Night fell over Konoha.
"You... you..."
Shizune stared at Kitazawa, so stunned that she couldn’t form a complete sentence.
"What is it, Shizune-senpai?" Kitazawa asked with a bright, innocent smile.
"..."
Shizune hesitated. Just last night, he had barely grasped the fundantals of the anesthesia technique. But now, in less than 24 hours, he had completely mastered it.
That wasn’t all. She could sense sothing else—his Yang Release chakra nature transformation had also grown significantly stronger.
"You really never studied dical ninjutsu before?" Tsunade, who had been quietly observing from the side, couldn’t help but ask.
"No," Kitazawa replied. "I’ve read a few dical books now and then, but when it ca to actual dical ninjutsu, there was no one around to teach ."
Tsunade narrowed her eyes.
dical Ninjutsu wasn’t sothing that could be self-taught easily. And with her status, it would be easy to verify his story. She could simply ask the village’s dical ninja. In short, Kitazawa wouldn’t dare lie.
"...That’s enough dical ninjutsu for today. Go call Yuhi and Yakumo down," Tsunade said after a pause.
"Understood." Kitazawa nodded. It was ti—Yakumo’s fourth Ninjutsu was finally ready to be completed.
He turned and headed for the rooftop.
Back inside, Shizune finally snapped out of her daze.
"Lady Tsunade..." she muttered, questioning everything she knew. "Am I not a dical ninjutsu genius?"
"You are," Tsunade said honestly. "Your talent surpasses most dical ninja in the world."
She paused before adding, "But it still can’t compare to Kitazawa’s."
"...I know I can’t match him," Shizune sighed, "but the gap is just...too wide."
Tsunade fell silent, thoughtful.
Logically speaking, soone like Kitazawa—so monstrously talented—should be reported to Hiruzen.
The Third Hokage would no doubt ask her to take him on as a student. It made sense: she was still technically suffering from hemophobia, which made her position as a dical ninja incomplete. Training a successor would be both practical and politically beneficial.
And besides, having her stay in the village would add countless intangible benefits.
But Tsunade’s feelings toward Konoha were complicated... and unresolved.
So, for now, she would delay making any decisions.
On the rooftop, Kitazawa found Yakumo absorbed in her sketchpad.
But where was Kurenai?
He scanned the area and spotted her up in a tree, practicing the Rasengan.
"Kurenai," he called out with a wave.
She leapt down gracefully, landing in front of him with a soft rustle of her red dress.
Kitazawa’s eyes lingered for a mont. ’Quite the view.’
"Don’t even think about it," Kurenai said sharply, noticing his look.
"I wasn’t thinking anything. You were." Kitazawa smirked and gave her thigh a quick pat. "Don’t slander my innocence."
Kurenai’s eyes widened. ’What kind of person deflects bla like that?’
Her fists clenched automatically as she scanned him for a target to exact revenge.
"Aren’t you afraid Yakumo might see?" Kitazawa added smoothly, cutting her off.
"Tch. I’ll let you off for now." Kurenai’s crimson dress swirled with annoyance as she huffed.
But in the end, she still lifted her leg and gave him a playful stomp.
Kitazawa chuckled. ’Teasing her never gets old.’
And truth be told, Kurenai had grown used to his antics—and his casual touch.
The trio returned to the living room. Without wasting ti, they dove into finalizing Yakumo’s fourth Ninjutsu.
The moon rose high into the sky.
Normally, their sessions would wrap up by nine. Tonight, it stretched until ten.
"It’s done!" Kurenai bead, her face lighting up.
"Finally," Shizune sighed, stretching. "This one took way too long."
She wasn’t technically part of the psychological-dical developnt team, but as Tsunade’s assistant, she’d been involved throughout the process.
"What should we na it?" Tsunade asked, a rare hint of satisfaction on her face.
This was a complicated jutsu—easily B-rank in difficulty. She figured Hiruzen Sarutobi wouldn’t get away with paying her just one million Ryo this ti. He’d have to sweeten the deal.
The thought of more money—and the gambling opportunities that ca with it—filled her with joy.
"What about the mory Reconstruction Technique?" Kurenai suggested after a brief pause.
"But the jutsu’s effect is to seal a mory," Shizune pointed out. "’Reconstruction’ doesn’t quite fit. ’Sealing’ might be better."
"That works too," Kurenai agreed with a nod. No need to argue over semantics.
"Kitazawa, what do you think?" Shizune asked.
"I’m terrible at naming things," Kitazawa replied.
"Co on, just toss sothing out. It’ll make you feel like part of the team," Shizune teased.
Kitazawa thought for a mont. "Since sealing mories is also sealing emotions... how about the Forgetful Emotion Technique?"
