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Chapter 49 - Chapter 49: A Touch of Red Among the Three Sannin—Princess Tsunade Appears

Kairen's condition wasn't good. Two ninja swords were lodged in his back, blood dripped from the corner of his mouth, and his body was covered in wounds—some his own, some belonging to the three Jōnin he had just fought.

Kairen pulled the swords from his back and stored them in the Infinite Resurrection System's space, glancing over his gains.

The three Jōnin's final frenzy had given him 1200 experience points. Kairen decided to save them for now and only exchange them for items when needed.

"This recovery speed?!"

He looked down at the wound across his chest, left by the Wind Release attack of Tobioto, who specialized in wind-style techniques.

The cut was a foot long and an inch deep. Any normal person would be screaming in agony, but Kairen barely felt a thing—he was almost numb to pain.

With both the Nine-Tails' chakra and the Senju Clan Sage Body working together, the wound was visibly healing before his eyes.

It wouldn't be long before his injuries were completely gone.

"But what do I even need recovery speed for?" Kairen muttered inwardly.

Wouldn't triggering Perfect Resurrection through suicide be more convenient?

He was just about to press a blade to his throat when suddenly, dozens of powerful auras washed over him.

From the dark crowns of the towering trees around him, more than a dozen figures leapt down, all clad in green flak jackets.

"Konoha ninja…"

Kairen activated his Byakugan, carefully examining their chakra levels. Every single one of them was at least Special Jōnin or higher—not a single Chūnin among them.

He also recognized some of the clan crests: the Sarutobi Clan, the Shimura Clan.

Others wore no crest at all—retainers of those clans.

The dozen or so ninja fanned out, surrounding Kairen with wires, ropes, and strange binding tools in their hands.

Expressionless, they slowly closed in.

Kairen raised his sword, holding it across his chest as he spoke coldly to the encircling ninja.

"You people really have a death wish?"

A commanding voice rang out:

"Moku Kairen, are you planning to attack Konoha's shinobi? You already carry the suspicion of being a traitor. Put down your weapon and surrender without pointless resistance."

From the shadows ahead, more figures emerged. At their lead was a middle-aged man Kairen recognized: the frontline commander, Shimura Masao.

Beside him stood Sarutobi Shinnosuke, his arm wrapped in bandages.

Shinnosuke's lips curled into a sneer.

"Moku Kairen, you really are something. Even Sunagakure's Jōnin couldn't take you down. But after all that fighting, your chakra must be exhausted, right? Heh heh…"

Kairen narrowed his eyes, then calmly sheathed his sword. He didn't even bother with a defensive stance.

These people were always fixated on his chakra reserves—yet in truth, his chakra was infinite.

As the group pressed closer, a mocking smile tugged at Kairen's lips.

"Well, if it isn't the Hokage's precious son. Tell me—when I pressed my blade against your forehead that day… did you piss yourself?"

"Moku Kairen, you—!"

Shinnosuke's eyes blazed with killing intent. Never in his life had he been so humiliated.

The memory of Kairen's blade against his forehead was still burned deep into his mind. Only Kairen's death—torn into countless pieces—could soothe his shame.

Shimura Masao watched the heated exchange with a hint of amusement.

But then his gaze caught on the wound across Kairen's chest. His pupils narrowed slightly as he barked at Shinnosuke:

"Attack! Stop wasting words with a dead man!"

"Hmph!" Shinnosuke snorted coldly.

...

Two hundred meters behind them, three Special Jōnin blocked Yūhi Shinku's path.

Shinku drew his blade from his back.

"What do you think you're doing? Going after a child so openly?"

Yūten sneered.

"Shinku-sensei, this has nothing to do with you. Don't interfere. You can't afford to stand against the mighty Sarutobi and Shimura clans."

Yūhi Kurenai's face twisted with anger. She pulled out a kunai, glanced at Asuma beside her, and pleaded:

"Asuma, tell them to let us through—we have to save Kairen…"

Asuma's chest ached. The girl he loved only had eyes for Moku Kairen—there was no place for him in her heart.

