What Do You Mean? (Double Chapter)

"Ugh, cough cough cough."

The abrupt shift in scenery made Tsunade, half-kneeling where she was, unable to stop herself from dry-heaving.

The excessive mental drain over such a short period also let her clearly feel the weakness originating from the depths of her body, as if the slightest movement would make every cell in her body collapse like a castle piled from sand.

Yet, recalling the scenes she had just witnessed in "Dan Katō's memories," the scenes she had once lived through, Tsunade could not help feeling lost.

Only when she saw the pair of hands she was clutching tightly reflected in her vision did she force herself to focus and piece together what had happened before.

Tsunade's voice was hoarse, and her gaze carried a trace of pleading.

"Why, why did it suddenly stop?"

"I'm not finished yet!"

Seeing how haggard she looked, Sahara Mizu seemed to shake his head regretfully.

"I'm sorry, Lord Tsunade."

"I'm afraid we can only stop here today. I've already used over half my chakra."

Tsunade froze at those words.

Only then did she notice the change in the sky outside. Quite a long time must have passed.

"Lord Tsunade, the dead are gone, but the journey of the living must continue." Sahara Mizu spoke with apparent sincerity. "My father once told me when I was young that dwelling too deeply on things that have passed would bring a backlash."

However, Tsunade could not take in a single word at that moment. Her grip on his wrist was unbelievably strong as she said urgently,

"Wait!"

But before she could say anything else, Sahara Mizu suddenly looked at her with an utterly unfamiliar gaze. At the same time, he extended his nails and unhesitatingly scratched a clear bloody gash across his own arm.

Blood slowly ran down his arm and onto the knuckles of the hand Tsunade had wrapped around his wrist.

"Urgh!?"

The instant she saw the trail of blood, Tsunade seemed to receive an electric shock. Her pupils contracted, and she abruptly released his wrist, shrinking back instinctively before slamming into the stone wall with a bang.

That thin line of blood dripped onto the ground, leaving a faint mark.

"As expected."

Watching her reaction, Sahara Mizu, who had already seen her series of Heart Knots from shallow to deep, let out a low breath. "Because it gave your fragile mind a place to escape, has your fear of blood instead become even more deeply rooted?"

"Lord Tsunade, you should calm down by yourself for a while."

Besides, after hearing Little Broken System's prompt, he needed some time to calm down as well.

As Sahara Mizu spoke, his gaze swept over Tsunade, who was leaning against the wall and trembling all over.

Right now, he could not imagine no matter how hard he tried how the Tsunade in the "Ultimate Bond Path" had turned into something like "mature xx," "island xx," "office xx," or "master and disciple xx."

This world might be absurd enough for Xi Zong to wear a MAGA hat, but reality still needed to have at least a shred of logic, didn't it?

In any case, Sahara Mizu did not dare act recklessly toward Tsunade again like before, driven by wishful thinking just for a few Heart Points.

He needed to carefully consider which "path" to take afterward, and what impact it would have on his daily life.

And whether Yayoi and Yukie also had similar "hidden dangers."

However, before Sahara Mizu could leave the cave, Tsunade's voice came from behind him. She still held onto a sliver of hope, and even sounded somewhat cautious.

"Then, once you've recovered. No, after we return to the village."

"Could you..."

Sahara Mizu turned to look at her.

"Lord Tsunade."

"I believe I said this before the technique began."

"Only this once."

"If you keep sinking deeper."

"Have you considered what price you'll have to pay?"

Tsunade could not help but freeze, staring blankly at him.

Sahara Mizu did not say anything further and simply walked out of the cave.

Yet, he did not realize it.

His words, originally meant to make Tsunade retreat in the face of difficulty and buy himself some time to think, instead caused a slight change in her expression. She looked uncertain.

"The price...?"

Tsunade lowered her head to look at the Cyan Crystal clenched in her hand, murmuring as if she had thought of something.

The legacy left behind by the Senju House was exceedingly profound.

Ninjutsu, Fuinjutsu, medical techniques, all manner of historical records from the Ninja World, hundreds upon thousands of categories of forbidden knowledge, and the Second Hokage's old research reports.

That enormous inheritance even required several Anbu squads and large-scale barriers to guard it year-round.

It was only natural that people coveted those things.

Clearly, Tsunade had placed Sahara Mizu among them.

"This guy..."

"That bastard taking advantage of a crisis."

However.

Tsunade recalled the time she had experienced in that strange scene.

