Sometime earlier—
Outside the Hokage building, the village felt unusually alive.
Voices drifted through the street. Vendors called out. People gathered in small groups, talking more than usual—whispering, arguing, speculating.
And almost every conversation carried the same name.
Minato.
Tsunade slowed her steps as she walked beside Jiraiya. The two of them stopped near a small food stall, the scent of grilled meat and spices filling the air.
She sat down without a word.
"Thanks to Minato," she said, picking up a skewer, her tone casual but her eyes distant, "the Hidden Stone didn't even get a proper chance to step into the war."
Around them, the voices continued.
"They've already decided the next Hokage…"
"They say it's him…"
"A young one… easy to control…"
"A puppet…"
Tsunade's hand paused mid-air.
Her brows slowly furrowed.
Jiraiya let out a quiet breath, leaning back slightly.
"Huh… their attempt to join the war was a joke anyway," he said. "But still… fewer people suffering isn't a bad thing."
His words faded as his thoughts drifted elsewhere.
Far from the noise.
Recalling the event yesterday.
At Mount Myōboku.
The air had been still in that place.
The Great Toad Sage had barely opened his eyes, his ancient voice slow and uneven.
"Jiraiya boy…"
"…fate is changing."
Jiraiya had frowned.
"What does that mean?"
A pause.
With Heavy silence.
"…there will be changes… in Konoha…"
"And the child of destiny…"
"…his path will become harder."
The memory faded.
Back in the present, Jiraiya's expression darkened slightly.
Something had already begun.
He could feel it.
Tsunade noticed.
"You've gone quiet," she said, taking a sip of her drink. "What, not going to brag about your student for once?"
Her tone carried its usual edge.
Jiraiya blinked, then gave a small, tired smile.
"I'm thinking about these rumours," he said. "If they keep spreading…"
He glanced toward the crowd.
"…it won't be good for Minato."
Tsunade didn't reply immediately.
She just drank.
But her mood had already shifted.
The noise around them no longer felt normal.
Suddenly—
A sharp voice cut through the air.
"What the hell are you saying?!"
Both of them turned.
Not far away, Kushina Uzumaki had grabbed a man by his collar, lifting him slightly off the ground.
The man's face had gone pale.
"I—I didn't mean—!"
"You didn't mean what?" Kushina snapped, her grip tightening. "You're spreading rumours about Minato!"
Her eyes burned with anger.
"Where did you hear it from?"
"I don't know!" the man stammered. "Everyone is saying it!"
Beside her, Mikoto Uchiha stepped forward, trying to calm the situation.
"Kushina… let him go," she said gently. "I don't think he knows anything."
Kushina didn't move.
Her gaze remained locked on the man.
"If he's saying it," she said, her voice lower now but no less intense, "then he heard it from somewhere."
Her grip tightened just a little more.
"I'll find out."
Watching from a distance, Tsunade sighed, resting her chin on her hand.
"That girl…" she muttered. "Still as violent as ever."
Jiraiya glanced at her.
He didn't say anything.
But his expression said enough.
Tsunade noticed immediately.
Her eyes narrowed.
Her fist clenched slowly.
"What?" she said.
"Do you have something to say?"
Jiraiya turned his gaze away.
Silently.
Carefully.
He chose not to answer.
And somehow—
That made it worse.
Tsunade didn't let it go.
Her fist moved—
Bang.
Jiraiya bent forward slightly, clutching his head.
"Hmph. Coward," Tsunade muttered, not even looking at him properly.
Then she stepped past him—
toward Kushina.
Kushina was still holding the man by his collar.
His body hung loosely now.
His eyes unfocused.
His mouth—
slightly open.
Foam had begun to form at the edges.
Tsunade stopped beside her.
"Let him go," she said calmly.
"He'll pass out if you push him any further."
Kushina glanced at the man.
For a moment—
Her grip loosened.
Then—
She dropped him.
The man collapsed to the ground.
Half-conscious.
Barely breathing.
Kushina looked down at him.
Her brows still furrowed.
"Don't pretend, bastard," she said coldly.
"Or I'll hang you upside down on the Hokage monument."
The man didn't respond.
He couldn't.
