Tsunade

Biodata

Feature	Value
Name	Tsunade (纲手)
Alias(es)	Tsunade-nee; Sister Tsunade; Lady Tsunade
Gender	Female
Affiliation	Konohagakure
Occupation/Role	One of the Legendary Sannin; medical ninja; commander of Konoha's medical logistics forces; Qingyu's guardian, mentor, and mission partner
First Appearance	Chapter 1

Power Progression

Chapter	Development	Details
1	Yin Seal already active	Tsunade bears the visible forehead mark of the Yin Seal during Qingyu's Academy enrollment. 1
24	Demonstrated Monster Strength	She cracks Hiruzen's desk while demanding the Sword of the Thunder God for Qingyu. 24
35–36	Shikkotsu Forest guidance	She brings Qingyu to Shikkotsu Forest, facilitates his contract with Katsuyu, and secures his future path toward Sage Mode cultivation. 35 36
48–49	Passed down Strength of a Hundred	Tsunade begins teaching Qingyu her chakra-enhanced striking technique after judging his physical foundation and chakra control sufficient. 48 49
60	Passed down the Shadow Clone Technique	She agrees to teach Qingyu the technique after he explains its value for accumulating training experience and memories. He masters it over the following month. 60
85	Passed down the Yin Seal	She teaches Qingyu the chakra-storage seal inherited and refined through her lineage. 85
108–109	Full-force training demonstration	Tsunade clashes with Qingyu using Strength of a Hundred and Heaven Kick of Pain, devastating the training ground. His strength and recovery allow her to fight more freely than usual. 108 109
113, 135–136	Passed down Ninja Art: Creation Rebirth	Tsunade gives Qingyu the technique's scroll and warns him about its lifespan cost. After he masters it, she discusses its limitations and permits him to explore improvements to its chakra efficiency. 113 135 136
137–138	Wartime medical command	She leads a special medical unit to Konoha's eastern front and directs triage and treatment priorities for a force of more than one hundred medical ninja. 137 138
143–146	Passed down and refined Body Pathway Derangement	Tsunade teaches Qingyu the training method for her nervous-system-disruption technique; he later masters it while collaborating with her on secret medicine development. 143 146
151–153	Rōran battle demonstration	Tsunade destroys Anrokuzan's puppets with Strength of a Hundred and Heaven Kick of Pain, then summons Katsuyu to join Minato against Anrokuzan's giant puppet form. 151 153
169	Emergency summoning support	During the Land of Rain operation, she prepares Katsuyu to heal and protect injured teammates even after blood-induced dizziness forces her away from direct combat. 169
177–179	Yin Seal release and battle against Jūzō Biwa	Tsunade cracks Kubikiribōchō with a powerful blow and activates Yin Seal: Release. She and Qingyu subsequently kill Jūzō, and Konoha captures his sword. 177 179
186	Defensive strength tested against Qingyu	She uses Strength of a Hundred to offset Qingyu's impact during a spar, but still suffers arm injuries that he heals afterward. 186
188	Confrontation with the Two-Tails' jinchūriki	Tsunade briefly overpowers Yugito Nii's normal defense with Strength of a Hundred, then faces her partial Tailed Beast cloak as Qingyu enters Sage Mode to assist. 188
203–204	Final offensive against the Mist Swordsmen	She joins the attack on Kirigakure's Uzushio outpost as medical support and defeats Jinin Akebino, whom Qingyu finishes off. She also treats Konoha's wounded during the victory. 203 204

Background / History

Tsunade took Qingyu in after his parents died during the Second Shinobi World War, an event that coincided with the death of her younger brother, Nawaki. As the Senju clan had dispersed and abandoned its surname, Qingyu became the only remaining Senju closely at her side. 1 24

She is the granddaughter of Hashirama Senju and regards Senju Tobirama as her second granduncle. Her connections to both figures allow her to draw on Senju resources and influence within Konoha. 22 24 44

Her grandmother, Uzumaki Mito, also raised Kushina. Tsunade visited the Uzumaki clan in her youth and considers Konoha indebted to it for providing jinchūriki and sealing techniques while failing to prevent the destruction of its homeland. This history informs her immediate sympathy for the rescued Uzumaki Karin. 79 96

