Chương 45: Senju Clan Records
—The place seems to be well-preserved," I observed, noticing that there were no fallen leaves at the entrance, no cobwebs in the corners, no dust on the furniture, and the floor shone as if it had just been mopped. There wasn't a single weed in the entire garden. And it wasn't like the front garden was small; there had to be at least a dozen people maintaining this place in Tsunade's absence, at a minimum.
Furthermore, it was clear that they hadn't skimped on high-quality materials for building the clan complex. From what I could see, most of the wood used was Japanese Cedar, known for its durability, resistance to insects, beautiful grain, and its pleasant aroma that shouldn't still be present given the age of the wood. And where there wasn't cedar, there was Hinoki. I thought it was used to build temples, shrines, or tea houses because it also had its unique fragrance and was resistant to moisture. But here, it seemed to have been used as a complement.
"Did your grandfather make the wood for the complex?" I asked when I noticed the irregularities in the wood. I wouldn't be surprised if both woods were a superior chakra version created by Hashirama's Wood Release to save on construction costs and empower their durable properties.
"How did you know?" Tsunade turned to look at me, surprised, and confirmed my theory.
"Well, your grandfather's technique was ideal for building, not just destroying," I replied, trying to downplay my question.
I wonder if I can take some wood splinters from here; they could be valuable samples for some of my projects.
"Yes, it seems that not many people noticed that part," she nodded and sighed, before entering the complex while holding the door open for me to follow her inside.
How polite; maybe she has a better character than I thought when she's calm. That's the thing about meeting characters you read about in person; they reveal facets beyond what's strictly necessary in the story they're in.
Oh, I feel how the seven people who were secretly watching us outside the Senju complex come to a stop and don't enter. Although it looks like they're doing something, some kind of sensory jutsu to continue monitoring us. Is there some kind of pact that restricts them, or do they know that if they cross the line, Tsunade won't stand still and will send them to the hospital? Although seven people seem a bit exaggerated; half that number might have been enough.
"What do you want to look at first?" I felt the pleasant sensation of the wood under my feet as I followed Tsunade inside.
"The clan records."
"For the death rate I showed you?" I know it's for that, but I'm curious about what kind of things are in a clan record.
"Yes... The record includes everything, from financial matters to death dates and circumstances," Tsunade explained.
I don't think she likes how silent the place is; I understand her a bit.
"Does that include your gambling debts?" I asked to distract her. She turned to give me a death glare, but I could see her lip trembling slightly as she tried to contain a smile.
Did she realize that I tried to cheer her up?
"What? You said it's all there," I shrugged, trying to put on my best innocent expression. "You mentioned that everything's there."
"My debts are all on a personal account," Tsunade continued walking while grumbling. "If they were clan debts... I might have lost a place to return to a long time ago."
That was... honest and unexpected. I'm not sure if my attempt was successful or if I touched a sensitive nerve to make her open up like this, in a good way.
Tsunade stopped in front of a double door and made a series of hand seals, revealing a large number of previously invisible seals. Yes, it makes sense for the Senju clan record to be protected by a lot of seals, considering that Mito lived here a long time ago. Maybe that's why the watchers outside didn't enter? Perhaps they'll activate some defensive seals or something like that.
"Come in," Tsunade opened the doors and walked into the room, expecting me to follow her.
Wait, did she just allow me to enter the record? No, I definitely misheard that.
"Are you sure it's okay?" I couldn't help but ask, out of pure confusion and an inability to understand her intention. "Isn't this a confidential place?"
"It doesn't matter; you have my permission. Enter and help me find what I need, or I'll be here for hours trying to find the right records," Tsunade responded from inside.
My mind clicked; it turns out she just wants a couple of extra hands to help her speed up the search. I should have thought of that; it's more in line with her way of thinking.
"Alright, with your permission," I entered, and I noticed a curious detail. I didn't have to stoop to enter the door; it's a new sensation.
"When was the last time someone organized this place? This isn't organized chaos; it's pure scroll madness, piled up everywhere except on the shelves where they should be comfortably resting."
"No one has entered here since I left," Tsunade replied while examining a scroll, which didn't seem to be the right one because she tossed it onto another pile.
"You mean this place was already like this when you left?"
My question seemed to paralyze Tsunade for a second, and did... did I just see her cheeks blush for a moment?
"Stop complaining and start searching!" she shouted at me.
"Okay, okay, calm down." I can't deal with this sight; it's too much for me. I grabbed a cloth and wiped the dust off the shelves to make the labels readable and see where everything should go.
Once I had a mental map of the shelves, I used my speed to collect the scrolls, check their contents, and if they weren't what we were looking for, I placed them in their designated shelf. Tsunade only had time to see a flash before she turned around, surprised, and opened her eyes even wider when she saw everything was so organized, even the scrolls were placed so that they had the same level of depth uniformly.
Seeing her expression, I felt like taking out my phone and taking a picture.
"What did you just do?" Tsunade knew what I had done, but I understood her question.
"I'm fast, remember?" I told her as I handed her six somewhat old scrolls because of their texture and color. "These are the records you're looking for, I think."
Tsunade took the scrolls stunned, looking at me, taking a few seconds to look away and check the contents of the scrolls.
"Yes, it's the clan's death record and all the details."
For the next fifteen minutes, I watched as Tsunade displayed a plethora of expressions as she read more and more.
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