Chereads / Naruto: Awaken Haki at the Start / Chapter 16 - Chapter 16: A Conversation with Tsunade

Chapter 16 - Chapter 16: A Conversation with Tsunade

Quack quack!"

The eerie cries of owls haunted the night, casting an even darker shadow over the already grim forest.

"Rustle!"

The sound of the wind rustling through leaves created an eerie atmosphere, gradually silencing the night.

Ye Chen regarded Tsunade with uncertainty. He wasn't sure of Tsunade's intentions, especially after just killing Uchiha Zhiruo here.

The soil beneath them was still fresh, with traces of plants and trees scorched by the Great Fireball Technique.

"Do you know who I am? Kid, don't you recognize me?" Tsunade folded her arms across her chest, a smile playing on her fair face, her eyes gleaming.

"Why should I know?" Ye Chen replied icily.

If Tsunade threatened to report him for murder, he would have to defect to Konoha. After all, he didn't have the strength to silently kill Tsunade, so he needed to be prepared.

"Do you know who I am?" Tsunade asked, ignoring his question.

Ye Chen shook his head. "Why should I care?"

Tsunade's smile widened. "Half a year ago, I led a ninja team on a mission and passed by a small village that had been destroyed by Sand Shinobi. The entire village lost hundreds of lives, and only a few survivors remained. You were one of them."

"I was seriously injured and unconscious at the time. I never saw you. So, are you saying you saved me?" Ye Chen responded, his tone skeptical.

"Yes and no. But I never expected that the dying child I rescued back then would, in just three months, have the strength to single-handedly kill an Elite Chunin," Tsunade explained calmly.

"Hehe, saved by a child, is that what you're getting at, Tsunade-sama?" Ye Chen replied sarcastically.

Tsunade smiled, unfazed. "Child? Do you think children of your age are so ruthless and decisive? Killing and burying corpses is not something a child should be capable of."

Ye Chen inwardly sighed in relief. It seemed Tsunade wasn't here to report him. She must have seen the fight but chose not to reveal his actions.

"Thank you," Ye Chen said, acknowledging the unspoken favor.

Tsunade laughed. "You're still saying thank you? Kid, you're a tough one to read. Aren't you cold all the time?"

Hearing this, Ye Chen retorted, "Why should I be warm all the time?"

Tsunade raised an eyebrow, intrigued. "Aren't you curious about why I'm here?"

"I can't say I'm not curious. But whether you're here to chat or arrest me and take me back to Konoha for trial, just know that if you come after me, I'll fight back," Ye Chen replied firmly.

Tsunade's expression shifted, and she had an inexplicable look in her eyes. "Who said I came here to arrest you? If a Uchiha is dead, it's one less person to worry about. Better to kill them if they're causing trouble."

Ye Chen couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief. If Tsunade wasn't here to report him, things would be much simpler.

"Thank you," he repeated.

"If you hadn't seen it, then it didn't happen," Tsunade said with a smile, understanding the unspoken agreement between them.

"You're welcome," Ye Chen replied, and without another word, he turned and left the scene, showing no sign of attachment to this place.

Tsunade watched him leave, her expression thoughtful. "Is that it?"

As Ye Chen disappeared into the darkness, Tsunade couldn't help but mutter to herself, "Stubborn little brat, even though you're so young, you're decisive and ruthless in your actions. You're not like a typical child."

Little did she know that Ye Chen had already mentally trained himself to remain focused and resolute.

Ye Chen recited an ice heart mantra silently, reminding himself that appearances were just illusions. He couldn't afford to be distracted by Tsunade's charms.

He had his own path to follow, and he couldn't be swayed by distractions.

In the darkness of Konoha, unrest was brewing.

While Ye Chen and Uchiha Zhiruo fought, the dark undercurrents were surging.

At Root's base, a member of the Root squad knelt before Danzo, reporting the outcome of the battle in detail.

Even Danzo, who had experienced numerous incidents, was taken aback by the news.

"Uchiha Zhiruo is dead, killed by an eight-year-old child?" Danzo repeated in disbelief.

The member of Root nodded. "Yes, my lord. Furthermore, it seems that the child possesses a unique Ninjutsu ability, one we have never encountered before. Uchiha Zhiruo was killed by this unusual Ninjutsu."

Danzo's interest was piqued. "Intriguing. This child has an interesting ability. We should recruit him into Root."

"But, my lord, there are ANBU members monitoring the battle. It's likely that the Hokage already knows of these developments," the Root member pointed out.

"Hokage has me," Danzo replied confidently. "You may leave."

The Root member turned into a white smoke puff and vanished instantly.

Meanwhile, in the Hokage's office, an ANBU member with a cat-like mask was reporting the situation to Third Hokage, Sarutobi Hiruzen.

Sarutobi Hiruzen frowned, his cigarette stick smoldering in his hand. He seemed troubled by the news.