During the Second Shinobi World War, Tsunade, Jiraiya, and Orochimaru fought Hanzō of the Salamander and lost. Hanzō subsequently bestowed their celebrated Sannin title. Her memory of his strength remains a reason for caution when returning to the Land of Rain with Qingyu. 166

Tsunade is one of Konoha's foremost medical authorities and a member of the Legendary Sannin. Her hemophobia has kept her from personally performing surgery for a long time, though she can teach medical theory and techniques while arranging practical hospital instruction for her students. 1 7

Dan Katō's death remains another source of grief. He died fighting near the Former Land of Whirlpools, and his remains were buried there because Konoha could not bring him home. As the war approaches its end, Tsunade asks Qingyu to visit his grave during reconnaissance in the area. 202

During the Third Shinobi World War, Tsunade resumes an active military role by commanding Konoha's medical logistics forces on the eastern coastline. Although she remains unable to personally treat bloody surgical cases, her experience allows her to rapidly organize triage, evacuation, and the treatment of poisoning and internal injuries. 137 138

She temporarily leaves the eastern medical forces in other medical ninja's care to accompany Orochimaru and Qingyu on an intelligence mission in the Land of Rain. Afterward, she returns to eastern-front medical command as Kirigakure reinforces its offensive. 166 175

By the later stages of the war, her position within the Medical Unit and frontline forces has strengthened alongside Qingyu's prestige. Danzō views the convergence of Tsunade's faction, Qingyu's influence, and Minato's battlefield reputation as a political challenge to his expectations for Orochimaru's succession to the Hokage office. 200

Personality

Tsunade is blunt, forceful, and highly protective of those she considers her own. When Hiruzen hesitates to release the Sword of the Thunder God for Qingyu, she confronts him directly and damages his desk with a punch. 24

Despite her gambling habit and frequent drinking, she is attentive to Qingyu's development: she arranges instructors, equipment, medical training, sage-region access, missions, and physical conditioning. Her relationship with Qingyu gradually takes on a familial older-sister dynamic. 18 34 44 71 104

Tsunade is prone to worry when Qingyu is placed in danger, a reaction shaped in part by Nawaki's death. While she dismisses his promise to protect her with amusement, she carefully warns him about the realities of battlefield ambushes and the danger of Kirigakure's coastal warfare. 83 137

Her affection for Qingyu grows increasingly open during the war. She gives him an unexpected forehead kiss before his deployment, approves of him as her “little brother,” and becomes comfortable relying on him for meals, companionship, and practical support. 110 137 150

This reliance continues during the Land of Rain operation, where she falls asleep against Qingyu's shoulder before taking over the watch so he can rest. Later, she allows him to test the Spirit Transformation Technique on her, something she had never allowed Dan to do. These interactions reflect considerable personal trust. 169 186

She enjoys combat when circumstances allow her to fight freely. Sparring with Qingyu gives her an exhilaration she has rarely experienced since hemophobia curtailed her frontline fighting, because he can withstand her strength and respond with varied techniques. 109

Although supportive of innovation, Tsunade is cautious about medical research. She emphasizes stability and reduced side effects over rushing a secret medicine to completion. 146

Her protective outlook extends to children beyond her household. She privately disapproves of Fugaku bringing the very young Itachi to the front, remembering that she had at least provided Qingyu with a period of relative peace before his battlefield service. 202

As Qingyu's strength becomes undeniable, she begins to accept that he may no longer need her protection. Her pride nevertheless remains intertwined with fear of losing another loved one. 204

Abilities & Skills

Medical Ninjutsu

Tsunade instructs Qingyu and Shizune in medical ninjutsu, beginning with chakra control and the Chakra Healing Technique. She identifies Yang Release control as essential to the discipline. 6 7

• Explains the principles of medical chakra control and Yang Release. 7
• Arranges Konoha Hospital internships and practical training. 7
• Joins a Land of Wind mission because her detoxification expertise may counter Sunagakure poison users. 78
• Her hemophobia limits her ability to personally conduct surgery. 7 85
• Directs medical logistics and battlefield triage for Konoha's eastern-front medical unit, prioritizing poison victims and severe organ trauma. 138
• Develops secret medicine alongside Qingyu during the war, combining her experience with his medical aptitude. 146
• Advises Qingyu to prioritize a medicine's stability and safety rather than immediate completion. 146
• Continues overseeing eastern-front medical preparations when Kirigakure's reinforcements make a sharp increase in casualties likely. 175
• Provides medical support during Konoha's attack on the Seven Ninja Swordsmen's outpost in the Former Land of Whirlpools and treats wounded allies during the battle. 203 204

