Naruto : Saga of Tanya the Kunoichi

"Impossible!"

Tsunade slammed her table, standing in questioning to the ANBU kneeling in front of her.

"It's confirmed, Tsunade-sama. Kirigakure Shinobi are seen around the border and the islands at the East."

"... You may leave." Tsunade sat back down, reading the reports.

She bit her thumb in worry and apprehension.

"Kirigakure… what's the meaning of this…!"

"Tsunade-sama…" Shizune was worried seeing as she looked so stressed.

I will send an envoy asking for an explanation. Konoha couldn't afford war with all Shinobi villages. This… 

But in a matter of days, Tsunade only received news that the envoy lost contact. Most likely dead entirely.

Damn it… what can I do… What can Konoha do…? 

She slumped on her table. They are on the verge of war. The resources already gathered, bases prepared, supplies deployed.

Almost like a volcano waiting to erupt. If one made a move, like a domino effect they would all move.

None of the request of treaty and envoys sent for explanations and intermediation works.

Kumogakure unreasonably asks for their aerial technology and lots of lands for peace, and money too. As expected of Kumongrels.

If it's Hiruzen maybe that old guy would acquiesce.

Sunagakure asks for lands as well, also some form of law of trade and tariffs between two nations.

Iwagakure wants lands too and money.

Kirigakure? Not a reply at all. Yet they broke out of their isolation and the first thing they did was seemingly to prepare for a fight.

These shameless people…

The table almost broke from the pressure.

Can I really protect Konoha…? She wonders if she should ask the Daimyo to just surrender and try to lessen their losses before it escalates. That sounds unreasonable.

Because if that happens, they would get greedy for more. Land of Fire would be… teared into 4, dissolved into nothing and disappeared from the world map.

Then where would Konoha go? They would have no place… perhaps would be destroyed in the end. As for being absorbed into other Shinobi villages? That's a stupid thought. 

Konoha would disappear along with the Land of Fire. Where can they go? Become mercenary nin? Executed by an enemy hidden village? Would she suggest Konoha disband and just run away now? That's too absurd.

We can't… surrender…

Tsunade felt her heart ache at the thought of sending the people of Konoha to fight a losing battle.

This means… on average it's 2000 Shinobi against 10,000 on each front now.

She almost burst out laughing at such an unreasonable number. But usually what matters more was the true elites. She gained intel from Danzo that Iwa might have contracted with mercenary nin Akatsuki - the same organisation that has S rank nin Kisame and Itachi; and once harbored Orochimaru in them. 

Danzo is right. What am I dreaming about? None of them wanted to sign the treaty… They all wanted war and now Konoha for once is besieged from all sides.

Do I follow Iwa example and hire mercenaries as well? Who am I joking to? These people would run away once they realise Konoha is fighting a losing battle.

She tries to count on the golden cards Konoha has - those that change the battlefield. Myself, Jiraiya, Might Guy, Kakashi.

Then obviously Tsuyu.

… As for Naruto… he can access two tails safely from all the training he has done so far to tame it. Go 3 tails he already lost control. Though she believed Naruto could be helpful now, she trusted him.

Konoha had 24 members of the Aerial Shinobi Unit… this unit too is Konoha's golden card.

As for the enemies… Suna's jinchuriki from Konoha's intel were said to be just the same age as Naruto. Hopefully they couldn't control their power yet. Chiyo is already old. Rasa is a serious threat, but the Aerial Shinobi Unit can handle him. 

Iwagakure may not be exactly rich. But their elites are numerous. Their Weightless Corp, Onoki, two jinchuriki that can use their powers fully, even creating tailed beast bombs. As for S rank nin they might have hired… considering this Iwa may be as dangerous as Kumo.

Kumogakure had A and Killer B, then Yugito. She might have an even better control of 2-control by now. Though the overall strength of Kumo is better than the rest.

Kirigakure… She can only think of their Mizukage, Yagura, a perfect Jinchuriki. A lot of their elites already dispersed and went rogue. But each of their soldiers are ruthless and specialise in assasination and killing.

She spread out the map of Shinobi World. 

I may be needed against Suna. They must have concocted even more malicious poisons… But their combat strength itself is the weakest other than that. Rasa is a problem but the 2nd Company of Aerial Shinobi Unit can be placed to handle him.

Tsuyu and by extension the Unit Tengu can be placed either on the front against Iwa or Kumo. Or both given their mobility.

Jiraiya could stay against Iwa as well as it's expected they have more S rank nin. Might Guy and Kakashi are good partners and can hold Kumogakure. Though it's clear these two cannot win against Kumo if they brought all A,B, and 2-tails jinchuriki. But those two are fast, surviving won't be a problem. Tsuyu could support if needed.

