They're promoting the "Konoha threat" theory, and spouting nonsense about the Hidden

Chapter 140 The Lighthouse at Sea - Hidden Mist Village

Hiruzen Sarutobi's words filled Tsunade with grief and indignation, and at the same time, she realized that her teacher was no longer the teacher she once was.

Hiruzen Sarutobi before and after becoming Hokage were two completely different people.

No, or rather, I never truly understood my teacher.

Why has Shimura Danzo remained the leader of Root for so many years, surviving numerous upheavals without incident? Who is behind him? Tsunade now has the answer.

Remembering her younger brother and boyfriend's dream of becoming Hokage, and looking at her deep-thinking teacher, Tsunade suddenly felt a wave of nausea.

In that case, let's leave.

After losing her younger brother and boyfriend, as well as all the familiar Senju clan members, Tsunade, the last legitimate daughter of the Senju clan, filled with disappointment in Konoha, finally made the decision to leave Konoha.

The roots of the leaf are rotten. Although it still looks lush and leafy, the smell of decay is spreading upwards from the roots, and the day of its collapse may not be far away.

Since that's the case, let's leave while the village my grandfather founded is still prosperous!

In this way, the lush and prosperous Konoha will forever live in her mind.

"...Tsunade, Konoha is your eternal home. If you get tired, you're always welcome to come back and sit for a while, to see this old man, and to see your friends."

After a long silence, Hiruzen Sarutobi could only respond to Tsunade's decision in this way.

As long as Tsunade can be persuaded to go to Kirigakure, then any price is worth paying.

Besides, Tsunade is currently suffering from hemophobia and can no longer perform normal missions as a ninja. In fact, due to her hemophobia, she has been unable to receive medical treatment recently. It would be good for her to go out and relax after the war ends.

boom!

Tsunade's response to Hiruzen Sarutobi's words was a dull slam of the door shut.

"Teacher, don't worry! No matter what I do, I will protect the legacy you left behind. I will prove to you with my actions that you made the right decision in choosing me to be Hokage!"

Hiruzen Sarutobi looked at Tobirama Senju's cold and stern face in the distance and said, half explaining and half reassuring himself.

-

Although Tsunade agreed to go to Kirigakure as an envoy, it was clear that such formal diplomatic activities between the two villages, especially since Konoha was asking for a favor, required careful consideration of the procedures, gifts, statements, and contingency plans.

Moreover, Hiruzen Sarutobi's main purpose in insisting that Tsunade go was to use her status as Hashirama Senju's granddaughter. Firstly, he wanted to express his regard to Kirigakure, and secondly, he wanted to use this status to seek help from the Uzumaki clan.

As for the specific details of the negotiations, Tsunade certainly won't be involved.

In fact, the person who served as the diplomatic envoy for this mission was Nara Shikakan, the head of the Nara clan and the deputy envoy of the Konoha delegation.

Originally, Nara Shikahan wanted his son, Nara Shikaku, to represent him. The fourteen-year-old Nara Shikaku had clearly inherited the high intelligence of the Nara clan. At such a young age, he was quite adept at strategizing, dealing with people, and handling interpersonal relationships. Nara Shikahan wanted to take this opportunity to promote his son and help him make some contributions.

However, Hiruzen Sarutobi refused, arguing that Hiruzen was too young to demonstrate Konoha's sincerity, so in the end Hiruzen had to take matters into his own hands.

Aside from Tsunade and Nara Shikakan, the two envoys, there were only two menial ninjas who were just there to fill the numbers.

So, after preparing the gifts and planning the action, the group finally set off for Kirigakure, the Hidden Mist Village in the Land of Water.

Since they were secretly going to Kirigakure to seek help, their plan was to start from Konoha, then pass through small countries such as the Land of Fire, the Land of Generals, and the Land of Whirlpools, before heading to Kirigakure by sea.

As they walked, Tsunade's face grew increasingly gloomy, and even Nara Shikakan's face showed no trace of a smile.

Because they discovered that within the Land of Fire, even around the cities, bandits and outlaws were rampant.

Even though their intention was to remain hidden and travel at night, they still encountered more than three groups of robbers during their short two-day journey.

Although these bandits were insignificant in their eyes, it clearly meant one thing: even the richest country on the continent, the Land of Fire, was on the verge of collapse after three years of war, and the war still brought unbearable suffering to the people at the bottom of society.

When Tsunade actually witnessed this scene, she suddenly gained a new understanding of why Hiruzen Sarutobi insisted on seeking help from Kirigakure, and she vaguely had a new understanding of his previous actions.

However, while she understood, it didn't mean she could condone Hiruzen Sarutobi's actions; she remained deeply disappointed in Konoha.

Therefore, Tsunade maintained a gloomy expression throughout the journey, showing no desire to talk to Nara Shikakan.

Nara Shikahan clearly understood Tsunade's and his own responsibilities, and seeing this, he didn't say anything; it was best for the two of them to simply do their jobs.

However, as time went by, Tsunade's expression became increasingly strange, because she noticed that as the journey got closer to Kirigakure, the people's quality of life was getting better and better, and it even vaguely resembled the atmosphere before the war with the Land of Fire.

"This must be the Land of Whirlpools. I never imagined that such a scene would still exist several years after the Uzumaki clan migrated away."

One of the accompanying ninjas arrived at the port of the former Land of Whirlpools. Seeing the bustling crowds, merchant ships, shouts, and laborers' chants, his face was filled with doubt.

They had been to the Land of Whirlpools before; they frequently came here to carry out missions when Whirlpool Village was still in existence, so they were very familiar with the Land of Whirlpools.

However, the current state of the Land of Whirlpools is completely unfamiliar to them. After the disbandment of Whirlpool Village, it has not only not declined, but its prosperity has even surpassed that of the past. How could this not arouse their curiosity?

"Over there, over there, another boat is coming!"

Just then, a commotion arose, and Tsunade and the other three looked over curiously. They saw a huge creature covered in iron plates and emitting thick black smoke quietly enter the harbor.

"What...what is that?"

A ninja stared in shock at the iron-clad ship, unable to understand how it could still sail despite being covered in iron.

"Get out of here, you country bumpkin! Don't interfere with our transaction!"

As the iron-hulled boat approached the shore, a group of merchants rushed aboard, shouting frantically:

"Over here, over here! Twenty thousand jin from the Land of Thunder!"

"Ten thousand catties from the Land of Wind!"

"Five thousand catties of tea from the land of tea!"

……

Before the ships even docked, merchants waiting to unload their goods crowded the harbor, as if they wouldn't get their goods otherwise.

"Where...where did this cargo ship come from? What's on board that's so popular...?"

Tsunade stared blankly at the beast-like ship and the bustling crowd below, suddenly feeling as if she and her companions lived in a different era.

They fought to the death on the battlefield of the Land of Rain for three years. Has the ninja world secretly evolved without their knowledge?

"...Ahem!"

Just then, the thick black smoke from the iron boat was blown by the wind and suddenly reached Tsunade and the others' faces.

The unfamiliar smell was unbearable for them, and they all coughed incessantly.

"Oh no, this smoke is poisonous!"

As a renowned medical expert, Tsunade could smell the harmful substances in the black smoke the moment she inhaled it.

Tsunade thought that their identities had been exposed, and her expression immediately changed. She prepared to remind everyone to be on alert to prevent a sneak attack from the unknown enemy.

But unexpectedly, at that moment, someone next to him voluntarily entered the black smoke, took a deep drag as if enjoying it, and exclaimed as he did so.

"Ah, is this the wonderful atmosphere of the Industrial Revolution?"

Tsunade: ?

(End of this chapter)