Lately, Tsunade had been feeling uneasy, unable to focus no matter what she was doing. She couldn't understand what was going on with herself.
Fortunately, the missions she had been doing these days with Jiraiya and Orochimaru were only D-rank tasks within the village.
With the two of them looking out for her, nothing serious had gone wrong.
Still, her mood was undeniably low.
The last time she had felt this way was when her grandfather passed away, and that memory now led her thoughts spiraling in all the wrong directions.
She couldn't help but think of her Arima-nii, who was currently on the front lines. Anxiety flooded her heart.
'Did something bad happen to Arima-nii? Was he injured? Or… worse…?'
She tried desperately not to let her thoughts wander toward death. That possibility was too terrifying.
The sky had already gone completely dark by the time Tsunade returned home, listlessly dragging herself through the door.
She'd been living with this fear and unease for days now, not daring to share it with anyone.
As she stepped inside, she immediately noticed her grandmother staring blankly at the candle on the table, not even reacting to Tsunade's return.
Usually, Grandma would already be at the door waiting for her.
A sense of dread tightened in Tsunade's chest. She shook her head forcefully, trying to dislodge the terrifying thoughts that were crowding her mind.
She carefully changed into her indoor slippers at the entryway, then tiptoed to the table and looked at the scroll sitting by her grandmother's side.
At first glance, it seemed like an ordinary intelligence report. 'Nothing to make a fuss over,' she thought with a sigh of relief. But she kept reading.
Her eyes moved to the final lines.
"The shrine has been destroyed. The clan's strongest seal has been used.
The one captured is suspected to be a Wood Release user. Anyone sealed within that seal was guaranteed certain death."
As soon as she finished reading that line, Tsunade's mind went blank. A deafening buzz filled her ears, and the room began to spin.
Her whole body felt weightless, her heart hollow and drifting. Only one sentence echoed endlessly in her mind.
"Anyone sealed within that seal was guaranteed certain death."
Her knees gave out, and she collapsed onto the floor, immediately losing consciousness.
It wasn't until she hit the ground with a loud thump that Mito snapped out of her daze.
She turned her head and finally noticed Tsunade, and that she had read the scroll in her hands.
That report had arrived earlier that afternoon. Mito had broken the seal using a secret Uzumaki technique and read the harrowing contents within.
It was clear, among all the shinobi in the world, the only one capable of using Wood Release was Arima.
Which meant the person who had been captured from that deadly seal was, without question, him.
But the battlefield between Kumogakure and Konoha was thousands of miles from Uzushiogakure. How could Arima have ended up there?
Shocked, disbelieving, and overcome with sorrow, Mito had been frozen in place ever since. Not until Tsunade collapsed did she stir.
Mito had long endured the weight of many tragedies. She composed herself quickly, pushing down her emotions to tend to Tsunade and settle her into bed.
Then, she went into the main hall to begin processing the information.
First, she had to verify Arima's status. That meant forwarding the intelligence to the front lines and waiting for a reply.
With furrowed brows, Mito thought grimly.
'If the worst-case scenario is true… What exactly is the connection between Arima and the clan's seal?
With Arima's standing in Konoha, any backlash against Uzushiogakure could shake the village to its core. How will the Senju and Uzumaki clans live with each other after this?'
The more she thought, the heavier her heart grew. The one she had most loved, most believed in, now caught in such devastating circumstances.
Was she really going to have to bury her own grandchild?
Tears welled in Mito's eyes. She couldn't help remembering that bright and thoughtful child.
He always called her "Granny," said he loved the way she smelled, and when he was little, used to beg her to show him the giant fox sealed inside her.
She could still clearly see Arima's smile and hear his laughter.
When he left the village, he'd carried that comically oversized luggage Tsunade had packed for him, but his expression had been calm and confident.
Mito murmured, "Is this truly the fate of a shinobi… such a cruel, bitter fate?"
The room was lit by a single candle. Its yellow flame flickered in solitude, releasing a pungent scent that stung the nose.
Shadows danced across the walls, casting a somber hue over Mito's face.
She rose slowly and returned to the bedroom. Seeing Tsunade sleeping peacefully only made her heart ache more. How would she ever break the news to Naomi?
Mito fetched a shawl from her closet and draped it over her shoulders. Tonight felt especially cold.
Then, regaining her composure, she sat down and began writing to Tobirama at the front lines, detailing the information she had received and requesting a prompt response.
She had to find out what had really happened. If necessary, she would go to the front herself to end the war.
Tsunade didn't wake up until the following evening. The setting sun shone through the wooden lattice of the window, casting golden rays across her face, pulling her from a heavy sleep.
The house was dim. Unlike usual, no lights had been turned on. Everything was silent, as if her own breathing and heartbeat were the only sounds left in the world.
