Konoha: Gu Master

A sorrowful cry rang out from the east.

Shinho instinctively looked up to see a massive three-headed snake near the eastern gate of Konoha. 

One of its heads was pinned to the ground by an enormous blade held by an equally giant toad—the chief toad, Gamabunta from Mount Myoboku.

"It's Jiraiya and Orochimaru," Tsunade muttered, looking at them briefly before looking away. "We're heading to the main arena."

Danzo had lied about Orochimaru's partnership with Rasa to win her support. 

To her understanding, Rasa was the one fighting Sarutobi on the viewing platform, which would mean Orochimaru was battling Jiraiya.

Shinho knew the truth, but he couldn't reveal it without raising questions. By now, though, the truth or lie hardly mattered.

"I saw Danzo at the Hokage Rock," Tsunade said as they ran.

"Is he dead?" Shinho asked, raising an eyebrow.

If so, it was unfortunate since he had unfinished achievements linked to Danzo.

"No, he's in custody," Tsunade replied, a smile playing at her lips. "I faked a hemophobia panic attack and managed to land a surprise hit, all thanks to you."

It showed just how crucial information could be—there was a reason people said that with the right information, Jiraiya could defeat anyone.

Shinho rubbed his chin thoughtfully. 

The challenge related to Danzo was called "Poser Extraordinaire." 

Helping Danzo achieve the Hokage title would be nearly impossible. Illusionary jutsu? That was possible, but it would take incredibly convincing genjutsu for a man of Danzo's experience and skill. 

Would the achievement even trigger if Danzo realized it was all an illusion?

Luckily, now that he was imprisoned, Shinho had plenty of time to work out the details.

"You three wait here," Tsunade said, stopping at the entrance to the arena and gesturing toward Gaara and his siblings.

Temari and Kankuro nodded without question, glancing over at Gaara, who could barely remain upright.

Once inside, Tsunade scanned the scene, feeling her heart ease.

The villagers and dignitaries from other nations had all been evacuated, while most of the Hidden Sand and Hidden Sound ninjas had been detained, with only a few stragglers still resisting.

"Is that Wood Release?"

Her eyes widened in shock as she looked through the Four Violet Flames Barrier to see a thriving forest inside.

"Lady Hokage!"

Several figures appeared before her—Kakashi, Guy, and other Jonin.

"Shinho!" Ino called out happily, waving.

Hinata's eyes fixed on Shinho, and after making sure he was unharmed, she relaxed.

Shikamaru and the others waved to him but kept their excitement tempered in Tsunade's presence.

"What's going on up on the platform?" Tsunade asked, frowning.

The dense woods obscured her view of the battle.

"It's Orochimaru," Kakashi replied quickly. "He was disguised as Rasa."

"So Orochimaru wasn't the one fighting Jiraiya?" Tsunade's face darkened as she dashed toward the platform without hesitation.

At that moment, the Four Violet Flames Barrier trembled and then disappeared.

Orochimaru glanced at Tsunade, then wordlessly withdrew, escorted by several Sound ninjas.

"Go after him!" Tsunade ordered, noticing that Orochimaru's arms were hanging limp by his sides.

It was clear he had suffered a severe injury, but for now, her focus lay elsewhere. She jumped onto the platform, where her suspicions were confirmed.

"Nativity of a World of Trees."

Tsunade took a deep breath, emotions swirling in her chest. This Wood Release technique was one of her grandfather's legendary jutsu.

"Old man?"

Suppressing her turmoil, Tsunade scanned the platform, finally spotting Sarutobi lying motionless on the ground. 

She knelt by his side, pressing her hands to his chest, channeling chakra.

After a few seconds, she withdrew her hands in silence.

Sarutobi was gone, and the unusual dissipation of his soul could only mean one thing—the Reaper Death Seal.

"Sensei." Shinho stepped forward, gently taking her hand. 

He worried that Sarutobi's bloodied state might cause her hemophobia to resurface.

"I'm fine." Tsunade shook her head, then pulled her hand back when the ANBU arrived.

"Lady Hokage." One of them, codenamed Antelope, took in Sarutobi's figure and seemed to understand.

"The Third Hokage has fallen," Tsunade said. "Prepare his body and hold the funeral in three days."

