Naruto: I have an attribute panel

Chapter 447 Orochimaru is still the best.

Inside the Hokage's office, as Minato gave the order, a burst of white smoke exploded, and Taichi vanished on the spot. It turned out that this was a shadow clone.

The Fourth Hokage, Minato Namikaze, and the Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, exchanged a glance, both seeing a deep sense of helplessness in each other's eyes.

This master and apprentice pair, the elder and the younger, are both a handful.

About two thousand minutes later, Tsunade's impatient complaints and Taichi's humble explanations came from the corridor outside the door.

"I'm telling you, the hospital operating room just got vacant, and the backlog of documents is enough to bury someone! Is the Hokage Building just bored out of their minds? They're deliberately causing trouble at times like this!" Tsunade's voice pierced through the wooden door, filled with anger.

"Teacher, it'll only be a little while, really, it won't delay your approval of the documents—" Taiyi's persuasion seemed weak and powerless.

The office door was pushed open, and Tsunade strode in, a few strands of her blond hair sticking up unruly, followed by Taichi with a fawning smile.

Hiruzen Sarutobi's sharp gaze immediately fell on his disciple. Perhaps it was because he hadn't seen her for a few days, or perhaps the image in the crystal ball had become distorted, but now that the real person was standing in front of him, the Third Hokage noticed that Tsunade's face seemed to have become even thinner.

Despite his sharp eyes, straight back, and seemingly overflowing energy, the deep weariness between his brows made the old Hokage's heart skip a beat, and his brows furrowed tightly.

"Hokage-sama, Sarutobi-sensei," Tsunade stopped, her tone unusually composed and calm, "What brings you here? The hospital really needs someone."

She even bowed slightly, her movements so precise they were flawless.

Minato and Hiruzen Sarutobi simultaneously felt a chill run down their spines. This was too abnormal! When had Tsunade ever been so "humble and polite" to the Hokage?

Minato immediately turned his pleading gaze to the Third Hokage—Your disciple, please come!

Hiruzen Sarutobi tightened his grip on his pipe, forcing himself to speak, "Tsunade, you... lately, haven't you been acting a little off? Don't you realize it?"

"Huh?" Tsunade looked completely bewildered, even a little aggrieved at being questioned. "Wait a minute? I feel perfectly fine! I have a regular schedule, I don't drink a drop of alcohol, and I've almost forgotten which way the gambling den's door faces! Isn't this turning over a new leaf?"

She became more and more self-righteous as she spoke, and finally put her hands on her hips, raised her chin slightly, and looked like she was dedicating her youth to Konoha.

An eerie silence fell over the office.

Abstaining from alcohol completely? Quitting gambling? Maintaining a regular sleep schedule?

Listen to this! Is this something Tsunade should be saying?

Hiruzen Sarutobi remained silent for a moment, not even noticing that his pipe had gone out.

After a long pause, he seemed to have made a great decision, and said with a pained expression, "Um—Tsunade, there are still some old, privately kept items in the teacher's wine cellar, all of them are good stuff."

"How about you go pick out a few bottles? It'll be a reward for all your hard work lately?"

Every word felt like a piece of flesh torn from his heart. Upon hearing this, Minato and Taichi turned to look at the Third Hokage in astonishment, their eyes filled with disbelief.

For his apprentice, the old man was even willing to take out his most treasured possession.

However, they truly are worthy of being master and disciple!

However----

"Teacher!" Tsunade's voice suddenly rose, like a cat whose tail had been stepped on, filled with insulted anger. "What are you saying! Do you think I, Tsunade, am that kind of person?"

As the granddaughter of the First Hokage and a Jonin of Konoha, it is my duty, my calling, to work diligently and dedicate myself to the village's development! How could you insult my character and resolve with such vulgar words!

She was so angry that the few unruly blonde hairs on her head stood up even higher.

Hiruzen Sarutobi was rendered speechless by the retort, his fingers holding the pipe trembling slightly, a feeling of frustration, like "a kind heart being fed to an ungrateful person," welling up inside him.

"Tsunade-senpai, you've misunderstood!"

Minato interjected at the opportune moment, his gentle smile helping the Third Hokage out of the predicament. "What the Third Hokage meant was that your treasured wines were stolen by Kurama. Kurama is the village's property, so the village should compensate for this loss. He was just too concerned and didn't express himself clearly enough."

He cleverly substituted "condolences" for "compensation," while quickly shifting the focus to Taiichi, "By the way, Taiichi, what about the Nine-Tails who caused the trouble? Has it apologized to Lady Tsunade yet?"

