"Itachi's eyes do have a problem, but it's nothing to worry about. I have my ways. Don't pay any mind to the rumors."
Naturally, Izumi trusted the clan head's words over any outside rumors.
She was immediately relieved.
But Kawasaki's next words made her heart tighten once again.
"Izumi, go home and tell Aunt Hazuki that we will be visiting in three days' time, in the evening."
Izumi was so startled she shot up from the bedside.
She understood the clan head's meaning, of course.
It was precisely because she understood that she grew more flustered.
A blush crept onto her face. She wrung her hands and, with her head lowered, glanced at the confused Itachi.
"Itachi is injured right now... There's no need to rush this."
Her voice was so low that if Kawasaki hadn't been standing close, he would have barely heard her.
Finding her shy demeanor quite amusing, Kawasaki said, "It's settled then. Have Aunt Hazuki make the preparations."
Izumi bit her lip, seemingly accepting her fate. "...I understand. I'll be heading back now."
She turned, and her eyes met Itachi's. The shyness faded, replaced by a sweet feeling that flooded her heart.
She gave Itachi a sweet smile. "I'll be waiting for you, Itachi."
Then, she left the room with a light spring in her step.
Itachi was now completely baffled.
"Senior, why are we going to Izumi's house?"
Kawasaki shook his head, not beating around the bush. "To finalize your and Izumi's engagement, of course."
"Eh? Th-th-this..."
It was hard to imagine that the ever-calm Itachi could also stammer.
Kawasaki's expression turned stern. "When you left Konoha all those years ago, Izumi followed you without hesitation, sharing in your hardships."
"Isn't it only right to settle the matter of your marriage?"
"Mm... Mm-hmm."
After the initial panic, Itachi gradually calmed down.
He thought about how Izumi had always been by his side all these years, cooking for him, preparing his ninja tools, and planning his missions.
A sweet feeling also bloomed in Itachi's heart.
Recalling the past—the future vision Kawasaki had shown him, where he killed Izumi in his pursuit of a so-called peace—he cherished her presence even more.
"I understand," Itachi said, his face solemn.
Having come to this realization, he felt that his happiness was something hard-won and precious.
Just as Kawasaki was about to say something more to Itachi, Sasuke burst into the room.
Seeing Kawasaki, he quickly bowed. "Master, you're here too."
"Why is everyone saying that big brother is going to Lord Orochimaru to get his eyes treated?"
Though Sasuke was young, he could vaguely sense that something was amiss.
Kawasaki waved a hand dismissively. "It's fine. It's the truth, anyway. Go talk with Itachi for a bit."
With that, Kawasaki headed toward the Uchiha Hospital.
Since the matter was now widely known, Tsunade must have heard the news as well.
He needed to explain things to her.
Entering the hospital, he found Tsunade wiping a photograph.
When she saw Kawasaki arrive, Tsunade set the photo aside.
Kawasaki caught a glimpse of it out of the corner of his eye. It was a photo of Tsunade and Dan Kato.
In the picture, Dan Kato had a gentle smile, while a ponytailed Tsunade leaned against him, her face full of happiness.
Dan Kato was Tsunade's first love, who had tragically died during the Second Great Ninja War.
His tragedy wasn't that he died at the hands of an enemy, but that he fell to a scheme by his own comrades.
Yet, he was also fortunate, for Tsunade had remained devoted to his memory for over twenty years.
In Kawasaki's view, the only one truly suited for Tsunade was Dan Kato.
The final bet between Jiraiya and Tsunade... by that point, the feelings between them were far too complicated to be called love, mixed with so many other things.
Even if Jiraiya had returned safely, it was unlikely they would have ever become a couple.
The great love of Tsunade's life was Dan, and only Dan. Not Jiraiya.
Lost in these thoughts, Kawasaki remained silent for a moment.
Tsunade saw Kawasaki staring at the photo in a daze and couldn't guess what he was thinking.
