Chapter 246: Tsunade's Top-Tier Hug, the Chūnin Exams Begin
Akiyama Makoto looked at the time. It was almost dawn, and Tsunade wanted to go to the hot spring now?
Well, that was indeed her style.
She was clearly drunk. A drunk Tsunade was not someone an ordinary person could stop, not even Shizune. This was probably why Shizune had fled.
Just as he was wondering if this counted as an opportunity, the door slid open.
Tsunade, having changed into a loose yukata, walked up to him with a grin, wrapped her arm around his neck, and said, "Good little brother, take me to the hot spring. This is my first time at this inn."
Tanzaku Town was a bustling city famous for its gambling industry. There were hotels everywhere, so it wasn't strange for this to be her first time at a particular one. If he hadn't known the plot would unfold here, finding the hotel she was staying at would have been a hassle.
"Alright. But the staff might not be serving anymore at this hour."
"It's fine, it's fine! Aren't you here?"
"But I'm a man."
"Pfft, you call yourself a man? Don't worry, I won't make things difficult for you. Just find me some wine and snacks after I get in."
"Alright then."
He supported the somewhat unsteady Tsunade and walked towards the open-air mixed bath. As he had expected, there were no staff present.
The moment he opened the bathhouse door, Tsunade shouted excitedly, "It's so comfortable to soak in a hot spring when you're drunk! ...Want to join me, little brother?"
He wasn't playing the role of a shy, innocent boy. He started taking off his clothes right away.
This panicked her. She quickly rubbed and kneaded his face with both hands. "I was just joking, and you took it seriously! Men and women shouldn't mix. You go out first."
"Remember to bring me back some wine and snacks."
"Then what reward do I get for helping you?"
"You want a reward?"
"What else?"
Tsunade composed herself, looking a little angry.
He remained unmoved. He wasn't Shizune; he wouldn't serve her without benefits.
"Then I'll give you money tomorrow?"
"Do I look like someone who lacks money?"
"I—right, I saved you today. You should be grateful!"
"Didn't I treat you to food and drinks?"
"That's not enough. When I treat others, I charge at least a few million Ryō."
Then, under her incredulous gaze, he took out a scroll and stuffed it into her arms. "Here's ten million Ryō. Consider it my medical fee."
She pulled the scroll from her chest. Such a huge sum made her sober up a little. If she spent it sparingly, this money would be enough for her to live freely for a month, and he had just given it to her?
For a moment, she hesitated whether to accept it. In the end, she refused.
If it were anyone else, she might have taken it. But this boy had awakened a talent identical to Hashirama Senju's, which gave her the feeling that a family member was by her side.
She stuffed the scroll back into his pocket and said in a slightly doting tone, "Alright, alright. What reward do you want?"
She clenched her fist and said with a smile, "I'll only give you one chance. It'd be best not to go too far, or I'll punch you out of here."
At this moment, he finally showed a hint of shyness befitting his age. "Then give me a hug."
Although he pretended to be serious, his eyes betrayed him.
Tsunade was used to this. Carrying the highest peaks in the ninja world, she knew very well how strong her attraction was to others.
She laughed heartily, then opened her arms to him, pulled him into her embrace, and even pressed his head down. "Is this enough?"
"Stinky brat, besides my family, you're the first person to enjoy this service."
He didn't lift his head until he was almost suffocated. With a straight face, he said, "It wasn't that great. It smells like alcohol."
She pinched his cheek. "Your face is completely red. Stop acting tough and go get me some wine!"
Only then did he turn to get the wine. Tsunade looked at his back, feeling a little dazed for a moment. If her little brother had grown up a few more years, would he have become as handsome and outstanding as Makoto?
Thinking of Nawaki, she felt depressed. She simply ripped off her yukata and jumped into the hot spring water, letting the heat submerge her.
Shizune's head appeared over the wall. She had seen everything that had just happened.
Although she didn't want to serve the current Tsunade, she certainly wouldn't leave her.
She was very satisfied with his performance. She even faintly saw the possibility of changing Tsunade. As the person by her side, she knew best that Tsunade had been immersed in the pain of the past. Now that there was a chance to walk out, she felt she had to seize it.
But as for how to do it specifically, she needed to think about it for a few more days.
He left the bathhouse, his emotions returning to normal. Although contact with Tsunade did make his heart race, he was long past the stage where he would be confused by beauty. Everything he did was to get closer to her.
It seemed he had succeeded. She no longer rejected intimate contact with him.
But for now, that was enough.
In the simulation, he might have dared to do something while she was drunk, but not now. It was better to play it safe.
He brought her the wine and snacks, then sat on a rock by the hot spring, chatting with her casually.
Although she seemed incoherent, she never revealed her identity.
Shizune leaned against the wall outside, looking up at the starry sky. All of this allowed him to maintain an elegant distance, keeping her in a state where her heart beat slightly faster, but she wasn't nervous.
