In the Hokage's office in Konoha, Tsunade sat discussing the aid mission to Otogakure with her two advisors.
She pulled out a list of personnel and handed it to them.
"Jiraiya and Nara Shikaku will lead the delegation," she said. "The escort will include Kakashi's team and Kurenai's team. I'll also assign a squad of ANBU to protect them in secret."
"All of them were close friends of Chiba Mokushuu back when he was in Konoha. It'll make things go more smoothly."
Mitokado Homura immediately objected.
"No. We can't allow a Jinchūriki to be part of the delegation."
Koharu Utatane nodded in agreement.
"And those two girls from the Hyuga clan can't go either. They've got some kind of connection with that Otogakure leader. The Byakugan bloodline must remain in Konoha."
Tsunade, clearly unfazed by their disapproval, crossed her legs and casually scratched her ear.
"I'm not here to ask for your permission. I'm just following protocol. I'm not the old man—and since you're so against it, feel free to hold on to that opinion. But the delegation's roster stays as is."
With that, she stood up and headed for the door. "I've got work to do. Later, old-timers."
The two elderly advisors were left staring at each other, speechless.
"Damn it! We never should've let Tsunade become Hokage," Homura said angrily. "She'll lead Konoha to ruin!"
"You're right! Cough, cough—" Koharu was so furious she couldn't even finish her sentence without breaking into a fit of coughing.
They were powerless now. When Tsunade had been chosen to succeed Hiruzen Sarutobi, they'd assumed she'd rely on their experience and guidance.
Instead, her rise had been smooth as silk. The Daimyō of the Land of Fire gave her the green light at every step. The funding that had once been denied was now pouring in—once they learned she was the granddaughter of Senju Hashirama, the gates flung open. They even sent more than she'd asked for.
The major clans, long weary of the Sarutobi clan's monopolization of power, quickly aligned themselves with Tsunade. She now had a loyal support base across Konoha.
She'd reclaimed her role as director of Konoha Hospital thanks to her unparalleled medical skills and used Kakashi's old ANBU connections to establish her own personal black ops unit.
Even the Sarutobi clan knew to back off. They voluntarily downsized their operations and relinquished their control over many of Konoha's core industries, ceding power back to the Hokage.
...
After absorbing the Tailed Beast, the Demonic Statue of the Outer Path was once again summoned away. Hyuga Gakuya and Konan left the cave and flew toward the Land of Rain—Gakuya needed to escort Konan home.
Upon arrival, Gakuya received a letter from Hinata. She wrote that she would soon be accompanying the Konoha delegation to Otogakure—and that her younger sister Hanabi would be coming along too.
Gakuya immediately wrote back, pouring out his "deep longing."
Not long after, he received another letter—this one from Yakushi Kabuto—asking if Gakuya wanted him to receive the delegation. Gakuya responded with an order: hide both Sasuke and Neji. If they were seen, Chiba Mokushuu's identity would be compromised. As for himself, he'd be heading back to Otogakure right away.
...
A week later, outside the gates of Otogakure, Hyuga Gakuya stood waiting with Kabuto and several high-ranking officials of the village.
He had returned several days prior, but the Tailed Beast hunt had left him feeling a bit overheated—so he'd been regularly visiting Izumi, Hikari, and Yukari to "cool off." Life had been rather pleasant, to say the least.
Now, at last, the Konoha delegation had arrived.
As he looked at the procession slowly approaching in the distance, Gakuya's gaze swept over the carts stacked high with supplies—relief materials, scientific equipment, and most importantly, ten highly skilled teachers. All precious resources that Otogakure desperately needed. The money was just icing on the cake.
Spotting Jiraiya and the others at the front of the group, Gakuya walked forward like he'd just seen divine messengers.
These guys are walking treasure chests, he thought with a grin.
It didn't completely make up for the cost of the failed "Child of Prophecy Blackening" plan—but it helped.
Gakuya extended a hand. "It's been a while, Jiraiya-senpai."
Jiraiya cleared his throat, adjusting his tone.
"We're here today as a symbol of friendship and mutual support between our two villages..."
Flashbulbs clicked around them. Journalists snapped photos of the handshake between the two men, already preparing their headlines:
A Handshake to Usher in a Century of Peace and Cooperation.
The attending members of both villages erupted in applause.
Jiraiya leaned over and whispered, "So... awkward, huh?"
Gakuya gave a dry smile. "Feels like I'm the main attraction in a zoo."
"You'll get used to it," Jiraiya said. "I hate this kind of thing too."
Their quiet banter, in the eyes of the reporters, looked like the beginning of an era-defining alliance.
Gakuya's eyes drifted through the crowd and landed on several familiar faces: Naruto and Sakura from Team 7; Hinata, Kiba, and Shino from Team 8.
Behind them, Kabuto was already coordinating the unloading of supplies. It was like money raining from the sky—enough to keep the research division entertained for quite a while.
And now that Gakuya had funding, he could finally activate the puppet-production assembly line. He hadn't had the resources before, but thanks to Konoha's generosity, production could begin in earnest.
"Please, allow me to show our Konoha friends around Otogakure," Gakuya said, gesturing warmly. "We may not be as bustling as Konoha, but we're growing strong."
He led the delegation on a tour, eventually arriving at Otogakure's ninja academy. It was newly built—little more than a makeshift setup for now. The first batch of students had already enrolled, but qualified instructors were few and far between, and the quality of teaching was still subpar.
That, however, was about to change. Konoha had provided ten experienced academy teachers, which would dramatically improve things.
Next was the Otogakure hospital—and this time, the Konoha delegation was visibly stunned. The facility was even more advanced than Konoha's.
Thanks to the joint efforts of numerous experts and scholars, Otogakure's medical capabilities now far surpassed the standards of the current era.
Nara Shikaku looked around with admiration.
"Your hospital is fully equipped and incredibly professional."
He observed every detail as they walked through the corridors. One thing stood out to him: the smiles. The faces of the villagers were full of warmth and satisfaction.
Wherever they passed, people looked at Chiba Mokushuu with deep respect and affection.
The village itself didn't resemble a newly founded shinobi village at all. Its infrastructure was already highly developed and well-organized.
Every detail reflected that the man standing before them wasn't just a powerful shinobi—he was a truly capable leader.
"It's all thanks to my assistant," Gakuya said with a smile. "He's an exceptional medical-nin."
"All due to Lord Mokushuu's guidance," Kabuto said with a slight bow, his appearance carefully disguised.
As they chatted, a Konoha ANBU agent hurried over and handed a letter to Jiraiya and Shikaku.
Shikaku took the letter, glanced at it, then looked up with a polite nod.
"Apologies, I need to step away for a moment."
"Of course."
He walked off to read it in private, then soon returned, expression serious.
His first words stunned everyone: "Lord Mokushuu, the shinobi world may be on the verge of unrest once again."
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Pls Drop some Power Stones
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