Utatane Koharu felt like a fool—a clown jumping through hoops in the Bear Country, dragging the Third Kazekage along, clinging to the hope that reinforcements would arrive. She had imagined they would then crush the Third Kazekage, teaching him not to underestimate her.
But the reality?
She had been abandoned.
The Third Hokage had stood her up.
She didn't know if something had gone wrong in the village, but what she did know was that no reinforcements had come.
And she had paid the price for this betrayal—losing a hand in the process. Missing the optimal treatment window meant that even upon returning to the village, her hand would likely never recover. For a medical ninja like her, this loss was devastating.
---
### Bitterness and Speculation
Looking at the disheartened Koharu, Mitokado Hamura hesitated, opening his mouth several times before finally voicing his thoughts.
"Maybe Hiruzen had no choice. Perhaps someone opposed the reinforcements, and his hands were tied."
"Bullshit!" Koharu snapped. "Who could possibly stop him? He's the Hokage! Don't tell me the order went to the front-line camp and Orochimaru dared to disobey!"
"Orochimaru wouldn't," Hamura said with a bitter smile. "But someone else might."
Koharu's anger faltered. The implications of Hamura's words hit her.
"Tsunade," she whispered, her voice thick with realization.
Tsunade could. Orochimaru wouldn't dare, but Tsunade? She was bold enough to defy anyone—even the Hokage. If Tsunade had blocked the reinforcements, it wouldn't matter what Orochimaru wanted.
"Tsunade!" Koharu growled, her face twisting with rage. Flames of anger burned in her eyes, threatening to burst forth.
Seeing her fury, Hamura spoke cautiously.
"Koharu, we can't know for certain what happened. Let's retreat first. Sacrifice some of our people to delay the enemy, and we can return to the village safely. Once we're back, everything will become clear."
If Tsunade had indeed blocked the reinforcements, the consequences would be dire. Their already fragile relationship would shatter entirely, becoming outright hostility.
---
### A Painful Retreat
Koharu, seething with anger, finally nodded. She didn't care about the mission anymore, nor about the Third Kazekage. Her only thought now was to return to the village and confront the Third Hokage.
"Retreat," she said coldly.
But retreating wasn't simple. The Third Kazekage had been chasing them for days, and he wouldn't easily let two Konoha elders escape.
The only way out was through sacrifice. Koharu and Hamura planned to use some of their comrades as decoys, sending them to create noise and act as smoke bombs. This would buy enough time for the two elders to slip away.
---
### Tsunade Returns to Konoha
Meanwhile, back in Konoha, Tsunade finally returned to the village she hadn't seen in months.
Though she longed to go straight home to see her family, her sense of responsibility brought her to the Hokage's office first.
"Old man, I'm back. Let's handle the handover so I can go home and rest."
Tsunade pushed open the door and walked into the office.
"Tsunade, welcome home," the Third Hokage said with a warm smile. Despite their political differences and her constant challenges to his authority, her dedication to the village earned her his respect.
"I'm only back for a short while," Tsunade said, flopping onto the sofa. "After some rest, I'll head back to the camp and take over for Shinki."
"With Shinki overseeing the medical camp, we can rest assured," the Hokage remarked. Though he didn't always agree with Shinki, the results he delivered were undeniable. Shinki had managed the Rain Country camp effectively, and the River Country's medical department was in equally capable hands.
---
### A Curious Question
"By the way," the Hokage began, "how is the rescue in the Bear Country going?"
Tsunade froze, her brow furrowing in confusion.
"Rescue?" she asked, perplexed. "I don't know anything about that."
The rescue order had been issued after she left the camp, and her leisurely return to Konoha had left her out of the loop.
The Hokage was equally surprised.
"Have you been gone that long?"
"Apparently," Tsunade replied with a shrug. "If you're asking about something I wasn't involved in, I wouldn't know. Anyway, I'm going home now to see my kids and Minato."
Satisfied that Tsunade truly didn't know, the Hokage let her go. As she left, however, unease crept over him.
He immediately summoned his guards and instructed them to contact the Intelligence Department to inquire about the rescue.
For some reason, an ominous feeling gnawed at him.
"I hope nothing went wrong. Shinki wouldn't block the rescue," he muttered to himself.
Tsunade had already left by the time the order was issued, leaving Shinki in charge. If anyone had opposed the rescue, it had to be Shinki. Yet, Shinki was known for his rationality. As long as the matter didn't involve him directly, he wouldn't obstruct something as critical as a rescue.
But the Hokage was wrong. The one who refused the rescue wasn't Shinki—it was Orochimaru.
Driven by his ambition to crush the Sand Village and force them into submission, Orochimaru had dismissed the rescue order, prioritizing his plans for victory over the lives of Konoha's elders.
---
### Back at Home
Tsunade returned home to find everything in order. Kushina was attending school diligently, occasionally going out with friends but otherwise staying home as instructed. Nawaki, too, was focused on his training, working hard to improve his strength.
"It's rare to see you both behaving so well," Tsunade said, her voice laced with suspicion.
She eyed them skeptically. "Minato, I trust. But you two? This feels off."
Kushina gave an exaggerated eye roll, crossing her arms.
"Sister Tsunade, do you think I'm some troublemaker?"
"Yes," Tsunade replied flatly.
Kushina huffed. "Shinki told us to stay safe while he was gone. He said during the war, enemies might target me, so I'm only allowed to go to school or the commercial street. Nowhere else."
"He told me the same," Nawaki added, looking equally annoyed. "And he said Anbu and puppets are keeping an eye on us."
Tsunade laughed softly, shaking her head. "So, Shinki told you. That explains it."
Even as she teased them, she felt a sense of relief. Shinki's precautions ensured their safety, and their obedience was proof of their maturity—or at least their respect for his orders.
For now, everything was as it should be.
---
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