Senju Tōka's Last Wish?

"Thanks for letting me know. I'll consider it."

"But right now, the war comes first."

Yusuke's expression was calm, giving nothing away.

Orochimaru seemed to have expected this. He smiled meaningfully. "Of course. There will always be opportunities. Well then, I'll take my leave."

With that, he slowly sank into the ground and disappeared.

"Yusuke, training in Senjutsu at Ryūchi Cave is extremely dangerous."

"Even a genius like Orochimaru only passed Ryūchi Cave's trials. He didn't dare train in Senjutsu."

Tsunade grabbed Yusuke's arm, worry written all over her face.

"I understand. I won't act rashly."

"I've only just begun learning Senjutsu at Shikkotsu Forest. There's no rush to learn another kind."

"For now, let's focus on dealing with the war in front of us."

Yusuke clasped Tsunade's hand and gave her a reassuring look.

But after spending so much time together, Tsunade knew Yusuke well. She could see right through a lie like that.

That guy's clearly itching to go to Ryūchi Cave, Tsunade sighed inwardly.

"Come on. Let's go get our assignments."

"This war won't be easy."

As he spoke, Yusuke headed for the mission office first, trying to distract Tsunade.

A few minutes later, they arrived. The mood at the mission office was unusually grim.

After confirming his identity, Yusuke accepted his mission scroll.

"Land of Wind battlefield. Second reconnaissance support unit."

"Members: Inuzuka Go and Hyuga Aya."

It was a mission in his area of expertise, at least. Shimura Danzō probably hadn't arranged it.

Tsunade received her own orders beside him.

"I've been assigned to the main battlefield in the Land of Rain, with the medical team."

The main battlefield meant the fiercest fighting—and a confrontation with the formidable Hanzo the Salamander.

Meanwhile, the Land of Wind front faced the threat of an unknown Sunagakure ambush.

"Be careful," they said at the same time, their voices full of concern.

Yusuke took a specially made Flying Thunder God Kunai from his ninja tool pouch and placed it in Tsunade's hand.

"Keep this safe. If you activate the sensory kunai I gave you last time, I'll use the Flying Thunder God Technique to come straight to you."

Tsunade gripped the kunai tightly. The cool metal against her palm eased her worry a little.

She was about to say something when, from the corner of her eye, she spotted a furtive figure in the corner of the training ground trying to disappear into the crowd.

She knew that figure all too well.

Tsunade's gaze sharpened. She vanished in an instant, seized the figure by the back of the collar, and lifted him like a chick.

"Ow, sis! Go easy!" Nawaki stumbled as she yanked him.

But when he turned and saw the fire in Tsunade's eyes, he immediately backed down.

"Nawaki, what are you doing here?"

Tsunade suddenly remembered Sarutobi Hiruzen's words: "Genin with excellent results will join the battlefield."

Could it be...

"I'm a ninja too. Why can't I come?"

Nawaki stuck out his chin. Usually, he was like a mouse whenever he saw Tsunade, but now his face held a rare stubbornness.

"I went to Uncle Hiruzen and volunteered. I'm the First's grandson. Protecting Konoha is my responsibility."

"Besides, I've already received my mission. I'm going to the Land of Wind battlefield!" He raised the mission scroll in his hand.

"Don't be ridiculous. Go home. Now!" Tsunade's voice rose, her chest heaving.

He was her only younger brother, the last of Hashirama Senju's line. She couldn't let anything happen to him.

"No! I'm already a ninja! I'm not a little kid who needs you to protect him forever."

"Wasn't it you who gave me Grandpa's necklace and told me to become a great ninja?"

Nawaki pulled the necklace from around his neck, his own stubborn streak showing.

His eyes were just like their grandfather's in Tsunade's memories. Once he'd made up his mind, not even eight horses could drag him back.

The two glared at each other, locked in a stalemate.

Nawaki looked to Yusuke for help, his eyes practically pleading, Help me, brother-in-law.

Yusuke's temple throbbed.

In the original story, this kid died in this war when an Explosive Tag blew him up.

Letting him onto the battlefield? Too dangerous.

But Nawaki was as stubborn as a mule. If they stopped him by force, he'd surely sneak off later, making him even harder to keep track of.

Better to keep him where I can see him than let him out of my sight.

Yusuke sighed inwardly, stepped forward, and gently pressed down on Tsunade's tensed arm.

"Tsunade, Nawaki's grown up. He has his own choices and convictions. We should respect that." His voice was calm but firm.

Tsunade's eyes widened in disbelief. A sheen of tears instantly clouded her amber eyes, as if the person she trusted most had stabbed her in the back.

"You're taking his side? He... he's my only brother."

Her voice caught. It was a rare, heartbreaking reaction from a woman as forthright as her.

"I'm not taking his side."

"I promise you: as long as I'm alive, I'll bring him back safe and sound."

"Trust me."

Yusuke met her gaze, his tone solemn.

Tsunade stared hard at Yusuke, then at her resolute brother.

At last, she abruptly turned away, took a deep breath, and forced down the turmoil inside her.

"Fine. Both of you had better come back alive!"

She said no more. Clutching the Flying Thunder God Kunai, she turned and strode away.

Nawaki breathed a sigh of relief and excitedly punched Yusuke in the shoulder. "You're the best, brother-in-law!"

Yusuke wasn't nearly as optimistic. He said gravely, "Don't celebrate too soon."

"The battlefield isn't a game. Follow orders, and absolutely do not act on your own."

"Otherwise, I'll be the first to send you back."

"And when you're on the move, remember to check for traps around you. Be sure to watch out for Explosive Tag traps!"

Yusuke lectured him earnestly.

"Yeah, yeah, I know."

Nawaki readily agreed, his face alight with anticipation for the battlefield.

He wanted to become a hero like his two grandfathers, rather than live forever in their shadow.

The two headed toward the assembly point on the southern front.

They hadn't gone far when a figure quietly stepped into their path.

A pretty young kunoichi stood before them, her expression respectful.

"Lord Nawaki, Lord Yusuke."

"Sister Rei?" Nawaki recognized her. She was one of Grandma Tohka's trusted aides, Rei Senju.

Rei Senju skipped the pleasantries and handed Yusuke a sealed box.

"Lord Yusuke, Lady Tohka asked me to give this to you."

"She said, 'I'm leaving this in your hands from now on.'"

Yusuke took the box and opened it to find a wooden tablet.

The tablet felt warm and smooth in his hand, and carried the faint scent of incense. It was the same one Senju Tohka had kept before the household altar for years.

This gesture... it felt like she was entrusting him with her final wishes.

In a flash, a forgotten scene from the original story shot through Yusuke's mind.

During the Second Shinobi World War, many members of the Senju Clan mysteriously disappeared. They were suspected of having been taken by Shimura Danzō for Wood Release human experiments.

"Damn it!" Yusuke's expression changed drastically as a chill shot up his spine.

He shoved the wooden tablet into his clothes and spoke rapidly to Nawaki. "Nawaki, go report to the assembly point immediately."

"Remember, find Orochimaru. Don't wander off!"

Before Nawaki could answer, Yusuke sensed the Flying Thunder God Formula he'd left in Senju Tohka's courtyard while practicing the Flying Thunder God Technique.

"Flying Thunder God Technique!"

"Vooom—"

Yusuke vanished from the spot.