Go to her house? What did she mean? Could they not talk on the street? What kind of person did she take him for?
'Neither of us is married, and a man and woman dragging each other around alone is bound to spark rumors. Even if I look older than I am, I'm still just a kid. What does this old woman want?'
He was, after all, a high-end combatant for the Uchiha; he couldn't let himself be easily captured by a Senju female operative. Makiya sneered inwardly and tried to yank his wrist away.
He couldn't pull it free.
He tried again with more force, but it still didn't budge.
Tsunade could precisely control her chakra, concentrating it on any part of her body to unleash immense power. At this moment, she was clearly using her Monstrous Strength to greatly enhance her grip.
Makiya watched helplessly as he was dragged into the enemy's lair. Despite his best efforts, he was powerless to resist and could only sigh in frustration.
The Uchiha and Senju clan compounds were located on opposite sides of the center of Konoha. Compared to the bustling Uchiha district, the Senju district was desolate, with not a soul in sight.
After Hashirama ordered the dissolution of the Senju clan, a large number of clansmen moved out and scattered throughout Konoha. Since the village center couldn't just leave such a large area empty, the Senju compound's size had been repeatedly reduced. Besides being occupied by other clans, some properties were given to ordinary civilians, and part of it had even been sold or mortgaged by Tsunade to pay off gambling debts.
With the passing of the last few elders of the Senju clan, the compound had completely lost its liveliness, and the core area was shrouded in darkness.
During the Second Ninja World War, Tsunade had been devastated by the deaths of Nawaki and Dan Kato. She had developed hemophobia and retired from the battlefield. Further disillusioned by the village's machinations, she had left Konoha with Dan's niece, Shizune, traveling to casinos across the ninja world to lose money. The Senju compound had fallen into neglect; houses were collapsing and overgrown with weeds—a scene of total ruin.
If she hadn't heard about Wood Style and the successful case of the Hashirama cell transplant on Obito, Tsunade wouldn't have returned to Konoha at all. Over the past few days, young Shizune had been busy cleaning the house and courtyard, making the center of the compound look at least somewhat presentable.
"Come on, get inside." Tsunade pulled the door open and shoved Makiya in. She then looked back with a sharp gaze, scanning the street and pausing for a moment on the shadows at the corner.
"Hmph!" Tsunade stomped her heel hard against the ground. Her delicate feet, with black-painted toenails, unleashed a terrifying force through her thin sandals into the earth.
A muffled groan came from underground. Cracks spread from under Tsunade's feet all the way to the street corner.
Two screams echoed in the darkness, only to vanish instantly.
Having made her point with a small punishment, Tsunade turned and entered the house, slamming the door shut to block all prying eyes.
Ever since she returned to Konoha, she had been followed by various spies. Before, Tsunade simply didn't care and ignored them, but now was different. Information involving Wood Style made her exceptionally sensitive.
This was also the primary reason she dragged Makiya home. The streets were too crowded with too many places to hide; one could never tell if some sneaky old geezer was hiding in a nearby latrine.
A cold wind blew through the Senju compound, raising dust in the streets. The distant festive noise from the commercial district could be heard faintly, making this place feel even more silent.
A moment later, two figures emerged from the shadows, wearing uniform black tactical gear and animal masks. They crouched in the corner, whispering to each other.
"The Lord was indeed far-sighted. That Tsunade is actually having a secret nighttime meeting with a member of the Uchiha. They must be plotting for the Hokage position. This is vital intelligence; we must report to the Lord immediately."
"But... it seems we were discovered."
"How is that possible? Those two idiots from the Anbu were the ones exposed. It has nothing to do with us."
"I see!"
The two figures quietly left the Senju compound, heading straight for a certain underground base in the forest behind Konoha.
On a large tree near the compound, two Anbu members hid behind the trunk. They glanced at each other, their eyes behind their masks filled with unmistakable mockery.
"Has Tsunade-sama finally reached *that* age?"
"What are you talking about? Tsunade-sama passed *that* age a long time ago. The girl next door to me is only fourteen and already preparing for her second child. Tsunade-sama is... *cough cough*... an old tree finally blooming."
"The Hokage has been muttering about this lately. This intel needs to get to him quickly to make the old man happy."
The two Anbu quickly leapt to a nearby roof, moving across the night skyline toward the largest courtyard in the Sarutobi clan compound.
Silence returned to the street. After a while, a manhole cover was quietly nudged open. A head peeked out from the sewer gap, scanning for any abnormalities before ducking back down.
"So? Are they out yet?"
"No. Looks like they aren't finished yet."
Two ninjas in Uchiha uniforms whispered in the sewer, their expressions suggestive. "Makiya's pretty good, isn't he? He actually landed Tsunade without a word."
The other scratched his head. "Well, isn't Tsunade supposed to be pretty old? Technically, our Uchiha clan is getting the short end of the stick."