Finally, the sun rose, and Tsunade had finished venting her depression.
Shizune appeared at the right time. "Makoto, leave the rest to me."
He nodded, yawned, and pretended to go back to his room to sleep. But in reality, he switched places with a shadow clone and secretly observed Tsunade and Shizune's actions with his Byakugan and Mind's Eye of Kagura.
Shizune silently helped Tsunade dry off. After dressing her in her pajamas again, Tsunade said, "Shizune, let's change hotels in a bit."
As she said this, she hesitated. She knew she had gotten a little too close to him. Her state of mind, which she had numbed with indulgence for so many years, had actually been stirred, which instinctively made her afraid.
Shizune rolled her eyes at her. "Why don't we just leave Tanzaku Town? As long as we stay here, with his wealth, won't it be easy for him to find us?"
"Alright—"
She had just agreed when she noticed Shizune's look. "What's with that expression? Are you laughing at me?"
"Pfft. Yes, Lady Tsunade! The dignified Princess Tsunade, one of the Sannin, scared away by a young man's confession? If word got out, what would people think of you?"
Tsunade was so angry her veins popped, and she wanted to hit someone. But looking at Shizune's no-longer-young face, she couldn't bring herself to throw the punch.
She said angrily, "I just don't want to delay a young man's future—"
"You said it yourself, he's still young. Just treat it as playing with him, and guide his talent while you're at it. Otherwise, he might have an attack someday, get robbed of his wealth, and die on the street."
Tsunade froze. Only then did she realize she had almost forgotten about this.
Cell Activation was generally a good thing, but if it couldn't be controlled, it would be like suicide for a ninja. It wouldn't be an exaggeration to call it a bloodline disease.
Currently, she seemed to be the only one in the ninja world who could treat it. But could he learn her Yin Seal?
The Yin Seal was not easy to learn. Even Shizune hadn't mastered it yet.
She hesitated, and finally said complainingly, "How long will it take to teach him? We can't stay in Tanzaku Town forever, can we?"
"Then why don't we take him with us—Ouch!"
This time, she couldn't hold back and gave Shizune a flick on the forehead. "Don't tell me you want me to take him as a disciple?"
Shizune rubbed her head and said petulantly, "Marry him! That way you can take him with you to travel the ninja world."
With that, Shizune picked up Tonton and ran. She knew how terrifying an enraged Tsunade could be.
Tsunade chased Shizune around the inn three times, cursed at the guests she had woken up for five minutes, and finally returned to her room exhausted and fell fast asleep.
By the time she woke up, it was already evening.
This was the life she had lived most often over the years. Calling it "indulgent" was not an exaggeration. And to still have such strength after indulging for so many years showed how terrifying her talent was.
He also pretended to have just woken up and went over to treat them to dinner. She didn't refuse a free meal ticket, and even enthusiastically dragged him to gamble after eating.
She knew he was wealthy and might lose money to her. She hadn't seen such a high-quality gambling buddy in decades, so she naturally couldn't miss out.
So, for the next few days, he and Tsunade lived the same life of indulgence.
Occasionally, she would give him a physical check-up as repayment, but there were no more opportunities for intimacy.
He wasn't in a hurry. He knew that opening her heart required slow grinding. What's more, the final round of the Chūnin Exams was about to begin.
He withdrew his attention and used the Mind's Eye of Kagura to check the deployment of Konoha, the Sand, and the Sound. After confirming that there were no new forces or powerhouses beyond the simulation, he relaxed.
Afterward, he also checked the condition of the girls around him. After a month of hard training, Ino and the others' basic physical fitness had exceeded the Chūnin level, and Tenten had reached the level of a Special Jōnin.
He also purchased a large number of explosive tags and Fragmentation Kunai from Tenten's shop to arm them, ensuring they could rack up some achievements in the upcoming chaos.
Finally, the day of the final round arrived. He led the girls from his house towards the arena. Although they were just walking casually, chatting and laughing with relaxed expressions, their appearance still drew frequent backward glances.
After all, it was one thing for him to be extraordinarily handsome, but he was surrounded by women, each more beautiful and sexy than the last. It would be strange if such a combination didn't attract attention.
This made the girls a little uncomfortable at first. Ninja were supposed to be low-key, after all.
But then Anko stepped forward. Used to being carefree, she said, "Chest out, head up! Let everyone know that the women of the Akiyama family are the best in the ninja world!"
Her words were teasing and spoken without shying away from passersby, which made Tenten and the others blush.
Although their hearts belonged to him, they were still shy about calling themselves "Akiyama women." After hesitating for a few seconds, they finally listened to her and adopted their most confident poses.
That's right. The fact that we are all his women will be exposed sooner or later. We're just admitting it a little earlier!
Soon, the group parted ways at the entrance to the arena.
Tenten and the other four went to the waiting area. Anko and Kurenai went to their assigned posts. Yūgao and Karin accompanied him to the seats he had reserved.
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