The accidental triggering of the mission and the unlocking of a new panel function made Nara Shikadan feel extremely pleased.
More importantly, this B-rank mission seemed to be something he could clear just by tagging along with the boss!
Three ninjas against one Jonin—wasn't this an easy win?
Nara Shikadan looked expectantly at Tsunade beside him. Under the pale moonlight, her profile glowed like that of a valiant and invincible Valkyrie...
Although—this didn't seem like a game where he could just lie down and win!
The overwhelming charm of the blonde sister hadn't clouded Nara Shikadan's judgment.
At this stage, Tsunade was certainly strong and reputable.
But her weakness—hemophobia—must not be ignored.
Back during the Second Great Ninja War, Tsunade had experienced the deaths of both her younger brother, Nawaki, and her boyfriend, Kato Dan.
Even her most advanced medical ninjutsu couldn't save the already lifeless bodies.
That unbearable trauma left her with a severe phobia of blood—a fatal condition for a ninja!
Even the slightest sight of blood could render this "Number One Nurse in the Ninja World" weak and trembling, completely losing her combat ability.
This was top-secret information, known only to a very small number of people in Konoha.
Can Tsunade eliminate the Iwagakure Jonin before her hemophobia kicks in?
Nara Shikadan glanced at Tsunade, then at the empty road ahead. No answer came to mind.
At the same time, Tsunade—who appeared confident and fearless—was rapidly thinking the same thing.
If she didn't have hemophobia, even if a dozen of that kind of enemy appeared, she could smash them into pancakes with a few punches.
But she did have hemophobia!
Once there was blood—whether it came from the enemy or herself—she'd be out.
"I have to win without getting hurt!"
Tsunade's eyes narrowed with determination.
"Or I need to end it with one hit!"
Normally, a captured spy is more valuable than a dead one.
But Tsunade knew she couldn't guarantee capturing a Jonin without anyone bleeding. The risk was just too high.
So her only option... was a clean kill.
As the foremost medical-nin, Tsunade had her methods. Using the A-rank technique Chakra Scalpel, she could sever muscles, blood vessels, and even bones—internally—to deliver lethal damage without external wounds.
But the problem was the enemy's invisibility technique. She couldn't pinpoint his exact position, posture, or even body shape.
Whether healing or attacking, medical ninjutsu required precision. Using Chakra Scalpel on an invisible enemy was like threading a needle in the dark.
What if she missed? Instead of a clean kill, she might cause a minor injury—and that would mean blood.
And blood meant... collapse.
"I'll have to adapt depending on how the fight develops."
Tsunade finalized her battle strategy.
"Tch... if only I hadn't brought this kid along..." She turned and saw Nara Shikadan, face serious as he stared into the distance.
Tch... fine. I took his B-rank mission, after all.
"There is no perfect ninjutsu in the world. Every technique has its flaws."
Tsunade reached out and pressed a hand on Nara Shikadan's head.
"Let me teach you how to counter this invisibility ninjutsu—something similar to Transparent Escape!"
Transparent Escape was a unique kekkei genkai of the Gekkō Clan in Konoha. Its basic function was to suppress breath and turn the user invisible.
Tsunade understood this technique, partly because it was a rare bloodline limit, and partly thanks to her good teammate—who'd spent his youth obsessively trying to master it for, well... bathhouse-related reasons.
Thanks to him, Tsunade not only knew how it worked—but also how to counter it.
Can't see the invisible enemy?
Then just force him to become visible!
"At times like this, I really envy the Uchiha and Hyuga clans..."
Tsunade sighed inwardly.
Meanwhile, the Iwagakure ninja Daishi stood frozen in place, still fully cloaked in his invisibility jutsu.
Camouflage Invisibility, a high-level Iwagakure secret art.
By manipulating chakra and the properties of earth release, the user could render themselves transparent and mute their presence.
As long as the opponent wasn't from a dojutsu clan like Uchiha or Hyuga, Daishi could infiltrate undetected. It was this technique that had made him so effective at gathering intel from Kikyo Castle.
But, as Tsunade said—no ninjutsu was perfect.
Camouflage Invisibility had a flaw: it couldn't hide the faint air distortion created during high-speed movement.
Right now, Daishi was accumulating earth-style chakra, ready to escape underground.
He focused on Tsunade and Nara Shikadan's every movement, waiting for the perfect opening.
The moment Tsunade raised her hand to Nara Shikadan's head, a glint flashed in Daishi's eye.
"Now!"
Earth Style: Earth Rising Spear!
His accumulated chakra surged into the earth. A low rumble echoed out, and the ground trembled.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
Thick, jagged earth spears shot upward like giant trees, aiming straight for Tsunade and Nara Shikadan, kicking up dust and debris.
