Chapter 174: Chapter 174: Nawaki
The moon had already risen.
A few stray clouds drifted over the Hokage Rock, casting a pale, dim light across the streets of Konoha.
Kitahara Kaede had just finished a quick cleanup at the hospital. The bloodstains on his clothes wouldn’t come out completely, so he had settled for a fresh jacket.
Tsunade walked beside him. Neither spoke.
The incident in the office was over, but the sound of that photo frame clattering onto the desk still echoed in Kaede’s ears.
Nawaki.
In the real world, Nawaki was the wound in Tsunade’s heart that would never truly heal.
Kaede glanced at her from the corner of his eye. Her expression was calm, but he could feel the underlying ache. He slowed his pace.
Sensing that he had fallen behind, Tsunade looked back. "What is it?"
Kaede looked toward a lit-up izakaya on the street corner. "Want to grab a drink?"
Tsunade arched an eyebrow. "Sure." She paused, then added, "I happen to be craving something."
Kaede nodded. He hadn’t suggested it for the sake of the alcohol. Although Tsunade didn’t speak of it, it was impossible for her to be completely unaffected by the mention of Nawaki. Rather than letting her go home and brood in silence, it was better to keep her company for a while.
The two entered the corner pub, a place Tsunade frequented. The server spotted her immediately and hurried over.
"Lady Tsunade! The usual?"
"The usual," she replied with a brief nod.
The server quickly led them to a secluded booth in the corner. Kaede sat opposite her as the drinks and appetizers were served.
Tsunade picked up her glass and downed it in one go. Kaede picked up the carafe and poured her a second.
Staring into her glass, Tsunade spoke casually. "When do you plan on submitting the report for this mission?"
"Tomorrow."
Tsunade looked up at him. "The Seven Ninja Swordsmen and five of their blades... this is an incredibly important matter. You actually dare to push it off until tomorrow?"
Kaede set the carafe down. "I wanted to keep you company first."
Tsunade’s hand stopped mid-air.
Kaede continued, "The mission is over anyway. A day’s difference won’t change anything."
Tsunade gave a small huff. "You always have an answer for everything." She looked down at her glass, the corner of her mouth twitching slightly. "The old man is probably anxious."
"Then let him be anxious for a bit," Kaede replied calmly.
Tsunade couldn’t help but let out a short laugh. The tension at the table finally began to dissipate.
They stopped talking about the mission. Instead, Tsunade began venting about a few troublesome patients at the hospital, and Kaede listened, offering an occasional response.
After a few more drinks, Tsunade leaned back in her chair, slowly swirling the liquid in her glass. Kaede ate quietly beside her.
After a long silence, Tsunade suddenly spoke. "If Nawaki were still alive, he’d be older than you."
Kaede’s chopsticks stopped moving. He looked up.
Tsunade didn’t meet his eyes; she remained focused on the swaying alcohol in her cup. "That kid spent every single day as a child shouting about how he was going to become the Hokage." She curled her lip. "He was annoying as hell."
Kaede softened his voice. "If he were alive now, he probably wouldn’t be as rowdy as he was when he was little."
Tsunade remained silent.
Kaede followed her lead. "Or maybe he’d still be the same—stubborn as a mule, insisting every day that he’d sit in the Hokage’s seat sooner or later."
A small smile touched Tsunade’s lips. "He definitely would have said that."
"And then you would have punched him."
"Obviously. Who told him to spend his life chasing impractical dreams?"
Seeing her smile made Kaede’s chest feel tight.
Tsunade took another sip of her drink, her voice dropping significantly. "He was actually very afraid of pain."
Kaede fell silent. Tsunade’s smile slowly faded. She set the glass down, her eyes rapidly reddening. In the next moment, she turned her head away.
"Tsk." She sniffed. "The alcohol is hitting me."
Kaede didn’t call her out. He simply picked up the carafe and topped off her glass.
As she sat sideways to him, her shoulders trembled slightly. When it came to Nawaki, Kaede actually had many questions. How exactly had Nawaki disappeared back then? Who was the first to find the scene? Why was there no body?
These were questions only Tsunade could answer. But seeing her like this, the words died in his throat.
The rest of the evening passed in relative silence. Tsunade drank glass after glass, and whenever her cup was empty, he filled it. She needed to process her emotions in peace, and he was content to simply be there with her.
