Konoha seem to have become a bit strange.
Tsunade had never imagined that the responsibilities of being Hokage could turn out this way.
If she did not succeed as the Fifth Hokage, the Hokage's assistant, Akihara Kagura, in the village would become lawless, boldly initiating a new round of the great ninja war.
In the past, the Hokages of the village were there to deal with dangers from the outside. Now, the purpose of her succeeding as Hokage was to suppress the village's Hokage assistant?
"Are you joking?"
Tsunade's mouth curled into a mocking smile as she looked at Jiraiya and said, "There's no need to tell such lies. Do you think I would believe that? Do you think the others in the village would follow his orders to start a great ninja war?"
"I'm not joking."
Jiraiya shook his head, his expression serious as he continued, "Tsunade, you should remember Danzo, right? Kagura inherited Danzo's Root, and from a young age, Danzo used him as a tool for killing. He is decisive and tough. It took us years of teaching to see even a slight change in him, but it's still hard to change his tough attitude towards outsiders…"
"There's another thing…"
"Kagura's power is extremely strong."
Jiraiya stared into Tsunade's eyes, his voice low as he explained further, "From childhood, Kagura has never lost to any enemy, which has given him boundless confidence. Facing any enemy, he possesses a firm belief that he can kill them…"
"But war is a field he has never touched, and he has always been curious about what he could achieve in war…"
"This time, with the villages of Sand and Mist stirring up trouble in Konoha, it's an excellent opportunity for Kagura. Even though the villages of Sand and Mist have already proposed peace talks, Kagura still hasn't granted permission, firmly wanting to use this opportunity to wage war. The advice of the two Hokage advisors couldn't sway his will…"
This is actually a very awkward point in Konoha's politics.
If Akihara Kagura were the Hokage, he might respect the advice of the two Hokage advisors to avoid gaining a reputation for unilateral decision-making;
However, Akihara Kagura is only a Hokage's assistant, not the supreme leader of Konoha. Officially, he has a status similar to or slightly higher than the two Hokage advisors...
At this point in time, Akihara Kagura can act unilaterally without having to bear the reputation of doing so, especially since Kagura probably doesn't care about that.
"…"
Tsunade immediately sensed the trouble.
If she really became the Hokage, the first thing she would have to deal with is internal strife. What's the point of taking over as Hokage then?
If she doesn't become the Hokage, the brutal great ninja war might descend once again, and who knows how many would have to sacrifice...
This position of Hokage…
Feels like a hot potato!
"Kagura is not that kind of person!"
Uzumaki Naruto interrupted their conversation, clearly dissatisfied with Jiraiya's disparagement of Akihara Kagura: "Kagura would never want war…"
"Shut up!"
Jiraiya coldly glanced at Uzumaki Naruto, his voice deep: "You're just a Genin, how could you understand matters at the higher level?"
"Even if Kagura doesn't want to start a war, no one is currently resolving the conflict between the village and the other ninja villages. The enemy countries will definitely not miss this opportunity to attack Konoha…"
"I will protect Konoha!"
"…"
Jiraiya's gaze grew somewhat strange.
At this moment…
The words of the Great Toad Sage echoed again in his mind!
But…
Now is not the time!
"You idiot!"
Jiraiya punched Uzumaki Naruto on the head, scolding coldly: "Even if you want to become the Hokage, you have to wait until you grow up. By the time you grow up and become the Hokage, the great ninja war would have already erupted, and you might even have to go to the battlefield…"
As Jiraiya said this, his gaze returned to Tsunade, his eyes holding an unfinished expression: "Tsunade, you know the odds of a kid like him, who is full of dreams of becoming Hokage, surviving in a war, don't you?"
"…"
Tsunade's heart ached.
Because her brother Nawaki also had the heart to become the Hokage, but he died in the war from an explosive tag, and so did her lover Dan…
"Then let him die."
Tsunade closed her eyes, pretending not to care: "These kids, full of dreams of becoming Hokage, always end up dead, don't they?"
