Chapter 23: Entrustment
"Another bottle! Another bottle! Another bottle!"
The cheerful, drunken chant echoed in Rinjin's ears as he supported Tsunade by the arm and, with a sigh, paid the bill.
She'd managed to down twenty-four bottles of sake without eating a single peanut.
Under the curious stares of the other patrons, Rinjin half-carried Tsunade out of the izakaya.
Pushing aside the noren curtain, he was met by a sudden downpour—rain lashing the streets, stealing away even the last traces of warmth.
As he gazed at the dim, rain-soaked road and felt the chill seeping through his clothes, Rinjin knew:
Winter was coming. Another season of white albums...
He summoned a shadow clone, transformed it into a giant umbrella, and, with Tsunade leaning heavily on him, stepped into the freezing rain.
Swaying and stumbling, the two finally arrived at the gate of the Senju clan's ancestral home.
"Wh-where is this?" Tsunade slurred, her drunken eyes struggling to focus on the familiar gate.
"Your house."
He kept it simple and reached out to knock.
But just then, Tsunade's slender, pale hand shot out to clutch his arm.
"No... this isn't my home. I'm not... not going home!"
The warmth and softness pressing against his arm made Rinjin's heart skip a beat.
This… this can't be right! Her little brother just died, and here I am, practically taking advantage of her at her own front door? Not okay!
Without hesitation, Rinjin grabbed the back of Tsunade's collar and hoisted her up like a misbehaving child.
"Come on, let's go home~"
Holding her up with one hand, he reached out again to knock.
Tsunade flailed like a stubborn kid, shouting, "Not going home! Not going home! Go home… go home…"
Her protests faded, her movements slowing until she went limp, like a balloon losing air.
Looking down, Rinjin felt his heart ache.
Her head was bowed, and crystal tears slid silently down her cheeks.
"I don't want to go home… I… I can't face Grandma…
I… I promised I'd take care of Nawaki… I… I let her down…"
He let out a long, heavy sigh.
Watching Tsunade shrink in on herself, looking so small and fragile, Rinjin felt the weight of their bond—a chain that let him feel the warmth of her hand even through his own pain.
After a moment of silence, Rinjin took off his jacket and draped it over her shoulders, then resolutely knocked on the Senju's door.
Running away wouldn't solve anything.
Uzumaki Mito was already old. If she passed away without seeing Tsunade one last time, she'd never forgive herself.
The heavy knocking echoed through the rain-soaked night, carrying far down the empty street.
After a long wait, he finally heard soft, shuffling footsteps from inside—the ANBU in the shadows must have roused the household staff.
Creak~
The door opened with a soft groan, and an elderly maid, holding an umbrella and lantern, peeked out.
"Princess?! You're back!" she cried in delight.
"Rinjin-kun, you're here too—please, come in!"
Rinjin nodded and led Tsunade inside.
…
In Uzumaki Mito's bedroom, the old woman's once-dark red hair was now streaked with gray, her face deeply lined with age.
Compared to when Rinjin was ten, Lady Mito had become a true grandmother.
It shouldn't have happened so quickly—the Uzumaki were known for their long lives. In Rinjin's village, there were plenty of spry, red-haired elders in their sixties and seventies.
But that damned fox, the Nine-Tails, had clearly been up to mischief inside her.
Propped up in bed by her attendants, Uzumaki Mito beckoned kindly to Tsunade and Rinjin.
Soaked to the bone, both of them approached the bed.
The icy rain had sobered Tsunade up.
Seeing her grandmother's gentle face, she couldn't help but kneel by the bed and grasp Mito's hand.
Rinjin's eyelid twitched.
Girl, your clothes are soaked…
But Mito didn't seem to care.
Her face wasn't pale, nor did she seem outwardly sad.
Maybe she'd just lived too long, seen too much, or maybe she was simply hiding it all.
Sensing the two women needed privacy, Rinjin quietly slipped out and closed the door behind him.
The corridor fell silent.
He didn't know how much time had passed. When the candle was nearly burned out, the bedroom door creaked open.
Tsunade's eyes were swollen, red as walnuts from crying.
She glanced at Rinjin and muttered, "Grandma wants to see you."
"Alright." Rinjin nodded and entered the room, face unreadable.
Inside, Uzumaki Mito was propped up against the headboard, eyes bloodshot but clear.
She beckoned him closer.
"Rinjin-kun, come here. Let's talk."
Rinjin sat cross-legged by the bed, silent.
Mito spoke first.
"Tsunade was spoiled by her grandfather. I hope you don't mind."
Rinjin shook his head.
Seeing his indifference, Mito smiled gently and continued,
"There's something I'd like to ask of you."
"Please, go ahead."
"Tsunade is unlucky, just like her grandfather.
Back then, her grandfather lost every bet—he was the First Hokage, but always in debt.
I think Tsunade takes after him."
She sighed.
"The Senju clan is gone. I've already told Tsunade—
When I'm gone, tear this old mansion down.
It's no longer the age of the Senju, but the age of Konoha.
As for the scattered clansmen, I've told them to just live their lives and stop chasing after old dreams."
Rinjin's eyelid twitched ever so slightly.
Lady, you're not just saying this for my benefit, are you?
ANBU eavesdropping on the roof, hurry up and drag Hiruzen Sarutobi over here to kneel and beg forgiveness!
Is this her way of expressing her dissatisfaction with the village—soft words hiding sharp edges?
This little old lady's political acumen is honestly sharper than mine.
If she were a man, she'd probably have Hashirama in one arm and Madara in the other.
Is this the legendary:
'Empress's Harem: The Domineering Hashirama Empress Falls for Me'
'Empress's Harem: Gentle Madara Consort in My Embrace'
Man, that's wild…
Oblivious to Rinjin's wild imagination, Mito continued.
"Rinjin-kun, I never properly thanked you for what you did for the Uzumaki clan."
At this, Rinjin's mouth twitched, and he quickly shook his head.
"No, no, it was nothing. Really, I was just passing by."
Mito smiled, her eyes kind.
"The Uzumaki clan settled for too little, lost their drive, and their sealing arts made others wary. It's no surprise what happened.
Unfortunately, as a woman who married out, I couldn't interfere much in their decisions.
So I'm truly grateful to you."
She paused, then added,
"But there's one more thing I'd like to ask."
"Go ahead."
"Tsunade. I want to entrust her to you.
She's had a hard life—lost her beloved grandfather as a child, then Tobirama passed away, then her parents died one after another, and now Nawaki…
I won't be around much longer. When I'm gone, she'll be all alone.
Sometimes I wonder if her bad luck is even worse than her grandfather's—it's starting to rub off on everyone around her!"
Rinjin struggled not to laugh.
You're not wrong!
She's practically cursed!
Lost her grandfather as a kid, her brother as a young woman, and even her old flame, Jiraiya, died on her.
She's like an oleander—beautiful, purifies the air, even medicinal… but taste it by mistake, and you're dead!
But what exactly do you mean by entrusting her to me?
Just as Rinjin was puzzling over her words, Mito lowered her voice.
"Rinjin, you won't die."
Before Rinjin could react, she continued,
"Don't be surprised, Rinjin. The Nine-Tails told me this.
It said that until you're… well, planted in the ground, you won't die."
Rinjin rolled his eyes.
Even if you planted me, I'd probably sprout myself right back up!
So you've got your eye on my immortality and want to stick your unlucky granddaughter with me?
Gotta admit, that's some sharp thinking, old lady!
~~~~❃❃~~~~~~~~❃❃~~~~
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