Tsunade's Backing

The next morning, the sunlight was so bright that it hurt Yusuke's eyes.

He rubbed his aching temples. He had spent almost the entire night studying the notes on the Flying Thunder God Technique.

Though he had Tobirama Senju's experience to draw on, Yusuke's comprehension was also exceptionally good.

But anchoring the space-time mark was far more complicated than he had imagined. He would need more time to fully understand it.

After washing up in a hurry and eating a little, he heard a knock at the door.

Tsunade was standing outside. She had changed her outfit today.

She wore a pale yellow kimono decorated with white butterflies.

Her hair was half pinned up with a goldfish hairpin, with a few loose strands framing her face.

The outfit made her look... um, cute. Yes, cute was the word.

Tsunade blushed a little when she saw Yusuke staring at her.

She glared at him with embarrassment and annoyance. "What are you looking at? I did this for you."

After saying that, she quickly turned and walked away. Yusuke's strange look had indeed embarrassed her.

If I weren't trying to win over Grandma Tohka so this guy could become her student, I wouldn't wear this outfit even if you killed me, Tsunade thought bitterly.

But her cryptic remark left Yusuke baffled.

Is she on her period?

Yusuke guessed, grabbing a jacket before following her.

They hadn't gone far when his keen senses picked up a faint gaze, trailing them from a distance like a persistent shadow.

The pursuer was highly skilled at tailing them, concealing his presence so well that he was almost indistinguishable from the passersby.

But the deliberately maintained distance and faint fluctuations in his chakra still gave him away to Yusuke's senses.

He just won't quit... Yusuke scoffed inwardly. Shimura Danzō was clearly determined to deal with him, the "traitor."

A powerful sense of danger hung over him. Now that this viper had his eye on him, life in Konoha would hardly be peaceful.

He turned his head slightly and spoke so quietly that only the two of them could hear. "We've had a tail since we left."

Tsunade kept walking, her expression unchanged, though her eyes turned colder. "Yeah, I know."

"Don't worry about him. They'll back off after today." Her voice was confident.

Yusuke said no more, keeping his guard up as he followed Tsunade through several streets. They eventually arrived at a secluded courtyard.

A traditional wooden fence surrounded the yard. It was lush with greenery, giving it a quaint, tranquil air that stood in stark contrast to the bustling homes nearby.

With a smile on her face, Tsunade walked up and gently knocked on the door.

A moment later, the door opened a crack, revealing a woman.

She looked to be in her forties. Though beautiful, her face carried a distant, icy air.

She wore a fitted combat outfit, and simply standing there, she exuded a powerful presence and an aloofness that made her seem unapproachable.

"Little Tsunade? You haven't visited Grandma in a long time."

When the woman saw Tsunade, the icy expression on her face softened slightly. She stepped forward and gently stroked Tsunade's blond hair as if she were petting her own granddaughter.

"Grandma Tohka, sorry to trouble you," Tsunade said respectfully, with a hint of playful affection in her voice.

Grandma? She looks only about forty. Is she actually in her fifties or sixties?

Yusuke gained a new appreciation for the Senju Clan's constitution.

Tohka Senju's gaze passed over Tsunade and settled on Yusuke. It felt almost tangible, scrutinizing and assessing him.

Yusuke instantly felt like a beast was staring him down, and a thin sheen of sweat broke out across his back.

In terms of mental pressure, she was far more intimidating than Hanzo the Salamander had been.

"Is he the Yusuke you told me about?" Her voice was cool, giving no hint of her feelings.

"Yes, Grandma Tohka. Yusuke, this is my great-grandfather's right-hand woman, and an elder I deeply respect."

Tsunade smiled as she introduced them to each other.

Suppressing his unease, Yusuke stepped forward and bowed respectfully. "It's an honor to meet you, Lady Tohka."

Tohka Senju had been a renowned powerhouse since the era of Hashirama Senju, the First. Famous throughout the Ninja World for her genjutsu, she was one of the Senju Clan's pillars.

He simply hadn't expected her to live in such a modest courtyard.

Tohka Senju gave a small nod and stepped aside. "Come in."

The three of them entered. The furnishings inside were even more modest than the courtyard, with hardly any unnecessary decorations. The rooms were almost bare.

A shrine hung on the wall of the living room. A wooden tablet rested on it, its grain ancient and rustic, and a faint life force emanated from it.

Below the shrine stood a simple altar, upon which rested two memorial tablets.

"Sit," Tohka Senju said, motioning for them to take their places on the tatami mat in the living room.

The atmosphere was quiet and oppressive, broken only by the clock's steady ticking.

Tohka Senju poured herself a cup of tea, took a small sip, and gently set the cup on the table.

Yusuke sat obediently, waiting for Tohka Senju to question him.

Time ticked by, second after second. Suddenly, his gaze grew vacant, and the world around him blurred.

All he could hear was Tohka Senju tapping her fingers on the table and the ticking of the clock...

Tsunade grew tense, her hands clenching unconsciously.

"Grandma Tohka, you don't have to—"

Tohka Senju cut her off. "Little Tsunade, you can't trust people too easily."

"Don't worry. It's only genjutsu. It won't harm him." Tohka Senju's voice brooked no argument.

Tsunade's heart leaped into her throat. She knew the extent of Grandma Tohka's genjutsu skills; even many Uchiha were no match for her.

She hadn't expected Yusuke to fall under it so easily.

"What's your name?" Tohka Senju began her questioning.

"Yusuke." His voice was a little mechanical, but he answered smoothly.

"Age?"

"Eighteen."

"Are you a member of Shimura Danzō's Root?" Tohka Senju's questions began to get to the heart of the matter.

A flicker of struggle appeared on Yusuke's face, but under the powerful genjutsu, he answered honestly.

"I used to be, but my memories of Root are all hazy now. I can barely remember anything about it.

"Maybe... something went wrong with my Cursed Seal."

His answer matched the explanation Yusuke had given Tsunade earlier, and she visibly relaxed.

Tohka Senju continued pressing him, her voice even more piercing. "What's your purpose in getting close to Tsunade?"

Once again, Tsunade instinctively held her breath.

She believed what Yusuke had told her, but who could know what someone was truly thinking?

This time, Yusuke barely hesitated. Under the genjutsu's influence, he answered with the most honest thoughts in his heart.

"I don't have any particular purpose. We've gone on missions together and faced life and death side by side. I feel at ease with her, and I like her. That's all."

His frank confession made Tsunade's cheeks flush bright red outside the genjutsu.

With this confirmation, the last weight on her heart finally lifted. She looked at Yusuke with even greater warmth.

Tohka Senju carefully observed the fluctuations in Yusuke's mind, confirming that he wasn't lying.

She fell silent for a moment, then asked the final question—the most important one.