Enough was enough.
Some things could be tolerated—but this absolutely could not.
Uchiha Ran's words finally pushed Tsunade past her limit.
Her eyes widened in fury. That once-beautiful face twisted slightly, her breathing growing heavy as her chest rose and fell violently.
She was furious. Completely red-hot.
The clear water of the pool rippled outward in trembling waves. Sunlight filtered through the gaps between leaves, scattering brilliant reflections across the surface.
Tsunade and Ran faced each other in the water.
The atmosphere grew hotter by the second.
Tense. Suppressed. On the verge of exploding.
As repayment for that earlier punch, the corner of Ran's mouth slowly began to lift—then lifted some more—until it was practically turning crooked. This time, he decided not to rely on his Zanpakutō. Instead, he would test Tsunade with Fire Release and genjutsu.
He wanted to see whether she was still the same Sannin of legend.
Even if it was a little cruel.
Fire Release: Great Fire Dragon Technique!
In an instant, roaring flames formed into a massive fire dragon. The blazing heat was like a miniature sun, instantly evaporating part of the pool and shrouding the entire area in thick mist.
Immediately afterward came an Uchiha signature technique—
Fire Release: Phoenix Flower Jutsu!
"…That's it?"
Facing the howling fire dragon and the scattered fireballs rushing toward her, Tsunade didn't panic in the slightest.
To her, these techniques posed no real threat.
If she released the Strength of a Hundred Seal, she could ignore them outright. As things stood, all she needed to do was evade—and then smash that Uchiha brat into the ground.
Boom!
As expected, neither jutsu struck Tsunade directly. Instead, they slammed into the pool, detonating into massive clouds of steam and smoke that completely swallowed her figure.
"Hmph. What—tying yourself up in your own cocoon, Uchiha brat?"
Just then, she sensed a sharp gust of wind from the side.
She dipped low—
A blade swept past where her head had been a moment earlier.
Ran's attack.
But Tsunade was hardly about to let him succeed.
Dodging his follow-up, she seized his wrist in one smooth motion and twisted, trying to slam him back into the water.
She did throw him.
Unfortunately—
She saw it.
Midair, Uchiha Ran opened his eyes.
Three tomoe spun into place.
Genjutsu: Hell Viewing Technique.
In an instant, Tsunade's vision filled with two familiar figures.
Nawaki.
Dan Katō.
Both lay collapsed in pools of blood.
Even knowing it was an illusion, Tsunade couldn't control herself.
Her legs gave out, and she dropped to her knees atop the water's surface, tears silently streaming down her face.
It had to be said—she truly was Kage-level.
Even in that state, her chakra instinctively fixed her body in place atop the water.
"What did you see?" Ran asked calmly, making no move to follow up. "Hard to believe—one of the legendary Sannin falling to such a low-level genjutsu?"
No one would ever imagine that Tsunade of the Sannin could be brought down by something like Hell Viewing Technique—
Just as no one would guess that Konoha's greatest medical ninja feared blood.
Even Ran himself was surprised.
This level of genjutsu wouldn't seriously affect even an experienced ninja. On the battlefield, it was usually just a tool to create a fleeting opening.
But he had underestimated the fear buried deep within Tsunade's heart.
He hadn't expected it to be this deep.
No wonder she never returned to the battlefield afterward.
Tsunade knelt there, eyes unfocused.
The mist from the earlier fire jutsu dampened her clothes, the soaked fabric clinging tightly to her body and outlining every curve.
Combined with her sorrowful expression, she looked heartbreakingly vulnerable.
"Lady Tsunade," Ran said quietly, "people have to keep moving forward. If you stay trapped in the past, you'll never find your old self again. Don't let loyalty destroy you."
No response.
Ran hesitated.
Did I go too far?
If the Third Hokage—or Orochimaru or Jiraiya—found out that a single genjutsu from him caused Tsunade to break down and leave Konoha again, he'd definitely end up on their blacklist.
So he hurriedly continued.
"Lady Tsunade, maybe looking forward is better. My name is Uchiha Ran. I'm almost fourteen. I live next to the Uchiha clan head's house."
"Currently single. Unmarried. Might have a few girlfriends and wives in the future. I train every day, take missions occasionally, and Orochimaru-sensei gives me guidance."
"Mikoto-neesan takes good care of me. I don't smoke. I'm underage, so I don't drink. I sleep at eleven every night and get a full eight hours."
"Before bed, I always drink a glass of warm milk and do twenty minutes of yoga. Once I lie down, I fall asleep immediately—never carrying fatigue or stress into the next day."
His voice echoed gently by Tsunade's ear.
"Lady Tsunade, for the future of the Uchiha bloodline, we really need a beautiful and powerful kunoichi like you. How about this—when I grow up, you marry me and be the main wife? The household will need someone strong like you to keep things in order."
Slowly, Tsunade's dazed, sorrowful expression faded.
Then—
Her face began to turn red.
She took a deep breath and stood up, staring coldly at Ran.
"I really underestimated you, Uchiha."
She didn't take his words seriously.
In her mind, he was probably just trying to pull her out of her despair.
Fourteen years old… and so gentle.
Are all Uchiha like this?
After a while, Tsunade fully calmed herself.
She knew it—she probably couldn't deal with this "evil" Uchiha brat anymore.
"Where is Orochimaru?" she asked flatly. "I didn't expect him to take in an Uchiha like you as a disciple."
Hearing that her tone had lost all its earlier fury—and that she hadn't mentioned being seen naked at all—Ran secretly marveled.
As expected of a mature adult…
Even after something like that, she doesn't make a big deal out of it like a young girl would.
"Lady Tsunade, Orochimaru-sensei should be visiting Mitarashi-senpai's place today. He's probably still there."
Ran answered quickly.
He really didn't want to fight Tsunade anymore. He'd already gotten more than enough "benefits" today.
For some reason, his luck with women had been unusually good lately.
Tsunade didn't say another word.
After her clothes dried, she turned and left.
Before going, she didn't forget to throw out a final threat:
"Evil Uchiha brat—if I hear any rumors about this in the village…"
Boom!
She smashed a massive boulder into powder with a single strike before disappearing from sight.
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