On top of that, Tsunade had unexpectedly started training again.
It had been years since anyone had seen her practice this seriously.
Suddenly, in the middle of her training, Tsunade paused. She seemed to sense something.
"That's enough for today," she said to Shizune.
"Understood, Lady Tsunade. I'll prepare hot water and clean clothes for you," Shizune replied quickly.
Tsunade nodded. "Mm. Starting tomorrow, you'll train with me. I'll teach you the Yin Seal and the Strength of a Hundred Technique."
"Ah?"
Shizune had not expected that.
She did not feel particularly excited. To others, those techniques were closely guarded secrets, legendary arts of the shinobi world.
But for her, it was different. If she truly wanted to learn them, she could have asked. Her relationship with Tsunade was not ordinary. She was Dan's niece.
What she cared about most was medical ninjutsu. As for combat techniques, her interest was limited.
"My strength hasn't improved in years. It's actually declined," Tsunade said calmly. "And you're about the same. You couldn't even handle an ordinary Jonin."
She remembered what she had read in Kaede Kitahara's diary. Not only had she struggled against Yakushi Kabuto, even Shizune had been outmatched.
Kabuto was Orochimaru's trusted subordinate. If he was that capable, yet her own student fell so far behind, what did that say about her as one of the Legendary Sannin?
Her competitive spirit flared instantly.
She had no reason to lose to Orochimaru.
"When did I ever lose to some ordinary Jonin?" Shizune protested, though her voice lacked conviction.
If she was honest, she had rarely faced true Jonin-level opponents head-on.
She usually followed Tsunade, a name feared across the shinobi world. Outsiders did not know Tsunade suffered from hemophobia. Even ninja from other villages were reluctant to provoke someone like her.
Tsunade did not respond. She removed her training clothes, revealing her flawless figure, and headed inside.
Soon, she pulled out her diary.
Elsewhere in Konoha, Jiraiya was also training.
Like Tsunade, he had stood at the peak of the shinobi world for too long and had grown complacent. He was stronger than her, but he had merely maintained his condition.
Now, however, his renewed effort was not aimed at Orochimaru.
It was aimed at the future Kaede's diary had described.
Yahiko invading Konoha. A single technique leveling the entire village.
The impact of that revelation had shaken him deeply.
And beyond that, there was the even more terrifying Otsutsuki Clan.
He finally understood that his strength was not enough.
"This won't cut it… not like this," Jiraiya muttered, breathing heavily.
Unlike Naruto, whose body was still growing and could improve rapidly through intense training, Jiraiya was already fifty.
His potential had long since been unearthed.
Over the years, he had not pushed himself to extremes because he knew his limits. All he could do was preserve his body and extend his peak for as long as possible.
"Handling Orochimaru wouldn't be a problem," he murmured. "But if it's Yahiko… what then?"
He did not know that it was the Deva Path of Pain. He believed it was Yahiko himself.
He did not understand how the Rinnegan had ended up with Yahiko instead of Nagato, but he knew something catastrophic must have happened.
"If I want to grow stronger… the only option left is senjutsu."
That was the only solution he could think of.
The problem was, he had already completed his training in senjutsu.
Entering Sage Mode greatly boosted his power in a short time. He was confident he could crush Orochimaru while in that state.
But activating it took too long.
If there were no way to shorten that process, its practical value on the battlefield would be limited.
Just then, a familiar tremor echoed in his mind.
The diary had updated.
He immediately retrieved the scroll from his bag, released the seal, and took out the hidden diary.
At the Akatsuki base, a medic was examining Uchiha Itachi.
"Your bloodline illness is difficult to treat," the medic said. "The more you use your Sharingan, the faster it progresses. The best advice is to limit its use."
"If you don't restrain yourself, you won't live past twenty-five."
"Twenty-five?" Itachi's expression did not change. "That's enough."
For him, reaching twenty-five was sufficient.
What concerned him more was whether the threats Kaede mentioned would arrive within the next few years.
If he could eliminate some dangers for Sasuke before then, that would be enough.
And before those enemies descended, he would give Sasuke his Mangekyo Sharingan.
Against such terrifying foes, an ordinary Mangekyo Sharingan would not be enough.
Only the legendary Eternal Mangekyo Sharingan would suffice.
Ever since Uchiha Madara had explained these truths to him, that had become his sole purpose.
After taking his medicine, Itachi returned to his quarters.
Within the former Uchiha Clan compound, the clan head's residence remained brightly lit.
Shuriken flashed through the air as Uchiha Sasuke practiced the Uchiha throwing technique.
He replayed Itachi's teachings in his mind.
The more he remembered, the more it hurt.
But to grow stronger, he had to cling to every fragment of skill he could recall.
The Uchiha Clan was gone. There was no one left to teach him their ninjutsu, taijutsu, or throwing techniques.
He could only explore and refine them on his own.
Hidden in a distant tree branch, two Anbu observed silently.
"As expected of an Uchiha," one whispered. "His strength might already rival ours."
They had been assigned to monitor and protect Sasuke.
Every day, they watched him train.
His life was simple. Complete missions, then train. Either alone or under Hatake Kakashi's supervision.
In a short time, his strength had skyrocketed.
From barely elite Genin level to approaching elite Chunin.
That was already the standard for Anbu selection.
They had taken years to reach that level.
Sasuke had taken far less.
The difference between a genius of the Uchiha Clan and ordinary ninja was undeniable.
"He just lacks experience now," the other said. "If he keeps improving, we'll have to stand even farther back. Otherwise, he'll notice us."
They had already retreated multiple times, even resorting to binoculars.
As usual, Sasuke suddenly stopped mid-training and hurried back inside.
Probably exhausted.
"So that old man Danzo still hasn't given up?"
Tsunade sank into the hot bath Shizune had prepared, reading the latest diary entry.
Danzo had offered ten million ryo to place a bounty on Kaede.
That was no small amount.
For a Jonin-level target, it was substantial.
Of course, Shimura Danzo likely did not know Kaede's true situation. If he did, ten million ryo would not have been nearly enough.
"Kakuzu… the Akatsuki's treasurer."
Jiraiya pulled out his own notebook. He usually used it to jot down ideas for his bestselling novels.
Do not ask what kind.
Then he saw a familiar name.
Konan.
"So the Akatsuki really was founded by the three of them," Jiraiya sighed. "Then Nagato… is he dead?"
He could think of no other reason for the Rinnegan to appear in Yahiko's possession.
But what stunned him most was another detail.
"Six hundred billion Explosive Tags?"
He stared at the number.
Even the cheapest Explosive Tag cost several hundred ryo.
Six hundred billion of them… how much money was that?
He could not even calculate it.
If this information had not come from Kaede's diary, he would have dismissed it outright.
"That can't be ordinary Explosive Tags," Jiraiya muttered immediately.
Even if every craftsman on the continent worked without rest, without cost or time limits, they could not produce six hundred billion Explosive Tags.
The entire history of the shinobi world probably had not used that many.
"A ninjutsu?"
He recalled Konan's paper-based techniques.
When he had trained the three orphans, she had already shown talent in paper manipulation. It had been immature back then, but the foundation was there.
"So those Explosive Tags are actually some kind of technique developed by Konan?"
That was the only explanation he could think of.