Above the dense primeval forest.
The eagle-falcon Bi Diao flapped its wings rapidly, gliding swiftly over uninhabited regions resembling a tropical rainforest.
Tsunade, her face dark with fury, sat cross-legged on Bi Diao's back, while Kei Yamanaka stood behind her, constantly scanning the dense forest below.
After returning to Konoha,
he had studied the ocular meridian pathways of every Hyūga clan member.
After numerous attempts and explorations, he could now activate his Byakugan to detect even the faintest chakra signatures beyond twenty kilometers.
In fact, his visual range exceeded his maximum sensing range!
"Bi Diao, fly in this direction!"
Kei Yamanaka scanned briefly, detecting multiple chakra signatures and grotesque structures that looked like ancient ruins. He raised his hand and used chakra to point in the direction they should fly.
Bi Diao tilted its body slightly, adjusted course, and accelerated once more.
Seeing that Tsunade was still sitting there silently fuming, Kei gave her butt a light kick.
"Come on, it was just a small misunderstanding."
"Don't feed me that crap! Where's the punching bag you promised me?!"
Tsunade raised her hand and slapped his calf hard, her teeth nearly grinding together.
Yesterday, after that bastard bit her from behind, her body had been invaded by energy stronger than Sage Chakra. She screamed once before completely losing consciousness.
When she woke up, it was already past nine o'clock at night.
Seeing the Anti-Sensor Barrier, privacy barriers, and soundproof barrier rising inside the Hokage Office,
she assumed Kei had set them up so no one would interrupt her while boosting her strength—feeling a flicker of warmth in her chest.
Who would have guessed?
The very first thing the Anbu did upon entering was cleaning the sofa!
Such an unusual act naturally triggered her suspicion.
But when she asked, the young female Anbu hesitated, avoiding eye contact and glancing between her and Kei Yamanaka several times before blurting out, "Otherwise, it could breed bacteria."
She wasn't an idiot!
She definitely knew they'd misunderstood!
Yet further questioning revealed that not only this Anbu, but also Squad Two who had already changed shifts, Squad Three currently on duty, and a whole pile of others who came in the afternoon delivering reports (but were stopped from entering)—probably all shared the same misunderstanding!
Although none of them showed any abnormal expressions, she couldn't sit still in the Hokage Office, feeling as prickly as sitting on pins and needles!
All because of that bastard behind her!
Claiming it was about boosting her power—what nonsense! Clearly nothing but ulterior motives!
But… but… but…
Sure, he had ulterior motives—but he'd truly given so much!
"We're here."
The soft white glow in Kei's eyes gradually faded.
He lightly tapped Bi Diao's back with his foot.
Already in sync with him, Bi Diao dove downward, plummeting toward what looked like an ancient ruin below.
Poof~
Just meters from the ground, Bi Diao dissolved into a cloud of chakra mist and returned to Konoha's Summon Aviary.
Kei Yamanaka and Tsunade leapt down together, landing before the camouflaged entrance of Kūnin Fortress, Ankbandidian—a structure camouflaged as ruins.
Kūnin Fortress
"You Kūnin scum! Come out and die!"
A thunderous voice sent clouds of dust raining down from the ceiling.
With the word "pseudo" erased from her [Natural Sage Body], she was now its true embodiment.
As Tsunade moved forward, she didn't need to activate the Yin Seal at all—natural energy surged toward her in overwhelming waves. Nine dragon heads formed entirely of sage chakra erupted around her in an instant.
BOOM~
With one punch, she shattered the massive stone door hidden within the wall.
Stepping into the Kūnin Fortress, Tsunade was met by a swarm of Kūnin shinobi brandishing various weapons.
She planted her foot and lunged forward like a tiger descending from the mountains.
Puchi~ Puchi~ BOOM~ BOOM~
Blood sprayed in every direction. One by one, the Kūnin fell—some with their chests caved in, others with their heads shattered.
Even the weapon launchers designed to match the strength of Chunin attacks—kunai and wind blade launchers alike—couldn't so much as graze her.
The once brightly lit corridors, bathed in the glow of incandescent lights, were quickly transformed into a crimson hell!
DIBDU~ DIBDU~ DIBDU~
Deafening alarms blared across Ankbandidian. Tsunade's form became a white blur dashing through the fortress, cutting down every Kūnin who dared to challenge her.
