Chapter 119: The Sealed Uchiha Girl
Tsunade's influence in Konoha was not something to be underestimated.
After expressing her intent to leave the village for a while, the already-exhausted Hiruzen Sarutobi fell into deep thought—and after some time, he reluctantly gave her permission.
In truth, he didn't want Haruta leaving Konoha at all. The boy's knack for stirring up trouble made even the seasoned Hokage nervous. Given the current fragile state of the village, it was obvious that keeping Haruta within the walls would be the safer choice.
But in the end, he still yielded to his student's request.
Trouble inside the village was becoming increasingly difficult to contain. Perhaps getting away from it all—clearing one's mind and laying low for a while—wasn't such a bad idea.
For Tsunade, and more importantly, for Haruta, who had very likely done something, it could serve as a timely breather.
Besides, Haruta possessed the Flying Thunder God Technique. If anything serious were to happen—say, the Uchiha getting desperate and going berserk—the brat could always teleport right back.
"Sigh… why didn't you come to me?"
Hiruzen wore a pained expression.
Though he hadn't probed too deeply into the recent incident, he had a terrible feeling that Haruta had a hand in whatever befell Shisui.
After all, Danzo was Haruta's former superior. In Hiruzen's absence, Danzo still retained limited access to Konoha's resources—and there was no way Haruta could have completely avoided that connection.
For a fleeting moment, the Third Hokage regretted not taking Haruta with him when he left the village. But what use was regret now?
"Even if he didn't actually do anything, just carrying that weight in his heart… It must be eating at him. Maybe a break really is best…"
Clenching the smoking pipe between his teeth, Hiruzen sighed heavily.
The Uchiha had already submitted their report regarding Shisui's disappearance. The subtext couldn't be more obvious. What slightly comforted Hiruzen, though, was that—for once—the Uchiha hadn't flown into a full-blown rage.
"Maybe it's because Uchiha Setsuna is already dead."
That old man had been the clan's most outspoken radical. When Setsuna was alive, rebellious sentiments among the Uchiha were at their peak. Back then, they didn't just talk about revolt—they actually acted on it.
Although he was gone, the ideology he left behind still lingered. That alone was enough to give Hiruzen a headache.
Knock, knock, knock—
Just as his thoughts were reaching their most turbulent, the door to the Hokage's office was knocked.
Hiruzen blinked, pulling himself back to the present.
"Come in."
The door creaked open. A young man in full ANBU attire stepped inside and quietly closed the door behind him before dropping to one knee.
It was Uchiha Itachi.
"Lord Hokage."
"Ah… It's you, Itachi."
Hiruzen Sarutobi's lips tightened slightly. These days, just seeing a Uchiha was enough to make his scalp tingle.
"Stand up. I've already heard about Shisui… I deeply regret what happened, but I give you my word—the Uchiha Clan will get a proper explanation."
To him, Itachi's visit was clearly a message from the Uchiha. And he figured the topic would revolve around Shisui. Rather than wait to be interrogated, Hiruzen decided to get ahead of it by making a new promise.
"I believe you, Lord Hokage."
Uchiha Itachi rose to his feet and nodded respectfully. He still had some faith in the Hokage.
"But the real reason I'm here today… is to report something of grave importance."
"Grave importance?"
"Yes. I believe… there may be signs of rebellion stirring within the Uchiha."
"…"
Hiruzen stared at Itachi, stunned. For a moment, his mind went completely blank.
He thought to himself—Did I really tell him to go this deep undercover?
---
"So we're just going to live in this godforsaken place?"
Somewhere in the forests of the Land of Fire, Tsunade couldn't help but twitch at the corners of her mouth as she stared blankly at Haruta, who was currently constructing a house out of wood-style ninjutsu.
She really wanted to ask—Is this how you're supposed to use Mokuton?
But after thinking it through, she gave up.
After all, Haruta clearly had no intention of heading to any nearby town. Building a house with Mokuton was probably the most reasonable solution.
Humans shouldn't suffer unnecessarily—if you can enjoy life, you should.
