"What?!"
"It was Naruto who woke you up and brought you back?!"
Shizune wasn't the only one stunned. Tsunade's pupils contracted sharply as she stared at Kushina and Minato in shock.
Just sitting there, alive. This wasn't some forbidden ninjutsu—this was actual resurrection.
The sheer impossibility of it made her breath hitch.
"We don't know exactly how it happened," Minato admitted, sensing Tsunade's unspoken questions. "We haven't asked either. If you're curious, you can ask Naruto when he returns."
Tsunade didn't respond immediately. She turned to Kushina, whose composed smile didn't waver. The two of them were different now—something had changed.
And Naruto… now that she thought about it, she had never actually seen Kushina's child.
"You called me back for another reason, didn't you?" Tsunade asked, shifting her gaze to Shizune.
Over the years, despite her best efforts, Tsunade had come to realize that while Shizune was talented, she lacked the extraordinary potential needed to surpass her generation. Though highly experienced, her skills remained only above average among medical-nin.
Seeing Kushina and Minato's enigmatic smiles, Tsunade thought for a moment before nodding slightly. "I see."
Shizune hesitated before speaking softly. "Lady Tsunade, Lady Minato, Lady Kushina… I'll step outside."
Minato waved her off with a gentle smile. "No need. You're Tsunade-sama's disciple. You don't need to excuse yourself."
Tsunade nodded in agreement. "Stay."
Kushina leaned forward, her tone shifting to something more playful. "Sister Tsunade, guess what? Naruto has awakened Grandpa Hashirama's Wood Release!"
"What?!"
Tsunade shot to her feet, her disbelief evident.
"Wood Release?!"
Her gaze snapped to Minato, locking onto his hair—golden, just like hers.
"That's the only explanation…"
Shizune was equally stunned. Her mouth hung open, and the piglet she had been holding, Tonton, tumbled to the floor with a squeal.
No one in the Senju Clan—aside from Hashirama Senju himself—had ever awakened Wood Release. Not even Tsunade or her younger brother, Nawaki, despite being direct descendants of the First Hokage and possessing the Uzumaki bloodline. Konoha had even resorted to cruel experiments to recreate the power, only to fail every time. Those who had tried to transplant Hashirama's cells were consumed by them, perishing in agony.
"Are you telling the truth…?" Tsunade took a deep breath, steadying herself. Her heartbeat thundered in her ears.
"Of course it's true." Minato smirked. "But don't take our word for it—Naruto can demonstrate it for you."
Tsunade exhaled slowly, her expression softening. "No wonder I sensed such strong life energy from you… I see. It goes without saying—Naruto will become my disciple. I'll teach him everything I know."
She let out a long sigh, a weight lifting from her shoulders. "If my name holds any value, then use it as you see fit."
With that, Tsunade slumped onto the table, an uncharacteristic relief washing over her.
So I'm not the last Senju after all…
At that moment, the door swung open. Tsunade and Shizune instinctively turned toward the entrance.
Shizune gasped. "What a handsome boy!"
Standing there was Naruto, his face still youthful but bearing a striking resemblance to Minato. Yet, Tsunade could also see traces of Kushina in his sharp features.
"Naruto, is the exam over?" Kushina asked, stepping forward and pulling Nagisa along with her.
Sure enough, Karin stood outside, looking nervous.
"It really is her," Kushina murmured.
She bent down, her sharp eyes taking in Karin's trembling shoulders.
"Don't be afraid," Kushina said gently. "We've been waiting for you."
Minato placed a reassuring hand on Kushina's shoulder. "Naruto, you talk to Tsunade. Your mother and I will take Karin to Kusagakure."
Kushina nodded. "Debts must be repaid. Karin and her mother deserve justice."
With that, she grabbed Karin and shut the door behind them. Before the girl could protest, Kushina pulled her into a warm embrace.
"You've endured so much, my good girl."
Karin's body stiffened before warmth spread through her chest. Years of pent-up emotions burst forth, and she could no longer hold back her tears.
Minato waited a moment before touching Kushina's shoulder. "Let's go to Kusagakure."
"Aren't we waiting for Kurama?" Kushina asked.
Minato sighed. "Kurama… that fox has been sulking for days. Apparently, there's 'big business' waiting for him. Then he just disappeared."
Kushina chuckled. "That rascal."
Minato activated Flying Thunder God, and they vanished from Konoha.
Inside the room, Naruto stepped forward, his gaze landing on Tsunade and Shizune.
His eyes wandered downward before he could stop himself.
Damn… the anime really was conservative.
Tsunade wore her signature loose green coat, her long blonde hair cascading over her shoulders. Shizune, dressed more modestly, stood beside her, her short black hair neatly framing her face.
"Princess Senju—Senju Tsunade," Naruto greeted with a small smirk before taking a seat across from them.
Tsunade studied him intently. "I sensed your chakra approaching Konoha. I thought you'd arrive sooner, but I see now… Too many casinos along the way. I assume your debt collectors won't come knocking on my door?"
