The next day, around noon, the sun shone brightly over Konoha.
Uchiha Chiya stood outside the barbecue restaurant.
After confirming that he had arrived at the right place, he pushed open the door and walked inside.
The aroma of grilled meat filled the restaurant.
There weren’t many customers, and the atmosphere was warm and relaxed.
Chiya chose a seat beside the window, ordered a cup of green tea, and quietly waited for Tsunade to arrive.
It wasn’t long before Tsunade appeared at the entrance.
Today, she was dressed casually.
Her pale-green kimono complemented her snow-white skin, while her long golden hair was loosely tied behind her head.
She looked less sharp than she had on the battlefield and considerably more relaxed.
“Have you been waiting long?”
After spotting Chiya, Tsunade walked over with long strides and gave him a faint smile.
Chiya stood and pulled out a chair for her.
“I just arrived. Please, sit.”
Tsunade raised an eyebrow.
“Quite the gentleman, aren’t you?”
Chiya smiled without answering and poured her a cup of tea instead.
Tsunade accepted the cup, her gaze lingering on Chiya’s face for a moment.
The young man before her was composed in both manner and speech, displaying a maturity that seemed far beyond his age.
It made her curious.
“Are you always like this?”
Tsunade suddenly asked.
“Like what?”
Chiya asked in return.
“Like… an old man.”
She teased him.
“So serious all the time.”
“Maybe it’s because I’ve experienced more than most people my age.”
Chiya’s expression became slightly distant.
“War has a way of forcing people to grow up early.”
Tsunade’s eyes dimmed slightly at those words.
She lowered her head and took a sip of tea without saying anything else.
Soon, the server brought over the grilled meat, sake, and side dishes.
The warmth from the charcoal gradually made the atmosphere around the table livelier.
Chiya skillfully spread slices of meat across the grill.
The fat sizzled against the hot surface, filling the air with an enticing aroma.
“Try this. The meat here is very fresh.”
Chiya picked up a cooked slice and placed it on Tsunade’s plate.
Tsunade nodded and picked it up with her chopsticks.
The tender meat made her eyes light up.
“It’s actually pretty good.”
“I’m glad you like it.”
Chiya placed several more pieces onto her plate, his movements so natural that it seemed like something he had done countless times before.
Tsunade watched him quietly.
A strange feeling surfaced in her heart.
As the granddaughter of the “God of Shinobi,” Hashirama Senju, and the princess of the Land of Fire, Tsunade was accustomed to being respected by everyone around her.
But being looked after so attentively was something she rarely experienced.
“You…”
She couldn’t help asking.
“Do you often take care of other people like this?”
Chiya looked up at her.
Her almost flawless face carried a hint of curiosity.
Her skin was fair, with a healthy flush of color, and her features were delicate and refined.
“I just think you should relax for a while.”
“What happened recently must have been exhausting.”
Tsunade froze for a moment.
“Is it really that obvious?”
“You’ve hidden it well.”
“But your eyes can’t lie.”
Tsunade fell silent for a moment before letting out a quiet sigh.
“Nawaki…”
“And all the other comrades who died in this war…”
“They’ve been weighing on me.”
Chiya didn’t rush to comfort her.
Instead, he poured her another cup of sake.
“Sometimes, a little alcohol helps.”
Tsunade accepted the cup and downed it in one gulp.
The burning warmth of the alcohol traveled from her throat to her chest, temporarily dulling the heaviness in her heart.
“Do you know something?”
She placed the cup down, her voice somewhat subdued.
“I keep thinking that if Nawaki’s squad had had a medical ninja back then…”
“Life doesn’t come with ifs.”
Chiya gently interrupted her.
His voice was calm but firm.
“All we can do is make sure the same tragedy doesn’t happen again.”
Tsunade looked at him in a daze, complicated emotions flashing through her eyes.
She had expected to hear something like It wasn’t your fault.
Instead, Chiya’s answer had been direct and mature.
“You’re right.”
She took a deep breath, trying to steady herself.
“That’s why I’m determined to establish a medical-ninja training program.”
“I can’t allow more people to die needlessly.”
Chiya nodded.
“The medical-ninja training program is absolutely necessary.”
“I’ll support you fully.”
“If you need anything, just tell me.”