That said… she honestly had no clue where they were headed. Everything had been Haruta's decision. She'd just said she wanted to get away and unwind for a while.
"Breathing in the fresh air out here isn't so bad," Haruta said cheerfully once he'd finished crafting a full set of furniture from wood-style chakra.
"The scenery's beautiful, no one will bother us, and there's even a lake nearby. We can relax, hunt, fish, maybe even take a hot soak. Isn't that perfect?"
"You lunatic. What if I want a drink?"
Tsunade finally snapped. She had no interest in "natural serenity" or any of this crap.
"And what about gambling? We finally get out of the village, and you bring me to this dump? I'd rather be back in Konoha!"
Tsunade wasn't hurting for money these days. Haruta had snagged a hefty cut of kickbacks from both Hiruzen and Danzo.
While he didn't give her a huge share, the monthly allowance was more than enough to let her go on a spree at any major casino.
She'd been too busy to gamble lately and had saved up quite a bit. Her fingers were itching to throw the dice again.
And this was what she got?
---
"Tsunade-sama, I actually think this place is quite nice," said Shizune, smiling as she carried bedding into the newly made house.
"The environment is really peaceful. And we're supposed to be relaxing, right? Big cities aren't ideal for that. Besides… what if we ran into someone you owed money to—"
"Don't worry," Haruta suddenly interjected, nodding seriously. "If any debt collectors show up, I'll kill them all."
"Whoa, whoa, WHOA! Stop quoting that lunatic Danzo, will you?!"
Tsunade winced. At this point, she was starting to feel glad they weren't going into town. She had no interest in turning civilian blood into part of her win-loss record.
"Seriously, Danzo's shadow is like a curse. That weirdo shows up everywhere…"
"Don't worry, Tsunade-sensei. I'll keep him in check," Yugao said as she finished setting up a campfire.
She gave Haruta a glance, then looked seriously at Tsunade. "He's not as crazy as he makes himself out to be. He might sound extreme, but he's never actually done anything too out of line."
"…"
Tsunade pursed her lips, then rolled her eyes.
"You two better not cross the line. If you want to shack up, go ahead and just move in together already!"
Wait—was that a real option?!
Haruta's eyes lit up immediately, but Yugao broke into a nervous sweat, quickly shaking her head without saying anything.
Luckily, Shizune jumped in to rescue the conversation.
"Alright, Tsunade-sama, enough teasing. But… are we really okay bringing Karin along for this trip?"
"Tch, school's just the basics. Doesn't matter whether she's there or not."
Tsunade snorted dismissively, then turned toward the quiet and awkward Karin.
"Tell me, these two haven't been neglecting you for the past month, have they? Too busy playing house?"
"N-not at all. Big Brother Haruta and Sister Yugao have been looking after me really well," Karin answered with a nervous smile, though her glasses glinted as she glanced at the two.
Truthfully, they had been ignoring her a bit. She hadn't even dared to bother them—worried she might stumble into something she shouldn't see.
Still, she didn't think it was a problem. They hadn't ignored her completely, just stopped asking about school.
Day-to-day life had been fine. She'd already grown used to living in Konoha and even made some friends at the Ninja Academy.
She was happy here. Compared to her days in the Land of Grass, where she had to fend for herself, this was practically a dream.
---
"Okay, Tsunade-sama," said Shizune, shaking her head as she walked over and took Karin by the hand. "Let's go fishing. Karin, come with me. Yugao, you in?"
"Sure," Yugao said immediately, standing up to follow. She threw Haruta a quick look, silently warning him not to push Tsunade too far.
"…That's a good girl. You really lucked out, brat."
Tsunade couldn't help muttering as the three walked off.
"She's older than you by quite a bit, yet you still managed to win her over. Ridiculous."
"Maybe it's just my… irresistible charm?" Haruta said with a grin.
To his surprise, Tsunade actually nodded.
"You're decent-looking, I'll give you that. Enough to scam some poor girl, at least."
"…Wow."