Inside Naruto's sealed space, Kurama's ears twitched. Hah, she really ran from her debts?
Shizune nearly choked. How did he know?!
Tsunade scoffed. This brat…
But she was impressed. His perception was extraordinary.
"Such a refined chakra-sensing ability… You've awakened Kagura's Mind Eye. Even Kushina never fully mastered it."
Naruto shrugged. "Not many female ninja possess such immense chakra. It wasn't hard to guess. The Senju Princess title is well earned."
Tsunade narrowed her eyes before chuckling. "Been a long time since anyone called me that."
Naruto's gaze drifted slightly downward again.
Tsunade smirked. "Have you seen enough?"
Naruto laughed. "You misunderstand. I was actually looking at your necklace. That pendant—it belonged to the First Hokage, right? It carries an immense amount of chakra."
Tsunade tensed slightly. "You're not like your father."
Pervert, she almost added. Then again… Minato and Kushina weren't exactly innocent either. She shook the thought away.
Naruto, however, remained focused on the pendant.
"That thing should be worth a few mountains, right?"
The moment he spoke, Kurama's true form stirred in the sealed space.
"WHAT?!" …
Tsunade smiled but said nothing. If Naruto had truly awakened Wood Release, then theoretically, he could create this pendant himself.
"Naruto! Quick...quick!"
"Hurry up and beat up this granddaughter of Senju Hashirama! You know, he once... bah! That guy beat me up! I'm still mad about it!"
"As compensation, I stole her pendant!"
Naruto sighed helplessly. When did Kurama become this petty?
Scarcity increases value.
But it wasn't good for the Nine-Tails to keep behaving like this, so after some thought, Naruto decided to give him some advice.
"Kurama, once your Yin half returns and your chakra increases dramatically, you can start a chakra billing mode."
"Huh???"
Inside the sealed space, the Nine-Tailed Fox slapped his thigh fiercely.
"Yes!"
"I'm sitting on a mountain of chakra wealth!"
"Oops... I almost forgot! I have things to do. You go do your thing."
Kurama hurriedly logged off.
Meanwhile, Tsunade's eyebrow twitched slightly.
Naruto had suddenly fallen silent, his gaze fixed on her heavy pendant.
Before she could say anything, Naruto smiled apologetically. "Sorry."
Tsunade was slightly taken aback. She hadn't expected an apology.
Her opinion of this future disciple improved even more.
Then, Naruto slowly raised his hand. At a speed visible to the naked eye, his entire arm transformed into a branch, exuding the scent of fresh vegetation.
The Mori-Mori no Mi had been activated.
The trunk extended to the windowsill, where a small potted tree was placed. As soon as the tree absorbed the moisture, it trembled with joy.
Its tender leaves reached out like arms, embracing Naruto's wooden limb.
"This... this is really Grandpa's Wood Release!"
Even though she had prepared herself, Tsunade was still thrilled to see it in person.
With a swift movement, she appeared in front of Naruto, lowering her head to examine his elemental arm closely.
"What a strong life force!"
"I never even sensed this from my great-grandfather!"
...That's a little too close.
"It really is Wood Release!" Shizune gasped, her hands shaking as she accidentally dropped Tonton.
The pig let out a disgruntled squeal: "..."
A faint blush appeared on Tsunade's delicate face as excitement took hold of her.
Naruto could see every pore on her skin from this distance.
'Her Yin Seal really is powerful. This skin is bursting with vitality, but internally... her organs are a bit exhausted. With chakra nourishment, she's fine for now, but if she overuses it...'
'Maybe my ability could restore her vitality.'
'Misaki had been nourished by my power for years, restoring both her body and mind to their prime.'
After a moment, Tsunade realized the warmth of Naruto's breath on her face.
She quickly sat back down, acting as though nothing had happened.
Then, in a serious tone, she asked, "All these years... that's everything. I have no right to say anything."
"What's your plan?"
"My disciple."
Naruto didn't deny it. Instead, he smiled and said, "I'll help you take the position of Fifth Hokage."
"I'll explain the details of the plan later."
"Huh?" Shizune's eyes widened. The Fifth Hokage...
"Naruto, honestly, you or Minato-sama would be better suited for the role."
"Tsunade-sama..." Shizune hesitated to finish her thought.
"Oh?" Tsunade raised an eyebrow. "I didn't expect you weren't the type to pursue the Hokage seat."
"But using my identity isn't out of the question. As your master, making such a request isn't a problem."
She smirked slightly. "But... you wouldn't just make your master work for free, would you?"
Naruto saw through her thoughts immediately and said, "Resurrection?"
Tsunade's pupils contracted slightly. Shizune immediately stood up.
"I-I'm stepping out for a bit, Naruto-sama, Tsunade-sama."
"No need, Sister Shizune. You can listen to what I have to say next. No need to be so nervous."
