A few of them walked together, the atmosphere surprisingly light and relaxed.
Although their pace was slow, they hadn't encountered any assassinating ninjas along the way, and everything remained peaceful.
Tazuna, whose nerves had been tense, gradually relaxed, quietly following behind Genya and the others, walking steadily.
"There's a village up ahead. Let's rest there tonight!" Kurenai turned to Genya and the others.
She was familiar with the area from her previous missions, so she naturally knew where they could safely stop for the night.
Genya and the others nodded in agreement and headed toward the small town together.
This village was located at the intersection of several countries, giving it a very unique geographical position, almost a lawless zone.
Because of this, the village was unusually bustling, with passing ninjas and merchant caravans often stopping here.
People came and went, making the village lively and vibrant.
Genya and the others strolled through the town, noticing ninjas from all over weaving through the streets.
On both sides of the road, taverns stood side by side, filled with the sounds of rowdy laughter and chatter.
They even spotted gambling halls. The town was a chaotic mix of people from all walks of life, colorful and messy.
However, Genya paid little attention to this. He didn't care for gambling, and with his family's wealth, there was no need to chase money through games of chance.
At this moment, all they wanted was a quiet place to eat, rest for the night, and continue their journey the next day.
"I'm going to keep gambling and win back everything I lost!"
As they walked along the street, a drunken woman suddenly staggered out of a nearby restaurant.
She was striking, with an ample chest and long, golden hair cascading freely. Her face had the mature beauty of a young woman, and even in her drunken state, she was impossible to ignore.
She lifted her head drunkenly, her steps unsteady, completely oblivious to Genya and the others ahead, and stumbled straight toward him.
Blinking through slightly hazy eyes, she gazed at Genya's attire and muttered, "Huh… a little Uchiha? I must really be drunk… how come someone from the Uchiha clan has dual pupils!"
After speaking, she rubbed her eyes, then grabbed Genya's shoulder, muttering, "Don't… block my way."
She tried to lift him and toss him aside.
But no matter how many times she tried, Genya stood firm, rooted to the ground, unmoved.
The woman froze in shock, her eyes wide, blinking repeatedly.
Born with immense strength, even a large tree would be uprooted with her effort. Yet this person seemed fused with the ground, impossible to budge no matter how hard she tried.
"This shouldn't happen… has my strength weakened?" the blonde woman said, astonished, unwilling to accept it. She tried lifting with both hands.
"You're drunk!" Genya said coldly, reaching out to precisely grab her other wrist.
From the moment she collided with him, Genya recognized her—she was Tsunade, one of Konoha's Legendary Sannin.
Genya had expected her to be in a rough state, but this… this was beyond anything he imagined. The Tsunade before him was a full-fledged drunk.
"I'm not drunk! Not drunk!" Tsunade mumbled incoherently, struggling to break free.
Genya's grip was like iron, holding her wrist firmly. She couldn't escape at all.
In his control, Tsunade looked like a small chick waiting to be slaughtered. Struggling was useless.
"You need to sober up!" Genya said, forcefully tightening his arm.
In an instant, Tsunade was flung across the room, crashing hard against the wall.
"Tsunade-sama!" At that moment, a woman in a kimono ran out in a hurry.
She gasped upon seeing Tsunade fly through the air, rushing over with worry. "Tsunade-sama! Are you okay? Are you okay?"
After checking carefully and confirming Tsunade was unharmed, she finally relaxed.
Then her attention shifted to Genya. Seeing the child with Konoha Uchiha clan attire, she muttered, "Huh? An Uchiha?"
She never expected to encounter someone from Konoha in such a remote place.
Looking beside her at Kurenai, the young Hyuga girl, and the person dressed in the attire of the Aburame clan, Shizune instantly realized that this was Konoha's instructors bringing their students on a mission.
"Lady Tsunade?" Kurenai finally spoke, though her eyes were full of helplessness and shock.
The scene before her was hard to believe. One of Konoha's legendary Sannin, Tsunade, now appeared so disheveled and worn out. The contrast was overwhelming.
"You're Kurenai?" Shizune looked at her and, familiar with most of Konoha's people, recognized her instantly.
As Tsunade's assistant, Shizune knew almost everyone from Konoha.
"Yes, I'm here with my students on a mission!" Kurenai nodded at Shizune, then glanced at the drunk Tsunade and couldn't help but ask, "What happened to Lady Tsunade?"
"She…" Shizune heard the question and for a moment didn't know how to respond.
Since the end of the Second Ninja War, Tsunade had fallen into a state of despair. But some matters were personal and private, and Shizune couldn't speak of them.
"The village wants Lady Tsunade to return!" Kurenai said again. The village had tried sending people before to convince Tsunade to come back, but she had never agreed.
Shizune only gave a bitter smile and shook her head. "That's Lady Tsunade's choice. No one else can interfere."
"Move aside!" As Shizune and Kurenai spoke, Tsunade staggered to her feet again, her steps unsteady. She came in front of Genya, her eyes fixed on him, and demanded loudly, "You little Uchiha brat, did you just throw me?"
Her body swayed as she spoke, almost leaving a ghostly afterimage.
Throw Lady Tsunade?
Shizune's eyes widened in shock and disbelief. Could this little Uchiha really have thrown Lady Tsunade?
****
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