At the same time—
Evening had fallen over Konoha, and the village lights flickered to life.
The daytime bustle gradually faded into silence.
Inside a tavern, Tsunade was drinking alone.
Shizune held Tonton in her arms and couldn't help but try to persuade her.
"Lady Tsunade, you really shouldn't drink so much…"
"Stop nagging, Shizune…"
Tsunade had already drunk quite a bit. Her pretty face was slightly flushed as she waved her hand dismissively.
"If you're not going to drink with me, then go back and rest!"
"Even though returning to Konoha might make you a little unhappy…"
Shizune looked worried but continued to persuade her as best she could.
"But you've gained a talented new disciple, and I've gained an adorable junior brother. Shouldn't that make you happy?"
"Mm, I know…"
Tsunade looked gloomy.
Cup after cup went down her throat as she muttered unhappily,
"That brat Ren really did give me a big surprise. He's worth coming back for… but that has nothing to do with the rest of it. Those are two different matters."
Although accepting such a talented disciple was something to be happy about—
Returning to Konoha after so long inevitably stirred up old memories, reminding her of her younger brother who had died at a young age.
As for Kato Dan?
Others might not know, but Tsunade herself was clear about it.
Strictly speaking, the two of them had never truly taken that step.
She had only regarded him as a friend.
But it had to be said that Dan's death had indeed dealt another heavy blow to her.
It deepened the pain of Tsunade, who had never fully escaped the shadow of her younger brother Nawaki's death.
On the surface she appeared strong, but deep down she was fragile and sensitive.
Even though she was a legendary medical ninja who had long been accustomed to blood and death—
Dan's death had once again shocked and devastated her.
She had even developed a rare condition: hemophobia.
At the sight of blood, her entire body would tremble uncontrollably.
Sometimes she couldn't even move.
In that state, she was worse than an ordinary person.
It was a severe psychological illness.
Even she herself had no solution for it.
During the years after leaving Konoha,
She often drowned her sorrows in alcohol, numbing herself.
This constantly worried Shizune, who followed her everywhere, yet she could never manage to stop her.
"Let me drink a little… Let me get properly drunk…"
Tsunade was already somewhat tipsy, her eyes half-closed as she murmured,
"I won't drink tomorrow."
"If you don't mind, then let this old man drink a few cups with you…"
An old man wearing a bamboo hat and a long robe walked into the tavern.
"Ah? Lord Third!"
Seeing the newcomer, Shizune's eyes widened.
Although many years had passed since she last saw him, she still recognized him instantly.
She hurriedly bowed respectfully.
"Old man, shouldn't you be busy being Hokage? Why are you here meddling in my business?"
Tsunade glanced at him, her expression barely changing.
Or rather—
After everything she had experienced,
After witnessing so much darkness with her own eyes,
Tsunade, who had been deeply hurt, had long since lost faith in the Third Hokage.
These so-called Konoha leaders who constantly claimed to inherit the will of her grandfather, the First Hokage, and her granduncle, the Second Hokage—
Yet in reality had been corrupted by power and reduced to shameless politicians.
Toward them, she felt not just dissatisfaction—
But complete disappointment.
Because she no longer held any hope,
She refused to return to Konoha.
Out of sight, out of mind.
She didn't want to involve herself in anything related to the village ever again.
"You rarely come back, yet you won't even meet me, and instead sit here drinking alone. As your teacher, I must really be a failure."
The Third Hokage removed his hat and calmly sat down beside Tsunade.
His wrinkled old face carried a gentle smile.
He gestured to the tavern owner—who looked extremely respectful and nervous upon seeing the Hokage—not to worry and to bring some sake.
"You really are quite a failure…"
Tsunade, who had already lost all faith in this teacher, didn't bother holding back and mocked him bluntly.
She gave him no face at all.
"Is that so?" The Third Hokage smiled bitterly.
"Then why have you returned this time?"
He looked at Tsunade and asked calmly,
"Normally, you wouldn't even want to see your teacher. You certainly wouldn't come back to Konoha on your own."