Taiyi reacted quickly, his face instantly filled with helplessness: "Don't even mention it! That guy knows he's committed grave sins, so he disappeared as soon as he got back from the mission. He hasn't been home for days; he's obviously too ashamed to show his face!"

He glanced at Tsunade furtively and noticed that her fists, hanging by her sides, had clenched tightly, her knuckles turning white.

"Who, who cares about those drinks!" Tsunade turned her face away, her tone still stiff, but the slight unnaturalness betrayed her true feelings.

"Yes, yes, yes." Taiyi quickly seized the opportunity to steer the conversation back on track, "Everyone just feels sorry for you because you've been working so hard lately, and wants you to relax a bit and balance work and rest."

Tsunade took a deep breath, surprisingly revealing a hint of "reflection": "Sigh, I know I was too careless in the past."

Upon hearing this, Minato, Hiruzen Sarutobi, and Taichi all felt their eyelids twitch involuntarily.

"I just wanted to make a change, it's really not as complicated as you think."

"It's easier to change mountains and rivers than to change one's nature?" Tsunade wants to "repent and start anew"? This is even more shocking than the Nine-Tails actively requesting to be sealed away!

Hiruzen Sarutobi pleaded earnestly, using every trick in the book to persuade her: "Tsunade, work requires a balance. How about this, while Taichi is in the village, why don't you take a few days off? Just to catch your breath."

"A holiday—" Tsunade muttered softly, her face hesitant, as if weighing the pros and cons. Finally, a "bright idea" struck her. "That works! I'll stay in the village anyway, I can take the documents home to process! The efficiency is the same, and it saves me the trouble of going to the hospital!"

She felt she had found the perfect solution.

Although the voice was soft, everyone present was a top-tier ninja with exceptional perception. Even the elderly Hiruzen Sarutobi heard it clearly.

Inside the office, the third and fourth generations, along with Taiichi, all had dark expressions, one jumping from the extreme of alcoholism and gambling to the other extreme of bringing work home like 007.

This "change" is worse than no change at all!

"Ahem," Taiichi cleared his throat, seemingly casually reminding Minato, "Minato-senpai, I remember a couple of days ago I was assigned a reconnaissance mission? Something like the one Jiraiya-sensei did? I think it would be perfect to send Tsunade-sensei, as a way to relax and unwind."

Minato was taken aback for a moment, then clapped his hands as if suddenly realizing something: "Right, right, right! Look at my memory!"

He immediately turned to Tsunade, his smile sincere. "There is indeed an important intelligence-gathering mission, and we haven't found anyone with the strength and experience to handle it. Your qualifications and abilities are top-notch in Konoha. Would you be willing to go through that trouble for the village again?"

Tsunade's eyes lit up noticeably, and she stretched her wrists and ankles. "Oh? There's such a mission? If the village needs it, I can't shirk my duty! I'll take it!"

She agreed readily, as if she weren't the one who had just declared that "the hospital can't do without people."

Minato acted swiftly, signing the mission scroll on the spot, stamping it with the bright red Hokage seal, and presenting it with both hands: "The mission is urgent and has been delayed for several days. Please, Lady Tsunade, set off as soon as possible."

"Don't worry!" Tsunade grabbed the scroll, waved casually at the two Hokage, and turned to leave.

Taiichi quickly bowed to Minato and the Third Hokage and hurried after them.

The departure procedures were incredibly fast. Tsunade went home and only retrieved a lightweight sealing scroll before heading straight for the Konoha gates under Taichi's "escort".

Although she tried her best to keep a straight face, her light steps and slightly upturned lips had already revealed the joy in her heart.

Beneath the towering gates of Konoha, Taiichi gazed at Tsunade, his words earnest yet seemingly pointed: "Sensei, this is all I can do to help. Please—while you're 'carrying out your duties,' remember to return early."

"Then—" Tsunade blurted out, then suddenly realized her mistake and immediately straightened her face, "What are you saying! I'll naturally come back after the mission is complete!"

She patted Taiyi's shoulder twice, as if to cover something up. Then, she moved swiftly, activated her Body Flicker Technique, and disappeared at the end of the road leading out of the village in a few leaps, leaving only a gust of wind behind.

Taiichi stood alone in front of the Konoha gate, gazing in the direction where his teacher had disappeared, remaining motionless for a long time.