Shizune... sister?
Tonton let out a disgruntled grunt: 'This love is too heavy... I can barely breathe.'
"Alright then, go on," Tsunade urged, though her breathing had grown slightly uneven.
Naruto chuckled. "If I'm not mistaken, Master is planning to resurrect two people, right?"
Tsunade wasn't surprised by his deduction.
She nodded but then immediately shook her head.
"Yes, but not exactly."
"First, to resurrect someone, their soul must be found. I still have one experiment left, but it will be completed soon."
"For now, we can only use your great-uncle's technique—Impure World Reincarnation—to summon the souls of the dead back to the real world."
"Then, I will create a body capable of housing that soul."
"This could be considered a form of resurrection, though different from true revival."
"However, for Impure World Reincarnation... a sample of the deceased's body is required."
Naruto's expression darkened. "If I remember correctly..."
Before he could finish, Tsunade spoke first.
"I can't find it."
Tsunade's eyes turned red as she fought to hold back her tears.
Seeing her like this, Naruto softened his voice.
"Don't worry, we'll find a way. I'll enter the Pure Land myself if I have to. I'll bring back Nawaki's soul."
Then, as if sensing her turmoil, he added, "And I won't force you to become the Fifth Hokage."
"Just listen to what I have to say first. If you still refuse, I'll choose someone else."
Tsunade's red-rimmed eyes lingered on him for a moment before she nodded. Years of weariness and bitterness seemed to slip away as she finally allowed herself to relax, just a little.
Naruto met her gaze and continued, "Master… don't you have any doubts about Nawaki's death?"
Tsunade's expression stiffened.
"…I did," she admitted, her voice quieter now.
A tense silence filled the room, the weight of his words pressing down on her. Even Shizune held her breath, feeling as though she shouldn't be listening to what was coming next.
Naruto exhaled slowly.
"The First Hokage's ideals had both merits and flaws."
"The decision to integrate the Senju clan into Konoha was meant to prevent the emergence of another clan like the Uchiha."
Tsunade's eyes widened slightly. That… was something she hadn't considered before.
After Konoha's founding, the Senju clan had indeed shown signs of becoming as prideful as the Uchiha. The Uchiha's eventual downfall hadn't particularly shaken her at the time—she had inherited some of her grandfather's wariness toward them, instilled further by her great-uncle, Tobirama Senju.
But that didn't mean she hadn't despised Konoha's higher-ups for orchestrating the massacre.
"Now that you mention it… it does make sense," she murmured, but then hesitated. "Still… something feels off."
Naruto simply smiled. "Of course, but that's not the main point."
Before she could react, he quickly dodged as she reached out and pinched the soft flesh at his waist.
"Quit stalling and just spit it out!" she snapped.
Naruto rubbed his side but relented.
"The Second Hokage did leave behind some direct bloodline, but he forbade them from using the Senju name."
Tsunade nodded, already aware of this. She herself had never cared much about maintaining the clan's prestige, and she knew of a few distant relatives who had done the same.
"But then, after your dear teacher took power, the constant wars provided a convenient excuse to eliminate those remnants."
Tsunade's eyes darkened.
"Although I don't want to think the worst of him, if we're talking about who had the most motive… apart from Hiruzen, the only other suspect is Danzo."
Naruto's voice turned sharper. "That entire bloodline was wiped out."
"And Nawaki's death… was far too convenient."
Tsunade inhaled sharply, her fingers tightening into a fist. A sick, twisting sensation filled her gut. She had always had doubts, but she had never truly pieced everything together before.
"Keep going," she said in a low voice.
Naruto sighed, sensing the storm brewing inside her.
"The goal was simple—to take you, the Konoha Princess, someone who could become Hokage with just a single word, and make you lose interest in the position."
"Nawaki's death pushed you toward medical ninjutsu."
"You revolutionized the medical system by introducing the four-man squad rule."
"But even then, you were still a threat to the Hokage position, simply because of your lineage."
"So, someone was arranged to appear at just the right time."
Naruto smirked. "Master, don't you think it's a little too convenient that a certain someone entered your life exactly when you were at your lowest?"
Tsunade's eyes flickered with realization.
"And Nawaki's death didn't just change you—it also pushed someone else over the edge… Orochimaru."
"Two birds, one stone."
"There were the shadows of the old generation behind this… and the fingerprints of an old man."
Tsunade sat in silence, her breathing uneven. Naruto could see her processing it all, slowly but surely.
Meanwhile, Shizune, who had been listening in shock, suddenly tensed.
Wait a minute…
Does that mean…
"Then… doesn't that mean I was also…?"
She paled.
"Naruto-sama! Tsunade-sama! I swear, I didn't know anything!"
Naruto chuckled, while TonTon let out a low oink, as if feeling the weight of the revelation as well.
Tsunade, however, didn't respond.
She was too lost in thought, piecing together a puzzle she had never wanted to solve.