Tsunade’s thoughtless outburst instantly froze the entire Tenshukaku.
The grand hall was left with nothing but the echoing of her loli voice.
“What did you just say?!” The palace-dressed loli, Mina, also exploded in anger, lifting her expensive dress and trotting over.
“I said, a princess is completely worthless!”
Tsunade didn’t show an ounce of weakness; or rather, her pride absolutely refused to let her back down.
“You insolent savage!
Just who is this Sensei of yours?
Are you looking down on our Land of Fire?!”
Mina shrieked.
Tsunade was just about to retort when the Daimyo, sitting squarely on his throne, suddenly coughed.
“Mina, you are being far too ill-mannered.”
His voice wasn’t loud, but it carried the absolute authority of the Daimyo, completely suppressing the palace-dressed loli.
She could only stare at the Daimyo with tearful eyes and a grieved expression.
Tsunade also suddenly realized that she had been far too brazen.
And what was even more serious than her brazenness was—she had directly belittled the absolute authority of a ruler right to his face!
Didn’t the Daimyo rely exactly on this kind of authority to rule the country?
She was practically subverting the very foundation of his rule!
Tatsukaze sighed softly, silently shifting his footing to step directly in front of Tsunade, shielding her.
Because he could sense that the surrounding samurai were gathering their strength, ready to strike at a moment’s notice!
“Well, this is a slight bit of trouble.” Even though he was on the verge of causing a massive, diplomatic-level crisis, Tatsukaze merely pursed his lips lightly.
After reprimanding Mina, the Daimyo slowly turned his head.
The majestic grand hall, the glaring samurai, and the restless guardian warriors all combined to form an oppressive aura so dense it could solidify the air itself.
An unparalleled, majestic aura surged forward overwhelmingly.
Like a towering, imposing mountain, it crashed down with heaven-shaking momentum, exerting a crushing force of ten thousand tons.
It blotted out the sky and covered the earth, utterly unstoppable!
Under this crushing pressure, Tsunade couldn’t help but lower her body, bowing down like a flower whose stem was about to snap.
“Tsunade!
Raise your head.
You didn’t say anything wrong.”
Just as Tsunade was about to bend her waist completely, a calm, indifferent voice reached her ears.
“Sensei!” Tsunade jerked her head up, and Tatsukaze’s figure instantly filled her vision.
It was an ordinary back. New chapters come out on g.com first.
Not broad, not massive, and it didn’t even look particularly sturdy.
Tsunade had bickered, fought, laughed, and angrily cursed with the owner of this back more times than she could count.
Tatsukaze’s previous image in Tsunade’s mind couldn’t be considered bad, but a guy who was constantly trying to cop a feel certainly didn’t exude the majestic aura of a visionary leader.
Compared to the First Hokage Hashirama Senju—who was practically deified in Tsunade’s heart—and the Second Hokage Tobirama Senju who cared for her, Tatsukaze’s impression could hardly be called lofty.
‘A gentle, cheerful, and slightly perverted older brother…
oh, I mean Sensei.’
This was the true image of Tatsukaze in Tsunade’s mind.
Maybe a little better or a little worse at times, but he was never considered “grand.”
But right now, this back remained unchanged.
The back of a shameless scoundrel, the back of a pervert, the back of a beastly teacher…
But in this exact moment, it was incomparably reliable!
“Tsunade, raise your head.” Tatsukaze turned slightly, offering his usual, casual smile.
“Remember, you are my disciple.
Never bow your head to anyone!”
It felt like a young girl’s first awakening of love, like a pure maiden’s fantasy, or perhaps some other complex mixture of emotions…
A warm current flowed into Tsunade’s heart.
The timidity and trembling seemed to be washed away without a trace in an instant, leaving behind only profound tenderness.
“Yes!
Sensei!”
For the first time, Tsunade’s voice was filled with thick, genuine respect, and even admiration.
What she was feeling right now, her loli self didn’t fully comprehend yet.
But in the future, every time she recalled this moment, she would understand it with absolute clarity.
This was reliability!
This was a back she could lean on!
This was a person she could rely on!
In trivial matters and daily life, anyone could joke around, spout disrespectful words, and boast of grand ambitions.
But on the day Mount Tai collapsed, the one whose expression remained completely unchanged was the true pillar of support!
You are Tsunade’s teacher?”
The Daimyo leaned forward slightly, like a tiger or leopard ready to pounce.
“Since this is our first meeting, I might as well introduce myself again.” Tatsukaze nodded slightly.
“Tatsukaze Kuchiki, a man whose goal is to move forward as GTT, Great Teacher Tatsukaze.”
Behind the bamboo screen, the Daimyo, whose expression was obscured, demanded in a deep, accusatory voice, “So, you are the one who told Tsunade that the title of ‘Princess’ is completely meaningless?”
“That’s right.”
“And…
do you still believe that to be true right now?”
The Daimyo’s voice rose slightly in a harsh interrogation.
“I do!”
“Then, is the title of Daimyo also completely meaningless?!”
The Daimyo’s voice spiked abruptly, echoing like a massive bell, deafening and thunderous.
He sounded like a natural-born sovereign, a noble existence, cross-examining an ignorant, insignificant criminal.
Clatter, clatter, clatter.
Armored samurai guards wielding katanas poured into the Tenshukaku, seemingly endless in number.
The attendants who were originally sitting quietly around the room all gathered by the Daimyo’s side, standing in solemn formation and glaring at Tatsukaze with eyes full of hatred.
The guardian samurai hidden in the surroundings practically instantly burst from their cover, entirely surrounding Tatsukaze and Tsunade.
Their blades were drawn and readied; with just a single word from the Daimyo, they would immediately strike down Tatsukaze and Tsunade.
Watching the situation drastically escalate, Tsunade felt somewhat panicked and lost.
She subconsciously looked up at Tatsukaze’s face.
It was a handsome and dashing face, but what mattered right now wasn’t its handsomeness, but rather its familiar, unwavering calmness.
For some unknown reason, the moment she saw Tatsukaze’s calm expression, Tsunade instantly felt completely at ease.
No longer panicking, no longer at a loss, a flash of determination crossed her face.
She crouched down slightly, pulled out a shuriken, and fully prepared herself for battle.
Just a single expression from him was enough to bring absolute peace of mind!
As the absolute center of attention, Tatsukaze remained entirely unfazed, not changing his expression in the slightest.
Everyone was waiting for Tatsukaze’s answer!
And Tatsukaze made no attempt to hide it, stating calmly:
“That’s right!
The title of Daimyo is completely meaningless.”
“In my eyes, the so-called Daimyo is no different from a pig or a dog!”