Based on Kawasaki's age, he would have just been born when Dan died. The two should have never met.
"I was just about to look for you. What's going on with Konoha?" Tsunade asked.
Tsunade had a daily habit of blowing off steam at the gambling dens, which made her incredibly easy for the Third Hokage to find. She had been deeply disappointed with the Third's handling of the Danzo incident long ago, and had no interest in seeing him. As a result, even when the Third sent messengers, Tsunade would give their reports a cursory glance at best, completely uninterested. But the Third had never stopped trying to mend their relationship, so the messages had never stopped coming.
Today, just as Tsunade was about to go try her luck, another Anbu arrived with a message. It said that the Third Hokage had appointed an Honorary Elder for the Uchiha clan and had even asked Orochimaru to help treat Itachi's and Fugaku's eyes. The Anbu had even brought the official appointment letter for her to pass on to Kawasaki.
With that, Tsunade's mood for gambling evaporated, and all she wanted was to know what had happened. After returning to the village and hearing that Kawasaki had gone to see Itachi, she decided to wait for him at the hospital.
"We got played by Orochimaru," Kawasaki sighed, and briefly explained what had happened.
"So, the old man is trying to win you over with an 'Honorary Elder' title?"
Tsunade was a bit confused. The power of an Honorary Elder was ambiguous—not insignificant, but not substantial either.
An Honorary Elder could only offer suggestions; they were still beneath the council of elders and the Hokage.
For the Uchiha clan, which was already self-sufficient and had no plans to develop within Konoha, this Honorary Elder position was like a chicken rib—tasteless to eat, yet a pity to throw away. It was largely useless.
Kawasaki chuckled softly. In anyone else's hands, this thing might indeed be useless.
But he had a way to make it valuable.
He didn't answer Tsunade's question directly, however.
Instead, he posed one of his own. "Tsunade, if the day ever comes when the Uchiha and Konoha are at odds, whose side will you be on?"
Tsunade's heart skipped a beat. She stared at Kawasaki with a serious expression.
Seeing his calm face as he patiently awaited her answer, Tsunade began to seriously consider the question.
Her gaze swept over the photograph, recalling her lover who had dreamed of becoming Hokage but died young.
She thought of Nawaki, who had died even younger.
"I will never let anyone destroy Konoha."
Her words were firm and powerful. Konoha was the fruit of her two grandfathers' labor; she would never allow it to be destroyed.
Kawasaki's expression remained calm.
He pressed further. "And what if Konoha wants to destroy the Uchiha?"
Tsunade glanced around, thinking of the villagers' prejudice against the Uchiha. Then she thought of Kawasaki's character, and of Naruto's carefree smile.
She shook her head resolutely.
"I would never let Konoha destroy the Uchiha, either."
"I see," Kawasaki said, lowering his gaze slightly.
Tsunade frowned. "Kawasaki, if you have a plan, you can tell me. A conflict that devastates both Konoha and the Uchiha would be a terrible outcome."
Kawasaki looked up with a smile. "Lady Tsunade, do you think I could become the Fifth Hokage?"
Tsunade was so shocked her jaw dropped. Kawasaki had never shown the slightest interest in the Hokage's seat before.
Had the sun risen from the west today?
"You really want to be Hokage?" she asked, still skeptical.
"Of course not," Kawasaki laughed. "What's so great about being Hokage?"
"However..."
His tone shifted as he continued.
"The Third Hokage has been in that seat for too long. His way of thinking has become rigid."
"His prejudice against the Uchiha is deeply ingrained. Unless you become Hokage, the conflict between Konoha and the Uchiha will never be resolved."
Tsunade was completely bewildered by Kawasaki's wild, rambling thoughts.
She couldn't tell what he was serious about and what was just a jest.
She could only say resignedly, "Kawasaki, what are you really planning? I have no interest in the Hokage's seat."
"But... as long as you're not planning a direct confrontation with Konoha, I have no objection to you running for Hokage."