Ryujin had just finished bathing, water still clinging faintly to his skin as he casually reached for a cloth to dry himself. The steam from the bath lingered in the air, soft and warm, creating a moment of rare calm amidst the chaos of war.
Then—
Without warning—
The tent flap was pushed open.
Tsunade stepped inside.
Neither of them had expected it.
And just like that—
Everything was exposed.
For a single, suspended moment, time seemed to freeze.
Ryujin reacted first.
His expression barely shifted as he reached for a robe and draped it over himself in one smooth motion, covering what needed to be covered without any sign of panic. His movements were steady, controlled—almost as if nothing unusual had happened at all.
Composed.
Unshaken.
But Tsunade—
Was not.
She stood there, completely motionless, her eyes locked in place as her mind struggled to process what she had just seen.
It replayed.
Again.
And again.
How is that even possible…?
That's… not normal… right?
As a medical ninja, her instincts were precise, almost frighteningly so. Her mind was trained to analyze the human body in an instant—to identify abnormalities, to assess danger, to understand structure and function.
And right now—
Every instinct she had was telling her something was very, very wrong.
"…No way…"
Her cheeks slowly flushed red, the color spreading almost imperceptibly at first before becoming impossible to ignore.
Ryujin cleared his throat lightly.
"Ahem… Tsunade."
"Did you need something?"
The sound of his voice snapped her out of it.
"Ah—! Oh—! Yes… I—I came for something."
Her words stumbled, her usual confidence nowhere to be found. Even as she spoke, her gaze betrayed her, drifting downward for the briefest moment before she forcibly pulled it back up.
Ryujin frowned slightly.
Tsunade… embarrassed?
That alone was rare enough to be considered a miracle.
What he didn't realize—
Was that her reaction existed only because it was him.
Anyone else—
Would have been punched through the tent.
Tsunade took a slow breath, steadying herself, forcing her composure back into place.
"I came to explain what happened last time."
Her voice gradually regained its usual firmness, though the faint flush on her face had yet to fully disappear.
Ryujin shifted slightly, moving to sit behind the table in front of him, naturally blocking her line of sight.
"…Explain."
His tone remained neutral.
But internally—
Even he felt a trace of discomfort.
Tsunade caught the subtle movement.
And for a split second—
She almost laughed.
She covered her mouth lightly, disguising it as a cough before continuing.
"You know how major clans operate," she said, her voice calmer now. "They assign guards to watch important members… even without their knowledge."
"Our elders did the same."
Her gaze lowered slightly.
"They sent people to follow me."
A brief pause.
"And they saw us… drinking together."
Silence lingered for a moment before she continued.
"You also understand the relationship between the Senju and the Uchiha."
"The guards assumed you might harm me."
"So they reported it immediately."
Ryujin listened quietly, his expression unchanged.
Then—
He gave a small nod.
"I see."
To him, that was enough.
There was no need to drag the matter any further. The explanation was logical, consistent with how the clans operated, and more importantly—
It aligned with what he already suspected.
Still, the faint awkwardness in the air remained.
And for once—
Even Ryujin wasn't entirely unaffected by it.
Despite everything he had achieved—his strength, his status, his position as Clan Head—there was one area of life he had never truly touched.
Intimacy.
His entire existence had revolved around power.
Training.
Growth.
Survival.
Looking back—
Even he could admit he might have gone too far in that direction.
Strength alone—
Wasn't everything.
"…So you believe me?" Tsunade asked, her voice carrying a hint of surprise.
Then, almost immediately, confusion flickered across her face.
Wait…
Why am I asking for his forgiveness?
She frowned slightly, clearly dissatisfied with her own reaction, but quickly let it go.
Because what mattered most—
Was that things were back to normal.
And for her—
That was enough.
Tsunade had never been the type to overthink things. She was straightforward, direct, and decisive. If something was wrong, she fixed it. Pride didn't matter. Appearances didn't matter.
Only the result did.
Ryujin observed her quietly.
And for a brief moment—
A thought crossed his mind.
If he truly had to choose someone…
Tsunade wouldn't be a bad option.
But almost immediately—
Reality followed.
The hatred between the Uchiha and the Senju ran too deep.
He could manage his own clan.
But the Senju?
Tsunade, despite her status, didn't hold real authority.
She was a symbol.
A legacy.
A living reminder of a man who once stood above all others.
Hashirama Senju.
The God of Shinobi.
And because of him—
She was revered.
Not for her strength.
But for her bloodline.
Tsunade broke the silence.
"Ryujin."
"Orochimaru spoke to me earlier… about tomorrow's operation."
Ryujin poured himself a cup of tea, his movements unhurried.
"Go on."
She nodded.
"The original plan… I was supposed to join Jiraiya and Orochimaru for the assault."
"Our current combat strength is limited. The White Fang is tied down on another battlefield, so we were the only ones available."
Ryujin took a slow sip, listening without interruption.
"But…" she continued, glancing at him briefly, "because you're here, I've been reassigned."
"I'll remain in camp and continue developing antidotes."
A short silence followed.
Then—
Ryujin nodded.
"That's better."
Logically, it made perfect sense.
Support roles were far safer.
Especially tomorrow.
Because for some reason—
He had a feeling.
A subtle one.
But persistent.
That something—
Was going to happen.
Something dangerous.
A quiet intuition, forged through countless battles and sharpened through experience.
And instincts like that—
Never lied.