Naruto: Echoes of a Distant Home

This was one of the many prosperous towns in the Land of Fire. Though unremarkable in itself, it shared the common trait of bustling life. The crowd flowed between vibrant shops, and the lively hum of voices spread in every direction, forming a miniature reflection of a flourishing society.

With a dark expression, Tsunade walked briskly through the crowd. People moved aside instinctively, creating a path for her imposing stride.

People stared at this striking woman for a moment, then turned back to their business.

"Lady Tsunade, wait for me!"

Shizune jogged to catch up with Tsunade, whose quick and large steps set a fast pace.

Tsunade didn't respond, though she did slow her steps slightly. Her gaze remained fixed ahead, cutting through the noisy crowd around her.

The message from Jiraiya had confirmed her suspicions, clearing up the confusion she'd felt. At that moment, her path had crystallized, though she couldn't suppress the burst of anger that came with it.

Now, walking down the street, Tsunade tried to keep her mounting anger in check, her expression somber.

In a scene that stood out, she moved like an isolated figure within the bustling street, one that couldn't be mistaken for just another passerby.

Tsunade and Shizune made their way through the busy marketplace, down a main road, and out toward the city's edge.

The clear sky stretched on without a cloud. A light breeze swept over the plains, bringing a faint floral scent.

Outside the town lay a vast plain, rolling green waves of grass swaying in the wind, with no forest or rocky hills in sight.

Walking on the road, Tsunade continued in the direction the path pointed.

Watching Tsunade's unusual behavior, Shizune gripped the scroll that Jiraiya had sent through the toad, unable to contain her curiosity any longer. Summoning her courage, she asked, "Lady Tsunade, may I… see the scroll?"

Instead of hoping Tsunade would explain, she thought that asking to read it might get a better response.

Without turning around, Tsunade answered in a low voice, "Read it, but put it away afterward."

She didn't refuse Shizune's request; while Jiraiya's intelligence was sensitive, Shizune was one of her own and could be trusted with the information.

Relieved, Shizune sighed, though she noticed that Tsunade didn't intend to stop walking. So… did that mean she'd have to read while walking?

Shizune glanced at the scroll, then at Tsunade striding ahead, and smiled wryly.

It was already surprising that Tsunade had agreed to her request. If she pushed further, Tsunade would probably snatch the scroll back.

"Well, it might be difficult, but I'll manage."

Setting aside her grin, Shizune kept pace with Tsunade while unrolling the scroll to read the message.

"To the charming powerhouse… uh?"

The introduction made Shizune drop a few black lines down her forehead. Was this the reason Lady Tsunade was upset?

Images of Jiraiya's cheeky grin sprang to mind, and Shizune quickly shook her head to rid herself of the thought before continuing with the message.

"According to intelligence from that old guy Danzo, Ye Zi has somehow mastered Wood Release and can even perform the First Hokage's Deep Forest Emergence. Since this information came from Danzo, there's a chance it's fabricated, so it should be verified further."

Shizune's expression changed immediately. Someone could actually use the legendary Wood Release? She glanced cautiously at Tsunade's back, then continued reading.

"If this information is accurate, I believe that Ye Zi, with his mastery of Wood Release, could pose a future threat to the Leaf Village."

"So by the time you receive this scroll, I'll already be heading to Mount Myōboku with Minato for training. The village is temporarily under the old man's supervision, and a significant mission has been assigned recently, sending out many elites."

"So if you're still within the Land of Fire, come back to the village… at least stay there while Minato is away."

"Your brave, handsome Jiraiya."

Reading this, Shizune's face turned dark, and she quickly rolled up the scroll.

Was that why Lady Tsunade was angry?

No… that couldn't be it.

Shizune dismissed the opening and closing lines and wondered what exactly had upset Tsunade.

Confused, she put the scroll away, thinking that even if she asked, Tsunade probably wouldn't answer. But according to Jiraiya's suggestion, weren't they supposed to be heading back to the village?

"Lady Tsunade, aren't we… supposed to return to the village?" Shizune asked cautiously.

"Just because he says go back, I have to go?" Tsunade replied, her gaze fixed ahead, her brow furrowed.

With all the pieces of information coming together, things were becoming clear. The only thing left was to confirm if Danzo's intelligence was true.

While both she and Jiraiya disliked Danzo, there wasn't much reason for him to fabricate this intelligence.

Either way… at this point, it didn't really matter whether the information was confirmed. She could just go and confront Ye Zi directly.

Besides, if this information was true, and an outsider could use Wood Release—even wielding her grandfather's Deep Forest Emergence—then…

Remembering Ye Zi's physical traits, Tsunade couldn't ignore the possibility of a link between him and the Senju Clan, however unlikely it seemed.

After reading Jiraiya's message, there was no way Tsunade could return to the Leaf now. She had to confront Ye Zi in person and see for herself.

"So where are we going now?" Shizune asked.

"I don't know."

Tsunade's answer was completely nonchalant.

"Huh?" Shizune was momentarily stunned.

Even if Tsunade wanted to find Ye Zi, she had no clue where to look. Without any information on his location, her best chance was likely to head toward the Land of Rain.

Jiraiya, when writing this scroll, probably anticipated that Tsunade might seek Ye Zi out, which was why he had downplayed the mission involving the Sand and Leaf alliance.

He hadn't wanted Tsunade to know, but he was fully aware that she would eventually learn of it—it was only a matter of time. And if he had withheld the information, she'd do more than just throw a few punches his way.

Deep down, he truly didn't want Tsunade to take this risk and hoped she'd stay in the village and wait for news. But he knew he couldn't sway her mind.

When it came to certain people or events, stopping her was simply impossible.

Tsunade marched down the road, her fists suddenly clenching, veins pulsing against her fair skin.

The mere thought that Dan might have been killed by Ye Zi filled her with a fury she could hardly comprehend.

Driven by this anger, she felt certain that if it came to it, even ignoring his status as a rogue ninja, she'd have no hesitation in snapping Ye Zi's neck.

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