Immortality begins with the ninjas of Konoha.

Chapter 179 A New Look for Konoha (No Main Character)

In early March of Konoha Year 54, the Fourth Shinobi World War, which had lasted for more than two years, once again saw the dawn of peace, with Konoha expected to sign the Third Ceasefire Agreement with Iwagakure.

The previous two agreements lasted for a maximum of three months of peace. Unlike the previous situation, this ceasefire was a mutual choice by both sides.

The enormous cost was a prerequisite for a ceasefire. Iwagakure could no longer hold out, and even though several of its strongholds were destroyed again last month, the Third Tsuchikage, Onoki, insisted on signing the agreement.

Not only did the Third Tsuchikage pursue peace, but the village's higher-ups could no longer support the war.

Over the past two years, whenever the two sides have ceased hostilities, the situation has changed, eventually escalating into large-scale melees and even betraying agreements.

Now that most of the ninja forces have been wiped out, even if Konoha betrays them again, Iwagakure will accept it. Onoki has to admit that Konoha's reserve ninjas are strong enough!

To demonstrate his sincerity, the Third Tsuchikage eventually sent his son to Konoha.

The arrival of Huang Tu signifies that Iwagakure has completely abandoned its own interests. In order to facilitate the agreement, the ninjas of the Land of Grass also sent representatives. The small ninja village caught in the middle no longer wants to experience war.

Time has healed the wounds Konoha Village suffered. In just over two years, with the help of genin and architects, the village has been completely transformed, and its overall appearance is even more prosperous than the capital.

The central commercial street has been redesigned, and the old Japanese-style wooden houses have been improved. Although they are still made of wood, the houses have become more refined overall.

Many buildings have retained their red tile roofs, and many more shops have been converted into stand-alone buildings. Although this has taken on mortgages, the shop owners are doing so willingly.

The crater from the attack has disappeared, replaced by a more bustling central urban area. Even with ongoing wars outside, merchants are still willing to flock to the center of Konoha Village.

After receiving extensive promotion from businessmen, Konoha Village entered the stage of modern urban development.

The ninjas lived around the Hokage Building, while the merchants stayed away from the "military zone." In order to allow ordinary people to live better, Konoha also opened a natural park in the eastern area.

Although the park is still occasionally attacked by wild animals, ordinary people still enjoy visiting and playing in the park, and they are happy to pay the guards a fee.

When the group of Iwagakure ninjas arrived at Konoha, they were stunned after entering the gate. Apart from the main road where they could see Konoha ninjas, the area on both sides was mostly commercial and residential.

"Father, is that used as a place to live?"

In a few months, Heitu, who will be 4 years old, looked at the slightly taller, more upscale apartment building in the distance with curiosity on his little face.

The brightly colored Konoha Village is completely different from Iwagakure Village. As far as the eye can see, there are green trees and red houses. In this environment, you would never guess that it is a hidden ninja village.

Wearing a red headscarf, Huang Tu subconsciously patted his combat uniform. Hearing his daughter's question on his back, he replied in a low voice, "Just like the intelligence said, it should be a place for ordinary people to live in."

"Lord Yellow Earth, is peace really possible this time? Nobody wants to fight anymore."

The young Iwagakure ninja beside him spoke with a hopeful look in his eyes as he finished, explaining that in the past two years, in addition to the ninjas who died on the battlefield, many others had "starved to death" because of the commission.

High-level missions are almost monopolized by Konoha ninjas, and some clients have even moved to Konoha. The more turbulent the situation, the more people flock to safer areas.

Seeing Huang Tu's hesitant expression, another older Iwagakure ninja whispered, "We really can't fight any longer, Lord Huang Tu. Think of our demolition squad."

"Even the number of ninjas with bloodline limits is decreasing sharply; the war must end."

"9

The large-scale training of bloodline limit ninjas and their deployment to the battlefield have resulted in heavy casualties in the past two years, wasting all the village's efforts. Seeking peace is the only way out.

Several Iwagakure ninjas behind them also pleaded in hushed tones. Onoki was a stubborn old man, and everyone just hoped that Yoto would be more understanding.

"Before leaving the village, I had already gathered everyone's opinions."

"Don't worry this time, we've come with sincerity!"

Huang Tu smiled to reassure everyone, and soon the group was thoroughly inspected. The big dog sniffed them several times, which made the little girl Hei Tu giggle.

"Come with us, the Hokage has been waiting for a long time."

After the Konoha Anbu appeared, they immediately called for a few people to follow. At the back of the yellow earth team, the Grass Village ninja was dumbfounded as he walked on the smooth main road. How did the ninja village become like this?

It wasn't until they turned a corner and went straight again, seeing the Hokage Building, that they regained a sense of familiarity; the building hadn't changed much.

