49 The Senju Box

Itachi spent some time with Sasuke, and he calmed down; being with his younger brother was his personal oasis of peace. Although he felt annoyed by the laughter he heard from his mother, knowing it was caused by that man.

(If Itachi were as mature as he thinks, he would have started to suspect other things by now...)

He heard someone knocking on the door, but his mother didn't seem to have heard it, so he reluctantly left Sasuke's room and went to see who the visitor was himself.

With a bit of luck, it would be his father who had finished the mission early.

But when he opened the door and looked up, he didn't see the visitor's face.

He had two big reasons that prevented him from doing so!

"You must be Fugaku's son, Itachi, right?" Tsunade didn't see anyone when the door opened and she lowered her gaze, taking a few steps back to get a better look at the child. "Heavens, you really take after your father with that indifferent expression."

"How can I assist you, Tsunade-sama?" Itachi recognized the woman at his door, of course, but he couldn't think of a reason that could bring her here.

"Is Enel still here?" Tsunade leaned forward to try to see inside.

Itachi's eyes almost got caught by surprise but he quickly regained his composure as if he had been about to be trapped in a genjutsu.

"Yes, he's with my mother," Itachi informed apathetically. "Would you like to come in, or should I call him?"

He really hoped for the second option.

Tsunade considered for a moment and decided it was better not to enter. Although she wouldn't mind talking to Mikoto, she was sure it would take a long time, and it wasn't the right moment.

"Tell him I'll wait outside."

Itachi nodded and quickly went to convey Tsunade's message. He was so happy that he didn't notice the famous kunoichi's strange mood.

After learning of Tsunade's arrival, Enel bid farewell to Mikoto, sincerely thanking her for the recipe.

Mikoto watched as Enel left with Tsunade and narrowed her eyes as her thoughts raced.

"First it was Kushina, and now she's with Tsunade-sama? If even someone of her caliber is interested, it seems I should have been more bold and open-minded. It's just..."

Her gaze turned to her older son, who couldn't understand why his mother was looking at him as if she were reproaching him for something.

"Did I forget to clean my room?" Itachi thought, bewildered.

Mikoto sighed and turned to enter. Her older son was as dense as his father when it came to certain details. She just hoped he wouldn't share his other flaws in the future...

"How do you get along so well with Mikoto?" Tsunade asked, a bit perplexed by Kushina's best friend's attitude towards Enel.

And for some reason, she felt that her gaze was a bit strange...

"It's nothing, we just hit it off and exchanged recipes using apples," Enel replied, showing her the copy of the recipe card he had memorized.

Tsunade took the recipe and recognized Mikoto's handwriting on it. Although it was strange, knowing the taste of Enel's apples, she didn't find it so unusual and accepted it as a friendship formed casually due to culinary interests.

Stranger things happen every day.

"What about Haku and Shizune?"

"I left them inside the compound," Tsunade replied as they returned to the same place.

It made sense; if one of the ANBU asked Shizune for details and she refused, things could get ugly. For Konoha.

"What's in the box?" Enel asked, noticing a small wooden box filled with dense seals.

"My last gift for the Third Hokage," Tsunade murmured as if only he could hear it.

Enel nodded and didn't ask further.

If Tsunade had wanted to provide details, she would have elaborated a bit more. Although he couldn't deny that he was curious.

"You!" Tsunade pointed at a rooftop and shouted, "Come here!"

An ANBU appeared in front of her, knowing it was pointless to pretend with one of the three Sannin of the village.

"Tsunade-sama," the ANBU greeted. "How can I assist you?"

Although the ANBU only answered directly to the reigning Hokage, the authority and status that the Princess of the Senju clan had were enough for her to give some simple instructions as long as she didn't cross the line.

This had also been the Third Hokage's instruction, so they were used to it.

"Give this box to the old man and tell him to only open it when he really needs it," Tsunade handed over the box with the seals. "Remind him that if he dares to use it for something trivial, I'll shove his beloved smoking pipe up his..."

"Isn't Tsunade-sama going to see the Hokage?" The ANBU grasped the point and interrupted, surprised and nervous. "Because the Hokage is waiting for her to come to the office to report."

"Tell him he can wait while sitting; I'm not going," Tsunade crossed her arms and turned her head like a tsundere would.

"Well..." The ANBU didn't know how to act.

He couldn't go hard against her, or someone's life would be in danger!

His own life.

If only Jiraiya-sama were here, there might be a chance of success...

Driven by desperation, he could only turn his head to seek help from the other person present, but Enel seemed to be fascinated by the painting on the wooden fence next to the path.

The message was clear: "Don't drag me into this!"

"Tsunade-sama, please. You must inform the Hokage before you leave," the ANBU pleaded.

"Hmm?" Tsunade looked at him from the corner of her eye, raising an eyebrow as she slowly clenched her right fist, making her point clear.

"I will relay your message to the Hokage without fail!" The ANBU retreated decisively.

He couldn't do it; she was just too scary.

Maybe he wasn't cut out for this life; he should have inherited his father's cabbage farm.

Cabbages can't break your ribs with a punch.

Cabbages are good and healthy; they bring in a steady income, and he could have more time to start a family. That sounded good.

Decision made! I'll resign from the ANBU.

The next morning, Hiruzen found the box on his desk with a note explaining what had happened with the resignation papers of one of his ANBU.

He looked at the box with a complicated expression, not knowing whether to be relieved that his student had finally left a way to contact her in case of need or to be annoyed that she didn't even bother to pay him a visit after so long.

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What do you think is in the box?