“Oh, right.”
Tsunade suddenly remembered something.
“Speaking of that, after you supported me at yesterday’s meeting, didn’t your clan members blame you when you went home?”
Chiya shrugged.
“They called me in for a talk.”
“But it wasn’t a big deal.”
“The Uchiha need to change.”
“I simply took the first step a little earlier than everyone else.”
Tsunade looked at him thoughtfully.
She couldn’t help admiring him a little.
“You’re much more impressive than I expected.”
“Likewise.”
Chiya smiled.
“You’re the first person I’ve ever seen slam her hand on a table during a meeting.”
Tsunade was amused by his remark and couldn’t help laughing.
“You little brat!”
The atmosphere between them immediately became much more relaxed.
After several rounds of drinks, their conversation gradually shifted toward the current war.
“Amegakure is coming at us hard this time.”
Tsunade’s brow furrowed.
“That old man Hanzō isn’t someone we can take lightly.”
“Konoha is under a lot of pressure.”
“Because of Hanzō?”
“Yes.”
Chiya fell into thought as he recalled what he knew about Hanzō from the original Naruto storyline.
“Hanzō, the man known as the Demigod, is highly proficient in poison techniques, Water Release, and Fire Release.”
“Of those, the first is by far the most dangerous.”
Chiya’s expression became serious.
“If Konoha can neutralize his poison and develop an antidote, Hanzō’s threat will be greatly reduced.”
“We should also equip our shinobi with specialized protective equipment—poison-resistant masks, oxygen masks, and similar medical supplies.”
“That should reduce some of our casualties.”
“Objectively speaking, that’s about all we can do.”
“Hanzō’s strength certainly can’t be underestimated.”
“But Konoha isn’t without a chance of winning.”
“What matters now is whether we can unite and bring out our greatest strength.”
“Unite?”
Tsunade gave a cold laugh.
“Konoha’s internal conflicts are more troublesome than our external enemies.”
Chiya didn’t contradict her.
“That’s precisely why we have to work harder.”
“You’re from the Senju clan, and I’m from the Uchiha.”
“If we can work together, perhaps we can turn this war into an opportunity for change.”
Tsunade stared at him.
A strange emotion flashed through her eyes.
“You really are different, Uchiha Chiya.”
Chiya smiled faintly.
“I’m only doing what I believe is right.”
Their eyes met.
For a moment, neither of them spoke.
The aroma of grilled meat and the warmth of the charcoal surrounded them, temporarily shutting out the turmoil of the world beyond the restaurant.
“Enough serious talk.”
“Eat your meat!”
Chiya calmly picked up the tongs and flipped another piece of meat on the grill.
Once it was cooked, he placed it into Tsunade’s bowl.
“You should eat too!”
Tsunade didn’t bother being coy.
She simply picked up her chopsticks and continued eating.
The two of them spent more than forty minutes eating.
Eventually, Chiya glanced at the time.
“It’s getting late.”
“I have a mission tomorrow, so I should get going.”
Chiya stood.
“I’ll walk you home.”
Tsunade shook her head.
“No need. I can manage on my own.”
Chiya didn’t insist.
He simply nodded.
“Then I’ll see you tomorrow.”
Tsunade turned around but seemed to remember something.
She took Chiya’s coat out of the bag she had brought with her.
“Your coat!”
She placed it beside Chiya before leaving without another word.
Her figure stretched into a long shadow beneath the setting sun.
Chiya watched her walk away.
Only after she disappeared around the corner did he finally look away.
He returned to his seat and poured himself a cup of sake.
He downed it in one gulp.
Overall, Chiya was quite satisfied with today’s conversation.
It was obvious to him that Tsunade was no longer particularly wary of him.
Their relationship had grown considerably closer.
Chiya’s gaze fell upon the remains of the meal on the table.
Sharing a barbecue meal was already a fairly intimate thing.
Drinking together, taking turns grilling meat, sharing food…
There was an old saying:
There is nothing a barbecue meal can’t solve.
And if one meal can’t solve it, have two.
“Step one of stealing Tsunade away…”
Chiya’s eyes flashed with amusement.
“Looks like I’ve taken it.”
He leaned back with a confident smile.
“But the mission isn’t complete yet.”
“I still have plenty of work to do.”