Strength of a Hundred

Tsunade teaches Qingyu Strength of a Hundred, an advanced chakra-enhanced taijutsu technique that releases precisely concentrated chakra at the moment of impact. 48 49

• Requires exceptionally precise chakra control. 49
• Insufficient chakra concentration weakens the strike; excessive concentration can injure the user. 49
• Tsunade demonstrates its destructive force by creating a massive crater with a punch. 49
• Qingyu later uses the technique during his early-graduation examination against Hiruzen. 64
• Her fist collision with Qingyu generates powerful shockwaves and cracks the training ground beneath both fighters. 108
• Heaven Kick of Pain creates a crater three to four meters wide during their sparring session. 109
• In Rōran, Tsunade shatters puppet weapons, destroys multiple puppets with individual blows, and crushes Anrokuzan's giant puppet body with Heaven Kick of Pain. 151 153
• Cracks Jūzō Biwa's Kubikiribōchō with a powerful strike, although its blood-absorbing ability repairs the damage. 177
• Can use the technique defensively to offset incoming force, as demonstrated when Qingyu's strike injures her arms despite her mitigation. 186
• Briefly overpowers Yugito Nii's normal defense before the jinchūriki escalates to a partial Tailed Beast cloak. 188

Yin Seal

Tsunade teaches Qingyu the Yin Seal after promising to do so. The technique stores excess chakra for later use in battle. 71 84 85

• Requires long-term chakra accumulation. 85
• Expands the user's available chakra reserves during combat. 85
• The technique originated with Uzumaki Mito and was refined by Tsunade; its refined form also preserves the user's appearance. 130
• Tsunade's own completed seal is visibly marked upon her forehead, though the mark can vanish when its stored chakra is expended. 1 119
• Agrees to teach Rin Nohara after Qingyu advocates for her and Tsunade assesses her medical-ninjutsu talent as sufficient to attempt the technique. 130
• Shizune later begins training it but struggles to construct the reservoir. Qingyu uses Body Pathway Derangement to guide her chakra circulation and help her form its initial structure. 163
• Activates Yin Seal: Release during the naval confrontation with Jūzō Biwa and Suikazan Fuguki. 177
• Its stored chakra provides a potential means of interfering with Spirit Transformation possession. Qingyu explains that mobilizing all of Tsunade's chakra could have allowed her to regain some control during their test. 186

Ninja Art: Creation Rebirth

Tsunade developed Ninja Art: Creation Rebirth, an advanced regenerative technique that forces rapid cellular recovery through extremely precise chakra control. She supplies Qingyu with its scroll and warns him of its cost, then supports his research after he masters it. 113 135 136

• Rapid cellular division can consume the user's finite cellular lifespan if used recklessly. 113
• Its existing form wastes chakra by regenerating injuries indiscriminately rather than allowing the user to select specific wounds. 136
• Tsunade permits Qingyu to investigate a more efficient version after he identifies this limitation. 136
• She had already recognized the efficiency problem during its development, but wartime deaths made producing a usable version more urgent than perfecting selective regeneration. 136

Body Pathway Derangement

Tsunade created Body Pathway Derangement, a highly difficult medical combat technique that converts chakra into electrons and disrupts an opponent's nervous system and chakra flow. 142 143

• Demands exact control over the converted chakra; a mistake can injure the user's own meridians or fail to affect the target's nervous system. 142
• Teaches Qingyu its training method after he proposes combining its principles with Ninja Art: Creation Rebirth. 143
• Qingyu later masters the technique under her guidance. 146
• Explains that safe self-application requires directing the converted electrons along designated pathways without disturbing normal chakra circulation or brain signals. 143
• Its principles later help Qingyu guide Shizune through the chakra circulation needed to construct her Yin Seal reservoir. 163

Physical Strength

Tsunade possesses legendary superhuman strength, commonly called “Monster Strength.” Her raw power and chakra-enhanced strikes are recognized throughout the shinobi world. 15 24 49

