Chapter 30: Student?
As Tsunade reached her home, the evening air had cooled, carrying the lingering scent of damp earth from a recent drizzle. Instead of heading to her own room, she walked deeper into the house, stepping into an inner chamber bathed in the soft glow of paper lanterns. The room was simple yet elegant, furnished with dark wood and delicate silk curtains swaying lightly with the night breeze.
At the center of the room sat an old woman with pale red hair, tied neatly at the back. Her presence was calm, composed—an air of quiet dignity radiating from her as she read a book with measured grace. The violet-colored diamond mark on her forehead mirrored Tsunade's own. She wore a loose-fitting kimono, its soft fabric held in place by a dark obi, accentuating the regal presence she carried effortlessly.
The moment Tsunade entered, the old woman lifted her gaze, a warm smile spreading across her face.
"Tsunade," she greeted softly.
Tsunade returned the smile, stepping forward. "Grandmother."
Mito Uzumaki studied her for a moment, then arched a delicate brow. "You didn't go drinking today."
Tsunade sighed, already anticipating what was coming next.
Mito's smile deepened, pleased yet surprised. "I was starting to worry you would spend the rest of your life drowning in sake." Her voice softened. "I'm glad to see you're finally letting go of your grief."
Tsunade looked away for a brief second before smirking. "Don't get too excited. I just had better things to do today."
"Ah, so you're finally behaving as a lady should," Mito mused with a teasing lilt.
Tsunade chuckled, shaking her head. Even now, her grandmother still held onto the old ways. She briefly thought about Rika, who had been scolded earlier for not being 'womanly' enough. It seemed that some things never changed.
Shifting topics, Tsunade's gaze flickered. "How's your seal holding up?"
Mito closed her book, placing it gently on the table beside her. "I can still hold on."
Tsunade's jaw tightened slightly. She knew the truth. Knew that the great Mito Uzumaki, the first jinchūriki of the Nine-Tails, was not as strong as she used to be. The seal she carried, the burden she bore—it was wearing her down. But Tsunade said nothing. She knew Mito wouldn't appreciate pity.
Their conversation was interrupted by a sudden outburst from outside.
"Arghhh! I swear I'll kill them all one day!"
Tsunade and Mito exchanged a knowing glance before a red-haired blur burst into the courtyard. A young girl, about eight or nine, stomped in with all the fury of a brewing storm, her small hands curled into fists. She carried herself with haughty confidence, though the slight puffiness in her cheeks suggested she had been sulking moments ago.
"Kushina," Tsunade greeted, smirking.
The girl turned sharply, ready to rant further, but her expression completely changed the moment she saw Mito. She ran toward her, eyes bright.
"Grandma!" Kushina wailed, throwing her arms around Mito.
Mito chuckled, stroking Kushina's wild red hair. "What happened this time?"
Kushina scowled. "My stupid classmates won't stop making fun of my hair! They keep calling me names!" She pouted before adding, "Except one person. He's okay, I guess."
Mito hummed in thought before giving a small, teasing smile. "Oh dear. If you don't make some friends, you'll be all alone."
"Grandmaaa," Kushina whined, burying her face against Mito's sleeve.
Tsunade smirked before crouching down, resting her chin on her fist. "You know, I could teach you a new move," she offered casually. "One that'll make those brats regret ever calling you names."
Kushina's head shot up, her violet eyes practically sparkling. "Really?! You'll teach me?!"
Mito, however, sighed in exasperation. "Tsunade," she chided, "stop encouraging her to brawl. You'll turn her into a wild child just like yourself."
Tsunade snickered. "She's already halfway there."
As Mito shook her head in fond exasperation, Tsunade leaned back slightly. Then, a thought crossed her mind. "Wait a second," she said, narrowing her eyes at Kushina. "Aren't your academy classes on break? How did you end up running into your classmates today?"
Kushina puffed up her cheeks. "Hmph! I was out with Minato, just wandering around the village. We were having fun until we ran into those jerks." She scowled. "They started making fun of my hair again, so I beat up one or two of them. If Minato hadn't been there, I swear I would've beaten up all of them!"
Tsunade raised an eyebrow. "Minato, huh? And what did he do?"
Kushina's face turned slightly red. "Uhh… He told me to stop. Then he just smiled and said something about how my hair is actually really unique and cool. Only Minato has the sense to recognize my beautiful hair." She crossed her arms, huffing. "I mean, I already know that, but still!"
Mito chuckled softly, watching Kushina with amusement. "It seems you have made at least one good friend," she mused.
Kushina's lips twitched as she muttered, "I guess he's okay…"
Tsunade smirked knowingly but didn't press the matter further. "Well, next time, just ignore those brats. Or better yet, learn that move from me and scare them off for good."
"Tsunade," Mito sighed again, though this time, there was more amusement than disapproval in her voice.
Tsunade shrugged, a mischievous glint in her eyes. "Just saying."
Mito shook her head before shifting the conversation. "So? What kept you busy today?"
Tsunade leaned back on her hands, exhaling lightly. "Had lunch with Shigeru and his family. Stuck around for a bit, and after lunch, Kiyoshi showed me a jutsu he developed."
Mito raised an eyebrow. "Kiyoshi?"
Kushina tilted her head. "Who's that?"
Tsunade waved a hand dismissively. "Just some kid who graduated a few weeks ago."
Mito's interest didn't fade. "And? What's so special about this jutsu?"
Tsunade's expression turned thoughtful. "It's called Rasengan. It's… different. No hand seals, just pure chakra control and rotation. And the way it felt…" She furrowed her brows slightly. "It gave me a dangerous feeling."
Kushina looked up in wonder. "Whoa. That sounds cool."
Mito, however, narrowed her eyes slightly. "A newly graduated child developed such a jutsu?"
Tsunade nodded. "Yeah. And that's not even the surprising part." She crossed her arms. "I decided I'd train him for a bit—teach him how to integrate chakra-enhanced strength into his taijutsu."
That made Mito's eyes widen slightly. "You?"
Kushina, however, looked up with newfound admiration. "Tsunade-nee-san, you're training someone? Like, as your student?"
Tsunade scoffed. "No. I'm just training him for a while. If I ever take a real disciple, they'd have to be skilled in medical ninjutsu too."
Mito studied her granddaughter carefully before giving a small, knowing smile. "Is that so?"
Tsunade held her gaze for a moment before looking away.
Mito chuckled, shaking her head. "Well, regardless, it sounds like this Kiyoshi is an interesting one. I'll be watching his progress with curiosity."
Tsunade simply shrugged, though deep down, she couldn't deny that a part of her was just as curious.