Tsunade closed her eyes, tilted her head back, and continued indifferently: "Maybe if they learn a little about retreating, hiding behind others during the war, and not rushing to the front, they might survive…"
"I won't die!"
Uzumaki Naruto looked at Tsunade with an angry face, declaring loudly: "I won't die before I become the Hokage! I won't hide behind others, I will charge at the forefront to protect the village…"
"Absolutely!"
"Absolutely!"
"I won't back down!"
"…"
Tsunade suddenly fell silent.
"First, learn that technique called Rasengan!"
Tsunade coldly said a word, taking off a pendant from her neck and abruptly throwing it to Uzumaki Naruto: "Let's make a bet. If you can learn that technique within a week, I'll believe you can become the Hokage, and believe that you won't die…"
Shizune looked surprised at Tsunade.
"What is this…"
Uzumaki Naruto was also curious as he looked at the pendant in his hand, seemingly not noticing anything magical about it, and was about to throw the pendant away.
"That is a treasure left by the First Hokage."
Jiraiya looked at Uzumaki Naruto and smiled lightly: "It's said to be a unique gem in this world, the money from selling it could buy three mountains…"
"!!!"
Uzumaki Naruto's mouth dropped open in astonishment.
"…"
Shizune looked at Uzumaki Naruto with some concern.
Tsunade did not pay much attention, just turned around heavily, her eyes slightly moist with tears.
That moment…
Made her think of her brother Nawaki again.
Her brother Nawaki was determined to protect Konoha without retreating, even charging to the front in the war, and ended up dying from an enemy's explosive trap…
If…
She doesn't become the Hokage…
To stop that Hokage's assistant called Akihara Kagura…
That kid called Uzumaki Naruto would also die in the war, right?
And…
That jewelry…
Tsunade closed her eyes again, leaning against a wall, her head hanging low as she reminisced about the people she had given jewelry to.
"This jewelry…"
Shizune stared at the jewelry, continuing: "This is the most important thing for Lady Tsunade, no matter what difficulties she faces, she has never given up on it…"
"That's so…"
Uzumaki Naruto furrowed his brows but raised his fist: "But, she's the one who wanted to bet with me, right?"
Shizune looked at Uzumaki Naruto wearing the jewelry, unable to resist telling him the truth: "This is a cursed jewelry, Lady Tsunade once gave it to the people most important to her, but without exception, they all died…"
Shizune told the past story: "Lady Tsunade's brother, like you, wanted to become the Hokage. On his twelfth birthday, Lady Tsunade personally put this jewelry on him, hoping he could achieve his dream. As a result, Lady Tsunade's brother died in the great ninja war…"
"Lady Tsunade's lover, Jonin Dan…"
Shizune paused slightly: "Jonin Dan also aimed to become the Hokage, and Lady Tsunade gave this jewelry to him, hoping he could also become the Hokage. But Jonin Dan also died in the war…"
"This is an ominous item…"
"Lady Tsunade hoped this jewelry would bless them to survive and achieve their dreams of becoming Hokage, but they still suffered misfortune and died in the war…"
"I know."
Uzumaki Naruto nodded, not at all intimidated by Shizune's words, and walked toward the town outskirts: "Then I'll go train now."
"What?"
Shizune looked at Uzumaki Naruto somewhat astonished.
"I don't want to lose!"
Uzumaki Naruto revealed a radiant and confident smile, earnestly saying: "I will learn Rasengan, and I will survive, and I will become the Hokage!"
"!!!"
Shizune's face showed shock as she watched Uzumaki Naruto's figure running towards the outskirts, slowly smiling.
"Don't worry about that kid, Naruto…"
Jiraiya watched Uzumaki Naruto's departing back, continuing softly: "This kid is more tenacious than anyone I've ever seen…"
"What's more worrying now…"
Jiraiya said, looking in the direction Tsunade had left: "Is the situation in the village. If we return too late…"
"Lord Jiraiya."
