Konoha cat breeder

Chapter 116: On the Brink

As expected, before the deafening roar of Tsunade's punch had completely subsided, figures began appearing around the massive crater she had created.

Most of the Sand shinobi stood on the trees, leaning against their branches for support, while a few took positions along the forest floor near the bushes.

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"Gulp—"

Tonari swallowed hard, feeling his palms growing damp. He wasn't sure if it was from the rain or nervous sweat.

"Tsunade-nee-san, there are so many of them. What do we do?" he whispered.

Tsunade's face remained calm, her gaze sweeping across the gathered shinobi. There wasn't the slightest ripple of emotion in her eyes, as if the Sand ninja surrounding them were nothing but fragile playthings.

"Wait a moment," she said lightly.

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The expressions of the Sand shinobi were grim, especially the leaders.

These were hardened veterans of the battlefield who had survived the Second Great Ninja War. One glance was enough for them to recognize Tsunade.

They remained rooted to their positions, silently restraining their subordinates from making any rash moves. They waited for someone capable of confronting Tsunade head-on to arrive.

Meanwhile, Tonari's chakra was already surging wildly through his body.

Tsunade might not be worried, but standing in the midst of so many enemies, he couldn't help but feel the pressure.

The forest seemed frozen, the tension thick enough to cut with a kunai.

---

After some time, Tsunade's calm face finally broke into a smile. The corners of her lips curled upward, and her raised eyebrows conveyed an undeniable sense of satisfaction.

"They've arrived. It's time for us to break through. Remember what I told you!"

With that, she stomped down hard, and her figure disappeared in a blur.

The moment Tsunade moved, Tonari, who had been on high alert, sprang into action as well.

Her words were clear—"They've arrived." This meant the loud commotion she had caused had not only drawn the Sand shinobi's attention but had also signaled the Konoha ninja trapped in the Third Stronghold.

A straightforward and brutally effective plan, perfectly in line with Tsunade's personality.

---

As Tsunade launched herself toward the strongest Sand ninja, Tonari's target was the weakest part of their defenses.

His hands moved rapidly, flinging multiple shuriken that gleamed black against the dimly lit forest.

Clang! Clang! Clang!

Unsurprisingly, the shuriken were all deflected before they could reach their marks.

But that wasn't the point. Tonari had never expected the shuriken to do much. He drew his short blade and pushed his speed to the limit.

A silver-white flash streaked through the battlefield.

Shk—

Blood sprayed in an arc.

One of the Sand genin, completely focused on Tonari's movements, clutched his throat. Blood gushed out between his fingers, his eyes wide with disbelief.

"So fast…"

That thought was his last.

Without stopping, Tonari vanished again, his previous position now riddled with poisoned kunai and shuriken.

---

Reappearing behind another genin, Tonari drove his short blade through the ninja's heart.

Two.

He counted silently before disappearing once more.

Although Tsunade's sudden attack had caught him off guard, he couldn't deny that it had effectively drawn the attention of the stronger Sand shinobi.

The most dangerous individuals were now focused entirely on her.

The best understanding of your capabilities often comes not from your allies or even yourself, but from your enemies.

The Sand shinobi knew Tsunade's strength too well. A few jonin alone couldn't stop her—let alone defeat her.

If Konoha's White Fang had struck fear into the Sand ninja with his relentless killing efficiency, Tsunade was the embodiment of sheer, unstoppable force. Her fists shattered everything in their path, leaving no room for resistance.

While the stronger Sand shinobi were preoccupied with Tsunade, Tonari focused on clearing out the weaker ones.

He ignored several seemingly good opportunities to attack chunin-level enemies, instead targeting the genin exclusively.

Pick the soft targets first.

Underestimating the genin could be a grave mistake. In critical moments, even a minor distraction from them could shift the course of a battle.

So Tonari's goal was simple: clear the field.

Each time his blade flashed, another Sand genin fell.

In their final moments, these genin felt the same fear that Konoha's enemies experienced when facing the White Fang.

---

Though the Sand forces seemed numerous, most were genin and chunin. Only a small fraction were jonin.

Against Tonari, whose greatest strengths were speed and close combat, the Sand ninja—who specialized in puppet techniques and ranged combat—were at a distinct disadvantage.

Despite Tsunade being the greatest threat, the number of Sand shinobi falling to Tonari's blade far outpaced her.

The mounting casualties finally drew the attention of the Sand jonin.

One of them spoke grimly, **"Kichiro, we can't let that Konoha brat continue running wild. Deal with him.

"We'll hold off Tsunade. Don't worry—Lady Chiyo will be here soon. Today, we'll make sure Tsunade doesn't leave alive!"**

---

Unfortunately for them, Tsunade heard every word.

Her expression darkened.

She could trust Tonari to handle chunin and even special jonin, but a jonin was a different story.

Her eyes flashed with cold light. "You're underestimating me."

In an instant, she kicked away the nearest Sand ninja and hurled a punch at Kichiro, who had just stepped forward.

Kichiro's face paled. Tsunade's sudden assault left him no room to breathe. He instinctively poured all his chakra into defense.

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"Bang!"

Before her punch landed, a puppet intercepted her strike.

---

"Boom!"

The puppet shattered under the impact, but it had absorbed most of the blow.

Tsunade's fist still connected with Kichiro, sending him flying backward, blood spraying from his mouth.

The jonin who had given the order grimaced, his heart aching over the loss of his prized puppet.

"Go, now!" he barked.

---

As Kichiro staggered to his feet, coughing blood, the other jonin surrounded Tsunade.

Their combined efforts kept her occupied, but her overwhelming strength made it clear they were barely holding their ground.

Even more terrifying, the wounds Tsunade sustained were healing at an astonishing speed, right before their eyes.

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(Chapter End)

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