A/N: This chapter is dedicated to Tsuyna, U3fan, Square Mom Lover, LoveChibi, Krach, Ojay1307, and Miss Laury. Thank you so much for all of your reviews, everyone! And special thanks to my new reviewers. I really appreciate your feedback, more than you know! :)

Tsunade was cold... so cold. She wrapped her arms around her midsection, shivering uncontrollably. She turned slowly, but nothing surrounded her except empty darkness. Fear—a familiar fear—stabbed her gut.

She was alone. Completely alone.

"No." Her whisper magnified in the darkness. Tsunade spun, searching for someone, anyone. But there was nothing; nothing but her and the darkness. A tear broke free, but she swallowed the sob before it could echo around her.

No, no, no. Where was she? Even as the question came to her, she knew. She was inside her mind. This hollow emptiness was all she had felt for the past twenty-seven years, until she had returned as the Godaime Hokage. But even then, it hadn't completely left. It had still existed, deep in her heart. A black cancer, worse than any chakra-absorbing seal, that no amount of gambling or sake could completely erase.

Tsunade couldn't hold back her sobs any longer. She sank to her knees, warm tears running down her icy cheeks. Was this it, then? Was she going to die as alone as she had lived? "No, please. I don't... I don't want to be alone any more... please."

She curled into herself, feeling as though she was drowning. The cold darkness closed in, smothering every sense, crushing her bones under its massive weight.

"Tsunade." The low murmur brushed her ear, and strong, warm arms encircled her from behind.

She knew that voice. Tsunade spun to face Kakashi, his arms holding her close against his chest. The darkness began to fade, and she realized they were sitting on the couch in Kakashi's apartment. She was curled in his lap, holding a fistful of his shirt. But his face... Kakashi's mask was gone, though he didn't seem to care. She couldn't help staring, taking his features in, down to the beauty mark below the left side of his mouth. Her heart beat faster. He was perfect.

And he was here. She tightened her grip, pressing herself closer to him. "Don't leave me. Please. I—I don't want to be alone."

Kakashi's expression grew serious. Fierce, even. He leaned forward, eyes never leaving hers. Then he pressed his lips to her forehead, lingering for a moment before pulling back. "I will never leave you, Tsuna. I promise."

Tsunade couldn't breathe. Did he—did he know what that gesture meant to her? No, he couldn't... how could he? Yet, somehow, his innocence made it mean even more to her. She surrendered to his warmth, letting her cheek rest against his chest. Kakashi's steady heartbeat soothed her, and she could feel herself drifting...

A rumble shook Tsunade from her slumber. She lifted her head. "Wh—what was that?"

She looked at Kakashi, but he didn't answer. Instead, he crumbled; dissolving into the darkness. Tsunade lunged for him, crying out, but he was gone. Everything, his apartment, the couch, him, had vanished, replaced by darkness.

"No!" Desperately, Tsunade staggered forward. Not again. Please, not again.

Another rumble shook the foundations under her feet, and Tsunade fell. What was this—?

Tsunade's eyes flew open, the pale light of morning through Kakashi's window blinding her. She gasped for breath, her pulse slowly receding. A dream. It had only been a horrible dream. Yet, in a way, it had almost felt familiar...

Then she realized the floor of Kakashi's apartment was still shaking, as if an earthquake had taken the village. Dread pierced Tsunade to her core, and she manage to push up to her knees, then to her feet. She stumbled against Kakashi's door and turned the handle, her weight opening the door. She caught herself on the outside rail, and stared.

A massive spike, dark red as blood and glinting like metal, larger than any of the buildings in Konoha, had erupted from the ground at an angle, the tip stopping just feet from the top of the hokage tower. A single figure stood on the spike's tip, surveying the village. He was too far for Tsunade to make out any features, but she didn't need to.

She knew who it was.

Tsunade gripped the rail, knuckles white. There was no way she could get down the stairs in her condition, much less confront him. Hand shaking, she reached into her obi and pulled out the military pill. She stared at it, pinched between her red nails. If she took the pill, that would be the end. The boost of energy and chakra would get her to the threat, but it would also give the seal enough chakra to finish her.

The only question was, how much time would it give her?

Tsunade clenched her jaw. Ultimately, it didn't matter. Whatever it gave her would have to be enough. Almost all of her shinobi were gone, including Kakashi and Jiraiya. The fate of Konoha was up to her now.