Team 7 will be placed on the front against Sunagakure. As for their squad captain, I will assign Yamato as their new one since Kakashi will be needed elsewhere and Naruto's control of 9 tails is important.

Kirigakure… it's just Yagura that's a real threat. It can't be helped that there's not enough hands. I guess if he does come out Tsuyu will have to handle him.

Huh? I am relying on her for 3 fronts?

Her expression turned to that of an exasperation. She looked up at the portraits of the Hokage before her.

Grandfather, what would you do if you were in my place? Oh. Why am I asking? You are too strong and no one dared to mess with Konoha back when you were alive.

She takes another deep breath. Looking at the time. She needed a break. She wanted to go gambling but she couldn't… not at this time. Perhaps among all Hokage, she carried the most burden. She asked one of her shadow guards to call Sakura so she can train her as a part of her rest time.

***

"Chanaro!" Sakura punched the boulder, creating cracks that spread like a spiderweb, eventually destroying it completely.

"Ha…ha…" Sakura wiped the sweat from her neck, her shaking arm already turned stable. A smile graced her lips from her improvements.

"Good progress. But remember, your first task as a medic nin is to save."

"... Unless you have mastered Byakugou seal and Creation Rebirth."

"Yes, Tsunade-sama! I am still trying to learn them."

"... Sakura. Do you feel ready?"

"Ready… for what Tsunade-sama?".

"As a medic nin, you will have to heal countless Shinobi. You will see them get injured each day. You will have those you fail to save. Even among your friends."

"... I am ready, Tsunade-sama." Sakura words were solemn, but firm.

Tsunade looked at her expression. Sakura was a transformed person, already turning into a real Shinobi. She feels assured over her disciple.

"Good. It won't be too long before you will have to go out there."

Sakura clenched her fist, knowing the future that awaits Konoha. 

Sasuke-kun, Naruto, I won't hold you two back.

"Let's end this for today. I have a lot of matters to settle."

"Yes, Tsunade-sama."

But even when Tsunade left, Sakura never stopped her training.

Tsunade went ahead towards Konoha Research Institute underground. Eventually walking towards the Special Research Department.

As she walked in, she saw a few living subjects used in human experimentation.

Yes, she approved of them. These people are enemy spies and enemy Shinobi caught around the borders. Since they were enemies she doesn't feel anything for them. The only good thing about this is human experimentation can be done without much of her moral dilemma. She still felt uncomfortable inwardly but being the Hokage already turned her darker.

"How is the progress?"

"Tsunade-sama, it's close to completion. But the side effects remained…"

"... Give me all your recent reports and data."

"Yes Tsunade-sama."

Tsunade went to check on Jugo living there, seeing he's doing fine and treated like a normal person, she returned to her Hokage office to read them. She makes notations and her own thoughts as a PhD holder of medicine in the Shinobi world.

To perfect the seal and collection of natural energy, I believe samples from Katsuyu and toads from mount Myoboku could be useful…

Tsunade summoned a little Katsuyu, giving a little explanation and permission before taking just a tiny bit of flesh from it. The slug can regenerate anyways.

As for the toads…

***

"What are you going to do with it?" Jiraiya was on a rooftop with a telescope trying to peek.

"It's for the sake of Konoha's future."

"Huh…? Wait… don't tell me… you are doing experiments for… that mark?"

"The senjutsu from that boy has similarity to the snakes of Ryuchi cave, with the side effect of madness inducement. I am making sure the power she has won't make her lose herself."

"...." Jiraiya turned his face around, unable to answer.

Tsunade can already guess he's reluctant. Jiraiya had always been the most naive among them, and perhaps his ideology doesn't go in line with what Tsuyu represents, and what giving power to her means.

"... I want to believe in peace, in a better way for this world, Tsunade. I am tired of it really…" He looked over at the streets of Konoha from high ground.

"... I feel the same… but I can't let the people of Konoha disappear just to cling to such naive thoughts." Tsunade turned around and left.

Jiraiya had a sad and guilty expression on his face. He realised even Tsunade wasn't as kind as she used to be. 

The failure to save Orochimaru from his darkness, when he saw Tsunade broke apart from losing Nawaki and Dan, and even the orphans he taught in Amegakure that died, the death of Minato, the two wars he go through, the deaths of countless comrades, all of those… in the end he's just a weary tired old man.

He understands Tsuyu may be the one who can save Konoha. But he knew by how. Her methods would only perpetuate the cycle of hatred…

He understood power could deter and let Konoha survive. But what she represents would leave a permanent mark in this world.

