Tsunade did not move at first.
Her eyes remained on Raizen—
still standing, still steady—
after taking her punch head-on.
For a brief moment, something unreadable crossed her face.
He didn't fall.
Raizen met her gaze without flinching.
His stance hadn't broken.
His breathing was controlled, his focus locked on her—ready.
Tsunade's eyes shifted then, taking in Shinka as well.
The room had gone quiet.
She exhaled slowly.
"Don't make me do this the hard way,"
Tsunade said at last, her voice firm, stripped of mockery.
"I don't have the time—or patience—for political games."
Her gaze hardened.
"People are dying at the border. Even Uchiha are fighting there—bleeding there—while you stand here selling resources for profit."
The accusation hung in the air.
Raizen said nothing.
He only looked at Tsunade while the Uchiha shinobi quietly moved in, surrounding the shinobi who had come with her.
No one rushed.
No one shouted.
Shinka spoke instead.
"Don't worry about the Uchiha fighting at the border," she said calmly. "Our clan has already given them the resources they need."
Tsunade listened closely.
"For the rest," Shinka continued, "we have already informed the clan heads and the village. They can purchase these supplies from here."
Her meaning was clear.
Shinka didn't wait for Tsunade to ask.
"We don't trust the village," she said plainly.
"And this time, we won't let it take advantage of our clan again."
She looked directly at Tsunade.
"If you try to force us—
by pressure or authority—
Then we will destroy these resources ourselves."
The shop fell silent.
"And if that happens," Shinka added, "the deaths at the border will be on you."
Her Sharingan activated.
Tsunade stared at her.
This wasn't a threat made in anger.
This was a decision already taken by her.
As Tsunade looked around at the Uchiha shinobi in the shop, one thought crossed her mind.
Something very big has happened inside the village.
Tsunade's thoughts slowly became clearer as she looked at the situation.
Since Shinka showed the daimyo's document, the Uchiha had not acted like they used to.
There was no shouting.
No cursing.
No reckless fighting.
Instead, they were willing to destroy their own resources rather than let others take advantage of them.
That thought unsettled her.
"Just what happened in the village?"
Tsunade muttered to herself.
Her voice was low, but Shinka heard it.
"You should go and ask the people of the village, Lady Tsunade," Shinka said calmly.
"Once you understand, then think about what happened here today."
She met Tsunade's eyes.
"For now, please leave. We don't want any disturbance here."
Then Shinka turned to the Uchiha shinobi around her.
"You all return to your work," she said. "The sale will begin soon."
The tension did not disappear—but it settled.
Tsunade watched as the Uchiha shinobi—who moments ago had looked ready to fight—quietly returned to their work.
"Gensai-dono," Shinka asked, turning to Mizuno Gensai, "do you want to look into the accounts, or should we wait and start the sale today?"
Mizuno Gensai had been standing there for a long time, watching everything in silence.
Now, he understood why the Uchiha wanted him to act as their spokesperson in the village.
"Lady Shinka," Gensai said after a moment, "my group can help with both the accounting and the sale today. We'll treat this as a trial—to understand how the process works."
As he spoke, he took the accounting book Shinka handed to him.
After looking through it, he quickly understood the situation.
According to the records, today's stock was meant mainly for the clans.
Only a small portion was listed as extra supplies that the village could take if needed.
As Shinka and Gensai continued their discussion, Tsunade stood there for a moment-
completely ignored, as if she were nothing more than air.
Her fingers clenched slowly.
Without another word, she turned and left the shop with her group.
"Hmph. Let's go."
Shinka, still speaking with Gensai, glanced at Tsunade as she left, only from the corner of her eye.
Gensai then lowered his gaze to the account book and began checking the stock numbers.
Raizen exhaled quietly.
"Only because of Uzumaki Mito… I didn't attack her," he said, looking at Shinka. "Otherwise—"
He stopped himself.
Shinka placed a hand on his shoulder.
"Let her be," she said calmly. "She's more pitiful than the Uchiha."
She paused.
"At least we still have our clan."
Neither of them spoke for a moment.
"There's no Senju left to take revenge on," Shinka said finally.
"And I don't want revenge on her."
Her thoughts drifted briefly to their parents' sacrifices… and then to the village as it was now.
Looking at Tsunade—the last living Senju—
Shinka wondered what revenge even meant against someone who was already empty inside.
Tsunade stepped out of the shop and looked at the people walking toward it.
