Talent System In The Naruto Universe-Chapter 166. Tsunade’s Embrace

"Yesterday morning, several hundred Kirigakure ninja entered the Land of Rivers and established an outpost," Hiruzen Sarutobi said solemnly. "Their commanders are the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist."

The Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist are an elite squad from Kirigakure, with each member possessing jōnin-level strength and wielding a unique ninja sword. According to legend, when the seven join forces, they can conquer a small country in a single night.

"Although their numbers are few, they are exceptionally powerful," Hiruzen continued. "Additionally, with the sea at their backs, they can attack or defend with ease, making them a formidable opponent."

"The Land of Rivers is bordered by the Land of Wind on the left and the Land of Fire on the right," Shikaku Nara stood up and asked, "Is Kirigakure targeting Sunagakure or Konoha?"

"We're not sure yet," Hiruzen shook his head. "However, Sunagakure has already requested our assistance."

In Hiruzen's view, Kirigakure was most likely targeting Sunagakure. After suffering a crushing defeat at the hands of Kumogakure, Sunagakure's remaining forces were less than half their original strength. If Kirigakure launched a large-scale attack, Sunagakure would probably be unable to hold them off, or if they did, it would come at a heavy cost.

Hiruzen had briefly considered taking this opportunity to seize control of Sunagakure. However, with Kumogakure and Iwagakure also in play, he decided to remain cautious for the time being.

"Sunagakure will send five hundred ninja to cooperate with us," Hiruzen said after a moment's thought. "Konoha will also send five hundred ninja, led by Tsunade."

Tsunade nodded casually in response. A battle involving only a thousand ninja wasn't particularly intense, but the Seven Ninja Swordsmen were a real concern.

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Hanekawa's expression turned odd. Could this be the legendary battle from the original story, where Might Duy fought the Seven Ninja Swordsmen alone and kicked them into oblivion? But now that Tsunade was involved, the outcome was uncertain.

"There's one more matter," Hiruzen sighed.

The room fell silent as everyone exchanged concerned glances. This truly felt like a time of looming chaos, as though a storm was about to break.

"Iwagakure has been gathering supplies recently," Hiruzen said with a headache. "Although we don't know their exact target, Konoha is certainly one of them."

Hanekawa was deep in thought. In the original story, Iwagakure primarily targeted Kumogakure, sending ten thousand ninja, ultimately leading to the Third Raikage's death. They also launched a secondary attack on Konoha, resulting in the Battle of Kannabi Bridge, which led to Obito Uchiha's supposed death.

Of course, Obito was actually saved by Madara Uchiha, who, during Obito's recovery, introduced him to the Moon's Eye Plan.

However, Obito didn't immediately accept the plan and tried to return to Konoha. To prevent this, Madara manipulated Kirigakure's ninja into capturing Rin Nohara and sealing the Three-Tails into her.

Upon learning this from White Zetsu, Obito rushed to rescue her, only to witness Kakashi Hatake killing her. Overwhelmed by grief, he awakened his Mangekyō Sharingan and descended into darkness, eventually embracing the Moon's Eye Plan.

Hanekawa wondered if Madara's plan would change this time. After all, Rin was no longer Obito's teammate, and with Tsunade around, capturing her would be far more difficult.

"Iwagakure's movements will be monitored by patrol units under Sakumo Hatake's command," Hiruzen said after some thought.

"I believe Namikaze Minato is the best choice for this mission," Danzo Shimura suddenly interjected.

"Minato is currently assisting Sunagakure in fending off Kumogakure and cannot return immediately," Hiruzen shook his head.

"Once Orochimaru reaches the Land of Frost, Minato will have the time to leave," Danzo glanced at Orochimaru and spoke with a seemingly sound argument. His true intent, however, was to prevent Minato from earning more merit. After all, the Flying Thunder God Technique was a formidable weapon in war.

Orochimaru frowned slightly. To him, Danzo's suggestion implied a lack of confidence in his abilities. Does Danzo really think I can't handle a mere junior?

"With the Flying Thunder God Technique, Minato can report any movements from Iwagakure instantly," Homura Mitokado added in agreement. "This is a matter of life and death, and we cannot afford any delays."

"Very well, Minato it is," Hiruzen finally agreed after some deliberation.

Hanekawa raised an eyebrow. He had briefly considered opposing the decision but quickly realized it might be beneficial. Without Minato, Orochimaru would face the future Fourth Raikage A, Killer B, and Yugito Nii directly.

Although Orochimaru was strong, he wasn't strong enough to handle all three of them alone. The battle would likely be long and grueling.

