Chapter 48: Tsunade Senju is back

Even though their minds were back in class, their hearts were still stuck in Naruto's history lesson.

Sakura absentmindedly tapped her pen against her notebook. Madara and Hashirama… best friends? That wasn't in the history books.

Ino stole a glance at Naruto, who sat lazily in his chair, arms folded behind his head, completely unbothered. How much does he know that we don't?

Even Hinata, usually quiet, felt her curiosity growing. If history could be changed once… how many other things have been hidden?

The afternoon classes dragged on, filled with lectures, written exercises, and discussions about chakra control. But no matter how much Iruka spoke, nothing could erase the small flame of doubt that had been lit in their minds.

Then came physical training.

The students assembled outside, the sun now high in the sky, casting warm golden light over the training grounds.

Iruka clapped his hands together. "Alright, today's training will focus on speed, endurance, and teamwork. Pair up, everyone!"

The usual groupings formed, but something had shifted.

Kiba, still fuming with jealousy from lunch, shot a glare at Naruto. Why does he get all the attention?

Sasuke, silent as ever, kept his thoughts to himself. But he was watching. Observing. Processing.

Naruto? He just smirked, stretching his arms behind his head. They can't stop thinking about it. Good. They should know the truth.

Little did they know, they were just at the beginning of unraveling Konoha's hidden past.

The academy grounds buzzed with the chatter of students as they poured out of their classrooms, stretching their sore muscles from the afternoon's physical training. The sun hung low in the sky, casting golden hues over Konoha, signaling the end of another long day.

Naruto walked ahead, hands behind his head, a satisfied grin on his face. Today had been… interesting. He had planted the first seeds of truth, shaking the foundation of everything his classmates thought they knew.

Sakura and Ino exchanged glances, their minds still swirling with questions. Karin walked beside Naruto, her usual sharpness softened with a newfound sense of purpose. And Hinata, silent but thoughtful, seemed to be processing everything she had learned.

From a distance, Sasuke watched them, eyes narrowed. There was something happening here—something beneath the surface. And for the first time in a long while, he found himself curious.

As they reached the village streets, the group naturally began to split, each heading toward their own homes.

"Tomorrow… you'll continue the story, right?" Ino asked, hesitating slightly.

Naruto smirked. "Only if you bring me extra food again."

Sakura rolled her eyes. "You're impossible."

But despite her words, she and Ino were already making silent plans. They wanted to hear more.

As the sun dipped below the rooftops, Naruto glanced up at the sky, his grin fading into something softer.

Change had begun.

And this was just the start.

In the Hospital.

Meanwhile, Tsunade was reviewing patient records in the hospital, her sharp eyes scanning each page with a focus she hadn't felt in years. Shizune stood beside her, silent but watchful.

Two hours back.

When news spread that Tsunade was returning after a decade, the hospital staff had been stunned. Some had only heard of her as a legend, while others had long believed she would never come back.

When she had visited in the morning, their reaction had been one of confusion and curiosity. Why was she here? What was she planning? They didn't understand.

But now, they did.

"Welcome back, Tsunade-sama," they said, their voices warm, their smiles genuine.

A group of nurses and doctors stood before her, holding out a bouquet—an unpolished arrangement of lilies, chrysanthemums, and a few wildflowers, hurriedly put together but brimming with sincerity.

It wasn't grand. It wasn't perfect.

But it was from the heart.

Tsunade stared at it, the lump in her throat unexpected. She had abandoned this place, and left behind the people who once looked up to her. And yet, they welcomed her back—not with resentment, but with open arms.

Overwhelmed, she took the bouquet, her fingers tightening around the stems as if grounding herself. "Thank you," she said, her voice softer than usual, the weight of the moment pressing into her chest.

The staff guided her to the main office, their excitement palpable.

But as she stepped inside, a familiar voice cut through the warmth.

"Tsunade-sama, how could you do this to me?"

Shizune stood in the center of the room, hands clenched at her sides, her dark eyes filled with frustration and hurt.

"You left the house without telling me!" she yelled, her voice unsteady.

Tsunade sighed, rubbing her temples. Here we go…

Shizune stood in the middle of the room, arms crossed, tapping her foot impatiently. Tonton let out a soft squeal from her arms as if echoing her frustration.

