Tsunade could more or less guess the Daimyo's intent. He wanted to pressure Konoha into declaring war on the Sand Federation, annihilate that shinobi regime, and restore the former Daimyo's rule over the Land of the Wind.
On paper, it sounded simple, but there were two difficulties: one was destroying the Sand Federation, and the other was finding the Daimyo's heir.
The Daimyo of the Wind had been dead for two years. Back then, Kakuzu's compound techniques had obliterated the mansion. If an heir could have been found, they would have been discovered two years ago, not delayed until now.
"What a nuisance. We finally had two years of peace, and now the Daimyo wants to start another war," Tsunade muttered in complaint. She rose naturally, dropped the documents on Yakushi Kabuto's desk, and, ignoring his puzzled glance, began considering which guards to take with her to the Daimyo's residence.
Those documents were ones Kabuto had handed her before bed to process. Instead, she had fallen asleep, and now they had somehow returned to his hands untouched.
As for her escort, she had already decided: Kiyo Hyuga and Kurenai Yuhi. Kiyo's rank and status no longer suited the role of bodyguard, so she would have to pick another from the Hyuga clan. Kurenai, on the other hand, had no active squad at the moment, was free, and strong enough to be reliable.
"This can't be helped. For the past two years, the Daimyo has never been stingy with Konoha's funds. Now it happens to be his birthday. If you don't go, it won't make sense."
With that, Hiruzen Sarutobi took a drag of his pipe and left the Hokage's office.
Tsunade knew he was right, but she still put on a troubled face before slipping away herself.
After quietly shutting the door behind her, a smile curved on her lips. Another day's work dumped on others—time to celebrate with a drink.
A Hokage who knew how to delegate ruled in comfort, provided the authority was handed to trustworthy people.
Tsunade only needed to give instructions; Shizune, Kimimaro, Kabuto, and Kimura would handle the rest. All she had to do was act tired and then visit Hyuga Mirai to whine and collect favors. Life was too easy.
The Daimyo's recurring demands were the only annoyance. The first few times she had pushed them onto Hiruzen with excuses.
That was why Hiruzen was often away from the village, which conveniently made it easier for Tsunade to chip away at the Sarutobi clan's presence in the ANBU.
Injuries and "stress-related retirements" had already reduced the Sarutobi numbers in ANBU to thirty. Kabuto filled the vacancies with trusted civilians and members of small clans.
As for the Sarutobi who left ANBU, Tsunade assigned them as squad leaders. But only for a year. Afterward, their Genin were rotated into Chunin squads, leaving no time to form close mentor-student bonds—just captains and subordinates.
Tsunade strolled through Konoha's streets. After leaving the Hokage building, she used a Transformation Jutsu; otherwise villagers would greet her warmly, and by the next day everyone would know she had skipped duties to drink.
"Peace really is the most beautiful sight."
Smiling, she watched the villagers. Adults bustled about with cheerful faces, children played in the streets, bragging about how far they'd gotten in yesterday's ninja games. Arguments broke out but were quickly silenced by parents, and the children returned to play as if nothing happened.
Most of Tsunade's decades had been consumed by war. She had lived less than ten years in peace. That was why she now cherished it and wanted to protect it with all her strength.
It was her own will and dream.
Yet Konoha's peace was fragile, unlike that of the Sand Federation.
Tsunade had never been there in person, but through the ring terminal and Hyuga Mirai's eyes, she had seen its prosperity—and grew envious.
Towering buildings, greenery everywhere. Life there seemed happier than in Konoha. Public works for the people, amusement parks, countless eateries. The thing that stung most was a tavern selling the premium sake she craved.
Ayaka Uzumaki had opened it on a whim, refusing any official position. She simply ran a tavern near her residence, selling her own high-end liquor. But the enthusiasm only lasted a month before she lost interest.
Compared to that, Konoha's peace relied sixty percent on foreign loans and on Hyuga Mirai's trade associations. If Mirai wished, he could topple Konoha's economy overnight, leaving villagers unable to afford even ramen.
Lost in thought, Tsunade arrived at a tavern—one of the best in Konoha, rumored to be backed by one of Mirai's associations.
"Boss, five bottles of sake, and—huh?" she began, but stopped, recognizing a familiar voice. She waved to the owner to wait and walked toward a back booth.
Sliding open the door with a grin, she said, "So it's you two. Perfect. Drinking alone is boring—let's share a table."
Kiyo Hyuga and Kurenai Yuhi froze, exchanged a glance, and Kiyo asked, "Lady Tsunade?"
She had noticed the Transformation Jutsu—it resembled Tsunade's features.
"Mm, it's me."
Dropping the disguise, Tsunade sat beside Kurenai, poured herself a cup, and downed it in one gulp.
"As expected, sake is the best drink in the world!"
Kurenai sighed. "Lady Tsunade, shouldn't you be handling official work?" She poured Tsunade another cup anyway.
