Chapter 488: If It’s a Fight You Want, Bring It On! Konoha Has Never Backed Down

The past few days had been an exhausting and fruitless effort. Everything had unfolded exactly as Danzo had calculated.

The Third Hokage felt a wave of dizziness, nearly losing his breath in frustration.

"Take them back to the village and hand them over to Tsunade for judgment!"

His voice was heavy with disappointment, his spirit dampened by the failures.

Despite his reluctance, the situation forced him to abandon the pursuit of Danzo.

Meanwhile, Iwagakure, preparing to attack Konoha, was likely thrilled to see the Third Hokage embroiled in the drama outside the village, hoping he would never return.

Thus, the grand operation to capture Danzo ended in failure.

Danzo had escaped, and Hiruzen had been unable to bring him to justice.

"Old man, are you okay?"

Tsunade couldn't help but ask, worry creeping into her voice. Though she couldn't deny her teacher's age was catching up with him, it was alarming to see him looking so pale and lifeless after just a few days away from the village.

Hiruzen's face was ashen, his eyes hollow, as though he had just recovered from a severe illness.

"Cough, cough, I'm fine," he said, waving her off weakly. "It's just that this whole ordeal has left me deeply unsettled. I'm incredibly disappointed in Danzo."

Tsunade furrowed her brow as she watched him cough. His words carried an undeniable weariness.

"Tsunade, it's time to prepare," he continued. "It may feel abrupt, but I believe the moment has come. I'm tired. I've carried this burden long enough."

Danzo's escape had caused massive collateral damage. The Sarutobi and Shimura clans, along with several other high-ranking figures who had once worked closely with Danzo, were all caught in the fallout.

Konoha was now a chaotic mess, all thanks to Danzo.

Hiruzen couldn't shake the feeling that he had failed as Hokage.

"Now's not the time to step back," Tsunade said, rubbing her temples in frustration. "A new war is about to begin. Do you really think it's appropriate to throw in the towel now?"

She was trying hard to restrain herself from yelling at him outright. Recent days had left her overwhelmed, running from one responsibility to another without pause.

"I know it's not ideal," Hiruzen admitted with a sigh. "But Danzo's current state is partly my responsibility. I intend to lead by example and redeem the Sarutobi and Shimura clans on the battlefield. We'll prove our loyalty to the village through action and merit."

"It's too late for that."

Tsunade's arms crossed firmly, her tone leaving no room for argument.

"Too late?"

Hiruzen blinked in confusion. Was she saying he couldn't even set foot on the battlefield anymore?

"Face it, old man," she said bluntly. "The future belongs to the younger generation. Your time has passed. It's better for you to stay in the village and enjoy a peaceful life. The battlefield is where young shinobi grow—it's the perfect place for them to prove themselves."

Her words carried a challenge. "Or is it that you don't want me to build my own trusted circle?"

Send you to the battlefield? Tsunade thought. What a joke.

What would the other villages think if Konoha sent their aging Third Hokage to fight? It would make her—a soon-to-be Fourth Hokage—look weak and laughable.

"Even if it's not ideal," she continued, "if you're so insistent on stepping down, then do it quickly. I'm already prepared for the responsibilities that come with war."

She added sharply, "The Sarutobi and Shimura clans can send as many ninjas to the battlefield as they want. I'm not going to punish innocent people for Danzo's crimes by burdening them with baseless accusations."

"And who will lead them?"

Hiruzen clung to his argument. Though he agreed young shinobi should take the reins, he still felt the pull of duty.

Tsunade didn't give him a chance to argue further. "Orochimaru will oversee the camp. Takuya, Minato, Nawaki, and Kushina will handle the battlefield. That's all there is to it."

You want a war?

Bring it on.

Konoha wasn't afraid.

Tsunade had full confidence in the new generation of shinobi. Against such formidable talents, what did Iwagakure have to offer?

Later that night, she decided to have a serious talk with Takuya. His past laid-back attitude was tolerable before, but this time, she needed him to take things seriously.

"Kushina?"

"She's stronger than you," Tsunade interrupted. "And she loves Konoha far more than most of the people who claim to act in the village's best interest. There's no discussion on this."

Hiruzen fell silent, realizing his intentions were being brushed aside.

Was he no longer needed? Not even allowed to seek redemption on the battlefield?

That afternoon, a groundbreaking announcement echoed through the Hokage office:

The aging Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, would officially step down in seven days. Three days from now, Tsunade would be inaugurated as the Fourth Hokage.

The news spread like wildfire, sending waves of excitement and speculation through the village.

"The Hokage is stepping down?"

"It's incredible! But Tsunade becoming the Fourth Hokage isn't too surprising."

"Yeah, she's one of the Legendary Sannin, the granddaughter of the First Hokage, and at the peak of her strength. She's perfect for the position!"

While the villagers sang her praises, Tsunade found little joy in their compliments.

No woman liked hearing constant remarks about their age, and Tsunade was no exception.

"What do they mean by 'peak of her strength'?" she grumbled. "They might as well say I'm pushing forty."

Takuya couldn't stop laughing. Nawaki joined in, clearly amused. Minato smiled politely, while Kushina wiped tears of laughter from her eyes.

"What's so funny?" Takuya said, kicking Nawaki lightly. "If your sister finds out, she'll kill you."

"Why would I care?" Nawaki retorted. "She probably can't even beat me now. If I can't win in a fight, I'll just run. Problem solved."

Takuya smirked. "If you don't want your sister to pound you into the dirt, don't push your luck. Once your wings grow too strong, she'll stop trying to catch you."

"Yeah, yeah," Nawaki waved him off. "Anyway, what about you? Aren't you too busy to lecture me?"

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"I mean, you're single. You're hardly in a position to tease me about my sister."

Caught off guard, Takuya fell silent, unable to respond. Minato and Kushina exchanged knowing glances, their expressions amused.

Blushing, Nawaki mumbled, "I've been thinking about asking Uchiha Mikoto to introduce me to someone. There was a really pretty girl with her yesterday."

This kid has guts, Takuya thought, chuckling to himself. Nawaki's fascination with the Hyūga and Uchiha clans was a bold move, given how rarely those families married outsiders.

Still, with Tsunade ascending to Hokage, political ties with the Uchiha wouldn't be out of the question.

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DO NOT FORGET POWER STONE AND CHATTING