NOVEL NEXT Chapter 23: Chapter 20 – A Meeting in the Storm
Chapter 20 – A Meeting in the Storm
The night air was heavy with the scent of rain, thick clouds rolling across the sky like the harbingers of an unseen storm. Tsunade's cloak billowed as she rode through the dense forest, her heartbeat steady but her thoughts tangled.
She was close.
Kurozan's forces were on the move, but she had tracked their patterns well enough to know where he would be next.
The question was—would he listen?
She wasn't here to fight. Not anymore.
She needed answers. And maybe, he did too.
---
Kurozan stood at the heart of his encampment.
The firelight flickered over his face as he observed the latest additions to his ranks. More shinobi had sworn loyalty to him today, their will broken, their bodies reshaped by his power.
It wasn't enough. Not yet.
Konoha still stood.
And until its foundations crumbled, his vengeance would not be complete.
A scout approached, kneeling before him. "We spotted a lone rider moving toward our position. She bears no banners."
Kurozan's eyes narrowed. "Who?"
"We believe… it's Tsunade."
Silence.
The campfire crackled, but nothing else stirred.
Then—
Kurozan's lips curled into a smirk.
"Let her come."
---
Tsunade dismounted just outside the encampment, her sharp gaze scanning the terrain. The guards stood tense, uncertain whether to attack or wait for orders.
She made her move first.
"I'm not here to fight." Her voice carried through the air, commanding yet calm.
The men hesitated, then parted.
Kurozan was waiting.
His imposing figure stood against the firelight, arms crossed, a smirk playing at the edges of his lips.
"Tsunade," he greeted smoothly. "To what do I owe this unexpected visit?"
She stepped forward, unshaken. "We need to talk."
He raised an eyebrow. "Talk?" A low chuckle escaped him. "The last time we met, you tried to kill me."
Tsunade crossed her arms. "That was before I knew the truth."
Kurozan's amusement faded slightly.
"Truth?"
Her eyes locked onto his. "About you. About what they did to you."
For the first time, Kurozan's expression flickered—not with anger, but something colder.
She took a breath. "You were a product of their sins. I know that now."
A beat of silence.
Then—
"I don't need your pity," Kurozan said flatly.
Tsunade shook her head. "It's not pity. It's understanding."
His gaze darkened. "Understanding?" He took a step forward. "Tell me, Tsunade—do you truly understand what it's like to be made into something unnatural? To have your existence shaped by those who saw you as nothing but a tool?"
She met his gaze without flinching. "I understand loss. I understand betrayal."
He studied her for a long moment.
The wind howled between them, carrying the tension like an unspoken challenge.
Finally, he exhaled. "Then why are you here?"
Tsunade's voice was steady. "Because I need to know—what is it you truly want, Kurozan?"
For the first time, he didn't have an immediate answer.
His smirk faded, his eyes unreadable.
And in that moment, something between them shifted.
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