Is Yukika Returning to the Village?
When the young man sitting in front of the Supreme Commander spoke those words, the expressions of the ninja below changed subtly.
Confusion and resentment swirled in most of their hearts.
Why now? Why let Senju Yukika return at this moment?
Anyone with clear eyes could see this was a deliberate move by the higher-ups to suppress Yukika and the Senju clan.
Konoha had just achieved a decisive victory.
At this point, whether it was chasing down the remnants or reinforcing their position, only a few clear-headed commanders could pull it off.
And Yukika was the best man for the job.
They didn't understand the Third Hokage's reasoning.
If the next Supreme Commander was someone like Danzo…
Wouldn't that just ruin everything?
"May I ask—was this Lady Mito's request?"
After a moment's thought, Orochimaru cautiously posed his question.
He knew Yukika. At the very least, he'd been following his former student's progress since graduation.
On the surface, Yukika had always had a tense, even defiant, attitude toward the higher-ups. He could have outright refused such an order—could have remained on the frontlines racking up victories, even led Konoha to attack another Hidden Village.
Amegakure had been destroyed, but the war was far from over. The Land of Rain was still politically unstable.
The Hidden Stones, Hidden Clouds, and Hidden Sands still had troops on the battlefield. They hadn't given up.
Konoha's recent move had only widened the playing field. The true Second Great Ninja War might have just begun.
So then—there could only be one reason to recall Yukika now.
Uzumaki Mito.
It wasn't hard to figure out.
As soon as Orochimaru mentioned her name, a heavy silence fell over the room.
If Mito's health truly was in decline, then Yukika had every reason to return home.
The cause behind all this was complicated.
They hadn't fully grasped the depth of Yukika's ambitions, but after what happened on September 27th, they could piece together the gist.
Uzumaki Mito wasn't just the Nine-Tails Jinchūriki. She was the spiritual pillar of the Senju clan. With her alive and well, Yukika could act freely, and even the higher-ups didn't dare move openly against him.
But if something happened to her… that umbrella of protection would vanish.
"Grandma Mito isn't doing well. The Hokage wants me and Tsunade to return."
Yukika looked down at the gathered shinobi with a calm expression—but inside, he wanted to laugh.
This… this was the real face of Konoha, wasn't it?
What the higher-ups really wanted were ninjas like Minato Namikaze—gifted, strong, but with no backing, no clan.
Beyond raw talent, the ideal shinobi had to be absolutely loyal to the village—and especially loyal to the Hokage.
"If we both leave… what'll happen to the clan?"
Tsunade frowned. Everything Yukika had done up to now made it clear that some people wanted to wipe out the Senju completely.
"Don't worry. I'll take care of it."
Yukika smiled as he gently took her hand.
This was the opportunity he'd been waiting for.
If he didn't leave, the higher-ups would never get their chance to move against the Senju—and the people would never see the village's rotten core.
But that didn't mean Yukika intended to sacrifice his clan just to make a point. That'd be a cheap move.
No—there would be pain, yes. But not death.
When this was over, the Senju would transform. They would awaken. They would realize:
The strength of the Senju didn't come from Konoha.
It came from themselves.
Even without the village—they were still the most noble, powerful clan of all.
That was the change Yukika dreamed of.
What, you really think he couldn't control the entire Konoha battlefield if he wanted to?
Don't be ridiculous.
Ordering him to return to the village was the biggest mistake they could make.
The Land of Fire
Gone was the cold rain of the Land of Rain. Now, the sun was warm, the skies clear.
A boy and a girl walked side by side on the path toward Konoha.
This kind of lazy afternoon carried a unique warmth to it—light-hearted, peaceful.
"Hey, Tsunade… you know something?"
Yukika paused, turning to look at the pink flowers blooming by the roadside.
"What?"
Tsunade tilted her head at him curiously. She followed his gaze, saw the same flower—but their perspectives were different. She realized she was seeing a different view from him altogether.
"Just walking peacefully like this, not caught in any conflict or struggle…"
"That's the kind of life I've always wanted."
He looked away and sat beneath a tree with Tsunade. His long silver hair, unkempt and drifting over his shoulders, swayed in the breeze and mingled with Tsunade's soft blonde strands—like their fates were entwined.
And in that moment, Tsunade understood something.
She knew that feeling.
Like when she was a child, carefree in her granduncle's lap.
But back then, they were powerless.
Now—he was tired.
Tsunade wasn't good with words. She couldn't say comforting things. So instead, she simply held Yukika's hand tightly.
Thinking back…
This man had fought so hard on the battlefield, had worked endlessly to secure the future of his clan.
He'd just graduated, barely a teenager, yet already bore so much weight on his shoulders.
This path was not easy.
And if there was anything she could do—it was to share that burden.
And for that, she was willing to give everything.
"Once things settle down…"
"You, me, and Kushina—we're going to take Mikoto and just travel the world."
"I don't know why, but… that idea makes me feel excited."
Yukika smiled softly as he leaned his head against Tsunade's shoulder and shared his dream.
"What, I'm the third wheel now?" Tsunade rolled her eyes.
"I bet they'll think that too—'we're just third wheels,'" Yukika said, giving her a pointed look.
Tsunade froze. Her face flushed red. She didn't argue.
The meaning was obvious.
"…By the way, Grandma Mito…"
Tsunade's joy dimmed slightly, worry creeping in.
Whether her illness was real or just a story cooked up by the Hokage—Mito was old.
Once her body gave out, everything would fall on Yukika's shoulders.
And…
There was still the matter of the Nine-Tails.
Kushina would be scared, too.
With their loved ones gone, only Yukika, Nawaki, and Mito would remain.
Life and death were common to shinobi. But when the moment actually came—it still hurt.
"Relax."
Yukika pulled Tsunade into a calm embrace.
He hadn't forgotten his promise.
He'd told Mito he wanted her to see the Senju rise again.
He had promised to avenge the Uzumaki clan on her behalf.
Mikoto hadn't said it out loud, but Yukika knew—it weighed on her.
She had abandoned her own clan to protect the Senju. She died with that guilt.
This knot had to be untied.
And the only way to do that… was to annihilate the families that had destroyed the Uzumaki.
Only then could Mito return, through another body, through another form.
As Nagato once said: those who have never truly suffered are unqualified to say they understand others.
"Come on. Let's pick up the pace."
His black wings unfolded, and he carried Tsunade into the air.
The scenery beneath them blurred.
"So this is what it feels like to fly?"
Even Tsunade was enchanted. She looked down, eyes sparkling like a child's.
"No… not quite."
Yukika smiled wickedly.
"Now I'll really show you what flying means. What it means to fly—from sky to sky."
What did that even mean?
Tsunade blinked, still dazed.