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The night was thick with the scent of rain-soaked earth, the kind that clung to the skin like a ghost's whisper. The Hokage Tower stood silent, its windows dark save for one—Tsunade's office.
Inside, the Fifth Hokage sat slumped over her desk, a half-empty bottle of sake dangling from her fingers. The paperwork was forgotten, the missions unimportant. Tonight, like so many nights before, the weight of her past pressed down on her like a burial stone.
A soft knock at the door.
"Enter," she muttered, not bothering to lift her head.
Shizune stepped inside, her face etched with concern. "Tsunade-sama, you should rest. You've been working for—"
"I know how long I've been working," Tsunade snapped, her voice sharper than she intended. She sighed, rubbing her temples. "Just… leave me be."
Shizune hesitated, then bowed her head and retreated, closing the door behind her.
Alone again.
Tsunade's gaze drifted to the small, dust-covered box tucked away in the corner of her office. A box she hadn't opened in decades.
With trembling hands, she reached for it, her fingers brushing against the worn wood. The lock was rusted, but a single tug was all it took. Inside—a tiny, faded onesie, a pair of baby shoes, and a single, yellowed photograph.
A child. Her child.
The one she had buried long before she ever held them.
A sudden gust of wind howled through the window, extinguishing the candlelight. The room plunged into darkness.
And then—a sound.
A whisper.
A baby's cry.
Tsunade's breath hitched. Her heart pounded like a war drum.
Impossible.
She spun around, her eyes scanning the shadows. Nothing.
But the cry came again—closer this time.
From the hallway.
Her legs moved before her mind could catch up. She threw open the door, her eyes wide, her hands shaking.
The corridor stretched endlessly before her, the flickering torchlight casting long, twisting shadows.
At the far end—a small figure.
A child.
Watching her.
Tsunade's voice cracked. "Who… who are you?"
The child tilted its head, its face obscured in darkness. Then, in a voice that was neither human nor ghost, it spoke.
"Mama…"
And then—it vanished.
Tsunade stumbled back, her chest tight, her vision blurring.
Had she imagined it?
Or had the past finally come to claim her?
---
To Be Continued...
Next Chapter Preview:
- A mysterious child appears in Konoha, bearing an eerie resemblance to someone Tsunade lost long ago.
- Strange disappearances plague the village—children vanishing without a trace.
- Tsunade must confront the horror of her past before it consumes her future.