Night. Tsunade's mansion was quiet. This sprawling estate now housed only two people. The silent night made the house feel somewhat eerie. Only one room, among the many, glowed with light, adding a touch of human presence to the unsettling atmosphere.
It had been four days. Sakura Haruno still showed no signs of waking. Tsunade silently watched Sakura, who lay on the tatami mat.
She had thought Sakura would wake up soon, but there was no indication of it. No, that wasn't entirely accurate.
Tsunade glanced at the large instrument in the room. It had been moved from the Konoha Hospital and was used for brain monitoring.
Sakura's body bore no injuries. Even the scar on her abdomen from last year's battle with Hanzo had vanished. Simply put, Sakura's body was fine, healthier than healthy.
Yet, despite this, she hadn't woken up. This made Tsunade suspect the problem lay with her brain. However, given Sakura's terrifying display earlier, Tsunade didn't dare rashly ask the Yamanaka clan to examine her. Helpless, she had no choice but to drag the hospital's equipment over.
The examination results surprised Tsunade even more. Sakura's brainwaves were abnormally active, not at all like someone who was asleep. This bizarre situation made Tsunade hesitant to take any risks. The brain was the most complex part of the body; mishandling it could result in Sakura becoming a vegetable. So, she could only continue to observe for a few more days.
To prevent Sakura from starving to death in her sleep, Tsunade personally prepared a nutrient solution and put Sakura on an IV drip.
Knock, knock, knock. A series of knocks sounded at the door.
"Come in," Tsunade said, her voice tinged with fatigue.
Swish. The door slid open, and Shizune entered. Seeing Sakura still unconscious, a hint of disappointment crossed Shizune's face. She then knelt opposite Tsunade.
"Lady Tsunade, you must attend the meeting tomorrow," Shizune said. "The council elders have issued an ultimatum."
"Hmph, let them do as they please," Tsunade said impatiently. "If it's about matters like this, don't bother reporting them to me."
"Yes, I know you want to wait for Sakura to wake up. But in her current condition, there's no telling when she'll awaken, and village affairs still need to be handled," Shizune said, troubled.
"Hmph..." Tsunade fell silent for a moment, then took a deep breath, trying to keep her irritation in check. "Do you know the content of their meeting?" she asked.
"Yes," Shizune replied, taking out a notebook from her robes. "Firstly, it's about the matter concerning the previous generation of genin..."
"Wait..." Tsunade interrupted Shizune. "Regarding the genin, I was the one who took them out. Is there anything more to be said about that?"
"That is correct..." Shizune said with a wry smile. "However, the council elders do not see it that way. Furthermore, there was no written mission request. So, you still need to appear in person to explain, and also the reason for your unauthorized departure from the village..."
"I understand... Next item..." Tsunade interrupted Shizune again. Hmph, all excuses. This item isn't important at all.
"Then, it's about how to deal with Sakura Haruno..." Shizune continued. "Although she was persecuted by Danzo, she did indeed assassinate the Fourth Mizukage and Kirigakure ninja... So... the council elders..."
"What about the Third? What does he say?" Tsunade asked, suppressing her anger.
"Um..." Shizune hesitated for a moment. "Lord Third Hokage... he... he fell ill after returning to the village..."
"Wh-what?" Tsunade asked. "Why wasn't I informed?"
"Because Lord Third said not to inform you," Shizune replied. "Lord Third hastily explained the situation that day and then left. I saw his complexion wasn't right. It was only when I visited him later that I learned he was ill."
"Is that so..." Tsunade fell silent. "Then... how is his condition?"
"It's mostly old injuries flaring up, and his heart has also suffered some damage. After treatment, his condition has stabilized, but he can no longer engage in combat. Otherwise, his heart probably wouldn't be able to take it." Shizune hesitated for a moment, then continued, "Lord Third's body has aged considerably. Even if he recovers... it will be... very difficult for him to fight again."
Heart damage. Tsunade immediately thought of the three thunderous heartbeats Sakura had emitted. Was it because of that? At the time, everyone had felt as if their hearts had been struck by a heavy hammer. But apart from the Third, everyone else was young and hadn't been injured afterward. She herself, with the Strength of a Hundred Seal active, hadn't been affected much at all.
"Once retired, he should have stayed quietly in the village, still thinking he's the same as in his younger days!" Tsunade grumbled, clearly still holding some resentment towards the Third's actions.
Shizune remained silent. This incident had not only caused Tsunade to complain; as Tsunade's student, Shizune also had her own grievances, though they were just minor complaints.
"What else? The council elders probably wouldn't be this anxious over just these two matters," Tsunade continued to ask.
"Yes," Shizune continued. "People from Kirigakure have arrived..."
A deathly silence filled the room. Tsunade closed her eyes, her brow furrowed tightly. Shizune didn't say anything further. The purpose of Kirigakure's visit was obvious without needing to be stated.
After a long moment, Tsunade opened her eyes. "What are their demands?"
"Hand over the culprit and provide compensation..." Shizune swallowed hard. "Or... declare war..."
The atmosphere suddenly became heavy. Tsunade pondered for a moment, then a faint smile touched her lips. "Declare war... Pfft, let them declare it then..."
"Huh?..." Shizune was somewhat stunned by Tsunade's words. "B-but Lady Tsunade... are we really... going to war...? Please reconsider..."
"No need to reconsider... Either they wait... or they declare war..." Tsunade said resolutely.
"B-but... is this... is this really alright...? If war breaks out... then... it won't just be Konoha and Kirigakure. It could very well... engulf the entire ninja world..." Shizune stammered.
"Enough said. It's settled. Are there any other matters?" Tsunade asked.
"Um..." Seeing Tsunade's insistence, Shizune looked helplessly at her notebook. "There is one more thing. Kirigakure demands that we hand over the ninja kidnapped by Sakura, Terumi Mei."
"Hmm? Terumi Mei? Who is she? Was there someone else with Sakura?" Tsunade asked, taken aback.
"I don't know," Shizune shook her head. "But according to the ANBU's report, two female corpses were found in the courtyard of the civilian Rika in the Land of Grass that night. One had no injuries, while the other had her heart pierced, with a ninja sword still embedded in her body when found. One of them, after investigation, was a villager from Red Leaf Village. The identity of the other is still unknown."
"Hmm, so that corpse is likely Terumi Mei?" Tsunade speculated. "But Sakura never uses a sword."
"While that's true, we can't draw a definite conclusion yet," Shizune said with a shrug. "Oh, right, a sword was also found at the scene. Kakashi identified it as one of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen's blades, Executioner's Blade."
"Executioner's Blade!" Tsunade's eyes lit up. "That's a good find. It's worth a lot of money."
"Lady Tsunade!" Shizune suddenly said, her voice stern and loud. "The current situation is very dangerous! A single misstep could trigger the Fourth Great Ninja War! Please be serious!"
Tsunade fell silent for a moment, then stared at Shizune. "Do you believe Sakura did all this?"
Shizune said quietly, "I don't think Sakura would do such things."
"So, ignore them..." Tsunade said faintly. "The truth lies in her hands."
Tsunade gestured towards Sakura, who was still asleep.
"I... I understand." Shizune felt somewhat helpless at Tsunade's childlike response. The truth wasn't what mattered right now; what mattered was how to deal with Kirigakure's demands. Shizune didn't believe Lady Tsunade was unaware of this. But since Lady Tsunade was insistent, Shizune couldn't say much more.
"Then I'll take my leave, Lady Tsunade," Shizune said, standing up.
Tsunade nodded, then turned back to fiddle with the monitoring instrument, constantly observing Sakura's condition.