Chapter 29 Target, the Country of Craftsmen

It was the same story again, and another drunken night.

It snowed heavily in Konoha tonight. The road was quiet and peaceful, with only the sound of falling snow.

Xuanwu carried Tsunade on his back and walked slowly on the way back to the princess's bedroom, leaving a series of footprints that were then covered by the snow. Xuanwu suddenly felt that it would be nice to just keep walking like this.

"I don't know where Senju Nawaki is. He ran away with Minato and Kushina. Minato, you little bastard, and Kushina, you money-loser, actually took out so much wine without my knowledge. When I come back from my mission, I'll show you how I'll beat you up."

"Bring me some wine, I want some more."

Tsunade, who was lying on his back and covered tightly with a blanket, was still mumbling even when she fell asleep.

Xuanwu shook his head helplessly, and pulled Tsunade's thighs with his hands to lift her up, "You, you really make me helpless."

......

In the pavilion in the courtyard of the Senju mansion, Uzumaki Mito and Genbu were enjoying the snow, the hot tea next to them was still steaming. Mito was lying on a recliner covered with a cotton mattress, wearing a cotton coat and a blanket covering her legs, forming a sharp contrast with Genbu, who was wearing a sweatshirt and shorts opposite her.

The wife of the first Hokage, who was once famous in the ninja world and the first Nine-Tails Jinchuriki, is now so weak that she can't even withstand the cold in winter.

"Lord Mito, are we going to proceed?" Xuanwu said, looking at the falling snow outside the courtyard.

"Yes, it seems that the monkey's plan did not succeed. I told you that I couldn't hide it from you, but he didn't believe me. But I'm curious about how you guessed it."

"My Sharingan saw the current condition of your body. In addition, the Third Hokage sent Tsunade and I out of the village. I guessed that the Nine-Tails was transferred from you to Kushina."

"Can't we delay it for a few more days? There should be a way." Xuanwu looked at Mito and pleaded. He really didn't want this friend of his who was no longer his friend in this way to pass away, but he was helpless.

"That's not necessary. I've lived long enough. What's the point of lingering on for a few more years? I don't want to end up unable to take care of myself and die without dignity lying on a hospital bed."

Uzumaki Mito talked about her own death calmly and freely, without any fear, as if it was not her who was about to lose her life.

"But is it necessary to let Tsunade leave the village? You are her only living elder. She will collapse if she can't even see you for the last time." Akimichi Xuanwu closed his eyes reluctantly and covered his head in pain.

"If Xiao Gang was in the village, he would definitely make a scene. What's there for an old woman like me to see? I don't care about this side of me."

"But......"

"There's nothing to worry about, don't feel sad about my departure, everyone will have such a day, I just reached another stage in life.

Also, remember what you promised me, take good care of Kushina after I leave. She is still too young, but she has endured the pain she shouldn't have to endure."

"Mito-sama is quite free and easy. Don't worry, I will take good care of her. From the moment she entered my house, she is my biological sister."

"besides..."

"I will also take good care of Tsunade and Nawaki." Xuanwu answered quickly.

Uzumaki Mito smiled and shook his head, "That's not what I want to say. Didn't I tell you before that this is what you should do? What I want to say is that when you are together with Tsunade, remember to go to my and Hashirama's graves and tell us. Hashirama really likes his precious granddaughter."

"Mito-sama, we haven't even started yet. What's the point of this? I'm only 16 years old. Besides, Tsunade-sensei only treats me as a disciple now. I don't know what will happen in the future."

Akimichi Xuanwu felt rarely embarrassed.

Uzumaki Mito laughed, "Haha, you don't look like you're 16 at all. You're already 170cm tall. But this is the first time I've seen Xuanwu-kun so shy." Then she looked up at the endless white snow in the sky and said with emotion, "It's great to be young."

......

At noon the next day, Xuanwu, Hatake Sakumo and Hinata Ito had arrived at the village entrance, but Tsunade had not arrived yet.

"Mr. Xuanwu, what is Tsunade doing?" asked Hatake Sakumo.

"Maybe something has delayed you. Do you need me to go look for him, Lord Sakumo?"

As the two were talking, Tsunade's voice came from a distance, "I'm coming, I'm coming."

