Chapter 96: A Hand
The cool morning breeze stirred the white curtains in the hospital room. A fresh bouquet of dewy lilies sat in the vase by the bedside.
Sakura slowly opened her eyes.
She rubbed her neck and looked at Renji, who was sleeping soundly. A smile involuntarily curved her lips.
She got up, tucked in his blanket, and planned to go home and make him soup.
She didn't know why, but every time Sakura saw Renji finish all the food she made, she felt a strange sense of satisfaction. It was a feeling no mission could give her.
She had told her mother about this. Her mother replied that she felt the same happiness when she cooked for her father and her.
Sakura was startled by that. She quickly flooded her mind with affirmations: 'I like Sasuke. I like Sasuke...'
...
When Sakura entered Renji's hospital room with two large bento boxes, she found it packed with people.
And Renji, the patient, was receiving criticism from all sides.
"Not cool, Renji. You pulled something that risky without telling any of us?" Kakashi was the first to speak.
Renji: '...'
'The clone wouldn't miss such a good opportunity to lecture the main body.'
"Renji, you're too reckless!" Tenten's brows were furrowed with seriousness.
When they saw Kurenai, they immediately ran to ask Shikamaru. After learning about Renji's condition, they were shocked.
Losing half of his heart—how could he do such a thing?
"It was too dangerous. Thankfully Renji is alright..." Hinata said worriedly.
Everyone felt a wave of lingering fear. After just resolving a misunderstanding, they almost lost a comrade again.
"Kurenai-san, have you had your prenatal check-up?" Renji asked, trying to change the subject.
Everyone's gaze shifted to her. 'Speaking of which, she was actually saved. That's amazing.'
Although amazing, they didn't want Renji to try it again.
Kurenai looked at Shikamaru, then at Renji, and gently stroked her bulging belly. "Don't worry. The doctor said the baby is very healthy."
Shikamaru breathed a sigh of relief.
Renji also smiled. "That's good."
Suddenly, a gentle touch landed on Renji's forehead. Kurenai kissed it, with motherly tenderness. "Thank you, Renji."
Renji could see the tears shimmering in her eyes. Kurenai wasn't afraid of death, she just didn't want to lose this child. She was extremely grateful.
Renji awkwardly touched his forehead.
Shikamaru's complex gaze lingered on him. He once again experienced the guilt and heartache he'd felt during the Sasuke Retrieval Mission.
"Shikamaru, don't misunderstand. I didn't save Kurenai-san for you," Renji smiled. "It's because I can't bear to part with her cooking. And I want to see if Asuma-san's child will also have a big beard..."
Everyone laughed kindly.
Kurenai said with a hint of distress, "A beard might not be there, but if he smokes like his dad, I'll beat him up..."
"Hahahahaha..."
Shikamaru listened to the cheerful laughter. He looked at Kurenai and Renji, and a relaxed smile slowly filled his eyes.
A figure silently appeared by the window. The mask and cloak indicated their identity.
"Lady Hokage has awakened."
The Anbu tried to suppress his emotions, but excitement still showed in his voice.
"That's awesome! Knew it—Renji's the most reliable!" Sakura excitedly hugged Renji.
Renji had gone to check on the clone's condition yesterday. It was purely feigning illness. Once Renji set a mission, the clone couldn't keep lying down.
Therefore, Tsunade's awakening today, in the eyes of the Konoha ninja, was the result of Renji, the strongest medical ninja besides her, returning.
"How is Lady Hokage doing now?" Sakura asked impatiently.
The Anbu nodded. "The situation is very good. I still need to inform the other ninja. I'll take my leave."
His figure vanished.
Renji got out of bed. "I need to see Lady Hokage."
Sakura's brows immediately furrowed. "No! Your own body is very weak..."
"But I'm in Konoha right now!" Renji blurted out. "And you guys are here too! What could be safer than being by your side?"
His bright eyes stared at Sakura. Who could refuse?
Sakura couldn't. She would only indulge him. The others were the same.
Lee was moved to tears. He clenched his fists. "That's right! Anyone who wants to harm Renji will have to step over my dead body!"
