In the days that followed, the Senju compound transformed into a whirlwind of color, movement, and purpose. The air buzzed with anticipation, not just of a wedding—but of a legacy reborn.
Under Mito Uzumaki's calm command and Tsunade's energetic leadership, the compound pulsed with activity. As the future matriarch of the Senju clan, Tsunade embraced her role with startling efficiency. She moved through the preparations like a seasoned general: issuing orders, drafting guest lists, revising ceremonial protocols, and micromanaging even the flower arrangements with an eye for perfection.
Behind her decisive actions was a will that refused to allow this event to be anything short of historic. The wedding of Tsunade Senju—granddaughter of the First Hokage—was more than a personal affair. It was a declaration to the shinobi world that the Senju name still held power, pride, and purpose.
All of this, of course, gave Kogawa Iso an unusual luxury: spare time.
Freed from the endless errands of wedding planning, Iso poured his energy into training his three disciples—a decision he did not regret for a second.
Hyuga Hizashi, newly liberated from the cruel "Caged Bird" seal, had changed in both form and spirit. Chakra now surged through him with smooth clarity, his Byakugan sharper and more nuanced than ever before. His posture was calmer, his aura steady. Where once was suppressed bitterness, there now shone quiet strength.
Uchiha Rin remained the same firebrand as ever, hurling himself into his training with explosive intensity. But the improvements in Hizashi clearly struck a nerve—though Rin said nothing, the way he doubled down on his taijutsu drills and cranked up the output of his Fire Release was proof of his unwillingness to be left behind.
Iso welcomed this dynamic with open arms. For him, rivalry was not division—it was ignition.
Then there was Yakushi Nonou.
Under Tsunade's direct tutelage, Nonou began formal study of medical ninjutsu. Her chakra control was exquisite, her demeanor steady beyond her years. Quiet, curious, and devastatingly precise, she progressed at a speed that stunned even Tsunade. Privately, Tsunade admitted to Iso, "You might have really found a hidden jewel."
The compound, and those within it, felt as if they were evolving. Rising.
Even as the great clans of Konoha watched with narrowed eyes, whispers curling beneath their official smiles, they couldn't deny what was happening:
The Senju were stirring.
Meanwhile, at the Ninja Academy…
The bell rang, signaling the end of classes, and the start of what Uzumaki Kushina considered the real warzone.
Before she could even close her notebook, a crowd of her classmates swarmed her like ants to sugar.
"Big Sis! Big Sis!""Is it true Lady Tsunade is marrying that Kogawa Iso guy?""I heard he's secretly a descendant of the First Hokage!""Is it true he doesn't even show up to training?"
Kushina's eye twitched.
The vein on her temple pulsed as the questions rolled in, one more annoying than the last. She clenched her fist so hard her pencil cracked in two.
Ever since the engagement was announced, Kushina had become the unofficial 'information node' of the Academy, thanks to her Uzumaki lineage and the simple fact that she lived in the Senju compound under Mito's care.
She hated it.
Especially when the questions involved him.
Kogawa Iso.
Before all this, Tsunade-neechan used to take her out for dango. She'd supervise her training, give pointers, or just talk. But now? Tsunade barely had time to breathe, let alone hang out.
And what was Iso doing through all this?
Sunbathing.
Sleeping.
Vanishing for hours.
Training disciples, they said? Did that require reclining in the sun like a lazy cat? Did it involve ghosting through the compound like some mysterious spirit?
Kushina didn't buy it.
He was a freeloader. A fraud.
And he had stolen her Tsunade-neechan.
"Oi, Big Sis! Why aren't you saying anything?"The group pressed closer, eyes wide with anticipation.
Kushina inhaled deeply, lifted her chin high, and smirked.
"Hmph. That guy?"
She made sure her voice dripped with disdain.
"Strong? I haven't seen it. All he ever does is nap, sunbathe, or disappear."
"Lady Tsunade's running around till she's blue in the face—and what's he doing? Acting like it's spring break!"
