CHAPTER 5: Unlikely Ally
Tsunade embodied many admirable qualities: bravery, kindness, brilliance, nobility. She was a trailblazer in the field of medicine and an undeniable force to be reckoned with. To countless kunoichi, she stood as an idol, forever out of reach. At times, she seemed less like a human and more like an ideal to strive towards.
But in his eyes, Tsunade is a hot mess, and he loves her for it. Takes one to know one. She carries a bundle of bad habits, unhealthy coping mechanisms, and a short fuse that ignites easily. Most importantly, she is a woman burdened by profound sorrow and despair, having lost nearly everything dear to her. Nights are spent lying awake, contemplating how he can support her more. It isn't a matter of being holier than thou, for he too is broken in his own way. But she is his sensei, his confidant, his pillar, and his person. Yet, he feels incapable of giving back, burdened by a lingering guilt that gnaws at the back of his mind. How can he take so much without reciprocating? Resentment mingles with that guilt, a constant reminder of his reliance on her mercy. But that isn't the focus now.
Yet, today, he found himself inspired. In awe of his annoying, overbearing, and stubborn sensei. He couldn't deny his anger and perplexed at the content of her message, knowing it was a man-made disaster waiting to unravel, deliberately unleashed upon him. But at this moment, he had no time for contemplation. Right now, he was fully immersed in genuine worship of her, a rarity for him.
The Tsunade of today reminded him of her future self, facing off against Madara, who had belittled her as unsightly due to her gender and for being 'weak'. She hadn't cowered or felt diminished. No, she stood tall as the Fifth Hokage of Konoha, earned through her own merits. She proceeded to dismantle his insults and showcase her true might with a single punch, cracking the supposedly invincible Susanoo. This was a woman destined to earn the praise and acknowledgment of Uchiha Madara, one of the most formidable individuals, misguided though he may be.
His heart raced, his eyes glazed over with a dreamy gaze fixed upon his visibly uncomfortable teacher. "You were so cool, Tsunade-sama," he whispered in deep admiration, deliberately adopting a child-like voice, giggling like a complete idiot. In that moment, his saintly demeanor vanished, leaving behind a pure, innocent angelic boy. It was eerie, especially considering that a few hours ago, he had effortlessly taken down three enemy Anbu with headshots.
While he was lost in worship, the village itself was in a frenzy. Countless rumors spread like wildfire, speculations running rampant. Their entrancr was meant to be discreet, a temporary visit before she would depart once her work was complete. But her provocative declaration had ignited the village, fueling the flames of curiosity and excitement. And every gossip circulating inevitably mentioned him, the household name who apparently intended to stay and work at Konoha's hospital, much to the surprise and delight of the villagers.
The wounds of losing the Yellow Flash were still fresh, and with Orochimaru's defection, a sense of unease settled upon the people who had long felt secure in their supposedly mighty hidden village. Sleepless nights were spent pondering the potential outbreak of another war. Tsunade's return, coupled with the arrival of the renowned Saint, felt like a beacon of light shining through the darkest moments of their lives.
The streets came alive with a subtle increase in activity, visages less pale and more vibrant. Ninjas found solace in the fact that someone had their back once again. With the Slug Princess, the pioneer of medicine, and the Saint of Embers present within the village, they could genuinely feel safe.
But amidst the excitement and joy that filled the village, the aging Third Hokage's headache intensified with each passing moment. "Say hello to the old man," Tsunade barked. He exchanged a bewildered look with his sensei, a silent question hanging between them. Why was she talking like that? But he quickly snapped into his noble etiquette, facing the Hokage with a slight bow, enough to convey respect without diminishing his own status. "I greet the Third Hokage. It is an honor," he calmly and politely stated, his gentle voice offering a soothing balm to the old man's weariness.
"Mine too. I could finally meet Tsunade's famous protege. I've heard countless great things about you, Suzaku-san," the incompetent man offered his best attempt at a friendly smile, one that fooled no one in the room. Despite his age, he was a fully-fledged and respected Fire Noble, a fact that demanded a certain level of deference even from the reigning Hokage. After all, Konoha existed as the sword of the Daimyo and the Land of Fire, so they had to know how to conduct themselves in front of those who held their purse strings. The whole dynamic between ninjas and the Daimyo still struck him as odd, but in this situation, it worked to his advantage.
Before he could respond, Tsunade cut him off with a curt command. "Wait outside." Hiruzen was taken aback by her brusque order, but quickly found amusement in her student's lack of surprise. To be fair, the boy had lived with her for years, and Tsunade was never one to beat around the bush. He couldn't deny that their master-student dynamic was unique.
