"Co in."
The Third Hokage's voice ca from inside the door.
Tsunade stepped into the office, noting that her teacher was the only one present. It was a relief—this would make the conversation easier.
"Sensei."
"Yes? What is it?"
The Third Hokage removed his pipe from his mouth, smiling faintly. "You don't usually co here without a reason."
"Sensei, I want to ask you for sothing."
"Oh?" His smile deepened. He knew Tsunade well; if her request wasn't excessive, he'd likely agree. "What is it?"
"The cells of my grandfather and the research data that was sealed."
Tsunade's straightforwardness remained unchanged.
The Third Hokage's expression grew serious. His brows furrowed. "What do you want to do with it?"
"I want to restart the experintal project."
"No. Leave now." His refusal was imdiate and firm.
The weight of the past—the lives lost in those experints—remained a painful reminder. It was why he had been so enraged by Orochimaru's later, secretive work. If Orochimaru hadn't been who he was, the Third Hokage might have executed him for it.
"Sensei, I won't do anything reckless."
"No."
His tone left no room for debate, his expression dark and resolute.
"Sensei, I promise not to conduct human experints until there are results," Tsunade persisted. "There will be no casualties among innocent people. Back then, the experint failed because it was rushed. That's why so many lives were lost. I won't let that happen again."
She paused before adding, "And if the research succeeds, Konoha will gain another ninja capable of using Wood Release. Isn't Wood Release part of what defines Konoha? Without it, is this still the Konoha we know?"
The Third Hokage stayed silent, but his gaze wavered slightly.
"As long as there are leaves flying around, there will always be fire burning," Tsunade continued, her voice steady. "The Will of Fire will endure—and with the power of Wood Release, it will burn brighter than ever."
Her words struck a chord. The Will of Fire had been his lifelong philosophy, a belief he had passed down and upheld with unyielding faith.
The Third Hokage sighed heavily. "Fine. I'll give it to you—but only on the condition that no innocent lives are lost."
His concession carried an unspoken understanding: he knew the nature of such experints and that, eventually, human experint would be unavoidable. The best he could do was ensure the line between innocent and willing participants was never crossed.
"Okay, I promise." Tsunade's response was resolute; she had already prepared for this mont.
"And I need to send soone to oversee the project," the Third Hokage added. He wanted so asure of control, even if it was symbolic.
"No. I need complete autonomy," Tsunade countered firmly, following Kawakaze's instructions to the letter. "Right now, I'm the best researcher in dical science in Konoha. If anyone else interferes, it will only slow down."
The Third Hokage hesitated. He couldn't argue—what she said was undeniably true.
"Forget it. I'll take you to get it."
Having already decided to grant her request, the Third Hokage resolved to trust Tsunade, whose lineage was more deeply tied to Konoha's founding than his own. Her family had been one of the cornerstones of Konoha's creation.
Rising from his chair, the Third Hokage approached the safe. From it, he retrieved a long-forgotten iron box, unlocking it with a cumberso key he withdrew from inside.
"Let's go," he said, securing the safe and leading the way out of the office.
Tsunade followed silently, her expression unreadable.
Once they left the Hokage Building, the Third Hokage dismissed the Anbu trailing them with a casual wave. He continued on with Tsunade, walking deep into the forest that surrounded Konoha.
"Do you know where your grandfather's cells ca from?" he asked, breaking the quiet as the trees closed in around them.
"I don't," Tsunade admitted. She had never considered the origins of the cells before.
"Sensei left them behind," the Third Hokage revealed, his voice tinged with nostalgia. "He believed that the First Hokage's cells held unimaginable strategic value for Konoha."
Tsunade wasn't surprised. "If it was him, that makes sense," she replied. Her second grandfather had always been pragmatic, a man who placed strategy and benefits above personal sentint. His intelligence and calculating nature were legendary.
"Unfortunately, Sensei passed away before he could complete the experint," the Third Hokage continued. "Afterward, Konoha's lack of high-end combat power left us vulnerable, and I made the mistake of rushing to achieve results. That desperation led to disaster."
