The three-day deadline passed unnoticed.
Ōnoki was still foolishly waiting for Konoha's reply, while Fugaku and Dai had already led the main force to prepare for departure.
Outside the gates of Konoha Village, a large group of ninjas lined up in formation, ready to march.
"I won't say much more."
"Wishing you all an immediate victory."
According to tradition, as Hokage, Tsunade naturally came to see them off and boost morale.
"Don't worry, we won't disappoint you."
This expedition was led primarily by the Uchiha Clan, and Fugaku was confident in his clan's combat readiness.
He would show the Iwa ninjas the terror of being dominated by the Sharingan.
"With me here, there won't be any unexpected issues."
Dai's big white teeth sparkled as always beneath the morning sun.
"Looking forward to your good news."
"We'll drink together when you return."
Kawaki stood a step behind Tsunade, delivering a final summary.
"Alright then, time to depart."
Fugaku and Dai simultaneously waved their arms and turned around. As the order to move out rang, the massive army set off toward the Land of Earth.
"Do you think Ōnoki might believe we're only trying to pressure him?" Looking at the departing troops, Tsunade couldn't help but imagine how Ōnoki would react.
"He probably does."
"He wouldn't think we'd act so rashly."
Kawaki didn't look back, answering casually as always.
"That's actually favorable."
"It'll take him completely off guard."
Thinking about how furious Ōnoki had been before, Tsunade couldn't help but smile.
She had no fondness whatsoever for that hot-headed old man who thrived on others' misfortunes.
"Haha, exactly right."
Kawaki seemed genuinely delighted, as if he'd completely forgotten he was the true mastermind behind it all.
"Ugh, now I've got to go back and deal with all that damn paperwork."
Tsunade reluctantly turned around, her brief moment of good mood instantly vanishing.
"Oh come on, just hang in there a bit longer."
"Once this war is over, you can hand it all off."
Kawaki dramatically tried to comfort Tsunade, though he never mentioned helping her with any official duties.
"You say 'just hang in there'—make it sound so easy!"
Tsunade shot Kawaki an angry glare and pinched him hard in the waist. This guy really talked like he had no skin in the game.
"Gah!"
Kawaki twisted violently to dodge, writhing like a possessed snake.
The two Konoha guards at the gate looked up at the sky, loudly commenting on how nice the weather was.
As the gates closed, it felt once again like the outside world had nothing to do with Konoha Village.
"Your dad went to the Land of Earth?"
At recess in the ninja academy, a group of kids gathered again.
Gai and Kinoto found themselves surrounded, while Kakashi asked the first question.
"Yeah, they probably just left recently."
Gai answered, and Kinoto nodded beside his older brother.
"Wish I could've gone too. My parents wouldn't let me."
Ginji wore a face full of regret, clearly disappointed.
"Be grateful. It's rare to get to fight even once."
Kurenai tapped Ginji lightly on the forehead, treating him like her own little brother.
"You're right. It's not so bad here at school either."
Aoi Tsukigami watched Ginji nod in agreement with Kurenai, while Little Qing peeked out from the collar of her shirt.
"School is pretty comfortable, but way too boring."
After Obito returned, his strength increased rapidly, and his heart had become restless too.
"Don't get any funny ideas. I'm watching you," Rin warned, tapping her eyes with two fingers before pointing them at Obito.
She was afraid that Obito might sneak out of Konoha, which would cause a major disaster.
"What funny ideas am I getting? I'm just complaining."
Obito scratched his head in embarrassment. He really didn't know what to do with Rin.
Looks like this life's gonna be full of nagging for sure!
"This time Lord Fugaku will lead the team, with Uncle Dai staying by, and they will surely dominate the place."
Being Jiraiya's son, Naruto always had the latest intel.
He spoke while flailing his hands around dramatically, as if he himself were part of the expedition team.
"The clan leader will definitely succeed."
Shisui held Fugaku in extremely high regard; he was no longer the poor, brainwashed kid from the original plot.
Though he no longer had his parents' protection, Fugaku had become his strongest pillar of support.
"My grandpa said this battle is super important."
"It's the decisive move that'll shape the whole ninja world."
"I hope both veteran leaders can completely take over the Land of Earth."
Asuma almost never brought up Hiruzen Sarutobi in public, but today was an exception.
Whatever mistakes he may have made in the past, as the Third Hokage, everyone trusted his foresight.
"Now that you put it that way, this battle really must be huge."
"Even if we take the Land of Earth, the Lands of Wind and Lightning are still out there."
"Calling it a turning point for the whole ninja world seems a bit much, doesn't it?"
"Is there something deeper we're missing?"
"If the Third Lord says so, he must've seen something far beyond us."
Everyone started murmuring amongst themselves.
Meanwhile, Hiruzen Sarutobi—the man behind those words—wasn't fishing today. Instead, he lounged on a hammock in the courtyard, soaking up the morning sun.
"Tsunade really did marry someone extraordinary."
"Never in my lifetime did I expect to see the whole ninja world bowing under Konoha's banner."
"Tanzō got what he deserved, and truthfully, I should've stepped down ages ago."
Muttering to himself, he smiled and shook his head—his expression impossible to read.
Oh… he murmured softly.
Naruto: Starting from Pursuing Tsunade – Please bookmark: (m)
His thoughts drifted along with the departing expedition army. He would surely witness that day with his own eyes.
Konoha's forces left the Land of Fire, passing through the Land of Grass to reach the Land of Earth's border.
Though this route bypassed the Land of Rain, it was merely psychological comfort. Everyone knew the Land of Grass was now under Akatsuki control.
Without the Akatsuki's permission, there was no way Konoha's army could pass through so smoothly.
When news reached Ōnoki of Konoha's massive army advancing, he couldn't believe it.
They said three days—and they actually meant *exactly* three days?
His first instinct wasn't to retaliate. After making quick preparations, he immediately thought about reaching out to Tsunade directly through Konoha's commander.
He hoped to move past this issue through peaceful communication.
His actions were exactly as Tsunade had anticipated. It was clear that Ōnoki had miscalculated this time.
The Land of Wind received the news as well. Although Rasa's reaction wasn't as intense as Ōnoki's, his face was filled with worry.
"Did the Konoha army really march into the Land of Earth?"
"Since when have Akatsuki ninja become so easy to deal with?"
Perhaps borrowing the path for evacuation the first time was a compromise by Akatsuki, but could he really use the same excuse again and expect to fool himself twice?
Inside the conference hall of the Kazekage Building, the intelligence chief stared in disbelief at the letter in his hands.
It described how the Konoha army passed through the Land of Grass without encountering a single Akatsuki ninja, their journey suspiciously smooth, as if every Akatsuki member had vanished entirely.
He couldn't possibly believe that an organization powerful enough to conquer such vast territory would leave the Land of Grass entirely undefended, failing to detect a foreign army passing through its territory.
"We should start thinking about our next move."
Rasa didn't want to respond. At this moment, he no longer dared to hope that the war wouldn't reach the Land of Wind.
His instincts told him—the balance of the entire Ninja World was about to tip completely.
A heavy sense of unease settled over him. He didn't know where Sunagakure would turn next.
...
Naruto: Starting from Pursuing Tsunade Please bookmark: (mobile)