chapter 92 part 5
"It's terrifying, not a single intact body. The ground is riddled with craters from explosions."
"Of course! All the intact remains have become Tsukasa Kaede's power! Heh, those Kumogakure guys deserved it! Who told them to invade us? Now they've really been hurt, haven't they?"
"Tsukasa Kaede alone can defend an entire front line, right? If there's another War, having a Ninja like him will undoubtedly relieve so much pressure on the Village, and instead increase the pressure on the enemy."
"After this battle, Tsukasa Kaede's power might have grown even stronger. Kumogakure dared to send these people to attack us, so there must have been many strong individuals among them."
The Konoha Ninja, filled with awe, discussed excitedly. Many didn't speak but listened with keen ears.
When Tsukasa Kaede returned to the Hidden Leaf Village, the Hokage's Office was brightly lit.
"...That's how it is, Hokage. I am glad I didn't disappoint." Tsukasa Kaede knelt on one knee, reporting the entire process.
"Is that so, Kaede? Your performance exceeded my expectations. After tonight, you will become a powerful and renowned Ninja." The Third Hokage also felt surprised, looking at the young man before him.
To have quietly grown to such a level? What astonishing potential.
Tsukasa Kaede respectfully replied, "It's all thanks to the Village's tireless nurturing. Without the Village, I wouldn't have learned enough Technique Formulas, nor would I have been able to access a top-tier Forbidden Jutsu like the Reaper Death Seal, and thus wouldn't possess my current strength. It is my honor to use the power I gained from the Village to help it."
"Where tree leaves dance, flames burn bright. Seeing you, I know that what I've done these past years was correct." The Third Hokage grew increasingly satisfied.
Regardless of Tsukasa Kaede's deeper desires, at the very least, on the surface, everything Tsukasa Kaede did conformed to the Village's rules. The Third Hokage never withheld his appreciative gaze from anyone willing to operate by the rules.
He also knew that people like Danzo and Orochimaru had done many unsavory things in the shadows, but he had never said anything about it. Someone always had to step up to bear the burden of the dark side, transforming dark elements into strength to grow the Village.
Now, it was simply that there was one more Tsukasa Kaede, and given the Third Hokage's personality, he could perfectly tolerate it.
"Tsukasa Kaede, in a few days, I will formally appoint you as an Elite Jonin. From then on, you will substantively be a pillar of the Village."
"Eh? Isn't that a bit too fast? The Ninja World War has already ended, to directly appoint me as an Elite Jonin—"
"This will precisely boost morale. Many people will look up to you as an example. Remember your original intention; even if you can't always stand among the flowers, remember not to let your heart sink into darkness." The Third Hokage's smile was very approachable.
Tsukasa Kaede readily agreed. Promises were cheap anyway.
"There's one more thing I've been considering, and now the time should be ripe," the Third Hokage said, lighting his pipe. "You are now qualified to serve as a Squad Leader Jonin and train promising junior Ninja."
"Squad Leader Jonin... I see. So, I've reached the point where I'm qualified to recruit subordinates," Tsukasa Kaede chuckled.
He wasn't averse to this, as it was a necessary stage.
Moreover, serving as a Squad Leader Jonin, the relationship with three junior Ninja was essentially that of superior and subordinate. Just because his three subordinates called him "sensei" didn't mean he would truly treat them as disciples—he could say so, but in reality, the superior-subordinate dynamic would prevail.
True master-disciple relationships were like Jiraiya and Minato Namikaze, or Might Guy and Lee.
"Hokage, have my subordinates been decided?"
"Not yet. We need to see who is in the recent graduating classes and consider who might be compatible with your style. That way, they can learn more from you and grow faster," the Third Hokage reassured him. "Don't rush; you might not be doing this in the immediate future."
"I see. Then I'll follow Hokage's instructions entirely. I actually really want to pass on my Corpse Release Secret Technique to a reliable candidate; I just don't know who is qualified. If I can't find anyone today, then next year, the year after, as the years go by, someone will eventually meet my requirements, right?" Tsukasa Kaede chuckled.
As expected, the next day, public opinion in the entire Hidden Leaf Village exploded.
One man becoming an army, annihilating the Hidden Cloud Village's invasion force of hundreds, the young leader of the Yotsuki Clan beaten so badly he abandoned his unit and fled for his life... Any single one of these stories would be enough to ignite the Village's trending topics.
People discussing this were everywhere in the Village, their faces showing expressions of shared honor. It was wonderful that the Village had gained such a unique Ninja; the Hidden Leaf Village truly was the top Village in the Shinobi World, with powerhouses emerging one after another! This news immediately spread from the Hidden Leaf Village to other towns within the Land of Fire and continued to disseminate throughout the Shinobi World.
The Hidden Cloud Village became a Background Element nailed to the pillar of shame. As for A, who fled alone, those in the know understood that he was enduring humiliation and bore a difficult Mission that someone had to undertake. Those who didn't know subconsciously judged this Yotsuki Clan member as a rat-like coward who abandoned hundreds of Comrades to escape—a complete failure! The entire Shinobi World openly mocked the Hidden Cloud Village.
"Hidden Cloud Village? Hahaha, I heard that Village is famous for its unity. Is this the result of their unity?"
"That's ridiculous! It's normal for there to be a gap between propaganda and reality, but I never expected such a huge difference! I won't be posting Missions with the Hidden Cloud Village anymore. I'd rather go to the Hidden Leaf Village and hire Konoha Ninja, even if the journey is long and the costs skyrocket."
"The Yotsuki Clan... The Second Raikage was killed by the Gold and Kaedelver Brothers, and the Third Raikage was quite promising after taking office. Who would have thought the future Fourth Raikage would be so incompetent? Beaten into a desperate retreat by Tsukasa Kaede!"
Anyone with a slight understanding of the Hidden Cloud Village's political structure would know that the top position in that Village was almost exclusively the property of the Yotsuki Clan. It didn't take a genius to guess who the future Fourth Raikage would be.
"Tsukasa Kaede... I hear he has a title called Devourer? No one knows where it came from, but many merchants traveling the Shinobi World are spreading rumors that he alone can raise an Undead Army. Fighting an enemy like that must be a nightmare, right?"
"Fighting fiercely for a long time, only to discover that the ones you killed were already dead. Trying to kill Tsukasa Kaede, only to find he's a Space-Time Ninja. This is truly terrifying."
The name of the Hidden Leaf Village once again shook the Shinobi World. More people flocked into the Hidden Leaf Village, whether for tourism, trade, or hiring Ninja, bringing a continuous stream of income to the Hidden Leaf Village.
The economy was extremely prosperous, surpassing any past period. With abundant finances, large amounts of funds could be poured into education, technology, and enriching Ninja equipment.
This was a virtuous cycle that made other Villages green with envy. No matter how jealous they were, they had to admit that the Hidden Leaf Village now seemed to have entered an extremely prosperous period.
But it wouldn't last too long. There could be no permanently prosperous Village. The Hidden Leaf Village would inevitably experience a decline after its peak; it was just unknown when that moment would arrive.
For this reason, various Ninja Villages quietly began to exert themselves, initiating a more aggressive arms race. All research that could enhance Combat Power was launched, all methods that could increase the number of Ninja were activated, and human, material, and financial resources were squeezed across their nations to cultivate as many Ninja as possible.
(end of chapter)