Chapter 31 (Patreon)

When news reached Konoha that Uchiha Shisui had single-handedly repelled the combined assault of the Raikage and Kumogakure’s Eight-Tails jinchūriki, the pipe in Hiruzen Sarutobi’s hand remained lit for the rest of the day.

Shikaku’s report was particularly troubling.

In it, he described in detail the terrifying giant that had manifested around Shisui. The description immediately reminded Hiruzen of a technique his former teacher, Tobirama Senju, had once mentioned.

Susanoo.

It was said that when an Uchiha’s Sharingan evolved beyond a certain point, they could awaken that power naturally.

Its offensive and defensive capabilities surpassed ordinary comprehension. More importantly, upon reaching that stage, the user’s evolved Sharingan would also manifest a unique new dōjutsu.

An ability far more formidable than the perception and genjutsu associated with an ordinary Sharingan.

Hiruzen understood better than most how strained the Uchiha clan’s position had become over the years.

Shisui had already been an exceptionally powerful shinobi. Now that his strength had risen even further, what would the radicals within the Uchiha clan think?

Would they become even more difficult to restrain?

While Hiruzen was burdened by concern, the atmosphere inside the Uchiha compound was entirely different.

The clan had also received reports from its members serving on the front lines.

Upon learning that Shisui had single-handedly stopped the Raikage and Killer B—and had even gained the upper hand during their clash—excitement swept through the entire clan.

Even the members of the Konoha Military Police Force appeared more relaxed while carrying out their duties. The smiles on their faces were far more natural than they had been in recent months.

“The situation on the front lines must be worse than it appears.”

Roy suddenly spoke while lying across Kushina’s back, his body rising and falling with each push-up she completed.

It was not because Roy was so obsessed with her that he refused to leave her alone even while she trained.

This time, Kushina had been the one to suggest it.

She wanted Roy to interfere with her concentration while she exercised. If she could not endure such a minor distraction, how could she hope to withstand the corrosive influence of a tailed beast’s chakra?

She needed to temper more than her body.

Her willpower also had to become stronger.

Naturally, Roy had no reason to refuse.

The arrangement helped Kushina with her training, while the constant motion also gave him an opportunity to improve his handling skills.

It was beneficial to both of them.

The results had been surprisingly impressive.

After only a few days, Kushina had gone from trembling with exhaustion after a short period to exercising for most of the day with Roy on her back without so much as a change in expression.

Hearing his words, Kushina stopped.

She reached for a towel and wiped the sweat from her face before looking at him in confusion.

“Why do you think that, Roy-kun? Didn’t the report say Shisui repelled the Raikage and the Eight-Tails jinchūriki?”

Roy took the towel from her hand, rinsed it in the nearby basin, and began wiping the sweat from her back.

“Considering the current relationship between the village and the Uchiha clan, put yourself in Shisui’s position. Would you reveal the full extent of your strength so easily?”

Kushina shook her head without hesitation.

“Exactly. If the situation on the front lines had still been under control, Shisui would never have exposed his greatest trump card in front of so many witnesses.”

“But couldn’t he have awakened it in the middle of the battle?”

“That’s certainly possible,” Roy admitted. “The Sharingan evolves through intense emotional and mental stimulation. If Shisui believed his clan members and comrades were about to die, it would make sense for his eyes to advance further.”

Roy rinsed the towel again before continuing.

“However, Susanoo isn’t the kind of technique someone can control perfectly the moment they awaken it. The fact that Shisui managed to suppress both the Raikage and Killer B, even if it was only for a short time, means he already possesses considerable mastery over it.”

His reasoning left Kushina with little room to argue.

It was true.

If a newly awakened Susanoo could immediately overpower the Raikage and a perfect jinchūriki, then the price required to use it would likely be more than an ordinary shinobi could endure.

In truth, that was also the second source of Hiruzen’s headache.

The threat posed by the Uchiha clan had undoubtedly increased, but it was equally undeniable that the situation on the front lines had become extremely dangerous.

