NOVEL NEXT Chapter 38: Chapter 38
Before leaving, Tsunade couldn't help but pat her face and mutter, "Am I usually this fierce?"
She sighed, a guilty expression flashing across her face.
Tsunade wasn't particularly harsh, but she wasn't gentle either. Carefree and strong-willed, her relationship with Uchiha Shin had always been one of camaraderie rather than strict hierarchy.
Shaking off the unnecessary thoughts, she hurried to discuss tactical arrangements with Orochimaru, Jiraiya, and the others.
By the time she returned, exhaustion weighing heavily on her, she found Uchiha Shin sleeping soundly, his head resting on Mikoto's lap.
Tsunade quickly discarded any lingering feelings of sympathy she had for him earlier.
"Shin-kun~ Tsunade-Sensei are back."
Seeing Tsunade approach, Mikoto gently nudged Uchiha Shin.
Her movements were soft, as if afraid of waking him too abruptly.
Fortunately, Uchiha Shin wasn't actually asleep. He opened his eyes leisurely, his gaze settling on Tsunade as she approached.
"You're back. How did the strategy meeting go?" he asked casually, not even bothering to sit up, his head still comfortably pillowed on Mikoto's lap.
Mikoto, feeling the weight of Tsunade's stare, flushed red but didn't push him away. She was indulging him.
Tsunade, suppressing a flicker of jealousy, exhaled and spoke in a serious tone, detailing the battle plans they had discussed.
"We'll be reallocating some of the forces from this camp to reinforce the other battlefronts. When they launch their assault, we'll hold them back here while our main force pushes directly into Amegakure."
Their plan was straightforward: counter the enemy's strategy with their own.
But Uchiha Shin saw a major flaw—they hadn't properly accounted for Hanzō of the Salamander.
In an era where Kage-level shinobi reigned supreme, Hanzō was undoubtedly one of the strongest.
Uchiha Shin preferred to avoid direct confrontation with him. But even if he voiced his concerns, it wouldn't matter. Orochimaru, Jiraiya, and the others wouldn't back down just because he warned them of the threat.
Only Tsunade—big, cute, and blessed in all the right places—might actually listen to him.
But even then, retreating wasn't an option. If they didn't hold Hanzō back, Konoha's forces on other fronts would suffer devastating losses.
After careful consideration, Uchiha Shin nodded slightly and chose not to interfere.
For now, the plan was solid.
The only question was—when Hanzō made his move, would he be able to stop him? Would he survive the encounter?
He had never fought a true Kage-level opponent before. He couldn't be sure.
"No matter what, I won't die—even if I lose."
He clenched his fists, feeling the power surging within his Sharingan. Even if he couldn't manifest the complete form of Susanoo yet, he was confident he could stand against the so-called 'Demigod' of the shinobi world.
Excitement stirred in his chest, overpowering any fear.
Meanwhile, within Amegakure, Hanzō stood before his assembled forces—hundreds of Ame-nin, their faces hard with determination.
Gazing down at them, Hanzō felt a surge of pride.
From the moment he implanted the venom sac of the deadly Black Salamander into his own body as a child, he had clawed his way to power. From a mere warrior to the undisputed leader of Amegakure. From a feared shinobi to a legend whispered across nations.
Now, with war at his doorstep, he was prepared.
Amegakure's inevitable defeat was something he had already foreseen.
Not because he was weak—far from it.
But because his village was too small. Even Sunagakure, the weakest of the Five Great Shinobi Villages, could crush them if it came down to raw power.
So, this wasn't a battle he needed to win outright.
No.
This was about sending a message to the world.
Even if Amegakure fell to Konoha, it wouldn't be a loss. It would prove to the world that they were strong enough to challenge the Leaf.
War had long plagued Amegakure due to its unfortunate location, caught between the borders of major nations. Shinobi from all villages waged their battles on its soil, leaving the people of Rain Country to suffer.
This war was his answer to that injustice.
And now, he had to solidify his gains.
Recently, Amegakure had crushed the Land of Iron's forces, raiding their wealth, capturing their women, and expanding their territory.
Now, as the Land of Wind and the Land of Fire clashed, he had seized even more land.
What mattered now was holding onto those gains—making sure Amegakure didn't just fight, but emerged stronger than ever.
To do that, he needed to cripple Konoha's will to fight.
If Tsunade cracked his poisons, all of this would be for nothing.
He had to act before that happened.
"Amegakure will rise!"
"The world will know that we are a force to be reckoned with!"
"Advance!"
With that final war cry, Hanzō led his army forward, hundreds of Ame-nin marching toward Konoha's camp.
From a distance, Uchiha Shin sensed the approaching army.
He sighed at Hanzō's speech.
Amegakure could barely scrape together a hundred elite fighters, and yet here they were, making dramatic proclamations. Was the pre-battle speech really necessary?
Suppressing a chuckle, he turned toward his allies.
"They're coming."
Orochimaru, his pale face twisted into a grin, gave a low chuckle. "Your sensory skills are remarkable, Uchiha Shin. It saves us a great deal of effort."
Despite his eerie demeanor, Shin knew Orochimaru was genuinely complimenting him.
And at least Orochimaru was polite.
Aside from his unsettling aura… he wasn't all that bad.
Uchiha Shin nodded in acknowledgment. "How are the preparations?"
Jiraiya crossed his arms. "Most of our forces have moved out. Traps are set along their path."
Tsunade stepped forward, pulling out a handful of small vials.
"These are antidote pills I developed on short notice."
Her voice was firm, but there was a hint of strain. "They won't completely neutralize the Salamander's poison, but they'll suppress its effects long enough for treatment. They're safe to use."
The others immediately took the antidotes, grateful for the precaution.
Meanwhile, as Hanzō's forces advanced, they were met with a relentless barrage of explosive traps.
BOOM!!!
Another trap ignited, sending shockwaves through the battlefield. The already small Ame-nin army lost several more men in an instant.
The war had begun.
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