Inside the Hokage's office, the Third fell into deep thought while looking at the two intelligence reports brought back by Yugao. His brows furrowed tightly—this was the worst-case scenario.
The battlefield in Kumo had already dragged Konoha into a quagmire of war. If Hurricane Operation proved true, Konoha would be teetering on the edge of destruction. Thinking about the trust placed in him by his mentor, the Second Hokage, the Third quickly regained his composure and eased his anxious emotions before speaking to Yugao. "You've done well. Rest for now—it won't be long before we have little time left for respite once the war begins."
Yugao replied, "Yes."
"B, come here."
The Anbu who had met with Anya earlier appeared.
Handing over the report, the Third told him, "Deliver this information to Jiraiya. He must be extremely cautious regarding Iwagakure's movements. Reinforce our defenses."
B responded with "Yes" and prepared to leave after receiving the report.
"Wait," the Third hesitated briefly before continuing. "Send one of the Anbu to duplicate the documents and deliver them to Minato. Let him act independently as the battle unfolds."
This showed just how much the Third trusted Minato. Across all of Konoha, only Minato possessed the speed required to operate across two battlefronts simultaneously.
Understanding immediately, B nodded and vanished from the room.
Kumo and Iwa were temporarily taken care of, but Sunagakure still remained. According to intelligence, they had mobilized five thousand troops. Judging from that number alone, Konoha no longer had spare forces to counter Sunagakure.
Relying solely on Anya's efforts might buy some time through assassinations, but she was powerless against an army of ninja. The Third found himself overwhelmed and unable to make any decisions.
After a long silence, he let out a sigh and disappeared from the office.
Later, the Third reappeared alone at Konoha Hospital. Seeing injured patients everywhere and medical ninja working frantically moved him deeply.
He didn't disturb anyone and made his way toward the critical ward, where Tsunade was treating wounded shinobi. Shizune noticed his arrival first and was about to call out—
The Third shook his head at Shizune, signaling her to continue assisting Tsunade.
Nodding, Shizune began helping Tsunade from the side. There were almost as many severely injured shinobi inside as there were outside. It was overwhelming for Tsunade to handle everything on her own, although thankfully her summoned creature, Katsuyu, could keep their lives stable temporarily, allowing her to treat each patient one by one.
When they finished treating this round, Tsunade exhaled in relief and wiped sweat off her forehead jokingly saying, "Old man, aren't you supposed to be running around dealing with chaos right now? What brings you here?"
The Third chuckled softly and said, "Just came to check up on you and chat a bit."
Tsunade gave him a questioning look. "Oh? Chat about what?"
The moment he spoke, she was stunned.
"Do you want to become Hokage?"
Tsunade's expression changed instantly. She realized something was wrong and asked cautiously, "Has the military situation changed again? Was Konoha defeated once more?"
Shaking his head lightly, the Third smiled slightly. "No need to worry. The current situation is relatively stable. I just came here for a casual chat, like a teacher talking to his student."
"Tch."
Tsunade pouted and said, "No interest, old man. Let someone else handle this responsibility. After the war ends, I want to live my own life."
"With Anya?"
Tsunade's face flushed slightly but she didn't deny it.
Seeing this, The Third couldn't help sighing. It seemed their relationship had progressed faster than he'd imagined. However...
"He actually agreed?"
Tsunade firmly replied, "Yes, we've already made plans together."
Standing nearby, Shizune clearly hadn't expected to accidentally overhear such big news. She immediately recalled the scene from years ago when she had accidentally walked in on them hugging tightly. Secretly proud of herself, she thought, I really wasn't wrong after all.
"Well then, let me give you my blessings first." The Third's face briefly showed happiness before he pretended to be relaxed as he continued, "But for now, Konoha will have to rely on you."
"What do you mean by that? Are you leaving?" Tsunade finally sensed something was off. "Something definitely happened, right? Old man, tell me what exactly is going on."
"Ahhh." Knowing Tsunade's personality well, The Third understood that without explaining clearly to her, he probably wouldn't get away with it. Eventually, he still handed over that intelligence report about Hurricane Operation.
After finishing reading the report, Tsunade's expression became complicated. She clearly understood Konoha's current situation. If this intelligence proved accurate, there simply weren't enough ninja within Konoha to respond. At present, the village barely had three hundred ninja total—including those injured.
Tsunade understood The Third's plan: "So you're planning to face Sunagakure's 5,000-strong army alone?"
The Third already had his mind made up and analyzed, "There's a natural barrier between us and the Land of Wind—Mount Hakuto. We've long kept Konoha ninja stationed there, nearly one thousand strong. If I personally go there to command, I believe we can hold them off for a long time. Besides, Sand also suffered heavy losses during the Third Battle. They won't dare engage us in a war of attrition."
Tsunade volunteered, "In that case, let me go instead."
The Third refused, "No way. Your abilities only work effectively at close range. Puppet masters from Sunagakure can easily counter you. Plus, Anya is already there. With him around, Sunagakure's poisons won't stand a chance against us."
Tsunade grew anxious, "But you know what'll happen if the village lacks a Kage. Sand serves as an example of that very problem."
"Enough, my decision is final." The Third spoke solemnly, "I'm the one who inherited the First and Second Hokage's spirits. I firmly believe the will of fire can illuminate our entire village, enabling new leaves to sprout. When we fight to protect the ones we love most, that's when real ninja strength comes out. Therefore, I won't fail, and neither will Konoha."
After saying these words, The Third nodded toward Tsunade and turned to leave.
"Please return safely... all of you," Tsunade murmured softly as she watched The Third's retreating figure.
Eight days later, as expected, Hurricane Operation commenced right on schedule.
The Tsuchikage of Iwagakure led ten thousand troops in a fierce attack against Konoha's stronghold. At the same time, Rasa's "five thousand" strong Sunagakure forces also advanced to Konoha's borders. The great war had fully erupted, and the Third Battle reached its most intense stage.
Tsunade, who had long been prepared, issued orders from the Hokage's office, ordering the village into a state of maximum alert. All ninja immediately took their designated positions as previously arranged.
Under the guidance of several Chunin, all villagers in Konoha entered protective bunkers. Although visibly nervous, the villagers found comfort in the memory of the Third Hokage's greatness. They calmly followed the Chunin in an orderly manner.
<><><><><><><><>
Thank you for reading! Your support will keep me updating!
~ Every 50 Powerstones = **4 Bonus Chapters** this weekend!
<><><><><><><><>
Want to read the subsequent content in advance?
Please follow my Patreon:patreon/Tansnovel
Tans Novel - The Fastest-Updating Naruto Fanfiction Account
Read 100+ chapters in advance, with at least 3 new chapters updated every day! More free chapters! 20+ Naruto fanfictions!
Just three steps:
1. Download and open the "Patreon" app
2. Search for "Tans Novel"
3. Click on the collection and enjoy to your heart's content
<><><><><><><><>