There must be something fishy about this matter

---

Troy was a minor character in the grand scheme of things, contributing only 49 destiny points—near the limit for someone of his standing.

Meanwhile, Akimichi Shitō had been rescued by Natsume and the others. Without their intervention, Konoha would have likely sent another team to retrieve him.

Natsume recalled a story. Hiruko had been a ninja from the same generation as Orochimaru, Jiraiya, and Tsunade—a former friend, no less. But as the Sannin rose to fame, Hiruko's lack of natural talent drove him to bitterness. Determined to catch up, he developed the forbidden Chimera Technique

technique—a twisted jutsu that allowed him to fuse with other ninja or summoned beasts, inheriting their abilities, including Kekkei Genkai.

Troy had been one of Hiruko's unfortunate victims, merged into Hiruko's body to enhance his abilities.

And now, with Troy dead by Natsume's hand, Hiruko would be hunting for a new replacement. This explained the small number of destiny points Natsume had earned.

"Natsume," Tsunade called out, walking toward him after the battle had concluded. She quickly scanned him for injuries, only relaxing when she saw he was unharmed.

Though Natsume's clothes were splattered with blood, Tsunade, unfazed, pinched his cheek with a proud smile. "You really surprised me this time."

Natsume beamed, looking up at her with admiration. "Well, with a sensei like you, one of the Legendary Sannin, how could I not?"

Tsunade's heart skipped a beat. Stay rational. Don't let him get too close, she reminded herself. "You really know how to flatter someone," she replied, subtly shifting the topic to mask her fluster.

Turning to Shizune and Kabuto, Tsunade's demeanor returned to business. "Let's clean up the battlefield and head back."

Natsume, now focused, nodded. "Right."

The team gathered anything of value, destroyed the corpses, and erased any traces. In the shinobi world, a body could reveal countless secrets. Other villages had methods of extracting memories from the dead, but with everything turned to ash, Natsume's secret—his use of Wood Release—would remain hidden.

Once the battlefield was cleared, they prepared for the journey back, with Natsume and Kabuto carrying the unconscious Akimichi Sito between them. He was still in poor shape after Tsunade's interrupted treatment, but they hoped to get him proper care once back at the camp.

Nightfall approached, and they realized they wouldn't make it back to base before dark, so they set up camp by the river. After the long day, everyone needed to clean up. This time, Tsunade and Shizune paired up for a bath by the water.

As they started to leave, Tsunade cast a wary glance back at Natsume. "Don't even think about peeking."

"Don't worry, Sis," Natsume said, feigning seriousness. "I'll keep a close watch on Kabuto."

Kabuto, busy sorting through their loot, looked up in confusion. After a pause, he deadpanned, "I'm not interested in women."

Natsume took a mock defensive stance. "Not interested in men either, I hope?"

Kabuto rolled his eyes. "My only interest is medical ninjutsu."

Natsume laughed it off. "Relax, I'm just joking," he said, his mood lightening. "Though, seriously, bro, you're going to stay single forever?"

Kabuto ignored the comment, focused on his role. After all, he knew his calling lay in mastering medical ninjutsu, just like his mentor Nonō Yakushi.

The evening passed uneventfully. Tsunade and Shizune returned from their bath, and Natsume cleaned himself up by the river. They gathered for a debrief, where Tsunade acknowledged their efforts.

"You all performed well today," she praised. "Especially you, Natsume. You handled the situation with control and precision. You're growing into a true shinobi."

Natsume smiled at the compliment, while Shizune and Kabuto nodded in silent acceptance. Tsunade sighed internally. She had hoped for a little more excitement out of them, but her students were maturing, and their focus was now on their own skills, not on flattery.

As the camp settled for the night, Tsunade took the first watch, with Natsume volunteering for the midnight shift. Shizune and Kabuto had initially raised their hands, but both hesitated when they saw the rapport between Tsunade and Natsume. It didn't bother them—they knew Natsume was special to her.

Later, as the camp quieted down, Tsunade woke Natsume for his shift. "Your turn," she murmured, stretching after the long watch.

"Sis, go get some sleep," Natsume said, stifling a yawn.

Tsunade grinned, slipping into his sleeping bag. "Mind if I borrow your spot? I need the extra warmth."

Natsume blinked, caught off guard.

"Goodnight," Tsunade murmured, already dozing off, while Natsume resumed his watch. The night was quiet, and despite the lack of a fire, the soft glow from the river cast a gentle light.

Morning came quickly, and just before dawn, Natsume turned to wake Tsunade. To his surprise, her eyes were already open, though her gaze was still hazy. Half-asleep, she pulled him into a hug, her warm cheek pressing against his.

"Is it morning already?" she mumbled, still groggy.

"Yeah, Sis," Natsume replied softly, uncertain.

Tsunade, realizing the situation, immediately released him, blinking in embarrassment. Not again, she thought, mentally chiding herself. Tsunade, get it together!

---

The following day, the team returned to base camp. Given the caliber of the enemies involved, their mission was upgraded from A-rank to S-rank. It was rare for genin or even chunin to complete missions of such difficulty, and news of their success would spread.

