However, Konan is Tsunade's apprentice. Therefore, Sarutobi Hiruzen also needed to ask her opinion. Tsunade was silent for a while, then nodded. If anyone else proposed sending Konan and the others into battle, Tsunade would never agree—but Saigoji Youmu was different.
"All right. Since Tsunade has no objection, I agree."
Seeing that Tsunade had no objection, Sarutobi Hiruzen settled the matter. "I'll go get ready."
After discussing the matter, Tsunade left Sarutobi Hiruzen's office directly. As the leader of the team supporting the Kingdom of Wind this time, she had many preparations to make.
"Youmu, there is something I need to tell you."
When Tsunade departed, Sarutobi Hiruzen brought up another issue.
"About Shimura Danzō?"
Saigoji Youmu knew exactly what Sarutobi Hiruzen meant.
"Well…" A look of embarrassment appeared on Hiruzen's face. The last Tanokuni incident had been proposed by Shimura Danzō—to have Saigoji Youmu investigate the conspiracy between the two villages of Yun and Iwa and then report back on the details. Hiruzen had long suspected that Shimura Danzō was secretly colluding with Ōnoki and the Third Raikage, but without evidence he could only issue both overt andcovert warnings. He hadn't expected Saigoji Youmu to have already guessed as much.
"For your sake, I'm too lazy to bother with Shimura Danzō. In the future, I don't want something like this to happen again."
Shimura Danzō was nothing more than a shadowy figure. Saigoji Youmu ignored the personal affront but made no secret that he wouldn't let Danzō interfere further.
"I see," said Sarutobi Hiruzen.
…
After reaching a consensus with Hiruzen, Saigoji Youmu did not linger in his office. Instead, he went straight to Tsunade's house.
"I'm going."
"If I say no, I won't."
As soon as he arrived outside Tsunade's house, Saigoji Youmu heard a heated argument. One side was Tsunade, and the other sounded like Senju Nawaki.
"Um?"
Puzzled, Saigoji Youmu quickened his pace and entered the living room. There, Tsunade and Senju Nawaki were staring at each other.
"What happened?" Saigoji Youmu asked.
"Brother-in-law..."
At the sight of Saigoji Youmu, Senju Nawaki's eyes lit up as if he had found a savior. "Help me persuade my sister—I also want to go to the battlefield."
"To the battlefield?" Saigoji Youmu's gaze flickered slightly. "Nawaki, the battlefield is dangerous."
"At your current age, it's not suitable for you to go."
"Ah?"
Senju Nawaki's face suddenly fell. He had assumed Saigoji Youmu would side with him.
"Listen," Tsunade said firmly. Then, raising her fist, she struck Senju Nawaki hard on the head.
Boom.
"Ouch."
Senju Nawaki cried out and quickly raised his hand to cover his head.
"Stay at home obediently, you know?"
Tsunade said in a stern tone.
"Oh."
Senju Nawaki nodded. Both Tsunade and Saigoji Youmu disagreed with his desire; he knew it would be nearly impossible for him to actually go to the battlefield. Yet he hadn't completely given up hope—the rolling in his eyes suggested he was scheming some ghost of an idea.
…
Because the situation in the Kingdom of Wind was very urgent, Saigoji Youmu, Tsunade, Konan, Uzumaki Kushina, and Uchiha Mikoto quickly packed their things. On the second day, they embarked on the road to the battlefield of the Kingdom of Wind.
As for the support troops already heading to the battlefield with a small contingent, Sarutobi Hiruzen had dispatched reinforcements to the border between the Kingdoms of Wind and Fire a few days ago. Two days later, the five—Saigoji Youmu and his party—met the support forces at the border, led by Tsunade.
Everyone then rushed to Konoha's camp in the Land of Wind. There, the supreme commander of the camp personally came forward to greet Tsunade, Saigoji Youmu, and their party. The battalion's supreme commander was a man with white hair and a short sword strapped to his back, radiating an aura as sharp as a blade. He was from Konoha's top swordsmanshipfamily—the current head of the Hatake family, Hatake Sakumo.
"You are finally here."
The arrival of the reinforcements finally eased the heavy burden that had weighed on his heart.