He stopped and turned to look at Tsunade, his gaze piercing. "Do you understand why I'm telling you this?"
Tsunade t his eyes without wavering. "I understand, Sensei. I won't make the sa mistakes you did."
Her words were direct, offering no solace or attempt to soften the truth. A mistake was a mistake, and she wasn't about to disguise it.
"Good," the Third Hokage said, his expression shifting into a faint, self-deprecating smile. Without another word, he resud walking.
Their journey took them deep into the mountains, where they eventually arrived at a large, concealed rock face. The Third Hokage approached and pressed on a hidden compartnt. A low rumble echoed as the entrance to a cave slid open.
"To ensure this research stayed hidden from enemy nations, Sensei oversaw the construction of this cave himself," he explained, stepping into the shadowy entrance.
Tsunade followed as the Third Hokage turned on the lights one by one. The dim glow illuminated the underground space, revealing an intricate, self-sufficient setup.
She glanced around, impressed despite herself. It's incredible this place still functions after so many years. Second Grandfather truly was a genius.
"It's just ahead. You brought the Storage Scroll, right?"
Tsunade nodded in confirmation, following the Third Hokage as they approached a large iron gate. He retrieved the key and tried to unlock it, but the chanism was stiff from years of disuse. After so effort, the gate finally groaned open, revealing a dimly lit room filled with aging experintal equipnt and scattered, insignificant docunts.
Without stopping, the Third Hokage walked toward another concealed door and opened it. Inside was a cabinet neatly packed with files.
Each label caught Tsunade's eye: Experint One, Experint Two, Senju Clan, Uchiha Clan, Shimura Clan, Sarutobi Clan.
These were all records of live experints. Tsunade felt her stomach tighten as she skimd the contents. Only now did she comprehend the imnse cost Konoha had paid for these trials.
"Take it away. It's all my sin," the Third Hokage said heavily, his voice tinged with regret.
Tsunade glanced at her teacher, who suddenly seed older, burdened by the weight of past decisions.
"Sensei, I will succeed," she said, her voice calm but resolute.
Saying no more, she took out her Storage Scroll, unrolling it with precision. With a few practiced hand seals, she sealed the entire cabinet into the scroll.
The Third Hokage watched as the cabinet vanished, a faint relief softening his expression. Though the burden of his actions would never truly leave him, seeing the docunts gone lifted so of the weight from his heart.
He then led Tsunade to a freezer in the far corner of the room. Opening it, he revealed the preserved cells of Hashirama Senju.
"There's no need for this place to exist anymore," he said as they exited the cave. "It's filled with nothing but painful mories."
Once outside, the Third Hokage perford a series of hand seals. With an Earth Release jutsu, he sealed the entrance to the cave, burying it completely. The sins of this place, he decided, would rest solely on his shoulders.
Tsunade, noticing the lingering sorrow in her teacher, stayed by his side. The two walked back to the village in silence, the weight of the past thick between them. For the first ti, Tsunade saw a vulnerability in her teacher that she had never witnessed before.
He really is getting old, she thought. mories of her childhood days learning under him, alongside Orochimaru and Jiraiya, surfaced unbidden. Back then, he had been full of energy, a young Hokage who had risen to the position in his twenties and ushered Konoha into an era of prosperity.
Now, it was ti for her—Tsunade—to shoulder the responsibilities he had carried for so long.
When they reached the Hokage Building, Tsunade went straight to her office and sat down. The Third Hokage, anwhile, had barely lit his pipe when an Anbu operative burst into the room.
"Third Hokage, urgent report!" the Anbu announced. "Hanzō of the Salamander from the Land of Rain has declared war on Konoha, Suna, and the Land of Iron simultaneously. The frontline war has already begun!"
Tsunade's eyes widened in shock. Kawakaze was right. It hasn't even been fifteen days.
"Gather all the Jōnin in the village and et at the Operations Departnt," the Third Hokage ordered, standing abruptly and slamming his pipe onto the desk.
In that mont, he once again transford into the commanding leader. His presence was commanding, his voice decisive, and his aura one of absolute authority.
This was still the Third Hokage, a general who would brook no challenge.
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