"Tsunade-senpai—is she gone?" A gentle, smiling voice sounded from his side. Minato's figure appeared silently, as if blending into the sunlight.

"Hmm," Taiyi said without turning around, a knowing smile playing on his lips, "They just left. If you chase after them now, you can still catch up with their speed."

Minato smiled and shook his head: "They've already left, why chase after them? But you'll probably have to work hard on the hospital and school next."

"It's alright." Taiyi said in a relaxed tone, "My strength has just made a small breakthrough, so maintaining one more permanent shadow clone shouldn't be a problem."

Upon hearing this, Minato's eyes flashed with astonishment: "Your rate of progress—I'm afraid those extraterrestrials—will soon be no match for you."

"Ha!" Taiyi laughed loudly, his gaze fixed on the vast sky, his ambition and fighting spirit undisguised. "That's why I've been sharpening my claws. If they dare to invade, I'll make sure they never return!"

A Fourth Hokage and a White Reaper stood at the gates of Konoha, chatting and laughing.

An invisible chakra barrier opened naturally, isolating the two whispers from the outside world.

The passing villagers and ninjas only saw the two important figures standing side by side, but no one could hear a single word they said, only casting a respectful and curious glance at them.

With Tsunade's departure, it was truly like a dragon returning to the sea, or a tiger entering the mountains. Apart from a communications hawk flying back to Konoha every few days with a standardized and meticulously worded mission briefing, proving that she was still "diligently carrying out her duties," there was no other news.

A whole week has passed, and Hiruzen Sarutobi, looking at the empty pigeon coop once again, finally realized what was going on. He slammed his hand on the table, sending cigarette ash flying everywhere: "Well, well! This little brat! From the very beginning, she was aiming to leave the village and have some fun."

Taiyi, that little rascal, definitely knows the ropes and is going along with it, offering her a way out.

During the last batch of missions at Watergate, they probably figured it out too, so they simply backed down!

So they were just fooling this old man! I was completely played by their apprentice and grand-apprentice!

To make matters worse, he also had to reluctantly clean up the mess left by his derelict disciple, extending the mission deadline and signing additional documents—he couldn't very well actually label Tsunade a rogue ninja, could he?

The more the third generation thought about it, the angrier and more frustrated they became, feeling a throbbing pain in their temples.

Small ones are a headache, but big ones are even more troublesome!

He missed Orochimaru terribly at this moment. As long as there was enough funding and experimental materials, that guy could weld himself to the research institute and never leave. He was such a sweet and considerate person!

While Hiruzen Sarutobi sighed deeply in the Hokage Building, Minato and Taichi had already embarked on another complex and delicate task—assisting the Hyuga clan in improving the "Caged Bird."

Deep within the Hyuga clan's territory, in a secret room shrouded by multiple barriers, the atmosphere was so heavy it seemed to drip water.

This is the fourth day. Minato, Taichi, Orochimaru, and Katsuya Otsutsuki come here every day after finishing their own work to help the Hyuga clan improve the Caged Bird Seal.

However, progress was not as smooth as expected.

A cursed seal like the Caged Bird Seal, which is important to the inheritance of a family, should theoretically have a lot of development data preserved.

The truth is, after several days of sorting, very little information could be found. It was said that all the information was lost, but how could such things be lost for no reason?

At this moment, all the elders of the clan, including Hiashi Hyuga, stood in front of Minato with shame on their faces.

"Lord Hokage, this is truly—we never imagined that so much of the clan's information was missing."

As the clan leader, Riji was naturally the only one who could shoulder this responsibility at this time.

Judging from his expression and the expressions of the elders, everyone understood that this matter really couldn't be blamed on them.

It can only be said that the Hyuga main family never thought they would modify the Caged Bird Seal one day. Rather than keeping those materials and potentially leaking secrets, it was better to let them disappear into the dust of history.

"Chief Hizu, you don't need to blame yourself. After all, this has little to do with you. However, if this happens, the improvement of the Caged Bird will definitely be affected, and we, who were originally just assisting, will have to delve into the core development."

Minato was reasonable and wouldn't blame the Hyuga clan for this, but he also stated his own request.

There's no other way. The Hyuga clan still needs outside help even when they have the data. Now that the data is almost gone, if they continue as before, the research will take forever. To ensure progress, we have no choice but to let them participate more deeply.

"this----"

The elders of the clan present looked at each other, none of them wanting to make a decision that went against their ancestors' wishes.

Finally, it was in the name of the clan chief that Hijikata nodded in agreement to Minato's proposal, and the research officially got on track.

