The scene before Tsunade's eyes was something Aoshi had arranged in advance. While they were watching the movie earlier, he had quietly sent out a Shadow Clone to prepare everything, all for the sake of surprising her.
And just as he had predicted, her reaction did not disappoint.
"Mhm, I love it!"
Before her words even fully fell, Tsunade threw herself at Aoshi, sealing his lips with hers.
Though she was renowned across the shinobi world as one of the Legendary Sannin, at the end of the day, she was still a woman—sensitive, emotional, and deeply moved by the effort Aoshi had put into this.
Her sudden assault caught Aoshi off guard for only a moment. But since he was on the receiving end of such affection, he gladly welcomed it.
Besides, he had long noticed something—among the women around him, Tsunade was the most open and uninhibited.
No matter his little gestures, she could always accept them, sometimes even meet them halfway.
That was the charm of an older woman.
Thinking this, Aoshi shifted, rolling over with Tsunade in his arms and immediately turning the situation in his favor.
It was a long while before the two finally separated.
Rising to his feet first, Aoshi reached down to help Tsunade up, straightening her slightly disheveled clothes before leading her to the dining table.
There, waiting for her, was yet another surprise— a candlelit dinner he had carefully prepared in advance.
The night was still young. There was no need to rush.
"These… you made all of this yourself?"
Tsunade's eyes widened in surprise as she swallowed back a bit of drool, staring at the feast laid out before her. She had never known Aoshi possessed such skill in the kitchen.
Aoshi only smiled in response.
As an orphan, he had grown up cooking for himself. His skills might not compare to a master chef, but they were more than good enough.
Tsunade, on the other hand, born into the prestigious Senju clan as the granddaughter of Hashirama, had been showered with love and privilege since birth. Cooking was something she had never needed to do. From childhood until now, she had probably never even set foot in a kitchen.
In the original timeline, after leaving Konoha, her daily life had been cared for by Shizune.
Now, sitting at the table, Tsunade couldn't hold herself back any longer. She eagerly picked up her chopsticks.
"Mmm, it's delicious!"
"You have to try this one—it's really good."
Just as Aoshi and Tsunade were enjoying their dinner, far away in the Root base, Danzō returned from his meeting with Orochimaru, his expression dark and unpleasant.
After acquiring White Zetsu cells through his own underhanded means, he had immediately ordered Root's researchers to conduct an in-depth study. But the results left him far from satisfied.
The report showed that the White Zetsu cells were a special type of tissue that caused almost no rejection within the human body, making them perfectly suited for medical applications.
The findings were almost identical to the research report Tsunade had submitted.
Yet Danzō's instincts told him otherwise. He was convinced that something critical was being hidden from him, something he had not been allowed to see.
Without delay, he went to Orochimaru. Perhaps, he reasoned, Root's researchers simply lacked the skill to uncover the deeper truth.
But much to Danzō's disappointment, Orochimaru presented him with the same conclusion.
"Orochimaru, we are supposed to be partners. Are you truly keeping secrets from me?"
Faced with Danzō's sharp questioning, Orochimaru merely smirked, insisting that the results he provided were complete and without deception.
Danzō studied Orochimaru's unwavering demeanor and, for a brief moment, began doubting his own instincts. Could it really be that the White Zetsu cells held no further secrets?
No. Impossible. There had to be something more!
Danzō was Konoha's elder, the Hokage's chief advisor—a man who stood at the very top of the village's power structure.
And yet, before the White Zetsu cells had been formally introduced into Konoha Hospital, he had not been given the slightest hint of their existence.
Clearly, the intelligence had been deliberately blocked from reaching him.
And in Konoha, the only one with the authority and power to cut off his access completely was none other than the Hokage, Sarutobi Hiruzen.
Why would Hiruzen hide such information from him? The answer was obvious.
The White Zetsu cells contained a secret Hiruzen did not want him to know.
It is often said: no one understands you better than the one who sees you as an enemy.
And in Danzō's eyes, Hiruzen—who clung stubbornly to the Hokage's seat, refusing to relinquish it—was without question his greatest enemy.
Thus, the conclusion was clear. Orochimaru was concealing the truth from him.
If even Orochimaru's level of research could not uncover the secret, then who in the shinobi world possibly could?
So when Orochimaru once again denied him further information, Danzō returned to the Root base in a fury.
"Damn you, Orochimaru! If you weren't still of use to me, I would have eliminated you long ago!" His angry roar echoed through the underground chambers.
In that moment, every Root operative did their best to make themselves invisible, none daring to draw attention. Even Ryōma Aburame, Danzō's personal guard, remained utterly silent.
"And damn you too, Hiruzen! I am Konoha's Hokage's Advisor, the rightful future Hokage! Yet you dare to hide intelligence from me?"
"And that accursed Hirakawa Aoshi—born evil by nature, opposing me at every turn—you've already chosen your path to death!"
"Why must you all oppose me? Only I can lead Konoha to true greatness! Only I can surpass the First Hokage and become the strongest Hokage in history!"
Fortunately, Root's base was deep underground, hidden away where no outsider willingly ventured. Otherwise, if Danzō's outburst had reached outside ears, it would have surely shaken the entire village.
After venting his rage for a while, Danzō finally calmed down.
"No… I must uncover the secret hidden within the White Zetsu cells."
Anything beyond his control made him feel deeply uneasy. But he knew well enough—seeking answers directly from Hiruzen was pointless.
If Hiruzen had wanted him to know, the information would never have been concealed in the first place. That meant he had to look elsewhere.
And so, after much thought, Danzō set his sights on Aoshi.
Aside from Tsunade, Aoshi was the only one directly involved in researching the White Zetsu cells.
Targeting Tsunade was too dangerous—far too likely to spark consequences.
But going after Aoshi? That was a different story.
Not to mention, the two of them already had a grudge dating back two years, born from the incident with the Konoha orphanage. Back then, Danzō had backed down, wary of Aoshi's growing strength and influence.
But now, two years had passed. Danzō had already made his preparations. All he lacked was an opportunity.
If his plan succeeded, not only would he remove the troublesome thorn that was Aoshi, but he would also seize the secret hidden within the White Zetsu cells.
A perfect two-for-one.
"The question is… how do I lure that brat Aoshi out of Konoha?"
Danzō would never be so arrogant as to attempt an assassination inside the village.
Even if he dismissed Aoshi as insignificant, he was forced to admit the boy's strength was formidable. He could not be dealt with in a short time.
And making a move within Konoha risked drawing the immediate attention of both Hiruzen and Tsunade.