Inside the gloomy room, sunlight slanted in through a narrow window, illuminating the fine dust floating in the air.
Tsunade had been cooped up in this temporary residence at the tavern for several days; the noise of the gambling tables and the clatter of dice seemed to have temporarily lost their magic, replaced by a mess of scrolls, scattered notes, and empty wine bottles across the table.
She wasn't squandering her time at a casino, but was organizing the knowledge and experience in her mind like never before, a feeling more suffocating than losing a ten-round gambling streak.
"Aaargh!" Tsunade suddenly let out a short wail, frustratedly burying her hands into her brilliant blonde hair and rubbing it vigorously until her locks became as disheveled as a disturbed bird's nest.
"Seriously, how stubborn! What else is there? Hurry up and remember it for me!" She pounded the table in frustration, making the scrolls tremble slightly.
A strong surge of regret welled up in her heart. If she had known that fulfilling her promise to Takuno would push her to this point, she would have refused no matter what!
Since leaving Konoha, when had she ever been so breathless under the weight of "knowledge" and "responsibility"? It was practically more exhausting than performing Creation Rebirth a dozen times in a row.
A tempting thought popped up: How about just stopping here? She could fill in the rest later when she remembered?
Just as hesitation and fatigue intertwined, with a "creak," the wooden door was gently pushed open.
Shizune's small figure peeked in first, carrying some miscellaneous items in her arms.
Right after, Takuno's steady figure stepped into the room, holding a fruit platter that emitted a fresh fragrance.
On the plate, plump and juicy grapes and bright apple slices were enticingly arranged.
"Lady Tsunade, you've worked hard. Please have some fruit; it might help refresh you." Takuno's voice was gentle and polite as he steadily placed the fruit platter on the cluttered table.
"Mmm—" Tsunade gave a vague response. Her exhausted body almost instinctively succumbed to the temptation of food, and she reached out to pick up a piece of apple.
"Slap!" Shizune quickly slapped Tsunade's hand away, her small brow furrowed with unquestionable seriousness: "Lady Tsunade! Please wash your hands first! This is too unhygienic!"
Looking at Shizune's imitation of a little housekeeper, Tsunade curled her lip but ultimately didn't argue.
She got up, went to the water basin, casually splashed some water to wipe her hands, and considered the task done.
After sitting back down, she was not at all polite, boldly picking up a slice of apple and putting it in her mouth; the juice was sweet and clear.
While chewing, she glanced sideways at Takuno, her tone carrying a complex impatience: "Hey, Takuno, let me make this clear upfront: I don't intend to take you as a student. What's with you sending things over every day?"
In her heart, she understood that if she hadn't accepted his daily care, being soft-handed after taking from others, with her personality, she probably would have abandoned the task long ago.
It was precisely this "debt of gratitude" that forced her to sit here now, racking her brains.
"I understand," Takuno nodded slightly, his tone sincere. "However, since Lady Tsunade is expending so much effort for my sake, bringing some fruit to help relieve your fatigue is only my duty as a junior."
"Tch—!" Tsunade snorted, seemingly reminded of a stark contrast. "It seems you're still clear-headed and haven't been completely infected by that guy Jiraiya. If it were that idiot, he would never think of such details."
There was a subtle disdain in her tone, but also a trace of hard-to-detect longing.
Takuno tactfully did not respond; the deep and complex bond between the two "Sannin" was not something he could comment on.
A brief silence followed. Tsunade's gaze shifted out the window, as if looking through the walls to distant Konoha.
An indescribable melancholy flickered across her brow, her previous irritability replaced by a deeper gloom.
She snapped back to reality and shook her head vigorously, as if to toss those thoughts away.
Then, without further hesitation, she reached out and grabbed several rolled-up scrolls from the table, tossing them to Takuno with a sense of liberation.
"Here, everything I could think of is in there now." Her voice was slightly weary, yet carried a firm sense of relief. "I've stayed in this place too long; it's time to leave."
"Then I will go inform Lord Jiraiya immediately," Takuno replied quickly, taking the heavy scrolls.
"No need!" Tsunade interrupted flatly. "And you don't need to follow me. If there are any supplemental scrolls later—"
She suddenly stopped and slapped her forehead. "Tch, my memory! How could I forget this?"
The next second, Tsunade bent over and pulled an exceptionally large, ancient scroll from beneath the pile of items.
It was nearly half the size of the table, and she placed the massive object on the table with a "thud."
"This is?!" Takuno's pupils suddenly constricted.
Even if he had never seen the physical object, its unique appearance and aura were enough for him to instantly recognize it: the Summoning Contract scroll for Shikkotsu Forest, one of the Three Great Sage Regions!
