"You damn Uchiha, what on earth are you trying to do!?" Tsunade growled, struggling despite her injuries.
Throughout the trip, Tsunade had not stopped cursing Byakuya, the rogue Uchiha who had bested her in a surprise battle. Even as he brought her to a secure location—an abandoned Uchiha compound on the outskirts of Konoha—she continued to scold him.
Byakuya, calm and collected, didn't react to her insults. Instead, he merely observed her, eyes glowing faintly with his Sharingan.
"Done yelling?" he asked, dropping her—none too gently—onto a nearby couch. "That mouth of yours is more dangerous than your fists."
Tsunade glared at him, but her injuries made further resistance impossible for now. Byakuya had severed the chakra points in her limbs with precision—a skill only a Sharingan wielder trained in taijutsu could manage.
"You bastard... what do you want from me?" she spat.
"Simple," Byakuya said coolly, folding his arms. "You're going to help the Uchiha clan."
Tsunade scoffed. "Help you? Over my dead body."
"The Uchiha clan lacks proper medical infrastructure," he continued, ignoring her defiance. "You're the most renowned medical ninja in the world. With your guidance, we could train a division of field medics. I intend to rebuild what the current Hokage has failed to provide us."
"You expect me to betray the Senju legacy? Hashirama's blood flows through my veins—I'd never help you."
Byakuya's expression darkened slightly. "Hashirama Senju was a man of peace and strength. He believed in balance. You, on the other hand, gamble away debts, abandon Konoha for years, and now you talk of legacy?"
Tsunade gritted her teeth but said nothing.
"If word gets out that the leader of the Senju clan incited destruction in the village, how do you think the people will react?"
"You're twisting the truth!" she snapped.
"Am I?" He leaned forward. "Your gambling debts are real. Your absence during Konoha's recent crises is known. The only thing protecting your name is the Hokage's mercy… which is running thin."
Tsunade's fists clenched uselessly at her sides.
"Fine," she said bitterly, "say I agree to teach. Then what? You use my methods to create a militarized medical force for your clan?"
"We protect our own. You of all people should understand that."
Byakuya paused, then added, "And if you won't help for the clan… think of your brother."
Tsunade's expression turned dark the moment she heard Byakuya mention Nawaki.
As the only surviving close relative of her younger brother, Tsunade had never stopped blaming herself for Nawaki's death. Even after so many years, the mere mention of his name could stir her deepest emotions.
"What did you just say?" Tsunade's voice trembled, laced with restrained fury.
"You heard me," Byakuya said calmly. "It all depends on your decision."
"If you cooperate with us—help the Uchiha Clan train a division of medical-nin—we can ensure Nawaki is well protected. Not only that, but the Konoha Military Police Force will guarantee his safety personally."
His Sharingan glinted as he added with deliberate weight, "But if you refuse… well, accidents happen."
"You bastard!" Tsunade clenched her fists, her chakra already surging. But she didn't strike—Nawaki's safety was more important.
Byakuya continued, his tone insidiously righteous. "The Uchiha Police Force exists to uphold the Will of Fire. Anyone who endangers that principle—no matter who they are—must face justice. Even if they're the grandson of the First Hokage."
His words were soaked in false patriotism, but Tsunade could hear the threat hidden beneath.
In her eyes, Byakuya wasn't a noble shinobi protecting Konoha's values—he was a manipulative schemer, using noble ideals as a mask.
"…Fine!" Tsunade finally spat, her voice low but resolute. "I'll help your clan establish a medical corps. But touch Nawaki, and I'll personally break every bone in your body."
Byakuya's smirk widened. "Excellent decision."
But then he paused, his gaze narrowing suspiciously. "You're not planning to use this opportunity to sabotage us from within, are you? You are, after all, a master of poisons and surgical precision."
Tsunade glared at him, insulted. "I'm a medical ninja. I save lives—I don't take them in cold blood. Don't you dare question my ethics."
Byakuya studied her for a moment, then gave a slight nod
. "Good. That's all I needed to hear."