Chapter 213

However, the shadow of defeat cast a daunting prospect.

Tsunade grappled with the unsettling reality that losing meant confronting Hinata's fate, a dilemma that extended to the scrutiny of the Hyuga family within the village.

With a loss…

Tsunade couldn't fathom how she would confront Hinata.

Nor how she'd face the Hyuga clan within the village.

The impact of her decisions was clear through her expression.

The weight of the situation etched itself on Tsunade's face, mirroring the concern shared by several Hyuga ninja who had keenly observed the unfolding events.

They could sense the gravity of her internal struggle and the complex emotions interwoven with the impending outcome.

Suddenly, an elder from the Hyuga clan stepped forward, his tone laced with solemnity.

"Tsunade-sama, we place our trust in your abilities and strength. You will undoubtedly emerge victorious in this wager!"

"Please, do it!" the plea echoed through the air.

"You must succeed Hokage-sama," urged another, echoing the sentiment.

In the midst of this encouragement, the weight of the Hyuga clan's expectations bore down on Tsunade.

Despite their apparent lack of pressure, beneath the surface, they were well aware that any pleas or reassurances now held no sway.

Within the Hyuga clan, there was a subtle acknowledgment that words alone could not alter the course of events.

The die had been cast, and the prospect of canceling the bet was out of the question.

Now, there was no turning back.

Yet, in their hearts, they understood the futility of their words.

Despite the apparent lack of pressure from the Hyuga family, a silent understanding lingered.

They were well aware that any attempt to sway the outcome now would be futile.

Even if they harbored thoughts of subterfuge, the imposing figure standing before them rendered any such attempts futile.

Toying with the idea of trickery could only lead to their Hokage's detriment; perhaps, they feared, it might even drag the entire village into peril.

The Hyuga clan found themselves relegated to the role of spectators, resigned to placing their hopes in the prowess of their Hokage.

As the Hyuga clan resorted to prayer, their hopes pinned on Tsunade's prowess, regret subtly crept into her own thoughts.

Simultaneously, Tsunade grappled with a twinge of regret.

The impulsive decision that led her to accept the bet now manifested as a weight on her shoulders.

The gravity of the situation had surpassed the point of no return, and regrets loomed over her like a specter.

Why, she pondered, had she succumbed.

"Why did I succumb to that impulsive decision?"

Tsunade pondered, surveying the circumstances that had brought her to this point.

The bet had spiraled into an unmanageable situation.

The regret etched across her features betrayed the acknowledgment that riding the tiger of fate had become an arduous task.

It wouldn't be entirely fair to label Tsunade's choice as mere impulsivity.

When Carnes proposed the bet, the undercurrent of restlessness stirred within the ranks of Konoha ninjas, including the venerable Hyuga clan.

Carnes' offer was undeniably substantial, dangling a carrot that could coerce even the most resolute ninja.

It was undeniably alluring, presenting a chance for Tsunade to emerge triumphant.

Even the Hyuga, typically reserved, couldn't entirely quell the stirrings of ambition.

Carnes' proposal loomed large, seemingly too grand to dismiss.

The potential rewards for success held the power to bind every ninja in Konoha to an agreement they couldn't refuse.

They, too, believed that the stakes were in Tsunade's favor.

Carnes, in that context, wielded an influence that extended beyond the ordinary.

The terms of the bet essentially tethered Konoha to a solution for the impending crisis.

The unspoken consensus among the ninja community made the wager an almost inevitable outcome.

Yet, now, with the pressure mounting and the consequences unfolding, regret gnawed at Tsunade.

The magnitude of Carnes' influence loomed large, and the burden of the impending crisis rested squarely on her shoulders.

The village's safety hung in the balance, tethered to a gamble that, in hindsight, seemed both audacious and inevitable.

Entire village's fate rested on her shoulders, and the regret that whispered in her ear was not merely a personal lament but an echo of everyone's choice that had led them to this situation.

The collective decision made in that moment echoed through the present.

Everyone left Tsunade alone to confront the repercussions of a bet that had surpassed the realm of suitable risk for her.

As she grappled with the consequences alone, the weight of collective decisions pressed heavily upon her.

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