With the establishment of Konoha's Political Affairs Office, Lady Tsunade's workload had greatly diminished.
To ensure stability, Kakashi Hatake was appointed as the Hokage's personal guard—a move that not only protected her but also helped groom him for future leadership.
Freed from her endless paperwork, Tsunade turned her attention to two pursuits: the study of the Hashirama and Uchiha Cells, and the cultivation of Martial Arts—a discipline Naruto had introduced to her.
Her initial research into cellular fusion between Senju and Uchiha bloodlines had shown promise, but perfect integration was still an immense challenge. So, she temporarily set that aside and began to train her body and spirit in the Martial Path.
Naruto had told her something that ignited her curiosity:
"Once you've refined your five organs and six viscera, allowing your Qi and Blood to resonate in harmony, you'll awaken your own Martial Divine Power."
That statement alone was enough to fascinate her. But what truly tempted Tsunade was what came next—Naruto promised that once she succeeded, he would personally guide her to the next stage: the power of Sage Art through the Martial Path.
He called this stage the Martial Arts Human Immortal—a state that mirrored Sage Mode in effect but differed in essence.
"It's still the power of mortals," Naruto had explained, "but it carries the divine resonance of an Immortal."
Tsunade's eyes had gleamed at that. She had already begun tempering her organs, circulating her Qi and Blood, and refining her vitality through Martial cultivation. Her physical strength, once already monstrous, now pulsed with life force that grew stronger by the day.
As her Qi and Blood expanded, she noticed an astonishing side effect—her vitality was increasing exponentially. Her aging body was rejuvenating; her strength, endurance, and even her chakra flow had stabilized at new heights.
By her estimation, if she continued along this path, her lifespan might extend to two centuries—essentially achieving longevity.
Though Tsunade had never been obsessed with eternal youth, the realization still sent a thrill through her veins.
It reminded her of her Strength of a Hundred Seal, that forbidden jutsu which consumed her life force in exchange for near-limitless regeneration.
Now, however, with her Martial vitality replenishing her lifespan faster than it was consumed, the cost became negligible. She could fight longer, heal faster, and endure more than ever before.
Naruto's own Martial Divine Power, Super Speed Regeneration, made her envious. His recovery rate already rivaled her forbidden technique, and he achieved it without the drawbacks of cellular decay or chakra exhaustion.
That only deepened her curiosity.
As a medical-nin, she wondered—what kind of Martial Divine Power would she manifest?
Would it be something that transcended healing itself? A Divine Art that could reconstruct the body or even restore life?
With that thought lingering in her mind, she completed her day's cultivation and returned to the Hokage's office. The moment she stepped inside, she called out:
"Shizune! Where's Jiraiya? I need him to oversee Konoha for a while—I'm heading to the Umbrella Organization!"
Shizune looked up from the stack of reports before her, visibly exasperated. Lady Tsunade had grown far too accustomed to delegating everything.
Though the Political Affairs Office had lightened the Hokage's duties, Tsunade treated it as an excuse to avoid them altogether, dumping the remaining work on her long-suffering assistant.
The documents piled before Shizune contained matters both major and trivial—missions, logistics, and policy changes—all already reviewed and awaiting her final authorization. If she spotted inconsistencies, she would have to return them for revision.
These were supposed to be the Hokage's direct responsibilities, yet Tsunade had entrusted all of it to her. Shizune couldn't help but feel resentful, especially now that Tsunade had taken on two new disciples: Sakura Haruno and Ino Yamanaka.
While Tsunade occasionally supervised them, it was Shizune who bore the brunt of their daily training.
Both girls were undeniably talented.
Ino, being from the Yamanaka Clan, had to balance her clan's secret techniques with Tsunade's medical teachings, which slightly slowed her progress.
Sakura, however—a commoner shinobi with no clan heritage—was progressing at an astonishing pace. Within mere months, she had already begun practicing the Mystical Palm Technique. Her aptitude surpassed what Shizune herself had ever achieved.
"Lady Tsunade," Shizune sighed, setting down her pen, "Lord Jiraiya was summoned to Mount Myōboku this morning."
"Mount Myōboku...?" Tsunade frowned. "So he's with the Toad Sages again."
Without another word, she strode out of the office, leaving Shizune with another sigh. Tsunade soon found Kakashi training nearby and issued him a few orders before departing the village.
Her decision to appoint Kakashi as her personal guard hadn't been arbitrary. It was part of her long-term plan—strengthening his credentials and experience so he could one day inherit the mantle of Hokage.
After all, Kakashi was the Fourth Hokage's disciple, a shinobi of exceptional skill, intellect, and loyalty. His potential was undeniable, though Tsunade knew he had stagnated for nearly a decade after the tragedies of his past.
