The night was heavy. Lightning flashed within the thick clouds, thunder rumbled across the darkened sky, and soon the wind howled as a torrential downpour fell upon the land.
At the border of the Land of Bears—
On a steep cliff neighboring the Land of Birds, the rain made the mountain path slick. Inside the cliff's inner wall was a cave.
At that moment, Garaga stood motionless at the cliff's edge, rain slamming against its scales with sharp crackles.
Its vertical pupils were cold and emotionless—just like the storm around it.
Rumble—
As thunder shook the sky, lightning split the darkness, illuminating the massive serpent's body, vast as if another mountain hung beside the cliff.
Inside the cave, a campfire flickered warmly, its glow reflected across the rocky walls.
"What's it doing?" Tsunade asked curiously.
She leaned against a dry rock ledge, glancing at Shinya standing motionless in the rain outside.
Ever since she and Uchiha Yu had taken shelter in the cave, the serpent hadn't moved an inch, simply letting the storm wash over it.
"Maybe it's washing its head," Yu replied casually.
He tossed a few more dry sticks onto the fire—wood he'd grown using his Wood Release by accelerating plant growth, then draining their energy until they withered into dry vines.
He hadn't understood before, but now Yu felt: Wood Release is a way of life.
Tsunade fell silent, but when she thought about what she'd done earlier to Garaga's head, she decided to let it go.
It had been her fault.
Though really, she blamed Yu for that.
After a while, with a soft poof, Shinya dispelled into smoke and returned to Ryūchi Cave.
The two of them sat in silence.
Tsunade's gaze wandered toward the deeper end of the cave.
It seemed to stretch endlessly into darkness—no light, no end in sight.
When they'd first arrived, several animals had been taking shelter inside.
But as soon as the pair entered, a lurking black bear had tried to ambush them from the shadows.
It hadn't even lasted a moment—Tsunade's single punch had sent the three-hundred-pound beast flying. The other animals panicked and fled.
Still, by the time they found a spot to hide from the storm, their clothes were completely soaked through.
"What bad luck," Tsunade muttered, adjusting her mood as she ran her hand through her rain-plastered blonde hair. Droplets slid down her strands, dripping to the floor.
Her chest rose and fell with every breath.
Her pants clung tightly to her legs, tracing every curve, while the water ran down her feet, soaking into the cave floor.
A faint mist of steam surrounded her, carrying a subtle, elegant fragrance—rich but not overpowering—easily masking the scent of the animals that had been there before.
Yu wasn't much better off. His white robe, drenched by the storm, clung to his body as if he were wearing nothing at all.
"Change your clothes," Yu said, taking a set of Uchiha clan robes and a woman's ninja outfit from his storage space, handing them to Tsunade.
"…Why do you have women's clothing?" she asked suspiciously, brows furrowing as she inspected the outfit.
She lifted it slightly and sniffed—the scent was gentle and familiar.
Not only had she smelled it before, but she had once shared a bed with the owner of that scent.
"She knows you came out here with me?" Tsunade asked, her expression strange as she stared at Yu. Then she glanced back at the clothes in her hands, hesitating. "It might not fit."
Uchiha Yu calmly took out another set of Uchiha clan robes and began changing into them.
Then, with a flick of his fingers, a vine sprouted straight up beside the campfire, splitting into several branches.
Yu hung his soaked clothes neatly across the "vine rack."
Tsunade, watching his casual, unbothered attitude as if she were invisible air, lowered her head, face darkening—but couldn't help glancing sideways again.
"Mm. Mikoto knew you'd be the only one accompanying me on this trip," Yu said calmly. "She told me that if her clothes don't fit you, I should let her know when I return. She'll tailor a new set to your measurements."
As he spoke, he put on his clean clothes and sat back down on the rock ledge.
That was exactly what Mikoto had told him the night before.
Tsunade's cheeks flushed pink. Pretending to look at the ground, she gripped the clothes, hesitated for a few seconds, then stood and walked toward the darker corner of the cave.
