Chapter 33: Ceasefire, Tsunade-hime
The moment a white-haired man with a ninja blade strapped to his back stepped into sensory range, Hatake Kyūjō—who was traveling with his four companions and the still-unconscious Captain Araki—felt a warm rush swell within his chest.
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As soon as both sides came into view of each other, Kyūjō raised his hand enthusiastically and waved.
"Onii-chan! I'm over here!"
"Kyūjō!" Sakumo Hatake's voice trembled with emotion as he vanished from the horizon in a blur of Body Flicker.
He appeared in front of them a moment later, eyes sharp—until they landed on the strange, swollen bump on Araki's neck.
"Was there just an earthquake? Is everyone alright? Wait… What happened to Araki?"
Seeing the large, purple bruise on Araki's neck while everyone else seemed unharmed, Sakumo looked genuinely confused.
Kyūjō scratched his head awkwardly.
"Um... well... there wasn't an earthquake, nii-san. And... about Araki and what happened… it's a long story. I'll explain everything once we're back."
Seeing that his little brother was safe, Sakumo's stern expression softened. As long as Kyūjō was unharmed—that was enough.
— — —
Three days later, everything changed.
News had spread like wildfire—hundreds of Sunagakure ninja, including their commander Chiyo, were found dead in a single devastating strike. Their bodies bore no signs of prolonged battle, but instead… the aftermath of something overwhelming, unnatural.
All of them had perished—at once.
Chiyo, Sunagakure's legendary Puppet Master, had fallen. No survivors. No trace of the enemy.
Upon receiving the report, the Third Kazekage abandoned all protocol and rushed to the Land of Fire himself, seeking an audience with the Third Hokage—Hiruzen Sarutobi.
To Hiruzen's surprise, he wasn't met with threats or hostility, but with a formal peace request.
The Hokage was bewildered.
— — —
This wasn't how things were supposed to go.
That morning, Hiruzen had expected a formal envoy from Sunagakure to negotiate terms—perhaps an attempt at diplomacy to regain lost ground. But instead, the Kazekage himself showed up, bowed deeply… and requested an immediate ceasefire.
If Hiruzen hadn't fought the man before with his own hands, he would've thought this was an imposter.
Sunagakure had started this war. They'd pushed hard, seized territory, and now—without any battle pushing them back—they were giving it all up?
And they weren't just withdrawing. They were returning everything they'd taken, including precious resources.
The Kazekage claimed he wanted to "restore peace between their villages"—but to Hiruzen, it all sounded too neat. Too easy. Too suspicious.
And so, they danced.
Two powerful leaders playing political chess, both probing, both hiding something. Neither trusted the other.
But eventually, it was the Kazekage who broke.
"I didn't expect this," he muttered grimly. "That Konoha now houses a ninja so powerful... someone who could slaughter over five hundred of my shinobi—including Chiyo—with a single attack."
"That level of strength... it's akin to the First Hokage's Wood Style. Or even Uchiha Madara's Susano'o."
Hiruzen's pupils narrowed sharply.
So it was true...
The entire Sunagakure force had been obliterated in one instant. But could such devastation really have come from one of Konoha's ninja?
The only ones at the frontlines were Hatake Sakumo's team...
But Hiruzen hadn't received any report from Sakumo about such an incident.
Did that mean it wasn't Konoha?
Hiruzen's mind raced with questions. But seeing Sunagakure's shaken posture, he decided not to reveal anything. Instead, he diverted the conversation and delayed any real response.
Frustrated, the Kazekage left with a sour expression, feeling cheated—but unable to argue.
Once alone, Hiruzen frowned.
Why was there no report?
Could something have happened?
— — —
Meanwhile, Sakumo Hatake was just as confused.
Even now, he couldn't grasp how his younger brother had annihilated Chiyo and five hundred elite Sunagakure ninja.
Could it be... the true Hatake sword style was born in Kyūjō, not him?
Was his own training… counterfeit all along?
Sakumo couldn't find a logical answer. But during their journey back, something in Kyūjō's demeanor felt off—so he asked.
Kyūjō's reply?
He claimed his swordsmanship came from an innate dojutsu he was born with—a power that couldn't be trained, passed on, or even copied. A unique ability he alone possessed.
In a world where Kekkei Genkai and ocular techniques were common, that explanation… oddly made sense.
What other explanation could there be?
No amount of training—even with unmatched talent—could allow a ten-year-old to strike down a Kage-level shinobi and obliterate five hundred others in one blow.
That level of power surpassed logic.
So, for now, Sakumo chose to stay silent. He wouldn't report it to Hiruzen—not yet. He needed time to think.