Haruta didn't know whether to laugh or cry. Scam? What happened to mutual love and respect?
---
"Don't break her heart, Haruta. Especially given… your situation."
Tsunade's tone turned serious, but halfway through, she suddenly changed the subject.
"Enough of that. Tell me the real reason you picked this dump. And don't give me that 'nature is healing' nonsense—I'm not buying it."
"This place is remote, and with you and Yugao here, it's perfect for some experiments," Haruta said without hesitation.
With just the two of them around, there was no point in hiding anything.
"I've already got everything prepped. I just need a quiet location where no one will interfere. If anything goes wrong, I can bring you back to Konoha in a flash. You'll be safe, sensei."
Over the past month, while Tsunade had been away, Haruta had slacked off plenty—but he had also gotten everything ready for the project.
He never did things without preparation. Planning ahead was his core principle.
---
"…Mokuton, huh."
Tsunade sighed softly, though her gaze remained fixed on Haruta.
"But that's not the only reason you dragged us out here, is it?"
"About that…"
Haruta blinked, then broke into a grin.
"Remember what I told you before? I found something interesting sealed in a scroll. I think… there might be a treasure hidden around here. So I came to check it out."
"…Treasure, huh."
This time, Tsunade had nothing to say.
She was honestly starting to admire Haruta's tireless spirit.
But still… Why are you always trying to rob people's graves?!
---
"That's the situation, Lord Hokage."
Inside the Hokage's Office, Uchiha Itachi spoke calmly, while Hiruzen Sarutobi's face was a tangle of complex emotions.
This kid… he's something else.
To reveal the Uchiha Clan's internal plans in such detail—Hiruzen was at a loss for words.
And at the same time, he was certain of one thing:
This boy carries the true Will of Fire.
And more than that… he can think like a Hokage.
A subordinate who could empathize with leadership? A true unicorn of the workforce. Hiruzen didn't have the words to describe it, but the meaning was the same.
Loyalty to the village was one thing. But exposing your own clan for the greater good?
Even he might not have been able to do that.
This was a true Child of Konoha.
---
"I understand. Thank you, Itachi. You've done well."
In his heart, Hiruzen was bursting with joy. What he saw now was a second Shisui!
No—an even better successor than Shisui or even Kagami. And this one was the son of the clan head!
Why bother creating a "new" Uchiha when this one could reshape the current clan from the inside?
Still, he kept his tone somber, gripping his pipe with a helpless expression.
"You know, Shisui was a good man. Kindhearted, honest. His death… truly broke my heart.
None of us saw it coming. It was… sudden, shocking. I never imagined something like this would happen…"
"Lord Hokage, there's no need to dwell on Shisui," Itachi cut in gently. "It's done. There's no use in discussing it further."
He hesitated a moment, but in the end… he said nothing about Danzo.
Shisui's choices, in his eyes, had been too extreme.
One wrong step, and it would've triggered an all-out war between the Uchiha and the village. Especially with how much he knew from being in ANBU…
It would've been catastrophic.
Thankfully, that worst-case scenario didn't come to pass.
Itachi knew trouble was still brewing… but he was ready now.
---
"The village's safety comes first. I'll do whatever it takes to preserve the peace."
"…Good."
Hiruzen nodded, though he couldn't shake the strange feeling in his gut.
Something about this boy… felt off.
As if they weren't entirely on the same page.
Still—for now, this was a win.
A major win.
A good thing—for everyone. Especially for Konoha.
---
"How are you feeling, Sensei?"
Inside the wooden cabin nestled deep in the forests of the Land of Fire, Haruta looked at the pale-faced Tsunade and finally spoke.
With her consent, the injection of White Zetsu's "solution" had gone remarkably smoothly. To avoid raising suspicion, Haruta had even tinted the fluid red—just enough to resemble blood.
At least, visually, there wasn't much difference.
But beyond that, he had another reason.
He wanted to see for himself whether Tsunade truly had hemophobia.
To be honest, Haruta had always doubted that Tsunade's "blood phobia" was a true fear of blood.
