Chapter 17: Chapter 17
As Yusuke and Kurenai were walking through the streets of Konoha, Kurenai suddenly spotted a familiar figure. "That's Tsunade-sama!" she exclaimed excitedly, pointing ahead.
Yusuke looked up to see Tsunade approaching, wearing a white coat. "That's not a nurse's outfit," he commented, a bit disappointed.
Tsunade's keen ears picked up Yusuke's muttering. "What did you just say!?" she demanded, her temper flaring as she glared at him.
Quick to avoid further trouble, Yusuke smoothly responded, "You must have misheard, Princess Tsunade." He quickly changed the subject. "Shouldn't you be at the hospital saving lives?"
Tsunade stretched, clearly tired. "My eight-hour shift is over. I'm exhausted and heading out for a drink," she replied nonchalantly. Despite her weariness, her figure, even under the white coat, was undeniably striking, something that did not escape Kurenai's wide-eyed gaze.
Just as Tsunade was about to pass them by and head to the tavern, she stopped, eyeing Yusuke. "You, come with me," she commanded, her tone leaving little room for argument.
Yusuke noticed the seriousness in her gaze, and his expression shifted slightly. He gently patted Kurenai on the head. "Red, you should go home now."
"Oh..." Kurenai replied reluctantly, casting one last glance at Tsunade before running off towards her home.
Tsunade didn't waste any time and grabbed Yusuke by the collar, dragging him towards the tavern. "Princess Tsunade, a lady should be more polite, or she might have trouble getting married," Yusuke teased as they walked.
"What did you just say!?" Tsunade snapped, her temper flaring once again.
Yusuke chuckled. "I'm just saying, if you don't change your ways, Princess Tsunade, I predict you won't be married even by the time you're fifty."
"Do you have a death wish!?" Tsunade fumed, her fists clenched in irritation.
About half an hour later, they arrived at the Senju Clan's land, a once-prosperous area that now felt eerily empty. The contrast between its former glory and its current desolation was stark. The clan, once the pride of Konoha, had dwindled significantly, and the land that once buzzed with life now felt deserted.
Yusuke followed Tsunade into her home, which was spacious and luxurious but lacked the warmth and liveliness of a bustling household. It was clear that the place hadn't been maintained with the same care as other prominent residences like the Sarutobi mansion.
Back at home, Tsunade dropped onto the tatami mat with no pretense of decorum, demanding, "Get the sake!"
Yusuke obliged, placing the sake he had bought from the tavern along with some grilled meat between them. They sat across from each other, but their moods were worlds apart.
Tsunade, having just lost her last living relative, Uzumaki Mito, felt her future was bleak and directionless. The sorrow of losing her brother, parents, and now her grandmother weighed heavily on her. She was a shell of her former self, uncertain of what to do next.
In contrast, Yusuke was brimming with confidence. His plan to weaken Konoha had succeeded, ensuring that the village would struggle to recover for the next twenty years. The village elders, led by Sarutobi Hiruzen, would be too cautious to challenge him now. With Konoha's strength diminished, Yusuke saw an opportunity to consolidate his power and eventually take control of Konoha and the entire ninja world.
Tsunade, however, was deep in thought, trying to process the recent events. "Princess Tsunade, drinking to drown your sorrows won't help. If you're feeling down, maybe you should do something else," Yusuke suggested with a smirk, sensing her despondency.
"Don't pretend like you know what I'm going through," Tsunade retorted, downing another cup of sake. After a moment of silence, she looked directly at Yusuke with her piercing golden eyes. "You were behind the Nine-Tails' attack, weren't you?"
Yusuke chuckled. "Princess Tsunade, I have no idea what you're talking about."
Tsunade wasn't buying it. "Don't play dumb," she said coldly, biting into a skewer of meat. "The guy who confronted me during the attack only used basic sword techniques to hold me back. He didn't use any ninjutsu or advanced sword techniques, and there's only one person in the entire ninja world who could do that with such skill."
Her gaze then shifted to the blade at Yusuke's waist. "When you repelled the Nine-Tails, you used the same sword techniques as White Fang. There's no one else I can think of who could pull off something like that, except you."
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone