Anya held Tsunade's shoulders, letting her lean into his chest as he softly said, "I know your worries. I feel the same too, but there are some things you cannot control. Even if you can suppress *her cravings* for now, what happens in the future?"
Tsunade replied discontentedly, "I knew you'd take her side. You witnessed with your own eyes the day my brother Nawaki died. Are you really planning to let my daughter walk the same tragic path again?"
Anya gently stroked her frame in comfort. "I understand the fear deep in your heart, but right now, you're lacking something."
"What is it?" Tsunade raised her head, her eyes full of confusion.
"Trust." Anya's gaze seemed to light up with stars. "Trust in me, and trust in your child. This kind of trust is passed down from one generation to the next. If parents themselves don't believe in their child, her future will be very difficult. Also, you need to believe in me. As long as I'm here, I won't allow anyone to harm her."
Of course, there was one thing he kept to himself—he'd personally rip the head off anyone who dared harm his daughter, throw the body to Sasori as a puppet, offer the heart to Kakuzu as backup, and use Spirit Control Technique on the soul until they regretted ever being born.
After hearing Anya's words, all of Tsunade's confusion transformed into affection. She murmured softly, nestled against his chest, "This was your promise. No taking it back—you have to keep your word."
Anya replied firmly, "Of course. This is a promise sealed with my life. It lasts forever."
Love flowed between their gazes, their faces inching closer and closer.
Just then, the door suddenly pushed open.
Tsunade instinctively straightened herself and sat properly, turning her gaze toward the entrance.
There stood Naruto, bursting in without thinking, shouting, "Lady Tsunade, hurry to Konoha Hospital! Master Kakashi has been injured, and Lee too. They're both waiting for you to save them!"
Annoyed by Naruto's interruption, Anya flicked his finger lightly. The newly entered Naruto flew out like a stone skipping across water, bouncing right back outside the room.
Anya reminded him, "Next time, knock before barging in."
At the entrance of Konoha Hospital, Anya and Tsunade appeared together.
The familiar surroundings and the presence of Anya beside her gave Tsunade a warm feeling. With graceful steps, she walked inside cheerfully.
Arriving beside Kakashi's bed, Tsunade raised her hand glowing with green chakra and pressed it onto Kakashi's forehead. Soon enough, Kakashi—who had lost consciousness—regained awareness, his head drooping slightly.
Still groggy from being unconscious for so long, he responded slowly.
Tsunade mocked nearby, "What a disgrace. You ended up like this just chasing after a couple of two-bit crooks. I thought you were supposed to be a genius."
Kakashi remained speechless and quietly muttered, "I'm sorry."
"Alright, don't be too harsh on him. After all, he faced against geniuses too—one of the top-tier ones."
Anya's voice sounded.
Instantly, Kakashi—who previously showed little energy—lit up with hope in his eyes. He lifted his head, scanning the room until his eyes locked on Anya. Seeing his still-youthful appearance, he couldn't help exclaiming, "I knew you weren't dead. So you've come back."
"I didn't realize you all knew each other."
Guy, hidden behind the curtain, could barely contain himself, constantly fidgeting as he wondered how to start the conversation.
Naruto spoke directly, "Let's move on to the next one. Bushy Brows, we've been waiting long enough."
Anya nodded at Tsunade and said, "You go ahead. I want to talk to Kakashi for a moment."
Once everyone had left, Anya asked, "Did you use your Sword Art during the fight?"
Kakashi shook his head with a bitter smile, "He didn't even give me a chance to draw."
"Tsk, I think you've become sluggish from all those mundane village missions. Battling weaklings constantly has dulled your edge against real strong opponents," warned Anya. "As another Sharingan user, you should know better than to engage an opponent directly before analyzing their abilities. You need to change that habit."
Kakashi looked startled, "So you already know who my opponent was?"
"It's obvious from your wounds," replied Anya naturally. "Only someone who mastered Genjutsu at this level can accomplish this — obviously someone wielding the Mangekyo Sharingan."
"Almost forgot, he's still your adopted son. If you two meet again, what would you do?" Kakashi's eyes gleamed with curiosity.
Anya answered indifferently, "I won't do anything."
"Why not?" Kakashi clearly wasn't satisfied with the answer.
"You're still recovering. Don't rush into using your brain. Rest properly first," sighed Anya. "Tsk, you're not half as dedicated as you were when I first met you. After you recover completely, I'll find time to spar with you."
Suddenly recalling their first meeting, Kakashi fell silent. Back then, he'd always strived to catch up with his father, only for this person to suddenly appear, stealing all his father's attention and becoming his new benchmark. Indeed, since when did my training begin to slack off?
Reflecting deeply, Kakashi solemnly replied, "Alright."
Outside the room, Tsunade stood in the corridor lost in thought, no one daring to disturb her.
"Is it that serious?" Anya approached to ask.
Tsunade nodded, "My suggestion is for him to abandon the ninja path altogether. But apparently, he's not happy with my recommendation."
"I've seen his injuries. Complete recovery will require major surgery," said Anya with a smile. "Medical Ninjutsu has improved greatly over the years. We can now regenerate cells. With me assisting your treatment, there shouldn't be any problem."
Tsunade's eyes lit up with delight, "So my decision to keep you awake back then, forcing you to train relentlessly, really paid off."
Hearing Tsunade bring up old memories, Anya rolled his eyes in exasperation, "Come on, let's try it out in our old lab first. If feasible, we'll proceed with the surgery right away."
"Mm." Tsunade felt her mood lift instantly, heading straight toward their former secret chamber.
In fact, with Anya's current abilities, treating Lee alone wouldn't pose much difficulty.
However, he preferred not to stand out too much. For now, enjoying this hard-earned peace was more important.
When the storm rises in the future, that would be his true moment to shine.
Inside the chamber, with Anya's cooperation, the experiment went surprisingly smoothly. Tsunade could tell that Anya still had plenty of energy left, making her regard her with newfound respect.
If that's true, there's no need for more tests.
Once the preparations were done, they started treating Lee right away.
Several hours later, both walked out of the operating room together. Meeting Might Guy's anxious stare, Tsunade gave him a firm nod.
Emperor Guy was so happy he started crying like a little kid...
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