Tsunade arrived on the battlefield like a meteor, smashing the Deva Path flat in a single blow. The remaining two Paths of Pain were swiftly destroyed soon after.
By then, she had already summoned Katsuyu, who was in the process of treating two critically injured Senju jōnin.
"What was the deal with those guys?" Tsunade asked grimly.
Nawaki shook his head. "I don't know. The moment we reached the ancestral grounds, they attacked. If you hadn't arrived in time, Sister Tsunade… Uncle Sanchen would still"
Tsunade clenched her teeth. "Those bastards have been quiet for too long. I let my guard down. I never thought they'd target you again."
Nawaki froze. "Again?"
Tsunade glanced at him. "You really don't remember? When you were little, someone broke into Konoha and went after you. If Grandma Mito hadn't arrived in time, you wouldn't be here. You were unconscious for weeks afterward."
Nawaki's eyes widened slowly. "That's why those eyes felt familiar… They're the reason Great-Grandfather kept me under watch and didn't let me fight in the Second Shinobi War!"
Daoyama nodded in realization. "Now that you mention it… I remember them too."
Tsunade nodded once, then suddenly frowned and turned south.
Two Uchiha elders and Uchiha Yunchu finally arrived on the scene.
"Tsunade?" The elders stared at the battlefield in disbelief. "You already finished them off? That's great! Hurry, come with us! The clan head and the others are fighting Ancestor Madara!"
"Madara?" Tsunade's brow furrowed. "Uchiha Madara?"
"That's right, there's no time!"
Tsunade withdrew the chakra from her palms and stood, shaking her head slightly.
"I'm afraid… we can't go."
The elders' faces darkened. One of them was about to protest when Yunchu grabbed his sleeve.
"Elders, someone's coming from the west."
From the forested hills to the west, a young man with twin topknots stepped forward slowly.
Tsunade's expression hardened as she locked onto his eyes.
"I knew something felt off when I hit those earlier ones," she said coldly. "Puppets? Constructs?"
She raised her voice.
"Nawaki, Daoyama, Itachi stay sharp. This one probably carries all the abilities of the previous six. He's not just stronger than them individually…"
She paused.
"He's stronger than all six put together."
Meanwhile — Konoha Village, Hokage's Office
Hiashi Hyuga's expression changed abruptly as he maintained his Byakugan.
"Hokage-sama! A new enemy has appeared on the Senju front. The chakra level is enormous. Comparable to Uchiha Madara!"
Hiruzen shot to his feet and waved his hand. An ANBU operative appeared instantly.
"Shinnosuke notify the heads of the Ino–Shika–Chō clans and the Aburame clan. Have them assemble and move to the Senju ancestral grounds immediately. Also send word to the Land of Whirlpools."
After issuing his orders, Hiruzen removed his Hokage robes, revealing his battle gear beneath.
"This enemy is likely the same one responsible for the annihilation of that other nation," he said grimly. "Tsunade and the others won't hold for long. Hiashi, we're going ahead."
Konoha Village — Tenten's Home
A chubby cat sat on the table, twitching its nose as the scent of cooking drifted in from the kitchen.
"Meow?"
Its round face creased with confusion as it sniffed the air again.
"Someone just rushed out of Konoha… and that old guy they call the Hokage too?"
The cat smacked its lips.
"Meh. Not my problem. Dinner's almost ready. Too bad that chef named Indra still isn't back…"
Its expression darkened as it recalled last year's holiday disaster.
"That old geezer isn't planning to ruin my feast again, is he?"
The cat's eyes gleamed with poorly concealed mischief.
"Good thing I learned a trick. Strike first."
It bit its paw.
"Reverse Summoning Technique!"
Land of Whirlpools — Ichiraku Ramen
All the chairs and tables had been stacked against the walls. In their place sat an enormous round table crafted from Wood Release.
The surface was covered in food an elaborate spread prepared over the course of the morning by Akio, Sara, and Konan.
Akio sat at the head of the table, gently knocking Naruto's impatient chopsticks aside before surveying the younger generation.
"It's been a long time since we were all together," he said with a smile. "This old man won't give a speech. Eat well. Drink well. That's all."
He paused.
"Oh, almost forgot about that one."
Akio bit his finger.
"Summoning Technique!"
"…Huh?" He blinked. "Why does using a summoning jutsu feel like I'm being pulled?"
"Where is this taking me?"
Poof! Poof!
Two bursts of smoke later, Akio vanished. In his place, a chubby cat sat on his chair.
"Uh…?" Kushina blinked. "Great-grandpa summoned the cat… so where did he go?"
The cat stared around in confusion.
"Meow?! Why am I still the one summoned?! Did the human-pet summoning fail?!"
Its face fell, until it noticed the food.
Kushina jolted upright as nine red tails slowly unfurled behind her.
The cat froze.
"…Right. You've got more tails. You win. There goes my dinner."
Back in Konoha — Tenten's House
Akio sat at Tenten's dining table, staring around in disbelief as the situation finally sank in.
"This is… Tenten's place?" His eye twitched. "That cat is asking for trouble."
"Fish is ready!" Tenten emerged from the kitchen, then froze when she saw Akio sitting there.
Akio scratched his head awkwardly.
"If I said I was the cat in human form… you wouldn't believe me, right?"
Tenten's eyes immediately welled up.
"I remember you," she said softly. "You're the red-haired uncle… the cat's owner. Are you here to take him away?"
Seeing her on the verge of tears, Akio hurriedly waved his hands.
"No, no...don't worry. He'll be back soon."
"Really?" She hesitated, then held out the plate. "Then… have some fish."
"I just helped cook an entire banquet," Akio sighed, standing up. "I'll pass."
His figure vanished in a flash as he left Konoha.
He was about to return to the Land of Whirlpools when he suddenly stopped and looked west.
"…What's going on over there?"
His form flickered repeatedly as he reappeared two kilometers west of Konoha.
"South… that's Madara. North that chakra's unfamiliar. The bastard who took the Rinnegan? Edo Tensei, maybe… from Danzō's stash?"
He pieced it together quickly.
"So Tsunade and Nawaki ran into trouble."
"Shadow Clone Technique!"
He studied the clone formed with roughly thirty percent of his chakra, hesitating briefly.
"You feel Madara's chakra, right? Go handle that side."
The clone raised an eyebrow and left.
Akio grimaced. "Don't do anything stupid."
He himself headed straight for the Senju ancestral grounds, his expression filled with reluctant resolve.
Leaving Madara to his clone felt like giving up something precious but sometimes, sacrifices had to be made.
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