"The medium for summoning the Rope Tree...is not nonexistent, nor is it impossible to find."
["on the contrary."]
Tsunade's breath hitched, and she stared blankly at the tall boy in front of her.
A feeling of indescribable peace and trust welled up inside me.
The medium for summoning the Rope Tree can be understood as a part, or a small part, of its body.
["a lot of!"]
"And, right here in Konoha."
Tsunade's pupils suddenly contracted.
This information...
[She...she should have expected this.]
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The word "many" is no less significant than saying "dismembered."
In other words, the grave in Konoha's cemetery, Nawaki's grave... is empty, and... it was emptied right after he was buried.
Tsunade isn't stupid.
Otherwise... I wouldn't have said, "No, I can't find it."
[Perhaps, it's just that they're unwilling to believe or acknowledge this fact.]
[If she were the one who died... the ending would be the same.]
Tsunade was momentarily stunned, her mind going completely blank.
Naruto reached out and ruffled her hair.
[Gentle gaze.]
"Please have a seat, the food will be ready soon."
Tsunade's delicate body trembled slightly, then she slowly raised her eyes to look at Naruto.
[I stared into Naruto's deep blue eyes for a long time.]
She gradually came to her senses.
Take a deep breath.
I thought Tsunade would put on a brave face and revert to her earlier, carefree demeanor.
Unexpectedly.
She suddenly nodded obediently, letting out a soft nasal sound.
["Hmm~"]
Naruto's eyes widened slightly.
[Take it! We must take it!]
This left the person behind them, Shizune, completely stunned.
[Lady Tsunade...when did you become like this?]
It's quite obvious.
[Having followed Tsunade for so many years.]
[Shizune had never seen Tsunade unintentionally reveal such a vulnerable, feminine side.]
[...]
[A moment later.]
The room smells wonderful.
[Gurgle—]
[Shizune couldn't help but swallow.]
Even Tsunade's stomach rumbled from the enticing aroma.
[TunTun was completely speechless.]
[Kneeling at Naruto's feet.]
[Looking for adoption!]
Naruto patted Tonton and put down the food he had prepared for it.
"I'm starting to eat!"
[Mute couldn't hold back any longer.]
[Take one bite.]
Tears almost welled up in my eyes.
Lady Tsunade, let's not leave Konoha, okay?
Even if we have to leave, we have to lure Naruto away!
After all three of them had something to eat, [they ate something].
Having satisfied her cravings, Tsunade finally spoke again.
She looked intently at Naruto.
[His eyes flickered.]
"Naruto...did you...hold back something you didn't say just now?"
Naruto wiped his mouth.
The smile slowly faded.
Since Tsunade brought it up,
So... let's begin.
He glanced at the sake beside Tsunade.
"About Nawaki... I think Tsunade must have had some suspicions about it long ago, right?"
"It's just that I don't want to admit it."
Tsunade paused.
After a long silence, he silently picked up his wine glass and drank the sake in one gulp.
Finally, he said, "Yes."
With just one sentence, a cold glint flashed in his eyes.
Soon, Tsunade's eyes turned bloodshot.
[Jingyin paused, then silently put down her chopsticks.]
The atmosphere suddenly became heavy.
"Actually, it's quite easy to understand."
"Back then, the Senju clan merged with Konoha, becoming one with the village."
"The seeds of disaster have already been sown."
"Of course... even if they didn't merge with Konoha, other things would still happen."
"After all... of the Uchiha clan, only Sasuke and Itachi remain on the surface as far as the eye can see, capable of rivaling the Senju."
[The words fell.]
Tsunade narrowed her eyes slightly.
["What's the meaning?"]
"The literal meaning." Naruto's lips twitched. "I think Tsunade doesn't have a very good impression of the Uchiha clan either, but she wouldn't be as hostile as the others."
"When the news of the Uchiha clan's massacre reached your ears, your feelings must have been very complicated, right?"
Tsunade neither confirmed nor denied it.
[Silent, he poured another cup of sake into it and drank it all in one gulp.]
[It was as if he was responding to Naruto in this way.]
[Shizune's lips parted slightly, but after a moment, she poured Tsunade a drink and then took a small sip herself.]
"I was greatly influenced by my second grandfather, so I do have a natural aversion to the Uchiha clan."
"However... if the Senju hadn't joined Konoha, they wouldn't have ended up like the Uchiha." Tsunade made her final internal struggle.
Naruto stared at her for a while, noticing that Tsunade was still looking at him.
He shook his head somewhat helplessly.
"So, what if war breaks out?"
"The Uchiha Guard is tasked with protecting Konoha and preventing the Uchiha clan from growing stronger again."
"During the war, the Uchiha clan's strength increased the fastest."
Tsunade nodded slightly; she naturally knew this and couldn't refute it.
[The Uchiha clan's power originates from this, which is why Tobirama Senju called them evil.]
"Therefore, suppressing the Uchiha clan in Konoha was an open strategy."
"There's no need to target them; time will naturally weaken them."
"And what about the Senju?"
"As one of the two great clans that founded Konoha."
"If the Uchiha are in the rear, then the Senju must be in the front."
"Not only must they participate in every battle, but they must also achieve sufficient military exploits to demonstrate their abilities."
"Furthermore, regardless of whether it was the first or second senju leader, the senju clan inevitably developed a sense of arrogance."
"And naturally, the Senju clan would assume that the third Hokage would be a member of the Senju clan."
"What if it isn't?"
["gap?"]
At this point, the meaning is quite clear.
What happened after the First and Second Hokage passed away?
"If the Third Hokage is no good... ha, the Senju clan will be destroyed even sooner than the Uchiha clan."
Tsunade's lips parted slightly, but the words that were about to come out turned into a soft sigh.
[Gurgle—]
Another cup of sake down the drain.
["I see."]
"It was indeed to protect the Senju."
[A silent whisper.]
It's like helping Tsunade express her true feelings.
Naruto shook his head.
"No, it will only hasten death."
"However... there will be quite a few seeds left behind, so that even those that haven't merged into Konoha won't necessarily cause an overall increase in the strength of Konoha's lower levels."
"It won't end up like the Uchiha clan now, with only one or two or three left."
Orochimaru: "Actually, it's about the same."
Orochimaru: "During the period after the Second Hokage's death and when Sarutobi-sensei took office."
Orochimaru: "The ninja world is anything but peaceful."
Orochimaru: "If they still exist, the Senju will actively perish and merge into Konoha... which would make them passively perish in Konoha."
Orochimaru's words extinguished Tobirama Senju's last shred of hope.
Tobirama Senju looked as if he had aged more than ten years.
Tobirama Senju: "Monkey, is that so?"