[This Chapter Is Sponsored by Miguel razo! Everyone, please thank him in the comment!]
"You're not coming with me to the Land of Water this time?"
Upon hearing this, Tsunade inside the room instantly widened her eyes, and with a slap on the table, she exclaimed loudly. Ever since the other person awakened the Wood Release, she had been harboring an indescribable emotion.
Putting other issues aside, you, Uchiha, have awakened Wood Release, what about her? Others making fun of her was bearable, but she couldn't stand being laughed at by an Uchiha.
Therefore, she had been vigorously studying the other person's body, reasoning that if an Uchiha could awaken Wood Release, there was no reason she couldn't.
Seeing Tsunade's angry demeanor, as if she were claiming ownership over him, Uchiha Yoru gave a bitter smile and slowly took out a scroll from his ninja tool bag, indicating that he had a mission.
"The village has sent an urgent mission. Sarutobi Umeko's corpse was hung in the black market, and someone exchanged her body for a large bounty. This incident has blown up, and the village wants us to investigate thoroughly."
As Uchiha Yoru spoke, he gave Tsunade a strange look, which made her glare back at him.
"Brat, what's with that look! Are you suspecting me?"
It was obvious that they had just encountered Sarutobi Umeko not long ago, and according to the information, her disappearance coincided exactly with the time they parted ways.
"Do you think I, the old lady, need such despicable means to kill a wench?"
As if feeling underestimated, Tsunade sneered, "Brat, did you know the surname of Sarutobi Umeko before she married into the Sarutobi clan?"
"Senju! Sarutobi Umeko should be called Senju Umeko. If I were to act against her, I wouldn't need such lowly tactics."
Saying this, Tsunade disdainfully threw the scroll over, "If I needed to resort to such underhanded methods, I wouldn't leave any trace."
She disdained such lowly tactics, not because she was incapable of them. After all, she was to become the Fifth Hokage in the future, so how could she not know such methods?
Upon hearing about Sarutobi Umeko, Uchiha Yoru was extremely surprised but then had a moment of realization.
In the original story, there wasn't much mention of the Third Hokage's eldest son and daughter-in-law, only their child, Konohamaru.
Konohamaru, at a young age, had learned Naruto's Sexy Jutsu, showing his talent in ninjutsu. He later learned the A-rank technique Rasengan, and even killed the Hell Path of Pain during Pain's invasion of Konoha. He was definitely a genius ninja!
At such a young age, the Sarutobi clan lacked neither ninjutsu nor power, but what about chakra?
Konohamaru wasn't a jinchuriki or from a kekkei genkai clan, yet his chakra seemed abundant. The problem lay here.
The Senju clan, inheriting the Sage's body and known as the "Thousand Hands (Senju Clan) of the Forest," was a top clan that rivaled the Uchiha clan during the Warring States period.
Apart from Senju Hashirama, no one else had Wood Release. So, the Senju clan could contend with the Sharingan, relying on their physical abilities.
The Senju clan naturally possessed a vast amount of chakra and a resilient body, and their control over chakra far exceeded others.
That's how the Senju clan fought against the Uchiha for so many years.
"You mean to say Sarutobi Umeko was from the Senju clan! Then!"
Uchiha Yoru seemed to realize something but didn't continue to ask further. Meanwhile, Tsunade, sitting on the chair, casually waved her hand, as if to pour herself a cup of sake.
However, as her hand reached for the sake bottle, Uchiha Yoru's hand was quicker and grabbed it first.
"You can drink, but there's a daily limit."
Since their true identities were fully exposed, it seemed there was always a barrier between them. This barrier was not only due to their identities as members of the Senju and Uchiha clans, but also because of their age difference.
But Uchiha Yoru was the kind of person who was resolute in his decisions. Once he made up his mind, he wouldn't relax. He held a small sake bottle without any hesitation and slowly poured a cup for Tsunade.
"Annoying." Tsunade didn't say 'brat', but facing Uchiha Yoru's actions, she clearly understood and was somewhat impatient to refuse, yet her feelings were complex.
They were both adults, and from a perspective of interest, Tsunade's status alone could be a significant political force.
After all, Uchiha Yoru had revealed his will for reform.
Uchiha Yoru didn't hide it well; he was not only coveting her body and beauty, but also the political power behind her.