A moment later, she emerged wearing the Uchiha clan uniform, her wet garments in hand. Adjusting the fit, she sighed inwardly—she'd underestimated Mikoto.
The outfit fit perfectly.
What surprised her even more was that Yu hadn't done anything remotely like what Jiraiya would've done in this situation.
In truth, Yu had long since appreciated everything there was to admire about Tsunade.
He turned his right hand, and with a shimmer, a black pot and a simple outdoor stand appeared from his storage space.
Between Tsunade and Mikoto, each had her own unique charm. With both of them around, no child would ever go hungry, he thought idly.
He placed the stand over the campfire, set the pot on it, and began preparing the meal. From his supplies, he took out various seasonings and poured them in, followed by a container of clean drinking water.
Soon, a mildly spicy hotpot broth was simmering in the pot.
"…" Tsunade stepped out from the shadows, adjusting to the unfamiliar Uchiha robes, and stared blankly. "You actually came this prepared?"
Yu glanced at her, momentarily pausing.
He had to admit—Tsunade didn't look bad at all in the blue high-collared Uchiha outfit.
With her stunning features, if not for that striking golden hair, anyone might mistake her for a member of the Uchiha clan.
"Mm. Mikoto packed most of this before we left the village," Yu replied, then drew out a sealed food box containing fresh beef slices, shiitake mushrooms, tofu, fish balls, and green onions, arranging them before them both.
"You're making… oden?" Tsunade asked cautiously.
From the setup, it looked like that kind of simple, ready-to-eat meal.
Still, the sight of real food pleased her—at least it wasn't ration pills.
When she'd traveled with Shizune before, wandering through remote, empty lands, the two of them (and the pig) had often survived on nothing but soldier pills.
"Beef hotpot," Yu replied flatly.
Hotpot and oden were two entirely different things—their cooking methods and ingredients worlds apart.
"Hotpot?" Tsunade blinked, eyes wide with curiosity as she watched the broth begin to boil. The red oil shimmered across the surface, releasing a rich, spicy aroma.
She swallowed unconsciously, shaking her head. "Never seen anything like that before."
Yu handed her a pair of chopsticks.
Gululu—
The broth came to a rolling boil. Yu began placing beef slices and vegetables into the pot, his movements steady and precise.
He'd eaten wild animals while on the run—but now that he was traveling under calmer circumstances, he had no intention of mistreating his stomach.
The beef hit the broth.
A thick, savory aroma filled the air, blending the scent of meat and spices—irresistibly mouthwatering.
As they waited for the food to cook, Tsunade looked up at Yu. "Why are you so determined to rule the ninja world?"
"Time will tell you the answer," Yu said quietly, ladling the soup and handing her a bowl.
After all, who wouldn't dream of surpassing the Ōtsutsuki?
Only by climbing to the very top, gaining power beyond them, could one truly hold freedom in their hands. Anything less was just talk.
"…" Tsunade said nothing, accepting the bowl. She picked up a slice of beef with her chopsticks, hesitated, then glanced back at Yu.
"You brought me with you… won't she be angry?"
As she spoke, she took a bite. The moment the tender beef met her tongue, her eyes half-lidded, glowing faintly with delight.
The flavor was indeed different from oden, but the fresh, spicy aroma made Tsunade quickly grow fond of it.
"She won't," Uchiha Yu replied calmly. "She's actually happy to call one of the Legendary Sannin her sister."
In the shinobi world, most daimyōs still practiced polygamy. Mikoto understood that Yu was a man destined for great things, and she never objected to his choices when it came to companions.
The night before he left, she had shyly told him before bed to take good care of Tsunade on the journey.
Her relationship with Yu had come about naturally—but she knew he had once left a bad impression on Tsunade. Mikoto also understood how valuable Tsunade could be to Yu's plans, and so she fully supported him in winning her heart.
Yu had once asked Mikoto why she didn't mind.
And now, as if in answer to that unspoken question, Tsunade suddenly looked up and asked,
"Why?"
Yu's brow lifted slightly. Quoting Mikoto's exact words, he replied, "Because she can't handle it all alone."
°°°
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