Looking at her reflection in the river, Tsunade suddenly spun around, her pupils contracting slightly as she cried out, "Uncle Lu Xuan?"
Behind her stood Shin and Konan. They were looking down at her, smiling. "You seem to be in a bad mood. Want me to talk you through it?"
As he spoke, Shin had already sat down beside her. Konan hurriedly sat close against his other side, expressionlessly watching the river flow past.
She had little interest in Tsunade and knew very little about her. She had simply come along with her master.
"What are you doing here, Uncle Lu Xuan?" Tsunade quickly asked. The last time she had seen Shin was during that battle against Hanzō in Amegakure. Several years had passed since then.
She now knew Shin's true identity, but out of long-standing habit, she still called him Uncle and used the name he had first given her.
Smiling, Shin scooped up a handful of river water. In the golden afterglow, the water slipped through his fingers like pearls from a broken string, falling back into the river.
"The Third Shinobi World War is over. I came back to Konoha for a look now and then. I heard you developed hemophobia?" Shin turned to her, his tone calm, yet carrying a strange strength.
For some reason, Tsunade's heart settled a little. Ever since learning what had happened to the Senju Clan, her mind had been in constant turmoil. Though Shin's words were calm, they felt like an elder's concern, giving her an unexpected sense of security.
Watching the flowing river, Tsunade fell silent for a moment before nodding. "Ever since I saw Nawaki's corpse, my mind has been unstable. When I returned to the village and learned about the Senju Clan, everything inside me became completely chaotic.