Shuji pushed open the familiar courtyard gate, his gaze sweeping over the empty garden. The dry landscape remained unchanged, the stone steps cool beneath the air, but the figure with dazzling loose blonde hair and a sake cup in hand was nowhere to be seen.
No one stood beneath the eaves.
Shuji's gaze fell on the tightly shut paper door. Inside was utter silence, without even the faint clink of sake bottles.
He walked to the veranda but did not rashly pull the paper door open. Instead, with his back to it, he sat down on the polished wooden floor.
"Do you need a chakra replenishment?"
There was no response from inside, as though no one was there.
He continued, "Katsuyu can transfer your chakra to others. I assume that transfer isn't one-way, is it?"
Silence still reigned behind the paper door.
Tsunade leaned in the shadows by the door, her amber eyes half-lidded.
In theory, it was possible. But her grandfather was Hashirama Senju, and her grandmother was Mito Uzumaki. Both had possessed immense chakra, and with the Yin Seal she had later developed, she had always been the one providing healing and support to others. It was difficult for anyone else to make up for the power she lacked.
Yet the kid outside possessed powerful chakra.
"Itachi's condition isn't good," Shuji's voice rang out again, breaking the silence. "Senior Shizune's assessment is that removing the foreign energy from his body completely will likely require you to act personally."
"Itachi hasn't suffered any external injury."
A nearly inaudible snort came from within. Of course she knew. Katsuyu was Tsunade's eyes; what it saw was what Tsunade saw.
After a moment, the paper door was pulled open from within by a narrow crack, just wide enough for a hand to