Chiya gently held Yakushi Nono, his gaze falling on Kabuto curled up beside her.
He wore that slightly oversized hat, his eyes blank and lost, clearly not yet recovered from the shadow of war.
Chiya sighed inwardly. He had originally intended to bring up taking Kabuto as his disciple right then.
But after seeing him in this state, he held back.
'He still needs time.'
'Wait until he walks out of the darkness.'
Nono noticed Chiya's silence and looked up at him, eyes asking a question.
Chiya gave a small smile and shook his head, signaling that he was fine.
He reached out and gently stroked her hair, speaking softly.
"Let's go. Check the other areas. There may still be children who survived."
Nono nodded and gripped Kabuto's small hand tightly.
The three of them continued searching through the ruins, passing through collapsed buildings and scorched earth.
But the reality was suffocating in its cruelty.
Aside from Kabuto, not a single child in the entire village was alive.
The few small figures they found here and there were already cold and stiff.
In the distance, Konoha medical ninja were quietly carrying bodies away. A heavy, oppressive feeling hung in the air.
Nono's fingertips trembled slightly. Her eyes turned red again.
Chiya held her hand firmly and spoke quietly.
"Let's go back."
After returning to camp, Nono settled Kabuto into the temporary orphan tent.
She gently tucked a blanket over him and said softly.
"Get some rest. Tomorrow will be better."
Kabuto did not respond. He just stared blankly at the top of the tent, as if lost somewhere inside himself.
Chiya stood outside the tent, looking up at the blue sky, his thoughts churning.
What stood before him was a living person.
Not some tool of his.
Even if there was a task to carry out, the other person's actual situation had to be considered.
The current situation was truly not suitable for forcing him to become a disciple.
Then he would wait a little longer.
After thinking it through, Chiya let out a long breath.
His eyes became firm.
At that moment, Nono walked out and leaned against his shoulder, closing her eyes with exhaustion.
Chiya put his arm around her shoulders.
"You should rest too."
Nono shook her head, her voice hoarse.
"I still have to look after the other children. They need me."
Chiya did not try to stop her. He simply pressed a light kiss to her forehead.
"Don't push yourself too hard."
"I won't."
They stayed like that for a quiet moment.
Chiya watched Nono leave, then turned and walked toward Tsunade's camp.
Without realizing it, dusk had already come.
The golden light fell over Chiya, making his upright figure stand out even more.
Arriving at the command tent where Tsunade was stationed, the guard ninja bowed respectfully.
Chiya lifted the tent flap and saw Tsunade bent over a desk reviewing documents, her brow tightly knitted.
Hearing someone enter, she glanced up, let out a cold snort.
"You finally decided to show up?"
Chiya's lips curved slightly. He walked over and sat down beside her.
"What, did you miss me?"
Tsunade grabbed his collar, a glint of cunning flashing in her eyes.
"Quit talking nonsense. How long are you staying this time?"
Chiya pulled her into his arms and laughed quietly.
"That depends on how Tsunade-sama performs."
"Smooth-talker."
Having said those words, her gaze instinctively dropped to Chiya's lips. Her face flushed.
"This is the intelligence that arrived today."
Tsunade pointed to the scrolls on the desk.
Chiya naturally picked one up.
He skimmed through the contents.
The various battlefronts were proceeding in an orderly fashion.
The situation was basically stabilized. The eastern front against Kirigakure in particular was the most aggressive.
Chiya continued reading. His gaze sharpened.
"Namikaze Minato and Uzumaki Sango led the support squad and stopped that combination, A and Killer Bee, from Kumogakure?"
Hearing Chiya's words, Tsunade's expression also turned serious.
"Yes. Minato's strength is already nothing to take lightly."
"Not long ago, I heard that the Third summoned Minato multiple times. Being able to shine on the battlefield this time."
"Looking at it now, the Third was deliberately trying to develop Minato."
Chiya heard Tsunade say this and was indifferent.
"Developing more talented people for Konoha is exactly what the Third should be doing. Otherwise, where would you three Konoha Sannin get your title from?"
Tsunade gave Chiya a sideways look.
"What Sannin? That title is nothing but the name of losers."
Chiya smiled and said nothing more. He continued reading the latest intelligence.
Kumogakure had split their forces into two routes. One attacking the Land of Wind, one attacking the Land of Fire.
Neither route was going well.
One was defeated by Rasa, who had been given emergency command in the Land of Wind.
