"Not bad! Looks like you haven't been slacking off lately—you've really been practicing your jutsu."

Tsunade beamed with joy at Nawaki's impressive display of strength and didn't hold back her praise.

Now that he had awakened Wood Release and mastered the Flying Thunder God Technique, Nawaki's strength was already enough to be considered invincible below Kage level. His ability to come and go without a trace made him nearly impossible to guard against, and even his defensive capabilities now surpassed Tsunade's.

With power like that, Tsunade no longer had any reason to object to Nawaki acting independently.

Meanwhile, from the side of the camp, Orochimaru, cloaked and stepping out into the sunset, watched the scene unfold with calm, unreadable eyes.

He was no longer the man who once saw Itachi's Sharingan and instantly recognized his genius. After broadening his horizons within the Lord God's system, Orochimaru's mindset had undergone a subtle transformation.

Ninjutsu? Far too narrow.

The world was filled with countless mysterious powers worth pursuing. Now, as someone who had obtained eternal life, Orochimaru's gaze had already turned beyond the confines of the Shinobi World and toward the endless cycle of reincarnation.

The more he experienced, the more he realized how small the Shinobi World truly was.

"You've improved quickly, Nawaki."

Orochimaru gave his signature eerie smile, his voice hoarse but calm.

Tsunade and Nawaki both understood that, from Orochimaru, such a smile actually expressed approval, so they responded with smiles of their own.

"Of course! After my last injury, I've been working really hard… Orochimaru-sensei."

Ever since Nawaki graduated from the Academy, Orochimaru had been assigned as his jōnin instructor.

As the last heir of the Senju clan, Nawaki receiving some special tutoring was to be expected.

In fact, when Nawaki fell into that explosive tag trap a while back, Orochimaru had been present—but Nawaki had been in such a hurry to prove himself that he'd charged ahead alone and triggered the trap, resulting in a rather tragic outcome…

"Alright, alright. If you two want to catch up, save it for dinnertime. For now, let your big sister see how your other jutsu have progressed. Try using Wood Style: Four-Pillar House Jutsu!"

Tsunade interrupted with a mischievous grin, her eyes brimming with anticipation.

Nawaki's forehead twitched.

Wood Style: Four-Pillar House Jutsu was a convenient jutsu that instantly created a grand mansion—perfect for travel or camping.

"Big Sis, you're not actually trying to test my combat abilities, are you?"

"Aww, come on, little brother, you know how annoying the weather in the Land of Wind is. This wind and sand are ruining my skin. Just summon a house for me, so I can enjoy a nice bath… please?"

Tsunade clung to Nawaki, her tone turning sweet and pitiful.

Surrounded by her soft fragrance and seeing the hopeful look in her eyes, Nawaki sighed and nodded.

"Alright, alright."

"Yay!" Tsunade cheered like a little girl, visibly excited.

As fierce as she could be when angry, her daily personality still had a childish side. Honestly, the fact that she didn't make Nawaki teleport her back to Konoha for a proper bath and return afterward already showed remarkable restraint…

With Tsunade watching eagerly, Nawaki walked outside the camp and surveyed the barren desert landscape.

His hands formed the Ram sign, and his eyes sharpened.

Wood Style: Row Houses Justu!

In an instant, massive wooden pillars burst forth from the sand. In just over ten seconds, they formed an expansive compound that stretched across hundreds of meters.

Many of the nearby Konoha shinobi stared, dumbfounded by the scene.

Is this… the legendary Wood Style?

Wiping the sweat from his forehead, Nawaki turned to Tsunade and said,

"Big Sis, since everyone's been out here for so long, they should take turns getting some rest too. As long as we manage the rotations and guards properly, it should be fine."

"Good thinking."

Tsunade nodded approvingly. Though they were still in a standoff with Sunagakure, as long as the rotations were tight and guards remained on duty, there shouldn't be any problems.

And if she were the only one relaxing while the others stayed on alert, it might cause some discontent in the ranks.

Overhearing the conversation, several of the surrounding ninja smiled subtly—especially the kunoichi. While they could handle harsh conditions, no one would turn down the chance for a proper bath if offered.

As for the water source…

While Water Style jutsu were limited in desert climates, generating enough water for a bath was still possible—just a bit extravagant.

At some point, Jiraiya, who had returned without anyone noticing, flashed Nawaki a thumbs-up with a bright grin.

Nice one!

"…"

Seeing Jiraiya's reaction, Nawaki quietly added extra reinforcements to Tsunade's personal bathhouse.

Soon, the Konoha camp was abuzz with life. The ninja lined up happily to enter the impromptu bathhouse one by one.

Of course, vigilance was still paramount—if Sunagakure launched a surprise attack during this moment of relaxation, Nawaki would be condemned as the one who let Konoha fall.

Under Tsunade's orders, Hyuga clan members activated their Byakugan and rotated in multiple squads, maintaining non-stop surveillance of the surroundings.

If Suna Ninja made any move, Konoha would be able to respond immediately.

Thanks to this tight security, the whole event concluded without incident.

Afterward, Nawaki dismantled the wooden structures one by one, and the patrolling ninja looked visibly more refreshed and energized.

Hmm… giving the battle-worn troops a morale boost like this… does that count as a contribution to military merit?

Nawaki mused to himself when suddenly, his gaze shifted toward the distant horizon.

A subtle smile tugged at the corner of his lips.

---

Meanwhile—

Several kilometers away, a large number of Sunagakure ninja were gathering.

At the center stood a silver-haired woman with a cold look in her eyes: Chiyo.

Beside her, a gentle-looking red-haired man finally found an opening to ask:

"Mother, why are we suddenly attacking Konoha?"

Chiyo's voice was calm, but a dangerous glint sparkled in her eyes.

"I've recently developed a new poison. This time, even that brat Tsunade won't be able to neutralize it."

She had no doubt now—Tsunade was definitely a Reincarnator blessed by the Lord God. Last time, Tsunade had used some mysterious tool from the Lord God's exchange to sever Chiyo's arm, forcing her to replace it with a mechanical puppet limb.

But this time, Chiyo had also returned from a Reincarnator Mission and spent a large number of points to exchange for a poison from another world—one designed specifically to bypass Tsunade's medical ninjutsu.

With the right plan, she might just be able to wipe out the entire Konoha force in one strike.

~~~

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Remove the parentheses btw