"...Let’s just call it mory Sealing Technique." Tsunade stood up abruptly. "That’s enough for today."
"Lady Tsunade?" Kurenai asked, noticing the sudden shift in her mood.
Kitazawa also froze—he understood instantly.
The phrase forgetful emotion had touched on sothing buried deep in Tsunade’s past.
"I’ll go after her," Kitazawa said, stepping out.
Shizune noticed as well but chose to stay seated. She had tried comforting Tsunade many tis before—without success.
’Maybe soone new could reach her in a way I couldn’t.’
"Lady Tsunade," Kitazawa caught up to her outside.
She glanced back, frowning. "Why you? Where’s Shizune?"
"I just..." Kitazawa started, then trailed off.
"...You’re sharp," Tsunade muttered, turning her gaze to the night sky. Her expression grew distant. "You don’t need to follow . Go back."
"Where are you going this late?" Kitazawa asked evenly. "Maybe I can help."
"You can? Hmm... actually, yes." Her tone suddenly shifted. "Do you have any money on you?"
Kitazawa blinked. "You’re heading to the casino?"
Of course she was. When people are hurting, they retreat into the things that bring them comfort.
"Is that a problem?" she asked, holding out her hand. "When Hiruzen pays tomorrow, I’ll pay you back."
"Lady Tsunade," Kitazawa said, a mischievous glint in his eyes. "Have you ever heard of drinking gas for gamblers?"
"...Drinking gas?" she raised an eyebrow, intrigued.
"It’s a ga where you gamble... while drinking," he explained.
"There’s a way to combine both?!" Tsunade’s eyes lit up like fireworks.
Her two great loves rged into one glorious activity.
"Yes. There is." Kitazawa grinned. "My treat. Interested?"
"Let’s go!" Tsunade didn’t hesitate for even a second.
She grabbed his wrist and dragged him toward her favorite izakaya.
"Slow down, Lady Tsunade!"
Kitazawa barely had ti to react, stumbling to keep up.
"You’re a Special Jonin, aren’t you? This should be nothing for your stamina," she said with a smirk. "Train your body more."
"..."
Kitazawa’s mouth twitched. ’Easy for you to say—you’re a Senju.’
"Just because you’re a dical ninja doesn’t an you get to hide behind your teammates all the ti," she said firmly. "A real dical ninja can also hold their own in battle."
"I know you’re a top-tier Taijutsu user," Kitazawa replied with a blink. "So... will you teach ?"
"You really don’t hold back, do you?" Tsunade grumbled. "We’ll talk after you’ve finished learning dical ninjutsu."
With that, the two of them disappeared into the warm lights of the izakaya—one craving distraction, the other quietly observing the burdens behind one of the Legendary Sannin.
It was already late at night, and the izakaya sat mostly empty.
Tsunade strolled into a private room with the ease of a regular. Without hesitation, she ordered sake and a round of food. Clearly, this wasn’t her first ti here—the owner even brought her a complintary plate of peanuts with a knowing smile.
"How do you play sake gambling?" she asked eagerly the mont she sat down, not even waiting for Kitazawa to take his seat.
Kitazawa’s gaze flicked—unintentionally—toward her curvy, well-proportioned figure. When it ca to maturity, there were few kunoichi in the entire shinobi world who could rival Tsunade.
"It’s actually pretty simple. Just a finger-guessing ga," Kitazawa explained. "We both show a number with our fingers and call out what we think the total will be. If you guess the right sum, you win. The loser drinks."
Tsunade leaned in with interest. "Sounds fun. Show how it’s done."
Kitazawa raised both hands. "It’s played with ten fingers."
Tsunade nodded in approval. "I like it. Clever idea, kid."
To her, this wasn’t just a ga of chance—it was a battle of wits and perception. The kind of gambling that excited her, especially with good sake on the line. Win or lose, she was already hooked.
A mont later, the izakaya owner returned with their order. "Please enjoy."
Tsunade stood abruptly, removing her tea-green jacket to reveal a sleeveless top beneath. She leaned forward and grabbed the sake pot, expertly pouring two cups. The necklace resting on her chest swayed gently with her movents, catching Kitazawa’s eye.
This must be the mont that necklace is most envied, he thought.
"Stop gawking," she snapped, smirking. "Co on!"
Kitazawa raised his hands in surrender. "Go easy on , Lady Tsunade. I don’t handle alcohol well."
"Oh? I love watching lightweights get drunk." Her smile turned teasing.
"Then I guess I’ll just have to beat you," he said, more serious now.
"You?" Tsunade scoffed. "I’ll win for sure. Let’s begin!"
But the universe seed determined to remind her of one undeniable truth: when it ca to gambling, Tsunade never won.
