This was the heart of the Senju Clan.
As the clan that had founded Konoha, it was only natural that the Senju Clan occupied such a central location.
Not to mention that the First, Senju Hashirama, and the Second, Tobirama Senju, were both members of the Senju Clan.
The reason the Senju Clan, which had founded Konoha, had become so sparsely populated was that the First, Senju Hashirama, had decided the clan's overwhelming influence would hinder Konoha's development. He had personally disbanded the Senju Clan, and its members had changed their names and blended into Konoha. Only the core branch had kept the name "Senju."
And the "Lady Tsunade" Shizune had mentioned was Tsunade Senju in full.
Her great-grandfather was the First, Senju Hashirama; her grandfather was the Second, Tobirama Senju; and her teacher was the Third, Sarutobi Hiruzen.
She was the purest-blooded person in Konoha.
Of course, what Akimichi Denji remembered most about her was her East African Rift Valley. Nothing else came close to how deep it was.
Shizune came over and crouched down to look at him, her eyes sparkling as she smiled. "So you're the little boy with the physical condition who needs a checkup?"
Akimichi Denji nodded.
She patted Denji's head, then looked at his fair, tender face and couldn't help saying, "What an adorable little boy."
Then she took Denji's hand and said gently, "Come on. I'll take you to see Lady Tsunade."
Akimichi Denji took off his shoes and followed Shizune by the hand, heading inside.
When she opened the door, a tall, blonde woman came into view.
She sat casually astride a chair, her dazzling golden hair loosely tied behind her head, with a few strands brushing her full chest—which was wrapped only in a simple white chest bandage that outlined its breathtaking curves.
She wasn't wearing her trademark green jacket. Her taut, smooth skin was the color of honey. Her face was expressionless, a blue diamond-shaped mark set between her brows. Beneath thick lashes, her amber eyes were half-lidded, seemingly fixed on Denji, but she barely moved.
"Lady Tsunade!" Shizune stepped forward to get her attention.
"Huh? Shizune. Did the sake arrive?" Tsunade raised her head groggily and looked at Shizune.
Shizune lifted a hand to cover her face, looking utterly resigned, as if she were terribly embarrassed.
"Lady Tsunade, this is the child from the Akimichi Clan I told you about. He has a physical condition and needs your help."
"Oh, right." Tsunade seemed to remember. She set down the sake jug in her hand, walked over, and bent down to stare at Denji. "So this is the kid? He's so small."
Akimichi Denji looked at the formidable mass that had suddenly loomed right in front of him.
That was anything but small.
"Wait." Tsunade seemed to realize something and pointed at Akimichi Denji. "Are you sure he's from the Akimichi Clan?"
"Yes, Lady Tsunade." Shizune nodded, confirming it once more.
Tsunade suddenly reached out and squeezed Akimichi Denji's arm, then rubbed his cheek.
Akimichi Denji tried to struggle, but the woman was too strong for him to resist. He resigned himself to being squeezed and prodded.
By now, Tsunade seemed to have sobered up. Her eyes were clear, and she looked as if she had encountered a difficult problem. "It really is a problem. He looks way too normal. For a child from the Akimichi Clan to be this normal, he must be seriously ill."
Akimichi Denji: "..."
What had the Akimichi Clan ever done to her?
But when he thought of Choza and Choji's near-identical builds, he had no rebuttal.
Shizune seemed to notice Denji's discomfort and smiled at him. "Don't be scared. Lady Tsunade may be strange, love drinking and gambling, and have a terrible temper, but she's an extremely skilled Medical Ninja. She'll definitely be able to solve your physical condition."
"Hey, hey, is that supposed to be a compliment?" Tsunade objected.
Akimichi Denji knew there was nothing wrong with his physique, but he had no way to explain that to her.
Tsunade had regained her composure. "Go inside and take off your shirt."
Akimichi Denji did as she asked, undoing his sash and slowly slipping off his undershirt. His upper body, exposed to the cool air, was lean and toned—completely at odds with the Akimichi name.
His ribs showed clearly beneath his pale skin, and his veins were faintly visible. His waist was narrow, with the subtle outlines of abdominal muscles, like the beginnings of mountain peaks. His slight frame gave the six-year-old an oddly powerful presence.
Six years old. Powerful presence. Two seemingly impossible things, yet they somehow existed in strange harmony in Akimichi Denji.
Tsunade froze. She had expected a skeletal frame, all skin and bones, beneath his clothes, but his body looked perfectly healthy.
Shizune covered her mouth, letting out a short gasp too.
A warm glow of medical chakra lit Tsunade's slender, fair fingers as they glided lightly over Denji's lean upper body. Wherever her fingertips passed, a faint light seemed to answer from beneath his pale skin, and a subtle warmth quietly seeped into his flesh.
But as time passed, Tsunade couldn't help frowning.
Then she lowered her hand and looked at Akimichi Denji in confusion. "Are you really from the Akimichi Clan?"
She glanced at his distinctive red hair, shook her head, and contradicted herself almost at once. "He must be."
"Your body... is extremely healthy. Abnormally healthy, in fact." Tsunade drew back her glowing fingers, her brows knit and a flicker of surprise in her eyes. "Your heartbeat is normal, your pulse is strong, and your temperature is consistently on the high side. Your metabolism is a little high, though. Your muscles are functioning perfectly, with no signs of strain or hidden injuries. Your cells are remarkably active, too."
"And my Medical Ninjutsu examination shows that your life energy is exceptionally abundant—far beyond that of other children your age. I've examined samples from the Akimichi Clan, and even ordinary Akimichi members don't have life energy this abundant at your age."
Life energy corresponded to Yang Release, while spiritual energy corresponded to Yin Release. In general, the better a person's life energy, the greater their talent for Yang Release Ninjutsu.
The Akimichi Clan's Butterfly Mode was a Yang Release Ninjutsu, and the Senju Clan was also famous for Yang Release Ninjutsu. Tsunade's own Strength of a Hundred, Medical Ninjutsu, and Yin Seal were all related to Yang Release as well.
If it weren't for that red hair, she might even have suspected Akimichi Denji was from the Senju Clan.
Come to think of it, he reminded her a lot of Nawaki...
Looking into Denji's eyes, Tsunade couldn't help losing herself in thought.
Akimichi Denji noticed Tsunade's finger resting motionless on his abs and couldn't help asking, "What's wrong? What's wrong with my life energy?"
Tsunade withdrew her hand. Denji felt a little disappointed.
Tsunade shook her head, coming back to herself. "Nothing. From a medical perspective, there's nothing wrong with your body."
"The only strange thing is that your father says you eat a lot every day, yet you haven't gained any fat. That doesn't seem to make sense."
"But I have two theories. One is that your body only uses the nutrients to build muscle and other strengthening tissues, while discarding fat as an unnecessary burden."
"The other is that your Kekkei Genkai may also require energy, absorbing all the excess."
"Either is possible, and that's the answer! Whichever it is, it means you have exceptional talent as a ninja."
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