Konoha: Uchiha's Two-Way Travel in One Piece

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"Ha ha!"

Uzumaki Mito chuckled at Tsunade's complaints. Instead of showing sympathy, she teased, "Serves you right for acting so overconfident, doesn't it?"

"Do you even know who Uchiha Jiri is?"

"She may appear gentle and composed, but only those who witnessed the Uchiha clan's internal strife back in the day—when she single-handedly suppressed the entire clan—truly understand her dominance and strength!"

"She's a genius whose talent doesn't pale in comparison to mine—in fact, she might even surpass me!"

"Back then, she was so fearless that she even openly opposed even your granduncle many times. And guess what? He couldn't do anything about it except back down!"

With a reminiscent expression, Mito sighed, "If it weren't for the damage to her life essence and soul from developing forbidden Sharingan techniques…

"And losing one eye after using that jutsu, her legend might still be alive today.

"If that were the case, do you think Sarutobi and the others would have dared to suppress and bully the Uchiha clan all these years?"

"But now that she's recovered to her peak condition, everything has changed!"

"With her uncompromising personality, the fact that she only used her presence to warn you today is already a show of restraint!"

"And," Mito added, "she likely did that to inform me—without ambiguity—that she's fully recovered, both in body and strength.

"Her willingness to discuss terms shows she's open to cooperation. Whether it works out will depend on both parties' conditions."

Mito wasn't worried about this at all.

As long as Jiri was willing to talk, there was hope.

If the terms weren't favorable, she could compromise further.

After all, anything was better than facing the devastation of the Senju and Uzumaki clans, the deaths of Tsunade and Nawaki, or complete annihilation.

"Wait, she was really that amazing?"

Tsunade was visibly shocked.

When she learned that even her granduncle had been powerless against Jiri, her earlier feelings of grievance and dissatisfaction vanished in an instant.

Comparisons really do put things into perspective!

"Of course, she was incredible! Otherwise, why would Sarutobi and the others tread so cautiously when targeting the Uchiha clan over the years?

"And now that they suspect she's regained her peak strength, they're practically in a panic.

"They don't dare to overstep with their reforms against the Uchiha, nor outright oppose them. Instead, the first thing Sarutobi did was rush over to me, trying to get me to probe her strength!"

"Truthfully," Mito smirked, "Sarutobi probably hoped to use my remaining influence to confront or intimidate Jiri, to stop her from going too far!"

"However…"

Tsunade interjected with a sly grin, "What the old man would never expect is that not only do you have no intention of intimidating Lady Jiri, but you're planning to ally with her! Heh!"

"I can't wait to see the look on his face when he learns the truth. It'll be priceless, humph!"

Tsunade felt a burning desire for revenge.

After all, Sarutobi had nearly driven her family to ruin and her clan to extinction. If she didn't find a way to strike back, there'd be something wrong with her!

Moreover, the legendary exploits of Uchiha Jiri filled Tsunade with newfound admiration.

She couldn't help but change her tone when referring to Jiri, addressing her with respect and even awe.

Such a formidable woman commanded admiration from Tsunade's heart.

"Ha! Let's wait and see," Mito said with a cold chuckle. "It's about time Sarutobi learned some hard lessons. Otherwise, he might start thinking we're easy to bully. Hmph!"

"By the way," Tsunade asked, puzzled, "Grandma, why does Lady Jiri want to meet twenty days from now? Wouldn't that delay helping the Uzumaki clan?"

"I'm not sure," Mito admitted. "But if she set that timeframe, she must have her reasons. We just need to be patient.

"As for the Uzumaki clan, don't worry too much.

"For now, the Four Great Nations are still in the reconnaissance and intelligence-gathering phase. They haven't mobilized their forces yet, so we should have enough time."

"If things become urgent, I'll take the initiative to meet Jiri sooner."

However, doing so would put them at a disadvantage and could trigger unnecessary suspicions from Sarutobi and his allies.

Unless absolutely necessary, Mito preferred to wait for Jiri to come to them.

"Alright!"

Reassured, Tsunade relaxed. "Since you're prepared, Grandma, I'll stop worrying!"

"Whew…"

Stretching her arms, Tsunade felt a wave of relief wash over her. "If there's nothing else, I'll go rest. Today's been exhausting!"

Between performing surgeries at the hospital and enduring the emotional rollercoaster of revelations, she was utterly drained.

"Ha ha! Go rest," Mito said with a knowing smile, waving her off.

Sometimes, a little mental strain was exactly what Tsunade needed to mature quickly.

After all, she couldn't stay naïve forever, leaving everything to her aging grandmother.

Not long after Tsunade left the Uchiha compound, Sarutobi Hiruzen received news and immediately rushed to Mito's residence.

Mito greeted him bluntly, "I've already sent an invitation to Jiri. She agreed but insisted on meeting in twenty days."

"So, wait."

"And yes, I probed her strength. Tsunade confirmed that she has fully recovered—it's not just an act."

"Think carefully about your next steps. You should know as well as I do that she's not someone to be trifled with, hahaha!"

For a moment, Hiruzen detected a hint of schadenfreude in Mito's laughter.

(A/N: schadenfreude is the pleasure derived by someone from another person's misfortune.)

It made his heart sink.

"She must have noticed the little moves we've made against the Senju over the years," he realized grimly.

"We'll need to be more cautious moving forward!"

Reflecting on the situation, Hiruzen began to suspect that having Mito invite and test Uchiha Jiri might have been a misstep.

He had no way of knowing whether Jiri's recovery method might also benefit Mito, which could shift the balance further.

But he didn't understand Jiri's condition or the specifics of Mito's health.

Without clear information, all he could do was take things one step at a time.

Stopping Mito and Jiri from meeting wasn't an option—he didn't have the authority or courage to do that.

At this point in his nine-year tenure as Hokage, Hiruzen hadn't yet solidified his authority like in later years when his influence peaked.

Especially not with figures like Mito and Jiri still active.

After confirming the situation, Hiruzen didn't linger. He quickly excused himself, choosing not to share his suspicions about Jiri's recovery with Danzo or the others just yet.

The reason? He feared Danzo's reckless tendencies. Instead he'd order Danzo not to make any move.

Danzo's brazen nature made him capable of doing something disastrous—like trying to sabotage Mito and Jiri's meeting.

If that happened, the consequences would be catastrophic.

"Danzo would probably end up dead, wouldn't he?" Hiruzen thought with a shiver.

And if Jiri decided to act, she'd make sure of it.

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