When she returned to Konoha, Tsunade wasn't entirely swayed by Sakumo Hatake's reputation and favors.
Another important reason was that her grandmother, Uzumaki Mito, the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki, had already transferred the Tailed Beast to a little girl named Kushina, and was now sustained only by her immense and resilient Chakra, with not much time left.
After returning to Konoha, she first visited her grandmother, and the two chatted over hot tea.
Seeing that her grandmother was doing well, she then followed Sakumo, who had been waiting outside the door, to the Hospital to examine his little apprentice.
Even across the entire Ninja World, Uchiha Naraku was a rare genius.
Unfortunately, his bloodline not only granted him power but also brought an intractable curse, slowly gnawing at his young body, a process that wouldn't stop until his life faded.
This was the first Uchiha suffering from bloodline limit sickness she had treated, and perhaps, it would be the last.
Tsunade looked at Sakumo, who seemed to be muttering to himself, and had a hunch that he was hiding something; otherwise, he wouldn't have shown such an expression.
Soon, her doubts were answered.
They wouldn't even spare a simple-minded person like Sakumo Hatake; those old geezers were truly beyond saving.
Konoha, oh Konoha... its roots burrowed deeper and deeper, yet its branches and leaves grew increasingly sparse and withered.
If one day this great tree could no longer sprout new leaves, that would be the moment it crashed down... It was no wonder Sakumo Hatake was so determined to save him; that Uchiha kid named Naraku was so sensible it made one's heart ache.
The Dōjutsu Power (Pupil Power) of the Three-Tomoe Sharingan was already a heavy burden for a child; whenever he activated his Sharingan, his meridians would be damaged from the unbearable power, which naturally caused great pain.
Yet, Naraku only said, "It's just a little."
"I'm sorry."
Even knowing his illness was incurable, he still wore a shy, gentle smile.
Why didn't he resent this world?
Having lived half a lifetime, Tsunade had seen too much; the Ninja World never lacked people who, burdened by various pains, hated everything.
Naraku, so young and having awakened the Sharingan, should, by all accounts, have easily veered towards extremism.
But he didn't.
Tsunade sat leaning against a table, watching the children, gathered in a circle, playing and laughing.
Their faces were all smiling, like tender buds blossoming on an ancient tree, edged with gold by the morning sun.
Let's wait and see, perhaps this great tree still has a day to be reborn... But will that day truly come?
Tsunade slumped to the ground, her body trembling uncontrollably.
Her old friend was not far away, but she didn't even have the strength to stand up, nor did she dare to look directly at the bloodstains covering him.
It wasn't until Naraku knelt before her, pleading like a cuckoo crying blood, that he forcibly pulled her out of her panic with just a few words.
The various instruments in the operating room blared, annoyingly loud; despite it being a critical moment where every second counted, Tsunade was still distracted, listening for movement outside the door.
She could imagine the overwhelming despair Naraku must have felt when he collapsed from exhaustion just now, then picked up Sakumo's lifeless body and moved forward.
The Uchiha always awakened in the midst of extreme emotions.
The power of the Uchiha is the power of love and hate.
The moment the Sealing Jutsu was about to break, the Shadow Clone also rushed out the door.
Sakumo will live, so Naraku, you must live too... After accepting Naraku as her disciple, Tsunade often watched his serious expression while reading, and subconsciously thought of the many people she had lost.
Her two grandfathers, father, mother, Dan, Nawaki... even her grandmother was almost gone... Knowing this kid wouldn't live long, yet still being soft-hearted, perhaps she deserved to suffer again?
Fortunately, it seemed this day wouldn't come too soon.
In the first week after Tsunade left Konoha, she successfully received a letter from Naraku, detailing his recent situation.
"Mystical Palm Technique and Sealing Jutsu have both improved; truly worthy of being my disciple."
She put away the envelope, then wrote a reply and sent it, cautioning him that the Evil Sealing Method had many crucial points and should not be rushed.
However, after that, she never received another letter.
-- Could Orochimaru have kidnapped him?
Tsunade would rather suspect Orochimaru was behind it than imagine a certain outcome.
Originally, to avoid suspicion and reduce trouble, Tsunade never contacted the Uchiha, but this time, after much thought, she still sent a message to the other party to confirm the situation.
Then she went to a casino, found a random table, sat down, and bet all her money, waiting to lose everything.
But, she won.
The table full of gleaming chips was piled up, forming a small mountain of silver money... They were truly insane.
Tsunade clutched the scroll, stunned for a long time; a bone-chilling coldness crawled out from between the lines of those few words, penetrating every inch of her skin, eroding her internal organs, stinging like needles.
A familiar pain spread from her heart; it was as if she saw someone collapse to the ground again, their body slowly growing cold.
Only this time, the phantom vaguely took on Naraku's face.
Perhaps she shouldn't have chosen to wait.
Waiting would only cause the things she cherished to vanish one by one, leaving nothing behind in the end.
In the profound silence, Shizune's suppressed sobs suddenly echoed in her ears.
"Why are you crying?"
Tsunade heard her own cold, hard question, as if heavy dark clouds pressed down with boundless thunder.
Immediately following was the flung-open door curtain, and the blast of cold wind.
"Go, let's chop up that damned thing!"
...Thanks to the Uchiha's diligent efforts in tracing clues and gathering intelligence, Tsunade learned that Kusagakure Castle was the last known location of the target.
She detained the Uchiha who delivered the message and brought him along into the city, to easily receive the latest news from their clan.
The other party only struggled symbolically twice before silently complying.
After all, he also greatly desired to avenge Uchiha Naraku, and following Tsunade might help them catch the person faster.
Kusagakure Castle was filled with casinos, but Tsunade ignored them.
Her extremely high Ninja abilities, honed on the battlefield, quickly allowed her to track the target.
The moment she saw that face, the long-suppressed rage erupted like a volcano, spewing fire from her fists and feet, shattering every obstacle in her path.
The floor was shattered by a single stomp, and in the next instant, her agile, golden-haired figure appeared before the opponent.
Her fist smashed fiercely into his undefended abdomen, blasting him upwards, through two ceilings, and into the night sky, covered in dust.
Tsunade followed through the hole he made, leaping out of the building, and with a subsequent Body Flicker and a Painful Sky Leg, she slammed him back into the ground from mid-air, creating cracks in the road surface.
The accompanying Uchiha hastily intervened: "Lady Tsunade, you cannot kill him!"
Tsunade clenched her fist, producing a series of sharp cracks.
How amusing, to actually be stopped from killing by an Uchiha.