Chapter 51 - Prioritizing Tsunade's Rescue
*Land of Earth, Iwagakure Village*
"Lord Tsuchikage, the Konoha ninja managed to break through our encirclement just before we closed it. Our forces were only moments too late..."
In the Tsuchikage's office, Third Tsuchikage Onoki listened to the report with a serious expression, but even upon hearing of the mission's failure, he did not show anger. After the report concluded, he smirked as he studied the map.
"Seems those Konoha ninja were quick on their feet."
Onoki jabbed his finger at a spot on the map of the Land of Grass.
"Letting a few small fry slip away is fine. If we'd tried to catch all of them at once, Konoha would retaliate even more fiercely on the battlefield. This so-called failure might not be such a bad thing after all. However, there are still three big targets within our grasp. Send word to our frontlines — keep monitoring Konoha's movements along the border. Until we capture these three major targets, I don't want a single Konoha ninja sneaking in or out."
"Yes, sir!"
The ninja saluted and departed, while Onoki allowed himself a faint smile.
"Lady Tsunade, princess of the Senju clan… Capturing her alone would be more valuable than anything. Then there's Jiraiya and Orochimaru, both rising stars of Konoha and disciples of the Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi."
These three were not just any targets. Eliminating them, even as corpses, would strike a severe blow to Hiruzen Sarutobi's prestige. With Konoha's White Fang looming and Hiruzen losing three of his strongest aides, Konoha would face internal conflict and weakened leadership.
From the start, Onoki's plan was to lure these three into the open, as he had no interest in small fry.
---
**Konoha, Hokage's Office**
"Lord Third Hokage, we've received intelligence from the border. About half of our forces in the Land of Grass have already returned, and here's the list. However, we still have no word on Lady Tsunade, Jiraiya, or Orochimaru."
Upon hearing the first part, Hiruzen Sarutobi sighed in relief, but his expression grew tense at the mention of the three missing.
"Tsunade, Jiraiya, Orochimaru…"
As he murmured their names, Hiruzen's frown deepened, and he spoke gravely, "Send orders to the border — at all costs, retrieve Tsunade, Orochimaru, and Jiraiya safely!"
"Yes, sir!"
Losing Tsunade would anger the Senju clan, and without Jiraiya and Orochimaru, his strongest lieutenants, Hiruzen's ability to withstand future political struggles would be severely weakened. Outside, White Fang posed a threat; within, Danzo kept a watchful eye on the Hokage seat.
"White Fang… Danzo..."
Thinking of these two, Hiruzen's headache worsened. No matter what, he could not afford to lose Tsunade, Jiraiya, or Orochimaru.
---
*Root Division*
"Tsunade, Jiraiya, and Orochimaru are trapped?"
When Shimura Danzo learned the news, he was taken aback, then scowled in frustration.
"Hiruzen, this is all because of your indecisiveness! If only..."
Though he seethed inwardly, Danzo remained calm as he studied the intelligence, carefully weighing the risks and benefits. Finally, he spoke in a harsh, raspy tone:
"Send orders to Root operatives in the Land of Grass. I don't care if it means exposing themselves; rescue all three of them."
Danzo paused and added in a low voice, "Prioritize Tsunade. The others are secondary."
"Yes, sir!"
Once alone in his darkened room, Danzo's gaze turned cold and calculating.
Of the three, Tsunade held the greatest value, especially with her ties to the Senju clan. If Jiraiya or Orochimaru fell, the one who would suffer the most would be Hiruzen Sarutobi. Danzo knew that gaining the Senju clan's favor could strengthen his own position and potentially challenge Hiruzen's authority.
The ambition to become Hokage had never left him — a fact Hiruzen understood all too well.
---
*Within the Land of Grass*
A piercing eagle's cry echoed through the sky. A powerful eagle glided down with Uchiha Yosuke riding on its back as they crossed a vast forest below.
"While the animals and vegetation here are extraordinarily large, ordinary animals are practically defenseless against ninja. Only creatures trained in chakra, like summon beasts, pose any threat in combat."
As they soared over the dense forest, the eagle finally showed signs of fatigue and began descending. Seeing this, Yosuke sighed inwardly.
The original world was full of mysterious creatures like the massive tiger in the Forest of Death or the wild boar Sasuke killed as a child. This strange world was full of wonders.
"A flight jutsu would be rare, but I definitely need to find a summoning beast with flight abilities someday. Sometimes, flight is the difference between life and death."
As the eagle prepared to land, Yosuke leapt off, letting the burden-free bird happily soar back up without a second glance. Watching the eagle leave, Yosuke couldn't help but twitch in irritation. It seemed even animals knew when to flee exploitation.
"Good thing the Sharingan's useful."
He chuckled wryly. Communicating with animals didn't guarantee obedience — the Sharingan's hypnosis ensured that. While he hadn't cast a full genjutsu, he'd implanted simple commands. However, this left a chakra residue on the animal, making it easy for enemy ninja to detect.
"I'm past the encirclement and nearing the destination."
As Yosuke confirmed his position and prepared to move, a sudden explosion sounded in the distance. He looked back to see the eagle obliterated in midair by an explosive tag.
"Quickly! A sensor ninja detected chakra on that eagle, meaning there must be a Konoha ninja nearby!"
"Damn it! Alert all squads — keep an eye out for any unusual animals, especially those flying. We cannot let any Konoha ninja escape."
In the forest, the red-clad Iwa-nin swiftly leapt from tree to tree, closing in on Yosuke's location. From up ahead, he heard another ninja call out, "Ten o'clock! He's right at the edge of my sensory range!"
Shrouded in frustration, Yosuke muttered, "Sensor ninjas... a real headache."
Explosions echoed throughout the forest as his explosive tags detonated. One of the pursuing sensor ninjas yelled in frustration, "Be careful! This Konoha ninja is incredibly skilled at controlling animals!"
The forest floor swarmed with scurrying rats, some carrying explosive tags hidden beneath their bellies.
---
Thank you all for your support!