• Qingyu gains a “Great Strength” trait from her when he cares for her after she returns drunk from gambling. 18
• Cracks Hiruzen's desk with a single fist strike during her request for the Sword of the Thunder God. 24
• Can fight without restraint against bloodless opponents such as Anrokuzan's puppets, making her especially devastating during the Rōran operation. 151 153
• Carries Qingyu's unconscious body while his spirit infiltrates a Kumogakure stronghold, protecting him until he returns. 188

Senjutsu Knowledge

Tsunade knows the Shikkotsu Forest and its sage-training system, though she has not successfully cultivated its Sage Mode herself. 35

• Explains that Sage Mode combines natural energy with a shinobi's own chakra. 35
• Warns that improper natural-energy control is dangerous. 35
• Brings Qingyu to Shikkotsu Forest to seek a Katsuyu summoning contract and future Sage Mode training. 35 36
• Later permits Qingyu to visit Shikkotsu Forest regularly for Sage Art cultivation. 148
• Recognizes Qingyu's Sage Art as comparable in significance to Hashirama Senju's and summons Katsuyu in battle against Anrokuzan. 149 153
• Her own inability to learn senjutsu remains distinct from her role in facilitating Qingyu's successful training. 199

Summoning and Battlefield Support

Tsunade can summon Katsuyu for major battles and emergency medical support. In Rōran, Katsuyu fights alongside Minato's Gamabunta against Anrokuzan's giant puppet form. In the Land of Rain, Tsunade prepares the summon as a safeguard for injured teammates despite her hemophobia. 153 169

Other Ninjutsu and Field Skills

• Uses the Body Flicker Technique to carry Qingyu to Maruboshi Kosuke's home. 44
• Teaches Qingyu the Shadow Clone Technique, enabling his subsequent use of clones for accelerated training, reconnaissance, and combat. 60
• Operates undercover as an orphanage worker in the Land of Rain, with Qingyu, Kakashi, and Ginka posing as war orphans. 167
• Leads coastal and naval reconnaissance missions, using the team's sensory specialists to locate enemy installations and assess threats. 176 177 188
• Helps establish the terms of cooperation between Konoha and the early Akatsuki, balancing support for civilian protection with expectations that Akatsuki will not betray Konoha. 172

Equipment / Items

• Senju medicinal bath — A secret Senju clan preparation Tsunade makes for Qingyu to strengthen his body. 34 44
• Katana — Given to Qingyu for training until he receives the Sword of the Thunder God. 31
• Medical supplies — Purchases substantial stocks before returning to the eastern front amid Kirigakure's renewed offensive. 175
• Blue-crystal brooch — A birthday gift from Qingyu, sourced from Shikkotsu Forest. 192