She quickly recognised them—Shikaku Nara and the Akimichi patriarch.
As they came closer, Shikaku smiled.
"Greetings, Lady Tsunade."
The Akimichi patriarch also smiled and nodded in greeting.
"Only the two of you?" Tsunade said lightly.
"The Pig–Deer–Butterfly trio feels a little incomplete."
Shikaku paused for a moment.
The mention made things uncomfortable, and his thoughts briefly went to Inoichi.
"Well… Inoichi couldn't come today because of some matters, Lady Tsunade," Shikaku said, clearly not wanting to dwell on it.
"So, you came for the Uchiha's new products. What do you think of them?"
Tsunade looked at him and answered after a brief pause.
"They're good."
Then, after a moment of thought, she added, her gaze steady on Shikaku,
"Can you tell me something? What exactly has happened to the Uchiha? They feel… different."
Shikaku looked at the Akimichi patriarch.
For a moment, they exchanged a glance, both wondering how much they should say.
Shikaku felt uneasy.
He had come at the wrong time.
The very things he had been trying not to think about were catching up to him again.
Tsunade noticed their troubled expressions and frowned slightly.
"If you don't know," she said, "then let it be."
Shikaku let out a slow sigh.
"No," he said quietly. "You should know."
He began to explain—
carefully—
talking about what had happened over the past few months.
Tsunade listened without interrupting.
And with every sentence, the worry on her face grew a little deeper.
Hidden Mist Border
Uchiha Stronghold
The atmosphere inside the stronghold was tense.
Many Uchiha looked worried.
Shinobi and civilians alike lay inside the medical shelter, receiving treatment.
The smell of blood and medicine hung in the air.
"There's nothing strange about this," a Uchiha shinobi said bitterly as a kunoichi wrapped bandages around his arm.
He looked toward Fugaku and Uzuku.
"We were the only ones foolish enough to believe things would change."
He scoffed.
"A dog's tail can never be straight."
Fugaku turned toward him.
"Zankuro," he said firmly, "don't turn this into mockery. You're not the only one who's worried."
But the tension at the border had been growing with every passing day.
Reinforcements were delayed.
Supplies were slow to arrive.
Zankuro laughed harshly.
"Our Hawk Two units are gone," he said loudly.
"Lost. Do you know that, Patriarch? Uchiha are dying out there, and still no reinforcements."
His voice rose, sharp with anger.
"So tell me—did we take a contract from the village just to let our own people die for their power games? Wake up, Patriarch. "
"Come out of your fantasy."
His words echoed through the shelter.
Other Uchiha shinobi paused.
Even the medical staff stopped for a moment.
The civilians lying there heard him, too.
And more than a few of them felt the same uneasy thought take hold.
How much longer will the village delay sending help?
Fugaku, after being scolded by Zankuro, looked visibly embarrassed.
The anger among the Uchiha shinobi was growing day by day.
If resources and reinforcements didn't arrive soon, it would break their morale completely.
Uzuku, who had been listening in silence, noticed Fugaku's expression.
"Enough, Zankuro," he said firmly.
Zankuro didn't stop.
"Captain, I can't stay quiet anymore," he said, turning toward Uzuku.
"The Grand Elder already warned the village to stop playing their games. And yet, nothing has changed."
His voice grew harsher.
"Even Toyoma—
a child—
knows when to take a stand," Zankuro continued.
"But look at us. It's been one full month, and our Patriarch still hasn't gotten a clear answer from the village."
His eyes went to Fugaku.
"I've sent notices to the village, Zankuro."
Fugaku replied, anger creeping into his voice.
"We will get an answer."
Zankuro shook his head.
"They won't give us answers," he said bitterly.
"Only excuses. This problem, that difficulty—anything to delay reinforcements."
His breathing grew heavy.
"If they had even a little conscience, they would've sent supplies by now. We're fighting with the resources the Grand Elder gave us. Without them, we'd already be dead."
As he spoke, Zankuro tried to stand.
Pain shot through him.
The kunoichi immediately grabbed his shoulder and pushed him back down.
"Ah—what are you doing, Setsuri?" Zankuro snapped, wincing.
"Sit still," Setsuri said sharply, pressing down as she continued bandaging the wound.
"It's a deep injury."
Then she added quietly,
"And keep your mouth shut."
Zankuro glared at her.
She didn't blink.
Fugaku looked at Zankuro, his jaw tight."Then tell me," he said. "What do you think we should do?"
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