Uchiha Tatsumi stared at the Shadow Clone shimmering before him, a vein throbbing in his temple. What the heck? He'd painstakingly battled for what felt like an eternity, only to discover it was a mere Shadow Clone of Tsunade. Is this some kind of initiation rite for Konoha Jonin turned teachers?
Just then, the familiar chime of the System echoed in his mind.
[Congratulations to the host for defeating a Genin-level Shadow Clone of Tsunade. Reward: 3000 Ninja Points. Bonus for first-time defeat of a Genin-level ninja: 2000 Ninja Points.]
[Current Ninja Point balance: 5100 points.]
Tatsumi's brow furrowed. A Genin-level clone? How could Tsunade's Shadow Clone be limited to such a low power level? And why did I have to work so hard? He'd witnessed Genin fights before; this didn't make sense. His internal assessment of the System was that it usually judged power levels accurately. Something was off.
Before he could question the System, Tsunade herself appeared at the edge of the training ground, a wide grin plastered across her face.
"Well done, you little devil!" she boomed, her voice echoing across the clearing. "I honestly thought you'd only manage to take down my clone after it had exhausted its chakra." She clapped him on the shoulder, the force of the blow nearly sending him sprawling. Seriously, this woman… He knew ninjas like the Raikage were no match for Tsunade's raw power.
"I didn't expect a six-year-old to possess such strength," Tsunade continued, her smile softening slightly. "You're quite the prodigy. I deliberately kept my clone's power at Genin level, you know." She ruffled his hair, seemingly oblivious to his slight wince. Tsunade, it seemed, had already moved on from their earlier… disagreement. As for Jiraiya? Well, a few bruises were water under the bridge.
"How about it?" Tsunade asked, her eyes sparkling with enthusiasm. "Why don't you graduate now? I'll have a word with the Third Hokage and see if he'll let you be my student."
Tatsumi instinctively ducked his head, avoiding Tsunade's hand. Seriously? I'm always the one patting other people on the head. No one touches my head! He glared at her, his six-year-old face hardening. "Don't you know you shouldn't touch a man's head?"
Tsunade chuckled, pinching his cheek lightly. "Che, you're just a little kid. You'll grow into a man soon enough." Tatsumi felt his cheeks flush. He hadn't experienced this kind of playful teasing before. Single dog for life, remember?
"Haha, look at you, blushing!" Tsunade teased, clearly enjoying his discomfort.
Tatsumi sighed internally. He was clearly no match for Tsunade in this arena.
"So, what do you say?" Tsunade pressed, puffing out her chest slightly. "Come on, be my student after you graduate. I was a child prodigy myself, you know. Back in the day, Jiraiya and Orochimaru were my punching bags!" She preened, clearly enjoying the opportunity to brag. "And I've never actually had a student before," she added, almost as an afterthought.
Ah, there it is, Tatsumi thought. He was less a prospective student and more a novelty item for Tsunade. He needed to steer this conversation back on track.
"Lady Tsunade," he interrupted, trying to inject some authority into his voice. "When do we start training?" Time was ticking by. Half the first day was already gone, and he hadn't learned a thing. And judging by Tsunade's current demeanour, he suspected she was planning on taking it easy. Fine. If she wants to slack off, I'll just have to be the one to push things forward.
Tsunade, prompted by Tatsumi's reminder, cleared her throat. "Now, now," she said, affecting a wounded tone. "Such impatience, young man. I was merely considering your future, you know." Her gaze shifted, becoming pointed. "Speaking of which, Uchiha Tatsumi, about this week's tuition… have you taken care of that yet?" She folded her arms across her chest, a glint in her eyes.
Tatsumi blinked, momentarily thrown. Tuition? What tuition? He'd understood this week's training was a freebie.
Facing Tatsumi's bewildered stare, Tsunade's expression remained unchanged. "Well, yes, it's free training," she conceded. "But consider the expenses I'm incurring. The lost income from a week of missed missions, Nawaki's constant demands for my attention, your food, lodging, medical care, the training ground rental… it all adds up." She gestured dramatically at the slightly scorched earth. "And look at this place! Someone has to pay for the repairs after your… vigorous training session."
Oh, please, Tatsumi thought. You're the one who trashed the place!
"Alright, alright," Tatsumi interrupted, seeing where this was going. "Lady Tsunade, let's not play games. It's just a bit of money—"
"—Which I don't have," Tsunade finished, her voice rising in mock despair. "Honestly, where am I supposed to find that kind of cash?"
Tatsumi sighed. He knew Tsunade's gambling habit had probably drained her coffers again.
Tsunade nodded sagely. "Exactly. You understand my predicament."
Tatsumi nodded back, a wry smile tugging at his lips.
"Well then," Tsunade continued, a predatory gleam in her eyes. "I hear young men's kidneys fetch a rather handsome price these days…"
Tatsumi's jaw dropped. "You wouldn't! You wouldn't sell my kidney to fund your gambling addiction, would you, Lady Tsunade?"
Tsunade let out a nervous laugh, beads of sweat appearing on her forehead. "Hahaha, what are you talking about? I have no idea what you mean. How could I do such a thing?" Damn, this kid's sharp, she thought. Does everyone in Konoha know about my gambling debts? Did Jiraiya spill the beans?
…
Meanwhile, some distance away, Jiraiya and a young Minato Namikaze crouched behind a bush, peering towards the training ground.
"Lord Jiraiya," Minato whispered, a slight frown on his face. "I don't think this is appropriate."
"Minato, you have much to learn," Jiraiya whispered back, his eyes glued to the scene. "This is research. My sensei, the Third Hokage, once imparted some wisdom that I've always lived by."
"He said that gathering information not only hones your hidden talents, but also sharpens your observational skills. And most importantly…"
Achoo! Jiraiya suddenly sneezed, a shiver running down his spine. "Someone's talking about me…" he muttered.
"Achoo!" A second sneeze followed. "Someone's definitely talking about me! And peeping!"
"Who? Where?" Minato asked, startled.
Jiraiya's sneezing fit had given them away. He grabbed Minato's arm. "The most important lesson," he hissed, "is knowing when to retreat! Run, Minato! If we get caught, we'll be scrubbing latrines for a week!"
"…" Minato simply sighed and followed Jiraiya as he fled.