Konoha: Tsunade, I Am the Hokage! [18]

As the village gates appeared in the distance, a nostalgic look briefly flashed through Tsunade's eyes.

“What about the old guard, Raishu...?”

“Killed on a mission," Jiraiya replied quietly. "The gatekeepers now are Haneda and Tsuchihara—newly promoted chūnin.”

“No wonder I don’t recognize them.”

Though she'd been gone only a little over a year, Konoha still felt familiar—yet, the faces guarding the village gates had changed completely.

She sighed softly.

The faint anticipation she'd felt faded into quiet melancholy, dulling her enthusiasm.

But as they approached the gate—

“Tsunade-sama?! Tsunade-sama’s back!”

“What?!”

The two guards shouted in shock.

Then—

Ninjas and villagers passing by stopped in their tracks, swiftly gathering at the entrance.

“Tsunade-sama!”

“You’re really back, Tsunade-sama!”

“Mommy, lift me higher! I wanna see her!”

Among the rising excitement, parents lifted their children up to get a better view. Many of these children had grown up in the year or so Tsunade had been away, having no memory of her themselves. Yet, under their parents’ influence, they still idolized her.

In mere moments, the spacious village gate area was overwhelmed with people pressing forward to catch a glimpse.

Tsunade stood frozen.

A complicated, indescribable feeling welled in her chest, countless words trapped in her throat.

“Clear the way! Let them through!” Haneda waved, urging the crowd aside.

Finally, a path opened.

Jiraiya stepped behind Tsunade, gently urging her forward into the village.

Even Kakashi—normally stoic—had flushed bright red to the tips of his ears, revealing his excitement beneath the mask. Kurenai was similarly overwhelmed, her eyes bright with emotion.

Not many could remain calm at the center of such fervent attention.

In this generation, many owed their lives to Tsunade’s care and protection. Even decades later, in Naruto’s era, she was still deeply revered.

As the group reached the Hokage’s office, the gathered villagers gradually dispersed under the direction of local shinobi.

Inside the Hokage Building, Tsunade leaned wearily against the wall, turning to Jiraiya.

“You go ahead and report. I’ll pass.”

“Understood.” Jiraiya didn’t push it.

“It was just a C-rank mission; no need for everyone to report. Kakashi, Kurenai, you two can head home and rest. Meet for training tomorrow as usual.”

“I’m taking a nap,” Tsunade yawned.

Kagenori quickly interjected, “Tsunade-sama, is your earlier offer still good?”

“What offer?” Tsunade blinked, then remembered and laughed. “You’re actually eager to get beaten up?”

“Of course! Ninjas like you are rare. Most genin never even dream of getting your personal guidance. How could I pass up such a chance?” Kagenori replied bluntly.

Shizune inwardly admired his courage—

If he’d never seen Tsunade’s strength, she’d assume his boldness came from pure ignorance.

But he'd witnessed her devastating power and knew the vast gap between them. Yet, here he was, boldly stepping up to face it again—

This kid’s got real guts!

Tsunade laughed softly, clearly amused. “You’re quite brave, brat.”

She turned her gaze toward Kakashi and Kurenai.

“And you two?”

“We want your guidance too!” Kakashi and Kurenai quickly answered together.

Tsunade placed her hands on her hips, sighing dramatically. “Fine. I have nothing better to do anyway. Tomorrow, 7 A.M., Training Ground 10 in the Forest of Death. You better not chicken out!”

“We’ll be there!” all three shouted.

Shizune watched, quietly envious but refraining from asking to join. She’d been traveling with Tsunade long enough to practically be her student already—this particular session wouldn’t mean much for her.

---

Inside the Hokage’s office.

Jiraiya described the attack on their return journey, removing the seal to present one of the attackers’ bodies.

Hiruzen’s expression grew serious. “In your judgment, how likely were they targeting Tsunade?”

“It’s hard to say,” Jiraiya admitted, shaking his head. He hadn't been there personally, so many details eluded him.

But he added, “One thing’s clear: they wanted captives, not corpses. Their first volley of weapons wasn’t poisoned, so framing someone with murder seems unlikely. Their targets could’ve been Tsunade, Shizune, or even Kagenori and Kakashi.”

“Is that so?” Hiruzen narrowed his eyes thoughtfully, then turned back to Jiraiya. “What are your plans next?”

“I promised Matsuyama Kōji I’d follow up in the Land of Waves. I’ll investigate carefully when the time comes. But it'd help if you also looked into this incident.”

Hiruzen nodded. “Consider it arranged.”

“I’ll take my leave then!”

“Tsunade’s back—be careful not to do anything reckless,” Hiruzen warned pointedly.

Jiraiya froze momentarily, coughing awkwardly. Then he waved it off, quickly leaping out the window.

---

Morning
Training Ground 10
Forest of Death

This time, there was no elaborate test setup. And rather than a three-person assault, it would be—

One on one!

Tsunade stood casually, looking relaxed. “You three going at me one by one, or together?”

Kakashi and Kurenai hesitated.

Fighting as a group tested teamwork, while one-on-one tested personal strength...

“Can’t we do both?” Kagenori whispered.

Though he was physically a child, his mind was that of an adult—

Why not both?

Tsunade laughed, shaking her head. “Greedy little brat. Be careful—I might beat you so hard you won’t get out of bed tomorrow.”

“I’m not afraid!” Kagenori declared bravely.

Well, maybe a little.

But passing up a free training session with a Kage-level ninja just because of nerves would be stupid.

Ninjas fear nothing!

Kakashi and Kurenai nodded emphatically, echoing his words.

“You may not be afraid, but I’m not eager to tire myself out. Three separate matches, one-on-one. Who goes first?”

“I’ll go!” Kakashi immediately stepped forward.

Kagenori quietly withdrew his foot with disappointment.

Seems Kakashi’s reflexes are still sharper than mine… he thought regretfully.

“Good.” Tsunade drew a small circle in the dirt with her foot. “I just feel like hitting something today, not running around. So, I'll only use one hand. Your goal is simple: push me out of this circle and you win.”

Kakashi studied the circle intently.

The space was tight, barely enough to move around.

A tricky battlefield...

“Can I use explosive tags?”

“Of course. Ninja tools count as strength too.” Tsunade smirked lightly.

Kakashi nodded. “Then I’m ready.”

“Let’s begin.”

The instant she spoke, Tsunade locked eyes with Kakashi. She appeared relaxed, yet—

Cold sweat poured down Kakashi’s forehead. His lips trembled, and his hands shook uncontrollably. He stood frozen, completely paralyzed.

Kurenai stared in shock. “Genjutsu? But I can’t sense any chakra!”

“It’s not genjutsu—just pure killing intent,” Kagenori said gravely.

In the anime, Kakashi had twice frozen before Orochimaru’s killing intent—even as a jōnin.

But now—he was only a chūnin, facing down Tsunade’s overwhelming presence.

No wonder he couldn't move.

---

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!