During nearly half an hour in reality, she had seemingly spent an entire week in the labyrinth of her memories, from the day she first met Dan to their date after the Jonin Council.

At the same time, she had seemed to completely forget everything happening in reality, reliving scene after scene of meeting her first love with the emotions she had felt back then.

Only after leaving that scene had she suddenly awakened and remembered everything that had happened in reality.

The conflict between the two even gave rise to an intense sense of rupture deep in her heart, as though she had suddenly fallen from a blissful heaven into the hell of reality.

That young man's cold voice made Tsunade clearly realize it.

Everything she had just seen had only been memories.

Every beautiful feeling preserved within those memories had already been torn to pieces by this damned reality.

"Damn it."

After struggling alone for a long time, Tsunade suddenly cursed, as if she had made up her mind.

"If he wants those useless things... he can have them."

"He did save my life."

"Besides..."

"I'm the only direct descendant of the Senju Clan left."

As though speaking to herself, and as though trying to convince herself, Tsunade unconsciously rested her massive breasts on her knees, wrapped her arms around them, and murmured softly.

Her voice grew quieter and quieter, her expression sorrowful.

Yet, Tsunade did not realize at that moment.

At the end of this "path," where the two would rush toward each other, what Mr. Sahara would get into his mouth would not merely be a few items.

"Living humans have only two states."

"One is horny, and one is hungry."

"Sahara Mizu—right now, you're already full!"

Seeing the panel that had suddenly popped up, Mr. Sahara, who had just eaten, waved his hand with obvious disdain and leaned against a tree root to rest with his eyes closed.

No horny stuff in public!

Unexpectedly, System Sister became anxious at once and repeatedly urged him on.

"Just look to the side!"

"That Uchiha girl is practically staring holes into you."

"If you publicly take her down right here, you'll immediately get a Mid-Level Heart Knot. Then, if you want dry food, you can eat dry food; if you want porridge, you can drink however many bowls Xi Zong makes! How lavish!"

Oh, screw you!

Sahara Mizu had finally realized that his broken system truly did not behave like a human.

Still, he raised his head and glanced to the side.

Miss Yayoi, leaning against him, froze. Apparently not expecting her little act of sneaking glances to be discovered, she immediately turned her head away in embarrassment.

Only after a while did she suddenly realize that her current "status" was no longer the same as it had been back at the ninja academy.

Now, she was a powerful near-girlfriend who could call Lord Mizu by name, lean against him while eating dinner, and stood above the rank of "more than friends"!

Almost instinctively, she turned back around and openly stared at him again.

Sahara Mizu did not know what there was to look at.

However, considering the "Ultimate Bond Path" that had appeared not long ago, he thought for a moment and took the initiative to ask,

"Yayoi?"

"I'm looking!" The girl sounded entirely justified, somewhat adorably foolish.

"That's not what I meant." Sahara Mizu organized his words. "I wanted to ask whether there's been anything strange about your body lately?"

"Eh?!"

Uchiha Yayoi immediately understood. Her cheeks flushed slightly, and she instinctively covered her little butt. "How did you know when I get 'that'?"

Sahara Mizu's face darkened. "Other than your period?"

"N-no, nothing else?" As Miss Yayoi spoke, she cautiously glanced around, afraid that someone else might hear.

Girls at that age were still rather thin-skinned.

"I see."

Sahara Mizu looked at the still-empty blue halo above her head and nodded slightly.

No information was itself a form of information.

Based on how the Shallow Heart Knots of Yukie, Yayoi, and Tsunade had appeared, Sahara Mizu could roughly determine the following three points.

First, to complete a Heart Knot mission, he needed to have a certain degree of "bond" with the target, at least a relationship above mere acquaintances.

Second, the Heart Knot halo required the occurrence of a certain "event" before its corresponding content could be seen.

Lastly, his different methods of handling a Heart Knot would lead the "Ultimate Bond Path" with that bonded target toward different "endings." Therefore, he needed to choose his approach carefully no matter what.

Throughout this entire process, other than their relationship with him "getting better," bonded targets would not develop any physical abnormalities whatsoever.

Halfway through his thoughts, Sahara Mizu suddenly turned to look in Yayoi's direction.

However, no matter how he tapped "Bond Query," Miss Yayoi showed no reaction.

"It's no use."

"Within a single cycle, you can only query the Ultimate Bond Path of one target."

System Sister's lazy voice sounded in his mind.

