Widow Tsunade

Chapter 33: The Widowed Tsunade

After breaking contact with the Third Raikage, another day and night passed. Sakumo's Team took the fastest route in a wide detour, completely avoiding the Cloud Village patrol units' search, preparing to head toward the Land of Fire.

But before that, this team ran into another major problem.

A very serious problem.

"Type O. Besides those two, is anyone else Type O?"

"Secret Technique: Blood Coagulation Slowdown Jutsu."

"Hey you, that's not a hemostat!"

"Don't move the Shadowless Lamp. Shin, hold it for him a moment."

The entire Anbu medical team was bustling around a figure whose body was a mess of blood and flesh. Other ninjas with some medical knowledge were helping on the side.

Kime Kunou was now lying on the cave floor. Multiple comminuted fractures across his body, multiple organ defects, chakra nearly depleted. He was already in shock, and even his blood supply was insufficient.

A full-scale major surgery in a wilderness environment was an extremely difficult undertaking for any village, let alone for these Anbu medical team members, most of whom had switched careers midway and hadn't practiced for more than two and a half years.

But a veteran jonin skilled in taijutsu and some large-scale ninjutsu was an incredibly valuable asset to the village. As long as there was even a sliver of hope, they had to find a way to save him.

So even if they had to grit their teeth, they had to do it.

Sahara Mizu wasn't Type O and had no medical background, so he could only stay on the sidelines. The others were mostly busy with their own tasks—some on perimeter alert, some organizing ninja tools, or resting quietly like him.

But even though no one said anything.

The silent glances, when they gathered together, carried a heavy weight.

While the Anbu medical team was bustling about, everyone was subtly, out of the corner of their eye, sizing up the pale figure sitting deep in the cave.

Tsunade, the "Medical Saint" renowned throughout the ninja world, had been excluded from the medical team.

No.

To be precise, it wasn't "exclusion." It was that she could no longer bear the responsibility of medical duty.

From the moment she was brought back, Lord Tsunade had shown extremely obvious war trauma reactions. Because of the bloodstains on her body, she couldn't stop trembling all over.

After they stopped moving, she didn't even care about appearances. She simply used the muddy rainwater on the ground to scrub the bloodstains off her body. Her stress reaction to red things was extremely intense.

It wasn't until nearly a day later that this trembling symptom eased slightly.

Later, to treat Jonin Kime Kunou, the leader of the Anbu medical team specially invited her for a consultation. Considering her current mental state, they only asked her to provide guidance, not to operate directly.

Out of a sense of responsibility, Tsunade steeled herself and went to take a look.

Then she crouched outside the cave and vomited intermittently for almost two hours.

After coming back in, she sat alone in a corner, hugging her head without a word.

Everyone present was a seasoned ninja. Even the Anbu medical team leader, upon seeing this, could only shake his head with pity.

Hemophobia.

The most common type of mental stress response in war trauma.

Tsunade's career as a ninja was probably over.

But unlike their worries, Sahara Mizu was staring at Tsunade for a completely different reason.

Ever since she had that violent vomiting fit in the morning, a white halo had appeared above Tsunade's head.

"Shallow Heart Knot"

But no matter how long he stared, there was no information feedback from within the halo.

Comparing it to the two Heart Knot targets he had encountered before, Sahara Mizu figured it was probably because he had no "bond" with Tsunade.

If that was the case, how to intervene in her "Heart Knot" became a major problem.

"Pssst. Pssst."

Hearing the sound from the cave entrance, Sahara Mizu turned to look.

Then he saw Miss Yayoi, looking mysterious, waving in his direction.

"What's up?"

Sahara Mizu walked out with a puzzled expression.

Miss Yayoi pulled him further away and whispered, "Let's get some distance. That way, if there's a blood spray inside, it won't get on us."

"Huh?"

Sahara Mizu looked confused.

Then Miss Yayoi said mysteriously, "I overheard it just now."

"Lord Sakumo had a talk with those two Kurama Clan jonin. He wants them to use genjutsu to help adjust that Tsunade woman's mental state."

"If we just take Tsunade back like this, that old man Third will definitely find a way to pin the blame on him."

"Pin the blame?" Sahara Mizu also instinctively lowered his voice.

"Hmph." Miss Yayoi muttered in displeasure. "Our clan head said it at the clan meeting—that Sarutobi Brat lacks real strength, only capable of bullying the weak at home while enduring humiliation abroad. The man chases petty gains and forgets honor, hesitates when facing great matters, and is utterly foolish."

"Now the village is locked in an endless struggle with the west, and he doesn't dare open a front to the north. He can't even get revenge, and so many elites have died. The failure of Tsunade's Team has to be pinned on someone."

"You'll see—at the Jonin Council, someone will definitely claim the reinforcements came too late."

Hearing this, Sahara Mizu couldn't help but regard Miss Yayoi with newfound respect.

This Seat's insight is truly profound.

But then something clicked in Sahara Mizu's mind, and he asked, "Can genjutsu really treat war trauma?"

"Normally, yes." Miss Yayoi's voice lifted slightly as she puffed out her chest. "Our Uchiha Clan even has an elder who specializes in using the Sharingan to reverse psychological trauma in senior clansmen. Though the success rate is rather low."

