Konoha.
April.
A hot spring inn!
Petals of cherry blossoms drifted gently down into the rising steam.
Faintly, cheerful laughter, splashing water, and startled exclamations echoed without end.
Through the hazy steam, alluring figures flickered in and out of sight.
Enchanting and captivating.
Within the white mist was every color imaginable—black, yellow, blue, green!
The Ninja World was truly rich and vibrant!
By the wooden door.
There was a narrow crack.
Upon closer inspection, two pairs of eyes—one above the other—were glued to the scene inside.
Their gaze was filled with absolute solemnity!
The owner of the top eye clicked his tongue, sighing in admiration.
“Such terrifying killing intent!” The person below sighed.
“Indeed!
The killing intent is far too heavy, a truly grave sin.
Look at the thirty-three-year-old on the right with the long flaxen hair—her killing intent shoots straight into the heavens.” “Nonsense!
The strongest killing intent clearly belongs to the twenty-two-year-old on the left with short black hair.” “Heh.” “What are you ‘heh’-ing about?
Are you questioning my professionalism?” “Jiraiya-sensei, is there anything about you I *don’t* question?
Besides, don’t forget that these eyes of mine are the famous Sharingan, renowned throughout the Ninja World.
Are you questioning my clan’s thousand-year legacy?
Hm?!” Pride dripped from every word.
“…I wonder how many Uchiha ancestors can’t rest in peace knowing their clan produced a weirdo like you.” “And if Mount Myoboku knew what kind of successor it raised, I wonder how many frogs would come back from the dead out of sheer rage.” Though they were bickering, neither of their gazes wavered in the slightest.
Resolute!
Steadfast!
Unyielding unto death!
…Their eyes were wide as saucers!
Suddenly!
A dazzlingly golden figure appeared in their view.
That lethal weapon bounced up and down as she walked, bursting with brilliant light that seemed ready to rend the void apart.
“Holy…
holy crap!
That’s…” The top eye froze instantly.
He blurted out an exclamation, his entire body fidgeting in excitement.
The voice below panicked, growling in a low voice, “Jiraiya-sensei, calm down!
Holy crap…” *BOOM!* Caught off guard by their own momentum, the two pressed too hard and smashed the door open.
They tumbled into the room together, rolling into a tangled heap.
“Ow, ow, ow…” “Dammit, Jiraiya-sensei, are you crazy?
It’s just that you saw…” Their bickering died in their throats as several pairs of jade-white legs appeared before them.
The two stiffly raised their heads.
Meeting their gaze were pairs of eyes nearly spitting fire, staring at them with murderous intent so thick it had practically materialized.
Oh crap!
Their lives were forfeit!
At that critical juncture, both demonstrated astonishing adaptability.
The legendary Toad Sage—the white-haired child Jiraiya—struck first.
He slammed a hand onto the boy who was trying to stand up, pinning him down so he could make his own escape.
Someone had to stay behind to draw the enemy fire so the other could pull off a smooth exit, right?
Jiraiya’s expression was grim and resolved.
*My friend, I’m sorry!* However, the boy suddenly shrieked, “Tsunade-sensei, your bath towel fell off!
Oh my God!!!” Mixed into his hysterical roar were equal parts fanaticism and terror.
Jiraiya’s movements froze.
He instinctively whipped his head around.
Whatever image popped into his mind, blood began to ooze from his nostrils, and his eyes filled with bloodshot veins.
“Now!” A cold gleam flashed in the boy’s eyes.
Forcefully breaking free from Jiraiya’s grip, he leapt into the air and kicked straight at Jiraiya: “Dynamic Entry!” *BANG!* Jiraiya, with a shoe print stamped across his face: “What the #$%&*” And so, the boy successfully escaped, soaring away.
Jiraiya, on the other hand, flew backward past numerous radiant figures, crashing straight into the hot spring pool.
Water splashed everywhere!
Immediately after!
Roars of rage, furious shrieks, screams of panic, pleas for mercy, and muffled groans echoed through the entire hot spring inn.
“Heh heh!” *Jiraiya-sensei, entering a ‘paradise’ like that…
you must be feeling pretty happy, right?* *Even if you’re getting beaten up.* *I know you all too well.* *Heh, no need to thank me!* *After all, I’m practically your disciple.
It’s the least I could do.* The boy let out a wicked chuckle, accelerating even further and leaving behind a string of residual images.
He was executing the Body Flicker Jutsu to its absolute limit.
Better run for his life!
To actually spy on *that* person—one wrong step and he’d lose his life!
The boy had already decided to take an away mission and stay out of the village for at least half a month.
During this time, even if the Uchiha clan got wiped out, he wouldn’t come back.
Only…
Halfway through his escape.
A jade-like hand suddenly reached out, lightly grabbing his back collar and lifting the boy into midair.
“Yo, Uchiha boy.
Long time no see.
I’ve been waiting for a while.” The blonde beauty stood with one hand on her hip, greeting him.
Except…
The expression on her face and the killing intent in her eyes could scare a Hokage to death!
Looking at the woman, the boy’s eyes welled with tears, his lips trembling.
“Tsunade-sensei!!!” “Wah!” The boy burst into tears, looking as if he were about to wail aloud.
“Tsunade-sensei, it’s really you!
When did you return to the village?
Waaah, it’s been so long, I missed you to death!” The boy threw his arms around the blonde woman, teary-eyed, rubbing his face vigorously against her impressive chest.
“Get off me!” Tsunade’s body stiffened for a second before she hurled the boy away.
She shook her hand in disgust and sneered, “Not bad, kid.
You learned Jiraiya’s tricks to absolute perfection.