Still, the team knew most of the credit belonged to Tsunade. Having one of the Sannin on board tended to change the stakes.

---

**A Forest in the Land of Tian (Tian no Kuni)**

Not far from the river, the Konoha camp stood resiliently, a testament to the strength of the Leaf shinobi. Tsunade, the futureFifth Hokage, handed out the day's assignments and led her team—Natsume, Kabuto Yakushi, and Shizune—toward the large command tent at the center of the encampment.

Inside, several notable figures awaited her arrival.

"Tsunade-sama," said Nara Shikaku, his spiky hair and calm demeanor unmistakable. As head of the Nara clan, Shikaku was famed as a brilliant strategist, just as his family was known for playing crucial roles in Konoha's military campaigns.

"On behalf of Choza and Inoichi, I want to thank you," Shikaku said, giving a respectful nod. "If it hadn't been for your intervention, Choza might have been forced to retire from the field."

Tsunade waved it off, though a small smile tugged at her lips. "I was only doing my duty. Now, what's the situation?"

"It's not looking good," Uchiha Fugaku responded, his tone grave. "In one week alone, thirty of our outposts and strongholds have been obliterated."

Despite being informed earlier, Tsunade's brows furrowed as the weight of the losses sank in. "Is Kumogakure throwing everything at us?"

Fugaku nodded solemnly. "They caught us off guard. We've had to pull back, but Shikaku has noticed something unusual."

Stepping forward, Shikaku spread a map of the Land of Tian across the central table. "Take a look," he instructed. "Although these attacks on our outposts seem random, they've gradually forced us southward. Our camp is now positioned downstream along this river."

He circled a large area with his finger.

"Could it be coincidence?" Tsunade asked skeptically. "This area's vast—far too large for a conventional ambush."

"That's what's strange," Shikaku replied, nodding. "The Fourth Raikage's goal likely extends beyond our outposts and strongholds."

Tsunade crossed her arms. "Kumogakure wants a decisive victory to strengthen their position at the negotiating table."

"Exactly," Fugaku agreed, casting a brief glance at Hiashi Hyūga, the Hyūga clan head, who stood silently nearby. "Our scouts with Byakugan have confirmed that both of Kumogakure's Jinchūriki are still in the village."

"Then the price they've paid for targeting our outposts must be steep," Tsunade mused.

Hiashi, sensing the cue, spoke up. "This is suspicious, to say the least. We could send our Byakugan users behind enemy lines to investigate."

Though risky, any information the Hyūga could gather would be invaluable.

Fugaku raised an eyebrow. "The Byakugan is a valuable asset. If they're detected, the repercussions could be severe. If you, as the Hyūga head, were willing to lead this personally, then I have no objections."

Hiashi's expression hardened. Leading such a mission himself was dangerous; he recalled the Third Great Ninja War, when a Hyūga's Byakugan had been captured by Kirigakure's Ao, earning him the title "White-Eyed Hunter."

"We can assign the task to a branch family member," Hiashi replied, his tone steely.

Fugaku's lips curved into a faint, knowing smile, but he remained silent. The rivalry between the Hyūga and Uchiha clans was no secret, but only the Uchiha knew the true power of the Mangekyō Sharingan. To Fugaku, the Byakugan could never compare.

"What do you propose then, Uchiha?" Hiashi asked, his voice cold.

"I suggest Tsunade-sama lead the investigation herself with a team of skilled shinobi. Uchiha Shisui's team could support her."

Tsunade glanced at Fugaku, then nodded thoughtfully. "No objections here."

After all, she had come to this battlefield to train Natsume and her team. Their recent encounter with Kumogakure's Troy had proven their potential, and while this mission would be even riskier, it was a prime opportunity to push their limits.

"Shisui," Tsunade called, turning to a young man standing quietly among the gathered shinobi. Known as 'Shisui of the Body Flicker,' he was both feared and admired for his exceptional speed. He gave a respectful bow.

"Yes, Tsunade-sama. Hokage-sama has entrusted me with leading a team as a Jōnin."

"Who's on your team?"

"Orochimaru-sama's three apprentices—Uchiha Itachi, Mitarashi Anko, and Uzuki Yugao," Shisui replied.

"Orochimaru's apprentices, huh?" Tsunade mused aloud. "I'm surprised he agreed to let them join the front lines."

Shisui remained silent. Though he hadn't chosen Itachi due to their shared clan ties, it had been Orochimaru who recommended him as their team leader, for reasons still unclear to him.

"Very well," Fugaku said, interjecting, "I leave this mission in Tsunade-sama's capable hands."

As his gaze flickered briefly to Shisui and Itachi, Fugaku's thoughts drifted. Tension within the Uchiha clan was escalating, and while he wanted to avoid an uprising, he needed to be vigilant. Through Shisui and Itachi, he hoped to monitor Konoha's inner workings and discern the intentions of its leaders.

But Fugaku was torn. He didn't desire a coup, nor did he want to see his clan face ruin. And yet, his inability to act could very well spell their doom. The path he walked was narrow, and the fate of the Uchiha clan hung in the balance.

---