"Forget it. There's no point talking about this anymore!" Uchiha Dan said with a bitter laugh.
"Hatake Sakumo must have already told the Hokage about our secret conversation, adding fuel to the fire that will get me killed."
"Tsunade, from this day on, we're through. We have nothing to do with each other anymore."
"And let me say this one more time: you are not allowed to come to my funeral. Otherwise, I'll haunt you even after I'm dead."
"Goodbye forever!"
As Uchiha Dan spoke those three words, it was as if they drained every last bit of strength from him. Tears immediately welled in his eyes, and his voice grew hoarse with trembling.
At the same time, two bright red trails of blood and tears streamed from Uchiha Dan's eyes.
The irises of his eyes suddenly turned red, as if beyond his control, revealing the Three Tomoe within.
The sight stunned Tsunade, but Uchiha Dan seemed to have made up his mind. Without hesitation, he turned and walked away.
The atmosphere had already been built up to this point. There was no reason to stay.
Originally, Uchiha Dan had planned to use the Pharmaceutical Department matter to gradually tell Tsunade everything.
But Tsunade had suddenly pulled the rug out from under him, forcing him to change his plans at the last minute.
In terms of results, this was better now, because Tsunade was overwhelmed with guilt.
But the risks were much greater, too.
If Tsunade took matters into her own hands again and made a mess of things, he really would be close to death. If he'd known this would happen, why would he have antagonized that lunatic Utatane Koharu?
He'd even worked out exactly what to say to Tsunade, but she hadn't played along at all.
Now, all he could do was gamble.
Gamble that, in light of all he'd done for the village over the years, Hiruzen Sarutobi would take a little longer to make his decision.
Gamble that Tsunade would react quickly enough to ask Uzumaki Mito for help before Hiruzen Sarutobi resolved to have him killed.
Damn Konoha. If he survived this crisis, he'd make everyone pay.
After all these years of laying the groundwork with Tsunade, it had to have amounted to something.
Uchiha Dan could only smile bitterly to himself. He'd had to work so hard just to stay alive.
Everything he'd said just now, aside from the embellished accusations against Tsunade meant to stir up her guilt, was basically true.
Now they'd reached the critical moment. Whether he lived or died came down to the final push.
But after he'd gone only a few hundred meters, Hatake Sakumo suddenly appeared in front of him.
"Haha, Hatake Sakumo, are you here to kill me?" Uchiha Dan was in despair.
This was Hatake Sakumo, for crying out loud—not that useless Utatane Koharu.
How the hell was he supposed to fight him?
With no real combat experience, there was no way he could be a match for this guy.
"Kill you?" Hatake Sakumo asked, baffled. "Why would I kill you?"
"Didn't the Hokage send you to kill me?" Uchiha Dan asked again.
"What Hokage? I haven't gone to see him!"
Hatake Sakumo's words rekindled Uchiha Dan's hope.
"Why didn't you report what just happened to the Hokage?" Uchiha Dan asked, puzzled.
"None of your business." Hatake Sakumo didn't want to explain. "Get moving. I still have to keep an eye on you!"
Uchiha Dan smiled, a genuinely happy smile.
He suddenly understood why Hiruzen Sarutobi had never liked Hatake Sakumo.
Unlike the other Anbu Ninja, Hatake Sakumo came from a family of samurai and had a mind of his own.
While the other Anbu Ninja obeyed Hiruzen Sarutobi without question, Hatake Sakumo only did what he believed was right.
Hatake Sakumo was loyal, but his loyalty was to Konoha, not to any individual.
If something benefited Konoha, he would do it. If it harmed Konoha, he wouldn't. He wouldn't let anyone else's will sway him.
How could Hiruzen Sarutobi put up with that?
That was why Hatake Sakumo was later transferred out of the Anbu. Hiruzen Sarutobi simply didn't want to see him anymore.
After they'd walked a few hundred meters farther, hurried footsteps suddenly sounded behind Uchiha Dan.
Finally come to your senses?
