Tsunade leaned back in her chair, the dim glow of the Uzumaki seals still burning across the walls. Her expression was shadowed, but her voice was steady when she finally spoke. "You're right. I'm not sure I could have handled that if I hadn't pushed you into telling me." She exhaled heavily, then narrowed her eyes across the table. "So… what are these abilities you've been reborn with?"
Raven lifted her hand, halting the question before it could go any further. "For now, it's best you don't know too much. I already revealed more than I should have when I admitted where my real body is. I didn't expect you to see through my shadow clone so easily, but you did. And because you helped raise me, Tsunade, I trust you more than anyone. Still… too much information in the wrong hands is dangerous. Even with Shizune by your side, I can't risk you telling anyone."
Her tone darkened as she continued, each word deliberate. "Things are not what they appear. The death of your brother Nawaki, the death of Dan Katō, the extinction of most of your clan… none of it was coincidence. For decades, there's been a deliberate effort to whittle down the Senju influence in Konoha until nothing remains. Several hands are behind it. I won't tell you who yet—but one day soon, you'll have your vengeance."
Tsunade's face twisted in rage. She slammed her fist into the table with such force that the wood cratered and splintered beneath her knuckles, shards scattering across the floor. "Why the hell can't you tell me now? This is my clan, my family—we're talking about Nawaki and Dan!"
Raven met her glare with calm steadiness. "Tsunade, look at yourself. You're emotionally unstable. You drown your grief in alcohol and gambling, and worse—you can't even stomach the sight of blood. Did you think I didn't notice that, even before I died?"
Tsunade's voice dropped to a dangerous growl. "Are you telling me how to live my life?"
Raven shook her head slowly. "No. But I am telling you that if you want to stand beside me and take revenge on those who destroyed your family, you have to get it together. Drink if you must. Gamble if you must. But collapsing at the sight of blood? That weakness will destroy you. If you want to fight for Nawaki, for Dan, for the Senju name, then overcome it."
For a moment, silence hung heavy. Tsunade's jaw was clenched so tightly that the muscles in her face quivered, but she did not interrupt as Raven pressed on.
"I intended to find you in a few years and help you overcome these issues," Raven said, her voice quiet but firm. "But now, it's clear you need to confront them yourself. If you succeed, you'll be stronger than ever—and maybe, just maybe, I'll even be able to bring Nawaki back one day. Not soon. Five, ten years at least. But it's possible."
Tsunade's breath caught, her amber eyes widening. Her voice broke when she asked, "Could you… could you bring Dan back too?"
Raven allowed the faintest hint of a knowing smile to touch her lips. "Don't push your luck. Nawaki is difficult enough."
Tsunade's shoulders slumped, and she looked away, the anger in her eyes giving way to something more fragile. "So you've been planning all this time," she muttered, her voice edged with bitterness. "And apparently meeting with people I didn't even know were here. Mei Terumī, for example—you said you met her today?"
Raven inclined her head. "Yes. I crossed paths with her earlier. She has her own problems, but we've come to an understanding. Soon, she'll be funneling bloodline clans and children out of Kirigakure before the Bloody Mist policies kill them."
Tsunade's brows furrowed. "You've been busy. I didn't even know she was in town."
Raven's tone was matter-of-fact. "That's because you weren't looking. You were too busy trying to forget."
A long silence stretched between them. Finally, Tsunade clicked her tongue and glanced down at the splintered table. "You really knew about my problem with blood all these years?"
Raven leaned back, her voice dry but not unkind. "You didn't hide it very well."
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