Ryujin had just finished bathing, water still clinging to his skin as he casually dried himself—when Tsunade, true to her reckless nature, burst straight into the tent without warning.
Neither of them—
Had expected this.
And just like that—
Everything was… exposed.
For a brief moment—
Time seemed to freeze.
Ryujin reacted first.
His expression barely changed as he calmly grabbed a robe and draped it over himself, covering what needed to be covered.
Composed.
Unshaken.
But Tsunade—
Was completely stunned.
She stood there, motionless, her eyes fixed in place.
Her mind—
Looping.
How is that even… possible?
That's… not normal… right?
As a medical ninja, her instincts were sharp and precise.
And right now—
They were telling her something extremely dangerous.
"…No way…"
Her cheeks slowly turned red.
Ryujin cleared his throat.
"Ahem… Tsunade."
"Did you need something?"
The sound snapped her out of it.
"Ah—! Oh—! Yes… I—I came for something."
Her voice stumbled—uncharacteristically.
Her face still flushed.
Ryujin frowned slightly.
Tsunade… embarrassed?
That alone was rare enough to be considered a miracle.
What he didn't realize—
Was that her reaction was only because it was him.
Tsunade took a slow breath, calming herself.
"I… came to explain what happened last time."
Her tone steadied—
But her eyes—
Traitorously drifted downward.
Just for a second.
Ryujin immediately shifted his posture, sitting behind the table and blocking her line of sight.
"…Explain, then."
His tone remained neutral.
But internally—
Even he felt a trace of discomfort.
Tsunade caught the subtle movement.
And almost laughed.
But she held it in, covering her mouth as she coughed lightly before continuing.
"You know how it is with major clans."
"They always assign guards to follow important members in secret."
"Our elders did the same."
"They sent people to watch over me without my knowledge."
Her gaze lowered slightly.
"And… they saw us drinking together."
A brief pause.
"You also know the relationship between the Senju and the Uchiha."
"The guards assumed you might harm me…"
"So they reported it immediately."
Ryujin listened quietly.
Then—
Gave a small nod.
"I see."
To be honest, he wasn't particularly interested in dragging this out anymore.
There was still a faint awkwardness in the air.
And for once—
Even Ryujin wasn't entirely immune to it.
After all, despite everything—his status, power, and position—
He had never truly involved himself in matters of intimacy.
His entire life—
Had been devoted to one thing.
Power.
Now, looking back—
Even he realized he might have taken it a bit too far.
Strength alone—
Wasn't everything.
Tsunade blinked.
"…So you believe me?"
Her voice carried a hint of surprise.
Then—
Confusion.
Wait…
Why am I asking for his forgiveness?
She frowned slightly—
But quickly let it go.
Because what mattered most—
Was that things were back to normal.
And honestly—
That was enough.
Tsunade's personality had always been straightforward.
She didn't dwell on pride.
Didn't overcomplicate things.
Right or wrong—
If something felt off—
She fixed it.
Ryujin observed her quietly.
And for a brief moment—
A thought crossed his mind.
If I really had to choose someone…
Tsunade wouldn't be a bad option.
But immediately—
Reality followed.
The hatred between the Uchiha and the Senju ran too deep.
He could handle his side.
But the Senju?
Tsunade—
Despite her status—
Didn't hold real authority.
She was a symbol.
A legacy.
A reminder of a man who once stood above all.
Hashirama Senju.
The God of Shinobi.
And because of him—
She was revered.
Not for her power.
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.
"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 sip, listening quietly.
"But…"
She glanced at him.
"Because you're here—"
"I've been reassigned."
"I'll stay back and continue working on 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 from countless battles.
And instincts like that—
Never lied.