Relationships

• Qingyu — Guardian, teacher, and chosen-family older sister. She took him in after his parents' deaths, trains him in medical ninjutsu, Strength of a Hundred, the Yin Seal, Ninja Art: Creation Rebirth, and Body Pathway Derangement, and consistently advocates for his opportunities and safety. Their bond becomes increasingly affectionate and emotionally complicated as Qingyu reaches the battlefield. 1 6 24 49 85 136 137 143 She accompanies him into the Land of Rain because she fears the dangers posed by Iwagakure and Hanzō, trusts him to test Spirit Transformation on her, and protects his body during an actual infiltration. Qingyu reciprocates by cooking for her, healing her sparring injuries, carrying her when exhausted, and celebrating her birthday. By the final campaign against the Mist Swordsmen, she recognizes that his strength may have outgrown her protection. 166 169 186 187 188 192 204
• Shizune — Ward and medical-ninjutsu student. Tsunade teaches Shizune alongside Qingyu and lives with both of them. While she values Shizune's aptitude for poisons and antidotes, she initially recognizes that Shizune has not reached the threshold required for the Yin Seal. 6 60 104 130 Shizune later trains the seal and overcomes her reservoir-construction bottleneck with Qingyu's assistance. She also acts as a practical assistant who restrains Tsunade's drinking during wartime. 146 163
• Sarutobi Hiruzen — Former teacher and political counterpart. She pressures him to provide Qingyu with the Sword of the Thunder God, confronts him over the public campaign against Hatake Sakumo, and negotiates additional supplies for Qingyu's wartime deployment. 24 34 55 137 He continues entrusting her with eastern-front medical logistics as the war escalates. 175
• Orochimaru — Cooperates with him to give Qingyu practical mission experience; he recognizes her exceptional care for Qingyu. They maintain a professional Sannin relationship during the war, with Orochimaru informing her of urgent frontline assignments. 35 60 71 136 They work together during the Land of Rain intelligence operation and support Qingyu's proposal to assist Akatsuki. Tsunade warns him against seriously injuring Qingyu during their sparring match. 166 167 170 171 172
• Jiraiya — Fellow Sannin and former teammate under Hiruzen. Tsunade reunites with him and Orochimaru over drinks, while his obvious attraction to her and her requests for money form part of their familiar banter. She later recognizes his former Rain students and helps connect them with Konoha. 57 93 171 172
• Hatake Sakumo — Respects him as a senior and joins his Land of Grass mission with Qingyu. 55 93
• Katsuyu Sage — Treats the sage with unusual deference during their visit to Shikkotsu Forest. Katsuyu supports Qingyu's Sage Art cultivation and answers Tsunade's summons during the Rōran battle. 36 149 153
• Minato Namikaze — Fellow Konoha elite and mission partner. Tsunade coordinates with Minato during the Land of Demons and Rōran operations, combining Katsuyu with Gamabunta to oppose Anrokuzan. 110 153 Their growing wartime prestige, together with Qingyu's, becomes a political concern for Danzō. 200
• Uzumaki Kushina — An acquaintance raised alongside Tsunade by Uzumaki Mito. Tsunade checks on Kushina after the Nine-Tails' chakra is suppressed and introduces Karin to her as another Uzumaki in need of care. 79 97 When Kushina visits the front, Tsunade is initially concerned about the risk to Konoha's Nine-Tails jinchūriki but accepts that Minato and Karin provide strong sealing safeguards. 187
• Uzumaki Karin — Rescued Uzumaki survivor and distant relative. Tsunade is furious at the Grass ninja's abuse of her, embraces her, and promises safety in Konoha. Her concern is reinforced by her belief that Konoha owes the Uzumaki clan a historical debt. 96
• Rin Nohara — Promising medical ninja whom Tsunade agrees to teach the Yin Seal after Qingyu advocates for her. Tsunade initially questions whether she can meet the technique's demanding requirements but accepts her demonstrated aptitude. 130
• Nawaki — Deceased younger brother. His death coincides with Tsunade taking in Qingyu and continues to shape her fear of losing him. She speaks of Nawaki during her later birthday celebration with Qingyu and Shizune. 1 137 192
• Dan Katō — Deceased companion whose death remains emotionally significant to her. His grave lies near the Former Land of Whirlpools, where he fell in battle, and she asks Qingyu to visit it. She also remembers his Spirit Transformation Technique when Qingyu masters the same art. 186 202
• Yahiko, Konan, and Nagato — Jiraiya's former students and founders of the early Akatsuki. Tsunade encounters them while disguised, later confirms their identities, and offers to bring their proposed cooperation with Konoha before the Hokage. She accepts a partnership serving shared goals rather than demanding that Akatsuki become Konoha's subordinate. 167 171 172
• Uchiha Fugaku and Itachi — Wartime allies and acquaintances. Tsunade travels with Uchiha reinforcements on the eastern front but disapproves of Fugaku exposing his very young son to battlefield conditions. 175 202
• Queen Sara — Tsunade enters Rōran under official diplomatic authority to treat the queen's illness, then protects her when Anrokuzan's puppet guards attempt an assassination. 151
• Hyuga Hinata — A Hyuga visitor from the future encountered during the Rōran operation. Tsunade cautions Ginka against prying too deeply into information about the future. 151 155

Story Role / Major Arcs

Qingyu's Guardian and Medical Mentor

Tsunade accompanies Qingyu to the Ninja Academy after taking him in, then begins teaching him medical ninjutsu with Shizune. She recognizes his extraordinary Yang Release aptitude and secures his path to practical training at Konoha Hospital. 1 6 7

Advocate for Qingyu's Growth

She obtains Hiruzen's conditional approval for Qingyu to receive the Sword of the Thunder God, gives him a temporary katana, prepares a medicinal bath, and introduces him to Maruboshi Kosuke for swordsmanship instruction. 24 31 34 44

