"Are you serious?" Tsunade looked at Hikari suspiciously. It was hard to believe compliments coming from this kid's mouth.
Kamizuki Hikari nodded. "Of course, it's true. Truer than gold."
[Tsunade, you're already this big. How could I possibly lie to you!]
Noticing Hikari's gaze, Tsunade didn't step back. Instead, she proudly puffed out her chest.
Women are just that confident.
[Tch, as expected of the biggest in the shinobi world... I wonder how they feel?]
[Come to think, that Kumogakure's Samui is also quite impressive. If the two of them could be compared side by side, that would be great.]
Black lines.
Tsunade once again felt the urge to punch someone.
Here she was, letting him admire her beauty, and he was thinking about other women—Kumogakure kunoichi at that!
Those dark-skinned girls, how could they compare to her?
Wait... does this mean Kamizuki Hikari actually prefers darker-skinned women?
"Tsunade-sama, I'll leave Lee's treatment to you. As the number one medical-nin in the world, I have absolute faith in your skills!"
[When it comes to healing, Tsunade is top-tier. If I recall correctly, she even cured the Tsuchigumo clan's secret technique.]
Tsunade turned to look at the village, masking her expression.
Back when she and Shizune were traveling, they had encountered the Fourth Raikage, A. She had then used her medical ninjutsu to nullify the Tsuchigumo clan's explosive jutsu. That information should have been highly classified, even Konoha didn't record it. How did this brat know?
And just now, he was thinking about Kumogakure's Samui... Could he be a spy from Kumo?
If that's the case, there's no way she can let this slide.
[Lee is Gai's true successor. The Eight Gates are best suited for him. Once he reaches Gai's age, he'll probably be able to open the final Gate of Death, becoming Konoha's ultimate trump card.]
[Until then, he still needs to keep training. After all, among Gai's three students, he's the only one who respects me the most. I have to take care of him.]
The Eight Gates?
The Gate of Death?
Can Gai open the Gate of Death now?
Now that's good news.
Back then, Maito Dai opened all Eight Gates and kicked four of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist to death, leaving the remaining three so terrified that they fled and never dared to face Konoha's shinobi again. That battle alone made him famous and announced the arrival of taijutsu specialists.
It was because of that incident that the Third Hokage broke tradition and promoted Gai to jōnin.
Maito Dai was only a genin, yet when he opened the Gate of Death, he could kill members of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen. Now, Maito Gai is an elite jōnin—if he opens the Eight Gates, wouldn't he completely dominate the Five Kage?
Thinking of this, Tsunade suddenly felt at ease. Her heart was no longer anxious, her legs felt steady, she walked with confidence, and her appetite returned.
With Gai in hand, what do Mitokado Homura, Utatane Koharu, and Shimura Danzo amount to? They're all trash!
'If they come at me, I'll wipe them out!'
'That's right. I'm just that bold!'
Tsunade, who was still considering whether to treat Lee, finally made up her mind.
She had to save him.
Not for any other reason but to win over Gai. She had to perform this surgery.
With that thought, Tsunade turned to face Hikari with a smile. "Regarding this surgery, there are still some uncertainties. This time, I plan to have you and Shizune assist me. No problem, right?"
[Can I say no?]
[Forget it. For Lee's sake, I'll do it this once.]
"Tsunade-sama, I have no objections. Being able to assist you is truly an honor!" To show sincerity, Hikari put on an expression of deep emotion, as if this opportunity was of the utmost importance to him.
Tsunade: 'Yeah, right. As if I'd believe you, you!'
Knowing Kamizuki Hikari's inner thoughts, Tsunade wouldn't be fooled by his great acting.
Watching Hikari put on a show in front of her, completely unaware that his thoughts were being read, Tsunade felt an indescribable satisfaction from within.
This was great!
She could just sit back and watch him act, feeling no pressure at all. In fact, she even found it amusing.
"Good. Keep working hard. Konoha's future lies in the hands of young people like you. Honestly, Shizune's medical skills are decent, but she's still a bit lacking compared to me. If you perform well, I might even consider taking you as my student!"
[No, please don't!]
[If you take me as a student, and we end up together, won't that mess up the hierarchy? I don't care about that stuff, but Tsunade, you're the Fifth Hokage. You should be mindful of your image.]
Tsunade's mouth twitched slightly.
Fine, fine. Her unparalleled charm.
Even though his words were disrespectful, she decided to let it slide this time, considering his sincerity toward her.
[If we're talking about taking a student, among the Konoha 12, Haruno Sakura would be the best fit. She's a real powerhouse, capable of inheriting the Strength of a Hundred Seal. Except for her... "well-endowed" figure, there's nothing to complain about.]
Hikari wouldn't end up with Haruno Sakura anyway, and he had no improper thoughts about her. From Konoha's perspective, she was a solid choice.
"Forget it. Looking at you, I doubt you'd be willing."
Tsunade didn't wait for Hikari's response. Since she had already read his thoughts, she knew he wouldn't agree. Making him say it would just be embarrassing.
"Tsunade-sama, you are truly wise. My talent in medical ninjutsu is quite average!"
"Not many medical-nin are capable of using the Mystical Palm Technique."
In the realm of medical ninjutsu, the Mystical Palm Technique was something only elite shinobi could master. Even in Konoha Hospital, few could use it. Hikari saying his talent was lacking wasn't self-deprecation—it was practically an insult to medical-nin in general.
Oh well. In Tsunade's eyes, Konoha's medical-nin were pretty mediocre anyway.
None of them even had a third of her skill. They were completely useless. So it didn't matter if he insulted them—it had nothing to do with her.
But that Haruno Sakura... she was Naruto's teammate, right?
Thinking of this, Tsunade suddenly smirked mischievously.
"Hikari, I heard that Kakashi's Team 7 is full of geniuses. What do you think about me taking Haruno Sakura as my student?"
Kamizuki Hikari froze.
Looking at Tsunade, he suddenly felt uneasy.
[Wait, is Tsunade a transmigrator too? How does she know that Sakura is destined to be her student? Is she testing me?]
[I swear, I have no ulterior motives! I just want to find a wife in Konoha and live a happy life!]
[Why is there another transmigrator in this world? Damn system, come out! I know you're there. Get out here right now!]
Sensing Hikari's panic, Tsunade's expression shifted slightly.
This was the first time she had sensed such fear in him. Though she didn't know the reason, one thing was clear—if she wanted to keep him around, she had to play dumb.
"What, is there a problem?"
"I heard her chakra control is quite good. She has no special background or bloodline limit. Maybe becoming a medical ninja would be a good choice!"
Hearing that, Hikari's panic lessened.
As long as Tsunade wasn't a transmigrator, he had nothing to fear.
Only a transmigrator knows how terrifying another transmigrator can be. As an honest man, he just wanted to live a peaceful life.