Chapter 14: Tsunade's Shock

Currently, at the gate of the Ishikawa residence.

Azumi, whose health had been declining in recent days, stood there unsteadily, leaning on a cane.

Seeing the visitor before her, her lips trembled with excitement. 

Her face, wrinkled, sallow, and thin, flushed unnaturally with a hint of red.

She struggled to bow to the visitor. "Lady Tsunade…"

"Azumi, you've aged too…" 

Looking at the elderly woman in front of her, whose life seemed near its end, Tsunade's gaze was filled with nostalgia.

She stepped forward to support her and said in a low voice, "Enough, the Senju Clan is no more. You don't need to be so formal."

Tsunade was familiar with Azumi. 

In her youth, Azumi had been her maid, responsible for looking after her and staying by her side.

Moreover, Azumi's mother, Senju Toka, had been a trusted confidant of her grandfather, the First Hokage, Senju Hashirama.

She was an elite kunoichi within the Senju Clan, renowned for her Genjutsu skills, known even among shinobi from other countries.

But time had eroded the past.

The once-glorious Senju Clan had vanished.

Its powerful members had perished one by one in the harsh wars of previous years.

Fortunately, many of them, under the arrangements of the First Hokage, had married civilians or other ninja clans, blending Senju blood into the heart of Konoha.

Thus, though Tsunade knew of Konoha's darker side and harbored disdain for its higher-ups, she reluctantly set aside her grievances to return when she received Azumi's letter asking to see her one last time.

She had come to say goodbye.

"I'm sorry Tsunade-sama I wouldn't be able to do that… cough, cough. Please, come inside!"

Yet Azumi, stubborn as always, insisted on completing her greeting.

In her heart, although she had taken her husband's surname, she would always consider herself a part of the Senju Clan.

Looking at Tsunade, whose beauty and figure made her appear no older than twenty, Azumi couldn't help but marvel.

Lady Tsunade, indeed a master of medical Jutsus, had the means to keep her youthful.

Though she was in her forties, she looked like a young woman.

"Cough, cough, and this is…?" Azumi's weary eyes turned to the slender young woman behind Tsunade, short-haired and holding a pink piglet. 

Surprised, she asked about the woman following Tsunade.

"She is my disciple, Shizune," Tsunade replied directly.

"Azumi-sama, pleased to meet you!"

Shizune, a bit shy, smiled politely, lifting the piglet in her arms. "This is Tonton!"

"Tontonnn~~" 

The cute little pig greeted them, playfully squealing.

"I see… Lady Tsunade and Shizune don't just stand there. Please, come in!"

As Azumi spoke, Tsunade nodded, not bothering with pleasantries.

Supporting Azumi, who was struggling to move, she guided her into the living room.

She didn't immediately ask why Azumi had sent for her but instead began a medical examination.

Her face quickly turned serious, her brows furrowing deeply.

As she examined Azumi, it became clear that Azumi's life was hanging by a thread.

The fact that she had survived this long was, in itself, a miracle.

It was evident that a skilled medical-nin had been using their chakra daily to sustain Azumi's body.

Whoever that ninja was, they possessed considerable talent.

"Your body…"

"Cough, cough, don't worry, Lady Tsunade…"

Azumi coughed continuously. "I know my own condition."

"If it weren't for my grandson, Kiyoshi, continuously healing me with his chakra, I would have been in the ground long ago! Cough, cough..."

Tsunade looked surprised. "Your grandson? Son of Masato, that medic-nin from the Medic Corps?"

She recalled that when she left Konoha, Masato had only just married and had no children.

If Azumi's grandson was that young, he could be no more than ten years old at most.

And if she remembered correctly, Masato had sacrificed himself during the Nine-Tails' attack a few years back.

"Yes, Kiyoshi is only eight years old,, but his talent far surpasses his father's…"

Thinking of her prodigious grandson, pride filled Azumi's heart. 

"That boy, with only Masato's old scrolls and notes, taught himself. He's already mastered the Mystical Palm Jutsu, an A-rank medical jutsu!"

"He's the one who's been caring for me!"

"What?!"

"Mastered the Mystical Palm Jutsu at eight years old?"

Both Shizune and Tsunade were stunned.

Tsunade's eyes contracted sharply, her expression one of disbelief as she looked at Azumi.

The Mystical Palm Jutsu was no ordinary jutsu.

Its difficulty was a solid A-rank, and medical ninjutsu was far harder to learn than regular jutsu.

But mastering the Jutsu was only the first step; using it effectively was what truly mattered.

After examining Azumi, Tsunade knew precisely how challenging it was to use the Mystical Palm Jutsu for long-term care.

Her grandson's skill was nothing short of extraordinary.

"Cough, cough, it's true. When Kiyoshi returns, you can test him yourself, Lady Tsunade!" Azumi said with a smile.

Azumi knew her own body well.

Seeing Kiyoshi's exceptional talent had strengthened her resolve to pave a better future for him before her time was up.

So, when she saw him awaken the First Hokage's Wood Release, she was determined.

Half a month ago, when Shikaku came by for a visit, she asked him to send word to Tsunade, the last Senju princess, hoping she could meet Tsunade one last time.

But Tsunade was known for being hard to locate.

Even the Nara Clan had gone to great lengths to deliver Azumi's letter.

"You specifically asked the Nara Clan to bring me back just for his sake, didn't you?"

Tsunade realized her intention, a solemn look spreading across her face.

She thought she understood Azumi's wish.

Azumi likely hoped she would take her grandson as a student.

If Kiyoshi truly possessed such talent, it would be worth considering.

In recent years, Tsunade had been disappointed by the realization that, despite her dedicated teaching, Shizune's potential was limited.

Now in her twenties, Shizune's medical skills were only a bit stronger than Masato's had been back in the day.

She could not inherit Tsunade's full legacy.

"Cough, cough, as an old woman, that is indeed my wish, but there's something even more important to discuss with you…"

Azumi said, glancing at Shizune and hesitating.

"Lady Tsunade, Azumi-sama, I'll take Tonton for a little walk so you can talk!" 

Sensing the moment, Shizune smiled, bowing out with the pig in her arms.

"It's fine…" Tsunade waved her hand, speaking frankly. "Shizune is my disciple, loyal and discreet. You can speak freely."

"Well… alright!"

Azumi hesitated but seeing Tsunade's assurance, she took a deep breath, as if gathering her resolve.

"Kiyoshi has awakened Lord Hashirama's Wood Release!"

"What?!"

Tsunade's eyes widened in shock, and she immediately stood up, unable to contain herself.

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