"Lady Tsunade!"
"Calm down, calm down!"
Shizune and Karin's expressions changed instantly. They rushed forward in a single step, stretching out their hands to block Tsunade's attack.
Their faces were filled with anxiety. While stopping her, they tried to reason with her urgently.
Tsunade seemed extremely annoyed by their interference. She shouted angrily, "Let go of me, both of you! Today, I'm going to teach this brat a lesson. He needs to learn what he should say and what he shouldn't!"
Her chest heaved violently, and her eyes burned with raging fury. She stared at Genya as if she wanted to devour him alive.
"Hehe… typical old lady," Genya said, unafraid. "Once you're exposed, you get all flustered. At your age, calling you 'aunt' is actually being polite!"
He deliberately added fuel to the fire, looking like he wanted to stir up chaos.
He lifted his chin slightly, a mocking smile playing on his lips. His expression was a blatant provocation, as if to declare to Tsunade that her anger meant nothing to him.
"Damn it…" Tsunade tried to forcefully shake off Shizune and Karin, but as soon as she exerted strength, the entire dining table groaned under the pressure, creaking as if it were in pain.
"Miss, please be gentle!" The shop owner had been watching the commotion nervously. Seeing his table about to break, panic immediately spread across his face.
He rushed forward, voice trembling, begging her to stop. This table was an important asset for his shop and could not withstand such rough treatment.
"I'll pay for these things!" Tsunade said to the shopkeeper, who looked distressed. Though her anger hadn't faded, she spoke generously.
At that moment, her mind was entirely focused on teaching this Uchiha brat a proper lesson. Paying for a table was nothing to her.
"Lady Tsunade, we don't have much money left!" Shizune said anxiously.
They had been running around a lot recently, and their funds were low. The compensation for the table was not a small amount for them.
"I don't care. Today, I will teach this brat a lesson!" Tsunade remained stubborn, her eyes showing determination. Shizune's warning did nothing to change her mind.
As the argument escalated, suddenly—"pff"—Shizune's wrist was cut by some unknown cause.
Blood spilled immediately, dripping onto the table and spreading across the wooden surface.
In an instant, the scent of blood filled the area, a faint metallic tang drifting through the air.
Tsunade was already an experienced medical ninja, and she was all too familiar with the smell of blood.
The moment she caught that scent, she instinctively looked down.
When she saw the shocking sight of blood, her mind went completely blank.
It was as if all her strength had been drained from her body, and she collapsed weakly into the chair.
If it weren't for Kurenai and Shizune's quick reflexes in catching her, she might have fallen straight to the ground.
"Tsunade-sama, I'm sorry! I'm so sorry!" Shizune said, full of guilt. She quickly helped Tsunade sit upright and then hurriedly cleaned up the surrounding blood.
She knew very well that ever since the war, Tsunade-sama could no longer bear to see blood. This accident had happened because of her own carelessness.
"What… what's going on?" Kurenai asked, eyes wide with surprise. She stared at the sudden turn of events, completely confused.
"Ever since the ninja wars, Tsunade-sama cannot see blood!" Shizune explained seriously while cleaning.
Her voice carried a hint of helplessness and pity. Thinking of all the suffering Tsunade-sama had endured, her heart ached.
War trauma.
Hearing Shizune's explanation, Kurenai's eyes widened in shock.
One of the Sannin of Konoha, and yet she had developed a condition where she could no longer see blood because of the war. It was almost unimaginable.
Her expression grew heavy. In the ninja world, anyone who sacrifices for their village deserves respect. Tsunade had given so much to Konoha, and yet she had suffered this trauma.
At the same time, Kurenai felt a sense of understanding. Now she finally knew why Tsunade had been avoiding returning to Konoha.
As one of the Sannin, Tsunade had her pride. As for what exactly she went through during the war, Kurenai didn't want to ask, and she wouldn't.
Because she knew that those memories must touch the deepest, most fragile parts of anyone's heart. Some painful memories were better left buried in the past.
"Grandma… maybe you should go rest," Genya said, looking at the now-weak Tsunade.
This time, as he looked at her struggle with her fear of blood, he felt a pang of frustration.
If Sakura had grown up under the careful care of Naruto and Sasuke, then Tsunade, though not so delicately cared for, had still had Orochimaru and Jiraiya shielding her from some harm. In comparison, her blows should not have been overwhelming.
Yet even so, she had developed hemophobia because of the war. And she was a medical ninja, which truly reflected the saying: "A healer cannot heal themselves."
It was heartbreaking.
Tsunade leaned back in her chair, her face pale as paper. Her eyes revealed a hint of exhaustion and helplessness.
She shot Genya a sharp glare but lacked the strength to argue back.
At this moment, images of the war flashed endlessly in her mind—blood, death, pain, and the loss of loved ones—seemingly impossible to shake off.
"Genya…" Kurenai looked at Genya, who was still mocking Tsunade, and couldn't help but intervene.
Normally, Genya had a sense of restraint, knowing what to say and what not to say. But now, he spoke out boldly.
"Why can't I speak?" Genya looked at Kurenai and continued, "The Senju clan is nearly drowning in Konoha's turmoil. And yet, the leader of the Senju clan—what is she doing? Wallowing in despair? Drinking? Gambling?"
Genya thought of little Hikari, who once begged the Uchiha Police Force to save her brother.
How helpless she had been back then, along with Hayashi!
If Tsunade had been in Konoha, the Senju clan wouldn't have fallen into such misery and disgrace. Hayashi and Hikari wouldn't have suffered such sorrowful days in the past.
But…
Senju Tsunade had failed to do what she should have done.
She remained here, lost in despair.
Tsunade took a deep breath, trying to calm herself. With quiet support, she slowly stood and looked at Genya.
"You're talking about the Senju clan in Konoha…?"
****
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