"Going back to the Village?"
Jiraiya's face was bitter as he looked at the message delivered by the Slug.
He didn't want to go back to the Village.
As for why…
"Come on, Jiraiya-elder brother, let's keep drinking~" A young, beautiful girl snuggled up to Jiraiya, her soft hand raising a cup to his lips.
Outside the Village was paradise!
Jiraiya was certain of it.
"Hahahahaha! Drink, drink, drink!" After downing a hearty cup of sake, Jiraiya thought of Tsunade's face.
Mainly, he thought of Tsunade's fist.
He would die, wouldn't he…
Die a miserable death, wouldn't he…
Lingering in the hotel until midnight, a tipsy Jiraiya didn't stay until the end, walking out of the hotel alone.
The cold wind blew, clearing his head slightly.
The threat of returning to the Village, huh…
But, he hadn't achieved the purpose of his trip outside the Village yet.
"Little Jiraiya, I saw it, you will travel the world and find the Child of Prophecy who will change the Ninja World."
Such words were as good as unsaid.
He could only wander aimlessly, hoping to stumble upon it.
So, there was no rush at this moment.
Jiraiya set off under the Xingye, the wasted time would be made up for on the road back.
However, Jiraiya had been pondering a question recently.
Why place hope on this elusive Child of Prophecy?
Can't we change this Ninja World ourselves?
It was quite perplexing.
Moreover, what exactly needed to be changed in this Ninja World?
The next day, Jiraiya witnessed it.
It was a destroyed Village, flames burning, thick smoke rising like pillars, one after another, straight into the sky.
He arrived too late.
By the time he saw the thick smoke on the horizon, he was already too late.
Bodies lay sprawled on the ground, their wounds long since drained of blood, which had stained the earth crimson, leaving a pungent, muddy mess underfoot.
Unable to help himself, Jiraiya bent over and vomited, the previous night's alcohol gushing from his throat.
Why was this happening?
What else had occurred?
Jiraiya stared blankly at the hell before him.
In the Senju Clan compound, many Senju Shinobi gathered. In the main seat, a burly man overlooked the assembly, with Senju Princess Tsunade seated beside him.
The atmosphere was somewhat oppressive.
"The Second Shinobi World War. As Konoha's Senju, we have no retreat."
The name Senju, in Konoha, was more than just Senju.
It was a very heavy title.
He who wishes to wear the crown must bear its weight.
"In the First Shinobi World War, we lost many people. Our casualties were the highest of any clan in Konoha. The bodies brought back could pile up into a mountain!"
The man sitting on Tsunade's other side said, "It's endless. How many years has it been, and the Second Shinobi World War is about to begin again. This time, how many lives will we have to sacrifice to fill this void?"
"If you ask me, since Uchiha wants to be Hokage, let him be Hokage. He'll fight harder when it matters."
"We are Senju! Are we going to let everyone in the Village see us retreat at a time like this!?"
"Unless we are reduced to only the old and young, as long as we have the strength to fight, the Senju will never retreat!"
"Yota, anyone can speak big words, but what the clansmen have to offer are their lives! What Konoha, I think it's a joke. Even in the Warring States Period, when we contended with Uchiha, our clan never suffered such tragic casualties!"
"Even if we get through this, what about the Third Shinobi World War? Can the Senju still charge at the very front?"
"How many people must die before we can abandon this meaningless title of Senju?"
They were arguing again…
Tsunade clutched her head, a splitting headache, not wanting to offer any opinion.
"Senju Shinta! The problem isn't here. The problem is that everyone in the Village won't let us off! Unless we all die off! And no one is left to inherit the glory of the Senju!"
"We have no retreat!"
"If even our clan no longer fights for Konoha, everyone in the Village will eventually scatter!"
"At that time, where in the Ninja World will there be room for our Senju Clan!?"
"Then you tell me what else we can do!?"
"Do you think I want our clansmen to go to the battlefield and die in vain!?"
"This completely goes against Hashirama-elder brother's wish!"
"Hiruzen, that monkey, is becoming more and more disobedient. Are you sure he won't screw us over?" Senju Shinta sneered, "Hokage-sama has become increasingly powerful in recent years, even able to suppress us."
I don't think so, Tsunade remained silent.
One must be fair. Tsunade clearly understood the Sandaime's difficulties, but this was the Senju!
Preferential treatment would be unfair to everyone in the Village.
No preferential treatment would be unfair to the Senju.
A dead end!
Konoha was not just the Senju's Konoha, and the Senju could only be Konoha's Senju.
"So, we need a Hokage who isn't biased, our Hokage!" Yota said.
"Hmph, a certain blonde brat probably won't do!" Senju Shinta sneered, glancing at Tsunade beside him, and said, "A certain princess is still dreaming."
It was too heavy…
Tsunade bowed slightly, feeling the pairs of expectant eyes from her clansmen, a weight so heavy she could barely breathe.
The two brothers, who had grown up wearing the same pants, exchanged a knowing glance.
"Senju Shinta! Shut up!" Yota scolded, "This is Hashirama-elder brother's granddaughter! Our Princess! Who allowed you to be disrespectful! The Princess just hasn't grown up yet!"
"Haven't grown up? Then keep growing, I wonder when she plans to grow up, when we're all dead?!"
"Even if you say that, the Sandaime is still doing well. Whether or not someone becomes Hokage is not for us Senju to decide! It's a collective decision!"
"So, taking advantage of this Shinobi World War, we must create an opportunity for Tsunade, using the lives of our clansmen to exchange for decades of peace for us in the future!"
"It's as if Tsunade won't have to go to the battlefield if she becomes Hokage." Senju Shinta said, "It's still the same."
"It's not the same!" Yota said, "The meaning is completely different! Our clansmen will never die in a meaningless place!"
"Heh…" Senju Shinta sneered, wanting to continue.
But Tsunade exploded!
"Enough! Shut up!"
Suddenly standing up, Tsunade's cold eyes swept across the room.
"Hokage, I will become Hokage!"
"But at that time, don't blame me for showing you no mercy!"
"Konoha is not the Senju's Konoha!"
With that, Tsunade stomped out in a huff.
The clansmen watched Tsunade's retreating back.
Yota and Senju Shinta exchanged glances.
Then, they spoke to the clansmen who had been watching the show.
"Alright, disperse. Nothing to see here. Go home and rest."
"Oh, oh, oh, oh…"
The distracted clansmen stood up and started walking out.
"The rice in the pot must be burnt now, really, to choose such a time."
A female Senju complained in a low voice.
"I didn't even have time to wipe my child's poop." A male Senju complained.
Someone nearby heard and asked, "Did you wash your hands?"
"No way I washed them, I rushed here as soon as I got the notice!"
"That's disgusting, no wonder I thought something smelled bad."
"By the way, what was said earlier? I was too grossed out to listen."
"What? What! Hmm…" The man pondered for a moment and said, "It seems we're going to the battlefield."
"That's it?"
"Exactly!" The man complained, "What's the point of having a meeting, just a waste of time."
"When the time comes, we just do it." The man said, "We are Senju!"
The strongest clan of the Warring States Period.
---------------------------------
If you'd like to read the next 70 chapters in advance, you can support me on Patreon.
I regularly post chapter previews there, so you'll always be up-to-date and won't have to wait too long.
patreon.com/SolyuraMT
And if you enjoy the story, don't forget to give me a Power Stone. Your support really motivates me to continue translating!