That every Shinobi village would fear her, fear Konoha, fear a future where someone as strong as her appeared even in the far future.

Even then, he didn't believe she on her own could make other shinobi villages submit to Konoha. She is only one person after all. At most, she would deter them, and war may end. But the conflict and tension would only grow bigger.

In time Konoha would once more plunge into war again, and again. Perhaps at the time he too wouldn't be living to see it.

When can true peace be achieved?

Despite his myriad thoughts, he won't stop her. He won't stop Tsunade from helping her. Though he's afraid to stain his own hand to contribute. Perhaps Tsunade and even Orochimaru were right. He was too naive…

A new prophecy passed to him made him turn to her instinctually. That's also why. And his guilt also came from this suspicion.

***

Tsuyu left two shadow clones in Konoha to settle her matters whether it's other sessions of Hell Camp or training the Shinobi in Aerial Shinobi Unit Subdivision.

While her real body was training on her own.

She summoned two shadow clones.

She focused on rotation and power, one focused on its condensation, the other focused on nature change.

The blue sphere of chakra slowly turned darker, condensed smaller, its rotation slowing down. But with addition of more earth natured chakra, the golf ball sized mass of condensed chakra grew bigger and bigger, it turned darker and darker, and on its completion a thick shell of translucent dark chakra covered the contained dense rotating chakra within. The ground beneath her feet caved in into a large crater from the amount of weight the core condensed has.

She raised it up high in the air, and like it's a baseball she threw it across the air.

Earth Release: Rasenbakudan!

Midair the earth nature infused Rasengan exploded, creating a massive shockwave blowing sand and dust to the surrounding area. The burst of chakra only lasted for half of a second unlike a normal Rasengan that uses rotation to grind and only explodes at the end. Rasenbakudan is equivalent to converting all chakra into one single direct explosive power. No fancy mechanism like cutting to a cellular level in Wind Release. Just a single point explosion from a highly condensed chakra.

Simple, crude, but effective.

Now that's good enough.

Though her real goal wasn't to infuse normal Earth release into her Rasengan. Sure, it's already strong and packs a powerful punch, and even throwable - yet not strong enough.

Taking a deep breath, her eyes turned scarlet red with hints of purple, accessing 9 tails chakra, Reibi and even Nue's.

She summoned 4 shadow clones this time to help her. The extra one is to maintain stability. To infuse Collapse Release into the rasengan, the last time she did it she almost died. If it's not for Flying Raijin she would be a goner.

As the Rasengan formed turned into a dense dark core… the dirt and dust as if following a trajectory gravitated around her. The surrounding vibrates from chakra fluctuation.

***

Weeks passed by. The conflicts around the border become lesser and lesser. But it's calm before the storm. It meant they had done enough preparations. It's as if the entire world was simmering… just on the tip of boiling over and exploding. 

Konoha, too, had been ready. The supply depot and its line, scouting towers, communication centers, military bases, were all prepared over the past months.

Tsunade announced war readiness seeing the calm before the storm. The atmosphere became heavy, the Military Council made its move after years, making placements of squads within the army. Many shinobi stayed within the village, those that are still out hopefully returned.

Team 7 met with their new squad captain Yamato. Seeing his wood release, he figured out it's the same guy who helped him train with Jiraiya to control 9 tails.

"Ah! So you are that wood guy Yamato-sensei! Only now do I know your face!" Yamato was always behind a mask whenever he made an appearance in front of Naruto.

"... Call me by my name please… kuhum."

"From now on I will be your squad captain to replace Kakashi. I hope we can work well together."

Naruto grumbled.

"I missed Kakashi-sensei already." 

Sasuke had the same feelings, though more because there's no one to guide him anymore. 

Once he became Kakashi's sole disciple, Sasuke was taught the art of swordsmanship and already initiated. With the insight of Sharingan to copy him - and that Kakashi swordsmanship utilises Sharingan advantage, Sasuke's strength had increased by another point. Even as an imitation of Kakashi, his movements are that of a Jonin. He never knew Kakashi can use swords.

Though Kakashi said it wasn't his style and dropped it eventually. Perhaps there was more story behind why he stopped using a sword but Sasuke wasn't a busybody like Naruto.

Perhaps it had something to do with the tanto he passed to him.

Sasuke took out the short sword from his back. The blade shimmered with almost white light when he passed chakra through it. Even when he used Chidori to coat them, the lightning turned white-blue. 

