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Tsunade looked at Kagaya, her face pale. "The enmity between you and Konoha... is it truly impossible to resolve?"
Tsunade had refrained from attacking Kagaya for two reasons. First, Kagaya's reputation had grown. Most people knew by now that Kagaya possessed extreme speed, and Tsunade truly wasn't confident she could capture him. If she attacked and failed to capture him, it would only deepen Kagaya's resentment towards her and Konoha. Tsunade wanted to avoid that.
The second reason was Tsunade's innate kindness at work. She kept feeling that perhaps Kagaya could still be saved. But what she hadn't expected was Kagaya's intense, almost visceral resistance—even disgust—towards the idea of returning to Konoha.
Kagaya replied indifferently, "There's nothing to resolve or not resolve. I've settled my score with Konoha. In the future, barring any incidents, I won't take the initiative to act against it. However, reconciliation is also out of the question."
Tsunade fell silent for a moment before letting out a bitter laugh. "I'm already regretting helping you with that transplant."
As she spoke, she slowly raised her hand.
This time, Kagaya didn't reply. His foot shifted slightly backward. If Tsunade truly intended to attack, escape was his best and only current option.
Tsunade keenly noticed the subtle movement. "If I killed you here, would you resent me?"
Kagaya smiled faintly, unconcerned. "I sought you out willingly, Lady Tsunade. If you kill me, then I was simply foolish."
Tsunade narrowed her eyes slightly. "So you do have a means to preserve your life?"
Kagaya's smile turned enigmatic. "Who knows?"
Of course Kagaya had a contingency plan. Coming to see a Konoha-affiliated ninja like Tsunade without any preparations would mean his head had been slammed in a door.
His backup plan was a small amount of Danzō's flesh.
A few pieces of flesh weren't much by themselves. Unfortunately for others, Kagaya knew the Impure World Reincarnation technique!
If he could just escape this room and put some distance between himself and Tsunade, given a little time, he could capture a living person from the village and use them to reincarnate Danzō!
Killed by him in life, controlled by him after death—he wondered if Danzō would be comfortable with that. Kagaya, however, would be quite pleased.
Tsunade's chakra-infused fist rose high, pointed directly at Kagaya. "Are you truly unwilling to swear an oath that you will not invade Konoha in the future?"
Kagaya answered, "If Konoha doesn't provoke me, perhaps I could."
Tsunade's eyes widened. "Just perhaps?!"
Kagaya nodded. "Of course. I hold no goodwill towards Konoha."
Tsunade suddenly intensified the chakra around her fist. "Fine. Then—"
Her fist shot forward in that instant!
BOOM!
The punch went straight through the inn's wall, causing cracks to spiderweb across the entire room, threatening to bring it down! This monstrous strength rivaled the destructive power of Susano'o!
However, Kagaya frowned. Tsunade's punch hadn't been aimed at him, but at the wall beside him.
"Why?"
Tsunade pulled over a chair, sat down, and propped her chin on her hand. "I know Konoha's current state. The village can't withstand any more trouble from you. You may go. My grandfather's village cannot be destroyed by my hand."
Hearing this, Kagaya understood why Tsunade hadn't attacked.
Tsunade lacked the confidence to kill him. And if Kagaya escaped, she feared that her own attack might provoke him into taking his anger out on Konoha, leading to another invasion—something no one in Konoha wanted. As Tsunade said, the current Konoha couldn't survive another invasion by Kagaya.
Tsunade could gamble with her own life, betting she could kill Kagaya. But she couldn't gamble with Konoha's very survival.
Kagaya remained silent for a long time. This person before him had wanted to kill him because of Konoha, and now spared him also because of Konoha. It seemed contradictory. But in this moment, Kagaya finally understood why Konoha could become the top ninja village. It was precisely because of people like Tsunade and Itachi—individuals who could think of Konoha no matter where they were—that Konoha had risen to become the strongest.
He pressed his lips together and spoke. "You helped me transplant my eyes. That is a favor. My earlier promise to fulfill a request for you remains valid at any time. If there is something you need done, as long as it doesn't cross my bottom line, I will do it."
Though Kagaya despised Konoha, he was not an ungrateful person. Regardless of everything, Tsunade had performed the transplant—that was undeniable. Kagaya wouldn't deliberately forget this debt just because he hated the village.
Tsunade, however, waved a hand dismissively. "Go. I don't want to see you right now."
She had thought it was a simple eye transplant. Who could have imagined it would produce an Eternal Mangekyō? Tsunade knew she might have personally created a formidable enemy for Konoha.
Yet, to ensure Konoha could weather its current crisis peacefully, she had no choice but to let Kagaya go.
This inner conflict tormented her.
Kagaya nodded without another word.
By now, the commotion caused by Tsunade had drawn Karin and the others rushing into the room. Without explaining, Kagaya, relying on his perception, moved to Karin's side.
"Karin, Haku, let's go. Oh, and Haku, go settle the bill."
Having plundered Gato's wealth before, Kagaya's group was quite well-off. So, Kagaya generously paid for the damages Tsunade had caused.
Karin looked worriedly at the white cloth covering Kagaya's eyes. "Kagaya, are you alright?"
Kagaya smiled and shook his head. "I'm fine. Transplanting Mangekyō requires an adaptation period. It could be four or five days, maybe a week or two. It might even take a month."
Karin nodded. "Oh."
As they spoke, Kagaya's group walked out. The room was left with only Tsunade and Shizune.
Shizune looked at Tsunade, who had her face covered by her hand, and cautiously asked, "Lady Tsunade?"
No response.
Shizune gathered her courage and called again. "Lady Tsunade?"
This time, Tsunade finally responded. She let out a long sigh. "Shizune, what do you think of Konoha's current state?"
Shizune answered honestly, "Current Konoha? It's survived a great calamity and is starting to recover, I suppose."
Tsunade gave a noncommittal smile. "No. Konoha's great calamity isn't over yet. He is still out there. Konoha hasn't truly survived the calamity."
Shizune looked bewildered. "Huh? What do you mean, Lady Tsunade?"
Tsunade stood up. "Shizune, prepare to return to Konoha. Let's go see how that fool Jiraiya is managing the village. And let's pay a visit to our teacher as well."
Shizune exclaimed in surprise, "Lady Tsunade, you're really going back to Konoha?"
Tsunade nodded. "Of course. Konoha needs me now."
The trouble she had potentially created, she had to take responsibility for. Even if Uchiha Kagaya said he wouldn't actively invade Konoha... what if? What if he did, wielding the Eternal Mangekyō she had helped transplant?
Tsunade knew she had to return to Konoha and face the consequences.