The stairs leading underground were merely carved out of the sloping rock.
The workmanship was extremely crude.
Mui descended the stairs one step at a time, the sound of his footsteps echoing underground.
"The duty our clan has carried from generation to generation is gatekeeping."
Mui, who was walking ahead, spoke.
"Gatekeeping means exactly what it sounds like: guarding the entrance."
"..."
Tsunade did not respond.
Instead, she listened to Mui recount the history of his clan.
After walking down the long flight of stairs, they arrived at a place resembling a stalactite cave.
Several stalactites hung from the ceiling.
The farther they went, the deeper it became.
Finally.
They arrived at the center of the cavern.
A pale-faced young man lay on a metal table.
"Hey, hey... How did your son end up like this?"
With just one glance, Tsunade understood that he was Mui's son... the patient.
He looked unnaturally pale.
The boy, who was over ten years old, lay on the operating table with a pained expression.
There were also many surgical instruments beside him.
And directly opposite the operating table, built into the wall... was a heavy stone door.
It was enormous.
A relief of a crying face was carved into it, covered in characters Tsunade had never seen before.
"Box of Paradise, giving birth to Satori, commanding Satori, ultimately attaining Satori."
Mui recited the meaning of the characters above.
The Box of Paradise was inside the door.
It was something they had guarded for generations, like a treasure vault.
And... it could grant any wish.
Tsunade, however, did not know this.
"Please take care of him... Lord Tsunade."
Mui turned around and looked towards his son.
His usually stern expression softened.
It was the gaze of a father looking at his son.
Anyone could tell