"Wood Release? Tsunade, you awakened Wood Release?"
Hiruzen Sarutobi asked, caught between surprise and delight—pleased that Konoha's power had grown, yet also somewhat regretful that Wood Release wasn't in his own control.
He had only briefly glanced at the Gedo Statue before retreating from the Akatsuki's camp and hadn't witnessed the battle that followed. It was only after Tsunade and her team returned that he learned what happened.
"Since you awakened Wood Release, why did you still retreat?"
Tsunade replied impatiently, "If they hadn't inexplicably withdrawn, you'd be organizing the Sixth Hokage election by now. Still want to fight? Next time, will you go, or someone else?"
Without Hyuga Mirai's help, the battle between Tsunade and Nagato would likely have ended with her death and Nagato critically wounded with a drastically shortened lifespan.
And in that situation, this old man still wanted her to keep fighting? He should try experiencing what despair feels like himself. Summoning, limb enhancements, repulsion and attraction, and that nearly hundred-meter-tall monster—if not for the secret techniques of Wood Release, Tsunade would've lost long ago.
Konoha had also suffered considerable casualties in the war. Though there were no large-scale battles, frequent skirmishes still resulted in nearly a hundred wounded. After all, they were fighting in the Land of Rain, where the enemy held the terrain advantage.
Furthermore, Hiruzen generously covered medical supplies for Iwa-nin. Battles were still ongoing near Kikyo Castle, and internal instability continued within the Land of Fire.
Tsunade had inherited a mess the moment she took office. If she hadn't stopped Rinnegan Nagato with Wood Release, Konoha might've lost hundreds more ninja in the Land of Rain. At that point, the village would've been on the verge of collapse.
Just thinking about it made Tsunade glare at the old man. What was the point of starting this war without even understanding the intelligence from the Land of Rain, only to crash headlong into the Rinnegan?
"Prepare for retreat. Shikaku, organize the operation plan."
Tsunade ordered. Even if Konoha was leaving the Land of Rain battlefield, they couldn't leave any openings for Amegakure. And Iwa-nin still needed to be dealt with. Using her injury as an excuse, Tsunade intended to dump everything on Shikaku—aside from not being able to drink, of course.
Nara Shikaku nodded. "Understood, Lady Tsunade."
With that, he left to make preparations, not sparing a single glance at Hiruzen.
Now that the Fifth Hokage had awakened Wood Release and claimed the Hokage title, the Ino-Shika-Cho clans had no reason for hesitation. Shikaku planned to consult with Inoichi and Choza. Their three clans were standard Hokage loyalists—whoever held the title, they would follow.
Hiruzen sighed and left Tsunade's tent, followed shortly by the others.
Onoki, upon returning, immediately gathered the Iwa-nin to withdraw. At this point, he didn't even bother confronting Hiruzen. The Iwa-nin were like beaten dogs now. The reason they'd fallen so far was ultimately due to their own weakness.
"Kiyo, do you still have business?" Kurenai Yuhi asked curiously.
"I was guarding Lady Tsunade. That's all done now." Kiyo Hyuga replied softly, then added, "Kurenai, can you deliver a message for me? Tell them to pack up on their own."
"I can. Alright, I'll deliver it."
Kurenai had wanted to ask more, but seeing Kiyo slightly turn her head, she let it go. It was just passing a message to a Hyuga branch family member—nothing major.
After entrusting Kurenai with the message, Kiyo lifted the flap of the tent and stepped inside.
"Lady Tsunade, I'll be your guard from now on. If you need anything, just call."
Tsunade had arrived in a rush using the Flying Thunder God technique with Genma Shiranui and the others, so she hadn't brought any ANBU guards.
"Kiyo, that's not necessary."
Tsunade looked uncomfortable. She wasn't truly injured—how could she allow someone from the Hyuga main family to guard her? Plus, she had been hoping to sneak a little sake, and having a pair of Byakugan eyes at the door made her feel on edge.
"It's fine, Lady Tsunade. Please get some rest."
After bowing, Kiyo stepped outside the tent and took up guard duty.
When the area had quieted down, Kiyo glanced left and right, then let her hair fall to hide the sides of her face and began focusing chakra.
Byakugan!
Her chakra pathways bulged as she turned her gaze toward the interior of the tent. She hadn't inspected it closely during battle, but now that no one was around—
A ring!?