The Sharingan?

Sahara Mizu tried to picture that famous scene.

A mental patient treating another mental patient.

If that actually worked, it'd be a miracle.

"If it can work, why did you tell me to stay far away?" Sahara Mizu asked, puzzled.

"Because—"

"BOOM!"

Right as she spoke, a terrifying tremor erupted from inside the cave. The Kurama Clan jonin stumbled out in a panic, and even the medical team carrying patients evacuated from within.

"Get... get out!"

Tsunade's voice was nearly hoarse.

Uchiha Yayoi's words paused for a beat.

Only when the commotion died down did she continue: "Normally, this kind of genjutsu therapy requires the patient to have their emotions settled for a while before it can be done slowly."

"Using genjutsu on a patient right now will only make her immediately recall the person she misses most—or the thing she fears most."

Hearing this, Sahara Mizu instantly understood what had happened inside. He shot Miss Yayoi a helpless look.

"Why didn't you warn Lord Sakumo?"

Miss Yayoi muttered in dissatisfaction, "How could they not know that? For a genjutsu user, it's common sense."

There was a clear hint of grievance in the girl's voice.

"Hm?"

Sahara Mizu paused.

Then it dawned on him.

Hatake Sakumo was probably grasping at straws in his desperation.

"Sorry, sorry."

"I want ice cream~!"

"Alright, how about some ramen too? And Three-Colored Dumplings."

"Hehe, you said it yourself."

Miss Yayoi was really easy to appease.

As they chatted, Sahara Mizu reached for his Ninja Tool Bag, then suddenly remembered something and froze mid-motion.

Genjutsu.

Mental therapy.

Heart's knot?

Kyōka Suigetsu, Complete Hypnosis, common sense modification, ethical erasure.

The Widow Tsunade and the Hypnosis Ring!

Suddenly, a massive spark of inspiration ignited deep in Sahara Mizu's mind.

'If it's Kyōka Suigetsu, it should be possible, right?'

'Right now, Tsunade is still in a state of heavy chakra depletion.'

'In that case...'

He immediately stood up and walked toward the cave.

"Mizu?"

Miss Yayoi instinctively tried to follow.

"Yayoi, wait for me here." Sahara Mizu waved her off. "I have an idea I want to try out."

"Huh?"

In no time, Sahara Mizu strode into the cave.

The entire cavern was empty except for Tsunade, crouched in a corner, her head buried in her legs, fingers tangled in her hair. Faintly, the sound of suppressed, agonized sobbing could be heard.

Just then, as if hearing footsteps, her voice suddenly lowered, hoarse and raspy:

"Didn't I say, get—"

Until she looked up and noticed the young man she'd met briefly before, Tsunade's voice faltered.

"It's you."

"Something you need?"

Her voice was husky, but she still softened her tone slightly.

When someone is under extreme pressure or on the verge of mental collapse, they don't have the energy to consider others.

Being able to speak to him to this extent was already her limit.

"No."

"I just suddenly remembered there's something I forgot to return to you."

Sahara Mizu stood before her, his tone gentle.

His hand reached into his ninja tool bag and pulled out a necklace with a blue crystal.

Seeing the necklace in his hand, Tsunade's gaze froze, and her fists clenched abruptly.

"..."

After a long silence, she finally spoke in a heavy whisper: "Sorry, that's not mine."

"If you like it, take it."

"Or you can throw it away."

"Are you sure it's okay?"

Sahara Mizu leaned down slightly. The face of a fifteen-year-old youth was gradually shedding its immaturity, yet still carried a certain innocence unique to this age.

Those azure eyes met Tsunade's gaze.

"I can see it."

"Inside dwell the soul imprints of Lord Tsunade, a long-haired middle-aged man, a short-haired child, and a long-haired young man."

"I don't know how this crystal was condensed with chakra, or why it holds such immense life force that it can bear this much memory."

"But the traces inside are quite deep."

"?!"

The moment his words fell, Tsunade jerked her head up to look at him.

Her expression was stunned.

This necklace was her personal possession, and the fact that it was condensed from her grandfather's chakra was an absolute secret. Since he gave it to her, she had only passed it on to Nawaki and Dan.

How could he...?

Wait!

Tsunade suddenly realized, impulsively grabbing Sahara Mizu's sleeve and staring straight at him.

"You said, soul imprints?"

"How can I see them!?"

Sahara Mizu was slightly taken aback, not expecting her to take the bait so easily.

He didn't realize that this woman, newly traumatized, was at the most fragile point in her life.

But Mr. Sahara didn't dwell on it too long.

"I can see them, yes."

Sahara Mizu looked a bit troubled, somewhat helplessly: "But since they're just fragmented soul traces, even if you see them, it won't change anything, Lord Tsunade."

"As long as... as long as I can see them one more time, even just once."

Tsunade looked up, gripping his hand tightly. Her reddened eyes were vaguely moist, her pale, beautiful face sorrowful, her voice carrying a nearly weak plea:

"I'll do anything."

"Please."

"Help me!"