"Is that kid out of his mind? When he said goodbye just now, he said, 'Congratulations on your early succession as Raikage.'
Why did he call me 'Raikage'? I'm not dark-skinned."
On the way back, Tsunade asked Shizune beside her, puzzled.
"Maybe in Hidden Rain Village, 'Lightning' has another meaning."
Shizune replied casually.
At this moment, Shizune was a bit upset.
Before leaving, Tsunade, in order to salvage her image and reputation, once again declared that she was not that old hag, stating that what Shizune had said before was correct, and her rejuvenation was from the inside out.
As for what to do about her hemophobia every month.
Tsunade's original words were — "Why do you think I bring this girl Shizune with me?"
"Hmm? What's wrong with you? You look very dejected."
Tsunade noticed Shizune's mood, feeling a bit strange, and patted her shoulder, "Don't worry, you don't need to think about what you heard today, just leave it to us. You only need to…"
"Lady Tsunage, I'm not thinking about that. I, I wanted to ask, was I just a tool all along?"
Shizune looked up, her face showing a look of being struck.
"Uh…"
Tsunade's expression was a bit awkward.
"Of course not!"
"Lady Tsunade, you hesitated just now."
"Shizune, don't overthink it. I will still need your assistance in the future.
You can do many things; this is a testament to your ability, a testament to your excellence. You must not belittle yourself.
Only trash, those without value, will not be utilized by others."
Tsunade did her best to persuade… to coax Shizune.
Although she had made up her mind to succeed as Hokage, she hadn't said she would work from nine to five, exhausting herself with official duties.
The Kages of Hidden Mist and Iwagakure had already begun to delegate authority, so she naturally had to delegate authority as well.
Shizune was naturally the first in line; she absolutely could not be allowed to abandon her responsibilities.
"Lady Tsunade, Hidden Mist and Iwagakure delegated authority because their respective Daimyo unexpectedly died, and the Kages had no choice but to take on the Daimyo's responsibilities. You're not thinking of…"
No matter how eloquently Tsunade spoke, Shizune still saw through her immediately.
Shizune was not a fool, and after years of living together, she understood Tsunade's personality all too well.
"How could that be…"
Tsunade was awkward again.
Shizune took the scroll Shiro had given her from Tsunade's hand, opened it, and read its contents for a while.
"Lady Tsunade, this says that delegating authority is to ensure the physical and mental health of the Kage, who is the symbol and strongest combatant of the village, so that they can have enough time to train and rest, handle their personal affairs, and have no worries."
"Yes, that's very well said. Although that kid's tongue is quite venomous, he's really not wrong about this aspect."
Tsunade still couldn't forget Shiro calling her an old hag.
"I mean, Lady Tsunade, you're not thinking of doing nothing at all, are you?"
Shizune closed the scroll and stared into Tsunade's eyes, "Ensuring physical and mental health, having personal time, ensuring training time."
"Gambling, drinking, these are Lady Tsunade's ways of being happy. As for training, Yin Seal doesn't require much…"
"What are you talking about, Shizune! Since I've made up my mind to succeed as Hokage, I naturally won't be like before."
Tsunade interrupted Shizune, her face serious and earnest.
"Huh?"
Shizune was stunned for a moment.
Could it be that Lady Tsunade has truly turned over a new leaf?
"Drinking, that's to train my ability to socialize and drink. Gambling, that's for the village's funds, sacrificing the small for the greater good."
"…"
So the only thing that changed was the explanation.
Shizune instantly felt Konoha's future was bleak.
Orochimaru said Lady Tsunade could make Konoha's wind turn, and it really did turn, but whether it blew forward or backward was hard to say.
Hokage Building.
"Tsunade, you actually returned on your own? What a coincidence, Jiraiya just left the village with Naruto to find you."
Hiruzen Sarutobi looked at Tsunade, who pushed the door open and walked in, a bit surprised.
"Tch, I came back early. Seeing that the village wasn't in any danger, I didn't show myself."
Tsunade walked to a nearby sofa and plopped down, "As for that Jiraiya, use your crystal ball to see if he's in any of the women's bathhouses near the village."
"…Found him."
Hiruzen Sarutobi manipulated the screen of the Telescope Technique and indeed saw two familiar figures outside a women's bathhouse he had marked.
"A dog can't change its ways."
Tsunade pouted.
It was unclear if this remark was cursing Jiraiya, or including Hiruzen Sarutobi in the curse.
After all, Hiruzen Sarutobi was able to quickly pinpoint the nearby women's bathhouses, indicating that these scenes were his "frequent channels."
"Tsunade, since you're back, there's something I need to tell you. I hope you can…"
"I'll take it."
"Uh, huh?"
"I came back to be the Fifth Hokage. Otherwise, why would I come back? To reminisce with you old perverts?"
Tsunade stood up, walked to the desk, and slapped her palm down, making the documents on the table tremble.
"…Good, good."
Hiruzen Sarutobi held it in for a while before uttering two "goods."
After Tsunade appeared, his mind raced, thinking of ways to persuade Tsunade to succeed as Hokage, coming up with a wealth of arguments.
As a result, before he could say a single word, Tsunade directly agreed.
This feeling was like he had conserved his energy for a month, saved up energy, money, and time, preparing to go to the red-light district to have some fun, only to find that the local authorities were cracking down on prostitution, and all the establishments were sealed.
It was utterly powerless.
Night.
Tsunade returned to her residence.
"Lady Tsunade, you don't seem to be planning to tell others about those things?"
Shizune knelt on the floor and poured Tsunade a cup of steaming hot sake.
"That person is very much like Second Grandfather. I'm not sure if he's entirely correct."
Tsunade took a sip of sake, her face slightly flushed from the alcohol as she spoke.
Tsunade was significantly influenced by both of her grandfathers.
From Senju Hashirama, she learned the Will of Fire and emotionality, as well as gambling. From Senju Tobirama, she learned adaptability and rationality.
Among the generations of Hokage, only the Second, Senju Tobirama, and the Fifth, Tsunade, had the conditions for reform.
In the original work, after stepping down, Tsunade even reminded the Sixth, Kakashi, not to constantly dwell on the old generation's rules, but to understand the need for change.
"I see."
Shizune felt a bit heavy-hearted.
If she had known this, she shouldn't have listened along in the first place.
Knowing too much only added to her worries.
After a while longer, Tsunade got drunk and fell asleep. Shizune, as usual, helped Tsunade into the bedroom and covered her with a blanket.
She then habitually made a futon on the floor, lay down beside her, turned off the light, and went to sleep.
"Ugh…"
"See if you'll still call me an old hag…"
"How can someone react to an old hag's body…"
"Hmm…"
"Orochimaru, Jiraiya, I wish you a happy marriage…"
"?"
Shizune lay on the floor, listening to Tsunade mumbling on the bed beside her, feeling a shock to her core.
What kind of moral decay was this?
What kind of dream was Lady Tsunade having?
....
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