Chapter 54: I! Have Understood the Meaning of Life!
"In a person's heart, prejudice is like a mountain—no matter how much an Uchiha struggles, they can't move it. Captain Tsunade, did you know that?"
This light statement echoed through the cave, making Tsunade's pupils shrink. Even Orochimaru and the severely injured Jiraiya could hear it clearly.
With a look of sadness, Uchiha Yosuke offered Tsunade a yearning smile.
"I wanted you to react the way you just did."
At that moment, Yosuke seemed lost for words, gesturing vaguely before pointing at Jiraiya. His eyes shone with a mixture of hope and envy, but that light quickly faded.
Suddenly, the cave shook violently. Orochimaru's expression shifted, and he said in a deep tone:
"The Iwa shinobi are nearly through with the cave entrance."
Orochimaru carried Jiraiya on his back, looked back briefly, then turned to face the cave's exit.
Yosuke's words hinted at his innermost thoughts, placing Tsunade in a challenging position of deep reflection.
Who mattered more—Yosuke or Jiraiya?
In terms of village power, Jiraiya won out. In terms of bonds, Jiraiya was someone who had grown up with Tsunade and Orochimaru, whereas Yosuke was just a kid she had known for two years at most.
At best, she felt a bit guilty about him due to Nawaki.
From the beginning, Yosuke knew this truth, so he decided to gamble everything!
"Captain Tsunade!"
With Orochimaru already guarding the cave entrance with Jiraiya, Yosuke looked at Tsunade and gave a calm smile.
"This is what it means to be a ninja."
"Shut up!"
Tsunade's light brown eyes filled with angry bloodshot lines, furious not with him, but with herself. When it was about Jiraiya, she had faced Orochimaru without hesitation. But with this young boy in front of her, a single moment of hesitation said everything.
"Captain Tsunade, acting on emotion will only harm you in the future, and you don't need to blame yourself. This is a debt I owe you."
The first part of Yosuke's words was calm, but he ended with a carefree smile.
'A debt to you.'
Suddenly, Tsunade thought of something. As Yosuke lowered his kunai and leaned closer, he spoke softly in her ear with a tone full of regret:
"I'm sorry, Captain Tsunade. You don't need to feel guilty. If I hadn't withheld this intel, you wouldn't be in danger, and maybe… maybe we'd all be safe."
Yosuke's voice carried a deep remorse as he admitted to withholding intel from the village elders.
The main reason was that someone in the village was secretly targeting Tsunade, though the specifics were unclear.
Hearing this information made Tsunade's pupils quiver. At that moment, she fully realized why this boy had hidden the intel.
Because he feared sparking civil strife within the village.
"Captain Tsunade, with war on the horizon, once Lord White Fang becomes Hokage, these threats will disappear…"
Even at the end, Yosuke was defending the village. Tsunade's regret only deepened, stoking her anger.
"Uchiha Yosuke! Just how much have you hidden?"
Tsunade's eyes filled with angry tears as she struggled to grasp her own emotions.
This young boy was willing to sacrifice his life for the village!
But was any of this truly his fault?
And now she had to leave him behind, amplifying her guilt.
After confessing everything, Yosuke seemed relieved, wearing a bright, genuine smile.
"I'm sorry. This is the last time."
Two fingers gently tapped Tsunade's forehead, as Yosuke smiled.
"Kid! Yosuke! Get a grip!"
"We have a chance to break through if we give it our all!"
"No." Yosuke, with a sincere smile, looked at Tsunade and began to back away.
"Captain Tsunade, I told you—those in command, even a Hokage, must understand sacrifice. The truth of our situation is clear to all of us."
"This is the best outcome. Jiraiya and Orochimaru are crucial assets for the village, and if anything happened to you here, it would be a huge loss for both the Senju and Uchiha clans."
Yosuke clutched the explosive tags on his chest, his gentle smile a clear warning for Tsunade not to do anything rash.
"Captain Tsunade, I've come to understand why I stand here now!"
As Yosuke continued to back away, Tsunade shouted angrily:
"What do you understand! You're just a fool with a problem in his head!"
Watching his figure move further away, Tsunade's mind buzzed, realizing that her actions had led this boy to his fate.
From Nawaki's death to how she manipulated Yosuke, and now to this moment, she had used his love for the village and the guilt she carried.
"Uchiha Yosuke!"
In a fury, Tsunade prepared to make her final decision, but Yosuke's parting words made her heart clench.
"And no, I'm not a replacement for Nawaki."
'A replacement.'
Those words echoed in the cave, Tsunade's pupils dilating as memories connected all at once.
Since Nawaki's death, the guilt that triggered her awakening, her manipulations using Yosuke and his clan, leading to this moment—all had given Yosuke the impression that he was nothing more than a stand-in for her younger brother.
He should have been like her brother, innocent and free. But within half a year, burdened by his clan and guilt, he had learned to hide his longing for the light, forced to remain in the shadows.
Standing on the edge of despair, with the weight of his choices bearing down, he had finally leaped into this dark resolution.
From the beginning, Yosuke had come here prepared to die to save her.
"Tsunade, he's quite a suitable substitute after all, isn't he?"
Orochimaru appeared behind Tsunade, his raspy voice prodding her pain, as though to tell her that she had caused all this.
"No! He's not a substitute! Enough! Stop!"
Watching from afar, Yosuke's heart filled with anxiety. Damn it, why isn't he here yet!
Could something have gone wrong because he was here?
The thought of it made Yosuke feel frustrated. He'd risked his life to create this moment—was it really going to end here?
He had always been this way: if he was going to do something, he'd go all in, with no turning back.
"Captain Tsunade, the Uchiha clan has the pride of an eagle. The Uchiha's love for the village has never been any less than anyone else's!"
"I hope, this time, that Captain Tsunade and the Senju can finally see the Uchiha's love!"
Under the intense gaze of Tsunade and Orochimaru, Yosuke's face slowly showed a black curse mark.
"Tsunade, go!"
Orochimaru's voice was shockingly calm, while Tsunade's eyes filled with guilt and regret—she was on the verge of breaking down.
Even now, this boy believed that Nawaki's death was somehow his fault.
And she had always acted so high above him, even towards Yosuke, treating her opportunities to the Uchiha as if she were bestowing gifts upon them.
Only now did she realize that this boy was just thirteen. She had been the one to shatter his pride, leaving him exposed to rumors and misunderstandings that made him think he was only a replacement for Nawaki.
Behind his warm smile lay a heart already broken and scarred.
---
Thank you to everyone supporting!
(Chapter End)