Chapter 7
Chapter 7: Nawaki!
The Land of Fire.
In the continuous rain, it felt like the spirits of fallen ninjas were mourning on the battlefield.
Under the dim sky, thunder occasionally illuminated the darkness.
*The Senju Clan.*
"Damn it! How could this all be just a coincidence?"
Tsunade slammed her fist down in anger, shattering the table, while in front of her, Uzumaki Mito sat in silence.
No one had expected that this time, they'd nearly lost the last bloodline of the First Hokage.
"Tsunade, what if it really was just a coincidence?"
After a while, Uzumaki Mito spoke in a hoarse voice, though she wore a self-mocking and sorrowful smile.
She didn't even believe her own words!
And Tsunade, even less so, gritted her teeth and replied in a low tone:
"A coincidence? These wandering samurai had no suspicious connections, and it's reasonable for them to carry explosive tags for self-defense. Setting traps is also normal."
At this point, Tsunade looked up with a sneer.
"It's just too 'reasonable.' There's not a single clue out of place. And yet, this simple mission, right here in the Land of Fire, just so happens to end in disaster. Orochimaru made a mistake, and a ninja with Chunin-level skills somehow blunders right into a trap."
"And then dies to explosive tags! But, Grandma, don't you think there were a few too many explosive tags? Even though every single one came from a legitimate source!"
The more flawless the story was, the more suspicious it became.
Had they not been informed in advance, they might have spent ages verifying this incident, and it would've always remained an unsolved mystery.
But they had been tipped off!
And the story was so precise!
Especially since this mission could hardly be called deep within the Land of Fire—it was practically at Konoha's doorstep.
Nawaki had his birthday one day, then went out on this mission the next day. By evening, Jiraiya could reach him to inform him about the body. This was practically right at the village gate!
"As for the Uchiha…"
Mentioning them brought a hint of a sarcastic smile to Tsunade's face.
"Right now, the Uchiha are isolated and trying hard to integrate into Konoha. Let alone having any reason to act against us, could the police department even pull this off with their current resources?"
The Uchiha were indeed powerful!
They were considered the strongest clan—not only in Konoha but across the ninja world.
But within Konoha, most of the Uchiha's elite were stationed on the front lines. The remaining clan members were under constant suspicion and surveillance from the village.
The risks for the Uchiha to pull off something like this were too high; they'd never be able to execute it so flawlessly.
"Tsunade!"
Uzumaki Mito sighed, her old face showing a touch of sadness.
"Nawaki is my grandson, and perhaps it's best if he leaves Konoha now. We'll send him to the Daimyo's estate, where he can grow up under the protection of the Senju Clan."
"Tsunade, Konoha may not be the village it once was. But with the war raging, please, don't act rashly!"
Despite her fury, Tsunade's face turned calm as she looked up. This sudden composure left Uzumaki Mito silent.
"Don't worry, Grandma."
Tsunade could become the Fifth Hokage for a reason; while her personality was impulsive, she wasn't foolish.
When it came to serious matters, she was decisive and politically astute—she was more than just a powerful kunoichi. Otherwise, she wouldn't have ended up as the Fifth Hokage.
Seeing Tsunade calm down so quickly, Uzumaki Mito's face softened with a faint smile.
"Tsunade, I don't have much longer. The family and Kushina will depend on you in the future."
Just then, both women sensed someone approaching.
"Tsunade!"
At the sound of Jiraiya's voice, Tsunade feigned irritation as he opened the door.
"Jiraiya, you'd better have a good reason, or else I'm expecting an explanation!"
But Jiraiya's face was grave, and her expression shifted, a sense of dread creeping in.
A stiff smile appeared on her face.
"Jiraiya! Don't tell me the situation at the front has worsened!"
However, Jiraiya, seeming choked up, finally spoke in a low voice:
"Tsunade, Orochimaru has returned. He's… in the morgue."
Boom!
A flash of lightning illuminated Tsunade's face, reflecting her shocked and uncomprehending gaze.
In the next moment—
*Splash!*
Tsunade bolted, moving at her fastest speed toward her destination.
Jiraiya, seeing her reaction, hurried after her.
Indeed, women are natural actors, especially a kunoichi. Tsunade hadn't shown even a hint of her true feelings.
…
Under the darkened sky, the rain poured relentlessly.
Outside the morgue, the sound of skidding feet and heavy breathing could be heard.
Tsunade stood in shock, unable to believe what lay before her. Orochimaru was standing, leaning against the door.
Her breath was labored, not from exhaustion but from anxiety.
As she trembled, preparing to enter, Jiraiya, with a look of sorrow, said:
"It's best if you don't see the body."
If Jiraiya was saying this, it was clear the body was horribly mutilated.
And Orochimaru, leaning against the door, looked down, his dark hair covering his eyes as he said calmly:
"What's the difference? You wouldn't recognize him even if you did."
"Shut up, Orochimaru!" Jiraiya yelled angrily.
But Orochimaru just sneered, hiding the sorrow in his eyes.
"Once you're a corpse, you're no longer yourself. This is the reality of the battlefield; doctors are a rarity out there. Unfortunately, it's a cruel lesson for a child."
"Especially when it's the day after receiving a gift!"
Orochimaru spoke nonchalantly as though he was detached from the event while holding up a pendant.
The sight of the familiar pendant made Tsunade's pupils widen, her gaze becoming vacant.
Jiraiya turned away, unable to bear the scene.
This was war!
After a while, with trembling hands, Tsunade took the necklace, and tears streamed down her face.
"Nawaki!"
Her heart-wrenching cry echoed in the rainy night, and the nearby Konoha shinobi fell silent, their expressions somber.
Ninjas have always lived side-by-side with death.
Especially in wartime, such anguished cries could be heard almost daily.
…
The Land of Fire.
Gentle rain fell, and the air was filled with the earthy scent of damp soil.
"August 10th, the day after Nawaki's twelfth birthday. By now, Tsunade must know."
Whether Nawaki's death was truly a coincidence or not, when people knew what to expect, it stopped being a coincidence.
This was the nature of people!
From his position on the tree branch, Uchiha Yosuke adjusted his presence and looked up at the night sky.
"Yosuke!"
Suddenly, a figure appeared behind him, and Uchiha Yosuke turned to look.
Under the rain, Uchiha Mikoto stood with a family blade strapped to her back, her Sharingan eyes—a two-tomoe pattern—glaring toward a distant cave.
"According to the ninja cats' scent tracking, the target is in there!"
The usually gentle Uchiha Mikoto looked cold, her gaze on the cave filled with a chilling intent.
*Clap!*
In the next moment, Yosuke placed his hand on her shoulder, instantly calming her killing intent.
"Mikoto-senpai."
With his soft words, Mikoto regained her composure and focused intently on the cave.
Inside the dark, damp cave.
"Man? Or woman?"
An emaciated old man lifted his head, sensing something. His calm voice had an eerie undertone.
"I've decided. If it's a woman that comes in… I'll kill her!"
His once-calm eyes gradually turned frenzied as he stared intently at the cave entrance.
(End of chapter)
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