Chapter 83: Tsunade’s Guilt

"Adamantine Sealing Chains!"

Shizune couldn’t help exclaiming in surprise.

As Tsunade’s disciple, Shizune often visited the Senju compound. She had therefore seen Uzumaki Kushina use the Uzumaki clan’s secret technique, the Adamantine Sealing Chains, before.

She couldn’t help looking toward Tsunade again.

Tsunade was staring at the two golden chains, one large and one small, with a faintly dazed expression.

The Uzumaki clan was her grandmother’s family.

Tsunade herself also carried Uzumaki blood.

She had never expected that she would still be able to see survivors of the Uzumaki clan in her lifetime.

And anyone capable of using the Adamantine Sealing Chains clearly possessed relatively pure Uzumaki blood.

Naruto withdrew the secret technique and gestured toward Kimimaro beside him.

"Tsunade-sama, can we talk now?"

Tsunade came back to her senses and asked curiously, "A survivor of the Uzumaki clan traveling together with a survivor of the Kaguya clan... Your combination is rather unexpected."

The battle-crazed Kaguya clan had maintained a longstanding friendship with the Hyuga clan, but they had poor relations with almost every other clan.

During the Warring States Period, the Kaguya and Uzumaki clans could even be considered sworn enemies.

Naruto shook his head.

"We’re just licking each other’s wounds."

After a brief pause, he stared at Tsunade indifferently.

"Tsunade-sama, we have no intention of using our relationship to get close to you. As the princess of the Senju clan, we survivors of the Uzumaki clan have no right to presume upon your connection to us.

"You don’t need to worry about whether we can afford the medical fees.

"We only hope that Tsunade-sama won’t look down on us because of our identities and will treat our friend according to your usual rules.

"We would be deeply grateful."

With that, he bowed slightly toward her.

Advance by retreating.

Crack!

The sound of porcelain shattering rang out.

The wine cup in Tsunade’s hand had been crushed outright.

Her fingers tightened into a fist, and her body trembled slightly.

She had indeed wondered whether Naruto was trying to use his Uzumaki identity to draw closer to her.

Knowing that members of the Uzumaki clan still survived somewhere in the world had brought a sense of comfort to Tsunade.

But now, she realized that she had been wrong.

Terribly wrong.

If she hadn’t asked, they would never have revealed that they were members of the Uzumaki clan.

Even after she asked, they had still needed to hesitate.

The Senju and Uzumaki clans had been close allies for generations.

A relationship forged through nearly a thousand years of alliance!

And now...

The descendants of the Uzumaki clan were standing before a member of the Senju clan, yet they had to hesitate even before revealing their identity.

How ironic was that?

Tsunade was a descendant of the Senju who carried Uzumaki blood.

Did they really need to "presume upon" their relationship?

No.

But Naruto’s attitude had revealed the Uzumaki survivors’ attitude toward the Senju clan.

"The Uzumaki clan has always resented the Senju clan... and Konoha as well."

"Licking each other’s wounds."

Wasn’t that a veiled mockery of the fact that both the Kaguya and Uzumaki clans had been betrayed and suffered extermination?

Had it already been twenty years since the Uzumaki clan was wiped out?

Or thirty?

Tsunade couldn’t remember.

But that hatred had continued all the way to this generation.

Tsunade of the Senju clan.

Not worthy of presuming upon them.

Those words struck deeply at Tsunade’s heart.

Had the alliance that had lasted nearly a thousand years already fallen apart...?

Even after wandering throughout the shinobi world, the survivors of the Uzumaki clan would rather live as wanderers than seek Konoha’s protection.

Had things really reached this point?

Tsunade felt ashamed.

After letting out a quiet sigh, she put those thoughts aside and stood up.

"Arrange a room first. I need to examine him before I can make a final judgment."

"Thank you, Tsunade-sama!"

Naruto thanked her sincerely.

At a room in the hot spring inn.

After taking medical equipment out of a sealing scroll, Tsunade finished examining Kimimaro’s body.

A trace of guilt appeared on her face.

"First, your frequent use of Shikotsumyaku has caused the loss of essential elements from your body.