Uchiha Dan was speechless. What kind of person became too stunned to move just because of a few words?
He'd nearly been scared to death by Hatake Sakumo just now.
Tsunade still wouldn't have been a match for Hatake Sakumo at this point, but with her there, Hatake Sakumo wouldn't attack in front of her, even if he received the order.
In fact, for years, Uchiha Dan had figured that Hiruzen Sarutobi probably wouldn't directly order the Anbu to kill him.
What he'd said earlier about sensing killing intent in the Anbu Ninja's Chakra had just been a lie to Tsunade.
He wasn't the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki. How could he sense good or evil in someone's Chakra?
Since Konoha's founding, no Hokage had ever openly ordered Anbu Ninja to attack a blameless civilian.
That would undermine the village at its very foundations.
If they started doing that, Konoha could lose its stability for good.
That was the kind of thing Root would do, but Root hadn't even been established yet.
Root was formed on the eve of the Second Shinobi World War.
At the time, enemy spies were infiltrating the village, and the village desperately needed intelligence about the coming war. Hiruzen Sarutobi had only then agreed to Shimura Danzō's proposal to establish Root.
But even when Root Ninja carried out such missions, they couldn't do it openly. They had to remain hidden and operate even more discreetly.
Still, when faced with death, Uchiha Dan didn't dare leave room for even the slightest chance.
As the footsteps drew closer, Uchiha Dan suddenly darted to the side, almost as if possessed.
Tsunade rushed forward with her arms spread wide, passing right through the spot where Uchiha Dan had just been.
Her embrace met empty air, and Tsunade was immediately overcome with hurt. Tears threatened to spill again.
She'd already made up her mind. She would ask Uchiha Dan to forgive her, even if she had to swallow her pride—and she was even willing to reveal the feelings she'd kept hidden for years.
But Uchiha Dan had anticipated her anticipation and dodged to the side.
Normally, Uchiha Dan wouldn't have minded letting Tsunade get a little close.
But this was a matter of life and death!
The more guilty Tsunade felt, the more likely she was to help him at any cost.
If her guilt faded and warm feelings took its place, she'd start overthinking things again, and that would only make matters worse.
"Dan, your eyes..." Tsunade's eyes were already red-rimmed. She reached out to wipe the blood and tears from his face and examine his eyes.
But Uchiha Dan took a step back and casually wiped his face with his sleeve. Wearing a smile full of conflicting emotions and despair, he said, "Tsunade, go back. There's no point wasting your feelings and tears on a man who's about to die."
"Dan, I'm sorry!" Tsunade apologized with all sincerity.
"An apology is the most useless thing right now." Uchiha Dan only shook his head. "If you say you're sorry, does that mean I won't die?"
"No!" Tsunade hurriedly shook her head. "You don't have to die. There has to be a way."
"Don't forget, Hiruzen Sarutobi is the Hokage. If he really wants me dead, you can't stop him," Uchiha Dan reminded her.
"There has to be a way. Come with me!" Tsunade grabbed Uchiha Dan's hand and ran toward the Senju Clan compound.
"Let go! I want to go home. I want to see my adoptive parents and little brother one last time." Uchiha Dan struggled desperately to break free.
"I won't!" Tsunade was determined to take Uchiha Dan to see Uzumaki Mito.
As far as she was concerned, Grandma was always wise. She would surely have a solution.
Hand in hand, the two of them crossed almost all of Konoha.
Countless people were stunned when they saw them.
Hadn't everyone always said that Lord Tsunade and Doctor Dan couldn't stand each other?
Did young people's feelings really change that fast?
"Grandma! Grandma!" As soon as Tsunade entered the Senju Clan compound, she called out impatiently.
"Big Sis, you're back... Uh..." Nawaki had been playing and was just about to greet her when he saw Tsunade running in hand in hand with Uchiha Dan. He immediately ran toward the backyard, shouting, "Grandma! Grandma!"
"My sister brought her boyfriend home!"
Before you continue