Chapter 57 – Tsunade's Farewell
"Ahhh~ finally done!"
Taichi leaned back, stretching his sore arms with a long sigh of relief.
Two freshly inked scrolls lay neatly on the table before him—the fruits of an all-night effort that had somehow felt even more exhausting than fighting a jōnin.
He glanced at the clock.
Still early enough.
Gathering the two scrolls, he left home and made his way toward Training Ground Three, where he'd arranged to meet Rin and Shizune.
The streets of Konoha were as lively as ever—vendors shouting, children running past, shinobi weaving through the crowd on errands.
Peace, noise, laughter—it was a snapshot of everything worth protecting.
---
When Taichi arrived at the training ground, however, what he saw made him freeze in surprise.
Standing beside Shizune… was Tsunade herself.
What the—?
At this hour, Tsunade was usually found at the gambling tables, the tavern, or—on rare occasions—the hospital. Seeing her here, of all places, was the last thing he'd expected.
Even Rin, who was normally cheerful and chatty, looked tense and stiff as a board under Tsunade's gaze.
Recovering from his shock, Taichi hurried over with a grin.
"Tsunade-nee, it's been forever! Didn't expect to see you here!"
Tsunade arched a brow.
"What's that supposed to mean? That I'm slacking off and shouldn't be here?"
Her sharp tone carried that familiar mix of amusement and threat.
"Ha-ha-ha…"
Taichi rubbed the back of his head, his black hair already a wild mess from last night's writing session. His nervous laugh only made it worse.
"You're misunderstanding me, nee-san! I'd never—"
He threw a desperate glance toward Shizune, silently begging for rescue.
Shizune, unable to hold back a giggle at his expression, quickly stepped in.
"Tsunade-sama heard you were writing a medical ninjutsu guide for us, so she came today to… supervise."
"Hmph," Tsunade crossed her arms. "Imagine that—an eight-year-old brat teaching medical ninjutsu. One daring enough to teach, and two foolish enough to learn."
She gave them both a look that could strip paint.
"If I didn't come to make sure you weren't spreading nonsense, who knows what kind of injuries you'd cause!"
"N-no, it's not like that, Tsunade-sama!"
Rin quickly spoke up, voice trembling slightly from nervousness.
"It was my idea! I asked Taichi to teach me. Please don't blame him!"
"It's fine, Rin," Taichi said with a reassuring smile. "Tsunade-nee's just teasing. Honestly, most of what I know came from her in the first place. If she's here to give guidance, I couldn't ask for more."
He pulled one of the scrolls from his pouch and offered it respectfully.
"Here, Tsunade-nee. I'd really appreciate it if you could look this over."
"Tch, you little brat…" she muttered, though she still took the scroll and began reading carefully.
---
Medical ninjutsu wasn't like ordinary jutsu.
A mistake in combat might hurt yourself—but a mistake in healing could cost a comrade's life.
The scroll also contained notes on anatomy, chakra pathways, and field surgery—knowledge that had to be absolutely precise.
Though she said nothing, Tsunade's careful, deliberate reading spoke volumes.
Her actions revealed far more affection than her words ever would.
While Tsunade was absorbed in the text, Shizune quietly pulled Rin aside, whispering conspiratorially.
"You know," she said, "Tsunade-sama and Taichi have this… special mentor-student thing. Don't take their banter too seriously."
Rin blinked, realization dawning.
So that's why Shizune had been laughing earlier—she'd taken Tsunade's scolding at face value, while the two of them were just teasing each other.
---
An hour passed before Tsunade finally rolled the scroll closed.
She looked at Taichi—this time, not as a mischievous junior, but with genuine pride.
"Kid," she said, "you're officially ready to graduate from under me."
Taichi froze, eyes wide.
"This scroll is exceptional. Even if I wrote it myself, it wouldn't be much better. You've done well."
For a moment, the world seemed to still.
Tsunade rarely acknowledged anyone as her student—least of all him.
This was the first time she'd ever said it… and he knew, perhaps, the last.
Taichi straightened instinctively, his voice trembling just slightly.
"It's all thanks to my teacher's guidance."
There was a sheen in his eyes he couldn't quite hide.
Tsunade's words weren't just recognition of his skill—they were an acceptance of him, wholly and finally.
From the side, Shizune and Rin watched silently, faces lit with awe.
In their eyes, this was the passing of a torch—the continuation of Konoha's healing legacy.
---
Tsunade broke the moment first.
"Enough with the mushy stuff."
She turned and beckoned to the two girls.
"You two, come here."
When they approached, Tsunade handed each a copy of Taichi's scroll.
"Study these well," she instructed. "Taichi did an excellent job, and his notes are tailored to your level."
"Yes, Tsunade-sama! We'll study hard!" both girls said in unison.
