As Tsunade stepped out of the Hokage Building, the heavy wooden doors closed behind her with a dull thud. The sound struck her heart like a falling stone.
The outcome of the jōnin meeting had been bitterly cold. The lives she fought to protect had proven weightless before the so-called "greater good."
At the bottom of the stone steps, Dan was waiting. His silver hair caught the dim afternoon light. He took two steps forward, his face wearing a perfectly measured mix of concern and sincerity.
"Tsunade-sama, please don't take it too hard. Your idea was right, it's just that the Hokage and the others..."
He tried to get closer, a subtle trace of expectation behind his tone.
Tsunade didn't stop walking. Her face was tired, distant. She gave only a slight nod.
"Hmm."
Her eyes drifted past him to the figure leaning lazily against the wall near the steps. Ryo stood with his arms crossed, back pressed to the stone, watching with detached amusement.
Dan's voice followed behind her, tinged with frustration.
"At least I believe you're right. If there's anything you need..."
But Tsunade was already walking toward Ryo, leaving behind only her back. The man who had defended her in that suffocating chamber was now just a blurry presence in her peripheral vision.
Ryo gave Dan a sidelong glance, the corner of his mouth curling into a smirk. His voice was flat, but loud enough for Tsunade to hear.
"Tch. As expected of the famous Tsunade-sama. Your charm never misses. Someone's already lining up to show their loyalty."
Tsunade stopped in front of him and rolled her eyes. A faint crack formed in the hardened ice on her face.
"Cut the crap. I've had admirers lined up from Konoha's gates to the Raikage's office."
She raised a foot and kicked him lightly on the shin.
"You're in my way, brat."
The kick had no force, more a familiar jab than anything else. Ryo shifted to the side and flicked her forehead with his finger.
"You done yet?"
"Done?" Tsunade rubbed her forehead and glared. "Done with what? You buying?"
"I'm buying drinks," Ryo replied, already turning away.
Tsunade blinked, then quickly followed, a flicker of energy returning to her eyes.
"What? Did I hear that right? You, a fourteen-year-old brat, drinking like an adult? Didn't I teach you the three ninja taboos?"
Ryo didn't turn around.
"Stop talking. You coming or not?"
"Of course I'm coming." Her voice perked up again. She grabbed his arm with mock enthusiasm. "If someone's stupid enough to treat, who am I to say no? Kamiyama Ryo, the generous. I won't stop until you're broke."
Their voices faded into the distance, playful and biting. In front of the Hokage Building, silence returned.
Dan stood where he was, watching the two vanish around the corner. They shoved each other as they walked, still laughing. The sincerity on his face faded, replaced by quiet disappointment and the dull sting of humiliation. With a bitter smile, he turned and walked in the opposite direction.
Inside the tavern, thick curtains blocked most of the daylight. The air was heavy and sluggish, thick with the smells of cheap liquor, greasy food, and years of accumulated smoke. A few scattered patrons lingered in silence. The bartender wiped glasses behind the counter, the only consistent sound in the room.
In the farthest corner, one table still held life.
"Another bottle."
Tsunade slammed her empty flask on the table. The sharp crack startled a nearby drunk awake. Her cheeks were flushed, her eyes burning with reckless energy as she stared across the table.
Ryo sat calmly with a ceramic cup of sake in front of him. He took a small sip, then glanced at the pile of empties beside her.
"Boss. Another sake for her."
His voice wasn't loud, but it cut through the quiet room with ease.
Soon, the bartender brought a fresh bottle, cool and covered in condensation. Tsunade snatched it before he could even set it down, tore off the cap, and drank straight from the bottle. The warm burn hit her throat, and she let out a deep breath, finally slumping into her seat.
"Those bastards," she muttered, staring at the wooden grain of the table as if the faces of the councilors and jōnin were etched into it. "That Nara Shikashin, going on about prestige and risk. It's all garbage. Every word a lie."