The young teen nodded calmly, offering another polite bow before slowly backing away and leaving through the door. Confusion filled his mind, still shocked by his sensei's unusual behavior since their arrival in the village. He worried that he may have inadvertently rushed her return, leading to their current predicament. However, there was nothing he could do in the moment but play the role of a vigilant Anbu, watching from the shadows.
As Tsunade and he entered the Hokage's office, he sensed that the lurking shadows had dispersed, most likely at the order of the room's owner. While waiting outside, he began to ponder the six chakra signatures hiding in hidden corners near the room. He purposefully avoided looking in their direction or giving any indication that he was aware of their presence. Only his sensei knew the extent of his sensing ability. Before he could delve deeper into his thoughts, a powerful surge of chakra emanated from the room, causing the six waiting chakra signatures to tense in response. The pressure grew, shaking the entire building, and he found himself developing a headache. Perhaps he needed to hire a PR firm to handle these situations.
In this universe, Tsunade was considerably stronger than her canon counterpart. In the original timeline, she had spent decades slacking off and succumbing to her vices. However, in this altered timeline, he had helped her overcome certain aspects of her hemophilia, and their training and sparring had resulted in her becoming physically and mentally stronger than she was meant to be. Additionally, he had devised a plethora of jutsus, some of which became her favorites and added to her already formidable arsenal. If the Sannin were to fight again, it wouldn't end in a three-way deadlock anymore.
He sensed the presence of several other sneaky chakra signatures infiltrating the building. He pondered whether they believed this number of Anbu would be enough to overcome the Slug Princess. Would they even dare to attack the First Hokage's granddaughter in the first place? One should never underestimate the level of respect and reverence the people of Konoha held for the Senju clan. Not to mention, she was the last remaining heir of the God of Shinobi.
The chakra pressure gradually receded after a while, and he almost laughed aloud at the Anbu who was instantly relieved, tension leaving their bodies. Now, he was consumed by curiosity about what they had been discussing that prompted her to practically launch an attack on her former sensei. Ah, there was no chance she would change her mind and refuse to let him stay, right?
Rustling noises emanated from inside the room, and then the door swung open. Considering it wasn't decimated or ripped off its hinges, whatever had occurred must have had a somewhat satisfactory outcome for her. Her piercing gaze locked onto him. "Let's go to the Senju compound first," she stated, but he countered with his own suggestion. "I've already purchased a house. It's fully furnished, decked out, and cleaned just yesterday."
Surprise and intrigue danced across her face, thankfully not a negative reaction. He didn't want to impose on his own sensei by forcing her to live in her abandoned home. She nodded, and they proceeded to pick up Shizune, who had been busy buying groceries while they attended to business. "Where to?" Shizune inquired, Tsunade hot on their trail, equally curious.
"Sensei, where's the Hyuuga compound?" he asked, receiving a series of weird looks in return. Tsunade relented and simply led the way. As they approached, garnering countless gazes along the way, a boisterous voice cut through the noise, calling out, "Haruki-san!" Ahead, an elderly man with long dark hair and strikingly pale, pupil-less eyes looked at him.
"Hyuga-sama, it's been a while," he greeted in return. "Haruki-san, please drop the formality. It feels distant when you call this old man like that," the man insisted. His face slightly contorted to display his reluctance, before gradually relaxing and nodding. "Then please simply call me by name as well, Hiroshi-san," he responded. Hiroshi widened his smile while patting his back several times, or at least that's what Haruki assumed the man was doing. There was nothing more unsettling than a Hyuga smiling, especially this particular individual.
Hiroshi is the father of Hiashi and Hizashi and the previous Patriarch of the Hyuga clan. Yes, he was the man who had offered Hizashi's life to save Hiashi in the original timeline. The thought had always made Haruki uncomfortable whenever he was near Hiroshi, though he never showed it. Hiroshi had been poisoned during one of his travels to the capital city and had been promptly brought to the hospital. None of the doctors were able to identify the specific mix of toxins used, which meant they couldn't concocted an effective cure without the formula.
As fate would have it, Haruki had just finished a surgery when the hospital director rushed towards him, his face etched with anxiety. Surprised by the identity of the patient, Haruki hurried to check on him. The fact that the patient happened to be the rising star, the 'Saint of Embers,' and Tsunade's renowned disciple brought some initial relief to both the patient and his bodyguards.
He had to admit, the poison was quite sophisticated, not at the level of Chiyo or even Sasori, but close enough. Fortunately for the perpetrators, he was the disciple of the Slug Princess, the one who had never failed to counter the 'Poison Mistress' Chiyo singlehandedly. Of course, his analytical skills played a role as well.
Realizing that the poison was compatible with his 'All-Antidote,' a comprehensive poison cure he had devised for cases when he didn't have enough time to examine a poisoned patient, he quickly retrieved a bottle from his sealed scroll. The former Patriarch appeared slightly put off and distrustful, not sure which part had irked him. His young age and appearance, his lightning-speed deduction of the situation, or the fact that he had a miracle drug ready. So, he suggested that he could consult with the other doctors, as a way to essentially back off the case if he was going to be treated like this.