"You just disappeared, Tsunade-sama! I woke up, and you were gone! Do you know how worried I was?"

Tsunade took a deep breath, trying not to smirk. "Shizune, you do realize I wasn't kidnapped, right? I just had things to take care of."

Shizune narrowed her eyes. "That's not the point! You should have at least told me before running off!"

Tsunade sighed again, this time softer. She looked around at the room—the same office she had once spent countless hours in, the familiar scent of medicinal herbs lingering in the air.

The hospital staff had welcomed her with open arms. Shizune was scolding her like a mother hen.

It felt… warm.

Like home.

A small smile tugged at her lips. "I'm back now, aren't I?"

Shizune huffed, her frustration melting just a little. "Yes, but—"

"Then help me get to work," Tsunade interrupted, rolling up her sleeves. "I've got a hospital to run, patients to check on, and years' worth of incompetence to fix."

Shizune blinked, momentarily caught off guard.

Then, she smiled.

"Yes, Tsunade-sama."

The past was still there, lingering in the corners of her mind. The grief, the regrets, the pain.

But so was the future.

And this time, she wasn't running away from it.

Tsunade leaned back in her chair, her fingers resting lightly on the last of the patient records she had just finished reviewing. She had expected chaos, neglect—perhaps even decline—but what she found instead was quiet, steady resilience.

She looked up at the head nurse, an older woman with silver strands in her once-black hair, her uniform crisp despite the long hours she worked. This woman had been here long before Tsunade ever set foot in the hospital, and she had remained even when Tsunade had walked away.

"You've done great without me for the past decade," Tsunade said, her voice carrying both acknowledgment and quiet admiration.

But the head nurse shook her head immediately, her expression unwavering.

"No, Tsunade-sama," she said firmly. "I did what I needed to. Nothing more, nothing less."

Tsunade studied her for a moment, a ghost of a smile playing at the corner of her lips. That was the kind of dedication she had abandoned, the kind of unwavering sense of duty she had once possessed but let slip through her fingers.

But she was here now. And she was done running.

"Then prepare the operations that need to be done," Tsunade said, stretching her fingers as if shaking off the years. "I'll take the lead."

The head nurse's eyes widened slightly. "Tsunade-sama, you don't have to—"

Tsunade raised a hand, cutting off the protest.

"My skills are probably rusted," she admitted with a small chuckle, the rare sound catching even Shizune off guard. "So, keep an eye on me."

The head nurse hesitated, her lips pressing into a thin line as if she wanted to argue, but something in Tsunade's expression stopped her.

She was serious.

And she wasn't leaving again.

With a small bow, the head nurse swallowed her words and simply said, "Yes."

Shizune, standing to the side, felt a lump form in her throat.

This was different.

This wasn't Tsunade forcing herself to stay out of obligation or guilt.

This was her choosing to stay.

Choosing to heal.

Not just others—

But herself.

The news spread through the hospital like wildfire—Tsunade-sama was going to perform surgeries again.

The younger medics whispered in excitement, some in disbelief. The legendary Sannin is returning to the operating room? Even those who had never worked under her knew of her reputation—hands that could defy death itself, chakra control that turned the impossible into reality.

The head nurse, despite her initial hesitation, moved swiftly to prepare the operation theater. Instruments were sterilized, the staff was briefed, and the first patient was brought in—a shinobi with severe internal injuries from a mission gone wrong.

Tsunade stood outside the operating room, flexing her fingers. It had been years since she last held a scalpel, since she had last placed her hands over a dying body and saved it.

Her heart pounded—not from fear, but from something else. A challenge. A test.

Shizune stood beside her, watching closely. "Are you sure you want to do this right away, Tsunade-sama?"

Tsunade smirked. "What, scared I'll mess up?"

Shizune sighed, but there was fondness in her exasperation. "Just don't overdo it."

Tsunade exhaled, letting the tension drain from her shoulders. She pushed the doors open and stepped inside.

The lights were bright. The air smelled of antiseptic.

She placed her hands on the patient's chest.

A spark of chakra flared to life.

And in that moment, she wasn't a wandering gambler, or a woman drowning in grief.

She was Tsunade Senju.

The greatest medical ninja of all time.

And she was back.