While Ryo and Tsunade were entangled in their intoxicated moment of chaos and passion, the lights in the Hokage's office remained on.
Hiruzen sat behind his desk, pipe in hand, smoke curling upward.
The door opened. Orochimaru and Danzō walked in.
Orochimaru gave a slight bow. "Sensei."
Danzō ignored him and went straight to the point. "Hiruzen, is it true?"
Hiruzen put down his pipe. "Orochimaru, explain Nawaki's situation in detail. How effective is Earth Grudge Fear? Is it stable?" His gaze held both concern and doubt.
"Nawaki's condition is excellent," Orochimaru replied calmly. "The black threads from Earth Grudge Fear have replaced his damaged chakra nodes, forming a new internal network. His chakra volume, flow speed, and physical resilience have all surpassed his previous level. Cell fusion was smooth, with minimal rejection. Stability has exceeded expectations."
"Exceeded expectations?" Danzō's voice suddenly rose. His single eye lit up as he stepped forward urgently. "Then it's a complete success? It can restructure chakra pathways and even replace limbs? It can work for amputees?" His empty sleeve swayed slightly.
Hiruzen frowned and cleared his throat. "Orochimaru, this research was led by Tsunade. Your contribution was?"
Orochimaru's smile didn't falter as he met Hiruzen's gaze. "Sensei, Tsunade is the medical expert. Nawaki is her younger brother. From deciphering Kakuzu to the fusion and guidance, she poured herself into it. I merely offered auxiliary advice during theoretical modeling. The core procedures were all her doing."
Not a single flaw in the answer.
Hiruzen's eyes darkened. He knew Orochimaru was deflecting.
"Hmph." Danzō snorted coldly, his eye filled with anger. "Orochimaru, you're pushing this onto Tsunade? Earth Grudge Fear is crucial for the village's future medical system. It's hope for countless wounded shinobi, even..."
His voice trembled, his empty sleeve twitching. "It's a potential solution for irreversible injuries. How can something this vital be controlled by her alone? Shouldn't it be studied under the village's supervision? Is it only worthy of saving her Senju clan's Nawaki?"
The atmosphere turned tense.
Hiruzen snapped his eyes toward Danzō with stern warning. "Danzō. Watch your words."
He held back his irritation and turned to Orochimaru, voice tired and resigned.
He knew nothing more could be pried out tonight.
"Enough. If Orochimaru's knowledge is limited, then no point in pressing." He paused. "Tsunade is currently... at the izakaya with Ryo." When he said Ryo's name, a flicker of unease crossed his tone.
"Disturbing them now would be unwise." Hiruzen concluded, "Wait until tomorrow, once she sobers up. I'll speak to her myself. You may leave."
Danzō's facial muscles twitched. His lone eye stared daggers at Hiruzen. His chest rose and fell rapidly, struggling to suppress his rage and frustration.
But hearing "Ryo" made his heart chill. The consequences of barging in recklessly were too much. That man had never shown Konoha's elders any face.
In the end, Danzō gave a cold grunt, flung his sleeve, and left with heavy steps, his back full of resentment.
Orochimaru maintained his ever-present smile and nodded elegantly. "Sensei, I'll take my leave." He turned and exited. The door shut silently behind him.
The office returned to silence.
Hiruzen leaned back in his chair, fingers tapping the desk.
Nawaki's problem was solved, but the waves from Earth Grudge Fear had only just begun.
Tsunade, Ryo, Danzō... tomorrow would be far from calm.
He took a deep drag from his pipe and stared out the window.
Dawn light crept into the bedroom in the Senju compound.
Tsunade woke up.
A heavy sense of fatigue wrapped around her.
Her head throbbed from the hangover, her throat dry.
But what registered more clearly was the subtle, aching soreness deep in her body.
That sensation shattered the last of her morning fog.
Scattered, heated flashes from last night surged into her mind—sake, Ryo's face, his arms lifting her, moonlight, breathing, tangled limbs...
Blood rushed to her face and drained just as quickly. She turned pale.
Her eyes snapped open. Above her was the familiar ceiling and... the man's arm tightly wrapped around her waist.
Ryo.
He lay behind her, his warm chest pressed against her back, steady breaths brushing the back of her neck. His scent enveloped her.
Tsunade's body went completely rigid.
Her heart raced wildly.
The Senju princess. One of the Legendary Sannin. The revered medical kunoichi... and her own disciple...
A forbidden relationship?
Shame and panic overwhelmed her.
If this got out... ridicule, scorn, disgrace upon the Senju name, her reputation destroyed, what about Nawaki?
The pressure was suffocating.
Almost instinctively, one thought screamed in her mind—escape. Pretend nothing happened.
If she didn't move, if she kept pretending to sleep, maybe time would freeze. Maybe this awkward reality wouldn't shatter.
Tsunade squeezed her eyes shut. Her long lashes trembled violently from the turmoil in her heart.
She held her breath, trying to steady her rapid heartbeat, body stiff in Ryo's embrace, pretending to be an ostrich burying its head in the sand.
She could feel Ryo's steady heartbeat against her back. That rhythm, once comforting, now pounded like a war drum on her frayed nerves.
Seconds crawled by, each one stretching like an eternity. The only sounds in the room were their breaths—hers suppressed and shallow, his deep and even.
Time ticked on in silence.
Suddenly, she felt movement.
Ryo's arm tightened abruptly, pulling her closer into his chest.
His chin rested on the top of her head. A calm, deep voice murmured in her ear.
"You're awake?"
Those words shattered her pretense.
Tsunade flinched, instinctively panicking.