Tsunade was also troubled. This youngster would likely bring significant upheaval to Konoha in the future.
From a personal standpoint, he had activated the Mangekyou Sharingan for her and had risked his life. Back then, she was just an ordinary girl, with feelings untinged by any personal gain. What about Terumi Mei? Hah, she's already returned to Kirigakure.
That's why it was hard for her. She was already forty, and this youngster seemed to be only seventeen, not even eighteen yet. The age difference was huge.
"Brat, can't you find a girl your own age?"
Tsunade asked wearily, holding her cup of sake, trying to probe. She wasn't foolish and could see the care and tolerance he had for her.
You see, both our identities are exposed, and there's the age gap, and the Senju-Uchiha relationship. Can't you just step back a bit, and we'll pretend nothing happened, okay?
Let's just consider it a beautiful memory, a stop on the journey of life.
Sitting beside Tsunade, her delicate hand painted with red nail polish holding the cup, Uchiha Yoru laughed casually, "I tried, but it's still Sister Tsunade who appeals to me."
Clearly teasing her, Tsunade shook her head with a headache, "I'm forty, you're not even eighteen, I could be your aunt, and you call me sister?"
Tsunade, who usually hated being called an aunt, said this for the first time.
"Who needs a sister when there's a sister like you, who is a treasure from head to toe?" Uchiha Yoru said slickly, his gaze openly admiring her, and added, "Besides, Sister is forever eighteen."
Just when Tsunade was about to get angry, Uchiha Yoru took out a scroll from his ninja tool bag.
Tsunade looked like she wanted to get angry, but the corner of her mouth curled up, obviously pleased by his previous comment. After all, it was a confidence boost to be admired by a seventeen-year-old.
But when she saw the scroll he handed over, her eyes widened, and her face turned red and then pale.
Looking at the scroll, Tsunade coldly laughed with gritted teeth, "Well, the Uchiha clan is said to be proud, but I didn't expect them to be so despicable. Uchiha Setsuna, that old geezer, is meddling in others' business even when he's nearly in the grave."
The scroll contained a message from the Uchiha clan, written personally by Uchiha Setsuna. It was an encrypted letter!
It clearly recorded Tsunade's personality and preferences, and seriously advised Uchiha Yoru that for the sake of the clan, any sacrifice was worthwhile.
It also taught him a series of smooth lines, in short, to locate the Sannin Tsunade in the Land of Whirlpools, and then use all means to win her over.
It's obvious that the elder of the Uchiha clan, Uchiha Setsuna, was eyeing the political power behind Tsunade.
Uchiha Yoru thus sold out the elder within the clan. Tsunade was so angry that her face turned green. Then, she turned her head and looked at the other party with a threatening gaze.
"So, kid, are you doing this to carry out a clan mission?"
Faced with Tsunade's threatening gaze and question, Uchiha Yoru revealed a gentle smile. He took the wine cup from her hand, refilled it, and with a nod and a laugh said, "Of course, I am willing to do it myself. It helps the clan and also aids me in achieving my goals."
"This isn't just a win-win situation; I see almost no downsides to it." Uchiha Yoru made no attempt to hide his self-interested motives.
Faced with this response, Tsunade, with her delicate and pale fingers, slowly picked up the wine cup and brought it to her rosy lips, sipping the wine as if savoring its sweetness. Yet, a smile slowly formed on her lips.
There isn't a woman who doesn't like to hear pleasing words.
Moreover, Uchiha Yoru's response satisfied her greatly. Without any hindrance, she acknowledged her liking - liking the body, liking the eternal youth, and also liking the political power behind it, which could help him achieve his own dreams.
He unabashedly expressed his desire to take advantage of this situation.
Yet, surprisingly, Tsunade couldn't bring herself to be even a little angry; in fact, she felt somewhat joyful.
As she slowly sipped her drink, Tsunade, with a reminiscent look, sighed deeply, "The Senju clan could never return to its former glory after what happened back then..."
As Tsunade continued, she finally revealed the true story behind the disappearance of the Senju clan.
As one of the founding clans of Konoha, the Senju clan was a family not inferior to the Uchiha clan. They produced two Hokages and almost sat unchallenged as the top clan in the ninja world.
Unfortunately, after the death of the Second Hokage in the Land of Lightning during the First Great Ninja War, the Senju clan, in their frenzy for revenge, suffered great losses. But the real reason for their disappearance from Konoha was the First Hokage.