Late into the night, the two stepped out of the izakaya. Tsunade’s steps were steady, though her gaze was slower than usual. They walked forward along the moonlit street, the eaves of the houses shrouded in darkness, with the occasional sound of patrolling shinobi echoing in the distance.
When they reached a secluded street corner, Tsunade suddenly stopped.
Kaede stopped as well. Tsunade didn’t look back.
"Kaede."
"Yeah."
"When Nawaki’s accident happened... I never actually saw a body."
Kaede’s gaze locked. Tsunade turned around. The moonlight fell across her face, highlighting her red-rimmed eyes.
"The scene was a mess. There were blast marks everywhere and plenty of blood, but no intact remains."
Kaede didn’t interrupt. Tsunade looked at him, finally voicing words she had suppressed for years.
"Everyone told me he was definitely gone. No one could survive an explosion like that." Her hand slowly clenched into a fist. "But I didn’t believe them."
Kaede waited for her to continue.
Tsunade whispered, "And I found a very strange mark at the scene. It looked as if wood had erupted from beneath the ground, only to be blown to pieces."
Kaede’s expression shifted.
Wood? Erupting from the ground?
That description sounded far too much like Wood Release. But by that time, the First Hokage had long been dead. In that era, it should have been impossible for anyone to possess Wood Release.
Kaede stared at Tsunade, not speaking immediately.
"I know it sounds stupid," Tsunade murmured. "But I’ve always felt that he might not be dead." She looked up at him. "I’ve told almost no one all these years, because they all told me to just let go." Her voice grew faint. "But I can’t."
Looking at her bloodshot eyes, Kaede felt a heavy weight in his chest. He took a step toward her.
"Then don’t."
Tsunade froze.
Kaede looked her in the eye. "As long as you believe he’s still alive, I’ll help you find him. Even if we have to scour the entire shinobi world."
Tsunade stared at him for a long time. The grief she had been fighting to hold back finally began to ease. She suddenly smiled—a soft, light smile.
"You certainly have a way with words."
Kaede spoke seriously. "I’m not just flattering you."
Tsunade leaned in half a step. "And if we actually find him?"
Kaede looked at her. "What then?"
Tsunade tilted her chin up, her eyes hazy with alcohol but shimmering with light. "If you can really bring Nawaki back, I’ll grant you one wish."
Kaede’s breath hitched. The moonlight pooled at their feet, their shadows nearly touching.
Tsunade watched him, the corners of her lips curving upward. "Anything you want."
Kaede remained silent for a moment longer than usual. Tsunade was still smiling, but as she continued to look at him, her eyes suddenly narrowed.
"Wait."
Kaede looked up, confused by her sudden change in expression.
Tsunade stared intently at him. "I didn’t see that coming."
She stepped a little closer to him.
"You’re so skilled at coaxing women; even I almost fell for it."
’What?’
’Crap!’
Alarm bells rang loudly in Kitahara Kaede’s mind.
Tsunade spoke in a low, lingering tone, "Be honest. You don’t have other women on the side, do you?"
Two different faces immediately flashed through Kaede’s mind.
He nearly lost his composure, but his expression remained perfectly still. He looked up at Tsunade with an air of complete sincerity.
"How could I?"
Tsunade didn’t respond.
Kaede continued, "My days are spent either on missions or training." He spread his hands. "Do you see me getting close to anyone in the village?"
Tsunade stared at him for a few seconds.
Kaede held his expression steady.
Suddenly, Tsunade gave a light huff. "Fair point."
Only then did Kaede let out the breath he had been holding.
Tsunade turned and began walking away, a small smile tugging at the corner of her lips. "Alright, I was just asking."
"Go home."
Kaede followed after her. "I will."
As he walked her to her front door, she looked back at him. "Get some rest."
Kaede nodded. "You too."
Tsunade pushed the door open and stepped inside. The moment the door closed, the relaxed look on Kaede’s face vanished.
He stood outside for a moment, looking up at the night sky.
There had been traces of what appeared to be Wood Release at the site where Nawaki disappeared. This was definitely not a simple matter.
Yet, he couldn’t think of who it could be.
This wasn’t in the original story.
The feeling of losing his foresight—of no longer knowing exactly what was coming—made him deeply uncomfortable.
Kitahara Kaede stood there for a while longer before turning and disappearing into the night.
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