsunade raised an eyebrow.
"I've heard of your student in the Sand Village," Pakura replied, smiling. "Talented and strong, the finest of the younger generation in the Leaf Village."
"Is that so?" Tsunade's lips curved slightly. "He still has a long way to go."
Pakura fell silent, a bit uncomfortable. Such modesty was hard for her to stomach.
Compared to the thriving talent in the Leaf Village, the Sand Village struggled to produce young geniuses like Hanekawa.
Hanekawa remained quiet, simply listening to their conversation, though it was mostly trivial.
During the Second Shinobi War, the Sand and Leaf Villages had been enemies, and some tensions still lingered. If not for the heavy losses suffered by the Sand Village, they wouldn't have sought an alliance but instead waged war against the Leaf, as seen in the original story.
As he looked at Pakura, Hanekawa wondered about her fate. With Rasa severely injured, could this be an opportunity for her to become the Kazekage?
But that had little to do with him.
The group soon arrived at the designated inn.
At the dining table, the conversation shifted.
"Princess Tsunade," Pakura began, picking up her chopsticks, "the Sand Village seeks an alliance with the Leaf Village."
"If it's simply an alliance, we'd welcome it," Tsunade replied with a faint smile.
"I believe the Leaf Village is aware of the actions of the Cloud Village," Pakura said, taking a deep breath. "They are a common enemy of both the Sand and Leaf Villages. We hope the Leaf Village can assist us."
"That depends on your sincerity," Tsunade said casually as she picked up a piece of chicken.
"Of course," Pakura said, relieved. The Sand Village wasn't afraid of the Leaf Village setting conditions; they only feared outright rejection.
"Discuss the details with Shikaku after the meal," Tsunade said, glancing at Shikaku.
She had no interest in negotiating with Pakura herself.
__
New entry: This Danzo Is Weird
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