"Yes, ma'am." Antelope signaled to the others, and the ANBU used a summoning scroll to bring out a stretcher.

Tsunade let out a long, deep sigh. 

Though she'd had her disagreements with Sarutobi's methods, he had ultimately sacrificed himself for Konoha—a fitting legacy for a Hokage.

As she glanced around, her eyes settled on three coffins, and she clenched her fists.

"That bastard!"

Tsunade realized at once why Wood Release had appeared here—Orochimaru had used the Reanimation Jutsu to summon her grandfather, Hashirama.

Seeing her seething, Shinho thought it best to remain silent. After all, Orochimaru had desecrated her family's graves, a pain that anyone would struggle to bear.

The sound of rushing footsteps broke the tense silence.

Shizune hurried up to the platform, having seen the entire battle by following behind Hiruzen. 

Luckily, she had faced off against Baki, not Orochimaru, and with Asuma and Kurenai's help, she had managed to capture him.

Just as she opened her mouth to speak, Shinho pulled her aside and placed a finger on her lips, gently stopping her.

Startled, Shizune stepped back and Shinho shook his head, gesturing for her to stay quiet.

Her eyes darted away, unsettled. 

Though she could sense the weight in the air, she couldn't help but feel distracted.

"Shizune," Tsunade's voice cut through, now composed once again. "Bring the Sand Village shinobi here. I need to speak with them."

"O-of course," Shizune stammered before hurrying away.

Tsunade tilted her head slightly, a puzzled look crossing her face. Shizune was acting strangely, wasn't she?

"Shinho," Tsunade waved him over, "go check in with your friends."

Most of the Jonin, including Kakashi and Guy, had already gone in pursuit of Orochimaru, while Kurenai remained to help guide Shikamaru and the other genin.

Since he had been the only one allowed onto the platform with her, Shikamaru and the others were waiting with an anxious gaze from afar.

"Sensei, I think I should stay with you."

Tsunade gave him a glare. "What do you think I am, a child?"

"That's not out of the question," Shinho replied, hoping to lighten the mood.

"Cheeky brat!" Tsunade huffed, grabbing his collar and throwing him off the platform.

Twisting midair, Shinho landed with ease. 

Tsunade placed a hand on her chest, but a faint smile tugged at the corners of her mouth.

But her smile soon faded—now was not the time for that.

"…"

Shinho and Hinata, along with the others, exchanged glances in silence.

"You and Lady Hokage seem really close," Shikamaru broke the tension, his voice tinged with tact.

"Ahem," Shinho cleared his throat, scanning the room. "Where are Neji and the others?"

"They're in the medical wing," Shikamaru explained. "Naruto and Sasuke haven't regained consciousness yet, so I sent Neji and the others to keep an eye on them, just in case."

"Good," Shinho nodded approvingly.

"What's really going on?" Shikamaru asked, unable to suppress his curiosity. "Is the Sand Village really working with the Hidden Sound to attack the Leaf?"

"Yes," Shinho confirmed, his expression serious. "Orochimaru created the Hidden Sound and used it to attack. Just now, he killed the Third Hokage."

"What?" Shikamaru looked stunned.

"How could that happen?" Sakura gasped, barely able to comprehend the news.

"He was supposed to be the strongest Hokage," Yakumo murmured, covering her mouth in disbelief.

"Poor Naruto is going to be heartbroken," Choji said with a heavy sigh.

Hearing that, Kurenai thought of Asuma. 

Although he often complained about Sarutobi, their father-son bond was undeniably strong.

Nearby, the captured Sand Village ninjas were brought before Tsunade, including Gaara, Kankuro, and Temari, who had been waiting at the arena entrance. 

From them, Tsunade confirmed the truth—Orochimaru had deceived Rasa into a false alliance.

Though the Sand ninjas struggled to accept it, they couldn't deny that they had lost. 

Under Baki's lead, they reached an agreement with the Leaf, officially ending the Konoha Crush plan. 

With that, the joint Chunin Exams were suspended until the Leaf's leadership decided the future.

Half an hour later, Kakashi, Guy, and the others returned empty-handed. 

Orochimaru had again proven his skill at evasion, eluding them completely. Tsunade wasn't overly upset, knowing that many urgent matters still needed her attention.