Upon seeing it, Kiyo clenched her fist slightly, calming herself. She had long practiced lip-reading, and now she had confirmed what she had glimpsed earlier. But why a ring...?
Before others arrived, she deactivated her Byakugan. Clues were always welcome. She began reflecting—she would do her best to support the Hokage's plans now, especially since she had reformed the Hyuga Clan as its new head.
The Nara Clan had always preferred careful planning, so the retreat of Konoha ninja from the Land of Rain didn't take long. Shikaku also ensured border security after withdrawal.
In this war, Konoha's losses were mostly material. Personnel casualties were within acceptable limits.
Still, there were few actual results to show. Compared to past wars, this one was a resounding failure. But after seeing Iwa-nin's miserable state, Konoha could accept the outcome. No matter the era, having someone worse off always helped boost morale.
However, ending things so abruptly would make it hard to request more funding from the daimyo. But Tsunade had already decided—she'd send the old man to the capital to ask for the budget.
The war in the Land of Rain was Hiruzen's decision. In the end, it was others who bled to hold off the leader of Amegakure. Without Tsunade, Konoha ninja might have all been lost there. With her prestige now sky-high, there was no reason the daimyo's funding should be her headache.
And with the Land of Rain settled, the war at Kikyo Castle continued. Tsunade had resolved not to intervene again. That conflict had to be resolved through peace talks.
Having displayed Wood Release and her formidable power, Tsunade's influence in the village reached its peak. Combined with her volatile temper, even Hiruzen had to think twice before challenging her orders.
Hyuga Mirai returned to the Sand Federation and briefly spoke with Ayaka Uzumaki and the others before heading straight back to Roran.
Although he carried portable research equipment, it was only for emergencies. The research base in Roran had the most complete tools and facilities.
Upon returning, Hyuga Mirai threw himself into his laboratory.
The Gedo Statue was the husk of the Ten-Tails, and the Ten-Tails was likely the Otsutsuki Clan's most prized possession. Without the Divine Tree and chakra fruit, their original powers were likely limited to Byakugan-based techniques. The Rinnegan was derived from the Divine Tree.
After analyzing fragments of the Gedo Statue, Hyuga Mirai was shocked to find its tissues were remarkably similar to the Starstone embedded in No. 18.
"Eighteen, come here for a moment."
For research purposes, Hyuga Mirai quickly called her over and said, "Let me examine your Starstone core."
Hearing this, No. 18 immediately covered her chest with both hands and said coyly, "Sir, that's a bit..."
Before she could finish her act, Hyuga Mirai interrupted, "You're covering the wrong spot, Eighteen. Your core is in your abdomen. And that expression is way over the top—it's like Ayaka's. Don't imitate her."
"Oh, I understand, sir." She dropped the exaggerated act, revealed the Starstone in her abdomen, and added, "But interrupting a performance practice, sir, that's not very gentlemanly."
"A 'gentleman' often means the opposite these days. So I'll take that as a compliment."
Unbothered, Hyuga Mirai began comparing the samples. No. 18 had a backup core, so removing her Starstone briefly only caused discomfort, not danger.
After recording data, he returned the core to her.
With the data in hand, Hyuga Mirai calculated the odds. The results showed a 70% chance that this Divine Tree fragment could be used to cultivate a small Divine Tree again.
As long as he could collect the Tailed Beasts' chakra and nurture it with energy from the Dragon Vein, it was possible. The only unknown was whether growing a new Divine Tree required the sacrifice of an Otsutsuki.
But at least, for now, the calculations showed that the fragment could grow again.
No. 18, upon seeing the results, said, "Sir, the Dragon Vein's energy might not be enough to grow the Divine Tree to its final form."
"Half is enough, Eighteen. A fully awakened Divine Tree is nearly impossible to control."
Hyuga Mirai recalled that once the Divine Tree reached full maturity, Kaguya's consciousness would awaken. Uchiha Madara had been lured in at the last moment and absorbed the tree into himself.
"Eighteen, build a secret chamber next to the Dragon Vein for cultivating the Divine Tree. Set up an energy channeling system."
Both Starstone and Tailed Beast chakra could activate this Gedo fragment, but there were subtle differences. To ensure the tree developed in its original direction, Hyuga Mirai chose Tailed Beast chakra as the primary nutrient.
By extracting one-third of each Tailed Beast's chakra and supplementing with the Dragon Vein's energy, he estimated the tree could reach half its peak size in about five years.
(End of Chapter)