Chapter 21: The Nameless Uchiha Sealed by the Uchiha
Morning After in Tanzaku Town
The next morning brought predictable results.
As expected, Tsunade had lost absolutely everything—again.
Kazuki reluctantly covered her shopping expenses and forced the legendary Sannin to sign a hastily written 'IOU,' promising future repayment with interest.
However, considering Tsunade's established track record and personality, the actual probability of ever seeing that money again was astronomically slim. Basically zero.
Consider it a donation to the Tsunade Senju Perpetual Gambling Fund, Kazuki thought with resignation.
After purchasing appropriate disguises, both changed into civilian clothing. Kazuki now wore simple white robes with black, deliberately messy hair framing his striking features—unmistakably handsome in an understated way. Tsunade had changed into a white tube top beneath a dark blue outer jacket, paired with loose-fitting pants. Her distinctive blonde hair was styled into twin ponytails.
To avoid immediate recognition, she'd also applied a subtle transformation jutsu that slightly altered her facial features—nothing dramatic, just enough to avoid drawing attention.
From an outside observer's perspective, they appeared to be siblings on vacation rather than shinobi on a classified S-rank mission.
The Forest of Death
Following the ancient scroll's directions carefully, they finally arrived at their destination near dusk.
Kazuki stood at the edge of a massive cliff, gazing outward at an enormous basin stretching tens of kilometers in diameter. Within that vast depression lay a primeval forest of staggering proportions. Towering ancient trees rose from the earth, growing in an almost supernatural manner. Their lush branches intertwined overhead to form a massive dome-like canopy of vibrant green.
"I never imagined I'd return to this place again."
Facing the gentle evening breeze, Tsunade's eyes filled with unmistakable melancholy. A hint of painful reminiscence colored her gaze as she stared into the forest below.
"You've been here before?"
Kazuki asked carefully, noting the sudden shift in her emotional state.
"Yes... something like that."
Tsunade seemed unwilling to elaborate further. Without additional explanation, she simply leaped off the cliff toward the forest below.
"Alright then."
Kazuki shrugged and followed closely behind, his body descending rapidly through the air.
The moment his feet touched the forest floor, he froze in absolute shock.
"Such astonishing life energy!"
The exclamation burst from him involuntarily.
That extraordinarily vigorous life force was continuously overflowing from the very earth itself—radiating outward in palpable waves. It felt like standing beside a powerful, thriving heart. With each metaphorical beat, it released stunning quantities of vital chakra. Then, like blood flowing through veins, that energy traveled along the earth's natural pathways, distributing to every corner of the forest and nourishing this primeval ecosystem.
No wonder the vegetation here could grow to such enormous proportions.
But such abundant life energy concentrated in one location... this place is definitely unusual.
Kazuki's analytical mind raced with possibilities as his gaze tracked Tsunade's retreating figure moving deeper into the forest.
"Let's keep moving."
Noticing that her companion hadn't followed, Tsunade stopped walking but didn't turn around. Her voice carried unusual weight. "Don't ask questions. I don't want to talk about it right now. You'll understand the reason when we reach the seal's location."
At that moment, her emotional aura shifted to deep blue—a manifestation of profound melancholy containing layers of buried sadness.
Further questioning will definitely result in violence, Kazuki concluded wisely. He temporarily suppressed his curiosity and followed Tsunade deeper into the primeval forest without comment.
The Senju Burial Ground
As they ventured further inward, the dense vegetation and towering trees gradually became sparser.
In their place appeared earthen mounds—graves without names or tombstones marking their occupants.
Looking around in every direction, there were at least a hundred such burial mounds scattered throughout this area. The deceased slept silently in the deepest, most protected part of this ancient forest.
And the life energy that sustained the entire primeval ecosystem originated directly from those graves—from the bodies of those buried within.
It was at this precise moment that Kazuki finally understood everything.
This is why this place causes Tsunade such profound sorrow. Why she was unwilling to explain.
His gaze swept across the orderly rows of burial mounds. In the solemn stillness, he noticed a distinctive clan crest carved into the stone face of a cave entrance built into the mountainside.
Two distinctive spiral patterns resembling swirling leaves or the spreading branches of an ancient tree.
"The crest of the Senju Clan—the Clan of the Forest!"
Upon recognizing that symbol, Kazuki instantly understood the complete picture.
No wonder the life energy permeating this forest was so extraordinarily abundant. How could it be otherwise, with so many members of the Senju clan—descendants of Asura Ōtsutsuki himself—buried here? Their very bodies continued nourishing the land even in death.
This is their final resting place. Their sacred ground.
"I'm sorry," Tsunade's voice was barely above a whisper. "I'm never in a good mood when I come here."
Her eyes remained downcast, long eyelashes trembling slightly. She bit her lower lip, clearly immersed in sorrowful memories she couldn't entirely suppress.
Those buried in this hallowed ground were her family—her beloved elders.
Her great-grandfather, the First Hokage Hashirama Senju. Her great-uncle, the Second Hokage Tobirama Senju. Cherished uncles and cousins whose names she'd memorized as a child. Even her dearest younger brother, Nawaki, who'd dreamed of becoming Hokage before dying far too young.
All of them rested here beneath the earth.
"Lady Tsunade, would you like some psychological counseling?"