Now, however, his strength was returning.
He stood on the brink of Kage-level, only one final step away from breaking through that invisible barrier.
That final step couldn't be taught—it had to be understood.
It could take him days, or it could take him years. But Tsunade was certain of one thing: Kakashi Hatake would eventually reach it.
And when he did, the Will of Fire would once again burn brighter than ever before.
After giving her instructions, Lady Tsunade departed the village swiftly.
Left behind, Kakashi Hatake resumed his training, his silver hair swaying as he focused on his Lightning Release control drills.
Beside him, Might Guy was in the midst of an even more intense regimen—his body shrouded in steam, fists pounding the ground in rhythmic bursts.
Thanks to Lady Tsunade, Might Guy had recently received access to the Martial Arts cultivation method.
For Guy, this was like discovering a priceless treasure.
It was a completely new path—a way to strengthen the body beyond what taijutsu alone could achieve.
His progress was astonishing.
With his solid physical foundation, Guy had directly surpassed the skin-tempering stage, diving headfirst into body refinement, where the power of Qi and Blood was condensed.
The moment he awakened this inner power, he noticed something miraculous: the lingering injuries in his body—scars from years of opening the Eight Gates—were slowly being repaired.
That realization filled him with both shock and gratitude.
Understanding how rare such a chance was, Guy focused all his energy on perfecting the flesh-tempering stage. Every punch, every stance, every deep breath carried Qi and Blood through his muscles, bones, and meridians.
He could feel it.
His body was changing—becoming tougher, faster, stronger.
It was like a rebirth.
His potential, once thought to have peaked, now climbed to new heights.
If he hadn't been so careful to temper his progress, he might have already reached the bone-refining stage.
Far away, on Mount Myōboku, the scent of sage oil and lotus blossoms filled the air.
Jiraiya the Gallant stood before the Great Toad Sage, whose massive body loomed like a small mountain. The toad's ancient eyes blinked slowly, their golden hue reflecting the deep, shifting currents of time itself.
Jiraiya had been summoned abruptly—and he knew what that meant.
Every summons from the Great Toad Sage had heralded an important change in the world.
"Little Jiraiya," the Great Toad Sage's deep, ancient voice rumbled, "the prophecy has changed."
Jiraiya's brows furrowed.
"Changed? What do you mean, Great Sage?"
"The Celestial Curtain descends," the sage murmured, his words echoing like distant thunder.
"Gods and demons arrive. Red flames engulf the Ninja World. And in the heavens… a giant Umbrella hangs above, while billions of stars shimmer with red light."
Jiraiya's heart tensed.
He never doubted the Great Toad Sage—but understanding his words was another matter entirely.
A Celestial Curtain? Gods and demons? Red flames?
What could all this mean...?
"Great Toad Sage," Jiraiya asked cautiously, "could you explain what this prophecy signifies?"
The ancient toad closed his eyes, his tone heavy.
"Little Jiraiya, prophecy is like mist—it comes in fragments. I saw only glimpses. But I feel it clearly—the Ninja World is approaching a greater danger than ever before."
He paused, his voice softening.
"Yet the thread of fate remains. You must find the Child of Prophecy. He is the key to saving this world."
"Go, Little Jiraiya. The world needs you once again."
With those words, the Great Toad Sage slowly closed his eyes—and within seconds, soft snores rumbled through the temple.
Jiraiya stared for a long moment, half in awe, half in confusion.
He sighed, rubbing his head.
"Every time, he leaves me more questions than answers…"
Still, Jiraiya knew better than to ignore a prophecy. He turned, cloak fluttering, and made his way down Mount Myōboku—his expression thoughtful, his heart uneasy.
Moments after he left, the Great Toad Sage's massive eyelids fluttered open once more.
A faint tremor rippled through his aged voice as he murmured to himself:
"Why has the prophecy changed...?"
"Could it be... the Ōtsutsuki Clan has returned to the Ninja World?"
His gaze drifted to the sky beyond the temple—where visions from his dream still lingered in his mind.
He had seen a red light—thousands of stars, all glowing crimson.
He had seen a colossal Umbrella, spanning across the heavens, shielding the world below from an immense Celestial Curtain that loomed over all existence.
And beyond that curtain... beings unlike anything he had ever sensed—gods? watching, waiting, coveting the Ninja World.
The Great Toad Sage's breath deepened.
The images had been hazy, incomplete... but his heart trembled with unease.
The future was becoming clouded.
Even his dreams—once the clearest mirrors of fate—were fading into fog.
"The threads of destiny… are changing again," he whispered.
"And soon… I may no longer dream at all."
...
TN:
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