"Asuma!" Kurenai begged again, her voice louder this time.

"... "

Asuma fell silent, but stepped forward anyway.

Yūten dared not stop the Hokage's son, and so he could only let Asuma cross that broken line of friendship.

Nara Yūji followed quietly behind him.

That single line marked the division of their former team. Perhaps they would never return to the harmony they once shared.

Behind them, other clan members were watching.

Akimichi Masataka sighed, and a Nara Jōnin patted his shoulder.

"Let's go. Today's show is over. Such a pity about that promising Senju seedling."

The Ino-Shika-Chō trio turned away.

But just then, a member of the Aburame Clan cried out:

"Hey! My sunglasses! Who stole my sunglasses?!"

A flash of golden light darted through the forest.

Shinku spotted it, lowered his blade, and finally exhaled in relief.

"Princess Tsunade… she's here at last!"

Shinku glared coldly at Yūten.

"Get out of my way before I lose my patience."

"Shinku-sensei! You—"

...

The dozen Konoha shinobi closed in on Kairen.

Kairen planted his sword into the ground, forming hand seals.

In an instant, he opened three of the Eight Gates.

At the same time, the red cloak of the tailed beast enveloped him, its savage aura crashing against the surrounding shinobi like a tidal wave.

Several Special Jōnin swallowed hard. The pressure of that chakra felt like a coffin lid pressing down on them.

Kairen crouched low to the ground, fox-like, hands and feet braced against the earth.

His voice rumbled darkly.

"Let me warn you—if you attack me, you'll die."

Kairen was not one to leave debts unpaid. Sunagakure's Shabei had learned that well—the grass was already growing over his grave.

Shimura Masao sneered.

"You think you're Hashirama or Madara?!"

"I'm your grandfather!" Kairen roared.

"You're courting death! Everyone, attack!"

At Masao's command, the shinobi surged forward.

But then, a piercing shout split the air.

"Heavenly Foot of Pain!"

A pale, slender leg crashed into the ground.

Don't be fooled by its beauty—the power behind that kick blasted the earth within fifty meters apart.

"Boom—!"

Masao, Shinnosuke, and their men were all hurled back, sprawling to the ground as they stared in shock at the figure now standing there.

Clad in a white robe, with golden twin ponytails and flawless pale skin like polished jade, she was a vision of elegance.

A purple diamond mark glowed on her forehead, black sunglasses shaded her eyes, and even through them, her beauty was undeniable.

Masao's expression twisted as he spat out four words and an exclamation.

"Princess Tsunade!"

"Hmph."

Tsunade gave a cold snort, then turned her gaze toward Kairen behind her.

Kairen blinked at the woman shielding him.

Her figure was… distracting, to say the least. But he couldn't believe she'd stepped in on his behalf—he wasn't exactly some dashing hero.

He rose to his feet, closing the Three Gates and shedding the beast cloak.

Tsunade's eyes locked on his chest.

Not because his ten-year-old body was muscular—at his age, that was impossible.

No, what caught her attention was the wound across his chest, now nothing more than a thin red scar. The speed of that healing could only belong to the Senju Clan.

Her gaze moved to his hair, dark black. Not Uzumaki red. But the Senju also had black-haired members—like her grandfather, Senju Hashirama.

Shimura Masao's voice was icy.

"Princess Tsunade, what are you doing? Are you obstructing us from carrying out our mission?"

Tsunade snorted.

"I heard there was a Senju who awakened the clan's bloodline on this battlefield. And that you intend to kill him!!"

"Is that true?"

She turned, and her chakra surged.

The presence of a Kage-level shinobi flooded the area, suffocating the gathered ninja as if they had been thrown into the depths of the sea.

"This… this pressure!!"

Masao staggered two steps back.

Even if Tsunade had been away from combat for years due to her hemophobia, the power she concealed within was nothing these men could withstand.

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