chapter 113 part 3
"Tsunade, I sensed your urgency, so I hurried over."
"Kaede, you bastard! Did you already know that a large number of Senju Clan members were involved in Human Experimentation? Why didn't you tell me sooner so I could stop them?!" Tsunade's veins pulsed on her forehead as she angrily grabbed Tsukasa Kaede's collar.
"It seems you've investigated thoroughly. Perhaps my mastery of Wood Release made it impossible for the Senju Clan to keep it hidden any longer?"
Tsukasa Kaede was calm. He had previously realized that Tsunade had become aware of the Human Experimentation. At first, it could be concealed, but as time passed, more and more Senju Clan members died on the operating table and no longer appeared in the Senju Clan Compound, Tsunade was bound to suspect something.
"You must have negotiated with Clan Head Momoka, right? You surely know that she also possesses the Wood Release Bloodline Limit. This is the will of the Clan, not my own. Although I was a secondary supervisor of the Transplantation Experiment, I couldn't stop the Senju Clan's decision, nor did I know how to stop it. You should be well aware of Clan Head Momoka's concern: that the Senju Clan has no successors, and the overall number of children has decreased." Tsukasa Kaede stated.
Tsunade released Tsukasa Kaede's collar, her face filled with despair.
While she certainly elevated the Senju Clan's Combat Power, apart from her, the Senju Clan simply couldn't compare to the Uchiha Clan and the Hyuga Clan. They were forced to organize Clan Members to undergo Hashirama Cells Transplantation.
"But... you should have at least informed me beforehand!"
"Informing you would only lead you to personally participate in the Experiment, which is absolutely not allowed. The Hokage's disciple, the First Hokage's granddaughter, placed on an operating table to transplant First Hokage's Cells—that would be a serious political incident."
Tsukasa Kaede said flatly, "The consequence of that would be, Tsunade, the entire Transplantation Experiment would be forced to stop due to your obstruction. The Village would be unable to conduct research for rapidly increasing Combat Power. When a new Ninja World War breaks out in the future, more people from the Village will die, and the Senju Clan will continue to decline... All these downsides would converge. I suppose that's why Clan Head Momoka refused to tell you."
Tsunade raised her hand and slammed it hard into the wall. Besides expressing her anger and helplessness this way, she could do nothing.
Jiraiya frowned: "So, after all this, the Senju Clan lost more manpower, only for Clan Head Momoka and you to gain the Wood Release Bloodline Limit? No matter how you look at it, you, the principal, are one of the biggest beneficiaries. If it weren't for the people of Hidden Sand Village, we wouldn't even have known you possessed the Wood Release Bloodline Limit! Relations between our two nations are extremely tense because of your actions; a war might break out."
"You were also the biggest beneficiary of hiding the fact that the Village taught Nagato and Konan. The Village probably feels like it lost a fortune. Those comrades who died because you unilaterally deserted during the Second Great Ninja War are probably cursing you fiercely in the Pure Land."
Tsukasa Kaede replied calmly: "As for war, don't worry. If the Hidden Sand Village people are still stubborn, I will fight."
Jiraiya's eyes widened in anger, but his imposing aura quickly dissipated, leaving him speechless.
To put it bluntly, among the Konoha Sannin, only Tsunade truly had no major ethical black marks. The other two had problems, each worse than the last.
"Then how about letting Konan go? She's worked so hard making Explosive Tags for you, surely enough to arm a large number of Zombies now? When will it end?"
Jiraiya was helpless, negotiating gently, because Tsukasa Kaede genuinely wasn't afraid of him.
Even during their first meeting, when he wanted to summon Tsukasa Kaede to participate in the Second Great Ninja War and was flatly rejected, Tsukasa Kaede, who had already mastered Space-Time Ninjutsu, dared to directly confront him. How much more so now?
Tsukasa Kaede was already a powerful Ninja possessing Wood Release and Corpse Release, capable of defeating a Jinchuriki alone. He was an undisputed Hokage-level existence.
Jiraiya felt that unless he could instantly activate Sage Mode, it would be impossible to suppress Tsukasa Kaede. Otherwise, there was no hope—in his view, the Wood Release Tsukasa Kaede controlled, at best, could create a forest. Could he really compare to the First Hokage with just a few transplanted Cells? Impossible.
"Wait a little longer, it's not enough, far from enough. Jiraiya, don't even think about taking her from me. You must have guessed that I've tampered with Konan. Until she helps me achieve my goal, I can't possibly let her go... However, as long as I'm satisfied, I will release her immediately. I won't use clumsy excuses to break my promise."
Tsukasa Kaede made a gesture, dismissing them.
Tsunade and Jiraiya, suppressing their anger, left powerlessly—this was Hidden Leaf Village, a place that valued the Will of Fire. Would these two really resort to violence against Tsukasa Kaede? "Brat, I'll see you at the training grounds later! I'm really angry right now!!" Tsunade still couldn't hold back, but when she looked back, she found that Tsukasa Kaede had already left using Space-Time Ninjutsu.
"He's even busy... That bastard!"
Tsunade's breathing was heavy, her chest heaving: "I have a way to solve the Senju Clan's predicament!"
"Huh? What do you plan to do?" Jiraiya glanced at her, then immediately looked away. Tsunade had her partner; he needed to avoid suspicion.
"Isn't it just a lack of successors? Isn't it just a lack of newborns? I'll give birth! And I'll raise them myself! I refuse to believe I can't raise a few geniuses!" Tsunade gritted her teeth.
"A few? You don't have to push yourself so hard! Can Dan Kato handle it?"
"Get lost, it's none of your business!"
Tsunade stormed off, leaving Jiraiya, who had taken a punch, lying on the ground in a daze.
Tsukasa Kaede ignored the two of them and went directly to the Land of Rain.
While Hidden Sand Village was making frequent moves, theoretically, they wouldn't be crazy enough to start a war—now was not the time to ignite the Third Great Ninja War; the nations hadn't accumulated enough power yet.
Even if they went mad and assembled a large army to invade the Land of Fire, Tsukasa Kaede would still have enough time to rush back. At that time, he would be happy to let the Hidden Sand Village guys experience what an all-out Corpse Release truly looked like.
During his Impure World Reincarnation period, he could directly control tens of thousands of Zombies, let alone now.
"It's raining again. This country is always weeping."
Tsukasa Kaede spread his hands, feeling the coldness in the rain.
Then, it was time to meet Nagato.
"The last time we met, I was an Impure World Reincarnation. Nagato and the others would have thought Orochimaru controlled me to abduct Konan..."
This time, Tsukasa Kaede intended to use the One-Tails as a bargaining chip. The One-Tails in his hands, apart from providing him with One-Tails Chakra, was frankly useless.
Even for Chakra, purely in terms of quantity, Tsukasa Kaede didn't lack what the One-Tails offered. However, he could use a portion of the One-Tails Chakra to create the crudest Zombie Jinchuriki.
Prematurely activating a portion of the Gedo Mazo would surely be very interesting.
(end of chapter)