"Well, go on, then— get on with it," said Tsunade with barely veiled impatience. "I haven't got all day."
Feeling oddly self-conscious, Sakura unzipped her loose top with deliberate slowness and let her red dress slip to the floor by her feet. Almost without thinking, she crossed her arms over her meagre chest, cheeks flushing scarlet— even though it was only meant to be a medical check-up, she couldn't help but feel embarrassed about being seen in this pitiful state.
"Hands down, you foolish girl," snapped Tsunade. "It's nothing I haven't seen before."
Sakura obliged and let her arms fall loosely by her sides.
Her breath caught in her throat as Tsunade leaned in for a closer look, a squeak escaping her lips as the beautiful older medic gently pressed her fingers into the slight swell of her chest, probing no more than two centimetres before meeting bone. Her nipples stiffened into hard peaks at Tsunade's touch, desperate to be touched, but the woman's fingers merely skirted around them, almost teasingly…
"Milady…!" groaned Sakura.
If her master carried on for even ten more seconds, Sakura wasn't sure she'd be able to hold back from lunging at her and pressing her lips against hers! But as if sensing that her student had hit her limits, Tsunade abruptly stepped back and withdrew her palpating hands.
"You're still young, so it's hard to say exactly how much lifespan the Creation Rebirth Technique shaved off," said Tsunade with a sigh. "But aside from severe stamina depletion, there's nothing actually wrong with you. Eat well, get plenty of rest— that's all I can recommend for now."
Sakura suspected as much, but she figured it was better to be safe than sorry.
"There's something else—," Sakura began.
"Put your clothes back on first," Tsunade cut her off.
But to Tsunade's surprise, Sakura shook her head. Instead, she clasped her hands together and screwed her eyes shut in concentration— and Tsunade's surprise swiftly gave way to shock.
"Wood Style: Cutting Sprigs Jutsu!"
Sharp branches erupted from Sakura's body as if she were a tree, bursting through her skin. It was the most basic of all Wood Style techniques, and one every practitioner possessed by default, without needing to train or learn.
"What the—!?" Tsunade spluttered. "How— which poor Senju girl did you waylay to get Wood Style!? Don't tell me Yamato was actually a woman all this time!?"
Though the Senju clan of the forest was best known for its Wood Style thanks to Senju Hashirama, the First Hokage, it must be understood that he was the very first user of the technique in the history of both the Senju clan and, indeed, the world itself.
By virtue of his strength and extraordinary exploits, Hashirama had turned his clan into the stuff of legends. Thus, his Kekkei Genkai became synonymous with the Senju clan— and, by extension, the Hidden Leaf Village, which he had helped found and protect throughout his life. Even today, Wood Style still held an irreplaceable place in people's hearts as a symbol of invincibility and invulnerability.
"It's like this…" Sakura began, shaking off the wooden branches as she slipped her dress on. "It all started when Orochimaru ambushed us…"
Sakura explained what had happened.
How she suspected there was a traitor leaking information (to be clear, there wasn't one, Team 7 was just unlucky to run into Team Orochimaru at the hot springs); how she had been attacked by Neji, a weird-looking Hyūga brat, and her genetic clone Tsubaki, who had somehow acquired Wood Style; and how they had traced back Orochimaru to his hideout and found the unrecognisable remains of a Konoha shinobi (R.I.P. Sai).
"This is very bad," muttered Tsunade, pacing back and forth in front of her desk. "If Orochimaru is truly hunting down Kekkei Genkai wielders to feed to this clone of yours with the goal of taking over her body, he might very well become unstoppable…"
This was her old friend Hiruko and his Chimera Technique all over again.
The Leaf missing-nin was still alive, but the entire world hunted him relentlessly to this day for his crimes. Stealing techniques might be tolerated, but to the hidden villages, Kekkei Genkai ninja were the equivalent of tactical weapons— a line that simply could not be crossed. Only the strongest, most fearless, well defended, and shameless of villages (read: Kumogakure) would dare to openly covet another village's bloodline limits.
"Judging from your report and sightings, Orochimaru seems to be going around the continent clockwise," muttered Tsunade. "The Land of Fire, Rivers, Wind, and now, Earth…"
"Please let Team 7 go after them, Milady!" said Sakura, bowing deeply. "This is my responsibility!"
She still had no idea how Orochimaru had obtained her genes, though. She had bled all over the continent over the last three years, after all.
"Out of the question," snapped Tsunade. "I'm sending Team 3 in pursuit. Orochimaru has Neji, so this is personal for them, too. Besides, they're the ones best suited to fight him, and in case you've forgotten, you're severely weakened."
With the exception of Uzumaki Karin, Team 3 had nothing of real value to steal.
Tenten, Lee, and Guy possessed no Kekkei Genkai— and to make matters worse for Orochimaru, the Eight Inner Gates could tear through any trickery he might devise. And if Tenten managed to mark the man with a Flying Thunder God Formula, she could track him to the ends of the earth…
"But…" said Sakura pitifully.
"But nothing!" roared Tsunade. "You'd better hope they succeed, or else!"
Tsunade didn't say it aloud, but if Sakura's main Kekkei Genkai were exposed— and Tsubaki's crimes linked to Sakura— she would have no choice but to send her disciple to Hōzuki Castle, the shinobi prison in the Land of Grass; to prove the Leaf's innocence and to prevent war with the other Four Great Villages.
And at that point, Sakura might as well run away and join the Akatsuki.
"For now, focus on recuperating your strength," said Tsunade with a deep sigh. "Try to come up with an explanation for how you naturally acquired Wood Style."
"Oh, that one's easy," Sakura said breezily. "I've just invented a brand-new, never-before-seen elemental Kekkei Genkai— so I'll just say inspiration struck twice. It's rare, but not unheard of… right, Milady?"
Tsunade looked at her, dumbfounded.
"Teehee."
Sakura stuck out her tongue cutely and winked sheepishly.
"Just go find Naruto and Kakashi— help them with their finishing move, or whatever," Tsunade said weakly, her head drooping with exhaustion. "Yamato's bound to be there, so I'm sure you'll be able to think of something."