"Hmph! That slow speed won't hit me!"
Tsunade's hand slid from Shikadan's head to his collar. She gripped him tightly and leapt back with her powerful legs, dodging the earth spears with ease.
As she soared, Tsunade's sharp eyes scanned the terrain, locating the source of the jutsu.
Should I attack now?
No. She dismissed the idea quickly.
Too far. I can't guarantee a clean kill from here.
Instead, Tsunade didn't forget what she'd just taught Shikadan.
"Watch closely, kid!"
Midair, she formed a half-seal, refining her chakra.
A green glow enveloped her body—
Super Strength!
This technique, Tsunade's signature, was the result of precise chakra control applied to raw physical force.
But few people knew—it wasn't just for taijutsu punches.
Wooooosh—!
A gale-force wind burst from her body, sweeping away the dust and dirt below.
Daishi, still cloaked and preparing to escape underground, was caught by the blast—completely exposed!
The grey-yellow figure, now visible and bloodied, stood out in the fading light.
"Not good!" Daishi gritted his teeth and began weaving hand seals at lightning speed.
Tsunade noticed—but instead of attacking, she dropped Nara Shikadan to safety and stepped onto one of the Earth Spears.
Then she deliberately slowed her charge... giving the enemy time to dive underground.
Finally... the moment I needed!
Tsunade raised her small but devastating fist.
Super Strength!
BOOM!!
The ground ruptured in a massive shockwave. Debris flew like shrapnel, and the Earth Spears snapped like twigs.
A ten-meter crater opened up where Daishi had tried to hide.
Shikadan shielded himself from the explosion. He peeked out through his arms and saw the battlefield—his eyes twitching violently.
This is the legendary medical-nin's punch?
Terrifying.
From the cracked earth, thick, sticky blood oozed upward. A few drops landed on Tsunade's clenched fist.
"Blood..."
Tsunade's eyes widened.
The once-majestic kunoichi trembled, her face turning ghostly pale. She collapsed into the pit.
Shikadan rushed to help her—but the ground began to rumble again.
Crack—crack—!
A humanoid mound emerged from the blood-soaked earth.
The scent of blood filled the air like a miasma.
"He's not dead?!"
Tsunade's pupils shrank. She fought to muster her strength, but the scent dragged her back to the horrors of the Second Ninja War.
The legendary Tsunade crumbled like a fragile flower.
Nara Clan... help...
"Don't look."
A small, pale hand covered Tsunade's eyes.
Nara Shikadan's calm voice whispered beside her ear.
"Leave it to me now."
At that moment, the human-shaped mound split apart.
The Iwagakure spy Daishi emerged—bloodied, broken, but eyes still burning with life.
He'd survived by the thinnest margin.
If I hadn't used Earth Release in time, I'd be dead already!
Still, he had multiple fractures and heavy bleeding. Without treatment, he'd die anyway.
"Hahaha!"
Daishi cackled at Tsunade, limp in the crater.
"So this is the famous Tsunade-hime? Powerful... but completely incapacitated? What a joke!"
He drew a kunai with shaking hands. The bloodstained tip gleamed red.
"Time to take the head of a Sannin!"
"Lord Third, the mission... is complete!"
Shikadan stood behind Tsunade, still shielding her eyes.
The boss was down. Time for the underling to step up.
[Shadow Gathering Technique]!
A shadow tentacle snaked out from beneath Shikadan, reaching behind to grab a special kunai—one with a timed detonating tag attached.
Swish—!
The kunai flew past him. A small trail of smoke and flame followed as the fuse burned.
"A detonating kunai?"
Daishi instinctively dodged, easily avoiding the projectile despite his injuries.
"Too slow, brat!"
Even half-dead, his reaction speed exceeded Shikadan's.
But Shikadan had never intended to kill him with the kunai.
Boom!
The explosion went off behind Daishi. The flames cast a tall, stretched shadow toward Shikadan.
Boom!
Another blast followed—not from a tag, but a flash bomb.
Light burst forth behind Daishi, elongating his shadow even more.
In that moment, their shadows overlapped.
Darkness crept into Shikadan's eyes. Shadowy tendrils rose behind him.
The white light illuminated his face.
His irises darkened into a terrifying, inky black.
"Listen... the corpse is talking."
[A-Rank Technique: Lacquer Eye]
Technique Description: A dark eye that sees spiritual energy, developed by Nara Shikadan himself.
Effect 1: In Lacquer Eye state, you can observe spiritual energy and flow in all unobstructed directions.
Effect 2: In Lacquer Eye state, you can fully control your own spiritual energy and Yin Release chakra. All Nara Clan shadow techniques can be used instantly without hand seals.
Technique Evaluation: Eyes are the king of ninjutsu!