To him, it seemed more like a psychological trauma rooted in powerlessness—seeing her brother and her lover die in front of her, unable to do anything.
That sense of helplessness turned into a painful trigger. Seeing blood became seeing death. And death... brought back everything she couldn't save.
That's what he suspected, anyway. He wasn't a psychologist—just someone who paid attention.
And sometimes… she didn't seem affected by blood at all.
---
"It feels… strange," Tsunade murmured. "There's a unique kind of energy bursting inside me. But…"
She frowned, her brows tightening in concentration.
"The force of it is much stronger than I expected. Even when I try suppressing it with chakra, the effect is minimal. It seems… I underestimated both your solution—and myself."
---
"Lie down. Let me take a look."
Haruta furrowed his brows slightly. Tsunade glanced at him out of the corner of her eye, then sighed and obediently reclined on the bed.
Haruta reached out and placed his hand gently over her abdomen, chakra flooding into her body to probe what exactly was happening.
---
"…So that's what's going on."
A few minutes later, he withdrew his hand and rubbed his chin in thought.
"The situation's better than I expected… but also a bit worse than I hoped."
"What's that supposed to mean?" Tsunade looked at him with confusion. "Did it work or not?"
"That's… hard to define," Haruta replied thoughtfully, sitting down beside her.
"To put it simply—your body is responding. The chakra associated with Mokuton… it's awakening."
---
Truth be told, this outcome wasn't that surprising.
Tsunade was the direct descendant of Senju Hashirama, after all. White Zetsu's genetic makeup was built from his cells.
Even if generations had passed, the bloodline remained. So the reaction was expected.
But now, Haruta realized something else:
There was a reason the Senju clan had all but abandoned experiments involving Hashirama's cells.
They were simply too powerful.
---
"Sensei, if I remember correctly… wasn't the Second Hokage the first to experiment with the First's cells?"
Haruta offered a wry smile as he asked. Tsunade nodded.
"Yes. Grandpa Tobirama did conduct such experiments. Why are you bringing that up? Don't tell me—"
"I think you already know where I'm going with this."
Haruta gave her a meaningful look.
"The Second probably started with members of the Senju clan. Genetically, they'd have the highest compatibility, right?
But maybe they were too compatible. The fusion worked… too well. And in the end, the backlash destroyed them. Am I wrong?"
"…That much is true," Tsunade admitted.
These weren't things you'd find in a regular scroll—certainly not the version she gave Haruta. That knowledge was locked away in far more restricted records.
The fact that he even knew of it now… meant only one thing.
"…I'm going through the same thing, aren't I?"
"More or less."
Haruta nodded. The excessive compatibility was something he hadn't anticipated.
Even though this version of White Zetsu had been weakened—nerfed, really—by both Black Zetsu and Uchiha Madara… encountering Tsunade still triggered an overwhelming reaction.
---
"But don't worry," Haruta added quickly. "As long as we monitor the dosage, there shouldn't be any long-term issues."
He glanced at her pale face and gave a reassuring smile, but inwardly, his thoughts were racing.
Danzo didn't use White Zetsu. He used raw Hashirama cells—and he still managed to wield Mokuton.
Haruta suddenly remembered his "boss," Shimura Danzo. Of all people, Danzo's case was… unique.
After some thought, Haruta's eyes lit up.
It's the Sharingan.
The power of the Senju—the power of Hashirama's Mokuton—was a product of Yang Release.
Even though Mokuton was created by combining Water and Earth, its true nature came from Asura's energy.
And Indra… his lineage wielded Yin Release. The Sharingan was the crystallization of that power.
Yin and Yang. Shadow and light.
Their fusion might just be the key to perfect control.
---
"It's not just Danzo," Haruta muttered. "Everyone who successfully used White Zetsu's power had a Sharingan—Madara, Obito…"
And then it hit him.
That's it.
Naruto's prosthetic arm had been altered. It wasn't pure White Zetsu tissue anymore. So it didn't quite count.
The real counterbalance to that force… was Yin Release.
