"Tsunade, we just thought it'd be fair to let others enter first. No special treatment, right?"
Jiraiya coughed lightly.
Seeing Tsunade's gentle demeanor made his legs weak—even though he knew her anger wasn't directed at him…
He was still terrified!
"Tsunade-nee, I thought the same! By the way, why are you off work so early? Did you finish all the village affairs already? We shouldn't let personal matters interfere with official duties!"
Kyōichi grinned awkwardly.
He wasn't entirely sure why she was angry, but he had a strong feeling this storm was meant for him. Playing it safe was the right move.
"Hehe, the Sandaime is back to handle the remaining work. Nothing is more important than welcoming you home, don't you think? Come on, I've prepared a feast at my place—just for you."
Tsunade's enthusiasm was alarming.
Kyōichi's face twitched.
Most people's cooking might just be bad, but Tsunade's was lethal—and that was assuming the "feast" even existed.
Clearly, Jiraiya had heard the rumors.
Tsunade's gaze shifted to him, her brow furrowing when she saw he hadn't left.
"Jiraiya, do you have something to say?"
"Me? No, nothing at all!"
Jiraiya forced a smile. "Ah, right! You two should catch up—I won't intrude. Let's all meet up another time…"
"Hmm. Didn't prepare enough food for you anyway. Next time."
Tsunade's tone was indifferent.
Confirmed.
This wasn't about him.
Jiraiya shot Kyōichi a look—part sympathy, part pleading.
It wasn't that he wouldn't help…
But Tsunade was far too terrifying right now—and she clearly wasn't inviting him along.
Kyōichi sighed internally.
No choice but to walk into the lion's den.
He suspected this was about his exceptional performance on the frontlines.
To outsiders, Kyōichi had been a hero—the rising star of Konoha's younger generation. But to family?
Not necessarily a good thing.
Still, he couldn't pinpoint exactly what had set her off.
Never try to guess a woman's thoughts.
Impossible.
Kyōichi wouldn't waste the effort.
He'd find out soon enough.
As they walked back…
"Kyōichi-sama! Tsunade-sama!"
"Kyōichi-sama, welcome back! About the Chūnin Accelerated Program—ahem! Tsunade-sama, I'll come back another time—"
Shiranui's father had only meant to ask a quick question, but Tsunade's glare sent him scrambling away.
Not worth the risk!
After a while, Kyōichi's expression stiffened further.
Wait.
This isn't the way home!
Of course it wasn't.
This path led straight to the training grounds.
Tsunade wasn't offering a meal—she was offering knuckles.
"Kyōichi-sama… You were so impressive on the frontlines. Facing enemies others wouldn't dare, taking missions others avoided. And even sending a shadow clone to assist with medical treatment?"
Tsunade's smile was bright.
"Let me explain—I only acted when I was confident! Against the Sandaime Raikage, we were barely even trying. Minato and I were practically slacking off!"
Kyōichi tried to downplay it.
Tsunade's expression darkened.
"Slacking off? The Raikage isn't slow. Why do you think Ōnoki dragged you into it? What if—just what if—something had gone wrong?"
"Tsunade-nee, I won't do it again."
Kyōichi knew better than to argue further.
Apologizing was the safest move.
The more he explained, the angrier she'd get.
But he'd underestimated the depth of her fury.
Five broken desks' worth of rage couldn't be soothed with words.
The next moment—
Tsunade shunshin-ed right in front of him.
She's serious?!
Kyōichi barely dodged, cold sweat forming on his brow.
BOOM!
The ground where he'd stood exploded into a crater.
A direct hit would've sent him to the hospital.
"And then you taunted Ōnoki? Alone against an entire squad? Bravo!"
Her words were rapid-fire, her temper flaring.
Another punch flew.
Kyōichi narrowly evaded, the shockwave of her chakra-enhanced strength grazing past him harmlessly.
Tsunade didn't seem to notice. She kept pushing her speed, convinced she was just a fraction too slow.
Between strikes, she ranted:
"Now everyone greets you first! Should you be the Yondaime? And then I find out you almost got hit by Particle Style?! Dodged with paper techniques, huh?"
She was livid.
Though not direct siblings, Kyōichi's constant "nee-san" had warmed her heart.
And how did he repay that?
By being more reckless than Dan and Nawaki combined!
