Tsunade had thought the Third Hokage was dead. The grief she felt for her former sensei had been enough to bring her back to Konoha, despite her reservations. But when she learned the truth—that he was alive, albeit trapped in a bizarre half-life—her fury erupted.
Jiraiya's screams echoed through Konoha Hospital, drawing the attention of everyone nearby. His swollen face bore the evidence of Tsunade's anger.
"I'm going to see Hiruzen right now," Tsunade declared, storming out of the hospital. She left her bed for someone who truly needed it and headed directly for the Hokage's office.
Jiraiya trailed behind her, his face a mixture of frustration and embarrassment. Tsunade sneered as she glanced back. The state of the village was unclear, but the shifts in power were obvious. Shimura Danzo had seized control, even if he hadn't officially declared himself Hokage yet. His influence loomed over every corner of Konoha.
The doors to the Hokage's office opened with a loud creak, revealing Danzo seated in the Hokage's chair, reading a report from the Anbu.
"Ah, Tsunade," he greeted her with a thin smile, though the cold glint in his eyes betrayed an underlying hostility. "Welcome back."
"Where's Sensei?" Tsunade demanded, ignoring his pleasantries. She had no time for Danzo's games—her only concern was seeing Hiruzen.
Danzo gestured to a pitch-black stone on the desk. "He's here, but it's not time for him to emerge yet. You'll have to wait."
Tsunade's eyes narrowed as she examined the stone. If not for Jiraiya and Danzo confirming it contained Hiruzen's soul, she would never have believed it. But knowing that Uzumaki Chito was responsible made it more plausible, if no less disturbing.
Moments later, the stone began to glow with an eerie black light. From its surface, a spectral form began to materialize. Hiruzen's soul emerged slowly, as though struggling to adapt to its unnatural state. His disoriented gaze eventually fell on Tsunade.
"Tsunade," he said softly, his voice laced with regret, "you're finally back."
"Don't get the wrong idea," Tsunade replied bluntly. "I didn't come back to take over as Hokage. You should know better than anyone that I've never wanted that title."
"Konoha needs you," Hiruzen said, his tone imploring. "The villagers need you."
"You're still alive," Tsunade retorted sharply. "You can continue being Hokage."
Hiruzen sighed deeply, disappointment etched into his spectral form. He had anticipated resistance, but Tsunade's complete rejection stung. "Konoha cannot survive without you," he said.
Tsunade's expression hardened. "The Konoha I loved no longer exists. My home disappeared the day my loved ones died."
Her voice cracked slightly, but her resolve remained unshaken. She turned to leave, determined to put Konoha behind her once and for all.
"Leave?" Hiruzen's voice rose, a mix of disbelief and anger. "Where will you go, Tsunade? Konoha is your home."
"My home?" Tsunade spun around, her eyes red with suppressed grief and fury. "This place hasn't been my home in a long time, Sensei. The Konoha I see now is nothing but a shadow of what it used to be."
Hiruzen's expression softened momentarily before hardening again. "Think carefully, Tsunade. Becoming Hokage is your responsibility."
"I don't need to think about it," Tsunade said firmly. "I'm leaving Konoha today."
Hiruzen's gaze darkened, his tone cold and accusing. "Do you intend to defect as well?"
"What if I do?" Tsunade snapped, her stubbornness matching his hostility. "Are you going to stop me?"
Hiruzen's expression turned venomous. "Jiraiya, arrest Tsunade. She's lost her way and threatens to defect from Konoha."
Jiraiya froze, caught between loyalty to his sensei and his respect for Tsunade. "Sensei, this isn't right—"
"This is the last time I'll call you Sensei," Tsunade interrupted, her voice laced with finality. "You can't stop me."
Her chakra flared, and with a burst of speed, she dashed out of the Hokage's office. But as she reached the entrance, she found herself trapped. An intricate sealing formation activated, locking her within the building.
"Tsunade, you can't escape," Hiruzen's spectral form said, floating before her with a sinister glare.
Tsunade sneered. "Oh, really? Let's see about that."
She pulled out the seal paper Naruto had given her and channeled her chakra into it. The paper glowed with an intense white light, enveloping the entire Hokage building and spilling out into the village.
From the light, a figure descended gracefully, his white robe fluttering in the air. Uzumaki Chito stood beside Tsunade, his presence radiating power.
His gaze swept the room, taking in the seals and the assembled ninjas. With a wave of his hand, the seals shattered like glass, the oppressive barrier dissolving instantly.
Uzumaki Chito turned his piercing gaze to the gathered Konoha ninja, his voice dripping with disdain. "Do you think you're worthy of keeping me here? Or of capturing her?" He sneered, his chakra flaring with a force that sent a chill down everyone's spine.
The Konoha ninjas hesitated, the confidence they'd shown moments earlier evaporating under his overwhelming presence.
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