And in the days that followed, Sunagakure, shaken by its losses and the death of Chiyo, completely halted all aggression.
The front lines… fell quiet.
— — —
Before Sakumo could submit his delayed report, a ceasefire agreement had already been signed and dispatched to both Sunagakure and Konohagakure's military commands.
And just like that—
The war between the two great villages, which should have dragged on for years, ended… in the blink of an eye.
All because of one boy: Hatake Kyūjō.
Meanwhile, Tsunade and Orochimaru—who had been traveling from Amegakure to reinforce the front—hadn't even arrived yet.
By the time they reached the battlefield…
The war was already over.
— — —
But Tsunade's trip wasn't for nothing.
Along with the ceasefire orders came a high-priority request from Commander Sakumo himself: Tsunade was urgently needed to treat a severely injured jonin—Araki.
Araki had suffered a shattered clavicle. If not handled with extreme care, he could be forced into early retirement.
It was a rare thing.
Even during the war's peak, Sakumo had never requested Tsunade's help before. But now—he did.
And that told her everything she needed to know.
Two days later, Tsunade arrived at the forward camp without resting a single minute.
She was immediately directed to the elite tent where Araki and Hatake Kyūjō were stationed.
— — —
The moment she entered, Tsunade's expression darkened.
There, lounging comfortably on his cot, was Araki—fully awake, casually eating fruit, and chatting with his comrades like it was just another day.
You've got to be kidding me...
She was Tsunade-hime. Granddaughter of the First Hokage, heir to the Senju Clan, and one of the greatest medical ninja alive!
And they dragged her all the way here... for this?
But she kept her professionalism intact. As she examined Araki's injuries, her irritation was quickly replaced with genuine shock.
The reports hadn't exaggerated at all.
His clavicle had been completely shattered—reduced to fragments.
And yet… somehow, those fragments had realigned themselves almost perfectly. Without surgery. Without any scar tissue.
A feat that should have been impossible.
Still, the healing wasn't perfect. To ensure full recovery and a return to active duty, Araki would require precise follow-up treatment and specialized techniques.
Tsunade took a deep breath and got to work.
— — —
As she checked the wound, she spoke casually.
"Araki... how did this happen? From the looks of it, you got hit by a master of close-combat. You're lucky. If that blow had landed even an inch lower—on your spine—you'd be dead."
"Also... I have two questions."
"First—who treated you before I got here? Their technique was remarkable. Honestly... almost miraculous. I've never seen bones realigned this perfectly without surgical intervention."
"Second—I heard rumors. Over five hundred Sunagakure ninja were killed in one strike. Even Chiyo was among them. Do you know who did it?"
Araki's face remained calm.
He shook his head and answered softly.
"I'm sorry, Tsunade-sama. I don't know who attacked me. By the time I came to, I was already in this condition. But... I agree. Whoever it was, they held back. If they hadn't, I'd be dead."
"They say even the medics gave up on me. But somehow... the next day, my bones were back in place."
"As for what happened to the Sunagakure forces… maybe you should ask Commander Sakumo. I really don't know much about it."
Tsunade narrowed her eyes. She didn't believe a word of it.
Her instincts screamed that Araki knew something—but he clearly didn't want to talk.
And so, she let it go.
— — —
Just then, the tent flap lifted and a small figure stepped inside.
A boy—with white hair and sharp blue eyes.
Tsunade blinked in recognition.
'Isn't this... Jiraiya's student?'
'Hatake Kyūjō, right? But… isn't he still just a Genin?'
Before she could say anything, the boy approached and bowed politely.
"Tsunade-senpai, it's an honor. I'm Hatake Kyūjō, assigned to this elite unit as a sensory-type ninja. We met once before—at the Akimichi family's yakiniku restaurant."
"Oh, and... I wanted to ask: will Captain Araki fully recover? Will he be able to return to active duty? Also... has Jiraiya-sensei returned yet?"
Tsunade blinked, then offered a reassuring smile.
"Don't worry. As long as I'm here, even if his bone was completely gone—I could still heal it. Araki will be back in action soon."
"As for Jiraiya, no... he's still in Amegakure."
For some reason, Kyūjō let out a deep breath of relief. His shoulders relaxed, as if a massive burden had just vanished.
Tsunade tilted her head slightly.
'This kid… he's carrying a ridiculous sense of responsibility.'
'Araki's a seasoned jonin. He got hurt in battle. What's it got to do with you, kid?'
'Sure, maybe you're close... but still. You're just a Genin, even if you're on a special unit.'
'Don't beat yourself up over something you had no control over...'
But somehow, she doubted Kyūjō would ever listen.
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