"Guy?!"
Tsunade looked at Might Guy, whose face was full of youthful spirit, shook her head, and said bluntly,
"You're not his opponent."
Guy said with fighting spirit overflowing,
"How would I know if I don't try? He's human too—there's no way he can be so strong that he breaks the sky."
Tsunade still shook her head. "No. I can't gamble with your life."
Guy deflated a little; his youth was immediately pickled halfway, and he returned to the ranks in a gray mood.
Shikamaru from the Ino–Shika–Chō team stepped forward and said, "Lady Tsunade, no matter what, we must send reinforcements. Otherwise, the Allied Shinobi Forces will never be established."
The four Kage had basically already discussed the establishment of the Allied Shinobi Forces and had even drafted a preliminary structure. All that was left was to select the commander-in-chief.
The Tsuchikage requested that reinforcements be sent. As the largest village in the shinobi world, if Konoha showed nothing at all, wouldn't that mean it was afraid of Kairen?
You can't be timid before the battle.
Tsunade also understood this. She nodded. "We do need to send reinforcements. But who should we choose?"
Shikamaru clenched his fist and looked at Tsunade firmly. "Hokage-sama, I request to go to the front."
"Shikamaru!!"
Chōji and Ino were both shocked.
Was Shikamaru rushing to cross the River of the Afterlife to reincarnate? He had absolutely no chance of winning against Kairen.
Tsunade frowned and asked, "Why?"
Every move a smart person makes has a reason. No one does things for no reason after eating their fill.
Shikamaru shook his head. "No particular reason."
In his heart, he was still thinking about that blond girl from Sunagakure. Was she being coerced by Kairen? How was she doing now?
Chōji stepped out and came to Shikamaru's back.
"In that case, I'll go together with Shikamaru!"
Shikamaru looked at the chubby guy beside him. "You—"
Chōji smiled. "We're a team, after all!"
Ino also stepped out and stood together with Shikamaru and Chōji.
"Don't forget me!"
Guy jumped out, brimming with youth. "Lady Tsunade, let me be the captain and lead them!"
Rock Lee followed closely. "That's right, Lady Tsunade—let us go too!"
Then Neji and Tenten also expressed their willingness to go to the front.
"Tap! Tap! Tap…"
Tsunade lightly tapped the desk, making tapping sounds as she weighed the decision.
As Hokage, every decision concerns a shinobi's fate and can't be made on a whim.
At this moment, the door to the Hokage's office was pushed open.
Danzō came in with the two advisor elders. As soon as he entered, he pressed aggressively,
"Princess Tsunade, Iwagakure is requesting support. What's your reply?"
Tsunade replied, "I am the Hokage. I have no reason to report my work to you."
Danzō snorted, then swept his gaze over everyone in the office.
"Hmph! The village itself isn't Kairen's opponent, and you still want to send people to provoke him."
Koharu Utatane and Homura Mitokado also echoed him.
"Exactly! Tsunade, you've seen that guy's combat power. Even if Tobirama-sensei and the First Hokage were reborn, they still wouldn't be his match."
"The most important thing right now is to negotiate with him and try to dispel his ambitions."
Tsunade's brow tightened. She stood up and slammed the table.
"Negotiate? That guy is a tyrant. If he disagrees at a word, he invades other people's countries. This is a village that carries the Will of Fire. I absolutely will not allow such a person to act wantonly."
Danzō snorted coldly. "Then what are you relying on? The Nine-Tails kid coming back after training in Sage Mode?"
Tsunade said righteously, "Yes! I'm looking forward to Naruto's training results. Before we decide victory or defeat with that tyrant, Konoha must not retreat even half a step."
"Hmph!"
Danzō snorted and pulled out a letter from his pocket and threw it onto the desk.
"This is the Daimyō's letter. I hope you consider it carefully, Princess Tsunade. Konoha isn't decided by you alone."
After saying that, Danzō walked out alone.
Tsunade picked up the Daimyō's letter, opened the envelope, and read it carefully.
The more she read, the more shocked and angry she became, as if the contents were unbearable to look at.
Tsunade's aura surged. Chakra belonging to a Kage-level powerhouse rippled through the office, blowing the documents on the desk everywhere.
"I will absolutely not agree to such a demand!"
With a tug of both hands, Tsunade instantly tore the Daimyō's letter to shreds.
Koharu Utatane frowned. "Tsunade, watch your words. This is the Daimyō's decision—it's the default of the entire country."
"Sacrificing a few of them to dispel Kairen's greed is the most effective method at present. After all, without you above them, the Daimyō is still giving you some respect."
As soon as Koharu Utatane said this, the curious crowd guessed it.
Nothing more than the beauty selection list hanging over their heads—Kairen wanted to seize all the women he fancied into his harem.
It seemed the Land of Fire's Daimyō was scared too. Kairen's combat power was already at the level of an earthly immortal.
The Daimyō would rather enshrine him, burn incense, and call him ancestor—how would he dare oppose Kairen?
"Bang!"
With a sudden loud crash, the desk in front of Tsunade split into two.
No one dared to underestimate that fair, tender hand—one light strike had produced such power.
Tsunade rubbed her hands together, making her bones crack, and said coldly,
"I am the Hokage—the Fifth Hokage of Konoha."
"If I can't even protect a single compatriot, then I will be the most cowardly Hokage. What courage would I have to face the previous Hokage?"
"I will not agree to the Daimyō's demands. Before we decide victory or defeat with Kairen, I will absolutely not sacrifice anyone in exchange for that despicable peace."
Koharu Utatane scolded angrily, "Tsunade, you're going to defy the Daimyō's decision."
Tsunade replied, "I have no intention of defying the Daimyō's decision. I am the Hokage. I think this matter still needs discussion. I will write to the Daimyō about it."
Homura Mitokado pushed up his glasses and said, "War is imminent. The Daimyō doesn't have that much time to bicker with you."
Tsunade said proudly, "That's none of your business. Go back. I will prepare to deal with Kairen."
"Hmph! Let's hope you don't drag the entire Land of Fire down with you."
Koharu Utatane snorted, then left with Homura Mitokado.
After the two left, Shizune said worriedly, "Lady Tsunade, you broke another desk. Your salary isn't much, and you still owe a huge debt."
Tsunade spread her hands, feeling a bit weary.
"Sigh… Being Hokage is really a hassle. I shouldn't have agreed to Jiraiya back then. By the way, where is Jiraiya?"
Shizune answered, "Lady Tsunade, did you forget? He's in confinement right now!"
"Oh!" Tsunade nodded.
Given her understanding of Jiraiya, he definitely wouldn't be that well-behaved—he must be hiding somewhere in the village and running wild.
Shizune then asked, "Lady Tsunade, is the Daimyō… really going to abandon us?"
When the Land of Fire's Daimyō was mentioned, Tsunade frowned and blurted out,
"That… damn old man looks like he's been scared to wet himself. He wants to send every girl in the capital to Kairen as tribute."
Everyone fell silent. The Daimyō's uselessness was known to all.
But such a useless person was their leader. One had to say the First Hokage's politics was complete crap.
Shizune asked again, "Then what do we do next?"
Tsunade comforted them. "Don't worry! I won't send you to that tyrant. Even if I did, I would go with you and humble myself before him."
"There's still hope. Konoha still has so many shinobi, and Naruto has gained support from Mount Myōboku. We haven't lost yet."
Tsunade thought of every source of strength that could turn the tables and spoke them out slowly.
The worry on everyone's faces gradually eased, infected by Tsunade's confidence.