"And if you run into anything you don't understand," Taichi added, smiling, "come to me anytime. I'll help however I can."
"Thank you, Taichi!" they chorused.
"Alright, girls," Tsunade waved them off. "Go home, review what you've learned. If something's unclear, ask Taichi next time. He and I still have something to discuss."
The two nodded obediently, bowed, and left the training field, clutching their scrolls like precious treasure.
---
As their figures disappeared among the trees, Tsunade's eyes softened—just a little.
She turned back toward Taichi, her expression no longer teasing but thoughtful, almost heavy.
"Alright, kid," she said quietly. "Let's talk."
Watching the two girls disappear down the path, Taichi turned back to Tsunade.
Her expression was unreadable under the golden afternoon light.
"Sensei," he asked softly, "is there something you need me to do?"
Tsunade didn't answer right away.
After a long silence, she finally said,
"Walk with me."
Her tone was calm, but beneath it lingered a subtle melancholy—something heavy, almost wistful.
Without waiting for a reply, she started forward alone.
Taichi blinked in confusion, then quickly followed, his footsteps falling in rhythm behind hers.
---
They walked without hurry, weaving through the village that both of them had protected so many times.
They passed the hospital, its white facade gleaming in the sunlight.
They passed the Hokage Tower, bustling as always with messengers and shinobi.
They passed the academy, where laughter and sparring echoed across the courtyard.
And finally, they came to the Memorial Stone, quiet and still.
There, Tsunade stopped.
She spoke of the war's cruelty—of comrades lost, of the young who never came home.
She told Taichi about Nawaki, her beloved brother, whose dream of becoming Hokage had died with him.
And of Dan, whose death had left a wound that even time could not heal.
Taichi listened in silence.
But as the pieces came together, realization struck him like a cold wind.
In the original timeline, Tsunade had left Konoha not long after the Second Great Ninja War.
He'd thought that, perhaps, his presence—his "butterfly effect"—had changed that.
But no… he'd only delayed the inevitable.
A deep heaviness settled in his chest.
---
By the time they reached the top of the Hokage Rock, the sun had begun to sink, casting the village below in shades of gold and amber.
Konoha spread beneath them—vibrant, alive, peaceful.
And yet, the air between the two was heavy with unspoken sorrow.
"I'm leaving the village," Tsunade said simply.
Taichi's heart sank, though he'd already suspected it.
"When, Sensei?" he asked quietly. "At least let me see you off."
She gave a faint, almost amused smile.
"You're not even going to ask why?"
"If you've decided," Taichi replied, "then you've already thought it through. Trying to stop you would be pointless."
Tsunade let out a small chuckle.
"You really are a perceptive brat. Not like… certain others I could name."
Her tone softened as she looked out over the horizon.
"You know about my hemophobia, don't you?"
"I've noticed," Taichi admitted. "You never take frontline patients. And whenever you see blood… your hands tremble."
Tsunade sighed, the sound carrying both pride and exhaustion.
"Smart kid."
Her eyes grew distant, unfocused, as if seeing something far away—or long gone.
"After losing Nawaki and Dan, I had nothing left to fight for. Then came this… ridiculous condition. A medical ninja who faints at the sight of blood—can you imagine anything more pathetic?"
The corner of her mouth twitched, caught between bitterness and self-mockery.
"Truth is, I wanted to leave a long time ago. If it hadn't been for you kids staking out the gambling hall that day, I probably would've been gone already."
Taichi's eyes widened.
"That day… you mean…?"
He suddenly remembered—the day they'd found her at the tavern, pretending to be irritated at their persistence.
He'd thought it was coincidence. Apparently, it hadn't been.
If they'd been one day later… the story would've been completely different.
---
Tsunade turned toward him then, her expression gentler than he'd ever seen.
"But now," she said, "I can leave without regret. I managed to teach you everything I could."
A faint smile touched her lips.
"Shizune is Dan's niece. I'll be taking her with me. When she's ready—when she's truly grown into her own as a medic-nin—I'll send her back to Konoha."
As she spoke, she drew a storage scroll from her robe and swiftly formed a seal.
With a soft puff of chakra, two scrolls appeared before them—one small, one large.
Catching them, Tsunade handed both to Taichi.
He blinked in surprise, looking down at the gifts in disbelief.
"The smaller one," Tsunade explained, "contains all the advanced medical techniques and theories you'll need from now on. I organized them myself."
Her voice then dropped slightly, becoming more serious.
"The larger scroll… wasn't meant for you."
Taichi looked up sharply.
"But since you're my student—officially now, I suppose—you've earned the right to keep it."
Taichi turned the larger scroll over in his hands, reading the words inked across its seal.
His breath caught.
"The Summoning Scroll of the Shikkotsu Forest."
The domain of the Slug Sage.
The contract of Tsunade herself.