She drank again. Her eyes reddened.
"All they care about is Konoha, the clans, their power and pride. Have they ever stepped into the medic tents? Seen the ones who come in but never walk out?"
Her voice rose, thick with anger.
"That old man acts like he understands, but all he's doing is clinging to his seat. And Danzō, the rest of them..." She slammed the table. Plates and cups rattled. "Their lives matter, but the shinobi on the frontlines don't?"
Ryo stayed silent. His fingers traced the edge of his cup. His face remained unreadable in the dim light.
"Say something," Tsunade snapped, kicking him under the table. "You mute now?"
"What do you want me to say?"
He raised his eyes. In the shadows, his gaze was calm and still.
"Should I call them hypocrites? Or call you naive? I already told you how it would end. Konoha, like every other village, runs on blood. Nara saw that clearly. More clearly than you, or even Hiruzen."
"So what?"
Tsunade's voice cracked. She leaned forward, gripping the edge of the table.
"So those lives deserve to be wasted? To die just to protect someone else's pride?"
Ryo didn't flinch. His expression didn't change.
"What else did you expect? That's how Konoha has always operated."
He paused.
"You're angry because you still care. Because deep down, you still believe it can change."
Tsunade's grip loosened. She leaned back in her chair. The heat in her cheeks began to fade.
He was right. Her fury came from the fact that she still believed in Konoha, that she wanted it to be something more. To be better.
She gave a bitter laugh and drank deeply.
"Enough of this depressing crap. Tonight we drink. If I don't drink you into bankruptcy, I'll write my name backward."
She slammed the table again.
"Boss, something stronger. This is too weak."
Ryo watched her for a moment, then signaled the bartender. A new bottle was brought over, its scent sharp and burning.
Tsunade grabbed it immediately. She filled both cups and handed one to him.
"Don't just sit there. Be a man and drink."
Ryo didn't refuse. He let her pour.
Tsunade raised her glass high.
"Cheers."
She downed it in one gulp. The fire scorched her throat. She coughed hard, eyes tearing, but she laughed through it, unrestrained.
Words poured from her between drinks. Jumbled, messy, but full of raw emotion.
"That idiot Jiraiya and his stupid toads. His books are garbage. Orochimaru's probably off in Ame, digging up corpses or something insane..."
She shivered and took another swig.
"And Nawaki... that brat's allowance. I lost it again gambling. I promised to buy him new gear. That's gone too. What a terrible sister."
Her voice softened. Then it slurred, slipping into incoherent mutters about war, family, the village. Her posture slouched. Her arms trembled slightly.
"I'm so tired, Ryo..."
Her voice was faint. Her head dropped against the table. Golden hair spilled over her face, hiding her closed eyes. Her hand still clutched the cup, fingers pale.
Ryo sat quietly. Her breathing had grown slow and steady. In sleep, the woman once called a Sannin looked almost fragile.
He raised a hand to the bartender.
The sound of coins hitting the counter rang through the quiet tavern.
Ryo stood and walked over to her side. One arm slid under her shoulders, the other under her knees. He lifted her in one smooth motion.
Tsunade stirred, murmuring something, then leaned her head against his neck. Her breath was warm and smelled of sake.
Carrying her, Ryo crossed the dim tavern. The bartender didn't react. The door opened. Cold night air swept in, ruffling his hair.
Outside, the sky was black. Moonlight reflected on damp streets like silver dust. The smell of wet stone and rain filled the air.
Ryo walked steadily. In his arms, Tsunade slept. Her hair, dulled in the darkness, rested against her cheek. Her breathing calmed, and the lines in her brow faded.
The wind lifted the edge of his cloak. His arms held firm. Step by step, he walked through the quiet streets of Konoha, toward the Senju compound.
Their shadow stretched long behind them, weaving across cobblestones, then disappearing into the night.
(To be continued.)
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◇ One bonus chapter will be released for every 200 Power Stones.
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