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Tsunade - Ch 43
🕑 Added 2025-04-05 16:00:14 +0000 UTCChapter 43: Controversy
"You two..."
Kamizuki Izumo stared at Tsunade, who was clinging to Hikari’s arm, his words trailing off as he struggled to find the right thing to say.
Meanwhile, the traitorous Hagane Kotetsu had already vanished without a trace, leaving Izumo fuming and cursing inwardly.
'What kind of friend just ditches you like that?'
'We’re supposed to be the "Twin Guardians" of Konoha! And now, at a critical moment like this, you just bail?'
'Are we even brothers anymore?'
Fortunately, Tsunade reacted quickly. Noticing Izumo's strange expression, she calmly withdrew her arm. "Oh, I had a couple of drinks earlier and felt a bit dizzy, so Hikari helped me back."
"Is there a problem?"
A problem?
Could he even say there was a problem?
Izumo wasn't an idiot. Seeing how neither of them showed any unusual expressions, he figured that if he weren’t Hikari’s brother, he might have to just accept this situation and resign himself to being a lifelong gatekeeper.
Forcing a smile, Izumo waved his hand dismissively. "Maito Gai is waiting for you, Hokage-sama. He asked us to escort you."
"Good, let’s head inside then!"
With that, Tsunade strode forward, leaving Izumo behind as he reached out and grabbed his younger brother.
"What's wrong?" Hikari looked at his older brother in confusion. He seemed a little off today.
Izumo opened his mouth, wanting to ask what was going on between him and Tsunade. But considering their current location, he swallowed his words.
"Once we're back in the village, you and I need to have a serious talk."
"Perfect, I was just thinking about having a chat with you too!" Hikari had no idea that, in Izumo’s mind, he was already seen as a pretty boy hopelessly captivated by Tsunade.
"Big bro, you're not getting any younger. If you have an idea of what kind of woman you want, let me know. I'll help you find one."
Izumo's face turned red. Shouldn’t it be the elder brother helping the younger one with this? How did the roles reverse?
"I... uh..."
"What are you two dawdling for? Get in here already!" Tsunade stood at the doorway, glaring back at them and effectively cutting off whatever Izumo had been about to say.
"Let's go."
Hikari knew how frustrating it was to be interrupted, but the woman in front of them was their boss—the kind you couldn’t just quit working for.
"We’ll talk later."
"Fine."
The Kamizuki brothers followed Tsunade inside. What surprised Hikari the most was Maito Gai’s calm demeanor.
"Alright, everyone, take a seat. You’re all people I trust, so no need for formalities." Tsunade plopped down in the main seat, gesturing for the others to do the same.
Maito Gai sat to Tsunade’s left, while Kamizuki Hikari was unceremoniously pushed into the seat at her right. Watching the others exchange meaningful glances, Hikari could already guess what sort of ridiculous thoughts were running through their minds.
[I'm really not being kept by Tsunade.]
[If anything, I should be the one keeping her! She’s broke as hell and even mooches food off me.]
Tsunade, maintaining her usual expression, glanced around the room.
"The Daimyo’s been handled. Tomorrow, we’ll pay him a visit to finalize things, and then we can head back to Konoha. You six have worked hard, so split into two teams—one stays here on guard, the other can go out and explore. Maybe pick up some souvenirs for family and friends."
As a leader, Tsunade might have her shortcomings.
But when it came to dealing with people, she was pretty considerate.
Acknowledging their hard work and offering a break lifted everyone's spirits.
"Since you're all in such a good mood, Hikari, go order some good food and drinks and have them delivered here. I want to drink to my heart's content today."
[This damn woman... She's trying to scam me out of my money again.]
Hikari decided he couldn't stay silent any longer. As the one constantly being taken advantage of, he had to speak up.
"Tsunade-sama, if I’m the one buying, shouldn’t you at least give me some money first?"
As soon as he said that, the other men in the room looked at him with admiration.
A different kind of admiration.
'Hikari, you’re a real man!'
'Living off a strong woman yet standing tall—Hikari, you’re incredible!'
'Hikari, you’re a role model for us all! When will I find a rich lady to take care of me?'
Faced with Kamizuki Hikari’s righteous defiance, Tsunade merely smiled.
"Didn’t you just make a bit of extra cash earlier? Good fortune should be shared. Why not use that money to buy some drinks and let everyone enjoy themselves?"
[When it comes to shamelessness, I still can’t beat you.]
He had no expectations of getting any money out of Tsunade, that notorious penny-pincher. Might as well take this as a minor loss to avoid greater misfortune.
"Fine, I got it. I’ll go buy some food and drinks later."
"Kamizuki brothers and Hagane Kotetsu, you’re Team One. Maito Gai, Shiranui Genma, and Yamashiro Aoba, you’re Team Two. Team One can go shopping. If you visit Takamagahara, make sure to disguise yourselves. Don’t let anyone know you’re from Konoha."
Cough, cough.
Apart from Hikari and Gai, the other men shifted awkwardly in their seats.
Having a boss who was this understanding felt... oddly unsettling.
"Alright, dismissed. Negotiating that budget today wore me out." Tsunade stood and headed for her room, pausing at the door to glance back.
"Hikari, when you bring the food and drinks back, remember to call me."
"Make sure to buy plenty of alcohol. If it’s not enough, it won’t be fun. Got it?"
Hikari’s mouth twitched. She was clearly planning to take full advantage of the situation.
"Got it."
Watching Tsunade leave so effortlessly, Hikari’s eyes were filled with resentment.
[There goes my money again. Whoever marries this woman is doomed for life.]
He turned around, only to see eight eager eyes locked onto him—especially his older brother, whose fiery gaze made Hikari instinctively take a step back.
"What do you guys want?"
"Nothing much. Hikari, let’s go for a walk. I have something to discuss with you!" Izumo said, grabbing him by the arm.
Shiranui Genma and Yamashiro Aoba exchanged a glance. "Hikari, we also have some questions. Would you mind?"
Faced with these men seeking enlightenment, Hikari shrugged and pointed towards Tsunade’s room. "If it’s about her, better save it for later. We can talk privately once we’re back in Konoha."
Genma and Aoba nodded in unison. "Then we’ll wait. No rush."
Heh.
Hikari had already seen through these guys.
Let’s be real—they were all guys. Who didn’t understand how things worked?
On the surface, Hatake Kakashi might have been Konoha’s most notorious pervert, always carrying a copy of Icha Icha Paradise and looking perpetually sleep-deprived.
But let’s not forget—Jiraiya had become a best-selling author across the shinobi world thanks to that very series.
The books were wildly popular in all five great nations, which just went to show how bored men in the shinobi world were—especially in the pre-digital era.
