On Hokage Rock.
The evening breeze swept past, carrying a faint chill.
"What are you thinking about?"
Uchiha Yao's voice sounded beside Tsunade's ear, pulling her thoughts back to reality.
"Nothing."
Tsunade suddenly snapped back to her senses and instinctively tried to pull her hand away.
But Uchiha Yao held on even tighter.
"Still trying to run?"
Tsunade's cheeks instantly heated up.
"Who... who's trying to run!"
Tsunade stubbornly retorted, but her voice was noticeably weaker than usual.
"I just... am not used to this."
"You'll get used to it."
Uchiha Yao led her to the very edge of Hokage Rock and sat down directly.
The two sat side by side, overlooking the entire village.
For a while, the atmosphere was silent, with only the wind whistling past their ears.
In the end, Tsunade spoke first.
"Are you... serious?"
Uchiha Yao turned to look at Tsunade.
"What do you think?"
Instead of answering directly, Uchiha Yao asked her a question.
"I don't know."
Tsunade shook her head. Her golden hair danced lightly in the wind, and her eyes were filled with confusion.
"I feel like everything is happening too fast. It's too... unreal."
"I'm so much older than you. Between us, there simply..."
"Is age a problem?"
Uchiha Yao directly interrupted Tsunade.
"In the world of shinobi, strength is everything."
"Am I, Konoha's Fifth Hokage, not worthy of Tsunade-hime, one of the Sannin?"
Tsunade was left speechless.
"But..."
Tsunade still hesitated.
"What are you planning to do about Kurenai...?"
This was the hurdle she truly could not overcome.
She could ignore other people's opinions and ignore their age difference.
But she could not accept becoming a third party who ruined someone else's relationship.
Tsunade had her own pride.
Hearing that, Uchiha Yao fell silent for a moment.
"Tsunade, I won't