"Second, bacteria have penetrated deep into your bone marrow.

"My recommendation is that you stop using Shikotsumyaku from now on and properly recuperate. If you do that, you should be able to live peacefully for more than ten years.

"Otherwise, if you continue like this, while enduring the torment of your Kekkei Genkai, you’ll only be able to hold on for a few more years at most."

Because of Naruto’s earlier words, Tsunade had already felt guilty.

Now that she couldn’t even help him, her guilt only grew stronger.

Hearing this, the last trace of hope in Kimimaro’s heart shattered.

"I’ll be satisfied if I can serve Orochimaru-sama for a few more years."

He looked toward Naruto.

"That’s enough. Please don’t trouble yourself over me anymore."

Even the greatest medical ninja in the shinobi world had no solution.

Kimimaro had completely given up hope.

He had heard Naruto’s earlier words as well.

It seemed that the Uzumaki clan had some conflict with Tsunade.

Even so, Naruto had still gone to Tsunade for his sake.

Kimimaro was already deeply grateful.

He didn’t want to cause Naruto any more trouble.

Tsunade couldn’t help shaking her head inwardly.

As expected of the battle-crazed Kaguya clan.

Even with death already approaching, they still wanted to continue fighting.

But their loyalty was truly remarkable.

Naruto frowned and glanced at Kimimaro.

"Shut up."

"Yes!"

Kimimaro immediately closed his mouth and lowered his head.

Forget about Naruto’s strength.

Orochimaru himself had told Kimimaro that he was to treat Naruto with the same respect he showed Orochimaru.

So when he saw that Naruto was displeased, Kimimaro didn’t dare argue.

Seeing this, Naruto turned to Tsunade.

"Tsunade-sama, there should be another way besides the method you just suggested, right? If there are any difficulties or concerns, you can tell us. We can find a way to solve them."

Tsunade nodded.

"There is a way.

"The first is to replenish the elements he has lost.

"The second is to remove the bacteria from all of his bones.

"Only by doing both can he be completely cured."

"The first is easy.

"But the second requires removing the bacteria from every single bone, one at a time.

"The process is essentially the same as separating the flesh from every bone in his entire body. No one could endure it.

"And even if he survives, continuing to use Shikotsumyaku in the future will cause the disease to return."

At this point, Tsunade’s expression darkened.

"I can no longer perform that surgery."

A chakra containing an enormous amount of vitality began to flow across Naruto’s hand.

"Can this help him endure it?"

Tsunade sensed the vitality within it, then frowned.

"The Uzumaki clan’s special healing constitution?"

"But how long can you maintain it? If you use too much, it could cause your own life force to be depleted."

Hearing this, Kimimaro was about to refuse again.

Naruto immediately glared at him.

Kimimaro could only clench his fists and slowly lower his head.

Hearing that it would cost them their life force, Karin, who had been standing nearby, hurriedly said, "You can use mine first."

As she spoke, an equally immense amount of vitality-filled chakra appeared in her hand.

Naruto couldn’t help shaking his head with a laugh. He reached over and tugged Karin back.

"Don’t worry."

Seeing this, Tsunade sighed inwardly.

One of them was satisfied with merely being able to serve for a few more years.

The other two were fighting over the chance to pay the price of losing their own life force just to cure his illness.

While marveling at how deep their bond was, Tsunade didn’t expect Naruto to speak with complete confidence.

"Even if I maintain the output for twenty-four hours straight, it won’t affect me."

As long as someone had been analyzed by the system, Naruto could freely switch between different chakra attributes.

To keep Kimimaro alive, he only needed to continuously supply him with chakra at a steady rate.

With the complete Nine-Tails battery inside his body, all Naruto needed to do was have the Nine-Tails replenish his chakra before converting it into the special chakra inherited from Karin’s mother.

Maintaining the output for twenty-four hours was a trivial matter.

It wouldn’t affect him at all.

Tsunade, however, sighed inwardly once again.

She assumed Naruto was only saying that because he didn’t want his companions to worry.

Although Naruto was disguised, he looked to be only a little over ten years old.

Maintain a continuous chakra output for twenty-four hours?

Tsunade didn’t believe it.

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