Unlike the chaos in the original story after Sarutobi's death, with Tsunade in charge, the Leaf was relatively stable. 

Soon after, Shinho and his friends headed to the medical wing, where they found Sasuke and Naruto still unconscious after pushing themselves too far in their battle. 

Thankfully, they only needed a few days to recover—especially Naruto.

"All right, everyone should go rest," Shinho said once he made sure Naruto and Sasuke were okay.

"I'll stay here!" Sakura said firmly.

Shinho nodded, leaving it at that.

"So much has happened," Shikamaru muttered, hands on his head. "If I'd known, I wouldn't have bothered with the Chunin Exams."

"I wonder how our dads are doing," Choji added, his usual bag of chips forgotten.

"They'll be fine," Shinho assured him confidently.

"We really owe it all to Shinho," Ino said, sliding closer to him. "If he hadn't led the One-Tail away, we'd be in big trouble."

Hinata bit her lip, a hint of envy surfacing as she glanced at Ino's gesture.

"It was my first time seeing a tailed beast," Kiba mused, glancing at Akamaru. "It was huge!"

"Arf!" Akamaru barked, sounding almost insulted.

How dare Kiba compare a tailed beast to a dog! Was he serious?

"So what happened to the One-Tail? Did Lady Hokage defeat it?" Shino asked, puzzled.

The last they'd seen, the One-Tail had chased after Shinho, only to disappear shortly afterward. Shino knew his brother was skilled, but could he really take on a tailed beast?

Shinho took a moment to explain the connection between a tailed beast and its jinchuriki host.

"Even so, you're practically the strongest genin now," Shikamaru marveled, shaking his head. "It's ridiculous, really!"

Shino gave his brother a small nod of approval.

[Achievement Unlocked: 'Do You Believe in the Light?' You've received the Flying Bone Shield Gu.]

[Flying Bone Shield Gu: Rank 3 Gu insect, forms three whirling bone shields that hover protectively around the Gu Master.]

A shield made of bone? Shinho was taken aback by the unexpected achievement.

Perhaps it had been triggered by his use of the Rainbow Gu? But why hadn't it triggered before?

Glancing around, he realized the answer. It was the trust and faith from Hinata, Ino, and the others.

"See you all tomorrow," Shinho said as he bid them farewell and returned to the Senju residence.

Opening the door, he found the living room empty—Tsunade and Shizune weren't home. It wasn't unexpected; he figured Tsunade was likely handling official matters.

Heading to the kitchen, he made himself a bowl of ramen to quell his hunger. 

After a day of combat, he was starving, but the gains were worth it, especially the All-Out Effort Gu, which would significantly boost his strength.

After eating, he began training, losing track of time until he heard the front door open.

Shinho opened his eyes.

Tsunade entered, looking exhausted, and sank onto the couch without a word, her golden hair spilling down as she leaned back, closing her eyes.

"Sensei, you still have your shoes on," Shinho reminded her, glancing down.

"I'll take them off in a moment," she replied, resting without moving an inch.

"Let me help." Shinho knelt down, gently gripping her ankle with one hand as he undid the buckle on her high heels with the other, slipping them off.

Her bare feet were as smooth as jade, glinting faintly in the dim light. The red polish on her nails was dull from the day.

Shinho found his gaze drifting up her slender calf and porcelain skin, staring for a few seconds before removing her other shoe.

"Are you hungry?" Shinho asked, standing.

Tsunade's gaze lingered on his face for a moment, her expression softening.

Returning home after a grueling day, only to be greeted with such care, felt oddly familiar.

"Yes, a bit," she replied, shifting her gaze. "Anything simple will do."

"Got it," Shinho nodded and returned with a steaming bowl of tonkotsu ramen.

"Smells wonderful," Tsunade sighed, her fatigue easing slightly.

She propped the bowl on her lap, one leg stretched out to the floor while the other swung freely in the air.

Shinho watched, unable to look away.

"Ah, that hit the spot," Tsunade declared, finishing the ramen down to the last drop, even licking her lips as she put down the bowl.

"Want more?" Shinho asked, swallowing.

"No, that's enough." Tsunade handed the bowl back, stretching luxuriously before flopping sideways on the couch. "I'm going to sleep."

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