Konoha's Wings

"Danzo-sama… these are…!".

Tsuyu's eyes were shining with dazzling light and in awe. Those devices shaped with wings and chakra propellers - these must be made purely from chakra conducting metal. And the craftsmanship… just how expensive it would be?

"Tsuyu, you can give it a try. Let's head outside". Danzo had a very rare smile seeing Tsuyu's rare excitement. These days he had imperceptible smiles on his face, scaring a lot of people that know him.

"Tsuyu seems calm on the surface, but inwardly she does miss the feeling of freedom in the sky. Freedom has always been her core goal, and being in the sky reminisces the concept.

Connecting the inner chakra conduit on the special vest first, then attaching the metallic parts resembling wings with exhausts here and there for chakra propulsion.

"Whew…". She moves her chakra through the wings on her back. With rapid chakra circulation on the wings it cuts air into two parts to create high pressure above and lower pressure below to generate lift. The thruster will provide propulsion to go forward.

With excitement, Tsuyu flickered up and forward with her feet, sending more chakra towards her wings. 

Burst of chakra propel her up to the sky. Danzo gave a satisfied expression seeing her go.

Onlookers noticed the object in the sky, the barrier team quickly notified the ANBU and even Tsunade was alerted.

"Hahaha!", Tsuyu laughed in the air, feeling a little excited. The wind blowing on her face, the vapor hitting her skin, the clouds moving with her. Freedom.

She tested the wings with few maneuvers. It seemed it works more like an aeroplane and she cannot exactly stay still while having a lift except to use chakra propulsion upward. But most people can never do this because it will consume too much chakra. But for her, it's feasible.

The thruster on her back blasted with more chakra as Tsuyu flew even higher. 30 meters… 50 meters… 100… 500… 1000… 2000 meters! She started to feel slightly dizzy from being too high up in the sky and hasn't been used to it.

Looking at Konoha from above, she felt like she's looking down at a miniature version of it. The Hokage Rock becomes the highlight from her view.

After testing the equipment, she came back to the training field. She noticed ANBU's moving in her direction. But she doesn't mind.

As she landed, Tsunade was the first to approach her.

"Tsuyu…! This…", she turned to look at Danzo that she just noticed, just standing there under the sunlight. Is the sun going to rise from the west? Danzo? In broad daylight? Under the sunny sky?

"Tsunade, this is a project I spearheaded. Aerial Shinobi unit". Danzo said with pride, even if his expression is as calm as usual.

"Aerial unit… Land of the Sky…?". She got the info on the attack on the village and the subsequent losses and gains. So she figured out Danzo took apart their technology. But with what money though… how Danzo had enough funding to do all this.

"Iwagakure with their weight-less technique and Sunagakure's Kazekage had always been a major threat for Konoha's shinobi. With our own aerial advantage, it's no longer a problem. I am going to introduce the units to you once you take your seat officially".

"This…". Tsunade is genuinely impressed. Since when Danzo is heading on an honest project in broad daylight and not scheming in the dark? Well, she can guess Danzo used dubious means to get funds and extract technology from the prisoners of Land of the Sky but she can overlook it seeing his achievements and that she had no direct evidence on what Danzo did.

"Very impressive, Danzo". Tsunade had a complicated expression in her eyes. She genuinely wanted to dislike him but he didn't do anything wrong this time, openly that is.

"Tsuyu… bring me up! Let me see how good it is!". Tsunade crossed her arms, she said so seriously.

"Ah? This… Yes, Tsunade-sama…", Tsuyu was surprised. But anyway… Tsuyu grabs onto Tsunade's waist, with chakra enhancement she's not heavy. She launched up again, giving Tsunade a tour around Konoha from above.

"Faster Tsuyu! Faster!!! Ghahaha!". Tsunade is having too much fun at the moment. She got to experience the sky and freedom materialised.

As Tsunade comes down, she feels reluctant. She looked at Danzo, almost wanting a wing for herself… should she be shameless? She's considering it.

"Danzo-sama, if you would like I can carry you as well", Tsuyu said lightly. She's just joking with Danzo.

"No, I am too old. I am not suitable for this thing". Danzo said flatly. But inside he feels slightly embarrassed. Kid, you are shaming this old man…! But perhaps this is why he's more fond of his disciple.. 

Tsunade almost laughed. To think Tsuyu can joke on Danzo out of all people.

"How many units do you have?". She changed the subject while holding her laughter.

"Currently, only 9 units are made. They are made entirely from different chakra conducting metals with Fuin Shiki engravings to create its chakra circuit and manage its flow. These cannot be mass produced quickly…".

"I see…". Since there's too few, she cannot be too shameless, unfortunately.

"Aerial Shinobi Unit… it's evolutionary".

Looking at the example of Iwagakure, their use of sky bombardment from their Weightless Corp to target important structures had always been a problem for Konoha. The only saving grace is their Weightless technique requires expertise and they only had a dozen or so in that corp in the last war. Now Konoha can copy their tactic. Sunagakure's Kazekage aerial advantage too had always been a problem. What can you do when he just stays in the air and shoots down a barrage of iron sands and gold sands? It's equivalent to shooting a gatling gun from a helicopter. Right and they love to coat poison into their metals too. It's almost cheating.

