Chapter 49

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– Five hours of omitted events –

A long-awaited reunion and a rekindling of an old friendship.

After a night of passion, Toki quietly withdrew his hand from Tsunade's warm form just before dawn, glancing at her with a hint of guilt. Seeing that she was still asleep, he quickly dressed and slipped out of the room.

But what Toki didn't know was that, as soon as he left, Tsunade's eyes slowly opened. She stared at the closed door with a complex expression until Shizune popped her head in, breaking her thoughts. Tsunade turned and scolded Shizune coldly, "Shizune, what were you doing last night?"

Shizune laughed nervously, waving her hands defensively. "I couldn't stop him, Lady Tsunade! He insisted on helping you, and I couldn't overpower him."

Tsunade almost laughed at Shizune's act. Did Shizune really think she'd completely blacked out? As a medical ninja skilled in detoxification, Tsunade knew better. She hadn't lost total awareness, though she had allowed herself to indulge…

Thinking back to the events of the previous night, Tsunade blushed, unwilling to admit it was her who had taken things so far. Shizune, looking at the empty room, sighed.

"Lady Tsunade, why did you let him leave? We finally got him right where we wanted him."

Tsunade's face darkened, and she glared at Shizune. "If you act on your own again, I'll throw you to him myself!"

Shizune pouted, internally unimpressed. After all, she knew it was Tsunade who hadn't let Toki leave in the first place. But she feigned fear and swore never to interfere again.

The truth was, Shizune had become Tsunade's disciple thanks to Toki's intervention. For that, she was grateful, having gained an esteemed mentor. What she didn't know was that Toki had done this partially out of guilt for taking her deceased uncle's place.

Tsunade looked at Shizune, irritation flickering on her face. "Get out there and find out why he's back!"

Once Shizune left, Tsunade sighed, conflicted. "Did he really come back just to see me?"

She couldn't help but feel a bit of hope. But in the next moment, Shizune burst back into the room, excitement spilling from her voice.

"Lady Tsunade, big news! Konoha's changed. Toki is now the Uchiha clan's leader, and he stopped the Third Hokage from reclaiming his position!"

"Konoha is split into three factions now: the Sarutobi clan and their allies, the Uchiha clan protecting the village, and a coalition of ninja clans weakened by the wars. Hokage is now only a symbolic role, and you're the Fifth Hokage!"

Tsunade blinked in confusion. She understood Shizune's words individually, but together they made no sense.

"Wait… I'm the Hokage? When did I agree to that? And what do you mean by 'Hokage without power' or 'three factions'? Did Konoha just fall apart in a few months?"

Then, nervously, she asked Shizune, "Are you saying the Uchiha clan is the only one fighting against the Hidden Cloud Village right now? No other clans joined?"

Shizune nodded hesitantly, "It seems that only the Uchiha clan is engaged in the battle at the moment, so Toki came here himself."

Hearing this, Tsunade's calm demeanor vanished. "It has to be Sarutobi's doing again! How could Toki agree to this?"

She recalled how, in the past, Sarutobi had filled the Senju clan with ideals of protecting Konoha, the legacy of the First Hokage, and the "Will of Fire." They were told to dedicate themselves to Konoha's prosperity, only for Sarutobi to later betray them. The Senju clan rushed into countless battles, but by the end of the Third Ninja War, they were practically wiped out.

At the time, Tsunade had believed Sarutobi was upholding her grandfather's Will of Fire. She never realized his ruthlessness until he signed an unconditional peace treaty with the Hidden Stone, betraying his allies and leaving Tsunade's clan devastated. Distraught, she left Konoha, and Toki had later sent Shizune to look after her.

Now, hearing that the Uchiha clan was being sent to fight alone, she feared Sarutobi's methods were repeating. Her usual calm was replaced with worry.

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