Fear had already taken him.
Silence settled for a brief moment.
Tsunade, Jiraiya, and Mikoto Uchiha all looked at him.
There was a hint of pity.
Jiraiya rubbed his head, then let out a small laugh.
"Hahaha… don't worry, Kushina."
"After meeting, we will handle this"
"Don't scare this guy too much."
Kushina looked at him.
Then—
Her expression softened slightly.
"Yes… We can talk to the Hokage."
"Thank you, Jiraiya-sensei."
Her voice was calmer now.
But the anger—
had not disappeared.
Kushina turned toward Tsunade as she stepped closer.
Then—
without warning—
She lunged forward.
Her hand grabbed Tsunade's arm tightly.
"Sister Tsunade, please help me!"
Her voice carried urgency.
"Use your authority—send ANBU—"
"Find out which bastard started this rumour…"
"So I can beat him."
Tsunade stared at her.
For a moment—
slightly annoyed.
"Send ANBU?" she repeated.
"What do you think I am?"
"The Hokage?"
Her fingers flicked forward—
Tap.
"Ah—!"
Kushina winced, quickly holding her forehead.
"But Sister Tsunade—"
"Enough."
Tsunade cut her off.
"Go home."
"Don't cause trouble."
"We'll handle this."
Her tone left no room for argument.
Jiraiya gave Kushina a small look—
somewhere between sympathy and amusement—
before following Tsunade.
The two of them walked toward the Hokage building.
Kushina stood there—
watching them leave.
Then—
Her gaze shifted.
The man from earlier—
was slowly trying to slip away.
Quietly.
Carefully.
As if he hoped no one would notice.
But he felt it.
Kushina's eyes.
On him.
He froze.
Then broke into a cold sweat.
Kushina smiled.
Not warmly.
Just enough.
The man didn't wait.
He rushed off—
disappearing through a back alley.
"Hmph."
Kushina didn't follow.
She just stood there for a moment—
silent.
Then, they turned away.
At the same time—
inside the Hokage building—
Tsunade and Jiraiya approached the office.
Just as they reached the door—
voices came from inside.
"We need to be careful now."
"Things are no longer going as we planned."
Tsunade paused.
Her expression sharpened.
Jiraiya glanced at her—
but didn't wait.
Without hesitation—
He pushed the door open.
"What is not going as planned, old man?"
Present time—
Inside the Hokage office—
Hiruzen Sarutobi and the two elders looked at Jiraiya and Tsunade.
There was a flicker of surprise on their faces.
And beneath it—
unease.
As if they were unsure how much had already been heard.
Homura Mitokado spoke first.
"The Mist shinobi are causing trouble."
"Things there… are not going as planned."
His tone was steady.
Measured.
Tsunade looked at him.
A questioning glance—
But she said nothing.
She took a seat.
Jiraiya followed, sitting beside her.
"Is it really that serious?" he asked.
Hiruzen exhaled slowly.
Smoke curled into the air.
"Yes."
"We've received intelligence."
"They're attempting to use the Three-Tails in this war."
Silence.
For a brief moment—
The room stilled.
"The Three-Tails…?" Jiraiya's voice dropped.
"Are they trying to start a full-scale war with Konoha?"
There was disbelief in his tone.
And concern.
Tailed beasts were not used lightly.
They were weapons meant for total war.
Until now—
The Mist had only been probing.
Testing limits.
Holding back.
But this—
was escalation.
Tsunade's expression hardened.
"Do those idiots even understand what they're doing?"
Her voice carried anger.
"We can control the Nine-Tails far better than they can handle theirs."
"If they push this…"
"They'll be the ones destroyed."
Hiruzen remained silent for a moment.
Then spoke.
"We don't fully understand this move either."
"I didn't expect their leadership to go this far."
Before anyone could respond—
The door opened.
A shinobi stepped in and handed a report to Koharu Utatane.
All eyes turned toward her.
She opened it.
Read.
And as her eyes moved across the page—
Her expression changed.
Colour drained from her face.
Shock.
Then—
anger.
Her hand slammed against the table.
"Have they lost their minds?"
Hiruzen's gaze sharpened.
