Chapter 137

Tsunade skillfully dodged the Puppet's attack as she made her way through the battlefield, shifting her focus.

"Little girl, hiding isn't enough. You may have large Chakra reserves, but I'm not consuming much," Chiyo taunted, enjoying the upper hand and relentlessly teasing Tsunade.

"Hmph, old woman, don't get too proud. I'm just choosing not to fight. If I wanted to fight, I would have torn apart your Puppets long ago," Tsunade retorted, showing her refusal to accept defeat.

Tsunade, known as Tsunade-hime, one of the legendary Sannin and a major figure in Medical Ninjutsu, carried herself with dignity. Not to mention her noble background, impressive fighting strength, and good character. How could anyone not like her? Yet, here she was, being mercilessly bullied by an old woman due to the war she dared not engage in. It was too much.

Originally, Tsunade's fiery temperament would have provoked a confrontation with Chiyo. In defense of her pride, she would have led the Konoha Shinōbi into an explosive battle, a fateful clash that was not out of the question. However, to prevent this, Sarutobi Hiruzen personally sent a letter to Kaguya Clan and Yasuke, followed by Kato Dan, to supervise Tsunade and ensure that she did not act rashly in a desperate war. Currently, Konoha was engaged on multiple fronts, and they could not afford a life-or-death battle or a high-intensity war. Yes, Konoha had once again achieved a one-to-three victory. As they watched the overall situation, it was evident that Konoha was the only village to accomplish a one-to-four war against the Shinōbi World.

In this life, Konoha faced unique circumstances. Konoha's achievement of one-to-four was still one short of Kirigakure's record. Only the madman Uchiha Obito could stand on equal footing with Konoha. Uchiha Obito possessed the Impure World Reincarnation technique and had control over one hundred thousand White Zetsu. In terms of strength and peak battle prowess, he was on par with the Five Great Hidden Villages. Konoha had already fallen behind in terms of strength. On each front, they faced significant disparities in power, whether it was one-to-one, one-to-five, or one-to-two matchups. Sarutobi Hiruzen absolutely could not allow Tsunade, his good disciple, to create trouble. He did not want her to charge headlong into battle, risking her life and leading the Shinōbi recklessly. There had been few instances in which Shinōbi engaged in such battles during this war, according to Sarutobi Hiruzen's vision. He intended for Konoha to buy time for the other Hidden Villages. Through the previous wars, Konoha had cultivated a group of elite Shinōbi. In terms of Shinōbi quality, they had surpassed any of the Five Great Hidden Villages. However, there was a shortage of manpower in each war zone.

Chiyo continued to bite at Tsunade's situation and bully her. Tsunade had no choice but to reluctantly retreat, saving face for Konoha.

"It's quite exhilarating. I've been battling Konoha for decades, but this is the first time I've felt such excitement," Chiyo said, in an unusually jovial mood.

It wasn't that she lacked empathy or was sinister and cruel. It was simply the situation at hand. After battling Konoha for several decades, she was delighted for the first time.

Chiyo knew that Tsunade's biggest disadvantage was her youth. If Tsunade were the same age as her, she would undoubtedly surpass her in many aspects. Tsunade was widely recognized as the foremost expert in Medical Ninjutsu. Her beauty was acclaimed throughout the Shinōbi World. Her young age and Kage-level talent were not enough to explain her achievements.

"Hehe, a talented junior indeed, but unfortunately, you're not from our Sunagakure," Chiyo shook her head and led the Suna Shinōbi back to their camp. The more she observed Tsunade, the more she found herself drawn to her youthful energy.

In the Konoha camp, Tsunade vented her frustrations on Kato Dan and Senju Nawaki.

"Shut up! Why did you stop me? I was about to complete the strategic deployment and defeat that old woman," Tsunade snapped, her eyes filled with anger as she glared at Kato Dan.

Kato Dan could only offer an awkward smile, acknowledging his mistake. Meanwhile, Senju Nawaki prayed silently, hoping Tsunade wouldn't unleash her anger on him. With his small build, he couldn't withstand her wrath.

Unfortunately for Senju Nawaki, luck seemed to have abandoned him, rendering his prayers useless.

"And you, Nawaki! Your elder sister was in grave danger, and instead of coming to save me, she engaged in a fake fight with some Jonin. Do you not think that's going too far?" Tsunade clenched her fist, her anger threatening to reach the heavens.

Seeing Tsunade's gaze, Senju Nawaki quickly gestured to Kato Dan, silently pleading for help.

"Big brother, please help me," he signaled.

"Sorry, I am also powerless to defend myself," Kato Dan replied.

"No worries. If that's the case, I'll seek help from our brother, Jiraiya," Senju Nawaki decided.

"No, you won't. Do you want to see Shizune's reaction?" Tsunade's tone turned cruel.

Senju Nawaki's desperate eyes met Kato Dan's. In that brief moment, they exchanged complex information without uttering a single word, relying solely on their eye contact. Their understanding of each other had reached unprecedented heights.

Konoha Shinōbi, hearing the cries for help from the command tent, acted as if they hadn't heard anything and went about their business as usual. If one day they couldn't hear Senju Nawaki's pleas for help, it would feel strange to them.

Inside the tent, Tsunade, who had vented her anger on Senju Nawaki, felt a sense of relief. She clapped her hands, feeling refreshed, and let out a gentle laugh.

Kato Dan glanced sadly at Senju Nawaki on the ground, silently lamenting the number of orphanages that Tsunade's previous life had likely destroyed.

"Tsunade, now that you're in a good mood, why don't we discuss how to deal with Chiyo's Puppets and Medical Corps?" Kato Dan quickly approached, secretly giving hand signals to the nearby Shinōbi, who swiftly moved to attend to Nawaki's injuries. They needed to act swiftly to prevent any disfigurement or potential complications.

"That's a good idea. The Puppet Brigade relies heavily on Taijutsu and Kenjutsu restraints. Sunagakure's Puppet Brigade should be upgraded in all aspects. I suggest we focus on improving our offensive capabilities," Tsunade said, furrowing her brow as she reflected on the powerful defenses displayed by Chiyo's Puppets.

"Indeed, we need to reform our methods. Sunagakure has unleashed many strange techniques, greatly increasing their fighting strength and mitigating the high mortality risks faced by Shinōbi. I propose we train our forces to enhance their offensive abilities," Kato Dan added, sharing his insights.

In the past, his opinions required approval, but now, his words held sway and could influence many. This was the advantage of holding a position of influence.

The doctor had advised Tsunade to stick to soft foods due to her stomach condition. As the saying went, "The doctor said my stomach is weak, so I should eat soft food."