"The rest need not be said. War is imminent. I hope everyone prepares well and stays safe," Hiruzen Sarutobi said as he stood up. "Meeting adjourned!"

"Yes," everyone responded in unison.

After the meeting, no one was in the mood for small talk or catching up. They quickly left one after another.

Tsunade originally wanted to chat briefly with Orochimaru but gave up when she saw him approaching Hiruzen Sarutobi.

"Old man, I want to bring along members of the Uchiha clan," Orochimaru said just as Hanekawa was about to leave, overhearing their conversation.

Hanekawa's eyes narrowed as a thought crossed his mind—Orochimaru likely volunteered to lead the mission not just because of his alliance with Danzo but also to gain access to the Sharingan of the Uchiha clan.

Hanekawa shook his head, choosing not to intervene. After all, he had no way to stop Orochimaru. Even if he warned the Uchiha, those fated to die would still meet their end.

"What a pity," Tsunade suddenly said as they left the meeting room.

"Pity? What do you mean?" Hanekawa turned slightly, looking at her elegant profile.

"Your birthday is in a couple of days," Tsunade explained. "If the war had been delayed just a little longer, it would have passed."

"Oh, that," Hanekawa smiled. "Don't worry about it. Honestly, if you hadn't mentioned it, I would've forgotten it was even my birthday."

"So, you're saying you forgot my birthday too?" Tsunade's tone shifted suddenly, catching him off guard.

Hanekawa froze for a moment. What? Why did things escalate so quickly?

"Of course not!" he quickly responded. "I would never forget my Sensei's birthday!"

Tsunade stared at him for a few seconds before breaking into a smile.

"...?" Hanekawa's mouth twitched slightly.

"Not bad. At least you're thoughtful toward your teacher," Tsunade said with a grin.

"But clearly, you lack affection for your student," Hanekawa retorted, shooting her a glance.

"What do you mean by that?" Tsunade's smile faded. Grabbing his collar, she leaned in close and asked, "Are you saying I'm not good to you?"

A faint, pleasant scent wafted toward him, and at such close range, Hanekawa found her even more stunning.

Of course, his gaze inevitably drifted downward, where he was met with an eye-catching view of snowy white peaks, gently rising and falling with each breath she took.

"You're very good!" Hanekawa answered immediately, his heart yielding to self-preservation.

"Fine. Since it's your birthday soon, I'll let you off today," Tsunade said as she released him, secretly breathing a sigh of relief.

This brat is getting better-looking by the day.

It's a bit stressful being around him for too long. Even Tsunade wasn't immune to the allure of beauty.

Humans, after all, are either outwardly or secretly drawn to attractive things. Seeing someone good-looking on the street naturally makes people want to take a second glance.

"Sensei, how about we bring Uncle Duy along on this mission to the Land of Rivers?" Hanekawa asked as he caught up to her.

"Sure," Tsunade agreed without hesitation. "His strength is decent, and he could be useful against the Seven Ninja Swordsmen."

"Are the Seven Ninja Swordsmen really that formidable?" Hanekawa shook his head.

In his opinion, among the Seven Ninja Swordsmen, the only one who could be considered truly top-tier was Kisame Hoshigaki, and he belonged to the second generation. The current generation didn't include him.

In the original story, the first generation of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen didn't leave much of an impression. The one with the most screen time was Biwa Juzo, who later joined the Akatsuki after defecting from Kirigakure. However, even his death was rather anticlimactic—he was struck down by his own sword when it was deflected by the Fourth Mizukage's Tailed Beast Bomb.

"Don't underestimate them," Tsunade said, flicking his forehead. "In Kirigakure, they hold a position equivalent to us, the Sannin."

"They can't possibly be compared to you, teacher," Hanekawa said with a smirk. "That comparison really downgrades the Sannin."

"I was talking about their status," Tsunade said with a huff. "Of course, they're not as strong as me, but they're more than capable of dealing with you."

"That's debatable," Hanekawa replied defiantly. "I've got the Yin Seal now!"

Tsunade paused for a moment, thinking it over. This kid really wasn't weak anymore. Unknowingly, he had grown to this level.

"Fine!" Tsunade said with a smile, narrowing her eyes. "You might handle one of them, but you can't take on all seven."

"I wouldn't fight all seven alone," Hanekawa muttered. "Why would I go out of my way to pick a fight with them by myself?"

"Don't talk back," Tsunade said, giving him a glare before striding forward.

Before long, they arrived home.

"Sensei!"