"What?"
Tsunade drained another cup of sake.
Drunk and swaying slightly, she sneered.
"You rushed here to ask so quickly. Are you afraid I might threaten your position?"
"Lady Tsunade…"
Shizune broke out in a cold sweat.
She hadn't expected Tsunade to give the Third Hokage absolutely no respect.
She hurriedly apologized.
"Lord Third, please don't mind her! Lady Tsunade has drunk too much!"
"Hehe, don't worry. I know my own student very well."
The Third Hokage waved his hand.
He accepted the sake brought by the tavern owner and poured himself a cup.
Having lived long in a high position and experienced countless storms, his self-control was excellent. Not only did he not become angry, he even comforted Shizune.
"You're Shizune, aren't you? I didn't expect you to grow up so much in the blink of an eye…"
After taking a puff from his pipe, he smiled and said to Tsunade,
"If you're willing to return, then of course your teacher would welcome it."
"Stop pretending. How hypocritical."
Tsunade cut him off rudely while pouring more wine.
"I'm not interested in the Hokage position at all. Only fools would want that job."
She glanced at Sarutobi Hiruzen, who was now old and no longer possessed the heroic aura he once had.
With sharp sarcasm she added,
"You, on the other hand, are already halfway in the grave. Be careful you don't die sitting in the Hokage's chair."
"You're already in your forties or fifties, yet your temper is still so fiery. Your mouth is as unforgiving as ever."
The Third Hokage sighed helplessly.
"I know you don't want to see me, but the village's situation recently has become a little complicated…"
He let out a soft sigh and spoke frankly.
"The Uchiha Clan has been somewhat restless lately, so—"
"What!?"
Upon hearing this, Shizune's pupils shrank.
Her heart began pounding.
The Uchiha Clan… restless?
"You don't need to tell me any of that. That's the business of you higher-ups."
Before the Third Hokage could finish speaking,
Tsunade slammed her hand on the table and rudely interrupted him.
She didn't want to get involved in anything related to Konoha anymore.
When she returned to the village earlier with Shizune, she had already vaguely sensed the strange atmosphere.
But she didn't want to care.
Nor was she interested.
"Well… it's like this, Lord Third…"
Seeing that Tsunade refused to respond to the Third Hokage—
And noticing that the Third Hokage only smiled bitterly and stopped speaking, quietly smoking his pipe—
Shizune could only gather her thoughts and explain.
"Grandmother Akira Nao hasn't been in good health lately and believes she doesn't have much time left. She sent someone to deliver a letter to Lady Tsunade…"
"Lady Tsunade returned this time to meet an old acquaintance. But at Grandmother Nao's request, she has already accepted her grandson, Akira Ren, as her disciple."
"Akira Ren?"
The Third Hokage was visibly surprised.
Because he knew Tsunade's fiery temper well,
He hadn't immediately sent ANBU to investigate after she returned.
He only knew that Tsunade had gone directly to visit the Akira household.
He hadn't expected that she had actually taken Akira Ren as a disciple.
"That child not only has extremely precise chakra control, but his chakra reserves far exceed those of others his age…"
The Third Hokage suddenly understood.
"He really is a good seedling."
As for Akira Nao,
It wasn't as if he had never investigated her before.
She had once been a member of the Senju Clan.
Moreover, she was the daughter of Senju Taohua, the once-famous Genjutsu ninja of the Senju Clan and a trusted subordinate of the First Hokage.
However, Akira Nao herself didn't possess much talent and failed to inherit her mother's abilities, remaining merely an average chūnin.
Back then, under the arrangements of the Second Hokage, she had married a civilian ninja in the village.
Akira Ren most likely inherited the bloodline of the Senju Clan.
That was why his chakra reserves were naturally far greater than those of ordinary people.
Over the years, thanks to the foresight of the two previous Hokage, who forcefully promoted the policy despite opposition—
The bloodline of the Senju Clan had long since blended into Konoha.
From time to time, talented civilian ninjas with excellent potential would appear.
There were quite a few such examples within Konoha.
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