The first Uchiha's face darkened. "Fool! You can't judge ninjas by ordinary standards. Since when have either of their physical conditions or ages followed logic? In a way, they're actually a perfect match."
"I see, I get it now! Is this Makiya-sama's plan? To change the village's attitude toward our clan by seducing Tsunade?" The other had a sudden realization. "Makiya really is a genius. He truly deserves the Clan Head's trust!"
"We must let the Clan Head know this good news as soon as possible."
"But at this hour, the Clan Head and his wife are probably..."
"No time to explain! Extraordinary circumstances require extraordinary measures. The Clan Head is quick."
The two Uchiha moved quickly through the sewers, soon finding the exit within the Uchiha compound and climbing out of the manhole.
In the bushes around the Senju compound, a half-grown Husky waddled out, followed by a small female dog.
Female dog: "Woof woof! (Darling, you're amazing!)"
Husky: "Heh heh, of course! I'm known as the strongest ninja dog carrying the future of the Inuzuka clan. Eighteen times a night is no problem at all."
Female dog: "Woof, woof woof! (Then why the rush to go back? Let's go again!)"
Husky: "Cough, cough... I just remembered I left the gas on at home. I'll be right back. Wait for me, baby!"
Under the affectionate gaze of the female dog, the Husky bolted down the street like a silver lightning bolt, leaving countless blurry paw prints on the ground as he raced toward the Inuzuka home.
Insects resting in trees, dull-eyed ordinary villagers passing by unintentionally, shadows wriggling in the dark... though the dilapidated Senju compound looked empty, it was actually quite lively.
Makiya: "..."
He sensed countless spiritual signatures moving away. He watched Tsunade casually toss her coat onto a rack with the air of a tomboy, and his mouth twitched.
Tsunade's status in Konoha was very sensitive, especially at this time. She claimed to have returned for Obito Uchiha and the Wood Style, but the various clans didn't fully believe her. Judging others by their own standards, they stubbornly believed she had other motives.
Since the start of the war, Konoha had essentially been ganged up on by the four other Great Nations. The major clans in the village had contributed men and resources but gained no benefits, and grievances were mounting.
So far, the Land of Fire—or rather, Konoha—had gained nothing from the war. It had all been defensive battles. The Sand Ninja from the Land of Wind and the Mist Ninja from the Land of Water had even invaded the borders of the Land of Fire, causing massive damage to civilians.
As the Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi bore the primary, inescapable responsibility for this situation.
The Daimyo of the Land of Fire had also expressed dissatisfaction many times. They supported the village with immense military funding and missions every year, yet Konoha had made itself a target for everyone. Everyone wanted to take a swipe at them, and they'd let the front lines push inside the national border. It was unacceptable.
Regardless of the eventual outcome of the war, Hiruzen Sarutobi's political career was over. Neither the Daimyo nor the heads of Konoha's clans would agree to let him stay in that seat. The selection of a new Hokage was imminent.
Originally, Jiraiya, one of the Sannin, was the most suitable candidate. He had performed great feats in both the Second and Third Ninja World Wars, cared for his subordinates, and had a strong sense of responsibility. Aside from his lustful nature, he was the perfect Hokage candidate in the eyes of the high command.
Besides, being lustful wasn't necessarily a flaw. If Jiraiya were to drop a hint, the clans would be more than willing to send their daughters to serve him.
However, Jiraiya had used actual actions to show he had no intention of becoming the Fourth Hokage. This caused the major clans to shift their gaze from Jiraiya to his teammate, Orochimaru.
Multi-line investment and risk hedging were always mandatory skills for great clans.
Orochimaru was an established powerhouse with a deep background, while the rising star Minato Namikaze was currently gaining fame. A large number of clan ninjas had gone to serve under them, building favor in advance.
Tsunade's return was seen by these high-level officials as a signal. The ownership of the Fourth Hokage's throne became increasingly blurred. In this situation, Tsunade's public act of bringing an Uchiha member home—and a powerful one like Makiya Uchiha at that—held implications that every clan head felt they could guess with their toes.
When the news reached the families, everyone cursed the Uchiha for being dishonest. 'Didn't you say you were going to be cold, arrogant edgelords forever? Why are you playing the honey trap game now?'
The clan heads stayed up all night picking out the most handsome young men from their families, planning to find some excuse to send them to Konoha Hospital for advanced training.
At Tsunade's house.
"Tsunade-sama, you're back! I've already prepared the bath water. You... you... you... Who are you?" Shizune, wearing a yukata, walked out barefoot while drying her hair. She suddenly found a strange man standing in the entryway, looking at her innocently.
"He's Makiya Uchiha." Tsunade took off her shoes and stepped inside barefoot, then slapped Shizune's bottom hard, like a total hooligan. "Slap! Stop dazing off and go brew some tea for our guest."
"Ah! Yes, Tsunade-sama!" Shizune blushed and ran away.
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