A few people looked towards the main road in the village, and saw a cloud of dust rushing towards them, and then a beautiful figure stood in front of Xuanwu, "Huff, huff, I'm so tired."

Seeing this, Xuanwu took out a bottle of warm water from somewhere, unscrewed the lid and handed it to Tsunade, "Tsunade-sensei, there's no need for you to rush. We still have time."

Tsunade took the water bottle and took a big gulp. "Sorry, sorry. I don't know what happened to Grandma Mito. Before I left, she talked to me for a long time, as if I was not coming back. She also gave me a pair of earrings, saying they would bring good luck."

At this time, Tsunade had changed into the same clothes as when she went to the Rain Country on a mission.

He was wearing a black combat uniform and combat pants, black ninja shoes on his feet, gray leather armor on his upper body and arm guards of the same style as the leather armor, and ninja bags on his left leg and right waist. These were the standard combat suits of Konoha ninjas of this era.

The outfits of the three of them were similar, but the ordinary clothes gave off a unique sense of heroic beauty when worn on the beautiful girl.

Xuanwu knew why Mito was acting so abnormally. He took out a cold cloak from somewhere and put it on Tsunade. He said inconspicuously, "Tsunade-sensei, it will be getting colder along the way. Wear more clothes. Is there anything urgent, Mito-sama?"

Tsunade tapped her lower lip with a finger, looked up at a 45-degree angle and recalled, then said, "Not really, it was just some family matters, and she asked me to take care of myself when I go out."

As for her grandmother saying that she is not young anymore and urging her to fall in love, such a trivial matter should not be known to outsiders.

Looking at the two people who were "master and disciple" here, Sakumo was very unhappy. I didn't see you, a little kid, also give me a cloak. Then he interrupted the two of them and said, "Okay, now that everyone is here, let's go."

"Yes." After several people responded, they set out on the road to the Country of Craftsmen.

During the journey, Akimichi Genbu asked his doubts, "Lady Tsunade, the journey is long and the mountains are high. It will take about two to three weeks to go back and forth. Don't you have any daily necessities? Why don't I see you even have a backpack?"

"Do I need to be so well prepared to go on a mission with you? I believe you have already helped me with it. Look, isn't this cloak the one you prepared for me, hehe."

Tsunade's smile was as innocent as it could be, and she said in a very straightforward manner that she had not prepared anything except combat equipment. She was not ashamed of it, but proud of it, and she also put the blame on Xuanwu.

Hearing this, Xuanwu lost his balance and almost fell off a tree. Even Hinata Ito, who was not very familiar with the two of them, couldn't help laughing. Hatake Sakumo, who was at the back, laughed out loud.

"Oh, I'm really a fool." Xuanwu said helplessly.

"What are you tying? Do you want to eat mutton hotpot tonight?"

Tsunade's saliva was watering when she heard that she was going to eat her favorite hot pot.

Looking at Tsunade's innocent smile, Xuanwu, who originally wanted to diss her, then thought better of it. She was beautiful, so whatever she said was right. He accelerated and left Tsunade who was walking side by side with him.

Now it was Tsunade's turn to ask, "You haven't answered me yet, Xuanwu-kun, are we having shabu-shabu tonight?"

That night, in a hidden cave, Xuanwu, who was forced to tears by Tsunade, took out a copper hot pot and smokeless charcoal, and even fresh mutton and vegetables in front of the shocked eyes of Hatake Sakumo and Hinata Ito.

Only Tsunade was eating and drinking heartlessly, not caring at all about how this thing appeared.

When Akimichi Genbu even took out the noodles of Ichiraku Ramen (which were hand-made by his father at this time, hehe), Hatake Sakumo couldn't help but ask, "Genbu-kun, where did you buy this backpack? Can you give me a link? I want the same one."

Hinata Ito, who had already become familiar with each other after eating hotpot together, nodded like a chicken pecking at rice. He also wanted one. He was really curious why this bag could hold so much. If it weren't for the fact that Xuanwu was his teammate, he would have used his Byakugan to see through it.

"I want to know."

"Hmm." The two of them pecked at the rice together, like a pair of curious babies.

"A secret." Akimichi Xuanwu narrowed his eyes and smiled as he gave the decisive blow.

"Mr. Xuanwu, I want to drink this alcoholic drink again."

......