The sealing scroll was taken far from the camp by Snowy, who then destroyed it completely. Not even a trace of the bodies remained—not a single hair. Even if Danzo's men turned the camp upside down, they wouldn't find any clues, let alone any evidence. Root operatives searched all night, combing through the camp and even venturing outside its perimeter, but in the end, they found nothing. Danzo was furious, his entire body trembling with rage.
For some, it was a night destined to be anything but peaceful. However, Takuya slept soundly, completely undisturbed. Snowy returned to his body shortly after leaving, and Takuya drifted back to sleep, eagerly anticipating Danzo's futile search for the missing bodies. The thought of Danzo's frustration at being unable to find any evidence, despite being certain of Takuya's involvement, brought a smile to his face.
I just love it when you can't stand me but can't do anything about it! The expression on Danzo's face would be priceless.
As they prepared to leave the camp and head to the battlefield, Minato and Nawaki couldn't hide their nervousness. In contrast, Takuya remained engrossed in his cooking, humming a tune as he worked. Without a phone, computer, or his favorite novels, food had become Takuya's best distraction and a way to satisfy his appetite.
Watching Takuya casually whip up breakfast, humming a catchy tune, Nawaki couldn't help but ask, "Takuya, aren't you nervous about going to the battlefield?"
"Nervous?" Takuya glanced at Nawaki and Minato, who both looked uneasy, and couldn't help but smirk. "What good does being nervous do? Does it mean you don't have to fight? Or maybe the enemy will just let you off because you're nervous?"
"Takuya's right—being nervous is useless!" Tsunade's voice rang out as she entered the tent alongside Jiraiya and Orochimaru. They pulled back the canvas and stepped inside.
"We're not too late, are we?" Jiraiya stretched his neck to peek into the pot, his mouth watering at the thought of the meal. After seeing Tsunade devour her noodles yesterday, he'd been craving a taste himself. Among the future Sannin, Jiraiya was definitely the one who enjoyed life's pleasures the most—though some of his habits were less than admirable.
"It's almost ready," Takuya replied. He had anticipated that Jiraiya and Orochimaru might show up to mooch some food, so he had prepared extra. The aroma of fried rice filled the air, accompanied by a steaming bowl of bone broth—simple, yet hearty fare to start the day right.
In a front-line camp, having rice, eggs, and meat was already a luxury. Takuya didn't dare hope that the logistics team could also supply garnishes like green onions.
The six of them sat around the table, eating with gusto. Jiraiya, lacking any sense of shame, even eyed Minato's fried rice, making the younger man smile wryly. Really, sensei? Are you seriously eyeing your own student's food? Minato thought with a sigh. I'm still growing, you know!
How embarrassing, Tsunade thought, glaring at Jiraiya, who chuckled awkwardly and abandoned any plans of swiping Minato's food. Left with an empty bowl, he sighed, "There's just not enough to go around."
"Pack your things—we're leaving soon. Nawaki, you're on dish duty," Tsunade ordered.
"Huh? Why me?" Nawaki looked baffled.
"You got a problem with that?" Tsunade's tone was dangerous, and Orochimaru, watching from the sidelines with his arms crossed, showed no intention of intervening. In fact, he seemed to be enjoying the spectacle—he was more than happy to watch the drama unfold.
With their gear packed, Tsunade made sure to stop by the logistics department, taking a generous amount of supplies. The staff at logistics were left stunned, too afraid to protest. Now we won't have to worry about going hungry, Takuya thought, feeling reassured as he carried the sealed scrolls full of provisions. It sure pays to have Tsunade on our side. Unlike others who had to apply and wait for approval just to get a sealing scroll, Tsunade could simply take what she needed.
"Aren't you going to give them any warnings?" Jiraiya asked, glancing worriedly at the three small figures trailing behind them as they left the camp and headed toward the battlefield.
Tsunade brushed a few raindrops from her golden hair and said dismissively, "Nawaki might have some issues, but with Takuya around, I'm not worried. That kid's sharper than you. If the enemy runs into them, they'll be the unlucky ones. Let's go."
The six of them split into two squads. Tsunade's team was the assault unit, tasked with going wherever the fighting was most intense. Takuya, Minato, and Nawaki formed a new team, stationed at an outpost not far from the camp. Without hesitation, Tsunade appointed Takuya as the team leader, completely overlooking Minato and Nawaki.
"So, we're just supposed to stay here?" Nawaki asked, shading his eyes with his hand as he peered into the distance, but Tsunade, Jiraiya, and Orochimaru were already gone, their figures swallowed by the rain.
Throwing his raincoat aside, Takuya leaned against a post under the outpost's awning. "They're headed for the thick of the fighting. What would you do—get yourself killed?"
The Land of Rain battlefield was no joke. Tsunade, Jiraiya, and Orochimaru were constantly in danger. In fact, during one of the fiercest battles, Jiraiya had almost lost his life. If it hadn't been for the timely arrival of reinforcements, there would have been one less Sannin.
With Nawaki's current strength, if he followed them, he'd just be cannon fodder. What else could he do?
"Can't you say something more encouraging?" Nawaki huffed, tempted to challenge Takuya to a duel, but he knew it was pointless. He didn't want to end up like Shimura Hideyoshi, who had been humiliated by Takuya's genjutsu. If Takuya made him dance in the rain, Nawaki would find a rock to crawl under.
"Stay alert," Minato cautioned, his senses on high as he scanned the surroundings. The three of them were alone here, and if they were attacked, there would be no one to call for help. Even if they fired a signal flare, it would take time for reinforcements to arrive. Until then, they'd be on their own.
The battlefield was no place for fun and games—one wrong move could cost them their lives.
"Relax," Takuya said, patting Minato on the shoulder. "Don't get yourself all wound up. If I'm not nervous, why should you be?"
"By the way," Takuya continued, suddenly curious, "Nawaki, I've always had this question."
"What question?" Nawaki asked, setting his folded raincoat aside and looking up.
Takuya asked, "You and your sister both have Senju blood, and you're both direct descendants of the First Hokage. So why was Tsunade given the title of 'Princess of Konoha,' but you didn't get any similar recognition?"
What a weird question, Nawaki thought. But it did make some sense.
"Maybe it's because of his age?" Minato suggested, blinking.
"Get outta here," Nawaki retorted, rolling his eyes. "Tsunade was only a kid when she got the title."
"Well… I honestly don't know," Nawaki admitted. The question had caught him off guard—he'd never really thought about it. Now that Takuya mentioned it, Nawaki found himself wondering, Tsunade was made a princess, so why didn't I get something like 'Prince of Konoha'?
"Maybe the Daimyo just prefers girls," Minato teased, grinning.
"…" The joke left Nawaki speechless, spiraling into a moment of self-doubt.
"Pfft—" Takuya stifled a laugh. Minato, you're a real genius, coming up with something like that.
But the truth was, the Daimyo didn't simply prefer girls. Tsunade's title of 'Princess of Konoha' was more about politics, rooted in her lineage from both Hashirama Senju and Tobirama Senju—it was a way of maintaining favorable relations. After all, Tsunade's mother was from the Daimyo's family, making her half a noble by birth.
As for Nawaki… he was simply born too late. By the time he came along, the Senju clan had already been integrated into the common populace, losing its status as the greatest clan in Konoha, and indeed the shinobi world. Opportunities like royal titles were no longer on the table.
"Prepare for battle!" Takuya suddenly shouted, his eyes catching sight of a signal flare in the sky. He grabbed his raincoat, threw it on, and dashed into the downpour.
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