"You need to figure out how to take down that blonde with the huge breasts blocking your way first—at least reach the 'Shallow' standard before you can think about advancing into the deepest part of other beautiful girls' souls!"

"Didn't I tell you? You're bound to those huge breasts!"

Hearing that, Sahara Mizu frowned instead.

It had nothing to do with whether he was a lolicon, and it was not as though he disliked huge breasts.

The key issue was that Tsunade's identity was simply far too sensitive.

Looks like I'll have to wait for another suitable opportunity.

Leaning against the tree, Sahara Mizu thought this to himself.

However, he had not expected that opportunity to come so suddenly.

"Boom—!"

The day after the group returned to Konoha.

Another deafening blast erupted from the Hokage Building, which had only just been repaired.

The Hokage's Office on the fourth floor had been smashed open with a massive hole that ran straight through the building, providing abundant light and excellent ventilation.

Sarutobi Hiruzen stood in the office, his eyes widening as he looked at his disciple and shouted,

"Tsunade!"

"What exactly are you trying to do?!"

Tsunade glared back without yielding an inch, gritting her teeth as she cursed, "What am I trying to do? I should be asking what this old bastard did!"

"The dignified Hokage Building! The office at the very center of Konoha, fully protected by barriers and Anbu defenses, with multiple Veteran Jonin stationed on guard!"

"And yet a few Iwagakure grunts managed to openly snatch intelligence away?!"

"You old bastard! What the hell have you been doing sitting here?!"

Sarutobi Hiruzen's face twitched at once.

Utatane Koharu beside him, however, sternly rebuked, "Tsunade! As a Konoha Jonin, you dare provoke the Hokage's authority with your words?"

"Do you know what crime that is?"

The moment the old woman opened her mouth, she reeked of old bureaucratic nonsense.

But Tsunade would not accept that. Pointing at her nose, she clenched her fist and raised her chin. "So what if I curse you? I'll beat you too!"

"A full eight Jonin, eight elite Chunin, four sharp-blade squads, and only two survived! One of them is even on the verge of death."

"What? Do you bastards have to force the Senju Clan bloodline into extinction?"

"Huh?!"

The moment those words came out, no one present dared respond.

Although the Konoha F4 were currently in their glory days, their prestige required many things to support it.

Among them, legitimacy was the most important support.

All of them were Senju Tobirama's disciples.

In a world where clan and master-disciple ties were extremely firm, secretly harming the teacher's relatives was a crime that not even the Third Hokage could bear.

Seeing this, Mitokado Homura immediately stepped forward to mediate and smooth things over. "Tsunade, no one could have anticipated this incident. Losing so many elites is a shared loss for all of Konoha. Hiruzen is actually deeply saddened as well—"

"Yes, of course he's saddened."

Tsunade stood there, her cold gaze sweeping over the people before her.

In the end, it settled on the man standing at the very back, who had remained silent the entire time. Her voice was hard and cold.

"How could a spy infiltrate a Hokage Building with such airtight defenses? Was he skilled enough, or did someone cover for him?"

"The barrier gap in the Sealed Archive was top secret. How did they know about it?"

"How did S-rank intelligence whose seals had never been opened end up in another village's hands?"

"Besides, when the Third Raikage thought victory was assured, he accidentally revealed something minor."

"He told me that among Konoha's upper ranks, someone sold some of our intelligence to Kumogakure for twenty million ryō."

"What a coincidence."

"One of the secret hideouts our squad randomly chose had been discovered by them from the very beginning."

"Why don't you discuss in advance how you're going to explain all this?"

With a blade-like chill in her voice, Tsunade dissected each and every suspicious point and laid them before them.

It was not as though the others present had failed to notice the possible issues, nor was it as though they had not suspected that the Third Raikage was trying to drive a wedge between them.

But after Tsunade finished speaking,

everyone present turned their heads in unspoken agreement and looked toward Shimura Danzō, who stood at the very back.

The entire Hokage's Office fell into a deathly silence.

"."

"What do you mean by that?"

Thanks to readers Ledongmo, Born in the Primordial Desolation, Iger Ai, Reader 20230415132854031, and Only Knows a Tiny Bit for the monthly votes!

It hasn't been dropped, so don't spread nonsense.

I got back late today, so I combined two chapters into one.

Yesterday's update was posted at eight in the evening. More than twenty-four hours passed between it and this chapter, which is why it shows as updated a day ago.