"Damn it!" she growled after downing her twelfth cup of sake. Her cheeks were already flushed, her voice starting to slur.
"Lady Tsunade, maybe I should drink one with you," Kitazawa offered, reaching for his cup.
Before he could lift it, she suddenly grabbed his wrist.
"You... what are you doing?"
She leaned forward again, and the neckline of her top dipped low, revealing an even more generous view.
Did soone just turn on a flash?
Kitazawa instinctively looked away.
"I give up!" she muttered. "No need to drink with . Let’s keep going!"
With no way out, Kitazawa resigned himself to another round.
"You’re a lucky one tonight," Tsunade said with a chuckle, her voice husky and rich with alcohol. Her body swayed, mature and magnetic.
"Don’t just drink, Lady Tsunade. Eat sothing too," Kitazawa advised gently.
He sighed inwardly. Lucky? More like your luck is terrible.
"Such a nag," Tsunade grumbled, slapping the table. "Drinking should be done boldly!"
"Yes, ma’am." Kitazawa picked up so chicken with his chopsticks and offered it to her.
Tsunade hesitated, then opened her lips and bit into it.
After a few chews, she swallowed and murmured, "The last person to feed like this... was Nawaki."
Her eyes lowered, gaze falling to the sake cup in her hand. Her voice softened. "He didn’t feed out of kindness. My cooking was so awful, he couldn’t bear to suffer alone."
Kitazawa raised his cup. "So things can’t be undone... but not everything is beyond repair. Lady Tsunade, you should keep looking forward."
"What do you know?" she snapped, turning her eyes to him sharply.
"I don’t," Kitazawa admitted. "My parents died early. I never really experienced the loss of soone that close."
Tsunade was silent for a beat. Then, without a word, she took another drink.
Only then did she rember—Kitazawa had been alone since childhood.
"The food will get cold if you don’t eat," he said gently.
"You’re so annoying," she huffed, but still took the chopsticks from his hand.
She put down her cup, shoveled so food into her mouth, and chewed aggressively. Her cheeks puffed slightly like a sulky squirrel.
"Nawaki... was that his na?" Kitazawa asked, pouring her another drink.
"You know him?"
"I’ve heard of him," he said honestly. "But not much."
"He was cheerful. Bright. Always dread of being Hokage..." she began.
The sake was forgotten as she spoke, and once the floodgates opened, she couldn’t stop. She hadn’t talked about Nawaki in years—and now the mories ca spilling out.
Kitazawa simply listened. His patience was remarkable. And since the original story never went into much detail about Nawaki, it was like getting access to a lost Chapter.
Eventually, her voice faltered. "That’s... that’s it. His ti was so short..."
She stood abruptly, grabbed the sake bottle, and tipped it back. The clear liquid spilled from the corner of her lips, trailing down her neck and vanishing beneath her top.
She slamd the bottle down and looked at him with a dazed, drunken stare.
Kitazawa t her gaze with quiet calm.
Tsunade’s heart skipped—just a little.
"It’s late, Lady Tsunade," he said softly. "Let take you ho."
"...Yeah," she mumbled. "Ti to go."
She turned to leave.
"Your clo—"
Bang.
She walked straight into the door.
Clutching her forehead, she cursed, "Who the hell hit ?!"
Kitazawa bit back a laugh as she fumbled with the door.
"What are you laughing at? Co help !"
"Yes, Lady Tsunade."
He stepped ahead, opened the door.
"There! Take that for hitting !" she barked, kicking the door before stumbling out.
Shaking his head, Kitazawa grabbed her jacket and followed.
Tsunade wasn’t walking straight, so he caught up in no ti, handing her the jacket and gently grasping her wrist to keep her steady.
"Did you... pay?" she mumbled.
"You don’t skip out on bills?" he teased.
"Skip out? I never skip out on the bill!" she declared, slapping his back.
"What about all those IOUs stacked up with Shizune?"
"...She told you that? Outrageous!"
"I saw them by accident," he said quickly. "It wasn’t her fault."
"Those were... given willingly!" she muttered, biting her finger.
Kitazawa didn’t argue. Technically, she wasn’t wrong.
"Enough. Don’t ask anything else." Her body wavered before leaning into him. "Take ho..."
He steadied her by the waist, and she leaned in, resting her full weight against him.
The sll of sake and her natural scent mixed, her warm breath brushing against his neck.
Kitazawa swallowed and continued walking.
When they reached the house, the door opened.
"You two..." Shizune blinked, eyes wide, as she stared at Tsunade clinging to Kitazawa like a sleepy cat.
------------------
AN: Check out my P@treon For 40 extra Chapters.
Thank You For your Support!!
/noviceauthor777
User Comments
0 comments from readers