Chapter 91: I need to support the village myself.
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Tsunade stood in front of the woods, gazing out at the vast forest to the east that surrounded the Konoha camp.
The night was quiet, and the sound of crickets was soothing. Her blond hair shimmered in the moonlight, and her face showed a hint of melancholy as she lost herself in thought.
"Hey, why are you still awake? It's so late."
Suddenly, her peaceful reverie was shattered by a voice. Fugaku called out to her, approaching from behind. She recognized him as the man who had confessed his feelings for her, despite being married to another woman.
"I am taking some fresh air," she responded to him, trying to put some distance between them before he got too close.
Fugaku joined her nonetheless, standing beside her and looking out in the same direction as she was, avoiding eye contact. He felt guilty for his actions, but he couldn't help being drawn to her.
He had previously explained his situation to her, desperate for her medical expertise to heal him. She had provided him with the advice he needed to resolve, but it was his gratitude and attraction towards her that had led him to try to grope her.
"I'm debating whether or not to tell Mikoto…" Tsunade mentioned it with a teasing smile, testing him.
Fugaku replied, "No need to tell her; I'll confess everything to her myself."
He was embarrassed yet nervous about the repercussions of his actions.
However, Tsunade's words caused him to feel guilt as he realized that he had betrayed his devoted wife, who was still waiting for him at home. He had given into his primal desires, knowing that he couldn't control himself.
Fugaku was now confused and conflicted. He wondered if he still loved Mikoto or if he had fallen for Tsunade. He wanted to be honest with both women but feared that he might lose them.
Tsunade suddenly changed the subject by looking towards the horizon and sighed, "I truly envy those who have family."
He looked at her, feeling a deep sense of sympathy and affection. Tsunade had lost everything—her lover, brother, and clan. She had resorted to drinking and gambling to cope with her pain, not having anyone to share her grief with.
He wanted to comfort her, bring joy to her life, and protect her. And at that moment, he recalled his son, whom he had yet to meet.
Fugaku wondered what he looked like and what he was doing. He longed to see his son, hold him, and guide him in his life.
However, Akihiko, Saiki, and even the elder Itsuki of the clan made him feel at home in this strange world.
Fugaku felt a sense of belonging to this world, thanks to those people and his close friendship with Kushina and Minato, but also with others like them.
Yet the fate of these people is not good. The Minato-Kushina perished in the Nine Tails Rebellion, and the Uchiha clan met its own tragic end on one fateful night.
In this world, it seems that tragedy can strike anyone, anywhere, at any time.
Fugaku tried to offer some comfort to Tsunade, noticing the sadness etched on her face.
"If you have no family, make a few friends," he said softly. "They will be there for you till the very end. They will share your joys and sorrows, your hopes and fears. They will lend you their ears and wipe your tears."
Tsunade barely registered his words before shaking her head. "Making friends in this world is a fool's errand," she replied bitterly.
"Today's friend could be tomorrow's enemy, or worse, someone you watch die in battle."
Her words reflected the harsh reality of the world. It was a constant cycle of wars and deaths, with no peace or hope.
Fugaku understood Tsunade's pain and didn't push the issue. He knew that the only person Tsunade cared about was her niece, Shizune.
"Then have you ever thought about ending such a world?" Fugaku asked with a smile, looking at Tsunade under the moonlight.
Tsunade was taken aback. "Ending it?" she scoffed. "Maybe I did once. But now, I don't care what happens to this world," she said, with sadness in her voice.
"It's because of Kato Dan," he asked again.
"And my brother." She replied.
Fugaku nodded sympathetically. "People can't come back from the dead, and I don't know how to console you. Just try to move on."
He sighed, realizing that Tsunade had no purpose in life except for protecting Shizune. "Well, never mind. Don't worry about it. You should get some rest. I'll do the same."
Tsunade watched him go, about to say something, when he suddenly looked back at her and said, "Oh, by the way, if you ever want to drink with me, just call me. Hehe. I'm not going to die in this crazy world."
Fugaku's confident and arrogant smile stunned Tsunade.
"Huh, he…" She shook her head and smiled wryly.
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Rasa, the Kazekage, sat on his seat at the Suna camp, his expression twisted in frustration as he held a piece of intelligence in his hand.
"What? Damn, those two old foxes." Cursing under his breath, he muttered,
He felt betrayed and abandoned by his supposed allies, the Iwa village and the Kumo village, who had decided to pull out of his plan against Konoha after seeing they were losing.
Baki, a thirteen-year-old ninja wrapped in bandages, stood respectfully beside him and suggested, "My lord, we have no choice but to drag this war with Konoha."
Rasa's face furrowed in anger. "Drag on? How can we drag this war along? We have too many ninjas and too few resources. We can't afford to drag this damn war."
He thought about the poor condition of his village and the desert land that he had to work with.
The only way Rasa could make some money was by extracting the gold, a rare metal, from this barren dessert. He sighed. "You should order ninjas to withdraw and then request the daimyo for help."
Baki obediently nodded and left the camp to handle the matter. Rasa decided to venture into a deserted area to find some gold, knowing that he had to support his army himself.
As the Kazekage, he was the one responsible for the wellbeing of his village and people. Despite the pressure to be removed from his position, he had to find a way to lead his army through this war and win.