Chapter 75: Traversing Mountains and Rivers
"Damn that Sunagakure!" Tsunade's voice thundered through the command tent, filled with fury.
"Leave this to me, Tsunade," Jiraiya tried to calm her with a gentle tone.
"I can't! The terrain here gives Sunagakure the upper hand. Not even you could hold them back," Tsunade snapped back, refusing flatly.
"Tsunade-sama! They're attacking again!" a Konoha shinobi burst in, panting from the run.
"Damn it! Jiraiya, I'm going with you!" Tsunade growled and turned toward the exit—only for a familiar voice to echo from the entrance.
"Oh my… who's got our Princess Tsunade all worked up like this?"
Everyone turned toward the source of the teasing tone. There, leaning casually against the doorframe, stood a tall, handsome man.
Tsunade's eyes widened in disbelief. Her fists clenched instinctively, ready to throw a punch. But the moment she stepped forward, her strength vanished—replaced by emotion. She stumbled into his arms instead.
"You bastard… why now? Why did you only come back now… I almost thought you…" Her voice trembled as tears spilled freely. She had searched for him—countless times over the last four years—but not a trace had ever surfaced. And yet, deep inside, she had always believed he was alive.
"I'm sorry… I'm late. But don't cry anymore," Yusuke whispered softly as he wiped away her tears. "Tears don't suit you."
"You bastard… and what are you all staring at?!" Tsunade suddenly shouted at the wide-eyed shinobi around them. Her cheeks flushed red as she tried to hide her embarrassment.
Everyone froze in disbelief. This was Tsunade—the fearsome Sannin, the iron-blooded general—and yet here she was, curled up like a girl in Yusuke's embrace.
"So you're finally back, Yusuke…" Jiraiya spoke in a heavy voice, laced with complicated emotion.
"It's been a long time, Jiraiya-nii," Yusuke greeted him with a faint smile.
"Yeah… four years," Jiraiya replied, his expression softening.
"Seems like things are a bit chaotic here. Maybe I can help fix that," Yusuke offered casually.
"You're serious?" Tsunade's tone was half hopeful, half skeptical. "Sunagakure's been using the terrain to their advantage. We've been cornered for days."
"Leave it to me." Yusuke closed his eyes for a moment, spreading his Observation Haki across the battlefield. Countless presences flickered in his mind—and in the next instant, his figure vanished.
"…Who even is that guy?" a young shinobi whispered. "He just called Jiraiya-sama 'nii' like it was nothing…"
"I think that's… him. The one who disappeared four years ago. Konoha's strongest genius."
"What?! You mean Hatake Yusuke?!"
"Can he really take on all of Sunagakure's ambush troops by himself?"
"I don't know, but I heard he once fought Hanzo the Salamander without losing…"
— — —
On the other side of the battlefield, Yusuke reappeared in front of Sunagakure's strike force.
When the enemy ninja saw he was alone, they broke into mocking laughter.
"And who the hell are you supposed to be?" their leader sneered.
"Me?" Yusuke smiled faintly. "Let's just say that while I have my issues with Konoha, I'm still a Konoha shinobi."
With a swift motion, he tied a Leaf headband around his forehead.
"Kill him!" the commander barked.
"Wind Release: Great Breakthrough!"
"Wind Release: Kamaitachi!"
"Sand Binding Hands!"
A barrage of jutsu surged toward him.
"…Life's beautiful, isn't it? Wouldn't it be better to enjoy it instead of wasting it?" Yusuke whispered.
A small swirl of blue fire flickered in his palm. "Sandstorm." He tossed it forward, and the resulting cyclone devoured all the incoming jutsu.
"Damn! Retreat!" the enemy panicked, diving into the sand to escape.
"…So this is what gave Tsunade and Jiraiya a headache, huh?" Yusuke murmured. "But do you really think you can escape?"
He pressed his hand against the ground. In an instant, the land compressed—and every enemy chakra signature vanished.
Tsunade and her troops arrived moments later.
"Where's the enemy?!" she demanded.
"They're dead. Buried in their own sand," Yusuke replied nonchalantly.
"That's impossible," one of the shinobi muttered in disbelief.
"Don't believe me? Fine. Look for yourself." Yusuke touched the ground again.
The earth trembled and rose, revealing dozens of lifeless Sunagakure bodies beneath.
Gasps erupted throughout the group. More than fifty elite ambushers—gone in minutes.
"…You've grown terrifyingly strong," Jiraiya muttered, half impressed, half resigned.
"It's over now. They won't be showing their faces again anytime soon," Yusuke replied flatly.
Tsunade gave a silent nod.
"Go back and rest. I'll handle the cleanup. Even if the Kazekage himself shows up, there's no need to worry," he said with quiet confidence.
"…Alright," Tsunade finally smiled. When it came from Yusuke, she truly believed it.
Some shinobi still looked skeptical. But after witnessing what he'd done—and knowing he once held his own against Hanzo—none dared question him aloud.
— — —
Later, in a quiet spot away from the others, Tsunade stared at him.
"You bastard. Four years. Not a single message," she said, voice shaking.
"I know… I'm sorry," Yusuke replied honestly.
"I'll forgive you… but if you ever disappear like that again, I'll make you regret it." She tried to sound threatening, but the blush on her cheeks betrayed her.
"Tsunade…"
"…What?"
"When this Third Great Ninja War ends… will you come with me? To see the mountains and rivers of this world together?"
Tsunade froze. Her heart skipped a beat.
She stared at him silently for a long moment before nodding slowly, her eyes misty.
"I will," she whispered. "I've been waiting for you to say that. I thought I'd be the one to bring it up first."
Only after he left did she realize just how deeply she had fallen for him. She'd always believed he was alive… and now, he was truly back.
Yusuke gently pulled her into an embrace. His gaze drifted far into the distance—as if searching for the future still beyond the horizon.
— — —
"Tsunade-sama, are we really launching the assault?" one Jōnin asked nervously.
"She's right… we're at a serious disadvantage in the desert," another added.
"This feels reckless," Jiraiya muttered, frowning.
"Relax, Jiraiya-nii. I'll go alone," Yusuke interjected. "You guys don't need to do a thing."
"I'm coming with you," Tsunade declared firmly.
"…Alright." Yusuke didn't protest. He had full confidence he could protect her.
"No way! Tsunade-sama is the commander. And you expect just the two of you to take on all of Sunagakure?!" one ninja shouted.
"He's right!"
"This is suicide!"
"Stop talking."
An overwhelming aura erupted from Yusuke, freezing the air around them.
"If any of you says one more word… you'll die."
His eyes scanned the crowd, filled with barely contained rage.
These were the same people… the ones who had once turned their backs on his father, The White Fang, driving him to the edge.
The room went silent. No one dared speak. Every single shinobi there understood—Yusuke wasn't joking.
He never did.
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