Apparently, despite being poisoned, the patient was conscious and "healthy" enough to demand to see Tsunade. Haruki wanted nothing more than to leave. Instead, he informed him that she wasn't available and that she no longer worked for the hospital, but he was more than welcome to order his bodyguards to seek her out themselves.
With other patients to attend to, he encouraged the former Patriarch one last time to take the antidote, briefly explaining the composition of the poison and how his antidote would suffice. Then, he proceeded to leave. Even the hospital director, who would have reprimanded any other doctor, was visibly distressed and frustrated by the patient's unreasonable behavior towards the prestigious former clan head.
The next day, a plethora of gifts arrived at his residence, accompanied by a well-written invitation to lunch from the same annoying man himself. Haruki contemplated ignoring him, but considering that befriending a clan elder wouldn't hurt, especially if he ever intended to live in Konoha (assuming Tsunade returned as she did in canon), he declined the gifts but accepted the lunch invitation, as he had free time at that moment.
The meeting didn't unfold as he had expected. The prideful and arrogant man bowed deeply in apology, expressing his regret with meticulous grace. It was clear that he had realized how rude and absurd he had acted. More importantly, the man must have recognized that he could have offended one of the rising stars in the medical world, who happened to be backed by the medical pioneer herself.
The clans understood the significance of relationships and the consequences of creating enemies. He and his sensei had no strict affiliation, and it wouldn't be inconvenient to outright ostracize the Hyuga clan. Wealth could be gained, reputation could be earned, but health? They were the best, and their position went unchallenged.
In the end, he decided to "forgive" the man and considered that perhaps Hiroshi had finally shown some worth. However, he would reserve judgment until he saw more. Their lunch turned out to be enjoyable, and when Tsunade came to pick him up, she somehow ended up dead drunk, despite it being only four in the afternoon.
Their meetings didn't end there. Gifts continued to pour in as the Hyuga Elder noticed the improvement in his body after the assassination attempt. He deduced that the 'All-Antidote' must have other beneficial side effects. He was correct. Not only did it fight and remove toxic substances, but it also helped rejuvenate the body, strengthening its foundation that may have been left vulnerable by the poison. A two-pronged attack.
The man felt a sense of joy and became even more convinced of his skills. They continued to meet over lunches and tea ceremonies, building a strong rapport. Hiroshi pleaded with him to serve as his private doctor, vowing to go to the ends of the world for his medical check-ups if he was away, as he often was. And it paid handsomely. He agreed, and their bond grew stronger.
Hiroshi was different from what he had seen in canon, but that was understandable since he had only known the elderly man for his cruel side and nothing else. Hiroshi was a real human with feelings, not just a two-dimensional villain, he had to remind himself. In fact, much like Hiashi in the Boruto Era, Hiroshi seemed joyful and affectionate once he opened up. He even doted on him, bringing gifts and writing letters, treating him almost like a grandson. The man had even "cooed" at him once, leaving him momentarily flustered and needing to claw his thigh to ground himself in such an outlandish situation.
So it came as no surprise when Hiroshi was ecstatic upon learning that he not only planned to move and work in Konoha but intended to live next to the Hyuga compound. Hiroshi had helped ensure a swift purchase of the properties and even sent some slav—members of the branch family to oversee the renovation based on his new layout.
It appeared that Hiroshi had sought him out upon hearing of his dramatic arrival. "How about dinner at the Hyuga compound? I can't wait to introduce you to my family," he excitedly suggested. He could sense the stares of people around them, their expressions filled with a mix of confusion and amusement. Can you blame them? The perpetually frowning former clan head was now bursting with excitement, his face adorned with an unending smile.
"We would love to! Unfortunately, we are completely exhausted from our journey. How about tomorrow? I am also eager to meet the kind people of the Hyuga clan," he beamed at Hiroshi, attempting to match his level of excitement. What a hassle.
Hiroshi looked slightly dejected at the rejection but quickly perked up. "Of course. We are neighbors now, after all. We will have each other's backs," he said, his meaning not lost on him. When he were choosing houses, Hiroshi had offered to station more guards, including patrolling the area around his home. This meant that even when he was away, there would always be someone watching. It was also an explicit statement of support, signifying that the Hyuga Clan would become his largest and most loyal backers in a land that was foreign to him.
He was genuinely moved, feeling the elder's chakra and knowing that his intentions were sincere. He hugged the man, slightly surprised when Hiroshi tensed before returning the affectionate gesture. Even if only for a brief moment, he felt a sense of safety—a relatively foreign emotion in this unfamiliar world.
And yet another rumor began to rage.