"Still not stepping in, Tsunade-sama?" Yahiko asked, watching Tsunade with a puzzled look.
Yes, Yahiko was really there. Reiki had indeed sensed his presence, which was why he had called out earlier. But what Reiki didn't expect was that Yahiko, ready to jump in, had been stopped by Tsunade.
At this point, it was clear that Shisui, Nozuki, and Reiki were on the verge of defeat against the jōnin-level ninja Xin. Yet, Tsunade still seemed unwilling to intervene.
"My disciple hasn't called for my help," Tsunade replied calmly.
"But…" Yahiko seemed troubled by her stance. These were just kids, no matter how gifted. If anything went wrong, revenge wouldn't bring them back.
"I trust them," Tsunade said firmly, cutting off his concern.
"Trust…" Yahiko fell silent, understanding at last. True bonds between a master and disciple are built on trust.
---
The three Genin were soon cornered by Xin.
"Scatter!" Shisui shouted. They exchanged a quick glance and bolted in three directions, hoping to create a chance for at least one of them to escape.
"Nice try, but you're all mine!" Xin growled, forming an Earth Release clone that blocked each of their paths.
Reiki looked up at the imposing figure of Xin, panic flashing in his eyes.
"Oh, giving up already?" Xin sneered. "It's too late for that. I won't kill you, but don't expect me to let you go either."
He moved to strike, quickly overwhelming them with his strength. The three fell, seemingly defeated.
But as Xin leaned in, satisfied with his victory, a puff of smoke erupted, and the faces of the "Genin" before him shifted, revealing the three ninjas Reiki had taken earlier.
"What the—" Xin stammered, realization dawning as one of the barely conscious ninjas croaked, "Master Xin… we were caught in that Uchiha kid's genjutsu…"
Xin's rage spiked. "If you three are here… then who were the ones I just saw?!"
He spun around, racing back to where he'd left the Genin, but the area was empty—Reiki, Shisui, Nozuki, and the remaining captives had all vanished.
"I've been played!" he roared, veins popping as he struggled to contain his anger.
Driven by fury, Xin gathered his chakra for a final, devastating move.
"Earth Release: Super Collapse Technique!" Chakra poured into the ground, spreading in waves that buckled trees, shattered rocks, and split the earth itself.
"Master Tsunade!" Yahiko shouted, alarmed. The jutsu was far beyond anything the young Genin could withstand. If Tsunade didn't act now, they would be lost.
Tsunade's face tightened, watching the destructive jutsu tear through the forest. "They've done more than I expected. But now, things are spinning out of control."
Just then, a familiar voice reached her ears. "Sensei…"
"Reiki?" Tsunade turned to see Reiki, barely conscious, dragging a few captured enemies behind him.
"We… couldn't finish the mission. This was our limit. We need you…" Before he could finish, Reiki collapsed forward, landing softly in Tsunade's arms.
"You did well. Rest now." Tsunade gently infused chakra into Reiki's body, calming his weary spirit. Feeling his sensei's familiar energy, Reiki let his eyes drift closed.
Turning to Yahiko, Tsunade handed over Reiki and the others. "Please watch them. I have something to settle."
A fierce chakra radiated from Tsunade, her anger simmering as she clenched her fists.
Yahiko took a step back instinctively, understanding now why even his teacher respected Tsunade's strength.
---
*Boom!*
In a single bound, Tsunade entered the battlefield, the earth shattering beneath her as if someone had unleashed an Earth Release jutsu.
Xin, who was still frantically searching, felt the pulse of enormous chakra and froze. A moment later, Tsunade appeared before him, her eyes cold and unforgiving.
"Xin, rogue ninja of Iwagakure," she began, her voice icy. "Since leaving Iwagakure, you've become a mercenary, attacking Konoha and preying on my students. You've made a grave mistake."
Realizing the gravity of his situation, Xin remembered too late that he'd crossed a line by targeting Tsunade's disciples.
Before he could react, Tsunade struck. *CRACK!* Her fist connected, shattering his arm and ribs in a single blow.
"I… I need to escape!" Xin's survival instincts kicked in, recalling the overwhelming power he'd seen her display in battle years ago.
"Running won't save you." Tsunade closed the distance in an instant, her fist landing another crushing blow. With just two hits, she had reduced the jōnin to a broken, defeated wreck.
Dragging Xin's limp body, Tsunade returned to where Yahiko stood with her students. The entire encounter had taken barely three minutes.
Yahiko watched, speechless, as she threw the battered ninja at his feet. He now fully understood why even the strongest feared Tsunade.
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Gimme 50 power stones and I'll upload an extra 5 chapters today