Konoha: Tsunade, I Am the Hokage! [19]

What terrifying killing intent!

Move!

Come on, move!

Kakashi gritted his teeth until blood seeped from his lip. Finally—

Whoosh!

His chakra surged, faint sparks of lightning crackling around him.

Lightning Release to stimulate the body!

Though still incomplete, Kakashi didn’t dare hold back against Tsunade. He propelled himself to the highest speed he could manage.

Yet in the next instant—

BANG!

Just as quickly as he’d charged forward, he was sent hurtling back.

In a flash, Kakashi slammed violently into a tree, unable to move.

Hands on her hips, Tsunade said casually, “Shizune, check if he’s still breathing.”

“Yes!”

Shizune flashed over with a quick shunshin.

Kakashi coughed up a mouthful of blood, waved weakly to signal he was fine, and then stood, deep in thought.

“You don’t get it?” Tsunade asked with a faint smirk.

Beating up kids was hardly something to brag about, but damn it felt good—especially these so-called “geniuses.”

She continued seriously, “You’re fast, kid. Using your imperfect Lightning Release to speed yourself up is impressive, but you can’t control it.”

Her voice became firm, almost harsh. “Speed without control is a deadly double-edged sword. Either you take down your opponent, or—you end up like just now, where I can beat you with a single finger.”

Tsunade flicked her finger casually.

Indeed, she'd only used a finger—

And yet a huge red lump already swelled visibly on Kakashi’s forehead.

She’d clearly held back.

If Tsunade had flicked seriously, Kakashi’s head might’ve cracked like an egg.

Not everyone could take a beating like Orochimaru, after all.

Kakashi had already suspected his strategy was flawed, and this confirmed it.

Speed was useless here, and explosive tags…

With Tsunade’s reflexes and power, Kakashi doubted he could even bring a tag close enough to threaten her.

Maybe kenjutsu, then.

He drew his short blade, sharpening his gaze again.

The next second—

He lunged again.

Blade in one hand, explosive tag in the other.

This time, he carefully controlled his speed.

Tsunade’s smile widened slightly.

As the blade slashed toward her, she dodged effortlessly, fingers pinching the sword blade. Then she flicked it.

Kakashi barely maintained his grip on the White Fang short sword, but blood poured from his palm from the sheer force.

He quickly channeled lightning chakra.

The blade sparked to life, crackling dangerously.

He hoped the lightning chakra could numb Tsunade’s fingers, but before it even fully formed, her flick scattered his chakra instantly.

Still—

Kakashi had achieved his real goal.

He slapped the ground with his left hand, instantly propelling himself backward.

An explosion erupted in midair, dust billowing.

BOOM!

Tsunade rose calmly, brushing dust from her fingertips.

“Anything else?”

“No,” Kakashi answered numbly, shaking his head helplessly.

Even that didn’t work…

He had nothing left.

“Next!”

After two exchanges, Kakashi had lost. He stepped back, conceding.

Kurenai watched in shock.

Is this the difference between us and the Legendary Sannin?

Tsunade hadn’t even moved from her spot, using only one finger, yet she’d easily crushed them.

Her killing intent alone was stronger than any genjutsu she’d ever faced.

No—

Strictly speaking, it was far scarier.

At least genjutsu could be broken. But pure killing intent? If one’s willpower or spirit wavered, it could cost their life on a real battlefield.

Kurenai was about to step forward—

But Kagenori moved first.

“I’ll go next.”

“Hatake brat gave up pretty fast. Hope you last longer—at least as long as your big talk!” Tsunade teased.

“I’ll do my best!”

“Good. Bring it!”

Tsunade beckoned lazily with her finger.

She really was sticking to a single finger!

Yet—

The killing intent crushed down like a mountain.

Kagenori felt as if trapped in quicksand.

This feeling…

The rogue samurai and the attacking ninja they’d faced before were nothing compared to Tsunade’s pressure.

If this is Tsunade, what about Orochimaru?

No wonder Kakashi, even as a jōnin, had frozen under his gaze.

Every Sannin, every Kage-level ninja is terrifying.

Kagenori clenched his teeth.

Despite the enormous gap in their abilities, he couldn’t allow himself to be intimidated.

He had to hold firm!

I have to get stronger!

I must survive!

With determination, his will strengthened.

I have the system!

I’m going to grow stronger, keep surviving. How could mere killing intent shake me?

Suddenly, he charged.

Kakashi stared wide-eyed.

The same approach as me...?

Tsunade’s eyes narrowed slightly, and suddenly she turned, finger lashing out behind her—

BOOM!

A surge of chakra burst out like a blade of air, splitting the earth—but the figure before her dissolved into a wooden log.

“A clone and substitution combined...” Kakashi realized instantly.

Kagenori knew only basic jutsu—clone, substitution, transformation, and shunshin—so he’d grown adept at combining them in battle.

His attack was clearly diversionary.

But at such speeds, distinguishing real from fake instantly was difficult.

Against a chūnin-level opponent, Kagenori’s trick might’ve worked.

But his enemy was Tsunade.

“Not bad,” Tsunade smiled. “Your speed control’s better than Kakashi’s.”

Kakashi had nothing to say.

Kagenori stood under a distant tree, breathing heavily. He looked disheveled but had indeed avoided a direct hit.

Truthfully—

The killing intent combined with Tsunade’s superhuman strength was terrifying. Kagenori had genuinely believed he was about to die.

But at the last second, Tsunade’s chakra had dissipated harmlessly, only grazing his shoulder—clearly an intentional act of control.

Unbelievable…

No one else in the ninja world, apart from Madara lurking underground somewhere, had chakra control like hers.

No wonder she could heal what others couldn’t…

“Coming again?”

“Yes!”

Kagenori charged forward once more.

But this time, he didn’t rush. He repeatedly approached, retreated, and jumped sideways, always staying just inside Tsunade’s attack range.

At first, Tsunade remained wary.

After several feints, she laughed. “You don’t seriously think you can exhaust my chakra like this, do you?”

“Of course…”

“Not!”

The voice moved from far to near.

Hm?

Tsunade dodged suddenly—

A kunai flew past her side.

He’d used sound and shifting speed to confuse her…

This kid’s raw power wasn’t as strong as Kakashi’s, but his cunning was several times greater.

Weren’t these brats both seven?

Just as the thought flashed in Tsunade’s mind, her eyes widened sharply—

She sensed Kagenori gathering chakra at high speed in his arm.

This technique…

No—impossible!

Tsunade was momentarily stunned.

A second later, rock and soil exploded upward, cracking and shattering the ground.

The circle she’d drawn was obliterated completely.

Kakashi, Kurenai, and Shizune gaped—

The one causing such destructive power…

Was Kagenori!

How?

That was Tsunade-sama’s technique!

When did Kagenori learn it?

But before they could even react fully—

A huge explosion engulfed Tsunade and Kagenori.

“Tsunade-sama! Kagenori!” Shizune’s shock turned instantly into panic.

“Kagenori!” Kurenai shouted, even more anxious.

Tsunade wouldn’t be killed by something like this—but Kagenori might!

Yet moments later, she sensed them both escaping.

Looking carefully—

Tsunade held Kagenori firmly by his collar, her face deadly serious. Even from afar, everyone saw her shoulders trembling slightly.

Blood poured rapidly from Kagenori’s arm.

He was hurt badly!

“I’ll heal him!” Shizune rushed forward immediately.

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This is a fan translation of 木叶：纲手，我才是火影！by 卖身葬节操 All rights to the original work belong to the creator. Please support them by exploring their original work or sharing it with others if you can. Thank you for reading and supporting my efforts to bring this story to a wider audience!