The small incident passed quickly, and Sora didn't see the exciting scene he'd been expecting.
"Kid, enjoyed the show? Want to come to big sister's place tonight for a closer look?"
After Mei Terumi left, Tsunade gave Sora a flirtatious yet dangerous glance. Despite her charming eyes, Sora distinctly felt a hint of killing intent.
Bang! Without waiting for his answer, Tsunade's fist mercilessly slammed onto his head. "Kid, remember clearly—she's not simple. Stay away from her."
"I know, I know! She was just trying to probe me; I knew it from the start." Sora grimaced, holding his rapidly swelling head as tears nearly flowed from the intense pain.
Hearing this, Tsunade briefly froze before quickly regaining her composure. She repeatedly reminded herself: This kid is abnormal—she couldn't compare herself to him. It wasn't just his terrifying strength; today he even surpassed her in emotional control, making her feel silly for having rushed over to protect him.
The rest of the matches that day passed uneventfully. The sixteen Kage-level shinobi advanced without a single upset.
After the day's matches ended, pairings for the next round were drawn:
Match 1: Tsunade vs. Sarutobi Hiruzen
Match 2: Rasa vs. Jiraiya
Match 3: Killer B vs. Kushina
Match 4: Orochimaru vs. Minato
Match 5: Mei Terumi vs. Roshi
Match 7: Onoki vs. Uchiha Fugaku
Match 8: A (Fourth Raikage) vs. Sora
After learning of his opponent, Sora casually returned home to continue perfecting advanced variations of the Rasengan.
While all the great ninja villages were gathered in Konoha, the Akatsuki Organization seized the opportunity.
With the strongest shinobi away from their respective villages, this moment presented Akatsuki the perfect chance to strike.
Four days before the Ninja Dao Tournament began, Black Zetsu delivered detailed intelligence back to Akatsuki. Nagato confirmed that each village was severely weakened, prompting Akatsuki to move immediately.
"Kakuzu, go to the Sand Village and capture the One-Tail. Move quickly and return before Rasa and the others get back."
"Kisame, the Five-Tails left Konoha; intercept him on his way back to the Stone Village and bring him here."
"Deidara, you'll handle the Seven-Tails. Your ability to fly gives you the fastest mobility; you're best suited for this."
"As for the Six-Tails, Sasori, I'll leave it to you."
Nagato's Rinnegan glowed faintly as he spoke, his tone carrying a stern warning.
"Fine. I'll complete the mission."
"Hahaha! Art is an explosion! I'll definitely bring back my target with my artistic explosions!"
"The One-Tail is just a kid; there's not even a bounty on him. Well, I'll reluctantly go."
Each member showed varying degrees of enthusiasm before setting out from the Rain Village toward their targets.
Nagato sighed softly, "We have too few members right now. It would be ideal if everyone worked in pairs."
Confused, Konan asked, "Nagato, didn't we agree to lay low for a few more years? Why are you acting now?"
Nagato's sudden decision surprised her. He hadn't expressed such intentions until this very meeting. Yet, as soon as the discussion started, he'd immediately made these drastic plans, completely contradicting their prior strategy.
Nagato's unexpected change could only mean two things: either he no longer trusted her, or something external had drastically influenced him. A vague anxiety filled Konan's heart, leaving her uncertain about the future.
"The villages are vulnerable now—it's the perfect chance for us to capture four Tailed Beasts. The remaining five are all in Konoha, beyond our reach for now. Once my Rinnegan reaches its full potential, I will become a god. No one will stop me from gathering the remaining Tailed Beasts. Soon—very soon!" Nagato passionately declared, covering his eyes, his fervor deeply unsettling Konan.
Unaware of Akatsuki's actions, everyone in Konoha focused solely on the upcoming matches.
At the tournament grounds, Tsunade and Sarutobi Hiruzen took their places on stage. With half the contestants being from Konoha, matchups between allies were inevitable.
"Old man, don't expect me to hold back today. I've got some old scores to settle!" Tsunade's voice brimmed with barely suppressed anger.
She had long resented Sarutobi. He was undoubtedly complicit in the Senju Clan's decline, aware yet tolerant of Danzo's shady dealings. If it hadn't been for Kushina, she never would've returned to Konoha.
Now presented with a legitimate chance for revenge, Tsunade wouldn't hesitate—only stopping short of killing him.
Hiruzen smiled bitterly, "I've made many mistakes in the past. Let's give it our all in this fight between master and student."
"Strength of a Hundred: Superhuman Strength!" Tsunade shouted, her delicate fist fiercely smashing toward Hiruzen's face.
"Earth Style: Earth Wall!" Hiruzen's response was swift, deserving of his nickname 'The Professor.'
Yet Tsunade's seemingly petite fist effortlessly shattered the formidable earthen barrier.
Watching their intense battle, Jiraiya's eyes twitched in sympathy. This was far too ruthless.
However, remembering what happened whenever he annoyed Tsunade, he thought this might actually be reasonable.
Elbowing Sora lightly, Jiraiya asked quietly, "Hey, kid, who do you think will win, Tsunade or our teacher?"
Orochimaru and Uchiha Fugaku also turned toward Sora, equally curious.
"Probably Tsunade," Sora paused briefly before explaining, "The Third Hokage is getting older; his strength has declined significantly. Tsunade is currently at her peak, with superior chakra reserves. She'll likely win."
Though he spoke logically, his true thoughts differed greatly.
Tsunade was of the Senju Clan, directly descended from the Sage of Six Paths, while Sarutobi was merely an ordinary human with no special lineage. In essence, Tsunade belonged to the Ōtsutsuki lineage. Didn't they say "Naruto" was actually about the intrigues of the Ōtsutsuki family?
How could an ordinary person like Sarutobi possibly defeat her?
Of course, Sora kept these thoughts strictly to himself.
As expected, after an intense battle lasting over half an hour, Tsunade completely crushed Sarutobi's techniques. Eventually, with Hiruzen's chakra exhausted, Tsunade landed a powerful punch squarely onto his aged face.
When he finally fell unconscious, his nose was visibly flattened—a pitiful sight.
"Whew—that felt great!"
Having released her pent-up frustration, Tsunade felt lighter than ever before.
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