Yūhi Kurenai and Nohara Rin approached them, asking, "What's going on?"

"The war has started. We'll be leaving tomorrow morning," Hanekawa replied.

"Cloud Village again?" Yūhi Kurenai complained. "They're such a nuisance!"

"Yes and no," Hanekawa answered, teasingly.

"Huh?" Kurenai instinctively grabbed his wrist. "Hurry up and tell us!"

"Here's the situation."

Hanekawa recounted the three key points that Hiruzen Sarutobi had mentioned during the Jōnin meeting.

Kurenai's eyes widened in surprise—things were more serious than she had imagined.

Nohara Rin's expression turned to one of deep concern. With war approaching, who knew how many lives would be lost? What troubled her most was that people she knew might end up in danger.

"Enough, stop scaring them," Tsunade stepped forward, stomping on Hanekawa's foot lightly. "It hasn't gotten that bad yet. Go back and prepare."

"Yes, Tsunade-sensei," Kurenai and Rin responded in unison, snapping out of their worry.

The Next Morning

"I never thought there'd be a day when my daughter and I would fight side by side," Yūhi Shinku said at the breakfast table, looking sentimental.

"Don't worry! Hanekawa and I will protect you!" Kurenai declared confidently.

"...?" Yūhi Shinku stared at her, bewildered.

What kind of reverse logic is this?

"With your strength, it's obviously me protecting you," Shinku retorted with a snort.

"Really?" Kurenai raised an eyebrow. "I bet you couldn't even beat Hanekawa."

"What nonsense!" Shinku turned to Hanekawa. "Come outside, let's spar!"

"Uncle Shinku, we're supposed to gather at the village gates soon. We shouldn't waste time," Hanekawa said, coughing awkwardly.

There was no way he'd dare fight his future father-in-law. Besides, Kurenai wasn't wrong—he probably couldn't win.

"Actually, I was originally assigned to the Cloud Village battlefield," Shinku said, changing the subject. "But Nara Suzaku, who's coordinating troop deployment for Lady Tsunade, reassigned me to the Mist Village front."

Nara Suzaku? Hanekawa vaguely remembered him—a Jōnin from the Nara clan who, in the original story, was responsible for monitoring and intercepting Naruto during the Fourth Great Ninja War.

"Looks like I'm benefiting from your presence," Shinku said with satisfaction.

He had always hoped for Kurenai and Hanekawa to distinguish themselves. Now, it seemed that goal was halfway achieved—they were beginning to gain influence in the village, even if much of it came from being Tsunade's students.

After breakfast, the three of them headed to the village gates, where they joined the 500 assembled ninjas. At Tsunade's command, the group set off toward the Land of Rivers.

The Land of Rivers bordered the Land of Fire on the west. It took them two days to reach the border, but instead of advancing further, they set up camp at a secluded spot.

There were two reasons for this:

1. The Mist Village ninjas had already occupied the Land of Rivers, and advancing recklessly might lead to ambushes or traps.

2. They needed to wait for the Sand Village ninjas to join them.

By dinnertime, Hanekawa's tent became lively because it was both his and Tsunade's birthday.

Although it was a rushed affair in the middle of a war, they still managed to celebrate with a hearty meal. Joining them were Kurenai, Rin, Shinku, and Might Duy.

"Birthdays, such a youthful occasion!" Might Duy exclaimed, visibly moved.

"It would've been perfect if Kakashi and Guy were here," Kurenai said wistfully.

"Once the war is over, we'll see them again," Rin said softly.

"Let's not jinx it. Come on, let's eat," Hanekawa quickly interrupted, preventing her from tempting fate.

Since they were in a war zone and Mist Village ninjas could appear at any moment, everyone dispersed quickly after finishing the meal.

"I didn't prepare a gift. I'll give you one next time," Tsunade said after everyone else had left, leaving just her and Hanekawa.

"No worries. I didn't prepare a gift either," Hanekawa said. Then, an idea struck him. "Actually, I have a way for both of us to exchange gifts."

"Oh? What's that?" Tsunade asked curiously.

"How about a hug?" Hanekawa suggested with a playful grin.

Tsunade was momentarily stunned, staring at him silently. Just as he started to feel nervous, she stepped forward and embraced him.

A soft, warm fragrance enveloped him, and Hanekawa instinctively wrapped his arms around her waist.

"Alright," Tsunade said after a few seconds, suppressing the emotions stirring in her heart as she pulled away.

She turned and walked out of the tent. For some reason, although she had hugged him countless times before, this one felt different.

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