Tsunade raised her right fist high, channeling a massive amount of chakra into it. The energy swirled and condensed around her fist, forming a visible blue chakra gauntlet.
"Yaaaah!"
Boom!
The clash of fists was deafening. The clay muscles on the Ant Strongman's arm exploded instantly, followed by half of its body being shattered into pieces.
But that wasn't the end. The ground beneath the Ant Strongman's feet began to collapse, and the destruction spread backward at a 45-degree angle. Massive rocks were launched into the air by the sheer force of the impact, followed by violent tremors that made it feel like an earthquake.
This was insane!
Deidara quickly dodged the flying debris, his mind racing. Based on his estimation, Tsunade's punch had unleashed damage on par with a Tailed Beast Ball. In fact, because she could focus her power so precisely, her destructive force in certain situations could surpass that of a Tailed Beast Ball.
At the very least, a Tailed Beast Ball wouldn't be able to break through Madara's Susano'o, even if it was just in its first form.
As Deidara began chewing more clay in preparation for his next move, Tsunade quickly waved her hand and said, "Alright! I give up."
Though her punch had been impressive, it was clear that Deidara hadn't even used his full strength. She had no interest in continuing to be toyed with like a monkey in someone else's game.
Deidara paused, somewhat surprised, and stopped chewing.
"Well, that's for the best," he said with a faint smile. "After all, Orochimaru is an old friend of yours. Helping an old friend shouldn't be something you resist so much, right?"
"Hmph!" Tsunade let out a laugh with an ambiguous tone. Orochimaru had always been strange since they were kids. Compared to Jiraiya, who was just a pervert, she could never understand what went on in Orochimaru's mind.
She wasn't even sure what Orochimaru truly thought of her.
"Oh, looks like I'm late," came a voice.
Kisame Hoshigaki arrived leisurely. Although he had rushed over as soon as he sensed the commotion outside the city, the battle between Deidara and Tsunade hadn't lasted long. By the time Kisame arrived, the matter was already resolved.
Tsunade glanced at Kisame with a serious expression. The sheer amount of chakra emanating from him made it clear that he was another extremely dangerous individual.
Where were these monsters coming from?
It was evident that her years of gambling, running away from debts, and living in avoidance had left her disconnected from the world. Her understanding of the current state of the ninja world was sorely lacking.
"Let's go. Orochimaru is currently in the Village Hidden in Sound. If we take my Clay Bird, it'll take just over a day to get there," Deidara said as he spat out four clay birds.
Tsunade eyed the birds with some disdain. "There's no saliva left on these, is there?"
Deidara snapped back, annoyed, "Are you really this disgusted with your big brother?"
Tsunade: "…!"
It's over. My reputation is completely ruined.
Meanwhile, in Konohagakure, Danzo's mood had been noticeably restless these past few days.
He couldn't help it. The thought of achieving what Hiruzen Sarutobi had failed to accomplish in his entire life was enough to keep him awake with excitement.
How should he announce this to the world?
Wouldn't he be hailed as the strongest Hokage in history?
Should he act humble when the time came? Or should he just accept the praise outright?
Indeed, even as Hokage, one couldn't escape such "troubles."
As Danzo was lost in his thoughts, a member of the Root appeared silently in his office. Unlike others who needed to knock, Root members didn't bother with such formalities. After all, they were nothing more than emotionless tools.
"Hokage-sama, a report from the front lines," the Root member said, holding a document that had just been translated by the Intelligence Division.
"Oh? Bring it here," Danzo said eagerly.
The highest honor was within reach, and even someone as shrewd as Danzo couldn't help but feel a bit impatient.
Taking the report, Danzo quickly scanned its contents with his one eye.
At the same time, various scenarios flashed through his mind.
The best outcome would be the complete annihilation of Sunagakure. The next best would be occupying the village, even if some survivors remained. The worst-case scenario would be a major victory, but with Kakashi and Shikaku Nara stealing the spotlight.
No matter. Once they returned to Konoha, Danzo had plenty of ways to deal with them.
Wait!
What?!
How could this be?!
Danzo stumbled and collapsed into his chair, his eye wide with shock. It was clear he had suffered a major blow.
"Hokage-sama! Hokage-sama!" the Root member called out urgently.
But Danzo seemed not to hear. He sat in a daze for several seconds before picking up the report again and reading it a second time.
This time, he couldn't hold it in.
Pfft!
He spat out a mouthful of blood.
Impossible!
How could Rasa still be alive?! Wasn't he supposed to be dead?
Could it be that the front-line troops had been taken over by Kakashi and Shikaku Nara, who then sent back false information? Or had they acted recklessly and fallen into a Sunagakure ambush, using this as an excuse to cover their failure?
Countless speculations swirled in Danzo's mind, but they only made him feel more confused. His vision darkened, and he slowly lost consciousness.
With Danzo's fainting, it felt as though a shadow had fallen over the entire village.
Rumors of defeat spread like wildfire. It was said that the Konoha forces sent to raid Sunagakure had suffered a 60% casualty rate.
At first, no one believed it.
Sixty percent? Impossible!
That was 3,000 ninja! And they were all elite, carefully selected with at least the rank of Chūnin. How could they have been wiped out so easily?
But as more reports came in, people had no choice but to accept the truth.
Konoha had suffered an unprecedented defeat, and the village was gripped by fear and uncertainty.
In the Root's underground base, Danzo lay on a bed, having been moved there by his deputy, Ryoma Aburame. Several medical-nin worked tirelessly around him, and finally, there were signs of improvement.
Shimura Danzo slowly opened his eyes.
"Hokage-sama, what should we do now? There's significant dissent in the village," Ryoma Aburame reported in a tactful manner.
"Significant dissent" was putting it mildly. Many people were already calling for a new Hokage, with Jiraiya conveniently in the village as a ready candidate.
Danzo sat up slowly. After his period of unconsciousness, he had calmed down.
"I did nothing wrong! The intelligence confirmed Rasa's death. I merely acted based on that information. The failure isn't my fault!"
"If I'm given another chance, I will achieve unprecedented glory!"
But first, he needed to stabilize the village. Internal stability was a prerequisite for turning the tide.
"Ryoma, I need you to do three things immediately."
"Yes, Hokage-sama!" Ryoma knelt on one knee, sensing the gravity of Danzo's tone.
"First, arrest the Root and ANBU members who reported the intelligence. Interrogate them thoroughly. If they brought back false information, they must be spies from another village. Understand?"
"Understood!"
"Second, issue a public announcement. The families of the fallen will receive triple compensation to calm public sentiment."
"But Hokage-sama, with such a large number of casualties, providing triple compensation might exceed the village's budget."
"The village's willingness to offer triple compensation shows its sincerity. Everyone should be grateful. But if anyone uses this difficult time to demand payment, it means they don't care about Konoha. Such people are likely spies from other villages!"
"Understood!"
"Third, investigate the cause of the defeat. See if it was due to insubordination or reckless actions by Kakashi, Shikaku Nara, and their group. Got it?"
"Got it!"
~~~❃❃~~~~~~~~❃❃~~~
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