Chapter 73

They had been in tough spots many times, but all those were because of the enemy's strength and superior numbers. However, this was the first time that Kazuki almost lost a member because of a teammates carelessness. In the time he had spent with the team, he had come to consider them friends, so he didn't want to lose them if he could help it. He had used his trump card to save Hebi just before she was blown to smithereens.

"If you have something to ask me, go ahead. Don't stand there with that weird look on your face." Kazuki noticed that Tora still wanted to ask him about something but was hesitating, so he encouraged him.

"Ryu-sama, the technique that you used to save Hebi, is that the technique of Yondaime-sama?" Tora questioned with hesitation evident in his voice. During the last mission, Tora also made a move to save Hebi; however, he was not fast enough. But he was able to catch a glimpse of the technique with which their leader saved Hebi from the massive explosion. The technique Kazuki had used was identical to the one that Yondaime was known for—the 'Flying Thunder God Technique.' Tora had worked under Minato Namikaze when he was alive, so he was sure about the technique he saw. But he also wanted to confirm it to satiate his curiosity because a new Hiraishin user means that it would be a massive boon to Konoha.

Kazuki gave a big smile, understanding Tora's intent. "Yes, it was the Hiraishin. I am still working on upgrading it. It's still not complete yet, though it's a work in progress."

"Ryu-sama, but how? She did not have any markers or special kunai on her. Tora, someone who studied fuinjutsu, knew the basic principles and requirements for the Hiraishin, so he couldn't help but ask.

"Heh, Tora, do you think the battle gear, equipment, and mask that I provided you guys only served a defensive purpose? You need to spend more time studying the basics of fuinjutsu again. You couldn't even discern a marker that I hid within your masks and flak jackets." Kazuki, with an amused tone, complained about Tora's knowledge of fuinjutsu.

Tora couldn't help but feel dumbfounded and think to himself, "How am I supposed to find a marker hidden by a grandmaster when I haven't even touched the threshold of a master?" But he knew Kazuki was only teasing him.

"Tora, we will lay low for some time until Hebi recovers completely. If I am right, Sensei should start acting soon on our plans, and we can strike again then. If I am not mistaken, Iwa must have hired top-rated hunter-nins to go after us, so first, let's observe for a while before we make any moves. Is that understood?" Kazuki knew that according to their plans, which he had drafted before leaving for the mission, his master should soon start implementing them. He had to coordinate his move to make sure that the fence-sitter Onoki would not be able to intervene, and this move would secure his Sensei's mantle as the next Hokage.

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Konoha camp, Iwagakure front

Under the leadership of Tsunade, the Konoha army now had complete control of Kusagakure, and Tsunade had been slowly inching towards Takigakure recently. Currently, the Senju princess is having a meeting with the head of the Hyuga clan, Hiashi Hyuga. Shizune poured a herbal infusion and served it to both her master and Hiashi, stepping back to stand in a corner.

"Hiashi, I want you to return to the village and stay there for some time," Tsunade shared her request directly with the Hyuga head, who was a bit taken aback by the Senju's abrupt request. His face showed a lost and confused look, as asking a shinobi to leave the battlefield in the middle of a war was a kind of insult, usually done only due to severe injuries or as a form of punishment.

"Tsunade-sama, have the Hyuga clan done something that's not to your liking? Please let me know if someone from my clan has offended you. I will make sure to give you a proper explanation." Hiashi was partly flustered because, in the past year since the start of the war, the Hyuga had been reaping benefits almost rivaling those of their counterparts, the Uchiha, who were handling the Kiri front. He wanted to fix any issue that might have arisen.

Tsunade quickly understood Hiashi's concern and spoke, "Don't worry, Hiashi, you misunderstand. There are no issues, but I want your help with a very important matter. Don't worry; you will go back to the village under the guise of being seriously injured, and you can return to the front after a couple of months. What do you think?"

Hiashi, as a clan leader, quickly understood that Tsunade was planning something big, and she wanted Hiashi's help to carry out this plan.

"Please tell me your instructions, Tsunade-sama. If it's something within my clan's power, we will help you achieve it." Hiashi was quick on the uptake because, from Tsunade's actions in the war, he vaguely understood that Tsunade was aiming for the Hokage seat. By the rate she was going, the seat was guaranteed unless something drastic happened.

Tsunade pulled out two large, exquisite-looking fuin scrolls from her storage bag and placed them on the table in front of Hiashi. "I want you to deliver both of these scrolls to my Sensei. Here, this letter has all the details." Tsunade passed a letter over, which Hiashi quickly went through. The more he read, the more excited he became.

"Tsunade-sama, do you think Sandaime-sama will agree to your proposal? There is a high possibility that the elder council will try to hinder your plans."

"I know; that is why I need you back in the village. I want you to act as my backup, and if those old geezers try to undermine me, I want to know. Although I trust my Sensei, I cannot say the same for the rest of the council, especially the ones representing the Fire Daimyo. This decision needs to be passed by both the village and the fire country," Tsunade explained her concerns to Hiashi.

