As Ino and the others began to act inconspicuous, the Second Hokage knew who the main character of the day was. He carefully observed Tsunade, a hint of confusion in his eyes. How old was his granddaughter now? She looked youthful and beautiful, twenty years old?
Was this the effect of some peculiar Ninjutsu?
He pondered for a moment, then asked Ino, "It seems we met last time in Konoha. Little girl, I remember your name is Ino?"
At that time, Ino had introduced herself, and he still remembered.
However, the Second Hokage wasn't sure if this was specifically the same person, especially with Ninja from these Ninja clans; it was not uncommon for fathers, sons, and even three generations of grandparents and grandchildren to look alike. For example, Shikaku, Shikamaru, and Shikadai, three generations of grandparents and grandchildren, all looked similar.
"Yes, I am Ino. At that time, you guided me with many Water Release Ninjutsu, which benefited me greatly."
"Oh, it really is you. My memory has been a bit muddled since I died... Who is this girl in black next to you?"
Shizune bowed respectfully, "Nidaime(2nd)-sama, I am Shizune, also Lady Tsunade's disciple."
"Good, you are all good children." The Second Hokage nodded. Tonton seemed to want to introduce herself too, but the Second Hokage ignored it.
The Second Hokage asked Ino, "How long has it been since we last met?"
"Nine months and ten days."
"Is that so? Time truly flies. For me, it was just an instant."
The Second Hokage calculated the Third Hokage's age at that time, and then Tsunade's age now. This must be some Secret Technique used to maintain her appearance. A normal fifty-year-old Female Ninja couldn't possibly look like this.
"Tsunade, is there something you need since you brought me out of the Dead Demon Consuming Seal?" he asked seriously.
Seeing that it truly couldn't be hidden any longer, and with Ino and Shizune watching with an expression of enjoying the show, Tsunade could only say the truth with a wry smile, "Grandpa, it's like this, I've contracted a disease called hemophobia."
Tsunade began to recount her experiences over the years. The Second Hokage, instead of the expected scolding, listened patiently, offering comfort occasionally.
Shizune and Ino slowly withdrew from the room. Tonton looked left and right, saw that they had all left, and quickly followed.
"That's great! That's truly great!" Senior Sister Shizune looked at the bright moon in the sky and let out a long sigh of relief.
Ino held the pet pig, pinched Tonton's very elastic butt, smiled, and said nothing.
The fact that Naruto could talk Tsunade down with a few grand, nonsensical words that even Konohamaru found ridiculous, indicated that Tsunade's psychological illness had largely healed after so many years.
She didn't have a reason to *have* to see Kato Dan and Nawaki, to the point of not being able to live without seeing them. From this perspective, Orochimaru lacked understanding of Tsunade.
In times of war, which family hadn't lost a few relatives? Didn't the Yamanaka Clan and Nara Clan lose people? Didn't Ninja from the Sarutobi Clan and Shimura Clan also go to the battlefield in waves?
Time is the best medicine. No matter how sad or sleepless one was back then, after so many years, the wounds had long healed.
The problem was that Tsunade, as the First Hokage's granddaughter, had too high a seniority.
She was essentially an enhanced version of Konohamaru.
Konohamaru still had companions like Ise Udon and Moegi, and his big brother Naruto to confide in.
Tsunade, on the other hand, only had the old pervert Jiraiya. What could she confide in him about?
Her peers were not qualified to persuade her, let alone her juniors; it was difficult and inappropriate to speak up.
Many words could only be kept in her heart, for decades.
The Second Hokage was perfect!
The First Hokage died early, so Tsunade's childhood was essentially spent under the care of the Second Hokage.
Don't even say you're fifty, even if you were eighty, the Second Hokage would have the right to scold you.
Compared to the unreliable First Hokage, the Second Hokage also had enough wisdom and life experience to comfort Tsunade. Shizune was also the top Medical Ninja of her generation, and she felt that this treatment was definitely going to work.
The next day, Shizune deliberately cut her palm and asked Tsunade to treat her.
Although a bit awkward, Tsunade still completed the entire treatment process.
Her hemophobia was considered cured.
Kato Dan, Nawaki — they weren't even mentioned. According to the Second Hokage, many people died on the battlefield, so why only remember those two? Didn't she remember her deceased Grandpa?
The group grew, becoming three people, one pig, and one ghost.
Tsunade wanted the Second Hokage to return to the Village to see, but the Second Hokage directly refused, "Shizune said it's already the Fifth Hokage now. My era has passed, there's no need to go back. You can just tell me about it."
Tsunade then roughly recounted the current situation of Konoha Village. Jiraiya told her many things, so she was someone who understood the Village's true situation quite well.
Tsunade also knew a lot about what the Third Hokage and Danzo had done, but she didn't say much. At that time, she wasn't in the Village at all, and Jiraiya wasn't either. They were both deserters at the time and had no right to dictate the affairs of the Village.
Hearing that the Uchiha Clan had been annihilated, the Second Hokage was slightly moved. This was not the outcome he wanted to see. He hoped for suppression and control, to integrate the moderate faction of the Uchiha Clan into Konoha's system, not such a crude uprooting.
"Hiruzen, it seems, also developed fear of the Uchiha Clan due to old age. Time is truly terrifying," he commented incisively, hitting the nail on the head.
Ino also nodded secretly. If the Third Hokage had been in his prime, he would have had enough strength to suppress the Uchiha Clan. It was precisely because he was old, his strength had plummeted, and he saw the continuous emergence of geniuses like Uchiha Shisui and Uchiha Itachi from the Uchiha Clan, that he worried Konoha Village would eventually fall into the hands of the Uchiha Clan, leading him to make the decision to exterminate them.
Were there better options at the time? Certainly, but he couldn't wait.
After hearing about the Uchiha Clan's annihilation, the Second Hokage immediately lost interest in the Village's affairs.
Just as he was about to change the subject, Tsunade suddenly remembered something: "Oh, by the way, Grandpa, did you... did you see Uchiha Madara's body back then?"
"What? What happened?"
"It's like this: on the night of the Uchiha Clan's annihilation, a man claiming to be Uchiha Madara reportedly appeared. He wore a mask and killed many Ninja of the Uchiha Clan."
Tsunade pondered for a few seconds, "And in the year Ino and the others were born, the Village experienced the Nine-Tailed Demon Foxs Attack. The Fourth Hokage, Master Sarutobi's wife, Akimichi Torifu, and many elite Ninja from the Village died in that battle. The person controlling the Nine-Tailed at that time seemed to be Uchiha Madara, wearing a mask."
This information made the Second Hokage contemplate.
"I examined Uchiha Madara's body at the time; he should have been dead. However..." Even Danzo knew about the Uchiha Clan's Izanagi, let alone the Second Hokage. When Tsunade first began her story, he had already thought of this possibility.
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