Tsunade shook her head. "Ran into an unpleasant problem. Needed to step out and think."
Think, in a tavern? Neither Kiyo nor Kurenai believed her. Tsunade's love of drink and gambling was famous in Konoha's upper ranks. They had often seen Shizune dragging her back to the office.
"Anyway, you'll find out soon enough, so I'll tell you now," Tsunade said after another cup. "That Daimyo summoned me again to the Land of Fire's capital. This time it's for his birthday. Tch. If he hadn't been generous with funds these past two years, I wouldn't bother with him at all."
"Red, you're coming with me. You're free lately. As for you, Kiyo—you're probably busier than me."
Kurenai sighed deeply. "I was drinking with Kiyo to complain about my squad failing to form. I finally promised Yakumo, and now it's delayed again."
"Oh, Yakumo," Tsunade recalled. "That child was troublesome. But she should be better now."
Kurama Yakumo's body had been too frail for shinobi life, until Kurenai asked Tsunade for help. With advanced sealing and Yang Release chakra, Tsunade had performed surgery to barely meet the minimum for a ninja.
Kurenai clinked glasses with Tsunade. "She's doing fine now. But she's eager for missions, so I asked Kurama Unkai to take her on a few tasks first."
After another drink, Kurenai sighed. "But Yakumo keeps wanting to join Might Guy's team. She thinks she's like one of his students. I've dissuaded her, or she'd end up hospitalized."
Kurenai had trained under Guy for a while. Even as a Chunin, she'd nearly collapsed. Yakumo, barely fit for shinobi life, would be killed by such training.
"Hahaha, Guy really is something. I heard he found a disciple he's pleased with and started taking every mission involving heavy lifting. That man doesn't worry about breaking his students."
Kiyo listened to their chatter for a while before asking, "Lady Tsunade, is the Daimyo calling you for the same reason as before?"
Tsunade slammed her cup on the table. "What else? After just a few years of peace, he wants war again. I'll never agree."
"The Sand Federation, then," Kiyo said calmly. As clan head, she knew the politics well.
The Federation had broken the one-country, one-village system by letting the Kazekage hold supreme power. To a Daimyo, that was unforgivable. Worse, their rise had been at the Land of Fire's expense, annexing the Land of Tea, the Land of Rivers, and a Fire border province.
And the Federation was buffered by the Land of the Rain, far from Konoha. Hidden Mist, meanwhile, had its own troubles—supply shortages, harsh shipping disputes with the Kado Company—leaving it as weakened as old Sunagakure.
"This time may truly be unavoidable. If the Daimyo insists on war, and you refuse like before, he might strike at Konoha first," Kiyo warned.
The Hyuga clan had spies and business ties in the capital, gathering intelligence. The Daimyo had been recruiting heavily: the Guardian Twelve, the Fire Temple, even Asuma Sarutobi had joined. The Third Hokage also spent long stretches in the capital. Coincidence? Kiyo thought not.
"Hmph. If they dare think the unthinkable, I'll show them regret—as the Fifth Hokage," Tsunade declared boldly, pouring drinks for all three.
"I'll pass, Lady Tsunade," Kiyo said, pushing her cup away. She never liked the taste of sake.
Kurenai raised hers with a smile. "Kiyo, sake is the best secret recipe. Look at Lady Tsunade and Anko—their drinking prowess speaks for itself." She puffed her chest as proof.
"Nonsense. You think I'd believe that?"
Kiyo scoffed, yet her eyes darted to Tsunade and Kurenai's prominent curves before she reluctantly lifted her cup and drank.
Still awful! But none of Kurenai's other suggestions had worked, so she decided to try this one anyway.
"Lord Mirai, you've been at it for three days straight. Won't you rest?"
Ayaka Uzumaki peeked into the Ten-Tails cultivation chamber. Instantly, the Nine-Tails within her grew restless. Its chakra always raged whenever she neared the Ten-Tails.
"No need. Just one last step, then I can relax for a while."
Hyuga Mirai turned back to the Ten-Tails.
The Divine Tree, after absorbing the chakra of the nine Tailed Beasts, had transformed into the Ten-Tails, though only about fifty meters tall—far from complete.
Its power was still lacking. At first, Ayaka sensed it was only two or three times stronger than a full Nine-Tails—not overwhelming.
But after Mirai began feeding it Indra's and Asura's chakra, its will and pressure awakened, enough to make the Nine-Tails fear it more each day.
"Almost there. Those two left behind some tenacious chakra. Even after death, their so-called will lasted over a year before fading."
Mirai gathered up Indra's and Asura's chakra. Once the Ten-Tails fully absorbed their Rinnegan power, he could consider becoming its jinchuriki.
And that was only the first step. His true goal was to completely "digest" the Ten-Tails, using it to evolve his very existence.
(End of Chapter)