Kazuki adjusted his tone carefully, trying to ask as gently as possible. "I could help, if you'd allow it."
"No need. It's all in the past."
Tsunade took a deep, steadying breath and placed her hands on her hips—forcing herself back into her usual confident posture. "Besides, kid, do I look like some weak, fragile woman to you?"
"No. Not at all."
This wasn't mere flattery or social pleasantry. Kazuki genuinely believed his words.
After all, a woman who had lost her entire clan, her elders, her relatives, her little brother, and her lover—yet still managed to become one of the Legendary Sannin and revolutionize medical ninjutsu—had proven herself stronger than almost anyone alive.
"Oh? So you can say nice things when you want to."
Tsunade seemed genuinely surprised, her melancholy mood vanishing almost instantly. She glanced at him with a subtle, charming smile that radiated mature feminine allure. "I was starting to think you only knew how to irritate me. Come on, kid—the seal location is inside the cave."
The Sealed Chamber
Ancient candles mounted on the cave walls ignited automatically as they entered, as if responding to living presence. Flames sprang to life, illuminating the interior with flickering orange light.
By that wavering illumination, Kazuki could clearly see a structure resembling a ceremonial altar at the chamber's center. The altar was surrounded by an intricate seal pattern—he recognized it immediately as an Eight Trigrams Seal formation, one of the Uzumaki clan's most powerful containment techniques.
"Phew... the seal appears intact."
Tsunade examined the formation carefully, relief evident in her voice. She turned toward Kazuki with a teasing half-smile, her red lips curving playfully. "Speaking of which, the person sealed inside this altar is somewhat related to you personally."
"Related to me?"
Kazuki's brow furrowed with genuine confusion.
"Do you know what kind of prisoner would be sealed in the Senju clan's most restricted burial ground?"
Tsunade regarded the young Uchiha with an enigmatic expression, that sexy curve still playing at her lips.
"Someone from the Uchiha clan?"
Kazuki ventured the obvious guess.
Someone related to him personally, yet sealed within the Senju clan's forbidden territory—he genuinely couldn't conceive of any other possibility besides an Uchiha.
"Haha~ You're quite perceptive, kid."
Tsunade chuckled, confirming his deduction. "I heard my great-grandfather mention the prisoner sealed inside once when I was young. He's definitely a member of the Uchiha clan. According to the records, he helped the Uchiha achieve numerous decisive victories during the Warring States Period."
"So naturally, the Senju clan sealed him away as a war criminal?"
Kazuki asked, following the logical thread.
"No. You're completely wrong, kid."
Hearing this assumption, Tsunade shook her head firmly. Her voice dropped to something low and grave. "This person was sealed by the Uchiha clan itself. After Konoha's founding, they voluntarily handed him over to the Senju, specifically requesting that the Uzumaki clan's most powerful sealing techniques be used to imprison him here forever."
"Sealed by his own clan?!"
Kazuki was genuinely stunned, his eyes widening with bewilderment. "But if he helped the Uchiha achieve so many victories and presumably strengthened the clan considerably, why would they seal away one of their own greatest warriors? And why specifically hand him over to their former enemies, the Senju and Uzumaki clans? It feels like..."
"They were terrified of that person's power, right?"
Tsunade finished his thought, her own gaze drifting toward the altar. A flicker of uncertainty crossed her features. "Actually, I can't say for certain either. I asked my great-grandfather about it when I was little, but he just laughed it off. Said that person was merely 'a bit troublesome' and left it at that."
Ha. That sounds exactly like something the First Hokage would say.
Kazuki's lips twitched with dark amusement.
That man conquered the entire shinobi world through sheer force of Wood Release alone. Who could he possibly have feared?
When in doubt, summon the Deity Gates. Clap your hands and whatever you want appears. Even the Nine-Tailed Fox becomes a helpless pet in his grip, let alone some random Uchiha warrior.
It's not like the Senju hadn't already beaten the Uchiha clan before, right? Just ask Madara about that.
"Since the seal appears intact and stable, can we leave now?"
Kazuki asked practically. After all, they still had more than a dozen other locations to verify according to the scroll.
"Hmm, let's wait just a moment."
Tsunade had been about to agree when her sharp gaze caught something concerning on the altar's surface. Her delicate brows furrowed with concentration. "The Eight Trigrams Seal formation shows some minor damage—probably degradation from age and weather. I should repair it before we leave. Won't take long."
Without waiting for response, she stepped onto the altar platform, already forming hand seals to channel chakra for restoration work.
BZZZZZZT!
Suddenly, Kazuki's spiritual body issued a severe, urgent warning—like alarm bells ringing directly in his consciousness.
His Sharingan activated instinctively in response to perceived threat, spinning to life without conscious command.
Three jet-black tomoe whirled rapidly within blood-red pupils. Through his enhanced vision, he could clearly perceive something the normal eye couldn't detect—dark, oppressively deep chakra writhing beneath the altar's surface.
This malevolent chakra was saturated with boundless hatred and bitter resentment, struggling like a vengeful spirit trying to claw its way free. It surged upward through the weakened section of the Eight Trigrams seal where Tsunade was working.
Moving directly toward her.
"TSUNADE, GET AWAY FROM THERE—NOW!"
Kazuki's warning came sharp and urgent, his voice cutting through the chamber like a blade.
[End of Chapter 21]
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