He never expected that she would so easily reveal such a treasure and intend to grant it to him.
"The Summoning Contract for Shikkotsu Forest," Tsunade's tone was as flat as if she were talking about a head of cabbage, urging him with some impatience. "Sign your name on it."
"Such a precious contract, this—" Takuno instinctively tried to decline.
"Cut the formalities!" Tsunade unceremoniously interrupted his politeness. "If you don't sign the Summoning Contract, how am I supposed to give you things in the future? Do you expect me to keep carrying you around everywhere? Even if you're willing, I'd find it a nuisance to be followed by a grown man!"
She glared at him, the word "trouble" practically written on her face.
Looking at Tsunade's unquestionable expression, Takuno understood that her decision was based on pragmatism, not sentimentality.
After a few seconds of silence, he stopped being pretentious and said solemnly, "Then—I shall respectfully obey."
He bit the pad of his right thumb, and a bead of bright red blood seeped out.
Without any hesitation, he used the blood infused with Chakra and his own will to carefully write his name, "Takuno," stroke by stroke, at the bottom of the ancient scroll.
The moment he signed, his gaze swept over the names above on the scroll. Nearby was "Tsunade," and further up was the illustrious name of the legendary "God of Shinobi," "Hashirama"!
Further up, he could no longer recognize those even older names.
In this world, the key link of a Summoning Contract lies in the imprint of "blood" and the resonance of Chakra; the name itself is actually irrelevant.
It wasn't like in a Cthulhu world where a name holds some unique power.
"Give it a try." Tsunade folded her arms, appearing nonchalant, but her eyes held a hint of observation. "Remember, for the first summoning, control your Chakra amount well; don't mess it up."
She didn't even bother asking if Takuno knew the Summoning Jutsu. Someone who could handle Sealing Jutsus so well would certainly have no problem with the basic object summoning technique.
"Yes," Takuno replied.
The wound on his fingertip had not yet clotted. Using his blood-stained thumb, his hands quickly formed the familiar hand signs. Instantly, a strange distortion rippled through space.
Pop~
Accompanied by a slight sound, like jelly hitting the ground, a giant slug about the size of Shizune appeared in the somewhat cramped room.
Its entire body emitted a lustrous blue glow, its skin held a healthy moisture, and a pair of cute tentacles swayed gently, radiating a warm and friendly aura.
"Lady Tsunade, do you have any instructions?" The slug's highly recognizable, gentle, mature female voice sounded. Its first reaction upon being summoned was naturally to look for the source of the contract, Tsunade.
But soon, it detected the subtle difference in Chakra.
Its gentle gaze fell upon Takuno, who had just finished the hand signs, with a hint of curious inquiry.
"Katsuyu, this is the new contractor for Shikkotsu Forest, Takuno," Tsunade introduced at the right moment. "In the future, I'll have to trouble you to assist him more."
"I see." Katsuyu's voice remained soft as a spring breeze. "Understood, Lady Tsunade. Master Takuno, it's a pleasure to meet you. I am Katsuyu of Shikkotsu Forest. From now on, please take care of me."
It nodded its body slightly, appearing very humble and polite.
"Not at all! Lady Katsuyu is too kind." Takuno hurried to bow slightly in return. "It is my honor to have the support of your power. I hope you will not hesitate to guide me in the future!"
He kept his posture very low, maintaining great respect for this summoned beast who had lived for untold ages and was considered top-tier in both medical and combat capabilities.
"Tch, alright, that's enough," Tsunade rolled her eyes from the side, interrupting their slightly strange exchange of courtesies. "You two don't need to keep 'Lord' and 'Lady'-ing each other. You'll have plenty of time to get to know each other later. For now, save me some trouble!"
Takuno and Katsuyu glanced at each other, both smiling slightly. Takuno quickly had a brief communication with Katsuyu, learning the key points of summoning and some basic information.
Soon, Katsuyu's body glowed and turned into a puff of blue smoke, releasing the summoning state and returning to Shikkotsu Forest.
"If I come up with anything new in the future, I'll have Katsuyu bring it to you." Tsunade stepped forward, resealed the massive contract scroll, rolled it up, and put it away.
As she spoke, she couldn't help but let out a large yawn; she had indeed overextended her energy these past few days. "Also, remember, I gave these things to you because I wanted to. Don't go blabbing to that guy Jiraiya later. I'll be leaving quietly with Shizune."
She emphasized this specifically. Based on her knowledge of Jiraiya, that guy was probably still immersed in a hungover dream and wouldn't wake up until the sun was high in the sky.
"Lady Tsunade," Takuno looked at the figure before him and couldn't help but ask one last time, "Are you really not returning to Konoha?"
