The Senju clan compound, under the drastic reforms of the Second Hokage, Senju Tobirama, had long since lost its former glory.
Most of the clansmen had already integrated into the village, moving into ordinary residential areas.
Now, all that remained was a cold and desolate mansion, a few elders guarding the young lady, along with Nawaki and Lady Mito.
When Sarutobi Hiruzen's figure appeared at the entrance, an elder with white hair and a white beard immediately came out to greet him respectfully.
"Lord Hokage, why have you come in person?"
"I've come to see Tsunade," Sarutobi Hiruzen's voice was gentle.
At the mention of the name "Tsunade," the elder's face showed a troubled expression, and he sighed.
"Sigh, ever since the news of Lord Second's death in battle arrived, the young lady has locked herself in her room, refusing to eat or drink, and seeing no one..."
"We old folks have talked until we're blue in the face, but it's no use."
Since Tobirama's death, the granddaughter of the First Hokage, and also the most beloved grandniece of the Second Hokage, had completely closed herself off.
The immense grief made her feel an inexplicable sense of resistance towards the position of "Hokage," and even towards the entire village.
"Let me try."
Sarutobi Hiruzen dismissed the elder and the servants, and walked alone to the door of Tsunade's room.
It was a heavy wooden door, now tightly shut, sealing off everything from the outside world.
He didn't knock, but simply stood quietly outside the door. The air was thick with suppressed sorrow.
"Tsunade, it's me, Sarutobi Hiruzen."
His voice was calm and steady, penetrating the door.
"Sensei... he left something behind before he died."
There was no response from inside the room.
Sarutobi Hiruzen was not in a hurry and continued, "He didn't leave it as the Hokage, but as your great-granduncle, and as my teacher."
"He said that the power of the Senju should not only be used for destruction, but more importantly, for protecting life."
As he spoke, he took out a scroll from his robes.
It was the very same "Preliminary Theoretical Manuscripts on Medical Ninjutsu" that he had personally copied and given to Orochimaru.
He gently pushed the scroll through the gap under the door.
After doing this, he didn't leave. Instead, he leaned against the door and slowly sat down.
The afternoon sun shone through the hallway window, casting mottled light and shadows on him.
"I remember when I was young, there was a time I was practicing Water Release."
He began to speak in a nostalgic tone, as if to himself.
"Sensei was teaching me the Water Release: Water Dragon Bullet Jutsu, but I just couldn't get it right. My hand seals were always wrong. He made me run fifty laps around the village, and I had to shout 'I'm an idiot' the whole time."
"At the time, I hated him for it. I thought he was an unfeeling demon."
Inside the room, Tsunade, who had been covering her head with a blanket and ignoring everything outside, twitched her ears when she heard Hiruzen mention her great-granduncle's embarrassing story.
"Later, after I finished the fifty laps, I was as tired as a dead dog. Sensei was standing at the finish line. He didn't say a word, just handed me a bottle of water, and then he demonstrated the key points of the hand seals for the Water Dragon Bullet Jutsu for me again."
"His movements were very slow, very clear, making sure I saw every detail."
"That night, I finally learned that jutsu."
"And it was that night that I finally understood that his strictness was only because he wanted us to grow up faster, to have the power to protect ourselves and our comrades."
There was a hint of laughter and a barely perceptible catch in Sarutobi Hiruzen's voice.
He painted the Second Hokage, who in everyone's memory was stern, humorless, and ruthless, as a strict but inwardly gentle teacher, an elder who was not good at expressing himself.
Inside the room, Tsunade had, without realizing it, thrown off the blanket.
She sat up silently, looking at the scroll that had been pushed in through the gap in the door, listening to Hiruzen tell stories about her great-granduncle that she had never heard before.
From her initial resistance, she silently picked up the scroll from the floor.
Listening to Hiruzen's stories, she could no longer hold back her tears. She covered her mouth as they streamed down her face in silence.
The great-granduncle in her heart was no longer just a lofty, cold symbol of "Hokage" representing authority and order.
He was a living person who would get angry at his students' foolishness, but would also silently care for them afterward.
"The First Hokage used Wood Release to create the village, giving people a home."
"The Second Hokage used systems to protect the village, allowing that home to endure."
"Now, it's our turn."
Sarutobi Hiruzen's voice became solemn.
"Tsunade, your hands, which inherited the life force of the First Hokage, were born to save lives."
"Don't let that talent, and Sensei's expectations, be covered in dust."
After saying this, he slowly stood up, dusted himself off, and turned to leave.
He knew that more words would be useless.
The seed had been planted; she needed to break down the walls of her own heart to let it sprout.
At the end of the hallway, the elders looked at him with concern.
Sarutobi Hiruzen simply gave them a slight nod, signaling them not to disturb her.
The next morning.
The door that had been shut for days finally creaked open.
Tsunade walked out.
Her eyes were red and swollen, but her gaze was no longer empty and sad. Instead, it held an unprecedented firmness.
In her hand, she tightly clutched the slightly crumpled scroll.
She walked up to the elders and bowed deeply.
"Please bring me all the clan's records on medicine and human anatomy."
The elders were stunned, then their faces broke into expressions of ecstatic joy.
"Yes! Young Lady!"
At the same time, in the Hokage's Office.
Sarutobi Hiruzen looked at the report presented by the Anbu, a gratified smile on his face.
[Detecting deviation in key figure's destiny trajectory...]
['Tsunade's hemophobia' trigger probability reduced by 20%.]
['Tsunade leaving the village' trigger probability reduced by 10%.]
[Mission Rating: Excellent.]
[Distributing rewards...]
[Congratulations to the Host for obtaining 'Constitution Boost (Beginner)', physical energy greatly increased!]
A warm current instantly spread throughout his body. Sarutobi Hiruzen could feel that his body's strength, stamina, and chakra recovery speed had all significantly increased.
He clenched his fist, feeling the sense of abundant power.
"Very good."
He put the report aside and picked up another file.
It contained three graduation profiles from the Ninja Academy.
Orochimaru, Jiraiya, Tsunade.
"Since you've all found your own paths, it's about time..."
"For you to experience your teacher's 'Fist of Love'."
He picked up his brush, signed his name on the documents, and in the column for the supervising jonin, he wrote the four large characters for "Sarutobi Hiruzen."