Tsunade was arguably the strongest woman in the world, at least in terms of raw physical power. In the original story, the Fourth Raikage once made a bet with her to test their arm-wrestling strength. Even after activating his Lightning Release Chakra Mode and exerting every ounce of his might, he couldn't overpower Tsunade. In the end, he had to resort to trickery—loosening his grip slightly when she wasn't paying attention, then yanking back with full force. Without such tactics, victory over Tsunade was impossible.
"Uchiha brat," Tsunade said, her tone casual but probing, "I heard Sensei Sarutobi holds you in high regard?"
"I'm honored by the Hokage's favor," Shimizu Uchiha replied smoothly.
To outsiders, this might seem like genuine affection from the Third Hokage. But Shimizu knew better—Sarutobi Hiruzen was using him as a tool to suppress the Uchiha Clan. In Itachi's True Story, Uchiha Itachi had seen through the hidden filth lurking beneath Konohagakure's surface, even deeming Sarutobi a hypocrite. Yet, despite this realization, Itachi still chose to side with the Hokage. He found the Uchiha Clan's narrow-mindedness even less tolerable than Sarutobi's duplicity. Arrogantly, Itachi never bothered to ask the ordinary, non-shinobi members of the Uchiha Clan for their thoughts before reaching his conclusions. Later, Sarutobi dubbed this mindset the "Seven-Year-Old Hokage Thinking."
"If you have any other questions beyond what's written here, just tell me," Tsunade said, tossing a scroll toward Shimizu. It was packed with answers to his queries, meticulously compiled after some effort on her part.
"I still don't quite understand this part," Shimizu began, launching into a detailed list of questions with an almost effortless eloquence.
Tsunade responded to each one with precision, their exchange flowing smoothly, question after answer.
Shizune, standing off to the side, listened in bewilderment. At first, she could follow the conversation, but as it progressed, it felt like deciphering a cryptic tome. Every word was familiar, yet strung together, they formed something utterly foreign. She felt a pang of inadequacy. As Tsunade's apprentice, Shizune was accustomed to receiving praise wherever she went—people calling her a prodigy, a talented disciple of a renowned master. But now, she understood how those labeled as "geniuses" truly felt. It wasn't joy or pride—it was a deep, gnawing sense of powerlessness.
"It's like… Shimizu's medical expertise has grown even deeper since we were at the outpost," Shizune murmured to herself, clutching her pet pig, Tonton, as she continued to eavesdrop on their discussion.
Shimizu, initially standing, was invited by Tsunade to sit at a low table. This gave him a closer view of her, and his keen eyes missed nothing. Even with only fleeting glances, he noted the subtle rise and fall of Tsunade's chest with each breath, accentuated by her loose, sleeveless top. Her waist was slender yet strong, curving gracefully as she leaned forward slightly. Her hips, pressed against the chair, were full and well-defined, their contours unmistakable.
"Honestly, you're quite the surprise," Tsunade said, setting down her sake bottle. The flush of alcohol had faded from her cheeks. Shimizu's theoretical knowledge was staggering—almost as if he'd memorized every medical text in Konohagakure's hospital. She couldn't fathom how he retained such a vast amount of information. "But to become a qualified medical-nin, you need excellent chakra control. Show me how you condense medical chakra at your fingertips."
Shimizu complied without hesitation. With his enhanced meridian system—twice as refined as most shinobi—he effortlessly gathered medical chakra at his fingertips. A faint green glow flickered to life, resembling a small, burning emerald flame.
Tsunade's expression grew serious as she observed. "That level of chakra control…"
She had heard Shimizu was a genius, but this was beyond her expectations. With chakra control this precise, he was already capable of learning her Chakra Enhanced Strength technique. A fleeting thought crossed her mind, followed by a sigh. Shimizu's talent surpassed Shizune's, making him a more fitting candidate to inherit her mantle. But Shizune was the only niece of her late love, Kato Dan, while Shimizu was an Uchiha, a clan perpetually at odds with the Senju. The gap in their backgrounds was too vast. Her granduncle, Senju Tobirama, had despised the Uchiha, with the sole exception of Uchiha Kagami.
Tsunade propped her chin on her hand, shifting into a more comfortable position. Her legs crossed naturally, one slightly raised, the other dangling lazily off the edge of the chair. Her ankle, exposed beneath her dark three-quarter pants, revealed toes painted with red polish, curling slightly. The fabric clung to her skin, highlighting the sleek, powerful lines of her legs—from thigh to calf, every inch a balance of strength and grace.
"Alright, you can go now," Tsunade said, taking a sip from her sake bottle and issuing a dismissal. "You younger generations are destined to surpass us old-timers. Work together with Shizune and advance in the medical field together."
Her decision to summon Shimizu today wasn't a whim. Shizune had been whispering in her ear, and Tsunade's own guilt played a part. Her hemophobia prevented her from teaching Shizune practical medical ninjutsu hands-on, leaving her feeling like a failure as a mentor. Shimizu's prodigious talent was the talk of Konohagakure's hospital, so Tsunade saw an opportunity—a favor for Shimizu today in exchange for his help with Shizune in the future.
"Thank you for your guidance, Lady Tsunade," Shimizu said politely, taking his leave.
He didn't care much about Tsunade's motives for answering his questions. One thing was certain: he was determined to win her over. A medical talent like Tsunade was far too valuable to let slip away. Even Orochimaru, after having his arms' souls sealed by Sarutobi Hiruzen, sought out Tsunade first, a testament to the immense trust he placed in her skills.
As Shimizu left Tsunade's residence, dusk had settled over Konohagakure. "It's time to make progress with Hyuga Natsu," he mused, his face cast in the cold, sharp light of the setting sun. His shadow stretched and twisted beneath him, like a writhing demon.
At a nearby ninja tool shop, the owner enthusiastically escorted Shimizu to the door, bowing repeatedly as if serving a VIP client. "Pleasure doing business with you!" the owner called out.
"Likewise," Shimizu replied, accepting a sealed scroll stuffed with cash. He had sold a portion of the supplies—soldier pills, explosive tags, and more—that he'd obtained through his simulator. With the frontlines of the war in desperate need of resources, such items were in high demand. Shimizu had secured a hefty profit, several times higher than peacetime prices. Still, he was careful not to overcharge, selling just below the going rate to avoid accusations of profiting off the village's hardship.
"Shimizu, why not buy these from the clan?" a voice called out. Uchiha Yakumi appeared from around the corner, eyeing Shimizu with curiosity. The Uchiha Clan had its own supply channels, so why go through the trouble of an outside shop?
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