And Haruta? He had it.
---
"Tch. I knew this wouldn't go smoothly. Should've stopped you while I had the chance."
Tsunade grumbled, pressing a hand to her forehead as Haruta snapped out of his thoughts.
"Sensei, I think I can help."
Without waiting for her permission, Haruta placed his hand on her abdomen again.
This time, he channeled his Yin Release chakra directly into her body.
---
"You—!"
Tsunade started to protest, but then she felt it.
The chaotic force within her… began to balance.
She blinked, surprised.
She tried to look at Haruta's hand, but her vision was blocked by her… two mountains. Resigned, she gave up trying to look.
Still, she could feel it. The rogue energy was merging into her own with startling smoothness, under Haruta's careful control.
Not exploding—just flowing.
---
"Incredible…"
She murmured, then suddenly laughed.
"I don't know what branch of the Senju you come from, but with a match this high, I'm starting to suspect Grandpa had an illegitimate child."
"…Huh?"
Haruta froze, the corners of his mouth twitching.
Lady, this IS your grandpa's cell culture I'm using.
And let's be real—given how clueless he was, you think Hashirama could even manage a side affair?
"I don't think the First Hokage was capable of that kind of thing," Haruta said with a smirk. "And if he was, I doubt you'd be involved."
He couldn't help but be grateful for having transmigrated early.
This world's science was absurdly lopsided. Gene research existed… but it was primitive. The real biotechnological revolution wouldn't start until Orochimaru went full mad scientist.
That was still years away.
---
"Besides, didn't the records say my parents weren't even part of the Senju? We might not even be distant cousins."
"Tch."
Tsunade rolled her eyes. She almost wanted to correct his way of addressing her… but thinking about it, there was nothing wrong with being a bit younger.
The Senju clan was massive. Generations and branches made blood ties murky.
Who knew where Haruta's parents came from? They might've just been from a forgotten branch, lost in the cracks of time and war.
Back in the early days, Konoha's recordkeeping was incomplete. Even if ninja had serial numbers, it wasn't like everything was properly documented.
---
"Whatever the past was… now we're family. Thank you, Haruta."
"You're being too formal, Sensei." Haruta gave her a relaxed smile. "Like you said—we're family."
That word—family—made Tsunade's eyes soften as she nodded with satisfaction.
Then, as if something crossed her mind, she suddenly glanced down at the hand still resting on her stomach… but in the end, she didn't say anything.
Two people with Mokuton, huh…
What would the old man think if he knew?
---
"Haruta, what's wrong with Tsunade-sensei?"
Sitting by the campfire, Yugao looked over at him while munching on grilled fish.
"Huh? No idea. Maybe it's a… biological issue?"
Haruta cast a glance toward the cabin, then rubbed his chin with a confused look.
Yugao gave him a deadpan stare.
Biological issue?
Are you trying to get slapped?
Truthfully, Haruta had no idea. After stabilizing Tsunade's chakra with Yin Release, she'd gone weird.
The fusion was complete. Her chakra had settled. But she stayed pale and… oddly dazed.
She'd been like that the entire time—right up until Yugao and the others got back. Still hadn't snapped out of it.
---
"Are you kidding? Maybe she's sick?"
Yugao frowned and muttered.
"If that's the case, you'd better take her back to Konoha."
"She's fine. Don't worry so much."
Haruta waved dismissively just as Shizune stepped outside. He pointed at her like a lifeline.
"Ask Shizune if you don't believe me. Sensei's body is probably in peak condition right now. Right?"
"Uh…"
Shizune blinked, then nodded obediently.
"No real issues. Actually, her physical and chakra vitality are both off the charts. It's just her… mental state that's a little unstable."
Physically? She was perfect.
With White Zetsu's boost, her body was practically thriving.
The only real danger had been over-compatibility—risk of turning into a literal "Senju Tree Spirit."
But Haruta had fixed that. Yin Release was even more effective than he'd imagined.
The only thing left… was her odd dazed state. If it wasn't a midlife crisis or hormonal imbalance, he had no idea what else it could be.
