Chapter 185: Intelligence Protection
The terrifying presence within the Rasengan was, at that moment, leaking out from those cracks.
This time, it was no longer just a strong wind. It was as if a small earthquake had been triggered. The entire Hokage Tower seemed to tremble slightly!
Pattering dust and debris began to fall, telling Tsunade that this was not an illusion... The Hokage Tower was indeed beginning to sway back and forth, shaken by the aftershock leaking from this jutsu. Cracks were even beginning to appear on the walls, and small pieces of brick and stone were constantly falling!
She unconsciously stood up, her mouth wide open, staring dumbfounded as Haruno Sakura released her Yin Seal, pouring an even more massive, more pure, and more refined chakra—one with a terrifying power that surpassed even the Wind Style—into the chakra ball, bringing it to an unbelievable realm of power...
After reaching this level, the four wind wings that had originally extended from the Rasengan seemed to return to their original state, retracting back into the sphere. But its volume, unable to be controlled, expanded again, turning into an azure-blue sphere with a diameter of one meter. It was held high above Sakura's head, its astonishing power, like a roaring thunderbolt, on full display.
Only then did Tsunade snap out of her dream... and said sternly, "Sakura, this jutsu is too dangerous! Stop it, quickly!"
Then she shouted at the Anbu ninja outside the door and window who had noticed that something was wrong: "Everyone, back away! Get five hundred meters away, and prepare to evacuate the surrounding civilians! No, one thousand meters away!"
A few drops of cold sweat had appeared on her forehead. This ninjutsu could no longer be described as "not simple"... Tsunade could even roughly calculate that once this move was released, everything within a five-hundred-meter radius would be blasted into dust, including all the ninja here!
Haruno Sakura, who was intoxicated by the terrifying power of this Rasengan, only now realized the awkwardness of the situation.
This was the first time she had ever put this ninjutsu into practice. Before she had the Yin Seal, it would have been impossible for her to complete such a ninjutsu even if she had drained all the chakra in her body. So, for a moment, she had gotten a little carried away, not knowing that just by holding such a ninjutsu above her head without releasing it, it was already enough to make half of Konoha face a great enemy...
She laughed awkwardly and slowly recycled and dispersed the chakra in the Rasengan. And so, the terrifying presence of the ninjutsu also dissipated with the wind.
Tsunade suddenly sat down, her back slumping against the chair, and said weakly to an Anbu squad that had burst into the office trying to protect the Hokage, "It's fine now. The alert is lifted. You can notify everyone to return to normal order!"
The few members of the Anbu squad were clearly still in a state of shock. Their legs seemed to have gone a little weak, and even their Body Flicker was a bit unsteady.
After the three Anbu had staggered out of the office, Tsunade finally glared at the pink-haired girl and said, half-angry and half-amused, "Alright, alright! I know you can use Wind Style! You pass."
"I just questioned whether you knew Wind Style... did you have to use such a terrifying ninjutsu to scare me..." she muttered in a low voice, while stamping the Hokage's seal on Sakura's ninja registration form.
"Eh, eh," the girl scratched her head and laughed awkwardly. "It was also my first time using this ninjutsu at full power..."
She had no idea it would have such a grand presence. Just by holding it in her hand, unreleased, the slightly leaking energy that she couldn't control had almost demolished the building.
Tsunade rubbed her temples, feeling a bit of a headache. "I see. You probably only know this one Wind Style move, don't you?"
"No, no, no, I'm not asking you to do it again!" Seeing the girl clasp her hands together, eager to try again, the Fifth Hokage hurriedly stopped her.
If she did it again, she was afraid this rather old office building really wouldn't be able to take it.
However, she was more worried that her own little heart wouldn't be able to take it first...
"Knowing one Wind Style move also counts as knowing Wind Style. Sigh, kids these days are so hard to handle."
"Hehe, actually, I had a purpose for writing this on here..." Sakura said with a serious expression. "You know, sometimes, correct information can also be misleading. Anyway, it's fine as long as you know my situation, Master."
Hearing this, Tsunade also came to a bit of an understanding.
"That little trick of yours won't fool him," she said, shaking her head. "But forget it. Since you've even mastered such a powerful Wind Style ninjutsu, then it's normal for you to say you're proficient in Wind Style."
"No matter who it's meant to mislead... it will have some effect," Sakura said meaningfully. "In any case, you all know my ninjutsu situation, and that's that."
Tsunade looked at her disciple steadily.
This sentence she said, it's quite subtle. This was a naked expression of distrust for a certain scapegoat.
She pondered for a moment.
"Since that's the case, then let's start the mission to protect your intelligence, starting from now!"
The intelligence of a Kage-level powerhouse was, of course, an important secret of the village. After accepting Haruno Sakura as her disciple, Tsunade had already confirmed over the past few months that this girl's future growth potential, just with Ice Style alone, could reach the level of a Kage. Not to mention her other ninjutsu... As long as she didn't die young, the her of the future would definitely be able to be promoted to a "Kage"-level ninja!
Therefore, to specially treat the protection of the intelligence of a future Kage-level powerhouse as a mission was not an overreaction.
"Hn... how about we add a Chunin investiture ceremony at the general assembly!"
Tsunade said suddenly.
Huh? A Chunin investiture ceremony?
This is a bit of an overreaction.
For the ninja of Konoha village, "Jonin" was generally the highest administrative rank they could achieve.
Apprentice Ninja (Academy Student) — Genin — Chunin — Tokubetsu Jonin — Jonin. This was the promotion path experienced by an ordinary ninja.
The terms we usually say, like "Elite Genin" and "Elite Chunin," are just subdivisions of strength level and are not real ninja ranks. In fact, such terms are mostly just circulated on the internet in her previous life. In all her years in Konoha, Sakura had never seen anyone call the standouts among the Genin or Chunin this.
This was very normal.
A ninja's rank does not always represent their combat power. There are many examples of Genin-level ninja possessing Jonin-level combat power. Sakura was one such example. In this case, calling them "Elite Genin," wouldn't that be tacitly admitting that they couldn't even beat a Chunin?
However, the term "Elite Jonin" was used quite widely among ninja. A village usually had many ninja whose strength had reached the Kage-level or was slightly weaker than Kage-level but was significantly stronger than an ordinary Jonin. These people were the typical Elite Jonin.
This title was not an actual existing rank, but it was frequently used when complimenting others or describing an extremely powerful Jonin.
In short, the number of people at each level of the ninja hierarchy was a typical spindle-shaped structure. As the very middle of the five administrative ranks, the Chunin was the most ordinary and most numerous class.
So, one had generally only heard of an investiture ceremony for Jonin—being promoted to Jonin meant that one had already reached the peak of their life's path.
As for Chunin, this most ordinary class in the ninja world, on what basis would they also get a ceremony?