Her instruction also includes the Shadow Clone Technique after Qingyu explains how its transferred memories can improve training efficiency. 60

Senju and Senjutsu Guidance

Tsunade explains the Senju legacy of vast chakra reserves and broad mastery of ninjutsu, taijutsu, and genjutsu. She then takes Qingyu to Shikkotsu Forest, where he contracts with Katsuyu and is identified as a prospective Sage Mode successor. 7 35 36

As Qingyu's aptitude becomes clearer, Tsunade supports his regular Shikkotsu Forest training and recognizes his nascent Sage Art as an achievement approaching Hashirama Senju's legacy. 148 149

Combat and Field Training

Tsunade teaches Qingyu Strength of a Hundred and later the Yin Seal. She also brings him on missions to develop his medical and combat experience, including operations toward the Land of Wind and the Land of Grass. 49 68 78 85 93

She subsequently teaches him her advanced medical techniques, Ninja Art: Creation Rebirth and Body Pathway Derangement, while allowing him to research refinements to the former's chakra efficiency. 136 143 146

Their sparring sessions become increasingly intense as Qingyu grows stronger. An early full-force exchange devastates the training ground and allows Tsunade to enjoy combat freely; a later session leaves her arms injured despite using her own chakra-enhanced strength to reduce the impact. Qingyu heals her injuries afterward. 108 109 186

Protection from Konoha Politics

When Qingyu alerts her to the campaign against Hatake Sakumo, Tsunade confronts Hiruzen about it. She also stands beside Qingyu as Danzō seeks to claim him for Root training. 55 92

As her wartime influence grows, Qingyu suggests that her Sannin status, Senju heritage, and contributions to medical care could provide a strong foundation for becoming Hokage. Tsunade remains skeptical, arguing that popularity, seniority, and political skill matter alongside strength and that other prominent ninja are leading candidates. 191

Danzō later becomes concerned that Tsunade's faction, Qingyu's prestige, and Minato's growing reputation are converging more quickly than he expected, complicating his assumption that Orochimaru would be the strongest contender for Fourth Hokage. 200

Eastern Front Medical Commander

At the outbreak of the Third Shinobi World War, Tsunade leads Konoha's Medical Logistics Special Unit to the eastern coastline. She organizes treatment for Kirigakure's poison and Water Release casualties while Qingyu assists with severe medical cases and combat assignments. 137 138

After returning from the Land of Rain, she is again assigned to oversee eastern medical logistics as Kirigakure sends hundreds of reinforcements and deploys several Mist Swordsmen. Uchiha elite squads accompany her forces, and she purchases medical supplies before departure. 175

She also leads reconnaissance into offshore waters to locate Kirigakure's base. The mission encounters a five-ship fleet carrying more than fifty enemy ninja, including Jūzō Biwa and Suikazan Fuguki. Tsunade refuses their demand to surrender Qingyu, damages Jūzō's blade, and releases her Yin Seal. She and Qingyu subsequently kill Jūzō and secure Kubikiribōchō for Konoha. 176 177 179

Their combined defense continues repelling Kirigakure's probing attacks as the wider war begins to subside. 200

Rōran Operation

Tsunade enters Rōran under the pretext of treating Queen Sara, uncovers Anrokuzan's puppet conspiracy alongside Qingyu's group, and protects the queen during the puppet uprising. She later joins Minato in battling Anrokuzan's Dragon Vein-powered puppet form, summoning Katsuyu and repeatedly using Heaven Kick of Pain to halt the enemy's advance. 151 153

After encountering Hinata from the future, Tsunade warns Ginka not to investigate future events too deeply. 155

Land of Rain Intelligence Mission

Tsunade volunteers to accompany Orochimaru's intelligence mission when Iwagakure commits thousands of ninja to the Land of Rain. She leaves the eastern medical unit under other medical ninja's care because she does not trust Qingyu's safety in a region where Hanzō remains a potential threat. 166

Disguised as an orphanage worker, she leads Qingyu, Kakashi, and Ginka as apparent war orphans while Orochimaru infiltrates an Iwagakure base alone. Their role is to provide support and transmit intelligence from the outskirts. They encounter the early Akatsuki, and Tsunade declines Konan's invitation to join while beginning to suspect a connection to Jiraiya's former pupils. 167

