155 Orochimaru's absence
On the hilltop of the camp, emotions clashed in a heated exchange.
"I know it hurts, but you have to keep walking ahead!" Fugaku implored, his voice carrying a weight of understanding.
"You don't understand anything!!" Tsunade retorted, her frustration spilling out.
Fugaku observed her, undeterred by her outburst. "I can't convince you, but I know that the future is what matters. You can't dwell on the past. You have to face reality as long as you live."
Tsunade found herself at a loss for words, grappling with conflicting emotions. Fugaku sighed, a subtle acknowledgment of the difficulty of the situation.
"Tsunade, I'll be honest with you. I can end this war myself. I'm telling you this to reduce the bloodshed because this war is meaningless to me."
War was a concept that often seemed like a mere clash of different camp interests, reducing strangers to foes who killed each other on sight.
Once a participant in the fray, his perspective shifted after infiltrating the Suna camp and engaging in a conversation with Rasa. From that encounter, he gleaned a profound realization.
He had no interest in such a one-sided fight with his current strength.
With his current strength, he harbored no interest in engaging in such a one-sided fight.
The thought of massacring the Suna camp with the might of his Susanoo was beyond his contemplation. It struck him as more brutal than the legendary feat of the Third Raikage, who faced ten thousand foes alone. In the Suna village, there seemed to be no one who could stand against him. Rasa? Chiyo? They were not in the same league, not even close.
Fugaku's confident words caught Tsunade by surprise.
As she processed his meaning, a revelation unfolded: he still aspired to restore peaceful relations between the two countries? Could he genuinely face the 10,000-strong army of the Suna village alone?
Tsunade found herself subconsciously thinking he might be bragging, but his demeanor suggested otherwise. Was his ultimate goal to halt the war? The extent of his strength left her pondering.
She gazed at him with a dazed expression, and after a moment, she uttered, "You... You've changed!"
She felt a strange attraction toward him. The question lingered—did Nono harbor similar feelings for him?
He simply shrugged in response. "People change, so now, Tsunade-sama, are you ready for the treatment?"
"Well, I'll admit, you have some nerve," she conceded.
He smirked. "Then, look into my eyes and don't resist!"
His Sharingan eyes cast a genjutsu upon Tsunade. Though it was an illusion, blood seemed to cover her body, rendering the experience eerily realistic.
The Sharingan genjutsu gripped her, and she trembled, unable to move within the illusion. The haunting scenes of Kawaki and Kato Dan's deaths played out before her repeatedly, in a cruel loop.
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The message, conveyed by a fleet of birds, swiftly reached all the ninjas from various tents, prompting them to converge at the central base camp before dusk.
The impending retreat from this point was estimated to span two days, a duration mirroring the standard travel time.
However, factoring in the wounded, the process was likely to extend to three or four days. The Ino-Shika-Cho clan and civilian ninjas, in tandem with the medical team, spearheaded the retreat.
Amidst the organized exodus, the Uchiha clansmen remained in the camp. Despite the hefty workload ahead, an air of anticipation hung in the atmosphere, foreshadowing a night bereft of sleep.
As individuals emerged from their tents, a shared expression of exhilaration adorned their faces, reflecting the collective excitement that pervaded the camp.
Inside the tent, Fugaku sat behind a partition, attentively observing the Uchiha clansmen while Tsunade diligently crafted pills.
Outside the partition, Shizune stood, distributing the pills she had prepared to the Uchiha men, following Fugaku's instructions.
"You still haven't overcome your phobia, have you?" Fugaku asked lightly, catching Tsunade's discomfort. He took a sip of water as some of the clansmen left.
In response, Tsunade pursed her lips and retorted, "Shut up; it's already good that I can help you!"
Fugaku ceased talking, returning his attention to watching Tsunade as she skillfully infused the blood he had drawn earlier into the pills.
The pills, while not highly effective, served the purpose of masking the blood's smell. For Tsunade, crafting them was a swift and straightforward task.
The rationale behind this seemingly peculiar practice was to prepare for future explanations.
It was deemed wiser to maintain the secret of strength enhancement pills rather than disclose that they resulted from ingesting Fugaku's own blood. The risk of becoming a target for everyone in the ninja world loomed large if such information were to be widely known.
Unfazed by the fear of becoming a target, Fugaku's primary concern was the hassle of dealing with constant sneak attacks.
As Uchiha ninjas entered the tent, all they saw were the clan leader and Tsunade-sama behind the partition, engaged in an activity shrouded in mystery. The success of maintaining secrecy hinged on Tsunade and Shizune.
Having grown more acquainted with Tsunade, Fugaku developed a sense of trust in her. It was an instinctive feeling.
As more individuals took the pills, Fugaku took a seat. Trying to shift the focus, he inquired, "By the way, where is Orochimaru?"
It was a deliberate attempt to introduce a new topic. His curiosity stemmed from Orochimaru's absence since his return. Tsunade, momentarily pausing her pill-making, contemplated Orochimaru's whereabouts.
Eventually, she shook her head and replied, "He left before the war started, before you came back. He said he would return later, and Shikaku had no choice but to agree."
Fugaku frowned, his mind mulling over what Orochimaru might be plotting during his absence.
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