Shizune looked at Jiraiya, her expression grave as she asked: "Is the situation in the village really as severe as you described? Is the village's Hokage assistant, Lord Akihara Kagura, really going to start a great ninja war?"
"Actually…"
"The situation is a bit more severe than I described."
Jiraiya glanced at Shizune, his gaze gradually becoming serious: "Didn't you encounter Orochimaru? Orochimaru wants to lure Tsunade to revive Nawaki and Dan using a technique called Edo Tensei, a jutsu that requires a sacrifice of life…"
"Um…"
"Kagura has also mastered this jutsu."
Jiraiya continued, looking at Shizune: "Before the old man died, he worried that he couldn't deal with Orochimaru, and let Kagura learn Edo Tensei in advance to combat Orochimaru…"
"…"
Shizune was startled by Jiraiya's words.
"The village's two Hokage advisors agree that Akihara Kagura should use Edo Tensei to revive the village's dead, to avoid facing greater crises in the future…"
Jiraiya's expression gradually calmed down, continuing: "I hope that after Tsunade returns to the village, she can forbid Kagura from using Edo Tensei. This jutsu is too evil and will make Kagura's already somewhat extreme ideas become even darker…"
"Can't Lord Jiraiya stop him?"
Shizune curiously asked: "Isn't Lord Jiraiya his teacher? You should be able to stop him, right?"
"I can persuade Kagura."
Jiraiya nodded, then shook his head: "But the village's two Hokage advisors won't listen to my advice…"
"Forget it."
"Anyway, we still have a little time."
Jiraiya felt that Tsunade had already listened to his advice today and might soon agree to succeed as the next Hokage: "Let's just wait for her to figure it out…"
"I need to tell Lady Tsunade this news."
Shizune remembered today's incident with Orochimaru, continuing: "If Lady Tsunade knows that the village's Hokage assistant also has Edo Tensei, she probably won't cooperate with Orochimaru…"
"Hey, hey, hey…"
Jiraiya looked uneasy, quickly following Shizune: "Don't let Tsunade think that Kagura will help her revive Dan and Nawaki, that would actually be more troublesome…"
In fact.
Tsunade appeared quite calm.
When Shizune told Tsunade about Akihara Kagura mastering Edo Tensei, Tsunade showed no emotion, just continued drinking her sake.
"If Lady Tsunade really wants to see them…"
Shizune looked at Tsunade, continuing: "We can not cooperate with Orochimaru. The village's Hokage assistant, Lord Akihara Kagura, also has Edo Tensei…"
"I know."
Tsunade had never considered cooperating with Orochimaru.
Because Orochimaru would eventually continue to attack Konoha, how could Tsunade possibly cooperate with him, especially since Tsunade also planned to take this opportunity to kill Orochimaru, a village that her two grandfathers, brother, and lover had protected with their lives!
"Tsunade!"
Jiraiya looked at Tsunade hesitantly, softly persuading: "If you want Kagura to use Edo Tensei, it might lead to unpredictable consequences…"
"Moreover, the people revived by Edo Tensei are just puppets of the caster, and this jutsu also desecrates the souls of the deceased…"
"…"
Tsunade did not answer Jiraiya.
Tsunade put down the sake pot in her hand, softly instructing: "You don't need to worry about my matters, let me be alone for a while…"
"Yes."
Shizune could only suppress her doubts and leave Tsunade's side.
"…"
Jiraiya could only leave Tsunade's side. He turned his head to look at Tsunade's lonely figure, and sighed deeply in his heart.
"…"
Tsunade sat there calmly.
At this time, her mind had already decided that she must take over the position of Hokage. Just now, she was just thinking about how to take the opportunity to kill Orochimaru while interacting with him.
However…
She then learned that Akihara Kagura also had mastered Edo Tensei.
This matter…
How could it not stir her emotions?
"Anyway, Orochimaru is now completely useless and harmful, let's kill Orochimaru first…"
Tsunade raised her hand, her mind still having some concerns: "If I can kill Orochimaru here, maybe there's no need for that kid in the village to use Edo Tensei…"