Tsunade crunched the pill, shoving away her thoughts. She didn't have time for regrets. Now was the time for action. The burst of energy and chakra nearly overwhelmed her. It had been weeks since she'd had this kind of strength. Tsunade leaped over the rail and sprang to the rooftops. As she jumped from roof to roof, steadily getting closer to the hokage tower, she spotted several Anbu gathering at the base of the spire. A few had even ventured cautiously on to the gleaming surface, weapons at the ready.

"Identify yourself!" one called to the figure standing high above them.

The figure spread his arms, bandage ends fluttering from his elbows, and the Anbu dropped back into defensive stances. "I am Zabuki of the Blood Iron, and I am here to see the hokage. If you deny me, your village will be destroyed."

Tsunade cursed, pushing herself faster. The Anbu were highly skilled, but the sickening feeling in her gut told her they didn't stand a chance. As hokage, she was the only one who could stop this. Please, just let them survive until I get there.

"The hokage will not be bartered for! Surrender, or die!" The Anbu attacked, charging up the spire as one.

Zabuki lifted a hand, and the surface of the spire morphed; new, smaller spikes shooting up in front of the Anbu, knocking them back.

Tsunade leaped to the top of the hokage tower, landing just behind the rail. The wind caught her hair, and her haori billowed behind her as she planted her fists on her hips. "Zabuki!"

He spun to face her, his startlingly-blue eyes narrowed. His entire body was wrapped in bandages, except for his eyes and the short, spiky reddish-brown hair crowning his head. A split green knee-length skirt was belted around his waist, his only clothing besides the bandages. Tsunade frowned, noticing splotches that had bled through the bandages on several parts of his body, including his arms. Was he wounded? Yet, she didn't sense any fatigue or weakness such wounds would bring. She lifted her chin. "Stand down. I am the Godaime Hokage of Konoha."

"You?" Zabuki's harsh laugh was muffled by the bandages. "Don't try to deceive me. Where is Hiruzen Sarutobi?"

Tsunade's lips thinned. Well, she always had preferred action over pointless debates. Besides, she had a point to prove. She leaped across the rail with a shout—gathering chakra for extra power—and her fist struck the tip of the blood-iron spire.

The spire shattered underneath Zabuki and his eyes widened as he fell with the chunks of blood iron. Tsunade landed among the debris, facing Zabuki across the carnage as the dust settled. He, too, had landed on his feet, and he studied her with interest. "Impressive. No one has ever been able to destroy my blood iron before."

Tsunade curled her fingers into a fist. She was in no mood for delaying tactics. "Leave, or I will break you too."

Zabuki's dark eyebrows lifted in scorn. "I think not. Konoha and I have a score to settle, and you, Hokage, are going to pay the price."

Tsunade sighed, though she wasn't surprised. She glanced at the steadily-growing crowd surrounding them, and grimaced. She needed to take the fight away from here, somehow. But there was no way she could get Zabuki away without causing massive damage. She nodded slowly, fixing her gaze on her opponent. Then she would keep him here. Right here. She rapidly formed the signs. "Earth-release! Barrier jutsu!"

Stone walls erupted from the ground and began to rise around her and Zabuki. He made no move to stop them; instead, he began slowly unwrapping the bandages from one of his hands. But several Anbu ran toward the walls, shouting.

Tsunade held up her hand, halting the Anbu. "No! By order of the hokage, no one is to enter here! Understood?"

The Anbu exchanged glances, then at last nodded grimly. But just before the rising walls blocked her view, a spiky yellow head rushed toward her, screaming, "No! You can't do this, Tsunade-baachan! I'm coming to help—!"

The walls reached their peak, sealing together with a thunderous boom, and blocking out the outside world. Tsunade briefly close her eyes. Naruto, forgive me. Then she faced Zabuki.

Zabuki's bandaged face shifted in a smirk as he gazed around the stone barrier. "This won't hold me for long."

"It will hold you long enough," Tsunade retorted. A stab ripped through her stomach, but she managed to keep her face neutral. The chakra seal was growing stronger, but she refused to succumb. Not now. Konoha needed her. She exhaled slowly. But perhaps she could buy time, time to regain her strength. "Why are you doing this?"

Zabuki paused in unwinding the bloodstained bandages. After a long moment, he continued unwinding, but slower. "Konoha was nowhere to be found when my village was raided and my family killed. When Mao found me and imprisoned me for years, only letting me out for his experimental and brutal training sessions. When I had to kill my trainer to prove I was ready." His gaze burned into Tsunade's. "My life is in ruins because of Konoha; I'm just returning the favor."