"Seriously?"
The class let out a collective gasp. Shocked silence rippled through the group, followed by concerned mutters.
"That's… not what I imagined.""He's just leeching off her?""Lady Tsunade deserves way better!"
Seeing their reactions, a small wave of smug satisfaction warmed Kushina's chest.
Finally.
Finally, someone was seeing things clearly.
Let the world know: that guy wasn't worthy of her Tsunade-neechan.
Kushina waved her hand impatiently, as if swatting at a cloud of irritating insects."Alright, alright! Stop pestering me—I'm going home!""And if you're so curious about the wedding, wait till Tsunade-neechan has time and ask her yourselves!"
With that, she shoved her way through the crowd, slinging her schoolbag over one shoulder like a warrior fleeing the battlefield.She burst out of the classroom in a flurry of red hair and righteous indignation.
Behind her, a trail of murmuring classmates lingered—left to stew in their freshly warped impression of Itoshiki, an image now painted with laziness, idleness, and mysterious unworthiness.
The streets of Konoha were slowly waking up to celebration.
Kushina jogged down the familiar roads, passing vendors and civilians who had begun hanging simple decorations in honor of the upcoming wedding.Scarlet lanterns swayed gently in the breeze. Streamers fluttered above doorways. Everything sparkled faintly with expectation.
But none of it lightened Kushina's mood.
If anything, the festive air only made her more irritable.Her eyes narrowed as she spotted movement ahead—people bustling in and out of the Senju compound, arms full of supplies, boxes, scrolls, and ceremonial gear.
And among the noise, she could already hear Tsunade-neechan's voice rising above the clamor, issuing orders with a tired but determined rhythm.
Of course she's working again.
Kushina ducked into a side gate and slipped through the familiar courtyard, her pace quickening. She didn't need to look to know what she'd find.And sure enough—there she was.
Tsunade stood in the center of the courtyard, a long scroll unrolled in her hands, giving instructions to several clan members.Her clothes were simple and practical, hugging her figure and soaked with a light sheen of sweat.The setting sun kissed her golden hair, turning her into a vision of strength and perseverance—radiant and fierce, yet touched by fatigue.
Kushina's heart clenched.Tsunade-neechan was doing everything.
And then—
There he was.
Under the eaves in a shaded corner of the courtyard, Itoshiki lounged against a wooden pillar like he hadn't a care in the world.He idly twirled a green leaf between his fingers, his expression unreadable—gaze drifting lazily over the garden, posture impossibly relaxed.
He looked like a man
Mito took a delicate sip of tea, her movements graceful and unhurried."You think Itoshiki is lazy?" she asked, her voice calm.
"Of course!" Kushina answered immediately, her tone brimming with conviction. She nodded fervently."Tsunade-neechan's running around like a top, constantly on the go, and Itoshiki is just fine, wandering around without a care in the world!""He's either lounging about or staring at the sky, completely dazed!""When I came back just now, Tsunade-neechan was still working tirelessly, but there he was, just watching everything unfold from the sidelines! It's so frustrating!"
Mito gently set her teacup down, her eyes shifting as though she could see through the walls, her gaze resting on the courtyard beyond.Her voice, soft yet carrying an undeniable weight, filled the air."Kushina," she said, her tone slow and steady, "what the eyes see is not always the whole truth.""Sometimes, the one who seems most 'idle', who stands apart from everything, is the one who carries the most and sees the farthest."
"Huh?"
Kushina blinked, her large, round eyes wide with confusion.She didn't quite grasp the meaning behind Mito's words. What did she mean by that? Was she talking about Itoshiki?
Mito didn't elaborate on her meaning. She didn't need to—some things were still too distant and complicated for Kushina to understand.But her words lingered in the air, like a stone thrown into a calm pond, creating ripples in the stillness of Kushina's heart.
Lazy? Was Itoshiki really just lazy?Could it be that, like Mito said, he was carrying burdens that Kushina couldn't see? Was there more to him than the surface suggested?
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