Or, more precisely, the initial Wood Release project.
After losing the First and Second Hokages, Konoha no longer had the strength to dominate the ninja world during the Great Ninja War. This drastic change led the Third Hokage and several top officials to conceive a terrifying idea.
To research Wood Release – the so-called Wood Release Project.
According to official records, the Third Hokage once said that the Wood Release Project caused tragic losses, forcing the village to shut down the research and forbid anyone from continuing it.
What kind of loss could be described as 'tragic' by the strongest ninja village? That was the real reason for the Senju clan's disappearance.
The research on the Wood Release Project finally made a breakthrough, and human trials began. The Senju clan, being the most suitable candidates, were naturally chosen.
After all, as Konoha's first major clan, how could the Senju allow outsiders to experiment with their Wood Release? What if an outsider awakened it? That would be a slap in their face.
It started with volunteers from the Senju clan. Despite constant failures over time, a breakthrough was eventually made. Although it did not directly awaken Wood Release, the current progress of the project allowed the Senju clan members to enhance their physical capabilities and double their chakra.
After observing for a while and finding no adverse effects, even though they hadn't successfully researched Wood Release, they had found a powerful direction. The Senju clan, in their excitement, blindly administered the developed Wood Release cells to everyone.
For a time, the power of the Senju clan surged, almost securing their position as the top clan in the ninja world.
But no one expected that the Wood Release Project was fundamentally unstable. The power of the serum was just lurking, building up strength inside the human body before suddenly erupting.
One by one, members of the Senju clan began to scream as all their nutrients were sucked dry, turning them into trees.
"Can you imagine? I watched as my relatives and clan members, in agonizing screams, turned into trees, leaving behind nothing but their shattered clothes."
At this moment, Tsunade couldn't help but laugh at herself, "The Senju clan, known as the strongest in the ninja world, was not destroyed by enemies, but rather doomed by their own ambition."
"Too much indeed. None of our clan members had foreseen it. By the time it happened, it was too late. During that period, the Senju clan secluded themselves. Every day, cries of sorrow could be heard, signaling the appearance of a great tree."
"Children turned into small trees, and those with strong chakra and power transformed into towering trees. In that period, too many trees emerged from the Senju clan, and eventually, all these trees were cut down."
Watching Tsunade recount her family's past, Uchiha Yoru couldn't help but show a look of emotion. Who would have thought that the Senju clan of that era was so tragic, almost like a biohazard.
Indeed, the path of science is filled with the unknown, perhaps a genesis of new life, or perhaps hell.
"As direct descendants, my brother Nawaki and I were entrusted with high hopes. The clan members thought we were still young, our bloodline the most noble. They decided to wait, to use it after the research succeeded. Unexpectedly, this turned into a blessing in disguise."
The Senju clan perished on this path, which is why such research is considered taboo.
"Heh, the powerful Senju clan, in less than a year, went from a bustling family land to a silent forbidden ground. Only a few weak or non-ninja women survived, the Senju clan almost completely perished."
"Just a group of old, weak, sick, and disabled, mostly women. What could they do? The moment the men died out, the Senju clan was finished. That's why my brother and I dropped the Senju surname."
Uchiha Yoru suddenly realized, no wonder official records didn't have Tsunade's Senju surname. Some say it was because [the author] Kishimoto didn't plan this in the early stages, but this was part of the reason too.
And Nawaki? He also didn't carry the 'Senju' surname. (Self-explanatory, it's all Kishimoto's fault.)
"Heh, there could never be a Senju after that. Sarutobi Umeko was just a little girl at that time."
Clearly, Tsunade was thinking of her brother. After losing Nawaki, the Senju clan completely lost any hope of rising again.
Without men, how could they rise!
At this moment, Tsunade's eyes revealed a hint of unresolved sorrow, and she sighed, "That's why I devoted myself to medical ninjutsu."
"So now, do you still think that way?" Suddenly, Tsunade smiled, pushing the unpleasant memories to the back of her mind, and provocatively looked at Uchiha Yoru, teasingly flicking his chin with her finger.
She, Tsunade, is the princess of the Senju clan, naturally not one to marry into another family, so the only option is a son-in-law to continue and revive the Senju's mission.