"I am sorry for your suffering," Tsunade said quietly. And she was. "But causing others the same pain isn't going to satisfy you."

"Oh, I think it will." Zabuki dropped the strip of linen. Blood dripped from his exposed palm. He thrust his hand at Tsunade, and blood gushed from the tiny gash. Impossible. No wound that size would bleed so mu—the blood thickened and morphed, forming into a huge wolf that gleamed like red steel.

So, this was blood iron.

Zabuki lowered his hand, and the wolf charged Tsunade, metallic teeth snarling. She crouched, keeping her gaze on the wolf, and cursed silently. She couldn't risk using too much strength, or she could severely damage Konoha, even with the barrier. And with the chakra seal... she didn't dare use chakra unless absolutely necessary.

Tsunade leaped to the side just before the wolf reached her, going high enough to gain a few extra seconds to plan her next—a blood iron chain wrapped around her wrist before she had time to react, and coiled around her body, tightening in a choke-hold. She landed on her feet and staggered, the chain cocooning down to her ankles.

The wolf launched itself at her, gleaming metallic claws outstretched. Tsunade tensed. She may have been caught off guard, but if Zabuki thought he could trap her this easily, he was a fool. She snapped the chains as if they were string and caught the end of the chain as it fell, then spun toward the wolf. She flicked the chain like a whip, and the loose end wrapped around the wolf's neck. She sent her electric chakra-disruption jutsu through the chain, and the wolf shuddered, then went limp.

As she'd thought, the blood iron conducted electricity just like normal metal. She pivoted, swinging the wolf at Zabuki.

Zabuki cursed and leaped back, but was too late. The wolf crashed into his chest, its dead weight knocking him to the ground. Tsunade jumped after him, pulling her fist back. If she could just get one punch in, she could finish— Zabuki extended both palms at her with a shout. Somehow, he'd managed to rip off the bandages from his other hand as well. Twin spikes—blood iron spears—shot from the two cuts on his hands at Tsunade with impossible speed.

Tsunade twisted, catching one of the spears between her feet, then reached for the other—pain stabbed through her shoulder as the tip embedded deep, slicing through muscle and scraping bone. She flipped backwards, gaining more room, and yanked out the spear to inspect the damage. Warm blood gushed down her right arm. It wasn't bad, but—

Agony like a red-hot knife pulsed through her shoulder. Black flashed over her vision, and when her eyes cleared, Tsunade found herself on one knee, gasping. What—what was this? It felt as if she'd been impaled by a hundred more spikes.

"Painful, isn't it?" Zabuki stood, eyes glittering. "Now that my blood has infused in yours, I can destroy you from the inside out."

Tsunade ground her teeth as the blood in her shoulder and arm grew into barbs, digging into her flesh and bone. She hissed out a curse. It would take too much chakra, but she didn't have a choice. Rapidly, she formed the signs, and her left hand glowed with healing chakra. She held it over the puncture wound, and focused on separating her blood cells from Zabuki's, extracting the foreign substances. At last, Zabuki's blood solidified at the surface, and she pulled the small blood iron spike out of her shoulder, and threw it to the side. "Not quite."

Zabuki stiffened, then stumbled back a step. "That is—is impossible. Unless..."

"Unless you are the greatest medical-nin in the shinobi world," Tsunade countered with a calm she didn't feel.

Zabuki's blue eyes stretched wide as he rasped, "You are Tsunade Senju, one of the legendary Sannin."

Tsunade didn't bother to answer. But she could tell by Zabuki's shifted stance he'd realized he had to take the battle more seriously if he wanted to survive. She'd have to take care of him quickly, before her chakra ran out. Unfortunately, she wasn't sure if she could in this condition. Not that she had a choice. For Konoha's sake, she had to win. She exhaled heavily. She had the Will of Fire, and she wouldn't fail.

Zabuki unwound the bandages from his wrists to his elbows, and let the blood-soaked linen fall. Blood immediately trickled from the many cuts across his wrist, almost as if... Zabuki noticed her expression, and rasped, "Any cut I receive never seals, nor can I bleed to death. I know, because—" he held up his slashed wrists, dark blood running down to his elbows "—I tried. Back before I had a reason to live."