However, upon entering the building, Huang Tu and his group were astonished to find the dense array of magical techniques clearly visible, indicating that the room was under tight security.

When he met the Hokage, Huang Tu noticed the vortex marks on the ground and the barrier around the room.

Thinking of the rumors circulating outside, Huang Tu began to believe that Konoha was on high alert against a formidable enemy, and that just setting up these techniques would require the strength of many ninjas.

"I never thought the Third Tsuchikage would compromise. It seems the Iwagakure ninja finally believe us."

"Here's some intelligence we've gathered. This is a summary of the conflict we've compiled. For over two years, someone has been maliciously manipulating things."

As Tsunade spoke, she tossed out a scroll. Huang Tu, who had been looking down, caught it and then noticed the Fourth Hokage's increasingly youthful face. He composed himself, read it carefully, and soon annoyance appeared on his face.

"Lord Hokage, is this true? All those missing supplies and ninjas were the work of someone else?"

"Space-time ninjutsu? What on earth is this guy trying to do?"

Huang Tu clenched his fist as he thought about the resources and manpower that the village had invested in over the past two years. According to the intelligence on the scroll, the war should have ended as early as March 1952.

Not only did the Iwagakure ninja's supplies disappear, but the Konoha ninja also suffered the same fate, leading to mutual accusations and numerous conflicts.

"Their goal is likely to weaken the ninja villages, and their target is probably the tailed beasts!"

With a solemn response, Tsunade took out another document and introduced it, saying, "The Hidden Cloud Village has also noticed these things. For the past two years, you have not believed Konoha's words. If you had sat down and talked earlier, you wouldn't be in this predicament."

"If you can get your father to persuade the Fourth Raikage, the war can end by the end of the year."

"If the fighting continues indefinitely, hatred will only accumulate and eventually lead to an irreconcilable situation."

Tsunade sighed as she finished speaking, a look of melancholy appearing on her fair face. After the recent barrier was completed, Furukawa Osamu went to the Land of Frost, and she had been separated from her disciple for half a year.

The thought of her several meetings being rejected made Tsunade's eyes twitch a few more times, until Ton-Ton huddled fearfully at her feet, and she finally composed herself.

Huang Tu read it carefully again, and a look of humiliation appeared on his face. The three great ninja villages had all been tricked.

"I will try my best to persuade my father!"

"I want to apologize again for our reckless actions at the beginning of the year. Han had no ill intentions; he was simply deceived."

Han, the Five-Tails Jinchuriki, remained on the front lines. At the beginning of the year, his disciple was killed, which caused the Tailed Beast to go berserk, resulting in casualties on both sides.

The more the power of the Tailed Beasts is used, the more the Jinchuriki's body will be eroded. Han has already begun to lose control, and Huang Tu felt a pang of pain in his heart when he thought of this change.

Tsunade waved her hand, saying that she had already obtained the relevant information, all thanks to Minato Namikaze.

If Jinchuriki want to contend with the speedster ninja, they can only rely on the power of the Tailed Beasts. If the war lasts too long, it is inevitable that it will get out of control.

"Let's not dwell on the past; the key now is to end the conflict."

"The ninjas of Kusagakure can't hold on any longer either. There was even a rebellion of fugitives in the last two years. Everyone has been completely fooled."

Seeing the self-deprecating look on Tsunade's face, Huang Tu lowered his head again, remembering his father's stubborn insistence. Finally, he knelt on the ground and solemnly promised, "I guarantee with my life that the Iwagakure ninja will immediately stop fighting."

"Lord Hokage, please give me half a month. My father will sign this peace agreement by early March at the latest."

Tsunade nodded, offering no further explanation. Onoki didn't truly yearn for peace; he had simply squandered all his resources in the past two years.

At the beginning of the year, Iwagakure even defaulted on part of the bounty, which caused a huge uproar in the underground black market. The fact that one of the five great ninja villages defaulted on its debts is enough to show how bad the other party's situation was.

As Huang Tu left, Hiruzen Sarutobi pushed open a hidden door. His frequent involvement in battles, coupled with his advancing age, had aged the former Third Hokage considerably: "Ahem... that Uchiha member who mastered space-time ninjutsu was indeed plotting an even bigger conspiracy!"

"Unfortunately, we couldn't track his movements. The closest we came, Minato failed to mark him, as he was very knowledgeable about the Flying Thunder God Technique."

"If the goal is to target the tailed beasts, he has already succeeded more than halfway; the war ended too late."

After saying this, Hiruzen Sarutobi coughed weakly a few times. Seeing her teacher like this, Tsunade gently comforted him, "Don't push yourself, old man. These barriers are all complete now. As long as the other side invades and causes spatial fluctuations, we will be able to detect it."

"The improved Inner Four Symbols Seal is specifically designed for the enemy. As long as the village is safe, it's only a matter of time before we concentrate our efforts to confirm his identity."