A dull pain throbbed in the back of her head, pulsing in time with her heart. She buried herself in the blankets and held her breath, which eased the pain slightly.
But the lingering scent of her grandmother's clothes triggered a sudden memory, Arima.
It all came rushing back. Her brother... might be gone.
In a daze, Tsunade whispered, "Arima-nii is so strong… no one could hold him. He must have gotten away."
The words felt like her own desperate attempt to stay afloat. She realized she needed to believe in him, because he had promised he would always be there for her.
That thought gave her a shred of courage. Just as she sat up and prepared to get out of bed, she heard footsteps outside.
The door creaked open, and a gust of cold wind swept in. She looked up, it was her grandmother returning.
Tsunade looked at her eagerly. "Grandma, is there any news about Arima-nii?"
Seeing the anxious hope on her granddaughter's face, Mito couldn't bear to disappoint her.
She forced a smile and said gently, "Silly girl, your brother is so strong, no one could trap him.
If anyone could restrain him, it'd be himself. I'm still waiting for news from your granduncle. Let's give it a few more days."
Tsunade trusted her grandmother completely. Mito had never lied to her before. Reassured, she perked up and started getting ready to go out.
Mito looked at her, puzzled. "It's so late already, where are you going?"
Tsunade replied a little sheepishly, "I was supposed to meet with Jiraiya and Orochimaru this morning to do a mission together."
"Can't it wait until tomorrow?"
Tsunade waved it off.
"I've slept the whole day anyway. I need to move around a bit.
Besides, I still have jutsu to practice. Arima-nii left me a bunch of C-rank techniques, and I haven't even learned half of them yet."
At those words, sorrow swelled in Mito's heart again, but she forced herself to smile.
"Go on. They're probably worried about you too."
With that, Tsunade hurried off. Once again, silence returned to the house.
Mito sat back down, her emotions in turmoil. She couldn't bring herself to destroy Tsunade's hope, not yet. It was just too cruel.
Tsunade ran all the way to their meeting spot.
Though the sun had already dipped below the horizon, her two teammates were still there waiting. Jiraiya, the fool, was shivering in the cold, his nose dripping pathetically.
Feeling guilty, Tsunade rushed up before Jiraiya could complain.
"I'll treat you both to yakiniku later, okay? To make up for today."
That immediately got Jiraiya's appetite going. He was starving.
"If it weren't for this damn Snake insisting you'd show up, I'd have gone home already. And you better mean it, my mom always says a broken promise is worse than no promise at all."
Tsunade rolled her eyes.
"Idiot. Do I look like someone short on cash? Ever heard of the Legendary Gambler of Konoha?"
The moment she said "gamble," Jiraiya winced. His head throbbed at the memory and he raised his hands in surrender, dropping his complaints.
The three of them made their way toward the yakiniku place nearby.
On the way, Jiraiya tried to make conversation. "I'm gonna master amazing jutsu and become someone great, just like Arima-sensei."
These lofty declarations always fired Jiraiya up. Whenever he struggled, Arima's earnest guidance gave him the strength to press on.
Orochimaru looked over, amused.
"Don't get discouraged, idiot Jiraiya. Gold will always shine eventually. You have to believe you're the best."
Jiraiya was stunned by the sudden encouragement. He nearly teared up.
But then Orochimaru added, "Because that's the only way you can keep lying to yourself."
Jiraiya's mood plummeted. He glared at Orochimaru and shouted.
"Damn you, Snake. You're my eternal rival.
I actually thought you were being sincere for once. But no, you disappoint me every time. I'm so mad I could explode."
He bounced on his toes, ready to pounce, if Tsunade hadn't been there, he probably would've.
Orochimaru smirked. "If you're always disappointed, maybe it's time to ask why you had so much hope in the first place."
Jiraiya was at a loss for words. He could never win a verbal sparring match with Orochimaru, just a few offhand remarks were enough to leave him utterly defeated.
Normally, Tsunade would laugh and join in when the two of them bickered, sometimes even taking shots at Jiraiya herself.
But today, she was unusually quiet, clearly preoccupied.
Orochimaru noticed. "What's wrong? You were late, and now you're acting all moody."
Tsunade hesitated, then said.
"I think Arima-nii might've been sealed… The report isn't confirmed yet, but I'm really worried. No one knows if he's alive or dead. I just can't shake this feeling…"
Jiraiya looked at her, concerned. "Is there any way to tell if he's still alive?"
Orochimaru thought for a moment.
"Sensei once said he has mastered the Sage Arts from Shikkotsu Forest.
So his name should be in the registry at Shikkotsu Forest.. If something happens to him, his name would disappear from it."
Those words were like a lifeline. Tsunade grabbed the two of them and rushed toward a quiet park. There, she performed the summoning jutsu, calling forth the scroll.
She desperately needed proof.