Tsunade curled her fingers into fists, fighting a surge of horror and fury. What had Mao done to him, that he would try to kill himself? When this was over, she vowed, Mao would get what he deserved. But she didn't have time to dwell on it. The blood pumping from Zabuki's arms had begun to form. Blood iron wolves, hundreds and hundreds of them. They surrounded Zabuki, standing with his arms outstretched and head bowed. As one, the red metallic canine eyes fixed on Tsunade.

Tsunade tensed. It would take far too long to destroy them all, and time was something she didn't have. But what other choice did she have? She had to get through the wolves to get to Zabuki. Almost against her will, her gaze lifted to the peaked stone ceiling above them. If she destroyed the barrier, it would bury them alive. All of them.

The wolves charged, and Tsunade leaped, raising her fist above her head. Not yet. That would be her last resort. She landed, her fist connecting with the ground. It imploded around her, chunks of dirt and stone taking out nearly a third of the wolves. But using her strength had only been to buy her time. She would have to take them out in smaller numbers, to protect Konoha as much as possible.

Tsunade straightened, grimly facing the rest. But at this rate, destroying the barrier might be her only option.

A/N: If there's one thing (there's more than one, but I'm not going to go on a rant, lol) that irked me in Naruto/Naruto Shippuden, it's that we never got to see what Tsunade could really do in regards to fighting prowess. When she showed up in Naruto, she still had hemophobia, not to mention she'd been absent from ninja life for 15+ years, and in Shippuden she mainly took the role of healer. Don't even get me started on Pain's attack or the kages' fight with Madara. Ugh. Anyway, that's partly what inspired this chapter, so I could explore more of what Tsunade can do. Granted, I kind of handicapped her since she can't really use chakra, so my bad. But still...

Sorry, just had to get that out of my system. XD

Tsuyna: Thanks for reviewing! :) Aww, yay! I'm glad you're looking forward to the next chapter! I'm writing as fast as I can. XD

U3fan: Heh, I hope Kakashi makes it in time too. I have a feeling Tsunade will be trouble if he doesn't... But you're right, even if she does stop Zabuki, she won't survive without a cure for the seal.

Square Mom Lover: Confession time: Since I got into Naruto so late, as in last year late, I haven't actually watched all of Shippuden. I'm about 50-60 episodes in, though I have watched a few later on for the sake of this story, like Kakashi's backstory. There's just so many fillers-and so many that aren't fillers, lol, that I don't really have time to watch it. So I've had to research a lot from the Naruto wiki, lol. Oh, I agree, I hate Danzō too. Seriously, without him, so many problems in Naruto wouldn't have occurred. Awww, well, thank you so much. :) I always look forward to your reviews, and I really appreciate you taking the time to do that for every chapter.

LoveChibi: Ahhhh, thank you so much! Your review really made my day. :) I tried to make the characters as in-character as possible, which can be hard as everyone interprets characters differently, so I'm very glad they seem in-character to you! And I can totally imagine this as canon, too. XD Thank you again! I hope the future chapters will be worth the wait.

Krach: Thank you so much for your review! Your complements mean a lot, and I really appreciate it! It makes me so happy that someone else is enjoying the story. :)

Ojay1307: I'll keep that in mind! But I do have other ideas I'm working on, so those take priority. Thank you! I appreciate your review. I usually spend what free time I have writing, but I'll certainly check out your stories when I have time.

Miss Laury: Awww, thank you! :D I really enjoy writing action scenes, so I'm glad you like them. As for Danzō, all I'll say is good predictions. ;) I definitely wish the anime showed more of the Sannin together. Hopefully this chapter answered your questions about Zabuki. No worries! I like answering your questions. :) I still have 5 chapters to write in this story, and since each chapter averages about 3,500 words, and I write 1,000-1,500 words a day, it'll be a few weeks before I finish, especially since I don't write every day. As for future stories, probably no sequels/prequels to OMAD. I'm hoping I'll be able to give you guys a satisfactory ending. XD But I am plotting out a new story that will involve KakaTsu, though it won't be as prominent as it is in this story. Basically, the (very brief) premise is: during the Second War while trying to find a way to bring Nawaki back, Tsunade accidentally sends herself to the Third War where she meets Team Minato and subsequently saves Obito, which will change the entire storyline. I'm planning on involving a lot more characters in this story as well as other POVs, though Tsunade's will be the main one. I'm pretty excited about it! XD It's a lot more complex to plot out and write than OMAD, though, so it will probably be a while before I'm able to publish anything. Thank you! :) You stay safe as well.