"It's over, it's over! Tsunade-sama is furious! What do I do, what do I do?!"
Shizune panicked, her voice trembling.
Hoo~~~ Hoo~~~
As Tsunade's breathing grew heavier, her nostrils flaring visibly with each exhale, Shizune's heart sank like a rock into a bottomless ravine.
She had the intense urge to turn around, grab Hiko, and flee before Tsunade snapped entirely and reduced him to a pulp with a single punch.
Tsunade was teetering on the edge, and it was obvious to anyone with a shred of sense that she was one breath away from exploding.
Everyone else in the tavern was frozen in fear, but Hiko remained unnervingly calm, his expression unreadable, as if Tsunade wasn't on the verge of obliterating him.
"Why? Feeling pain? You look angry."
The more furious Tsunade got, the more amused Hiko seemed. To him, her rage meant she still cared.
A woman fixated on the past was manageable; what was truly terrifying was a woman who had stopped caring altogether.
If Tsunade ever got to that point, Hiko wouldn't waste another second—he'd simply walk away without a word.
"The Senju clan has always been a powerful pillar in the ninja world, one of the two founding clans of Konoha, always clashing with the Uchiha. They've been rivals for generations. Across those years, countless clans vanished into the folds of history, yet the Senju and Uchiha endured. But now, look at the difference. The Uchiha still flourish, but you, Tsunade... you're the last of the Senju."
"Don't tell me you're clinging to pride or legacy anymore. The harsh truth is this: when you're gone, so is the Senju name. Your clan will become nothing more than a footnote in the history books."
"No one else bears the Senju name. It's gone."
"So I can't help but ask, Tsunade-hime… as the last scion of Senju, how can you justify abandoning your clan's legacy? How can you live with burying the honor of Senju beneath your self-pity?"
"The Senju legacy was already abandoned! Damn it! That was the decision made by Grandpa and Second Grandpa!"
Tsunade could no longer hold back. Like a thunderous lioness, she lunged at Hiko with fury in her eyes.
"Tsunade! Calm down! Calm down!"
Jiraiya quickly threw himself in front of Hiko, hoping to defuse the situation before it went too far.
"Get out of my way!!"
With a rage-fueled punch, Tsunade sent Jiraiya flying through the air, crashing through the wooden tavern wall with such force that he left a human-shaped hole behind.
BOOM!
The ground beneath Hiko shattered violently as Tsunade struck. Cracks webbed out from the epicenter like lightning across stone, the wooden floor splintering with each pulse of force. Patrons screamed and fled, shielding their heads as debris rained down.
Tsunade didn't hesitate to swing when provoked, and the tavern owner could only gape in horror.
Why me? Why my tavern?
"You bastard! Get back here!!"
With no warning, Tsunade vanished in a blur, chasing Hiko into the street in full-on demolition mode.
But Hiko was quick—nimble as a cat. He weaved through the alleys and rooftops effortlessly, never allowing Tsunade the opportunity to close the gap. And all the while, he kept goading her.
"The First and Second Hokage tried to ensure the Senju didn't dominate the political structure. That's why they allowed the Senju to fade into the civilian class. But that never meant the legacy had to die. The heritage of the Senju didn't end with policy—it ended with you."
BOOM!
Tsunade's foot came crashing down again, leveling an entire street block in her fury.
Shattered walls, broken tiles, and splintered wood flew in all directions. The buildings weren't built to withstand a rampaging Sannin. Those too close to the epicenter had completely collapsed.
"It's over, it's over! My wallet's finished!"
Jiraiya emerged from a pile of debris, groaning as he looked around at the devastation. His face turned pale as he realized he'd be the one responsible for the damage.
Mission leader… damages… I'm doomed.
His legs gave out, and he collapsed back into the rubble, eyes empty of hope.
"For the sake of legacy, the Hyuga implemented ruthless rules to preserve their clan. Uchiha, too, have protected theirs with blood if necessary.
Only the Senju fell apart so easily. Their legacy vanished without a fight."
"Nawaki's death shook you, Tsunade, I get that. But you had the strength to recover. Then came Kato Dan. And he completely broke you."
"So tell me, Tsunade-hime. Was he really more important to you than your clan? Than your family? Than Nawaki?"
Just as Hiko finished speaking, he flickered away.
BOOM!
The spot he'd been standing was obliterated by a second too-late punch.
Tsunade's strength was terrifying. If she ever started a demolition company, she'd bankrupt every construction firm in the Land of Fire.
Landing atop a large boulder, Hiko continued.
"For all these reasons, I say you are the Senju clan's greatest failure. An unfilial daughter. A sinner to your lineage."
"SHUT UP!!"
Tsunade's voice was raw, her throat rasping with rage and emotion. Her eyes were bloodshot, and her fists clenched so tightly they bled.
"You still want to come at me?"
Hiko smiled coldly. He drew a fresh kunai and pointed it at his finger.
"Don't come any closer. I'm going to use my trump card."
"I'll give you a trump card—!"
Tsunade prepared to crush him, but just as she leapt, her body froze mid-step.
Her pupils contracted. Her breathing stopped. Her entire body trembled.
"It hurts a bit," Hiko said, slicing his finger and letting the blood trickle, "but I can bear it. Do I need to keep going?"
"You... you despicable bastard!"
Tsunade clutched a nearby tree to steady herself, her phobia kicking in violently.
"The shinobi world doesn't care about honor or rules. It's about survival. This is just strategy, not cowardice."
"Calmed down now?"
Hiko approached cautiously. Tsunade's eyes widened in horror, her body still reacting to the sight of blood.
"Don't come any closer!!"
"Still not calm?"
Hiko raised the kunai again, angling it at another finger.
Tsunade nearly screamed.
"Stop! Stop! I'm calm! I'm calm!"
"The sooner you calm down, the better."
Hiko stopped and sheathed his kunai, taking a step back.
"So, Tsunade-hime… will you keep wandering around like a drunk gambler, or return to the village and honor your clan's memory?"
"You wish! Even if I die, I won't go back!"
You think blood phobia can control me?
You think you can blackmail me?
"Then there's nothing more to discuss."
Hiko shrugged. "If the Senju legacy is dead to you, so be it. As long as Uchiha survives, the rest doesn't matter.
Danzo will keep targeting us. Uchiha won't go down quietly. Even if we're destroyed, the village will bleed."
As he turned to leave, Tsunade's blood phobia ebbed. The pain in her heart slowly returned to clarity.
Wait... what? He's leaving? Just like that?
Didn't he come to scold me?
"Wait!"
She shouted before she could stop herself.
"Changed your mind already, Tsunade-hime?"
Hiko turned around with a raised brow.
"In your dreams!"
Tsunade growled, face twitching.
"I just want to ask... is the Uchiha situation really that serious?"
"Worse than I made it sound."
Hiko's expression darkened.
"Under constant surveillance and political suppression, resentment brewed. A faction has formed—radicals. They believe only a coup can restore balance. Their influence is growing."
"It's like a dry forest, waiting for a spark."
"Whether the village moves first or they do, it ends in blood."
"You're exaggerating."
Tsunade folded her arms, unconvinced.
"If things were that bad, there would've already been a coup."
She knew Fugaku well—he wouldn't allow radicals to run unchecked. The Uchiha Head was stern but loyal. It was highly unlikely he'd allow things to deteriorate so far.
"There's no guarantee everyone will follow the radicals," she said. "Most Uchiha still value the village."
But Hiko only smiled bitterly.
"Hahaha. And when the tree falls, do you think the branches survive?"