They were merely two Elite Jōnin — and even then, their strength was already in decline.
And yet they still dared to covet control over Root?
Did they have no shame?
Thinking of this, Hiruzen Sarutobi couldn't help but feel a pang of nostalgia for Danzo Shimura.
If Danzo were still alive, faced with such a situation, he would have mocked them without hesitation.
The loss of that old schemer — his most useful "tool" — left Hiruzen oddly irritated.
"Alright. If there's nothing else, you two may leave."
"..."
The two Elite Jōnin exchanged glances. Hiruzen's tone had left no room for argument.
No matter what they said, the power and influence that had once belonged to Danzo would not fall into their hands.
Fuming, they turned on their heels and departed in silence.
Hiruzen didn't bother to stop them — nor did he care to.
They were of no consequence anymore.
---
Aoyama Residence — Evening
"What a tedious sense of surveillance."
In the courtyard, Aoyama Ryuyun, having finished a day of training, tossed aside the shattered remains of a high-quality ninja sword.
His sharp gaze flicked toward the shadows beyond the courtyard wall.
With his Kenbunshoku Haki, Ryuyun could clearly sense the presence of a watcher.
And this wasn't the first time — he'd felt the same eyes on him for several days now.
He didn't need to think too hard to guess who was behind it.
Hiruzen Sarutobi, of course.
Now that Danzo was dead, who else in Konoha would bother to keep tabs on him?
"What's wrong?"
Tsunade, unable to sense what he could, looked at him curiously.
She'd noticed how his eyes kept darting toward the perimeter since he'd finished training.
"Nothing."
Ryuyun shook his head lightly.
A few days of simple surveillance wasn't worth his attention — but if this continued, it would become… irritating.
He was already planning to deal with this little "bug" at a time of his choosing.
Whether it was one of Hiruzen's subordinates or not didn't matter. To him, it was merely another insect.
"Alright," Tsunade replied, nodding. She didn't press the issue.
She knew he was hiding something from her — but she also knew Ryuyun well enough to trust his reasons.
If he didn't want to speak, it wasn't out of malice.
Then, as if recalling something, Tsunade's eyes brightened.
"Oh, right! That idiot Jiraiya invited us to a get-together tonight. You're coming, right?"
"Me?"
"Well, of course! You're my man now — and he didn't say I couldn't bring family!"
Tsunade crossed her arms proudly. If Ryuyun refused, she honestly wouldn't want to go either.
Coincidentally, Kurenai Yuhi had been focusing on genjutsu under Shinku Yuhi lately and wasn't around; otherwise, she'd probably have insisted on coming too.
Ryuyun smirked. "Fine, let's go together."
Staying home to train every day was beginning to feel monotonous anyway.
"Good! I'll boil some water for your bath. After that, we'll head out!"
Having just finished intense training, Ryuyun was still dripping with sweat.
He nodded. "Alright."
As she walked off, Ryuyun couldn't help but smile faintly.
He never would've imagined that after they got together, Tsunade could be this gentle — almost domestic.
At least, she fit the image of "the wife" he'd once envisioned perfectly.
Glancing one last time toward the direction of the hidden watcher, he followed her inside.
---
Outside the Courtyard
"Was I… discovered?"
Minato Namikaze, wearing an ANBU mask, murmured to himself.
Ryuyun hadn't bothered to hide his gaze, and Minato had felt it — the weight of a lion's attention.
Though momentarily surprised, Minato wasn't alarmed.
"He truly lives up to the name Golden Lion," he said under his breath.
For someone who had cut through Shukaku's Tailed Beast Ball, it was no surprise he could sense him.
Then Minato suddenly froze. "Oh! I almost forgot — I promised Jiraiya-sensei I'd attend that dinner tonight!"
With a faint chuckle, a golden flash lit the air.
The Fourth Hokage disappeared.
Whatever Hiruzen's purpose in assigning him to monitor Aoyama Ryuyun, Minato hadn't seen anything suspicious so far.
---
Later — Konoha's Main District
After cleaning up, Ryuyun and Tsunade changed into casual clothes.
Since it was just a casual gathering, Ryuyun left his Kuremoku and Sakura-jū swords behind.
Tsunade looked him over, eyes glinting with pride. "Very handsome."
He was truly the man she'd set her sights on.
Even out of battle gear, he exuded the same commanding aura — like a lion who disdained everything beneath him.
"You're beautiful too," Ryuyun said with a grin.
Tsunade's softer side emerged easily off the battlefield, and he enjoyed seeing it.
"Let's go."
Side by side, they left their home.
Passersby stopped to stare as they walked down the street — the golden-haired sannin and the proud swordsman beside her.
A striking pair, effortlessly captivating.
---
The Restaurant
"So slow! Why isn't Tsunade here yet?"
Jiraiya, leaning against the window, scowled impatiently at the street below.
"Let's wait a bit longer, Jiraiya-sensei," Minato Namikaze said gently. "She should be here soon."
Beside him, Uzumaki Kushina crossed her arms, her fiery red hair swaying as she huffed.
"I heard Tsunade-nee finally got herself a boyfriend. I wanna see what kind of man he is!"
Her tone carried a teasing curiosity — she'd heard rumors but had yet to meet him in person.
Minato smiled slightly. "Liu Yun-sama… he's an incredibly disciplined man."
After days of observing Ryuyun, Minato had seen his routine — constant training, quiet confidence, and an aura that even seasoned shinobi would think twice about approaching.
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