Tsunade's hands were already slick with blood.
Hundreds had fallen by her fists — and just as many by the hand of Senju Tobirama.
And yet, neither of them had unleashed their full power.
After all, these were still Konoha shinobi.
Even if their true enemy was Danzō, slaughtering their own village's ninja would only destroy Konoha from within. The goal wasn't bloodshed — it was justice. Only by removing Danzō could Konoha begin to heal.
"Danzō! Die!!!"
Boom!!!
Her fist struck the ground, scattering the surrounding shinobi like leaves in a storm. Dust and debris exploded outward as Tsunade's killing intent filled the air.
That coward — that dog — was using the lives of his own men to shield himself.
Danzō sneered from a distance. "Tsunade, there's no need to struggle. If you surrender now, I'll guarantee your safety. There's no need to make this harder than it has to be."
He was cautious — and with good reason.
Tsunade was the granddaughter of both the First and Second Hokage, and her death would shake the Land of Fire. Even the Daimyō considered her a princess of noble blood. If he could force her submission instead of killing her, it would serve his ambitions far better.
Tsunade's eyes narrowed, her voice cold. "Hmph. Danzō, you really think I'd surrender to you? Keep dreaming."
Her chakra flared violently, the ground cracking beneath her feet. "You disgust me. I thought you were just a schemer — but you're a fool on top of it."
She could feel it — he was trying to wear her down, to exhaust her chakra.
"Trying to drain me out? How naïve."
Unlike before, Tsunade now commanded not only chakra but something more — vital energy, the refined essence of her body's own strength. Through her training in both medical ninjutsu and martial cultivation, she had become a warrior who balanced physical might and chakra mastery in perfect harmony.
The endless wave of Root shinobi surged toward her again.
This time, she didn't hold back.
Her movements blurred, her blows cracked the air itself — each punch sent shockwaves that crushed everything within reach. Energy rippled outward from her body, forming an invisible barrier. No one could even approach within ten meters.
Her power froze the battlefield.
Was this a forbidden technique?
Even the Root shinobi hesitated. None of them had ever seen such terrifying raw power.
At that same moment, Jiraiya turned his head sharply. His eyes widened as he sensed Tsunade's energy surging like a storm.
"That… that's not just chakra…" he muttered, awe mixing with disbelief.
He recognized it instantly — the flow of vital energy. But how could Tsunade know such an advanced form of cultivation?
And more than that — her control surpassed his own understanding of it.
Could it be… that she had come into contact with the Umbrella Organization even earlier than he had?
It was the only explanation that made sense.
But now wasn't the time for questions.
Jiraiya gritted his teeth and continued fighting, striking down the shinobi that surrounded him. He avoided killing where he could — but amidst blades and explosions, bloodshed was inevitable.
The air was thick with the scent of smoke and iron.
Explosions thundered across the village.
And in the streets of Konoha, terrified villagers huddled in their homes.
Outside, squads of Root operatives went door to door, spreading Danzō's propaganda with carefully rehearsed lies.
"Everyone, remain calm! With Lord Danzō as Hokage, Konoha is safe!"
"The Second Hokage has returned from the dead — but he's no longer the man you remember. His soul has been tainted by forbidden jutsu and demonic power!"
"Lady Tsunade, too — she's been misled by dark forces! She left Konoha years ago and has now returned under demonic influence!"
Tsunade, locked in battle, never imagined Danzō would stoop this low — dispatching his operatives to twist the hearts of the people even as they fought.
But Danzō was nothing if not methodical.
He didn't need everyone to believe his words — only enough to sow confusion and fear.
Some villagers trembled, believing every word. Others remained silent, their expressions dark, eyes flickering with doubt.
When asked who Danzō was, the Root operatives answered smoothly,
"Lord Danzō is the trusted comrade of the Third Hokage. He has worked in the shadows for Konoha's protection. You have nothing to fear — Hokage-sama will keep the village safe."
It was manipulation at its finest — fear disguised as reassurance.
And beneath it all, Danzō's true goal was clear: to eliminate the Senju line and claim the title of Hokage before the people's eyes.
On the battlefield, Senju Tobirama suddenly froze as black sealing runes crawled across his back — binding jutsu activated by one of Danzō's men.
"Not good," he muttered, grim realization flashing through his mind.
Without hesitation, Tobirama pulled a stack of Explosive Tags from a fallen shinobi's pouch, pressing them against his own chest.
If he was to be captured — he would not be taken alive.
"Mutually Assured Destruction!"
He flared his chakra — and a chain of violent detonations erupted.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
Fire engulfed the field, consuming everything in blinding light.
A series of deafening explosions tore through the battlefield, blasting Senju Tobirama's Edo Tensei body into fragments. The binding seal shattered along with it.
He had considered using the Mutually Multiplying Explosive Tags, his signature technique—but doing so would have engulfed Tsunade in the blast as well.
His sharp eyes turned toward his grandniece. Tsunade was trapped amid the chaos, surrounded on all sides. Her movements were slowing; it was as if she were sinking deeper and deeper into a mire she couldn't escape.
If this continued, she would be dragged to her death.
Even the Third Raikage, a man who once fought the Eight-Tails to a standstill, had fallen to sheer numbers. And Tsunade—though powerful—didn't possess the Raikage's near-impervious body. Worse yet, she was being restrained and targeted by shinobi who understood their weaknesses.
Tobirama's own Edo Tensei body wasn't at full power either. The opposing ninja had already begun adapting to his jutsu. Their coordination was tightening, their counters more refined.
"No… this can't go on. I must get Tsunade out of here!"
Tobirama's mind raced. His intellect cut through the chaos like lightning—searching, calculating, discarding every possibility until only one remained.
There was just one way left: Space–Time Barrier, a technique still incomplete—one that he had never truly mastered.
Meanwhile, Tsunade was reaching her limit. Dozens of jutsu erupted around her, each blast chipping away at her stamina. Though her monstrous strength could shatter stone, she wasn't built for drawn-out battles against so many opponents.
Her specialty had always been medical ninjutsu, not siege warfare.
Kunai and shuriken rained from every direction. A few slipped past her guard, grazing her arm, nicking her shoulder. Blood streaked her fair face as she gritted her teeth.
"Do I have to use it… the Strength of a Hundred Seal?"
That seal was her ultimate trump card—the culmination of years of chakra storage. Unleashing it would grant her immense regeneration and power… but it also meant risking her life.
Just then, a white mane flashed through the smoke. Jiraiya landed beside her, deflecting a volley of senbon needles with a burst of chakra.
"Tsunade! You holding up?" he asked, catching her by the arm.
Before she could answer, a voice boomed across the battlefield—steady, commanding, familiar.
"Tsunade! Come to my side!"
It was Tobirama.
Jiraiya's eyes narrowed with resolve. He slung Tsunade's arm over his shoulder and leapt toward the Second Hokage's position.
As they landed, Tobirama glanced at Jiraiya. "Take care of her."
Then, his hands flashed through a rapid series of seals.
"Space–Time Barrier!"
The air rippled like water around them. The incomplete jutsu hummed with unstable energy—its destination uncertain. Tobirama knew the risk. The farther the jump, the greater the chakra drain. But he had one advantage: an Edo Tensei body that never truly ran out of chakra.
A blinding light engulfed Tsunade and Jiraiya.
And in the next instant—both of them vanished.
...
TN:
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