The other, the battlefield meat grinder known as the A and Killer Bee combination, had also been stopped by Minato and his group.
Kumogakure was truly off to a terrible start.
After a moment, he set down the intelligence in his hand, his gaze deep.
Tsunade leaned against Chiya's chest, sensing his silence.
She looked up and asked.
"What are you thinking about?"
"The people of Kumogakure are always eager for battle. After suffering setbacks one after another like this, they will not let it go easily."
Chiya spoke quietly, his fingers tapping lightly on Tsunade's waist.
"Especially A and Killer Bee. Their personalities mean they will not give up without a fight."
Tsunade let out a light snort. A look of contempt flashed through her eyes.
"Those brutes. It would be the same no matter how many more times they came. Minato is young, but his strength and mind are both solid. Add to that Sango's sealing jutsu support, and it is not so easy for A and Killer Bee to break through the line. Besides, our Konoha's morale is high right now. If they dare come, we will make sure they never return."
Chiya smiled and pinched her cheek.
"You are quite confident."
Tsunade slapped his hand away and said seriously.
"Still, if Kumogakure truly launches a full-scale attack, the pressure on the northern front will rise sharply. What do you plan to do?"
Chiya did not argue. He simply pulled Tsunade closer and held her gently.
"Even so, war is never won by defense alone."
Tsunade's brow furrowed. She had a vague guess forming in her mind. She looked up at him.
"What do you mean by that?"
Chiya's gaze moved to the map on the desk. His finger slowly traced along the border between the Land of Fire and the Land of Lightning, finally stopping at the location of Kumogakure.
"I am thinking that instead of defending passively, it is better to take the initiative and strike."
"You want to attack the Land of Lightning?"
Tsunade's pupils contracted. Her voice jumped in pitch.
She grabbed Chiya's arm, her tone grave.
"Are you out of your mind? Kumogakure is not like Suna-nin, some easy target. Their Lightning Style ninja and jinchuriki are all tough opponents. Not to mention the Third Raikage, that monster."
Chiya let out a soft laugh. The crimson Sharingan in his eyes began to slowly spin.
"Precisely because of that, we need to catch them completely off guard."
He paused. His voice dropped, steady and firm.
"Kumogakure has taken setbacks on two fronts. Their morale is low. This is the moment they are most vulnerable. If we strike straight at the heart of their village, it will not only intimidate the other hidden villages but also completely turn the tide of the war."
Tsunade was silent for a moment. A look of conflict passed through her eyes.
She knew Chiya had a point, but the risk of such an action was too great.
In the end, she let out a sigh.
"Are you sure about this?"
Chiya pinched her chin and said in a relaxed tone.
"Do you think I would do something I am not sure about?"
Tsunade slapped his hand away and said with a straight face.
"Don't get smug. If you dare to get yourself killed, I will not forgive you."
Chiya laughed and pulled her in tighter.
"Relax. I have no intention of making you a widow."
Tsunade's cheeks turned slightly pink. She gave a cold snort but did not push him away.
After a moment, Chiya released her and said seriously.
"However, this operation requires your cooperation."
Tsunade raised an eyebrow.
"Oh? Tell me."
Chiya pointed to several key positions on the map.
"I will lead Uchiha elite forces to raid Kumogakure, but I need you to create diversionary attacks at these several points to draw Kumogakure's attention. Also, the defense lines on the northwest and southwest fronts must hold firm. We cannot give Iwa-nin and Suna-nin any opening."
Tsunade thought for a moment and nodded.
"The diversionary attacks are no problem. But how many people are you bringing?"
A glint of sharpness passed through Chiya's eyes.
"Just Shisui. The fewer people, the more covert the operation."
Tsunade frowned.
"Just the two of you? That is too reckless."
Chiya shook his head.
"Quality over quantity. Besides, too many people make it easier to be discovered."
Tsunade wanted to say something more, but seeing Chiya's firm eyes, she could only sigh in the end.
"Fine. Do as you like. But you must promise me, if things go wrong, pull out immediately."
Chiya smiled and nodded, then tapped Tsunade's smooth forehead.
"Understood, Tsunade-sama."
Tsunade looked straight at Chiya, and the more she looked, the more she felt moved.
"Chiya, I have noticed you keep getting better-looking."
She murmured quietly.
Thinking of what had happened yesterday, her eyes grew hazy.
"Come with me back to my rest tent."
Without waiting for Chiya to speak, Tsunade boldly reached out and grabbed his hand. The two left the command tent one after the other.
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