I'm Here, and Your Good Days Are Here: A Double Meaning

"Lady Tsunade, we're almost at Kusagakure."

"Finally. That brat sure knows how to order people around."

"Tamaki has other arrangements. We're working together, one in the open and the other in the shadows."

"Oh? You little girl, have you fallen for that brat?"

"No, I haven't."

"Look, look, you're blushing."

After Tsunade finished teasing Shizune, the two entered Kusagakure without trouble.

She was Tsunade, after all, one of the Konoha Sannin and a strong contender to become the next Hokage.

Rumor had it that she had left Konoha, but Konoha had never actually said so. Anyone who believed it was a fool.

Tamaki, meanwhile, had transformed himself into a wandering ninja and joined Kusagakure, gathering information there ahead of time.

Tsunade wasn't sure whether there really were Uzumaki clansmen here, and she wouldn't have played at going undercover to gather information, either.

Joining Kusagakure was easy. Apart from a few places, security throughout the village was extremely lax.

Information was easy to come by here, too. After keeping his head down for a few days, he found out everything over drinks he treated people to.

He even knew which Jonin elder had seven wives and, with a count on his fingers, which one the elder would sleep with today.

Kusagakure had no Kage. The Jonin elders generally discussed and decided village matters among themselves, and gossip about them was quite popular in the village.

Small countries like the Land of Grass, squeezed between great nations, existed for only one reason: to serve as battlefields for the great nations' wars.

After all, if fighting really reached their own lands, they would have to bear the losses in population and economy themselves. But on someone else's territory, no matter how fiercely they fought, they wouldn't have to clean up afterward.

After checking into an inn, Tsunade was constantly entertained by several of Kusagakure's Jonin elders for days on end.

Some people dared boast that they were undefeated, but nobody dared boast that they never needed a doctor.

Tsunade hadn't relied on strength alone to live peacefully for over a decade after leaving the village.

Knock, knock—

"Lady Tsunade, I've brought water for you to wash your feet."

Click.

Shizune came over and opened the door.

Tamaki entered in disguise, carrying a basin of water, and dispelled his transformation as soon as he was inside.

Tsunade glanced at him. "Go on, then. What did you find out, brat?"

"There's a mother and daughter in Kusagakure right now. Both are Uzumaki survivors, and the mother isn't in very good shape."

"Where are they?"

"In the wounded area on the outskirts."

"What are you planning to do?"

Tsunade, a little tipsy, asked Tamaki.

"I'll go over tomorrow and take them away."

"And then? You can't take them wandering around with you. If they've been reduced to coming here, they clearly don't have much fighting strength."

"I'll send them back to the village. At least on the surface, the agreement between the Uzumaki and Konoha is still in effect, and Kushina is in Konoha too."

"Not counting me and the clan elders, you, Kushina, and that mother and daughter would be enough to form a small Kekkei Genkai clan."

"Isn't that great? I'll be one step closer to gaining the power to bring peace to the Shinobi World."

"You're not hiding your ambition at all?"

"I need to when I'm facing the Third, but not when I'm facing my teacher."

"Tch."

Tsunade understood that her disciple kept stressing his ambition in front of her, while also taking action. If he kept going like this, she really might end up standing on his side.

"Well then, teacher, I'll take my leave."

"You've already brought the foot-washing water, so wash your teacher's feet before you go."

Tsunade felt a burst of satisfaction at the utterly bewildered look on Tamaki's face.

After washing his teacher's feet and those of the little beauty Shizune, Tamaki left with the basin.

The Grass Ninja whose job he had taken pulled faces and asked whether he had received any pointers from Tsunade. When Tamaki said no, the ninja laughed heartily and left.

The next day.

Without a hitch, Tamaki used his superb acting and a disguised wound to make his way to where Karin and her mother were.

He entered the house, which consisted of two small rooms, and saw a woman sitting there with her arm extended, a numb expression on her face.

Looking at the scars covering her body and her numb expression, Tamaki could only sigh.

Without saying much, he took out the clan leader's seal and stepped forward.

"Do you still recognize this?"

The numb woman raised her head. For a moment, he couldn't tell whether she didn't recognize it or didn't dare acknowledge it.

"I got this in the Land of Whirlpools. My older sister is Kushina Uzumaki. I have just one question: are you willing to come with me?"

A brief silence followed, as though she were trying to determine whether the person before her was telling the truth. Then a hoarse voice spoke.

"Take my daughter with us."

"Where is she?"

"She's sleeping in the next room. I'll go get her."

The woman immediately went inside and picked up Karin.

"Let's go. Oh, right, what's your name?"

"Kana. Kana Uzumaki. My daughter's name is Karin."

"I'll remember that."

As he spoke, Tamaki formed a seal and created two Wood Clones, both with his transformed appearance.

The two clones would cause destruction in different places to draw attention, while the original took Kana and her daughter away.

The two clones left one after the other. One went to the place in Kusagakure where missions were normally assigned, and the other to a resting area where many ninja gathered.

"Water Release: Water Dragon Bullet!"

"Earth Release: Earth Dragon Bullet!"

The two clones began their operation. Backed by their immense Chakra, both techniques erupted with astonishing force and drew the attention of a great many Grass Ninja, who rushed toward the two locations.

Only when he saw this did Tamaki speak. "Let's go. I'll take you away from here."

Meanwhile, over at the clones' locations.

After using the Water Dragon Bullet, one clone relied on Taijutsu to hold off the Grass Ninja there.

"Damn it, what's going on? Is this an attack?"

"No, it's a guy who just joined a couple of days ago."

"A spy? Damn him."

Looking at Tamaki, the Chunin was beside himself with anger.

"Grass Vine Binding!"

Several vines coiled around Tamaki's ankles, but they had no effect whatsoever. They couldn't even slow him down.

Seeing that his Ninjutsu was useless, the Chunin rushed forward and joined the fight himself.

"Looks like just about enough people have gathered."

A few of the ninja closest to Tamaki, who had been fighting him all this time, suddenly felt a chill in their hearts.

"Scatter!"

"Water Release: Great Exploding Water Shockwave!"

"Water Release: Water Dragon Bullet!"

Right after the Great Exploding Water Shockwave, Tamaki followed up with another Water Dragon Bullet. He had plenty of Chakra now, so he could afford to go all out.

After the two Water Release attacks, nearly all of the hundred or so ninja around him were dead or wounded.

Over at the other clone's location, he unleashed two tremendously powerful Earth Release techniques.

"Earth Release: Earth Flow River!"

"Earth Release: Earth Dragon Bullet!"

It was the classic binding plus ranged AOE combo, and, you had to admit, it packed a deadly punch.

The Jonin elders who had been having Tsunade treat their hidden ailments and old injuries could no longer sit still. They all rose and headed for the scene.

The two clones had also gathered together by now and stood facing the Jonin elders.

"Damn it, who the hell are you?"

"Tamaki Uzumaki, the new leader of the Uzumaki Clan. I think you should understand why I'm here."

"Damn you."

Looking at the Jonin elders grinding their teeth, Tamaki decided he ought to leave them one more gift.

"Earth Release: Earth-Style Wall!"

Enormous earthen walls instantly rose beneath the two clones' feet, forming a semicircle that surrounded the Jonin elders.

"Damn it, get out!"

"Water Release: Great Exploding Water Shockwave!" ×2

"Damn it, work together, quickly!"

Some elders joined forces to use the Earth Style Wall, some hoped to use Taijutsu to climb the earthen walls quickly, and others hoped to sink underground.

Tamaki paid no heed to whether they lived or died. The clones dispersed after using the Ninjutsu.