Shiki and Tsunade walked side by side toward the Hokage Building.
Along the way, ANBU sprinted across rooftops, gathering shinobi from every corner of the village. The urgency in the air was unmistakable, and even the villagers sensed something was wrong.
Tsunade frowned.
"If it were something minor, Hiruzen wouldn't be calling in this many shinobi…"
Beside her, Shiki folded his arms casually, as if the entire village weren't on the verge of chaos.
"Can't you tell?" he said lazily. "It's war."
"Eh—?!"
Tsunade stared at him in shock.
She hadn't expected him to say it so plainly.
"The Ninja World War is already over, isn't it?"
Shiki shook his head slightly. The Tsunade of today was still far from the future Fifth Hokage who would break Susano'o with her bare fists.
"White Fang is dead," Shiki explained flatly.
"Sunagakure suddenly feels like nothing is holding them back anymore. That's all it takes for them to restart a war."
"This…"
Tsunade's expression twisted.
Any shinobi who had lived through war didn't want another.
Tsunade least of all.
But deep down, she knew Shiki was right.
There was no other explanation.
"It's all because of those bastards at the top!"
Tsunade clenched her fists hard enough that her knuckles cracked.
If they hadn't pushed Hatake Sakumo to suicide, none of this would be happening.
Her anger was heavy, raw… and painfully naïve.
Shiki raised a hand and gently touched her clenched fist.
"If your strength doesn't match your ambition," he said softly, "don't let your mouth run ahead of you."
Strength without ambition was useless.
But ambition without strength?
That was fatal.
Just look at Shimura Danzo — a man with no matching ability trying to seize the Hokage's seat.
And the moment he got it in another timeline, he sealed himself along with a bridge.
Ridiculous.
"Uh…"
Tsunade froze.
Her breath caught as she looked at Shiki's hand resting lightly over hers.
Then her gaze slid upward to Shiki's side profile.
Defiant.
Unruly.
Overflowing with confidence.
A proud golden lion who didn't bow to anyone.
Her heartbeat stumbled.
"What's wrong?" Shiki asked when he noticed her sudden silence.
"N-Nothing!"
She jerked her hand away, hiding both arms behind her back, trying to look calm and composed.
She failed spectacularly.
Shiki only chuckled and looked forward again, saying nothing.
Tsunade didn't dare meet his eyes.
Even her ears were turning red.
By the time they reached the Hokage Building, she had finally cooled down.
"Yo! Tsunade!"
Jiraiya stood at the entrance with Orochimaru, waving enthusiastically.
The white-haired sage looked annoyed and relieved at the same time.
"Tsunade, where the hell have you been lately? I haven't seen you anywhere!"
"I don't remember needing to report my daily schedule to you."
Tsunade immediately snapped back to her proud, princess-like attitude.
What, was she supposed to tell him she'd been staying at Shiki's place?
"Ahh…"
Jiraiya scratched his head, defeated.
He really should be used to this by now.
He opened his mouth to continue nagging Tsunade, but then his gaze shifted—
straight to Shiki walking beside her.
"…Eh? You two?"
His eyes widened.
Weren't these two supposed to hate each other?
Why were they arriving together… and looking oddly close?
The moment Jiraiya showed that expression, Tsunade instantly stiffened like she had been caught doing something scandalous.
"W-What? What about us? Nothing! Absolutely nothing!"
She snapped her head away, snorted hard, and marched straight toward the Hokage Building at a ridiculous speed.
Shiki only chuckled silently and followed at a comfortable pace.
"Uh… what did I even say?"
Jiraiya stood there dumbfounded.
He was sure he hadn't said anything weird.
So why the explosive reaction?
He turned to Orochimaru for help.
Orochimaru didn't even look at him.
He just gave Jiraiya a disgusted side-eye.
"Idiot."
Unlike Jiraiya, Orochimaru had very high emotional intelligence. He understood instantly.
Tsunade had clearly taken a liking to Shiki.
And that… was interesting.
For someone to move the heart of Senju Tsunade
Orochimaru wanted to see what kind of monster this Shiki truly was.
Without waiting, he walked into the Hokage Building.
"Hey! Who are you calling an idiot, you damn snake?!"
Jiraiya shouted, chasing after him like an offended child.
Orochimaru didn't bother replying.
He simply rolled his eyes as if saying:
This fool… can't even shut up.
Inside the Hokage Building
"Ahem."
As Shiki, Tsunade, Jiraiya, and Orochimaru walked in, they saw the room already filled.
Clan heads.
Elite jonin.
ANBU commanders.
Advisors Homura Mitokado and Koharu Utatane.
Shimura Danzo sitting coldly in his usual corner.
Everyone was gathered—
because the situation was beyond urgent.
Sarutobi Hiruzen cleared his throat and spoke heavily:
"I believe everyone is aware. Sunagakure has begun attacking the borders again."
In peaceful times he would explain slowly, but not today.
The battlefield had already ignited.
Before he could continue—
BANG!
Tsunade slammed a fist onto the table.
"This happened because of you idiots!"
The entire room fell silent.
Only Tsunade would dare say something like that here.
Shiki didn't even blink.
He'd expected her to snap.
Koharu's face darkened instantly.
"Tsunade! Mind your tone!"
"Hah? Why should I?"
Tsunade took a step forward, eyes sharp.
"If it weren't for you fools driving White Fang to his death, we wouldn't be in this mess!"
"You—You insolent brat!"
Koharu trembled with rage.
In all her years as an elder, no one had ever spoken to her like this.
Tsunade didn't flinch.
She raised a fist threateningly.
"Insolent? Old lady, if you have the guts—step forward. I'll send your entire clan flying."
"You—!"
Fight her? Impossible.
Koharu was many things, but suicidal wasn't one of them.
She and Homura were former teammates of Hiruzen and Danzo but their talent had always been mediocre.
At their peak, they barely reached elite jōnin level.
Now, after decades of comfortable political life?
They were no match for Tsunade in ANY way.
And everyone in the room knew it.
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