---
"…I see."
Yugao finally nodded, though her expression remained skeptical.
Haruta stood up and brushed the dirt off his pants.
"Well, you all rest. I'm gonna go look around. I haven't had a chance to explore since we got here—Sensei's been bombarding me with weird questions nonstop."
"Go look around?"
Yuugao looked at Haruta with a confused expression, then tilted her head up toward the moonlit sky.
"Right now?"
"Yeah. Might even bring back some wild game for a midnight snack."
Haruta nodded with a grin, the curve of his lips a little mischievous.
"Besides, I'm a grown man. I can't just hang around here forever, right? What if you girls want to take a bath or something—wouldn't that be a little too convenient for me?"
With that one line, Shizune blushed furiously while Yuugao glared at him sharply.
Haruta only shrugged, unbothered, then turned and headed into the depths of the forest.
"Finally, time to get moving."
His trip this time wasn't just about Tsunade. Sure, he needed to observe real Wood Release from a true Senju... but he hadn't forgotten about that sealed Uchiha.
To be blunt, this trip was all about grave-digging.
As he ventured deeper into the woods, Haruta gradually picked up his pace.
The forest was eerily silent now, but a hundred years ago, this was a bloody battlefield.
Countless ninja had died here. But time had eroded the memories of war; the air now felt calm, almost tranquil.
"But... where exactly is it?"
Haruta activated his Curse Mark as he walked, expanding his sensory range outward in every direction.
He'd considered bringing Karin along—her sensory prowess was on another level—but in the end, he decided against it.
After all, if he ended up unsealing a hundred-year-old madwoman filled with rage, and the first thing she saw was a red-haired Uzumaki... who knew what kind of chaos would break loose?
Haruta was different. People thought he was Senju, but the Senju clan didn't exactly have obvious features.
"Hashirama had brown hair, Tobirama was a white-hair freak—who would even know what I am?"
Sometimes Haruta wished he had white hair too. Then in a pinch, he could just pin the blame on Kakashi.
After all, the Hatake clan was practically the white-haired clan of the shinobi world.
Worst case scenario? Just pretend to be Jiraiya's distant cousin. No one would question it.
Muttering nonsense to himself, Haruta continued scanning for chakra fluctuations.
Honestly, this damn place's terrain had probably shifted a dozen times over the past century.
In fact, the entire Land of Fire had undergone drastic changes—thanks in no small part to the monstrous battles between Hashirama and Madara. When those two clashed, the heavens shook.
At this point, Haruta's destructive capabilities were already high enough to reshape the landscape—but his stamina was another story. While his highest physical stat had reached Level 12, his 'Jutsu' and 'Chakra' attributes still needed a lot of work.
Time passed slowly. The forest remained dark, only the rustle of leaves in the wind and the distant chirping of birds breaking the silence.
"…Hmm?"
Suddenly, Haruta's senses caught something.
"Over there... that's definitely a chakra trace."
It was faint—extremely well-concealed—but with the Curse Mark activated, he could pick it up clearly.
He moved closer, bathed in moonlight, eyes fixed on the empty clearing ahead.
The trace was weak, but unmistakable. He could feel it.
"If I'm right... then this is it."
Without hesitation, Haruta crouched down and began inspecting the area carefully.
He hadn't really leveled up his sealing skills much, but for a situation like this, he could manage just fine.
---
Back at the camp, Tsunade stepped out of the wooden cabin with a grim expression.
Something had been bugging her. She wasn't sure if she was just overthinking things—but considering Konoha's current climate, there were certain matters she couldn't ignore.
Then again, mulling over it wouldn't help. Better to focus on something more productive.
Especially now that she felt a distinct change in her body—her vitality, her chakra flow... everything seemed to be evolving. It was almost as if something was growing inside her.
Could it be... Wood Release?
The thought sent a ripple of excitement through her. Who wouldn't be tempted by such power?
Even she wasn't immune to its allure.