Just as the Konoha leadership was busy with "domestic affairs" and the Hyuga clan was deeply embroiled in the delicate vortex of improving the "Caged Bird" technique, a shocking piece of information spread like wildfire throughout the ninja world.

Konoha Village has "kidnapped" the Otsutsuki clan, a mysterious ninja clan from the moon, and is forcing them to join Konoha Village.

The Land of Lightning, Hidden Cloud Village.

The Fourth Raikage, Ai, stood with his burly frame in front of the large floor-to-ceiling window, his rough fingers gripping a scroll of intelligence tightly, his bronze face a mixture of shock and absurdity.

"Are there really people living on the moon?"

Ai Gan's hoarse voice, filled with disbelief and muttering to himself, broke the silence of the office.

The core of this intelligence is that Konoha "abducted" a ninja clan from the moon and forced them to join.

This was something all too familiar to him and even to the entire Hidden Cloud Village.

They, the Cloud Hidden Sect, are "veterans" of this kind of "absorption" of other races' bloodlines and forceful plunder, so they are naturally extremely sensitive to the implications behind such methods.

But the intelligence report mentioned that the origin of that ninja clan, the moon hanging high in the sky and out of reach, was the key that truly shook him to his core.

This was a possibility that he, no, the entire Hidden Cloud Village, had never imagined. Someone actually lived in the heavens?

"Could it be that those stories that are considered myths and legends are all true?" Ai's gaze was fixed on the moon in the sky, her thoughts churning.

As the hometown of the legendary Kinkaku and Ginkaku, who are said to be direct descendants of the Sage of Six Paths, Kumogakure boasts the most comprehensive collection of ancient legends in the ninja world.

Those fragmented records in ancient books about the "Creator" Kaguya Otsutsuki, the Sage of Six Paths brothers, and the "Land of the Moon" surged violently in his mind like pebbles thrown into a lake.

Those stories were so bizarre they resembled tales of eating, and for a long time they were considered mere myths. However, the information before us suggests that they may not be entirely fictional.

"Lord Raikage," the secretary Mabui's respectful voice rang out at the right moment, waking Ai from his chaotic thoughts, who was still immersed in the great shock.

"This intelligence about Konoha—should we take action?"

Ai slowly turned around and slammed the roll heavily onto the heavy desk, making a dull thud.

A bitter, almost self-deprecating smile appeared on his face: "Respond? Ha—Mabui, besides empty talk, what substantial actions can we Cloud Village take right now?"

He sighed heavily, his broad shoulders seeming to slump slightly.

Only by truly sitting in the position of Raikage can one deeply understand the inner strength but outward appearance of the Hidden Cloud Village at this moment.

The wounds of the Third Shinobi World War have not yet healed, and sporadic skirmishes with Iwagakure on the border have never ceased.

The enmity forged in that war was even deeper and more difficult to resolve than that for Konoha.

At this moment, Kumogakure simply lacks the strength and energy to take any strong intervention against the rising power of Konoha.

"Let's do it the old way." Ai's voice regained its usual decisiveness, but there was an undisguised helplessness in his tone. "Immediately communicate with the other three major ninja villages and discuss joint action."

Citing grounds of "disrupting peace in the ninja world" and "bullying and plundering other clans," they delivered a joint diplomatic note to Konoha, exerting pressure on them to "release" the abducted ninja clans.

He delivered this string of diplomatic phrases with practiced ease, each word carrying a familiar recipe and flavor.

Mabui respectfully replied, "Yes, Lord Raikage." But a strange feeling welled up inside her.

This rhetoric—why does it sound so familiar? Upon closer inspection, isn't this the same template of condemnation that other ninja villages used when targeting similar actions by the Hidden Cloud Village? No wonder it sounds so familiar.

"Wait." Just as Mabui was about to turn and leave to carry out the order, Ai's voice rang out again, carrying a hint of cold inquiry, "There's one more thing. Investigate immediately! Utilize all our intelligence networks to find out where this news originally came from, who the source was, and who the first disseminator was!"

"Understood!" Mabui's expression hardened, and he accepted the order again. After confirming that Raikage had no further instructions, he quickly left the office to make arrangements.

The heavy office door closed, and silence returned to the room.

The fourth-generation Ai turned his gaze back to the bright moon outside the window, his thick eyebrows furrowed, and a wary glint in his eyes.

He muttered to himself, "It seems—someone doesn't want peace in this ninja world!"