Saiki finished his breakfast quickly, told Shizune to take her time, and carried a tray upstairs. He gently pushed open the door to Tsunade's bedroom.
To be honest, Saiki was a little surprised. After what happened that night, he had half-expected Tsunade to lock her door to prevent any "midnight raids."
Even though a lock wouldn't have stopped him anyway, the fact that she hadn't locked it—that she wasn't maintaining that high level of vigilance against him—made Saiki quite happy.
Of course, Saiki was overthinking things. It wasn't that Tsunade had dropped her guard; it was simply that she had returned so late, having stayed awake and worked for nearly two days straight. She was exhausted to her core, and knowing Saiki wasn't home, she just hadn't bothered.
Ninja possessed incredible stamina, but the mental and physical toll of running a village in crisis had left Tsunade thoroughly drained.
Completely unaware of Saiki entering the room, Tsunade was still dead to the world, snoring softly on her bed.
As for her sleeping posture... she had none. Aside from kicking off her boots and the large green haori, she was sprawled out spread-eagle on the mattress. She had tugged a corner of the quilt over her stomach, abandoning the rest of her body to the elements.
Saiki wasn't surprised in the slightest.
He walked over, set the breakfast tray on the nightstand, and sat down on the edge of the bed, simply watching her sleep.
Normally, if someone got this close, Tsunade would have noticed immediately.
But she was exhausted, and Saiki's concealment skills were absolute. To a ninja's sensory perception, unless you were looking directly at him, Saiki was indistinguishable from empty air.
If any assassin thought they could easily kill Tsunade while she slept like this, they were sorely mistaken. Despite looking like a dead pig, the moment someone emitted even a sliver of killing intent, she would wake up instantly and punch a hole through their chest.
Saiki sat there quietly, his gaze tracing the lines of her face. Being stared at for so long eventually triggered a woman's sixth sense. Tsunade groggily opened her eyes.
Seeing Saiki, she mumbled sleepily, "Saiki... you're back. Where did you run off to last night?"
A second after the words left her mouth, Tsunade's brain rebooted. She suddenly realized this brat was inside her bedroom. Her exhaustion vanished instantly.
She bolted upright.
Looking down, she realized that because of her restless sleeping, the conservative collar of her shirt had gaped wide open. A massive expanse of pale, delicate skin and the deep, plunging cleavage between her breasts were fully exposed to the morning air. Even the faint pink flush at the apex of her snowy peaks was visible.
Given Saiki's angle looking down at her, he undoubtedly had a perfect view of her full, ripe cherries.
Once the shock passed, Tsunade immediately crossed her arms over her chest, shielding the breathtaking scenery. "Saiki! How did you get into my room? Have you forgotten how to knock?!"
Saiki had indeed been staring intently, and seeing her cover up left him feeling a bit disappointed.
Meeting Tsunade's wary, defensive glare, Saiki smirked. "What's wrong? Are you that afraid of me?"
"Who... who says I'm afraid of you?!" Tsunade retorted, her voice lacking its usual thunder. She hurriedly adjusted her collar and shot him a glare.
Seeing her act so flustered and cute, Saiki really wanted to laugh, but he managed to suppress it to avoid triggering her temper.
Tsunade knew perfectly well that this little bastard was mocking her internally. But after their fight the other day—where she hadn't even been able to touch him—and after seeing him slaughter Anbu operatives like chickens, Tsunade had accepted a bitter truth: she could not control him.
If she tried to discipline him physically, it would be like throwing meat buns at a dog—he would just eat them up. All she could do was remain vigilant and prevent him from pouncing on her.
Saiki smiled, choosing not to argue. Instead, he reached over and picked up the tray from the nightstand. "Here. Your breakfast. Eat it before it gets cold."
Tsunade glared at him again, but she didn't refuse. She was genuinely starving. She took the tray, opened the containers, and began to eat heartily.
Now that he was back home with proper ingredients, Saiki had made all of her favorites.
Tasting the familiar, delicious flavors, and thinking about everything that had happened over the past few days, Tsunade felt a knot of complex emotions tightening in her chest.
The old Saiki had been a bit aloof, but he was generally obedient.
But after she ran away, Saiki had completely changed. He became so extreme, committing acts of unimaginable violence.
With Konoha currently in a state of absolute chaos, Tsunade couldn't help but wonder: If I hadn't run away... if I had just sat down and talked to him, or even just accepted him... would he still have turned out like this?
It was a complete misconception on her part. Saiki had always been like this. In the past, he "hid his power" simply because he couldn't beat Hiruzen and the others, and he valued his life.
Now that he had the power, if Hiruzen tried to flex his authority and threaten Nono'u, the fact that Saiki hadn't exterminated their entire clans was already a testament to his restraint.
Saiki had no idea Tsunade was harboring these thoughts of guilt and compromise; if he did, he'd be over the moon.
Watching her eat, Saiki suddenly asked, "Sister Tsunade, what's the situation? Have any of the other clans made a move? What's your next step?"
Hearing the question, Tsunade froze. Given the apocalyptic trouble Saiki had caused over the last two days, her immediate thought was that he was planning another massacre.
She hastily swallowed her food and looked at him nervously. "Saiki, I'm warning you. Don't you dare do anything reckless! If there's a problem, we discuss it first. Understood?"
Saiki looked at her, utterly bewildered. He had killed Hiruzen to complete his "mission" and protect Nono'u. He wasn't a homicidal maniac!
Seeing her panicked expression, Saiki rubbed his temples, feeling a headache coming on. "Sister Tsunade, where is your head at? I'm asking about the ninja clans in the village. Now that they know I killed Hiruzen, what are they doing?"
Realizing Saiki wasn't planning an immediate assassination spree, Tsunade let out a breath of relief. She glared at him. "This is all your fault! Thanks to your 'handiwork', the clans are in a state of panic. They are all holding secret meetings and establishing backdoor communications."
Saiki wasn't surprised. He had just decapitated the village leadership; it was natural for the clans to fear they were next on the chopping block.
"Oh? And are they plotting against me, or are they eyeing the Hokage seat?" Saiki asked.
Tsunade shook her head gravely. "I don't have spies inside their families, so I don't know the specifics. Even though they pledged their support during the assembly, the clan elders won't give up that easily. They are undoubtedly strategizing right now."
Tsunade's answer was exactly what he expected, but Saiki still let out a contemptuous scoff. "Hokage. They're still drooling over that chair. They're just like Hiruzen—short-sighted parasites who only care about their own bloodlines. And they think they deserve to rule?"
Hearing Saiki's brutal assessment, Tsunade fell silent.
Was it really about not fighting for clan interests? Her Senju clan had given everything for the village. The result? The clan had withered away, its resources and influence cannibalized by the very people they had sworn to protect.
Now, she was the only Senju left in Konoha. The name "Senju" was barely even mentioned anymore.
Before they could dive deeper into the grim reality of village politics, a loud commotion erupted from downstairs.
"LADY TSUNADE! LADY TSUNADE!"
The voice was loud, clear, and carried a chakra signature that felt like a raging bonfire. Who else could it be but Kushina Uzumaki?
Saiki and Tsunade exchanged a look. "She's definitely here for answers," Saiki said. "I'll go down and handle her. Finish your breakfast before you come down. There's no rush."
With that, Saiki stood up and headed for the door, leaving Tsunade to finish her meal.
Raw power wasn't entirely useless. After realizing she couldn't beat him or control him, Tsunade's attitude toward Saiki had subtly shifted. Saiki had noticed it too, and a faint, victorious smile touched his lips as he walked downstairs.