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Tsunade carefully sifted through the intelligence Jiraiya had gathered.
The information wasn't entirely useless; some of it held value, such as the origins of the Akatsuki organization. However, it lacked critical details.
For instance, there was little concrete information about the identities and abilities of Akatsuki's members, including Pain's capabilities. The fact that Pain, revered as a "god" by the ninjas of the Hidden Rain Village, had personally killed Hanzo indicated that his strength was not to be underestimated.
Akatsuki… Pain… Nagato…
Tsunade scribbled these names on a piece of paper, staring at them for a long time but unable to piece together any clear conclusions.
She walked to the window and stretched, her gaze drifting downward.
After its reconstruction, the Hokage Tower was nearly twice as tall as before, offering a much broader view. For example, the distant training grounds were now within Tsunade's line of sight—something unimaginable in the past. In one of the training fields, a white-haired boy had just defeated an opponent and was walking off the arena with an excited expression.
Hozuki Suigetsu?
Tsunade paused, suddenly realizing she hadn't seen Hozuki Mangetsu in two days. She wondered how his injuries were faring.
Hurrying out of the Hokage's office, Tsunade made her way to the temporary residence where Mangetsu was staying.
When she knocked on the door, Mangetsu opened it, drenched in sweat, his clothes soaked through. Seeing Tsunade, he stiffened slightly and quickly invited her inside.
After examining Mangetsu's condition, Tsunade's expression turned peculiar.
"Just say it. I can handle it," Mangetsu said.
"It's not a big deal, really. The toxins in your body have been cleared, but there seems to be an issue with your blood condition. In a day or two, could I draw some blood for further tests?" Tsunade asked.
Mangetsu's expression shifted slightly. "Is it terminal?"
"It's not clear yet."
Mangetsu let out a long sigh.
A medical ninja of Tsunade's caliber had seen countless cases. She could usually diagnose a patient's condition and determine whether it was treatable with a single glance.
When someone like her said "it's not clear," it often meant there was no clear path to treatment, perhaps not even a way to prolong life.
"Is it because of my Kekkei Genkai?" Mangetsu asked.
"Not necessarily… Honestly, I'm not sure. But it's true that some people have developed terminal conditions due to their Kekkei Genkai," Tsunade admitted, looking troubled.
Mangetsu fell silent for over half a minute, then the gloom on his face vanished.
"I'm still alive, aren't I? I hope that before I die, I can resolve the issues in the Hidden Mist Village. There's still a chance, right?" Mangetsu said with a smile.
Tsunade shrugged. "No one outside the Hidden Mist Village knows exactly what's going on there."
"The Hidden Mist Village has completely sealed itself off. Only a handful of people have managed to escape. But that's also why other ninja villages haven't been able to take advantage of the situation. By the way, was it Asachi Midorima who asked you to help me?"
"Yes, he sent me a letter asking me to lend you a hand."
"No matter what, I'm grateful. Midorima and I aren't particularly close, so I'm touched that he'd go this far for me. But I have a question… Why does he have such a good relationship with the Hidden Leaf Village? He's not a spy for the Leaf, is he?" Mangetsu asked, half-jokingly.
"If he were a Leaf spy, why would he ask me to save you? Wouldn't he be worried you'd suspect him?" Tsunade countered.
"Sorry, I don't actually believe that, but it's just so surreal. He's just a medical ninja from the Hidden Mist Village, and you're the Hokage of the Hidden Leaf. The gap in status is enormous," Mangetsu explained hurriedly.
"In truth, his relationship with the Hidden Leaf Village is quite ordinary, but he and I get along well. When I met him, he had just escaped from the Hidden Mist Village, and I wasn't the Hokage yet. After fleeing, he's been working hard to clear his name of the 'crimes' he's been accused of."
"Clear his name?"
"Of course, by finding the real culprit behind it all. According to him, both Mizukages were under a genjutsu, and the person colluding with outside forces is Igawa Bu," Tsunade said.
"I knew it had to be that guy!" Mangetsu clenched his fists.
"You don't doubt his claims?"
"What's there to doubt?" Mangetsu said, exasperated. "Anyone who's not blind could see something was off with the Mizukage and Igawa Bu… Did he say which faction is colluding with the Hidden Mist Village?"
"He did. It's called 'Akatsuki.' But I don't recommend you investigate them. Jiraiya went once and barely made it back."
"Jiraiya… But I can't just let this go. I'll make Akatsuki pay for humiliating the Hidden Mist Village." Mangetsu stood up, paced back and forth a couple of times, then continued, "Thank you for your treatment. Zabuza has already left to gather intelligence, and I'll be leaving the Hidden Leaf soon as well. If I manage to resolve the situation in the Hidden Mist Village and survive, I'll personally come back to thank you for saving my life."
"Don't say that!" Tsunade cut him off. "Aren't you worried your brother might contract the same illness? Treating this condition takes time."
Tsunade was frustrated.
She had finally found a test subject; she couldn't let him slip away so easily.
The Hidden Leaf Village had plenty of people with Kekkei Genkai as well. She needed to understand the origins and progression of this illness.
If someone in the Leaf developed a similar condition in the future, she didn't want to be caught unprepared.
Mangetsu's expression tightened at the mention of Suigetsu, his voice dropping. "I… We're not afraid of death."
"But what can the three of you do to change the situation?" Tsunade asked.
"Then… what do you suggest I do?"
Before Tsunade could respond, there was a sudden, urgent knock at the door.
"Your brother?" Tsunade asked.
"No way. He should still be at the training grounds, and he has a key. He wouldn't need to knock," Mangetsu said, standing to open the door.
"Is Lady Tsunade here?"
Tsunade's brows twitched as she recognized Shizune's voice. Before she could stand, she heard hurried footsteps.
"What's wrong?" Tsunade asked, surprised to see Shizune, drenched in sweat.
"Orochimaru's body has been delivered to the bounty exchange. He's dead. There's also word that Danzo is dead, but no body has been found," Shizune said quickly.
"I see…" Despite her mental preparation, Tsunade still felt a pang of regret at the news.
"There's one more thing… The Hidden Grass Village has sent a request for help."
"What's going on?"
"A faction has intervened in the Hidden Grass Village's civil war," Shizune reported.
"What?" Tsunade's brow furrowed, cold sweat beading on her forehead. She stood and turned to Mangetsu. "I advise you to hold off for a bit. Farewell."
Mangetsu watched Tsunade leave, his heart filled with hesitation, unsure of what to do next.
After much deliberation, he made a decision—he'd wait for Zabuza to return and discuss it with him.