บท 206: Chapter 206
Tsunade couldn't believe the Third Hokage's decision to personally visit the border camp.
"Why would you go in person for something like this?" she questioned, irritation laced in her voice. "They're injured, but isn't that normal for ninjas on missions? Who can guarantee they'll come back unscathed? Even I can't promise that, and I'm a medical ninja."
The Third Hokage sighed, meeting her gaze with a pleading look.
"Tsunade..."
She recoiled slightly, feeling goosebumps crawl up her skin. Waving him off, she relented with a groan.
"Alright, old man, stop looking at me like that. It's creepy. If you want to go, then go. I'll handle the Hokage's office until you come back, okay?"
Relief washed over the Third Hokage's face. He had anticipated Tsunade's resistance and prepared accordingly. He quickly handed her the Hokage seal, the symbol of his authority, ensuring she couldn't back out.
"..."
Tsunade glared at the seal in her hand, muttering curses under her breath.
My damn sense of responsibility, she thought bitterly. Despite her irritation, she knew she couldn't neglect the village's operations. She begrudgingly accepted the seal and left, silently vowing to make the old man pay for this later.
By the afternoon, the Third Hokage had left Konoha with his Hokage Guard, a group of medical ninjas, and supplies. He headed straight for the border camp, where Utatane Koharu and Mitokado Hamura were recuperating. He had questions that only they could answer.
Meanwhile, Konoha continued to function smoothly under Tsunade's leadership. While many ninjas were surprised to see her sitting on the Hokage's throne, they quickly adapted, treating her as they would the Third Hokage.
Reports were made, tasks were assigned, and decisions were carried out without disruption. The Hokage's absence caused no noticeable decline in efficiency. However, for Tsunade, the workload was crushing. By the end of the second day, she was physically and mentally drained.
Dragging herself from the Hokage's office late at night, she muttered, "Old man, when will you come back? The village can't survive without you. Hurry up and return!"
The Anbu guards escorting her exchanged puzzled glances. Did she just pray for the Hokage's return?
At the border camp, the Third Hokage finally met his two old comrades. His expression darkened as he saw the extent of their injuries. Mitokado Hamura's face was nearly unrecognizable, a deep scar twisting his features into something grotesque.
"Koharu, Hamura..." He hesitated, unsure how to address the situation.
Hamura cut him off with a bitter laugh. "I was injured saving Koharu. The enemy got me, and I couldn't get proper treatment in time."
His tone dripped with resentment, and he didn't bother hiding it. Koharu hung her head, staring at the stump where her left hand used to be.
"It's my fault," she admitted softly. "If I hadn't been so stubborn, if I hadn't insisted on pursuing the mission further... none of this would have happened. Hamura wouldn't have been hurt. I wouldn't have lost my hand. The mission was already a success, but I couldn't let it go."
The Third Hokage sighed heavily. "Tell me everything. What happened that led to this outcome?"
Hamura's bitter smile twisted further. "What happened? We trapped ourselves, that's what happened!"
Hamura began recounting their mission.
"We entered the Land of Wind without much trouble. Koharu and I decided to split up, forcing Hyuga Shinki to handle the most dangerous targets. It was a gamble, and it worked—for a while.
We destroyed several key targets, but eventually, we were discovered. The Third Kazekage personally led the pursuit, hunting us down to trap us inside their borders."
The Third Hokage nodded grimly. He had already been aware of this part.
"But everything changed when we turned toward the Bear Country." Hamura's tone grew sharper, and his glare pinned Koharu.
"Koharu thought the mission wasn't complete enough. She didn't want Hyuga Shinki laughing at her for taking the easier route. So, she decided to bait the Third Kazekage into following us into the Bear Country to open a third battlefield. That's when things went south. Our communication ninja was killed, cutting off contact. Koharu was injured shortly after, and we sacrificed heavily to delay the Kazekage."
Hamura's voice rose with frustration. "But reinforcements never came! The ones that eventually showed up were two days late. Two days! And by then, the damage was done!"
His voice cracked, his anger and bitterness spilling over. "Hiruzen, you have to explain this to me. Where were the reinforcements when we needed them?!"
The Third Hokage sat silently, absorbing the full weight of Hamura's words. The room's tension was suffocating, with Koharu still staring at her stump and Hamura glaring at him with fire in his eyes.
He exhaled slowly. "I'll investigate why the reinforcements were delayed. You have my word. But first, I need to ensure both of you receive the care you need. The village cannot afford to lose its elders."
Hamura scoffed. "Care won't fix what's broken, Hiruzen. And it won't undo the mistakes we made."
The Third Hokage's gaze softened as he looked at his old friends. While he didn't voice it, he understood their bitterness. The mission's consequences had been severe, and the scars—both physical and emotional—would linger long after the war was over.
Back in Konoha, Tsunade continued to shoulder the burden of leadership, grumbling about the Hokage's absence. But deep down, she knew the old man was trying to salvage what he could from an already fragile situation.
As she signed another document late into the night, she muttered, "Hiruzen, you'd better come back soon. Or I'm never doing this again."
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