An Iwagakure patrol attacks despite their civilian disguise. Blood-induced dizziness forces Tsunade to withdraw from direct fighting, but she prepares Katsuyu for emergency support while the younger ninja eliminate the patrol. During their overnight refuge, she accepts Qingyu's cooking and warmth, then takes a watch shift so he can sleep. The team continues gathering intelligence for roughly half a month before Orochimaru declares the mission complete. 169

On their return journey, she watches Qingyu spar with Orochimaru and warns her fellow Sannin not to injure him seriously. 170

Cooperation with the Early Akatsuki

When Amegakure forces approach a village protected by Akatsuki, Tsunade confirms that Konan, Yahiko, and Nagato are Jiraiya's former students. Qingyu persuades her and Orochimaru that assisting them would also benefit Konoha by keeping Hanzō occupied with internal opposition. Their group intervenes and helps defeat the attacking force. 171 172

Tsunade then offers to present Qingyu's proposal for financial, material, and intelligence support to Hiruzen, provided Akatsuki does not betray Konoha. Yahiko accepts cooperation that benefits Rain civilians without making his organization subordinate to Konoha. Hiruzen later approves the arrangement and assigns Qingyu to manage the relationship. 172

Kumogakure Reconnaissance and Yugito Nii

Tsunade leads a reconnaissance party that discovers a hidden Kumogakure stronghold near Konoha's defensive line. She entrusts Qingyu with infiltrating it through Spirit Transformation and protects his unconscious body in her arms. He learns that Yugito Nii is present and that Cloud forces intend to seize the eastern coastline. 188

Tsunade initially orders a retreat because confronting a jinchūriki is too dangerous, but the enemy detects the group and attacks. She fights Yugito directly with Strength of a Hundred. When Yugito adopts a partial Tailed Beast cloak, Qingyu activates Sage Mode to support Tsunade. 188

Wartime Leave and Birthday

During a lull following setbacks to Kumogakure and Iwagakure, Tsunade and her comrades return to Konoha for rest. Qingyu gives her a blue-crystal brooch from Shikkotsu Forest for her birthday, and they celebrate with Shizune at an izakaya. Tsunade drinks heavily, speaks about Nawaki, and falls asleep on Qingyu's back as he carries her home. 192

Final Offensive against the Seven Ninja Swordsmen

As the war nears its end, Tsunade asks Qingyu to visit Dan Katō's grave during reconnaissance near the Former Land of Whirlpools. Qingyu's team instead discovers all seven Mist Swordsmen establishing a forward outpost in the Uzushio ruins and sends Ginka to request reinforcements. Tsunade joins Shikaku's elite force, initially volunteering to provide medical support from the rear. 202 203

During the ensuing battle, Tsunade defeats Jinin Akebino, whom Qingyu finishes off, and continues supporting Konoha's wounded. Most of the Mist Swordsmen are killed, the enemy assault collapses, and Konoha routs the retreating forces. Shikaku credits Tsunade and Qingyu with contributing to the decisive victory. 204

Trivia

• Tsunade has a gambling problem and sometimes returns home drunk after losing at the casino. 18
• She uses red or dark-red nail polish. 18 49
• She regards Qingyu's progress with a mix of pride, surprise, and concern, repeatedly remarking on his extraordinary learning speed. 50 87
• Qingyu's presence substantially improves her gambling luck; after bringing him to a casino, she wins repeatedly and treats him as a human lucky charm. 135
• She is willing to demand money from Qingyu for her own purposes despite being his guardian, including when arranging his swordsmanship instruction. 44
• During a medical escort mission, she jokingly declares that a big sister's rights are “unlimited” while negotiating Qingyu's consultation fee, eventually offering him sixty percent and keeping forty percent. 68
• After returning to Konoha from the front, she immediately takes Qingyu to a casino and again wins a large sum with his luck. 163
• Her sparring exhilaration produces the collectible “Tsunade's Exhilaration” trait for Qingyu, increasing his Senju bloodline by thirty percent. 109
• She and Qingyu share a nostalgic popsicle break while purchasing supplies for their return to the eastern front. 175
• Her eyes are described as brown-gold or golden-brown, and her long blond hair is frequently worn in twin ponytails. 129 149 164