C 46

That night, the ninja on duty in the Hokage building heard a furious roar emanating from the Hokage's office. After a short while, the sound vanished, suggesting that a sound insulation barrier had been activated. Ultimately, Tsunade was seen leaving the Hokage building, her expression furious, followed closely by Orochimaru.

"Tsunade, don't be angry. Mr. Sarutobi is just being a bit more cautious. If I were in his position, I would likely test all possibilities concerning an unknown and potentially uncontrollable force; it's the instinct of a hunter. After all, the other party didn't allow Mr. Sarutobi to see it as an irresistible threat," Orochimaru explained, attempting to calm her.

However, Tsunade's face contorted with anger again as she retorted, "Orochimaru, whose side are you on?"

"Of course, I'm on your side, Tsunade! I was just in the Hokage's office, advocating for you," he insisted, taking a step back. He recognized that continuing the argument about politics at that moment was futile; his real aim was to participate in the research.

"Then when will the research start? I will prioritize it against the missions in the village to accommodate it," Orochimaru pressed.

"I don't know; we'll just have to wait," Tsunade replied, shrugging.

She eyed him carefully, her voice steady as she said, "Don't think I'm lying to you. I genuinely don't know when it will start. The Extremis serum, research equipment, and experimental subjects—all of these are handled by Kain. We only ventured out for the venue, and this incident occurred. Now, he can't feel safe and has left Konoha overnight."

Orochimaru was momentarily stunned by this news. Realizing that Kain had indeed departed, he mentally chastised Mr. Sarutobi, "This is truly bad news."

"I'm more anxious about this than anyone else!" Tsunade exclaimed. "I've already made a promise to Nawaki, and now this happens!"

"I fear this will create trouble for Konoha in the future, Tsunade," Orochimaru remarked thoughtfully. The implications of Kain's business weighed heavily on his mind. It was clear that he would not limit his medicinal supplies to Konoha alone; they would likely appear in other ninja villages. If a war broke out at that time, Kain's medicines could significantly alleviate the shortage of medical ninjas.

Tsunade felt even more upset, frustrated by the reckless decisions made by those in power. They understood Kain's value but still acted irresponsibly. "I'll let you know when he returns to begin the experiment, Orochimaru," she stated, waving him off.

Tsunade walked toward the Senju clan's compound, her head swirling with thoughts of the medicines—such a headache for those who played political games. She wished to distance herself from it all. Kain, who had previously expressed care for her, was now in a precarious situation, nearly losing his life due to their own incompetence. How could she explain this to him? Kain was a cautious individual; she knew he wouldn't take this lightly.

Returning to the Senju tribe, Tsunade found Kushina and Grandma Mito still awake. "Kushina, why are you still up? And Grandma, you should be resting; you're getting old," she said, concern etched on her face.

Kushina, anxiety evident in her voice, interrupted, "Miss Tsunade, will the boss... will he come back?"

"Of course he will. If you're just waiting for an answer, you should go rest," Tsunade assured her, hoping to calm her nerves. It wouldn't be right to involve Kushina any further; she was already a victim of tonight's events.

Once Kushina left, Tsunade sighed heavily and turned to Uzumaki Mito. "Grandma, can you warn those fools? They're starting to plot against Kushina…"

Uzumaki Mito fell silent for a moment, gathering her thoughts. "Tsunade, I'm afraid I don't have much time left. Nawaki and Kushina will need your care moving forward. If Nawaki isn't cured, please don't blame yourself too much, and don't get stuck in the past."

Despite her high status, Uzumaki Mito recognized her limitations. If this situation had arisen a few years ago, she would have confronted the Hokage without hesitation. But times had changed. The political landscape could corrupt even the noblest of hearts. Even a skilled ninja like Senju Tobirama hadn't escaped this fate.

Mito recalled that before Hashirama's departure, he had warned Tobirama not to target the Uchiha clan. Yet after nearly two decades as Hokage, Tobirama had grown increasingly distrustful of the Uchiha, prioritizing his judgment over his brother's wishes. The same went for Sarutobi Hiruzen; regardless of what Mito advised or how much he promised, it was futile. Once she was gone, Sarutobi would return to trusting his own judgment, leaving Tsunade as the only one capable of protecting both Kushina and Nawaki.

Tsunade fell into silence, comprehending Grandma Mito's concerns. Yet, her current position was insufficient; she needed to implement medical reforms and gain control of the medical department to have any significant influence in the village.

"I understand, Grandma," Tsunade finally said, a steely determination settling in her heart. She had managed to handle the situation at the Hokage building earlier, and she vowed that once she gained more power, she wouldn't back down from the old men's authority. "One is one, and two is two!"

For now, Tsunade could only hope Kain returned swiftly, allowing her to initiate the Extremis experimental project without further delay.

After Kain returned to the Marvel world, he finally felt a measure of relaxation. This was the first time he had taken a life—especially that of a ninja. Although his mentality had not shifted significantly, he simply didn't want to remain in Konoha after such a chaotic incident. The Cloud Shinobi spies had been misinformed; they didn't grasp the strength of modern firearms. While guns did exist in the Hokage world, they were still primitive compared to contemporary weapons, and it would take decades for their development to catch up.

Konoha had miscalculated this time, but as they gathered intelligence, the next encounter would likely be different. Kain understood that he wouldn't stay in Konoha unless absolutely necessary—perhaps only if he could reside in the clan lands of either the Senju or Uchiha clans.

"Those old bastards! They're using Cloud Shinobi spies to test me," he thought, anger boiling within him. Initially, Kain had only wanted to conduct honest trade and acquire the resources he desired. Yet after being deceived by those in power, he felt compelled to seek revenge; he couldn't allow this slight to go unaddressed.

"Contact the Uchiha clan when I return," he resolved.

Kain had no illusions about forging friendships within that family. Beyond medical resources, he lacked anything the Uchiha truly needed; they were a self-sufficient clan with their own medical ninjas. While they might be short on battlefield medics, they were never in want of practitioners for their own.

Still, Kain would do his best to make connections. If money fell short, he would rely on his reputation. The Uchiha clan, known for their pride, had a vulnerability there—one that could be exploited.

But for now, Kain needed to unwind and prepare the serum and research equipment for Extremis. The future loomed uncertain, but he was determined to face it on his own terms.

….

patreon.com/Vks_sh