"But, Tsunade-sama, what if... No, I am afraid they will try to stop you from acting. If you gave this to Sandaime-sama, there are chances it might hinder your plans." Hiashi knew Tsunade was planning to go after the major village's bijuu at the same time, and this step was a major plan, as the scroll she placed in front of him was a strategic-level resource created by the Fuin Grandmaster.

"Heh, don't you think I know about those old coots, especially the ones under the Fire Daimyo? I know them better than you think, Hiashi. I know how far they can go for benefits. So that's where you come in," she said, placing a small storage scroll in front of Hiashi again.

"This contains four more of these fuinjutsu scrolls. In case the council holds back from dispatching these two scrolls to the other two battlefronts, I want you to discreetly send two of these scrolls to Jiraiya and Fugaku. Is that understood?" Tsunade narrowed her eyes while stressing the importance of the upcoming mission.

"Hiashi, you should know how valuable each of these scrolls is. The Fuin Grandmaster has only been able to make six of these scrolls, so there is no room for failure." Tsunade explained the importance of the upcoming mission, and Tsunade was not exaggerating about the importance of these scrolls. With Kazuki being away on the frontlines, it took almost a month for Kazuki's clone to produce one of these scrolls.

"I understand, Tsunade-sama. I will make sure to complete this mission." Hiashi, with a quick nod, collected all the scrolls and stored them in his own pouch.

"Take a few of your elites and engage in a minor skirmish, then return back injured to the camp. I can then send you back to the village. All your instructions are on the scroll, so follow them. I hope you will not disappoint me, Hiashi." Tsunade had a hidden agenda for assigning the Hyuga head to this particular task, but she was not going to share that with him.

"Sensei, is it alright to give the Hyuga head such an important mission? From what Kazuki has shared with me, I know that the Hyuga elders are especially close to the Fire Daimyo and his retinue. I am afraid that the Fire Daimyo might not support your ascension because earlier, you had no ambition, but now you are rebuilding the Senju clan. With your growing power and prestige, they might take it as a threat. Everyone knows that the Fire Daimyo has always wanted to have complete control over Konoha, and during Sandaime's reign, the Daimyo has asserted his control over the village to a large extent. They will not want to lose it." Shizune shared her concern because, being with Kazuki, she knew quite the intricacies that happened behind the scenes. Things that seemed simple were not really so; they hid a web of politics within each matter.

Originally, when Tsunade had no ambition and was roaming as a nomad, the Daimyo would have gladly accepted her as the Hokage because that would not have challenged their authority within the village. But now Tsunade was someone who wanted to build Konoha back to its former glory, which would hurt the interests of quite a lot of people.

"Shizune, do you think I am unaware of that fact? This is simply a test for Hiashi. I want to know which side he chooses. I already have a backup plan in case Hiashi chooses to betray my trust. And you underestimate Hiashi too much. Although, on the outside, he looks like he follows the main branch elders' wishes, he is a smart and ambitious man. He wouldn't always want to be suppressed within his own clan." Tsunade was not doing this out of whim. Her little prodigy, who was not so little anymore, had accounted for all possible scenarios. He had even considered the scenarios where Konoha might end up losing the war. She couldn't help but shake her head in amusement, thinking about Kazuki.

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Konoha Main Camp, Kumogakure Front

It had been a week since the Hyuga head was injured in battle and sent back to the village for recuperation. After the reinforcements provided by Tsunade a few months ago, Jiraiya was steadily regaining the ground they had originally lost. After experiencing a bitter defeat from the pincer attack of both Iwa and Kumo, Jiraiya had become much more cautious to avoid a similar situation. Shikaku had taken that loss personally, as quite a few Nara elites had to sacrifice themselves, along with other Leaf Shinobi, to make time for their troops to retreat. Since then, he has been devising more aggressive tactics to inflict maximum damage on the Kumo troops. In recent months, with the Eight-Tails Jinchuriki being redeployed to the Iwagakure side, the Konoha army was regaining lost ground rapidly.

"Shikaku, how's our current situation? Have we received any updates from Sensei?" Jiraiya, the commander of the Kumo front, peered at the map containing the recent enemy troop movements.

"None, Jiraiya-sama. We haven't received any updates from Sandaime. According to the logistics team that reported earlier, it seems like the village and Fire Country higher-ups are in a state of unrest. The Fire Daimyo even made a personal visit to the village to have a discussion with the village elders council and the Hokage." Shikaku gave a quick report on the status of the village. Jiraiya raised his brows and looked up from the map, as if to question if the situation had anything to do with Tsunade's planning, and Shikaku responded with a quick nod because they were in the middle of a meeting.

"As for our troops, we should be able to regain control of all the positions we initially lost and reestablish our first defense line again." Shikaku knew how important this was. The major contributors to helping them achieve it were Tsunade Senju and the rumored Ghost Squad of Konoha. Without them applying enough pressure on Iwa and essentially pinning down Onoki, Kumo wouldn't have redeployed the Eight-Tails to the Iwagakure end. Even the Raikage himself was actively taking part to regain control of Takigakure from Iwa. This allowed the Konoha troops to push forward with less difficulty, as Kumo only had the Two-Tails as a deterrent, which Jiraiya could counter.