Hiruzen Sarutobi smiled with satisfaction; these sealing techniques were all spearheaded by Kushina.

For more than two years, in addition to taking care of her son, Kushina cooperated with the barrier team to set up a super-large barrier during the village's reconstruction.

Critical infrastructure is protected, and in the event of an attack, at most some less important commercial areas will be destroyed.

"I hope everything goes well; I don't want to see any more old friends leave."

Thinking of the sacrifices of Akimichi Torifu and others, Hiruzen Sarutobi's wrinkles seemed to deepen. In just over two years, most of Konoha's older generation of ninjas had died or been injured.

"Get some rest, Sarutobi-sensei!"

"At your age, don't try to be as reckless as Jiraiya. Your body can't be fully activated anymore."

"If you have any documents, please process them for me. I'll go to the hospital to see Jiraiya. He was able to heal his injuries thanks to his Sage Mode."

After giving her instructions, Tsunade immediately stood up. Hiruzen Sarutobi watched his disciple's retreating figure, feeling that something was off. He inexplicably sensed an intimate tone in the latter part of her words: "Old people tend to overthink things."

Hiruzen Sarutobi mentally berated himself, then looked out the window at the bustling scene bathed in the setting sun, a satisfied smile spreading across his face. He had made the right choice.

Konoha Hospital has completed its expansion, introducing more advanced equipment and improving its environment.

"Good evening, Hokage!"

"Hokage-sama..."

The nurses greeted Tsunade with smiles. With its excellent working environment and high salary, medical ninjas have become the top choice for many graduates in the past two years.

The little girls of yesteryear have all grown into young women. Tsunade continues to respond with a smile, feeling increasingly happy as she sees everyone's growth.

Shizune, dressed in a Jonin's blue casual outfit, had just finished her examination. The girl, holding the documents, noticed Tsunade and immediately went to greet her, reporting energetically, "Teacher, Jiraiya-sama's injuries have completely stabilized."

"There will be no more dangerous situations, and the alien chakra has all disappeared."

Tsunade nodded, a hint of embarrassment rising in her eyes as she saw the girl hesitate. She finally said softly, "Don't worry about Xiu. Iwagakure is willing to sign the agreement, and the war on Kumogakure will be completely over in a few months at most."

Shizune showed a happy expression. She would be 17 years old at the end of the year. The girl was becoming more and more infatuated with Osamu Furukawa. Even though she had some doubts in her heart, she insisted on the belief that true love could change everything.

"Tsunade-sensei, thank you."

Recalling Shizune's words, Tsunade turned her head slightly. Not wanting to think about it further, she changed the subject, saying, "I'll go check on Jiraiya. After work, I'll go home and rest early."

Jingyin nodded, looking at the teacher's increasingly impressive chest, and couldn't help but show an envious look.

She's just developing normally; she's still a bit flat-chested for her age and can't compare to the teacher's charm at all.

In the intensive care unit, Jiraiya was completely wrapped in bandages. He had been hit in the chest by a "lightning-type hot blade," and Killer Bee in his tailed beast form had almost shattered his internal organs.

The battle at the end of last year was extremely fierce, and Akimichi Torifu and others died in battle at that time. It wasn't until the village's barrier was completed that Furukawa Osamu went to provide support.

"It seems that being injured isn't such a bad thing after all; at least I can see you visiting me every few days."

"Orochimaru is such a cold-blooded guy; he's only come once since he was injured!"

"Tsunade, I'm so sorry, I couldn't protect everyone."

Jiraiya, bound like a mummy, clearly expressed his emotions for the first time. He was so badly injured that he could only speak fluently recently.

Tsunade sighed helplessly. Seeing the apology in Jiraiya's eyes, she said softly, "Jiraiya, you don't need to force yourself. If you retreat to the border, no one in the village will blame you."

"I understand the feelings of my seniors, but I want to see everyone come back alive. Sarutobi-sensei feels the same way."

Tsunade spoke with her head down. Her Sage Mode training had altered her figure and demeanor, leaving Jiraiya somewhat dazed. Overwhelmed with emotion, he instinctively stammered, "Tsunade, I..."

"There's no need to apologize anymore, Jiraiya. You've already done your best."

"Youxiu is in the Frost Kingdom. In a few months, the war will be over. You should rest well during this time!"

When Tsunade spoke of her disciple, her tone was filled with pride and anticipation. The smile that reappeared on her face stunned Jiraiya, and he didn't hear a word his old friend said afterward.

It wasn't until Tsunade left that Jiraiya finally came to his senses. He turned his head with difficulty, looked at the setting sun outside the window, and muttered with a bitter smile, "I'm such an idiot..."

"Tsunade, I will definitely protect you and the village."

"Nagato, I will find you soon, Akatsuki. You're still here after all."