"What is it?"
Koharu looked up.
Her voice tightened.
"They used Minato's student…"
"…Rin…"
"…as the Three-Tails' jinchūriki."
The room froze.
"They intended to send her back to Konoha—"
"So she would lose control inside the village."
"And destroy it from within."
Silence.
Heavy.
Unmoving.
"And she…"
Koharu paused.
"…chose to die before that could happen."
No one spoke.
They didn't need to.
Jiraiya's hand clenched.
"Bastards…"
His fist struck the table.
The sound echoed.
Two students.
Gone.
What would Minato feel now?
Tsunade lowered her gaze.
Her thoughts had already moved elsewhere.
"To Kakashi…"
Her voice softened.
"He just lost his father…"
"And now his closest friend…"
A pause.
"What kind of weight is he supposed to carry?"
The room fell quiet again.
They all understood.
At that moment—
Koharu cleared her throat.
"There's more."
The tension returned instantly.
"The Mist has deployed the Seven Ninja Swordsmen."
"They've targeted our supply lines."
A pause.
"But…"
Her eyes narrowed slightly.
"It doesn't look like that's their real objective."
Jiraiya stepped forward.
His gaze moved across the room.
"I'm going there."
A brief pause.
"Things are getting out of hand."
There was no hesitation in his voice.
If the Mist had reached this level—
Then he had to step in.
Without waiting for a response—
He turned and left the room.
Tsunade followed right behind him.
The door closed.
Silence settled once again.
On the other side—
Hiruzen Sarutobi's expression had changed.
It was no longer calm.
Something darker lingered there.
Homura Mitokado noticed immediately.
"What happened?" he asked.
Hiruzen looked at him.
Then spoke in a lower voice.
"I sent Shinosuke."
A pause.
"With his squad."
"I thought it would be a suitable mission…"
"To protect the supply line… quietly."
Both elders understood.
If the Seven Ninja Swordsmen were involved—
That squad was now in danger.
Koharu Utatane spoke.
"Don't worry."
"Jiraiya will reach them."
Her voice was steady.
But even she—
was not completely certain.
On the Mist front—
The same report arrived.
It reached Toyoma.
He read it once.
Then again.
And unlike the tension in Konoha—
His expression relaxed.
"So…"
"Things are still going as they should."
His eyes shifted toward another section of the report.
The Seven Ninja Swordsmen.
He read it carefully.
For a few moments—
He remained silent.
Then—
He stood.
Uzuku and Genzo looked at him.
"Uncle Genzo."
"You and Raizen will come with me."
A brief pause.
"Uncle Uzuku…"
"We have to save someone."
Uzuku's expression changed slightly.
"…Save someone?"
This was the first time Toyoma had said something like that.
It caught his attention immediately.
"Who are you going to save?" Uzuku asked.
Toyoma looked at him.
His face remained calm.
"It's important."
"We need something from them."
"And you already know who they are."
That was all he said.
Then—
He turned and walked away.
Genzo and Raizen followed him without question.
Uzuku stayed behind.
Watching.
Thinking.
Something about this—
didn't feel simple.
Toyoma moved ahead.
His goal was clear.
Might Duy.
And his son.
If there was one technique in Konoha—
that truly interested him—
It was the Eight Inner Gates.
A technique that pushed the body beyond its limits.
Beyond logic.
Beyond survival.
If that power could be combined—
with his own sword breathing method—
Then the result…
would be something entirely new.
Something he had yet to understand.
Something worth researching.
Toyoma's eyes sharpened slightly.
Saving them first—
would make everything easier.
Asking later—
was always the better method.
Might Guy didn't know—
How many were coming for him?
Not all of them—
for the same reason.
And the Seven Ninja Swordsmen—
had no idea—
what they were about to face.
************************************************************************************************
Author note :
Here you go, guys.
And if anyone wants to join Patreon, they're welcome to.
Right now, Patreon chapters are available up to Chapter 106, and those chapters are already unlocked for Tier 1.
But after that, you'll have to wait until May 10 for further updates since I'm currently building chapter stock before continuing regular uploads again.
P@treon - Hear_tteeth [18 +]
Thank you for the support and patience.