If not for his skills, she might've been staring at his corpse—or worse, no corpse at all if Particle Style had hit.
The thought made her see red.
"WHAT WERE YOU THINKING?!"
Her speed spiked.
In an instant, she closed the distance. Kyōichi couldn't react in time—but he had one last trick.
As her fist connected—
His body disintegrated into a flurry of paper, reforming mid-air with wings of shifting sheets.
"Tsunade-nee, fight all you want—but leave the Strength of a Hundred out of it."
"You brat!"
Tsunade's eyes narrowed.
So this was the "paper technique" Katsuyu mentioned.
Uncanny.
Not a substitution, yet superior—no warning, just instant disintegration.
But…
These papers must've been pre-infused with chakra.
Looking closer, she spotted explosive tags hidden among the sheets—some even disguised as ordinary paper.
Only someone with exceptional sensing could detect them.
A formidable technique…
She already saw its weakness.
"Impressive, but vulnerable to liquids—oil, acid. One splash of Katsuyu's acid, and your technique is useless."
Tsunade stated coolly.
"I also know Hyōton."
Kyōichi flicked his fingers—
Whoosh!
A barrage of ice blades materialized mid-air.
Another seal—
Earth surged from his palm, forming a massive earthen golem clad in ice armor, the soil frozen solid.
Tsunade's eyes widened slightly.
Unbelievable…
The battle reports had been detailed, but Kyōichi had omitted this level of skill—not to boast, but to avoid worrying her.
Now, faced with her misjudgment of his strength, he had no choice but to demonstrate.
"My ice can block basic Particle Style. The column-type is long-ranged but narrow—dodgeable with speed, or paper techniques as a last resort."
He explained calmly.
"Once Ōnoki figured out my tricks, I stopped chasing and went after Tsuchi's squad instead. Captured him to force Ōnoki's surrender."
"And Rōshi?!"
Tsunade snapped.
When she'd first seen Rōshi, she'd been thrilled—then furious.
A veteran jinchūriki!
Rōshi wasn't some rookie—he'd mastered his bijū's power over years.
And according to reports…
Kyōichi and Jiraiya had been outnumbered by a dozen Iwa teams.
Reckless beyond belief!
One misstep, and Konoha's entire front could've collapsed.
"Jiraiya was with me. My ice counters him, Samehada absorbs his chakra… Oh, and I discovered a new use for the Yin Seal."
Kyōichi's body crackled with Lightning chakra.
Tsunade knew his Lightning affinity was weak—seeing such intensity, combined with his words…
Ah.
Bijū chakra.
Partial transformation.
That was how he'd dared to face Rōshi.
Prepared, indeed.
The results spoke for themselves—Rōshi had been captured. Without that and Tsuchi's capture, Ōnoki might not have surrendered so quickly.
She had no rebuttal.
The kid had been careful.
Kyōichi exhaled internally.
Seemed he'd convinced her.
He prepared to descend—
BOOM!
His ice golem shattered into dust under a single punch.
Kyōichi's sweat returned.
What now?!
She's still mad?
But we were just talking calmly!
"Brat, let's have a real fight!"
"You can't hit me."
"Shut up and get down here!"
Tsunade leaped, her speed doubling.
Strength of a Hundred Seal—activated!
In this state, her physical abilities skyrocketed. In a blink, she was upon him—kicking him downward.
But—
Whoosh!
On contact, his body dispersed into paper, reforming elsewhere.
Tsunade gritted her teeth.
Her medical ninjutsu was unparalleled, her combat skills vast—but most required physical contact.
Against a technique that turned its user into paper?
Useless.
Times have changed…
"Tch. Forget it. Get down. I'll take you to eat."
"Can we go to an izakaya?"
"Shizune and Orihiro cooked. You think I have time to cook for you? Dream on! I'm swamped as it is…"
Tsunade sighed.
And she wasn't even Hokage yet.
Once she took office?
The paperwork alone would be hell.
As they walked, she mused:
"Only an idiot would want to be Hokage. Jiraiya and Orochimaru were smart to refuse. Now that the war's over, Jiraiya's leaving, isn't he?"
"Said he's traveling the world to 'find his path.'"
Kyōichi replied softly.
"Of course he is. Since when has he ever stayed put in Konoha…"