Lee looked around, as if searching for an imaginary enemy.
Neji helplessly rubbed his forehead, wanting to stop Lee. 'Who in Konoha would harm Renji?'
"Exactly!" Kiba pointed to himself proudly. "They'll have to get past me first!"
The group of them marched grandly towards Tsunade's tent.
Kakashi, walking at the front, pulled back the curtain. The spacious tent quickly became crowded.
Tsunade was vigorously eating. Her front was covered with pork trotters, beef ramen, pork cutlet rice...
A bowl larger than her face was finished in five seconds. After eating her fill, she let out a satisfied burp.
Only then did Tsunade truly look at the ninja.
"Lady Hokage, it's wonderful to see you so energetic," Kakashi said in his calm, flat tone.
Kakashi was the most eager for Tsunade to wake up. After Danzo, who had just taken office, died, the village was leaderless. He didn't know which lunatic had recommended him to the Daimyo as the Sixth Hokage.
Tsunade patted her round belly, scanning the circle of ninja. She waved to Renji. "Come here, let me feel. Have you gotten thinner?"
Renji: '...'
'Clone education action. No time to lose.'
"You've gotten thinner," Tsunade, of course, didn't move. She observed him carefully and said deliberately.
Renji: '...'
Kakashi, in his cold, unwavering tone, recounted the shocking changes that had occurred, including Renji being controlled by Danzo.
"Uchiha Shisui's Mangekyo Sharingan?" Tsunade sighed, looking at Renji with guilt. "It was my oversight. No one expected that the Uchiha genius who went missing back then would have had an eye taken by Danzo..."
Her tone shifted. "But it's not surprising he could do such a thing!"
"Lady Hokage, at the Five Kage Summit, Uchiha Madara declared war on the Five Great Nations. War is coming soon," Renji meticulously recounted everything.
Tsunade listened intently.
"Just yesterday, the Daimyo of the Five Great Nations agreed to form the Ninja Allied Forces," Kakashi said.
"Forming the Ninja Allied Forces?" Tsunade smiled meaningfully. "It's truly something that the Tsuchikage and Raikage are willing to cooperate."
"It means the situation is already very bad," Kakashi said.
Tsunade's expression grew solemn. "Uchiha Madara... is he really still alive?" How could someone from her grandfather's era still be alive?
"Although there's no conclusive evidence, based on his actions, it should be correct," Kakashi said.
'This is what the real Kakashi would say.'
As the Kakashi created by Renji, he didn't think that. 'How could someone like Madara wear a mask? Especially after Hashirama died. Who would Madara fear? It's clearly fake.'
"War is about to break out again..." Tsunade felt a lot of emotion. "I never thought the grievances of the Uchiha Clan would involve the entire Ninja World. If only they could be a bit more peaceful..."
"Hold a meeting immediately after dinner," Tsunade said seriously. "Prepare for war!"
...
The temporary meeting room.
Tsunade sat in the main seat. "Everyone is here."
Of course, some couldn't make it. They died when Pain invaded.
"The combat meeting will now commence."
"First, let's start with reserves of food and ninja tools."
"Ninja will be divided into combat units and support units."
Tsunade tapped the table. Many ninja got up and handed their lists to her.
Inside the tent, besides the senior Jonin, only Renji and Shikamaru, two younger newcomers, were seated.
Renji was the Hokage's direct disciple. Shikamaru, as the next head of the Nara Clan, had an IQ even higher than his father, Konoha's brain.
Noticing Shikamaru's gaze frequently turning towards Renji, Shikaku whispered, "Although you've been called to this combat meeting, you are still very young. Listen carefully, don't miss anything."
"I will write down everything," Shikamaru nodded solemnly. He knew this was a war meeting.
"Is the Fourth Great Ninja War about to begin?" a Jonin present asked, unwilling to believe peace would end.
"But even if it's Uchiha Madara, does he require the Five Great Nations to form an alliance against him?" Some also questioned Madara's strength.