Tsunade's footsteps paused. She didn't turn back, but simply shook her head gently. Her voice was soft, yet carried a sense of detached finality: "The current Konoha has Minato; he is doing very well. As for medical matters—with you there, I have nothing to worry about."
She paused, as if remembering something crucial, and suddenly turned around. The lazy and weary look on her face vanished instantly, replaced by a sharp seriousness Takuno had never seen before, her tone resolute.
"Right! The scrolls I gave you contain two special techniques! Listen, Takuno! Although I am not your teacher, I must demand that until you have completely mastered those two techniques, you absolutely, under no circumstances, set foot on the front lines! Do you understand?!"
At this moment, Tsunade's gaze was as sharp as a blade, her authority as the creator of the "Strength of a Hundred Seal" and her responsibility as a top Medical Shinobi fully revealed.
Takuno felt a chill in his heart. He naturally understood which two techniques Tsunade was referring to: they were the core foundation of her power in the Shinobi World, the Creation Rebirth Technique, and the final mystery that could concern one's life, Creation Rebirth! Their importance was self-evident.
He also straightened his body solemnly and, without any hesitation, replied in a deep voice: "Yes!"
This promise was not a burden to him; he had already planned to use the identity of "Takuno" primarily to support medical and large-scale logistics, rather than charging into battle.
Moreover, he knew the future better than anyone: a period of relative peace lasting several years was about to descend.
Aside from local frictions, large-scale wars would temporarily subside.
The maintenance of this fragile peace would likely not break until the Hidden Sand Village could no longer hold on.
Because Sunagakure could still barely hold on now largely due to the Fourth Kazekage Rasa using Magnet Release to sift through Gold Dust for foreign exchange resources.
But Sunagakure was located in the barren deserts of the Land of Wind, with extremely scarce resources; an economic structure relying solely on Gold Dust was like a castle built on sand.
Once gold prices fluctuated, ore sources were exhausted, or technical barriers were broken, this balance would collapse in an instant. For the sake of its own resource issues, the next storm to sweep the Shinobi World would be unavoidable.
Thinking of Rasa's Magnet Release, Takuno's thoughts drifted.
Actually, he felt that Magnet Release in the Naruto world might not be magnetism in the conventional sense, but more like a form of metal control.
There are many non-magnetic metals, like gold, that can still be controlled by Magnet Release.
Even if the Fourth Kazekage was controlling Gold Dust that contained magnetic impurities, looking at his performance in controlling Gold Dust, it didn't seem like he was simply using the impurities within to control it.
And in the Fourth Shinobi World War, he could control all metals; surely not a single Shinobi Tool in the hands of all those Shinobi was made of non-magnetic metal?
Perhaps it was also because of this that the Chakra contained in Magnet Release did not have a Lightning attribute; if it were just magnetism, then relying on Lightning Release to derive a magnetic field would be possible.
However, that probably wouldn't be called a Kekkei Genkai.
In addition, there was Hiruko's Steel Release which was impossible to investigate. Takuno always felt it was just an extreme application of Earth Release, but since it was a Kekkei Genkai, it must have two attributes.
Perhaps it's like Wood Release and Lava Release; who knows what attributes were mixed.
"Good, then it's settled." Looking at Takuno's solemn promise, the severity on Tsunade's face melted like snow, and she resumed her lazy posture, waving her hand.
"Alright, the items are delivered, and the talk is over. You can leave now; don't linger here." She unceremoniously issued an order to leave.
Looking at the scrolls in his hand, which contained Tsunade's life's work, Takuno's heart was filled with sincere gratitude and an indescribable shock.
He knew well that receiving this unreserved gift was not just because his own value was recognized.
What Tsunade valued even more was the judgment of that white-haired Shinobi who had introduced him to her and placed a heavy bet on him.
The word "thanks" reached his lips but ultimately turned into a simple yet incredibly sincere: "Thank you very much, Lady Tsunade!"
He said no more, bowed deeply, and turned to leave the room.
As the door was gently closed, Tsunade stood alone, her gaze unconsciously drifting toward the direction of Konoha outside the window. Her eyes were complex—a mix of reminiscence, determination, and a faint, hard-to-detect concern and attachment.
This Village, personally founded by her beloved grandfather Hashirama, could she really let it go completely, with no more lingering thoughts?
Everything she had done, delivering the innovation of the medical system and the core inheritance of life-preservation to Takuno, was that not also her way of leaving another, more solid layer of protection for Konoha?
At least, when the fires of war ignited next time, the Shinobi of Konoha would have survival chances far exceeding the past in the medical and logistics link, thanks to Takuno's growth—
This could be considered her final and most silent guardianship of the Village that carried her family's honor.