Rasa's eyes gleamed as he thought of the kunoichi who had always been at odds with him.
"Bring Pakura back."
"Pakura?!"
Chiyo looked puzzled.
"She's on the naval battlefield. If we transfer her back now, won't it affect the war against Kirigakure?"
The Third Shinobi World War was nothing but utter chaos, with no real alliances.
Sunagakure was clashing head-on with Konohagakure, while battles against Kirigakure raged at sea. Even along the border with the Land of Earth, conflicts broke out constantly.
Kumogakure was the same back then—sending troops to invade the Land of Wind while simultaneously provoking Konohagakure.
The five great shinobi villages were like five little gangsters, constantly brawling to determine who was the true boss.
Rasa weighed his thoughts.
"I plan to temporarily halt the war with Kirigakure and focus all efforts against Konohagakure. Bringing Pakura back will also send them a clear signal."
Chiyo nodded with confidence.
"Very well! Pakura's Scorch Release is immensely powerful. I refuse to believe that brat can stand against her."
...
Morning.
Kairen crawled up from Tsunade's thighs and looked at her sleeping figure on the grass. Her eyelashes trembled faintly, her breathing was soft and shallow—like a sleeping beauty out of a fairy tale.
Last night, Kairen had taken Tsunade for a wild ride, completely exhausting her, and she had drifted into sleep without realizing it.
Kairen lowered his gaze toward the valley of Tsunade's chest. His eyes inched closer, curious about what deadly forces were hidden there that could make his lower body stir and churn with storms.
Supporting himself with one hand on the ground, he leaned toward her upper body, practically pressing over her.
Suddenly, Tsunade's eyes snapped open. In an instant, she caught sight of Kairen's mischievous posture.
"You! What! Are! You! Trying! To! Do?!"
Kairen stammered awkwardly.
"...I saw you wearing so little, and I was afraid you'd catch a cold from the breeze, so I thought I'd block the wind for you!"
Tsunade's fist shot upward, blasting Kairen ten meters away.
She stood up, trying to convince herself.
"This child was abused before… his personality's twisted. Be tolerant! Be tolerant!"
Kairen gently rubbed his chest—no big deal.
His sense of pain was practically dulled. A punch strong enough to shatter ribs only felt like a pinprick to him.
This woman, honestly. Isn't her body there for others to look at? What's wrong if he glanced?
Tsunade walked over, a soft green chakra glow spreading across her hand as she placed it on Kairen's chest. Within moments, the torn muscle tissue began knitting back together.
The sharp pain from earlier faded instantly.
"You brat… after all these years, you're the first to act so shameless in front of me and still walk away in one piece!"
Back then, even Jiraiya's antics in front of Tsunade had ended with broken ribs.
Kairen muttered in complaint.
"They say after three years in the army, even a sow looks like a beauty. Compared to that, you're an absolute goddess."
Tsunade's lips curved upward, clearly enjoying the compliment, though she immediately grabbed Kairen by the scruff of his neck and lifted him off the ground.
"You little brat. Thinking about women at your age? You're bound to become another Jiraiya. I'll have to properly 'educate' you and set that crooked personality straight."
With that, Tsunade flung Kairen aside. He spun in midair but landed steadily, grinning.
"Educate me?! Wax and whips, is it?"
"Cut the crap!"
Tsunade snorted and beckoned him with her jade-like hand.
"Come, let me test your capacity!"
Kairen grinned.
"My capacity is quite big, you know!"
Before he could get carried away, Tsunade cut him off with a sharp shout.
"Hurry up!"
Pouting, Kairen shrugged off the white cloth draped over his shoulders, tying it around his waist and baring his upper body.
He placed his right hand behind his back, secretly forming seals. With a Body Flicker, a white streak slashed through the air as he charged at Tsunade.
Tsunade's beautiful eyes flashed with admiration.
"A one-handed Body Flicker, sealing hidden behind the back without being noticed… your grasp of jutsu already rivals my granduncle's."
Kairen suddenly appeared before her, hand reaching out, about to touch the twin peaks of the great Sannin.
Tsunade's gaze chilled.
"In some ways, your personality is just like that lecherous Jiraiya. But I can't really blame you—your mind is clearly damaged!"
In a smooth motion, she shifted and drove her elbow down. Kairen crashed into the earth, creating a pit several meters wide.
"Cough, cough…"
Kairen hacked twice, dragging himself out of the crater. Shaking off the dizziness, he called out.
"Princess Tsunade, I'm going to speed up. You'd better be careful!"
Tsunade scowled.
"I told you to call me sister."
Kairen smirked.
"You're over thirty, and I'm ten. Calling you sister? Don't you feel embarrassed?"
Tsunade's aura turned icy.
"You brat, what did you just say?!"
For women, age was the deepest of taboos, a single spark that could ignite an explosion.
Kairen Body Flickered toward her.
"Exactly! Fight me seriously! I can't die anyway."
His speed was sharp, but Tsunade was one of the legendary Sannin, forged in rivers of blood.
She stomped the ground and threw a straight punch.
Boom—!
With a thunderous crack, her fist sent Kairen flying twenty meters. His chest spasmed, the urge to spit blood rising, but he forced it down.
Tsunade had hemophobia. He couldn't risk startling her.
"Hey, Tsunade! Did you hold back on that punch? I told you, I can't die—so use your full strength!"
She had, in fact, softened the blow. Otherwise, he'd already be a smear of blood.
"Do you really want to be abused this badly?"
Tsunade thought to herself, convinced Kairen had been twisted into masochism by Sunagakure's torture.
Again he charged, and again she knocked him back—though still not with her full power.
Kairen hardened his resolve.
Don't blame me for this, Tsunade.
A ninja who resorts to shameless tactics is the most dangerous kind.
"Eight Gates: First Gate of Opening—Open!"
"Second Gate of Rest—Open!"
"Third Gate of Life—Open!"
Blue chakra flames burst around his body, cloaked further by a thin green aura.
Tsunade's eyes widened instantly.
"The Eight Gates…! That's a forbidden technique sealed in the Scroll of Seals!"
"Nine-Tails Chakra, First Tail Form—Open!"
A crimson aura surged out, swirling with ominous chakra.
"Nine-Tails Chakra… is it inherited from Grandma Mito's bloodline?" Tsunade wondered.
If so, Kairen would be a direct descendant of the Senju Clan—her cousin, or even nephew.
But why had she never seen his branch of the family?
Perhaps he came from a line that had married outside the Senju clan.
Her thoughts barely lasted a second before her eyes caught a crimson streak darting toward her with breathtaking speed.
"So fast!"
Her visual nerves couldn't even track his movements.
Only her veteran instincts allowed her to predict his target.
"This little pervert!" Tsunade cursed, crossing her arms over her chest to guard against an attack there.
But the crimson streak swerved suddenly—brushing a hand across her backside.
A cheeky voice followed.
"Definitely good for childbearing in the future!"