The sudden appearance of numerous bounty hunters had disrupted Konoha’s formations, allowing Kumogakure to seize the initiative.

Had it not been for Shikaku’s command—and Shisui unleashing his true strength—the report on Hiruzen’s desk might have described the complete collapse of Konoha’s defensive lines.

As for why so many bounty hunters had suddenly descended upon the battlefield, the answer could be traced back to the repeated caravan robberies that had taken place some time earlier.

The nobles behind the plundered merchant caravans had begun using their influence to place bounties on Konoha shinobi through black-market bounty stations across the nations.

Under normal circumstances, locating those targets would have been difficult.

Now, however, bounty hunters only needed to wait near the battlefield. Sooner or later, one or two shinobi carrying lucrative bounties would appear before them.

There was also a strong possibility that Kumogakure was taking advantage of the situation by secretly providing the bounty hunters with intelligence.

“That bastard Danzō created this much trouble from a single visit to the daimyō’s estate.”

Hiruzen’s expression darkened.

Although Shisui had repelled the A–B Combo once, Shikaku had clearly stated in his report that Shisui’s condition was extremely poor.

The Raikage and Killer B, on the other hand, had suffered no serious injuries.

They had merely been caught off guard by Susanoo and chosen to retreat after their first encounter with the technique.

They could resume their attack at any moment.

Furthermore, Kumogakure’s other jinchūriki, Yugito Nii, was also present on the battlefield.

She might have been wary of confronting an Uchiha’s Sharingan directly, but if the situation became desperate, she could simply launch a Tailed Beast Bomb from a distance.

Even with the Sharingan, Konoha’s shinobi would be able to do little more than watch it approach.

Yet Konoha had already dispatched nearly everyone it could spare to reinforce the front lines.

Was Hiruzen, an old veteran, supposed to enter the battlefield himself?

He understood his current physical condition better than anyone.

Age had weakened his body. Both his stamina and chakra reserves were shadows of what they had once been.

If he faced the young and powerful Fourth Raikage now, his chances of victory would not even reach ten percent.

At that moment, the shinobi stationed outside the Hokage’s office entered.

“Lord Hokage, Lady Kushina has entered the building.”

Hiruzen paused before waving his hand and dismissing the guard.

A short while later, Kushina pushed open the door and walked directly into the office.

“Kushina, is something the matter?”

Hiruzen’s expression was composed, without the slightest trace of the worry that had covered his face only moments earlier.

“I heard Uchiha Shisui repelled the Raikage and one of Kumogakure’s jinchūriki.”

Hiruzen was not surprised that she had learned about it.

She had most likely received the news directly from the Uchiha clan.

Her next words, however, caught him off guard.

“The situation on the front lines isn’t looking very good, is it?”

Although Kushina phrased it as a question, there was absolute certainty in her voice.

Hiruzen had kept the Uchiha clan under constant surveillance.

He knew those people were still immersed in their excitement over Shisui’s sudden display of overwhelming strength. None of them had stopped to consider what his actions implied about the true state of the battlefield.

In other words, Kushina could not have obtained detailed information about the front lines from the Uchiha.

How, then, had she realized that Konoha was at a disadvantage?

“Both of Kumogakure’s jinchūriki have been deployed to the battlefield…”

Before Kushina could finish, Hiruzen understood her intention.

She wanted to fight.

“I understand what you’re suggesting, Kushina, but…”

Hiruzen hesitated.

Deploying the Nine-Tails jinchūriki would undoubtedly give Konoha the power it needed to reverse the situation.

However, Minato had died less than three months ago.

Hiruzen had no way of knowing how stable Kushina’s mental state truly was. If she lost control of her emotions and the Nine-Tails went on a rampage, Kumogakure’s forces would not be the only ones to suffer.

There was another concern as well.

Ever since becoming a jinchūriki, Kushina had rarely drawn upon the Nine-Tails’ power in actual combat.

If she attempted to use it now, how much strength could she truly control?

Hiruzen could not risk sending her to the battlefield only for her to fail in her mission—or worse, be captured by Kumogakure.