The bewilderment on Tsunade's face was replaced by anxiety. The news that the White Hermit Serpent had managed to shout "Eternal Izanagi" before his death initially ignited a spark of fierce hope in her. Izanagi! Uchiha's greatest dojutsu, turning death itself into an illusion at the cost of sight. It was a mystery how a commoner like Uchiha Yue had mastered it, but it didn't matter. The important thing was that he had to pay the price. Right now, at this very moment, he should be in the most vulnerable position—weakened, half-blind. The ideal goal.
But the intelligence reports destroyed this logic in the bud. No changes? Did he only get stronger?
How is this possible? It shouldn't be like this!
Since the Hermit used this technique, it means that he is guaranteed to kill Yue at least once. And that's at least one blind eye. His monstrous "area of dead silence" should have disappeared or at least weakened! It didn't make any sense.
At that moment, Jiraiya, who had returned from Mount Myoboku, burst into the office. He wanted to report on senjutsu immediately, but Tsunade beat him to it, venting her bewilderment about Izanagi.
Their knowledge of the Mangekyo Sharingan Uchiha was incomplete. They knew about his tremendous strength, but not about his main weakness, his inability to heal himself. Uchiha Obito, spreading rumors at the time, prudently kept silent about this. If they knew the truth, they wouldn't be wondering right now. Yue's eyes should have long since decayed from overexertion, and not shone with life, as observers reported.
Realizing this detail could lead them on the right track: Uchiha Yue learned how to convert other energy into power for his dojutsu.
Although they didn't have the full picture, Jiraiya, after listening to Tsunade, came to a similar conclusion.
"The only explanation, Tsunade, is that he found a way to fuel his dojutsu. Convert some other energy to cover the cost of Izanagi. That's why he looks unharmed.
"If that's the case, then things are really bad," Tsunade's face darkened. "To kill him for sure, we'll have to destroy him three times in a short period of time."…
Deep down, she still harbored a plan to awaken the remnants of the Will of Fire in Yue, make him realize his mistakes and take his own life. But how do you get through to someone you can't even get close to?
"By the way, Jiraiya, what did you want to say?"
—Oh, yeah… I was on Mount Myoboku. Now I know who that sage was, the White Hermit Serpent from the Ryuchi Cave. It seems that with his death, the cave itself was destroyed.…
Jiraiya relayed all the news to her, including the main decision made by the toads. Upon hearing that the Great Hermit Toad intended to spread senjutsu throughout the Shinobi world, Tsunade involuntarily clenched her fists.
This is not medical ninjutsu. This is a powerful weapon that will now be in the hands of potential enemies. Konoha is already drained of blood. If other villages master senjutsu, Leaf Village will become the weakest of the great five. It is only necessary to solve the problem with Yue, and a new Great Shinobi War will become inevitable. And in this war, Konoha, faced with hermit units from other villages, will be doomed to defeat. The fate of the second Hidden Sand Village awaits them — the loss of influence, missions and honor.
— no! She slammed her fist on the table so that it cracked. — We cannot allow such dangerous techniques to fall into the wrong hands! Jiraiya, you have to convince the Great Hermit Toad. Let him give them only to Konoha!
Her face became hard and unfamiliar. At that moment, Tsunade was rapidly turning into the politician she had once despised.
"It won't work, Tsunade,— Jiraiya shook his head wearily. "I tried." They just yelled at me and threw me out.
Tsunade paused, considering his words.
"So the Great Hermit Toad told Konoha to gather the other villages and share his techniques with them?"
Jiraiya nodded.
—Well..." A cold calculation flashed in Tsunade's eyes. A shadow of a smile appeared on her lips.
Of course, she would not contradict the will of the legendary sage. However... some techniques carry hidden dangers. For the sake of the general safety and stability of the Shinobi world, she will instruct her people to conduct a thorough audit. To take away those jutsu that could potentially be harmful... and set them aside. And then, in the name of the common good, Konoha will take on the burden of studying and "neutralizing" the most dangerous of them.
The other villages, of course, will get their share too. After all, all hermit techniques can't threaten the future of the world, right?
They discussed the candidacy of the new Hokage for some time, after which Tsunade again sent scouts to Uchiha Yue. What if? What if all they see is just the last glimmer of a dying candle? What if he's already blind and just bluffing, hiding his weakness?
Uchiha Yue's eyes were no longer just a Mangekyo Sharingan. It was the ultimate weapon. Even when they were blind, they were of tremendous value. If Konoha manages to get them and find a way to rebuild, the weakened village will be able to maintain its status.
Meanwhile, the determined Raikage has already led his best Shinobi to the border of the region of dead silence.
— So that's his power.…
The fourth Raikage, Hey, clasped his hands on his mighty chest, peered into the lifeless dome that stretched out in front of him — dark, icy, silent. He was informed that Uchiha Yue had used the Eternal Izanagi. So why is this cursed zone still here, showing no sign of dissipating?
He ordered the soldiers to tie themselves with safety ropes and go inside to check if her all—consuming power had weakened.
The result wasn't just disappointing, it was frightening. Not only did the technique not weaken, but it seemed to have become even stronger. It was fundamentally wrong. In the end, all they had to do was come to the same conclusion as Konoha: Uchiha Yue was somehow absorbing energy to repair the damage done to his eyes.
So what if they figured it out? This knowledge did not give them an advantage. On the contrary, it made the task even more impossible.
How do you fight an opponent who is a battlefield in his own right? He was like a living natural disaster, a cursed land that sucked the life out of everything it touched. And on this earth stood an invulnerable god, capable of dying and being reborn. The task didn't just seem difficult. It was absurd.