Back during the Second Great Ninja War, the Kūnin had launched large-scale attacks on Konoha!
Their attacks left heavy casualties among both civilians and ninja. The destruction of buildings and economic losses were immeasurable.
Tsunade personally experienced the Kūnin assault during the Second Great Ninja War—it happened while she was still in Konoha!
If she showed any mercy to these Kūnin now, that would truly be shocking!
"Haven't you located the Zero-Tails yet?"
Kei Yamanaka activated his full sensory perception, mentally mapping out the entire layout of the Kūnin Fortress.
Inside the central control chamber deep beneath the Kūnin Fortress.
Shinno, the burly leader of the Kūnin, angrily barked orders to hundreds of Kūnin ninja.
Perhaps sensing Tsunade's overwhelming presence,
Shinno knew he stood no chance against her.
Groups of Kūnin ninja gathered around the chakra absorption device deep beneath the control chamber.
Meanwhile, in the original storyline, the Kūnin hadn't even begun crafting the dark mass of chakra they would eventually shape into the tailless beast known as the Zero-Tails!
RUMBLING~ The entire fortress trembled, emitting a low buzzing hum.
Massive surges of chakra coursed through the absorption device, spreading throughout the Kūnin Fortress.
Standing inside the control chamber, Shinno placed one hand on a strange mechanical device, rapidly absorbing chakra extracted from ordinary Kūnin bodies.
As the leader of the Kūnin and an elite medical ninja,
he had mastered the forbidden techniques of Body Regeneration and Body Activation—and had even stolen Konoha's Eight Gates technique!
He was confident that, with enough chakra, even facing one of the Sannin—Tsunade herself—he could come out on top!
But that illusion shattered the moment Tsunade kicked down the control room door!
Just one punch—one single punch—was all it took to punch straight through the powerful body he once took pride in!
As the Body Regeneration technique barely sealed the gaping wound in his chest, a soft gasp slipped from his lips.
His limbs and body completely lost control, as if he had become a piece of meat on a chopping block, waiting to be carved up, and collapsed helplessly to the ground.
Tsunade's hands formed seals, and a chakra scalpel as thin as a cicada's wing appeared at her fingertips.
[Her eyes gleamed with curiosity.]
In just three seconds, she had completely sliced open Shinno's abdominal cavity, observing how his chakra circulated and operated inside.
["It's similar in effect to my own [Creation Rebirth: Strength of a Hundred Seal]... but the principle is totally different."]
["Agh—!"]
The earsplitting scream hadn't even fully left his mouth before it was cut short.
Tsunade lightly flicked two fingers against the base of Shinno's neck, severing the nerve endings responsible for pain instantly.
["...Since when did you start sharing Orochimaru's little hobby?"]
Witnessing this gut-churning scene, Kei Yamanaka instinctively rubbed his chest.
Dammit...
Thank goodness Tsunade hadn't used that chakra scalpel earlier that morning when she punched him in the chest.
Three seconds flat—and she'd flayed him open.
She didn't just slice through the skin; she also cut away the ribs and fascia obstructing her line of sight. This was absolutely brutal!
["Tch!"] I was already studying human anatomy long before Orochimaru started playing with snakes!
Tsunade muttered in annoyance, then casually resealed Shinno's chest wound with a swipe of her hand, letting his Body Regeneration technique continue healing naturally.
"How... how could this happen? I've seen both your Medical Ninjutsu and Chakra Enhanced Strength... You weren't this strong before! How?! What did you do?!"
Shinno mumbled weakly, his face filled with despair as he looked up at Tsunade, who now stood over him like a divine figure towering above him.
He would have been better off staying silent.
The moment he spoke, Tsunade's expression, which had slightly softened, turned dark once again.
["This strength cost me my entire reputation! Still got a problem with it?"]
As soon as she finished speaking,
Tsunade stomped down, crushing Shinno's skull underfoot effortlessly—ending his life and sending him straight to meet the Sage of Six Paths.
["..."]
Kei Yamanaka silently mourned for Shinno for a few seconds, looking at his now lifeless body.
["You lost—that's fine... But why the hell did you have to talk back?!"]
Based on Tsunade's actions just now, she clearly intended to capture him alive and hand him over to the Interrogation Division.
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