A few days later.
A luxurious passenger ship flying the flag of the Iron Fist Chamber of Commerce cut through the thick sea fog and slowly docked at the deserted island's pier.
"Lady Tsunade, we're here."
Holding Tonton, Shizune stood on the deck and gazed with some awe at the island shrouded in thick fog.
Although she had already heard Kenya describe it.
Seeing it with her own eyes still delivered a staggering visual impact.
"Mm."
Wearing her green coat, Tsunade walked out of the cabin.
She took a deep breath.
The sea breeze carried a salty tang, but what drew her attention more was the extraordinarily rich vitality permeating the air, almost dense enough to take physical form.
"This chakra fluctuation..."
Tsunade's pupils contracted slightly as her gaze swept past the pier toward the center of the island.
There stood an enormous, pitch-black castle.
Its walls rose dozens of meters high, built entirely from that indestructible black iron wood.
In the sunlight, they gleamed with a cold, oppressive metallic sheen.
How was this a base on a deserted island?
It was clearly an impregnable fortress armed to the teeth!
"Come on, Auntie. Welcome to my turf."
Wearing his ever-present beach shorts, Kenya swaggered off the ship.
He pointed at the magnificent black fortress ahead, his voice brimming with undisguised pride.
"I hammered this place into shape bit by bit with my fists and Wood Release."
Tsunade said nothing, simply following Kenya in silence.
The farther she walked into the island, the more shocked she became.
It wasn't just the sturdy fortress.
The entire island's defensive network was practically flawless.
Barricades, bunkers, and watchtowers made of black iron wood covered almost every blind spot an enemy could attack.
Even more outrageous was the faint, domineering aura radiating from these defensive structures, enough to make even her heart pound.
It was the unique pressure produced by combining Armament Haki with Wood Release.
This brat actually built a small military empire out here overseas, all by himself!
Tsunade marveled inwardly.
Just then, a dull rumbling came from ahead.
"Hurry up! This batch of black iron wood needs to reach the warehouse before sunset!"
A rough, stern voice echoed across the construction site.
Tsunade looked up.
She saw a tall man, bare-chested, with bandages wrapped around the lower half of his face.
Carrying a black log weighing several tons, he ran across the construction site, sweat pouring down his face.
Behind him followed a group of workers who were sweating just as heavily.
"That's..."
Tsunade froze for a moment, then recognized the man.
"The Demon of Kirigakure, Zabuza Momochi?!"
She could hardly believe her eyes.
That cold-blooded killer with an enormous bounty on the underground black market.
Was actually hauling materials here like a common laborer?!
The sight was simply too bizarre.
Hearing footsteps approach.
Zabuza dropped the log from his shoulder with a boom and wiped the sweat from his forehead.
He turned impatiently, ready to snap at whichever fool had interrupted his work.
But the instant he saw who had arrived, his entire body froze.
"One of the legendary... Sannin, Tsunade?!"
Zabuza's pupils contracted sharply, and his heart even skipped half a beat.
As a former elite of Kirigakure's Anbu, he knew all too well how terrifying the woman before him was.
She was one of the Shinobi World's strongest, the pinnacle of Medical Ninjutsu and monstrous strength!
Why was she here?!
Had Konoha sent her to wipe them out?
At that thought, Zabuza instinctively reached for the black iron greatsword on his back.
"Hey, Zabuza, put the sword down."
Kenya stepped out from behind Tsunade and waved a hand with some disdain.
"This is my aunt. Starting today, she's our base's second-in-command."
"Show her some respect from now on."
At Kenya's words, Zabuza's hand stopped dead in midair.
His aunt?!
One of the Konoha Sannin was the boss's aunt?!
Zabuza felt as though his brain couldn't keep up.
But he wasn't stupid.
Getting one of the legendary Sannin to willingly come to this godforsaken deserted island.
Could only mean one thing-his boss's background and strength were a hundred times more terrifying than he had imagined!
Zabuza immediately released his grip on the sword.
Without hesitation, he straightened his back and bowed deeply to Tsunade.
"Lady Tsunade, a pleasure to meet you. I'm the brick hau... no, the chief construction supervisor here, Zabuza Momochi."
Zabuza's manner was extremely respectful, even tinged with eagerness to please.
Who was he kidding?
He had already experienced the boss's fists. That monster could cave someone's forehead in.
And now another of the Sannin, famous for her monstrous strength, had arrived.
Why were there more and more monsters in this base?
Looking at the deferential, cold-blooded killer before her, Tsunade couldn't help the corners of her mouth twitching twice.
She turned toward Kenya with an odd look in her eyes.
"How... did you get someone like him to behave?"
Kenya grinned.
"Easy. Beat him up, then give him a full meal."
"He's pretty easy to keep fed. He just eats a lot."
Standing beside them, Zabuza's mouth kept twitching as he listened.
Beat him up, my ass!
Was that a beating? He'd nearly beaten him to death!
But he dared not say anything and could only smile awkwardly along with them.
"Uncle! You're back!"
Just then, Haku ran out of the little wooden house, carrying a plate of freshly baked pastries.
Seeing Tsunade and Shizune, he blinked curiously.
"These two are..."
"This is your Auntie Tsunade, and this is Big Sister Shizune."
Kenya introduced them casually. "They'll be living here from now on. Haku, make a few extra dishes for lunch to welcome them."
Haku nodded obediently, handed the pastries to Shizune, then turned and ran back to the kitchen.
"An Ice Release kekkei genkai?"
Tsunade's gaze lingered on Haku for a moment, and she immediately saw through his abilities.
Once again, she was shocked.
An S-rank missing-nin from Kirigakure, a boy with a rare kekkei genkai.
And Kenya, that unfathomable orphan of the Senju Clan.
The fighting strength assembled on this deserted island was already enough to rival a small hidden village!
"What do you think, Auntie? My turf's pretty decent, right?"
With his arms folded across his chest, Kenya asked somewhat smugly.
Tsunade said nothing.
She slowly walked to the highest point of the fortress and looked down over the entire island.
Rich vitality, indestructible defenses, and workers whose eyes were full of hope despite their hard labor.
All of it.
Stood in stark contrast to the lifeless Konoha High Command, steeped in schemes and calculations.
Here, she saw neither compromise nor weakness.
There was only that pure, flourishing vitality, brimming with wildness and strength!
This was true vitality belonging to the Senju Clan!
"Ha... hahahaha!"
Tsunade suddenly burst into laughter.
Her laughter echoed in the sea breeze, dispelling the gloom and dejection that had weighed on her heart for two years.
She spun around, her beautiful eyes burning with unprecedented fighting spirit and light.
"Good! Very good!"
Tsunade strode up to Kenya and clapped him hard on the shoulder.
"You little bastard, well done!"
"Starting today, I'm this island's deputy chief!"
"Since those decrepit old vermin in Konoha don't want the Senju, we'll build a new Senju empire here, one even stronger than Konoha!"
Tsunade officially joining them instantly sent the island faction's confidence soaring.
The addition of a Super Kage Level powerhouse brought more than just top-tier Medical Ninjutsu.
More importantly, it brought the tremendous rallying power of the legitimate Senju lineage!
Watching Tsunade, whose blood was boiling.
Kenya smiled in satisfaction.
He now had people to handle both internal affairs and logistics.
Next, it was time for him to devote all his energy to improving his strength.
"Since you're taking over management, Auntie."
Kenya rolled his neck, his gaze becoming incomparably sharp.
"It's time I went into seclusion for a while."
"Over these next two years, I'm going to completely fuse Wood Release and Haki."
"And create a 'Sage Art: Wood Release: True Several Thousand Hands' that belongs to me alone!"