The tanto was in fact, White Light Chakra Sabre owned by Kakashi's late father Sakumo. The blade that shimmered with white light was the one that gave Sakumo the moniker White Fang. It was destroyed once but was repaired a long time ago. 

It's a sign of trust towards Sasuke. He has seen his growth. Perhaps his desire for revenge should be toned down but he saw his growth towards his squadmates. Even with Sakura. 

Kakashi almost saw himself in Sasuke when he saw him around Naruto and Sakura. Naruto is an idiot like Obito… Sakura, well if she wasn't violent to Naruto and wasn't a fan girl to Sasuke she would be like Rin.

Giving him the blade, and teaching him the art of swordsmanship was a sign of trust that Sasuke wouldn't go towards the dark path. He had his friends.

In fact, Kakashi is a good teacher once he puts in the effort. He is already able to control stage 2 of Lighting Flow Mode. Kakashi's mastery and insight in Lightning Release and jutsu helps a lot. Perhaps because Kakashi had seen a thousand jutsu with his Sharingan, he was able to guide Sasuke in perfecting his jutsu.

***

Afternoon, 23rd of March.

Flares shot up on the sky of Land of Snow. Border outposts of Land of Fire situated in the land invaded. The neutral town of Yukihana, a border trade town, was taken over in a matter of an hour and made into a military base. No declaration. No signs. 

Infrastructures were raised, the watchpowers originally held by Konoha shinobi were replaced by people wearing headbands with symbols of clouds.

Distress signals and reinforcements requests were sent quickly. Though by the time it reached Tsunade, it was too late.

Seeing the report on her hands, her hands were shaking slightly. It's already started… 

She takes a deep breath. She already expected this. It's just she didn't know those Kumongrels are so shameless they wouldn't even make an official declaration and just outright occupy a neutral town and make their base there. But given experience, those people had always been shameless. The trade town was a perfect main base, and perhaps they are considering using the people's resources for their own use.

Tsunade stood up, her eyes sharp and firm, the aura of Godaime exerted even causing the shadow guards nearby to feel heavy.

"Shizune, inform the others. Initiate emergency Joint Meeting with all Councils! At War Room, now!" Tsunade ordered her assistant.

Shizune's hold over Tonton made her pig squeal, her eyes turned sharp as she replied with a loud yes.

Konoha Council, Jonin Council, Military Council, representatives of ANBU, Intel Division, and other various departments and all clan heads of Konoha are gathered together in a matter of minutes. Tsuyu's shadow clone was informed and poofed away to inform her real body.

With Flying Raijin she appeared in Konoha.

Danzo appeared from the dark alongside her, already expecting this day to come. Kumo already made its first unabashed move. The other hidden village would follow suit like a domino effect.

"Kumogakure had breached our border, killed our shinobi, established a forward base and taken over the neutral town of Yukihana! This is a declaration for war!"

She turned to face the Konoha Council. "No more political games. As the Hokage, what matters now involves the survival of our people. At this time, I hope for all of you to unite with me for this one purpose."

She turned her gaze to Jonin Council. 

"You are the backbone of our forces. Your teams will be stretched thin, and you will have to lead tens to fight hundreds. Your mission is no longer just to kill a single person or to guard someone - this wasn't a commission. It's a duty to protect all of Konoha and the people under them. You will be the commander who will lead them to the battlefield. Konoha will rely on you!"

She turned to the Military Council.

"We had made preparations over the past months. I, too, hate bloodshed. I lost people I loved most to war. And I hated that we had to send our own people to their death. But, we have no choice. We have to fight! For our survival! To light the way for our future!"

"Danzo, as the Highest Commander of the Aerial Shinobi Unit, I will authorise for independent operation until further notice! You may move your unit to delay and disrupt those Kumongrels from forming their army! Make them realise Konoha is not weak!"

In fact everyone in the War Room was shocked and startled, even Danzo was shocked. For Tsunade to outrightly give him a greenlight at the very beginning, and allowing independent operation at that. Seeing Tsunade's serious gaze, his respect for Tsunade increased by a point.

After all the unit only has 24 main aerial combatants, it's a small very mobile unit and giving Danzo an independent movement utilises its full advantage. She is giving trust not just to Danzo who had schemes in his head, but to Tsuyu, who plays a massive role in decision making for the unit. 

In the early stages, when the army has not been formed, supply lines are only starting to be established, units are only coming to gather, this kind of mobile, hard to track that can cross all terrains are perfect to disrupt enemy movements.

"Godaime, leave it to me. You can trust my Unit." Danzo turned his gaze to Tsuyu standing nearby. 

It's time for us to show Konoha's sharpest blade to the world.

***