She tried to pull away, inch by inch.
"Let go," she said hoarsely without turning around, pressing her elbow against his chest.
Ryo didn't budge. His arm held her even tighter.
His warm lips nearly touched her ear. "Why hide? After last night, what's there to pretend?"
"I said let go!" Tsunade's voice rose, edged with frustration.
The skin-to-skin contact reminded her of everything from the night before. Her shame surged.
Ryo easily blocked her struggles, then with one swift motion, rolled her over to face him.
Their eyes met.
Bathed in morning light, Ryo's silver eyes were calm and clear, reflecting her panic and forced composure.
That gaze made Tsunade's heart stutter. She quickly turned her face away, cheeks burning.
Her hands rested against his bare chest, trembling slightly from the heat and steady heartbeat beneath her fingertips.
"Ryo!" she growled through gritted teeth, breath ragged with panic. "Enough! Last night... we were drunk! That was a mistake! It shouldn't have happened! Forget it! Pretend it never did! Do you hear me?"
Her words came fast, almost like a chant. She was trying to convince him, but more than that, she was trying to convince herself.
"Mistake?" Ryo repeated softly. He grabbed her chin and made her face him. "I don't see it that way. I was completely sober. I remember everything."
He leaned closer. His breath grazed her lips. "So do you."
"You..." Tsunade's voice caught in her throat. The fire in his eyes was undeniable. Desire. Possessiveness. A fierce, unwavering intensity that made her heart race uncontrollably.
"Look at me, Tsunade," Ryo's voice dropped, steady and warm. For the first time, the silver depths of his eyes burned with emotion. "Tell me. Did you really not want it?"
Tsunade was stunned by the seriousness in his eyes.
Fragments from last night resurfaced again.
The hands pushing against his chest lost their strength.
Her lips trembled. Her eyes flickered.
"What do you want then?" she finally asked, voice hoarse, tinged with helplessness. "Ryo, I'm your sensei. You're my student. I've never acknowledged it, but everyone else sees it that way. It's wrong. It's taboo. If this gets out..."
She closed her eyes, unwilling to imagine the consequences. "They'll crucify us. The Senju name will be mocked. What will Nawaki think?"
"So what?" Ryo answered without hesitation, full of confidence. "Tell me honestly. Do you really just see me as your student?"
He drew closer. "Am I really just a student to you?"
Tsunade was speechless.
All the moments she had suppressed, buried under the weight of titles and duty, were now laid bare.
During her darkest hours, he had been more than just a student.
He was her support. Her strength. The light in her worst times.
That trust. That comfort. That quiet affection.
She couldn't deny it.
"I..." Tsunade's voice caught. Her golden eyes shimmered with tears, full of conflict, shame, and uncertainty.
She lowered her eyes. Her lashes quivered.
"I don't care how others see it." Ryo's voice was firm. He held her tightly. His lips brushed her ear as he spoke. "You're mine now, Tsunade. Now and forever. I won't let go."
That bold declaration shattered her last line of defense.
"You... you arrogant bastard!" Tsunade glared up at him, her eyes flaring.
But when she met his determined gaze, her fury faltered.
"You know exactly what this is," Ryo said with certainty. He gave her no time to refute.
With a sudden motion, he lifted her into his arms.
"Ryo! What are you doing? Put me down!" Tsunade cried out in panic, still reeling from the hangover.
Ryo ignored her protest. He strode over to the futon in the center of the room and laid her down. His movements seemed rough, but they were controlled.
"You..." Tsunade tried to sit up and scold him, but Ryo's presence loomed.
He leaned in, preventing her from rising.
Tsunade's mind went blank. Memories from last night flooded in.
All restraint broke. Status and roles no longer mattered.
A muffled sound escaped her throat.
The hands that once resisted had lost their strength.
Morning light filtered through the paper windows. The room filled with hurried breaths and faint movements.
It was no longer one-sided. This time, both powerful souls clashed in a shared, undeniable storm of emotion.
Tsunade's tension gradually melted.
The storm settled. Only heavy breathing remained.
Tsunade turned away, facing the wall, pulling the blanket tightly around her.
Her voice was hoarse, weary, filled with reluctant surrender.
"Ryo..." She paused, her voice muffled beneath the blanket. "I... I'll agree. We can be together."
Ryo lay beside her, silent.
"But!" Tsunade suddenly spun around, her golden eyes locked onto him. "No one else can know!"
"Kushina and Mikoto too?" Ryo asked calmly.
"No!" she cut him off instantly. Her voice was firm. "Especially them. And Nawaki. Absolutely not. Not a single hint. If they find out, I'll lose all face as his sister."
She took a deep breath, her gaze pleading. "Just us. Only the two of us will know. Outside, you're still my student. I'm still your sensei. Everything... has to stay the same. I haven't figured out what to do next. If this ever gets out..."
She closed her eyes in confusion.
Seeing her proud self now vulnerable and lost, Ryo reached out and gently held her hand gripping the blanket.
His eyes were steady and reassuring. "Alright. I'll listen to you. Just us. Secret."
That promise eased her tension.
She looked into his eyes, emotions swirling within.
But the peace didn't last.
Just as her internal alarms blared again, Ryo had already closed the distance.
"Ryo! You jerk! You promised..."
Her protest was cut off.
Her struggle was weak.
And after a moment of breathless silence, a new conflict began.
(To be continued.)
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◇ One bonus chapter will be released for every 200 Power Stones.
◇ You can read the ahead chapter on Pat if you're interested: p-atreon.c-om/Blownleaves (Just remove the hyphen to access normally.)