Chapter 200: Reunion
"I don't know."
The Third Hokage shook his head and answered honestly.
That answer, however, clearly made Tsunade think he was brushing her off.
Her brows immediately furrowed.
"Tch."
"What's with the mystery?"
"If you don't want to say it, then forget it."
"I don't care that much anyway."
"Heh."
"I'm telling the truth."
Hiruzen wasn't surprised by Tsunade's reaction.
Chuckling softly, he slowly rose to his feet.
His body stooped slightly, looking every bit like an elderly man weighed down by age.
The sight made Tsunade roll her eyes.
You're the Hokage.
Who exactly are you trying to fool with this frail old-man act?
Despite the complaint in her mind, she still stepped forward and supported her teacher.
"Come on."
"I'll take you there."
"On the way, you can indulge this old man and chat for a bit."
"Oh, right."
"They're mostly being held in the Torture and Interrogation Department right now."
"I'm not sure if you still remember the way."
"A lot of places in the village have been renovated recently..."
Before Hiruzen could continue rambling, Tsunade's footsteps suddenly froze.
The moment she heard the words Torture and Interrogation Department, her entire body stiffened.
At the same time, her unconscious grip tightened.
The sudden pressure on his arm caused Hiruzen to pause as well.
Seeing the expression on her face, understanding dawned on him.
"You're still..."
Hemophobia.
As one of Konoha's legendary Sannin and a veteran of countless battlefields, Tsunade knew exactly what kind of place the Interrogation Department was.
It was on the battlefield, after losing the people she treasured most, that she developed her severe fear of blood.
A condition that had nearly ended her shinobi career.
A condition that ultimately drove her away from both the ninja world and her home village.
"...You don't need to force yourself."
Hiruzen understood his disciple's condition better than anyone.
Without pressing the matter, he gently changed the subject.
"I'll have a few of them transferred to the hospital temporarily."
Then he pointed at her suitcase.
"By the way..."
"You aren't planning to leave again immediately after returning, are you?"
"...Not that soon."
Tsunade quickly regained her composure and shook her head.
"I'll stay for a while at least."
"Oh?"
"Good, good."
"Once Jiraiya returns as well, why don't you both come over for dinner?"
"Koharu always loved having the three of you visit."
"Those were good times..."
The moment Hiruzen brought up Biwako, their late teacher's wife, Tsunade found it difficult to refuse.
Although for personal reasons she currently had very little desire to sit at the same table as Jiraiya.
"Then you two should settle your luggage first."
"Afterward, head directly to the hospital—"
Before he could finish, Tsunade suddenly remembered something.
She set the suitcase down directly inside the Hokage's Office.
"Almost forgot."
"Just leave this here."
"You can deal with it, Sarutobi-sensei."
"...Hm?"
An ominous feeling immediately surfaced within Hiruzen.
"What exactly is in there?"
"My consultation fee."
Tsunade opened the suitcase.
Then she casually pulled out a slip of paper and handed it over.
Hiruzen accepted it.
The moment he saw the contents—
He blinked.
It was a debt note.
A debt note with an absolutely horrifying amount written on it.
Slowly, he looked from the paper...
To the bulging suitcase...
Then to his disciple's innocent and beautiful smile.
Suddenly, he felt slightly short of breath.
For a brief moment, he genuinely thought death might be approaching.
Not long afterward.
After settling her affairs, Tsunade arrived at the hospital and quickly met one of the ANBU members affected by Kotoamatsukami.
"His codename is..."
"Yamato."
"The current assessment indicates that the implanted command causes him to regard Uchiha Shisui as the Hokage."
"Due to certain special circumstances, he's considered one of the less severely controlled cases."
"At present..."
As the attending medical staff explained the situation, Tsunade examined Yamato, whose movements were restricted by sealing techniques.
By now, she had acquired a general understanding of Kotoamatsukami as well as Konoha's current treatment strategy.
"...Strengthening self-awareness."
"Applying a second layer of overwrite."
"Then reinforcing it through sealing techniques and genjutsu stimulation..."
"I see."
"It should work."
"I think I already have a direction."
As arguably the most famous medical ninja in the entire shinobi world, Tsunade immediately became the center of attention upon arrival.
The medical staff eagerly presented their reports and accumulated observations in the simplest form possible.
Tsunade didn't disappoint them.
After confirming the viability of the current approach, she quickly began organizing a specialized treatment team focused entirely on resolving the issue.
Later, she sought out the Third Hokage again.
"Inducing temporary memory loss?"
Hiruzen repeated.
"That's right."
Tsunade nodded.
"Medical ninjutsu can stimulate the brain."
"It should be possible to temporarily suppress or remove portions of a person's memory."
"Afterward, we can either seal away the affected consciousness together with those memories..."
"Or strengthen the patient's own beliefs once those memories are gone."
After explaining her proposal, she couldn't help but sigh.
"Honestly."
"This is simply an optimization of the existing plan."
"The fact that Uzumaki Naruto was able to devise the original method in the first place is remarkable."
"Excellent."
Hiruzen's eyes brightened.
"Then begin implementing it immediately."
"Before that..."
Tsunade crossed her arms.
"I'd like to meet Uzumaki Naruto."
"According to your description, this entire crisis was practically resolved because of him."
"Hm?"
"Naruto?"
Hiruzen froze briefly.
Then he shook his head.
"Unfortunately, your timing is poor."
"Yesterday, after the Chūnin Exam briefing concluded, he temporarily left the village."
"He left the village?"
Tsunade's expression changed immediately.
"At a time like this?"
"With things this dangerous?"
"How could you allow him to leave?"
"He's—"
Knowing Naruto's true identity, Tsunade's voice rose.
"Where did he go?"
"I don't know."
Hiruzen answered without hesitation.
Then, almost nostalgically, he added:
"Much like when you all left the village back then."
"I never knew where any of you went either."
"Still..."
"He promised he'd return before the Chūnin Exams begin."
Meanwhile.
Deep within the Land of Wind.
Sandstorms swept endlessly across the desert.
Merchant caravans could only advance slowly while sheltering behind walls of blowing sand.
Inside one of the wagons, Sara handed Naruto the special Flying Thunder God kunai he had previously given her.
Smiling, she said:
"It's truly an incredible ability."
"Even though you explained it beforehand..."
"When you suddenly appeared exactly at the appointed time, it still startled me."
"That's the amazing thing about ninjutsu!"
Naruto grinned proudly.
"I already sent word ahead."
"Our caravan is currently heading toward Ancient Rōran."
Sara glanced at Sasuke sitting quietly beside Naruto.
Though he wasn't saying anything, she could easily sense his tension.
Smiling gently, she continued:
"The scouts we sent ahead already returned."
"When the leader heard the names Naruto-kun and Sasuke-kun..."
"She agreed immediately."
"I hope your reunion with your clansmen goes well."
The sincerity in Queen Sara's blessing was unmistakable.
Sasuke nodded politely.
Yet his hands unconsciously clenched tighter.
Because during the journey, Sara had already explained something to both him and Naruto.
The leader she referred to...
Was none other than—
Uchiha Izumi.
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