At the entrance to the Hidden Rain Village, the morning mist had yet to disperse.
Tsunade stood by the roadside, her eyes faintly red—clearly the result of a sleepless night… or rather, a night spent being thoroughly worn out.
As she helped Tobirama straighten his collar, she nagged nonstop.
"Be careful on your way back to the village.
Even if the Old Man agreed to your conditions, that old dog Danzō definitely won't stay quiet.
If anyone dares to make trouble for you, don't swallow it. Use Flying Thunder God and come back immediately—I'll deal with them myself!"
This was Tsunade through and through.
Even now, basking in the sweetness of their relationship, her protective nature hadn't softened in the slightest.
Tobirama took her hand and pressed a kiss to the smooth back of it.
"Relax. With such a fierce little tigress guarding the house, how could I, as your man, let outsiders bully me?"
"Go to hell! Who are you calling a tigress?!"
Tsunade punched him lightly, though the corners of her lips betrayed her smile.
"Alright already—get lost!"
"…Come back soon. I'll be waiting for you in Amegakure."
Tobirama smiled, said nothing more, turned around, and waved.
"I'm heading out."
At his side, Konan—carrying a small backpack—bowed obediently to Tsunade.
"Goodbye, Mistress!"
That single word made Tsunade's heart bloom. Her face flushed bright red.
She watched the two figures disappear into the distance, then reached up to touch her burning cheeks.
Lately… life seemed to be filled with things worth looking forward to.
---
Once they left the Hidden Rain Village, the terrain grew treacherous.
Half the path was muddy swamp, the other half dense jungle.
"Master, why are we taking this route?" Konan asked.
The backpack on her shoulders was nearly bigger than she was, yet she didn't complain, sticking close behind him.
"Because some people are eager to invite me for tea," Tobirama replied coldly. "So I'm giving them the chance."
A faint sneer tugged at his lips, though his pace remained unhurried.
"Come, Konan. These conditions are perfect."
"Today's first lesson—chakra control."
"Focus your chakra on the soles of your feet. Let it adhere to the surface like suction—firm, but not excessive."
As he spoke, Tobirama demonstrated, casually walking up a vertical tree as though it were flat ground.
Konan's eyes lit up as she mimicked him.
Bang!
After only two steps, her chakra destabilized. The bark exploded outward, and she landed hard on her backside.
"Clumsy," Tobirama said flatly.
Despite his words, he still reached out, pulled her up, and carefully brushed the mud from her clothes.
"Don't rush. Take it slow."
---
Deep within the jungle's shadows—
"Target confirmed! Uchiha Tobirama—only one child accompanying him!"
"The route checks out! This intel came directly from Lord Danzō!"
On both sides of the forest, a group of ragged, vicious-looking bounty hunters wiped down their weapons.
"Fifty million ryō…"
The scar-faced leader licked his lips, greed gleaming in his eyes.
"Kill him, and we'll live like kings at the bounty station for the rest of our lives!"
"But boss, didn't this kid kill Hanzō?"
"Bullshit!" Scarface spat. "A twelve-year-old? Konoha cooked that up to boost morale! Hanzō was obviously taken down by the Sannin!"
"Yeah! Let's do it!"
Farther away, atop the treetops, shinobi from Kumogakure and puppet masters from Sunagakure lay in wait like venomous snakes.
They weren't in a hurry.
They would let the cannon fodder go first—wear him down.
---
"Master… something feels wrong."
Konan, practicing water walking, suddenly froze.
Tobirama raised a finger to his lips.
Standing atop the water, ripples slowly spread beneath his feet.
"Konan, today's second lesson."
"What to do when someone wants your life."
The moment he finished speaking—
"Kill him!"
The surrounding brush exploded.
More than a dozen grotesque bounty hunters charged out, swinging blades and kunai, shrieking wildly.
"The fifty million ryō is mine!"
"Die, brat!"
Low-level ninjutsu poured in from every direction—fireballs, wind blades, shuriken—sealing all escape routes.
Konan's face went pale as she instinctively began forming hand seals.
Then a warm hand gently closed around hers.
In the next instant—
His figure vanished.
"Body Flicker Technique!"
Not Flying Thunder God—just pure physical speed.
But enhanced by the Three-Tomoe Sharingan, it was more than enough for this rabble.
Slash!
A flash of steel.
The scar-faced leader still wore a grin as his vision began to spin.
He saw a headless body still charging forward.
…Was that me?
Tobirama moved through the crowd like a phantom, blade flashing.
No wasted motion.
Sidestep—avoid the kunai.
Swing—throat severed.
Kick—heart crushed.
"Ah!"
"My arm!"
"He's a monster! The intel was wrong—run!"
Moments ago, they were ferocious hunters. Now they were lambs awaiting slaughter, screaming in terror.
Everything they had learned, everything they'd relied on, meant nothing before this youth.
Those crimson eyes—
The last sight of their lives.
"Run?" Tobirama sneered, flicking the blood from his blade.
"Since you're here, stay and become fertilizer."
"Uchiha Style: Sword of Fire!"
Flames ignited along the blade.
A crimson arc of sword energy swept forward.
The final five bounty hunters were cleaved cleanly in half at the waist.
Blood splattered across the leaves, dripping in a steady rhythm.
Ten seconds.
That was all it took.
Corpses littered the ground—no survivors.
Tobirama stood among the bodies, calmly shaking the blood from his blade. His black coat remained spotless, not even wrinkled.
Faced with the carnage, Konan turned deathly pale, nearly retching—but she forced it down.
Because her Master was watching.
"This is the ninja world," Tobirama said coolly.
"To show mercy to your enemies is to be cruel to yourself."
"Do you remember that?"
Konan bit her lip and nodded firmly. "I remember, Master!"
Tobirama smiled in satisfaction.
Then—
He turned toward the seemingly empty forest to the left.
The Three-Tomoe Sharingan spun slowly, radiating chilling pressure.
"You've watched long enough. Come out."
"Shinobi of the Land of Lightning. Puppet masters of the Land of Wind."
"Hiding like that—aren't you embarrassed?"
The wind swept through the treetops.
Silence.
Then—
"Hmph. As expected of a sensory expert."
"Seems those bounty hunters didn't die for nothing."
Figures burst from the shadows, fanning out to surround Tobirama and Konan.
To the left—elite Kumogakure Anbu, dark-skinned bodies crackling with Lightning Release.
To the right—Sunagakure jōnin, controlling eerie puppets.
At least thirty of them.
Every one radiated chakra far beyond the earlier cannon fodder.
"Uchiha Tobirama."
The Kumogakure leader drew his blade, lightning dancing along its edge.
"Your head is worth too much—and you're far too dangerous."
"Today, this place will be your grave!"
Konan clutched the hem of Tobirama's coat with trembling fingers.
"Master…"
"It's fine."
Tobirama patted her hand and stepped in front of her.
Facing the elite forces of two major villages, he showed no fear.
Instead, he sheathed his sword and lazily cracked his neck.
"Is that everyone?"
His gaze swept the area, finally settling on the deeper shadows where Danzō's Root lay hidden.
An arrogant smile curved his lips.
"Come at me together."
"I'm in a hurry."
"After all, I still need to get back to Konoha."