Renji and Shikamaru looked at that young Jonin simultaneously. It made sense; for a historical figure who had disappeared, few today had a clear understanding of him.
After Madara and Hashirama, the overall strength of the Ninja World began to decline.
'But it doesn't matter, an opportunity will come very soon anyway.'
Tsunade angrily slammed the table. "What nonsense are you talking about! Has it been forgotten that the Akatsuki destroyed Konoha with just Nagato alone?"
That one sentence sobered them up.
"My apologies, please allow me to speak," Renji said gently. "Uchiha Madara, even when young, was on par with the First Hokage. After so many years, his strength will only be greater. At the very least, he is much stronger than Nagato."
The questioning ninja closed his mouth, his face full of worry.
Kakashi added, "Don't forget the Tailed Beasts. The Akatsuki has already obtained seven of them."
Everyone understood how terrifying that power was.
"If they use the Tailed Beasts as weapons, we must prepare for a fighting force superior to Nagato," Kakashi's words fell.
Tsunade stared seriously at everyone. "If that happens... the entire world will face a crisis of destruction! There's no time to lose!"
A tense atmosphere spread.
"Lady Hokage, we understand the seriousness, but do we know Madara's stronghold?" a ninja asked.
Tsunade looked at Shikaku.
Shikaku stood up. "We now know Madara's approximate stronghold. We just received contact from Anko Mitarashi's unit, confirming the discovery of ninja suspected to be Uchiha Madara."
"We are currently investigating the detailed situation."
Even with Tsunade in a coma, Konoha's upper echelon continued to operate. Anko was immediately dispatched to track Madara.
The meeting lasted for over two hours, arranging overall war preparations.
...
After the meeting, Renji and Shikamaru followed Tsunade into her work tent.
"The most important thing now is the safety of Naruto. In any case, Naruto must absolutely not be taken by the Akatsuki," Tsunade said.
Shikamaru nodded. The Akatsuki had seven Tailed Beasts. Only the Eight-Tails and Nine-Tails were missing to complete the Ten-Tails.
Just one Ten-Tails would be enough to overwhelm the allied forces.
This was a war concerning the survival of the Ninja World.
Inside the tent, Sakura had already begun to help Tsunade clear documents. This used to be Shizune's work, but she lost her life during Pain's attack.
As soon as Tsunade sat down, an Anbu appeared.
"Naruto just disappeared at Ichiraku Ramen."
Tsunade's pupils contracted, and she slammed her fist on the table. "No one can take Naruto from Konoha!"
"Renji, Shikamaru, Sakura! Go find Naruto immediately!"
"Yes."
Since he disappeared from Ichiraku, Renji naturally went there first. He asked Teuchi about the situation.
From Teuchi's vivid description, Renji guessed something. 'Naruto must have been Summoned away.'
Renji sat in the ramen shop, waiting.
Not long after, with a bang, Naruto popped out again. He blinked, his gaze slowly falling on Renji.
"Let's go." Renji pulled him up and brought him before Tsunade.
Shikamaru and Sakura also returned, relieved to see Naruto alive.
"You went to the Toad Sage's place?" Tsunade repeated Naruto's words.
"Yes, I was Reverse Summoned." Naruto was puzzled; he had only disappeared for a little while, why was everyone so worried?
"Why did the Toad Sage summon you?" Tsunade asked.
"He gave me a prophecy."
Tsunade immediately pressed, "What did he say?"
"I seem to be going to an island resort and will meet an octopus..." Naruto didn't quite understand. He could only repeat the words.
"It seems the octopus will assist me. The Toad Sage doesn't seem to know the details either."
"And..." Naruto was silent, then hung his head. "The Toad Sage said I would fight Sasuke..."
He was only dispirited for a moment. Before anyone could comfort him, he lifted his head full of energy. "But I'm already mentally prepared!"
"Oh, right!" Naruto thought of something important. "The Toad Sage also said that each of us has a hand above our heads..."
"No!" Naruto rubbed his chin. "It's not above our heads! It's that there's a hand in the sky of the entire Ninja World..."
Naruto smiled wryly and scratched his head. "I don't understand..."
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