"I absolutely cannot lose!"
With Tsunade's piercing shout, her arm and forehead veins bulged like writhing snakes, showing she was putting in all her strength.
Her chakra spilled uncontrollably around her, radiating an oppressive aura.
It surged like invisible waves, striking the surrounding air again and again, compressing it until a low buzzing sound filled the space.
Under the impact of this immense power, the table couldn't hold and with a sharp crack, it split into two.
Wood splinters flew, scattering across the floor.
Yet Tsunade and Genya's elbows remained locked in place, unmoved by the table's destruction. Their arm-wrestling battle intensified, reaching a white-hot peak.
Genya stood there, calm and composed, as if this fierce struggle were nothing more than a trivial game.
His strength flowed like an endless spring, steadily pressing down on Tsunade.
Tsunade, having activated her Yin Seal, radiated a faint green chakra and her power had increased, yet before Genya's even more terrifying force, she still struggled to keep up.
Her arm trembled slightly, and each attempt to push back was effortlessly suppressed by Genya.
However, Genya clearly wasn't using his full strength. He was like a cat toying with its prey, testing Tsunade bit by bit, making her painfully aware of the gap between their powers.
Medical ninjutsu was nearly useless in such a raw contest of strength. Tsunade's greatest confidence was her power, and Genya was determined to utterly surpass her in it.
"Impossible… how could this be…" Tsunade's heart filled with despair and frustration, her eyes revealing disbelief.
She could never have imagined that after years of dominating the ninja world and surviving countless life-or-death battles, she would be overpowered in sheer strength by a Uchiha brat.
And to be crushed so completely, the sense of defeat stabbed her heart like a sharp knife.
At this moment, she understood with absolute clarity that in raw power, she was almost no match for Genya.
But her stubbornness and unyielding spirit would not allow her to give up easily. Even if there was only a sliver of hope, she would fight with all her strength to seize it.
"Aunt Tsunade, give up!" Genya's voice rang out again. To Tsunade, it was like a heavy hammer, striking her heart over and over.
Tsunade gritted her teeth, her lips bitten until a thin line of blood appeared. Her eyes were full of defiance.
Her body leaned slightly forward, the muscles in her arms tensed to their limit. Every muscle strained as if to make one final effort.
Yet reality was harsh. Genya's strength was like an insurmountable mountain, pressing down on her, making it hard to breathe.
She felt like a butterfly trapped in a spider's web, no matter how she struggled, she could not escape the invisible restraint.
As Genya's power continued to rise, Tsunade's forearms nearly aligned with the ground, and her body began to bend sideways, twisting painfully.
Sweat poured from her forehead, wetting the ground beneath her. Her breaths grew rapid, each inhale heavy with a sigh.
"I lost…" At last, Tsunade's voice came, filled with helplessness and defeat.
The words echoed through the tavern, carrying loss, frustration, and a hint of despair.
After she spoke, her arms loosened, and her body slumped onto the chair, her face marked with dejection, even a trace of hopelessness.
Her eyes were vacant, as if they had lost focus, and her whole being seemed drained of energy, leaving only a weary shell.
She could not understand it. After facing countless storms in the ninja world and challenging countless powerful foes, she had been defeated by a rookie.
This fact was almost impossible for her to accept.
Genya released his hold, looking at the desolate Tsunade with a victorious smile. "Auntie Tsunade, you made the bet, and your necklace is mine!"
Tsunade lifted her head and met Genya's gaze. Her eyes were complicated—unwilling, angry, yet tinged with respect for his strength. "Kid, you're strong. I admit defeat!"
As she spoke, she slowly took the necklace from around her neck. Her arms trembled slightly, as if making one final struggle.
She stared at the necklace for a moment, as if recalling every memory connected to it, then closed her eyes and tossed it to Genya.
Genya caught the necklace. It felt warm and smooth in his hand, and he could sense a strange, unique energy emanating from it.
He subtly used his Wood Release sensing ability, and that peculiar energy resonated faintly with the power of Wood Release within him.
It really was something left behind by the First Hokage!
After confirming it was genuine, Genya carefully put the pendant away and looked at Tsunade. "Auntie, thank you for the pendant. Hikari would definitely love this gift!"
As a fellow member of the Senju clan, he felt Hikari was the one who truly deserved this pendant.
"Hurry and leave. I don't want to see you!" Tsunade looked at Genya with exhaustion. There was no emotion in her eyes, but the impatient expression on her face made it clear that if Genya spoke out of turn again, she would act.
"Alright… Auntie, we'll leave for now!" Genya said with a smile, waving before he turned and left with Hinata and the others.
He had gotten the pendant today and didn't want to get tangled up with Tsunade any longer.
As they left, Genya tossed a stack of money to the shop owner. "This covers your losses. Take it out… and prepare a meal for that Auntie."
Then he walked away without looking back.
"Is he really a brat from the Uchiha clan?" Tsunade watched Genya and the others leave, her eyes finally showing full shock and fear.
She couldn't even move that Uchiha boy with her strength. And to think… she had even used forbidden techniques, yet she still couldn't affect him!
It was incredibly strange!
No wonder she had been thrown aside by him earlier. He really was strong!
"Tsunade-sama, I'll help you get the pendant back!" Shizune said urgently, watching Genya's retreating figure.
She knew how important that pendant was to Lady Tsunade. It wasn't just a necklace—it was a memory, a legacy.
At the same time, she hated herself. Why hadn't she stopped Lady Tsunade when she put the pendant up as a wager?
"No need… maybe this is fate!" Tsunade stopped Shizune. Though a little disappointed, she continued, "Shizune, do you know anything about that boy?"
"Uh?" Shizune was stunned, but she still shared what she knew. "Uchiha Genya… born with Dual Pupils. The Uchiha clan and even the villagers treated him as useless. But… I didn't know he'd be this strong!"
She only knew a little. As for everything else, she hadn't returned to the village all these years, so she didn't know.
"I see…" Tsunade murmured softly, though her mind seemed elsewhere. Wait… should she return to Konoha once more?
While the two of them were shocked by their conversation, the shop owner had already prepared a new table for Tsunade and served fresh food and drinks. "Please enjoy!" he said.
Tsunade looked at the food and drink in front of her, but she had no appetite at all.
Her thoughts lingered on the recent battle of power. The image of that Uchiha kid refused to leave her mind.
The Uchiha kid had seen that she had truly returned to Konoha…
****
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