Was it a good show just now?” “Heh heh, Tsunade-sensei, you underestimate me!” The boy held up a single finger and wagged it back and forth.
“Hmm?” “I’ve already surpassed the master.
Jiraiya-sensei is no longer my match.” The boy puffed out his chest, his expression full of pride.
“Heh heh,” Tsunade gave a slight smile and casually waved her hand.
*BANG!* The adjacent wall cracked in a web-like pattern.
“I hope you can speak properly, in a normal tone, okay?” Tsunade’s voice was soft, overflowing with gentleness.
“Otherwise, I’m worried you might turn into a pile of minced meat.” Instantly, the boy’s gaze cleared.
“When did you get back to the village, Teacher?” “Just now,” Tsunade sneered.
“I was planning to relax in the hot springs, but who would’ve thought I’d run into two peeping bastards, one big and one small.” *Crack!* Tsunade clenched her fist.
These two birds of a feather should have been beaten to death back then.
A moment of softheartedness had allowed two menaces to plague the Ninja World.
Doing wicked deeds all day long!
They were even becoming famous across the Ninja World because of the books they published, throwing Konoha’s dignity into the gutter!
Tsunade had once flipped through one out of curiosity at a bookstore, and the result was that she smashed that bookstore to smithereens!
The content of the book could be summarized in one sentence: A woman’s zodiac year!
Every sentence revolved around it!
Every page was about it!
*Women live in this world, but the world belongs to women!* “To think the proud Hidden Leaf Village has people like this, they must…” Under Tsunade’s dangerous glare, the boy swallowed his words down.
“Smart mouth!” “Keep running that mouth of yours!” “Let’s see if I don’t beat you to death!” Tsunade took a deep breath, gritting her teeth as she said, “Kid, I’m asking you one last time: Are you coming with me?
Leave the village and go traveling.” The boy looked shocked.
Traveling?
With Tsunade?
Just the two of them?
He immediately shrieked!
Crossing his arms over his chest, he looked at Tsunade, trembling like a leaf.
“I respect you as my teacher, and yet you crave my body?!” “Impossible!
Absolutely impossible!” “Unless…
you pay me more!” *BANG!* A heavy knock to his head.
The boy clutched his head and crouched on the ground, rubbing it frantically as tears of pain welled up in his eyes.
Tsunade gritted her teeth.
“I told you, stop being slick, you shameless brat.” The boy said tearfully and aggrievedly, “I swear unto death…
to submit.
Please show mercy, Teacher.” Tsunade felt the veins in her temples throbbing.
She rubbed the bridge of her nose and said helplessly, “How many times do I have to tell you?
Be serious.
Kid, you’re a smart guy.
You should understand what I mean…
you Uchiha!” The boy nodded reluctantly, his face stubborn.
“Fine, fine!
Get lost!” Tsunade waved her hand impatiently.
“Do whatever you want.
I can’t be bothered to care about you.
Did you really think I wanted to take you traveling?
Just looking at you makes me furious!” She turned and walked away.
In the distance.
A young girl with short black hair was holding a pig in her arms, secretly watching the scene.
The Uchiha boy waved at her with a grin, winking ambiguously and unobtrusively blowing a subtle kiss.
The girl’s face instantly turned bright red, and she lowered her head, not daring to look.
“Let’s go, Shizune.
Stop looking.
You can’t handle a cheap man like him.” Tsunade strode over to the girl’s side, grabbed the back of her collar, and lifted her up as she walked.
“Tsunade-sama…” “He doesn’t want to leave!” Tsunade’s expression was cold.
“So you don’t need to beg me anymore.
Besides, you’ve taken care of him openly and covertly for so many years.
You can consider that life-saving favor repaid.” Shizune lowered her head and stayed silent.
Tsunade’s expression grew even colder, her voice devoid of emotion.
“He knows very well.” “He knows his identity.” “He knows the tense relationship between the village and the Uchiha.” “He knows what he’s about to face.” “He still chose this path, so…” “So?” “So from now on, we’ll stay far away,” Tsunade said coldly.
“Not only will we completely avoid the village’s searches, but we won’t receive any news from the village either.
Total isolation from the world.” Let them fight!
The village and the Uchiha…
no, the Hokage faction and the Uchiha.
It’d be best if they all killed each other!
Peace and quiet!
Neither side was any good anyway!
As Tsunade’s anger flared, her chest heaved up and down dramatically.
Shizune panicked.
“But…” “It won’t be long before everything comes to an end!” Tsunade interrupted Shizune, turning her head to look at the boy in the distance.
Fifteen or sixteen years old, he was still just a boy, his frame even somewhat lean.
But!
Only those who knew him would understand what terrifying power was housed in that body.
As one of the Sannin, she didn’t dare underestimate him in the slightest.
The formidable talent of the famed Uchiha was displayed to perfection in him.
How many people knew that he was already a nightmare?
“He’s not someone with patience or a good temper!” Tsunade muttered to herself, “Sarutobi-sensei, he’s different from any Uchiha you’ve ever met before.” “He is a complete and utter evil lunatic who has sunk into the deep dark!” “If you use the same methods on him that you used on other Uchiha, you’ll only learn what true, bone-deep agony feels like!” As if remembering something, a cold smirk curled her lips.
“Whatever.
What does it have to do with me?
Both sides want me to get lost anyway!” She took Shizune and strode away from the village.
Without a trace of lingering affection.
Behind her, the boy was still standing there with a smile.
Only…
Right now…
That smile had a touch of demonic wickedness to it.
It’s good that you left!
Tsunade, the current Konoha is no place for you!
Because…
You’re a good person!
A good person in every sense of the word!