Result

"Kushina- neechan, you're here early today!"

"Is there only one person? Caisha."

"Yeah, Dad tried to be strong while moving things last night and twisted his back. Mom tied him up and took him to the hospital today."

The young woman, dressed smartly, smiled brightly, wearing an apron with the shop's logo around her waist.

Tie him up?

Kushina's lips twitched; that old man was really something else.

"Kushina, what would you like today? This morning they brought over freshly picked potatoes, carrots, celery..."

The young female shop owner was enthusiastically promoting her products.

"Give me this, this, and..."

The girl deftly picked up and weighed the vegetables that Kushina had chosen. Kushina stood in front of the shop, idly observing the sparse pedestrians on the street.

It's still early.

Seven o'clock in the morning.

For most residents of Konoha, it was just the beginning of the day. Apart from the patrolling ninjas, the streets were filled with housewives who had gotten up early to buy fresh ingredients and students heading to school.

"Kushina!"

"Eh--? Lady Tsunade! Why... you smell awful!"

Kushina took several steps back, waving her left hand in front of her nose repeatedly to dispel the overwhelming stench of alcohol.

Tsunade's face was flushed, and she kept chuckling to herself. She walked with a wobbly gait, her legs wobbling, and one couldn't help but worry that she might fall to the ground at any moment.

"Lady Tsunade, did you go out drinking all night again?!"

Kushina pinched her nose, grumbling and complaining, but still went over and helped Tsunade up.

"All night? Hehe... I only had two drinks, not much... burp"

With the sound of burping, the strong stench of alcohol wafted on the wind, and the surrounding pedestrians immediately turned pale and scattered as if they had encountered a formidable enemy.

Kushina's face showed a helpless expression.

"... Caisha, please deliver these things to my house for me later. I have something to do right now."

"Okay, Kushina- neechan, take care."

The adorable signboard girl rolled up two paper tubes and stuffed them into her noses. Watching Kushina and Tsunade's departing figures, she breathed a sigh of relief.

"Lady Tsunade, Lady Tsunade? We're home! Did you bring your keys?"

Kushina helped Tsunade stand in front of the apartment.

This is Tsunade's residence. Tsunade doesn't live in the Senju Clan's mansion because she's impatient with the pressure from her elders to get married. So she found an apartment near the hospital and lives alone.

Kushina has also come to visit a few times.

He took the key out of Tsunade's chest, opened the door and went inside. One by one Shadow Clone moved between different rooms, boiling water and cooking porridge, each performing their own task.

They took extremely good care of Tsunade.

"Ah--! My head hurts so much..."

After drinking a large bowl of hangover soup, Tsunade finally felt a little better. Lying on the sofa, she groggily tried to open her eyes, and it took her five or six seconds to recognize him by his red hair.

"It's Kushina! What are you doing here...? Oh! Is this...? Did you go home?"

"Lady Tsunade, you should drink less alcohol. Nawaki will probably be back soon, and you're going to get scolded again." Kushina said helplessly, pressing an ice pack onto Tsunade's head.

"Ouch! So cool... so comfortable!" Tsunade stretched her legs and adjusted her sleeping position to the most comfortable one. "Oh dear, I just couldn't control myself! If we wait for Nawaki to come back, it'll be hard to find a chance to drink to our hearts' content... Kushina, you mustn't tell Nawaki about what happened today!"

"I won't tell you, but you were drunk and stumbled along the road for quite a distance. When I met you, I sensed several Chakra rushing towards you... I'm afraid I can't hide it from you any longer."

Kushina finished speaking, Tsunade closed her eyes in despair.

The thought of my precious younger brother about to launch into his lecturing mode made my head, which had just cooled down a bit, start throbbing and aching again.

"The war is over!!"

After a long silence, Tsunade finally sighed.

"..." Kushina rolled her eyes and shook her head helplessly.

However, the war is indeed over, and Katsuki is returning... Minato said that once Katsuki returns, they can officially begin preparations for that matter...

The Land of Grass.

"Time... is almost up."

"What should we do? Katsuki hasn't come out yet. Should we keep waiting? Or...?"

Outside the dungeon.

The crowd waited there.

The morning glow in the sky slowly faded, and the warm sunshine gradually became scorching. The scheduled time for the army to set off and return to the village was fast approaching.

The crucial point is that the army commander is still in the dungeon and has not yet appeared.

"What is the teacher doing down there, sister?"

Kuyue looked up at Yuki Yoizuki.

"Yes, Lord Katsuki is conducting an experiment, a very important one." As she spoke, she subconsciously glanced at Rokuro Kaguya face was pale.

"An important experiment?"

Kakashi, with his arms wrapped around the back of his head, leaned against the isolated, crumbling wall, staring in astonishment at the portal leading to the dungeon.

The dark gate was closed, without a lock, but no one dared to approach it. An invisible barrier blocked the way, and no one had been able to go down since noon yesterday.

"Let's wait and see! At least the final departure date hasn't been set yet! Besides... even if it's postponed, it won't matter. At most, I'll just get a scolding from the Lord Hokage when I get back," Nawaki said calmly.

Otoha's lips twitched, but with Nawaki, a trusted confidant of the Hokage, guaranteeing it, he no longer needed to worry.

A group of people gathered in a corner of the small village, waiting for Katsuki to appear.

Time passed second by second, and what started as a brief conversation has now turned into complete silence.

All eyes were fixed on the tightly closed door.

Finally, the unhurried footsteps echoed in everyone's ears, gradually becoming clearer as they approached.

"Squeak--!"

An old, poorly maintained door screeched loudly.

"Oh, everyone's here!"

Pushing open the door, Katsuki shielded her eyes with her right hand. Having spent more than three days underground and grown accustomed to the darkness, her eyes suddenly felt slightly stinging.

"Teacher!"

Kuyue called out, her expression beaming with joy.

"You've come too!"

Katsuki quickly adapted to the sunlight and strode out, dragging a heavy object with her left hand.

"... I said, Katsuki, this guy is..."

Otoha stared in astonishment at the heavy object being dragged out: the Five-Tails Jinchuriki, Han.

The heartbeat is very weak, but the person is definitely alive; there's no mistake about that...

"But... why has the Five-Tails' aura disappeared?"

A roar erupted from the depths of his heart, and his Mitsudomoe Sharingan began to spin wildly. (To be continued)