As her thoughts cleared, she stepped out fully—only to find that the camp was strangely quiet, with only Karin remaining.
A quick glance revealed Shizune and Yuugao were soaking in the lake nearby. But Haruta?
Nowhere to be found.
"Tsunade-sama, you're up?"
Karin blinked and quickly stood to greet her, but Tsunade just waved it off. Her complexion was still a bit pale, but she'd clearly recovered some energy.
"No need for the formalities. Where's Haruta gone off to?"
"Oh—uh, he said he was going for a walk. Headed into the forest, about five kilometers north."
Karin pointed in the direction, but didn't elaborate further. She pushed up her glasses awkwardly.
She didn't dare say the rest.
Like how Yuugao had told her to keep an eye on Haruta.
Like how his movements didn't look like casual strolling at all... more like he was searching for something.
"Tch, a walk? He's probably grave-hunting."
Tsunade sneered, startling Karin. But then she saw Tsunade's relaxed expression and breathed a sigh of relief.
So… she already knew?
But... why dig up a grave?
"This whole area used to be a battlefield," Tsunade muttered, as if reading her thoughts. "No telling how many fallen shinobi were buried here."
"That idiot was going through old clan records and got it into his head that this place held something valuable. Total lunatic."
Karin could only give a dry laugh. So Haruta-san is into... grave-robbing now?
"I'm going after him. You stay here."
Before Karin could respond, Tsunade turned and darted toward the forest.
Five kilometers meant nothing to a ninja. Haruta had taken his time because he was searching, but Tsunade just needed to run in a straight line.
"I wanna see just what kind of crap you're planning to dig up."
Tsunade muttered to herself as she entered the dense woods.
It didn't take long before she reached the area—and spotted the glowing remnants of a seal.
"So you came, Sensei?"
Haruta wasn't surprised. His senses had picked her up long ago. He just hadn't reacted.
"I wanted to see what's so damn important that you're out here digging up graves."
Tsunade folded her arms, scowling slightly.
Haruta gave a wry smile. He was digging up a grave, after all.
If it were anyone else, he'd probably stop. But Tsunade?
No—she was the perfect witness.
He couldn't risk someone like her getting too far away from him. Not when he was about to unseal someone who might try to destroy the world on a bad day.
He wasn't Naruto—he couldn't just "talk-no-jutsu" his way out of every disaster. And whoever he unsealed... would need to live. He couldn't just toss her in a cell with Shisui and hope they'd get along.
So he needed someone trustworthy. Someone strong. Someone who could handle things if they went south.
And Tsunade? She was just right.
Not only did she have the authority to cover up almost anything in Konoha, she was also tight-lipped enough to keep a secret.
More importantly—she had inherited Hashirama's will. She didn't have the deep-rooted hatred for the Uchiha that many others carried.
If Haruta lived alone, he wouldn't bother with any of this. But now... well, Tsunade was going to get dragged into this whether she liked it or not.
"I'm not sure what's here exactly," Haruta explained aloud. "But it is sealed—and the technique is from the Uzumaki clan. Pretty high-level too."
"If time hadn't eroded the seal, even I wouldn't be able to break it."
"But now? It's ripe for the taking."
"Greedy bastard…"
Tsunade muttered, but her eyes stayed locked on the area where Haruta was unraveling the seal.
"Hurry up. Let's see what you found."
"Right."
Haruta pressed his hand into the ground—and the earth rumbled.
A moment later, a coffin slowly rose into view.
"…It really was a grave," Tsunade whispered in disbelief.
But then her eyes narrowed.
There was another seal—on the coffin itself.
Just how dangerous did someone have to be to warrant this kind of sealing?
"Whatever. We're here now—open it. Let's see what you've dug up."
Haruta nodded. With a flick of his fingers, he dissolved the seal, then pried the coffin open.
Tsunade stood still, staring into the darkness inside.
And then she froze.
Because lying inside wasn't bones or dust—but a girl.
Wearing the insignia of the Uchiha clan.
Her breathing shallow—but definitely alive.
"What the hell... is going on?!"
---