"I am planning on creating a new subdivision under the 5th Division of Konoha's Army. That would be the Aerial Shinobi Unit. I will bring it up at the next meeting. I would head the subdivision personally". Danzo said the last sentence, wanting to tell Tsunade this is HIS project and HIS unit. He won't let Tsunade just snatch its control.

Tsunade squinted her eyes slightly, understanding what Danzo wanted.

"Do as you wish. But your subdivision would still follow the arrangement of the Strategic Command Division. Your subdivision had a lot of advantages they could use".

"Naturally. I am not that talented in scheming in the open…". Danzo said as a joke to Tsunade and himself. He acknowledges in terms of strategies of war he's lacking. Giving it to those Yamanaka's and Nara's that could see the entire battlefield like their chessboards are better - this is from his experience. 

"Who are you selecting to be inside these special units of yours?", Tsunade crossed her arms, curious over his selections.

"I am still selecting. But for her squad, I am letting her pick. I believe young blood would learn faster on using the new devices and learning new formations and tactics". He didn't say half of the young blood would be Shimura clansmen…

"You trust her to pick huh". She felt it's bewildering that Danzo trusts someone at all. And it seemed Tsuyu's relationship wasn't exactly like those of a follower and its leader. But subordinate? Partners?

"You should read the report on her results on her missions in ANBU. You would be surprised".

"... I guess I will have a look".

She looks at Tsuyu who respectfully stands there, respecting their positions and not interfering with their conversation. If it's Naruto he would have probably barged in their conversations.

"Tsuyu, are you a Chunin now?".

"... Yes, I am promoted through recommendation". As ANBU, her squadmates and leader approved of her skills coupled with her merits; thus she's promoted silently.

"... I see. To lead a squad, you need to be at Jonin level. I will arrange your test. Are you confident?".

"I am, Tsunade-sama".

"Good. I will give the date later".

"Speaking of which, we need to hold the Chunin exam soon". Danzo wanted more combatant on the frontline. The fresh genins aren't doing much. Konoha had 3 major fronts to cover (assuming Kiri didn't make a move), where can they get so much combatant if they don't promote those genins.

"You cannot be thinking of promoting those children, aren't you". Tsunade felt Danzo was being too outrageous right now. 

"Konoha needs manpower. You had seen how much the village lost, Tsunade. You are the Hokage now, your decision will decide Konoha's future".

"... I will… consider". Tsunade said uncomfortably. 

"Hmph… I hope you aren't as indecisive as that person". 

"You…!". Tsunade felt angry when he mentioned Hiruzen, her own sensei. She still felt Danzo had something to do with his death and dealing with Orochimaru, it's her gut feelings.

"Tsuyu, meet me in an hour. I wanted your input on the new subdivision". Danzo says blatantly.

"Understood, Danzo-sama".

Danzo's words are telling Tsunade Tsuyu is his person and she shouldn't try to control her. He turned around and left like a shadow. 

The weight of responsibility as the Hokage finally truly landed on Tsunade's shoulder. She looks at Tsuyu, and realises she too is a part of those 'children'. But she had seen her like a true Kunoichi all these times due to her maturity. Indeed, some children are already ready… Thinking back on Naruto standing in front of her, taking the blade from Orochimaru and blasting him with Rasengan, she put faith in new generations. Though Konoha is supposed to protect the young, that's what her grandfather intended.

But now…there's no choice doesn't it.

"I will be at my office", Tsunade spoke before leaving.

***

Meeting Danzo, she gave input on her thoughts over the aerial units. 

Tsuyu made her own suggestion. Each squad needed a Hyuga member as their sensor. She would say their eyes are the most important for long range scouted from the air.

An expert Yamanaka that can transmit information at long distances to pass over information to the command centre is also needed. The aerial unit will almost always be far away from the main camp and act on their own, and the information they gather as an aerial unit is far wider than most scouts. As for what the units should do most, it's to target specific facilities, pre-scouting high risk areas, guerilla warfare, aerial bombardment, aerial support, and finally to kill high value targets - though this is mostly left to Tsuyu.

Danzo listened to Tsuyu's blabbering on what the unit can do in awe. It's as if she had experienced a battlefield as a part of an aerial unit herself…

"I can utilise Flying Raijin to move the whole company as well. I believe we could mobilise support when a front needs backup. Our unit can create a safe retreat. Konoha is stretched far too thin…".

Tsuyu yaps and she only meant it as literal support, somewhere relatively safe in the air, providing cover and deterrent, and targeting enemy backlines or important structures and camps, and such. NOT fighting head on like normal units…

But Danzo thought Tsuyu was saying she would fight at all fronts in the main battlefield - using her power as a jinchuriki to face the enemy head on whenever she's needed.

He almost forgot. What is this? A teleporting Jinchuriki? With the amount of her chakra she could indeed travel between the lands in an instant. In the original timeline, Minato is able to teleport from the Land of Frost to Konoha during the 4th Shinobi War.

He can already see enemies screaming in horror, thinking Tsuyu is out there fighting another hidden village at another front and they decide to send their main forces and their own Jinchuriki to defeat Konoha's army since she wouldn't be able to support it, but suddenly she just appeared like a ghost. Danzo already had ideas of sending Tsuyu to the battlefield directly. 

Minato… you left Konoha with a monster… 

Tsuyu didn't know Danzo trusted her strength too much; he expects her to fight at the frontline for all fronts when Tsuyu never meant that. Tsuyu would definitely regret learning Flying Raijin once she sees what Danzo is thinking.