This High-Stakes Match

"Natsume, get up and take your medicine."

Tsunade opened the door and saw Natsume sleeping peacefully through the crack.

This child was ridiculously good-looking.

"Big sis, could you please step outside?"

Natsume said shyly.

He was not used to having someone watch him change clothes.

"Ah."

Tsunade came back to her senses, noticed his expression, and smiled. "What's there to be embarrassed about?"

Pah, what a female hooligan!

Natsume stared at her with an expression that plainly said he would not get out of bed unless she left.

But paired with his childish face, it was simply... unbearably adorable.

Tsunade subconsciously swallowed, closed the door, and said, "Come out once you've changed."

She turned around, put on an apron, entered the kitchen, and began making breakfast.

Shizune was there too, though she was brewing medicine.

Although Chakra was incredibly versatile, medicine still had a wide range of uses.

As a Medical Ninja, brewing medicine was essential.

This medicine was meant to strengthen the body and had been specially prepared for Natsume.

He had grown up in an Orphanage, where even three ordinary meals a day had been a luxury, let alone proper nutrition.

"Natsume."

Shizune carried over the medicine and knocked on the bathroom door.

"Coming."

Natsume put down his toothbrush, opened the door, took the bowl, and drank it all in one gulp.

It was warm and thoughtful.

Yeah, right.

His little face instantly twisted from the bitterness.

"Here, have a lollipop."

Tsunade pulled out a lollipop, unwrapped it, and popped it into Natsume's little mouth.

Though she gambled, drank, and had a terrible temper, she was still a good "foster mother."

Only three days had passed, and Tsunade had already shown her true colors.

Whenever she went out to buy medicine, she gambled.

Whenever she ate dinner at night, she drank.

A gambler and a drunkard.

Natsume was fortunate that Tsunade was strong enough.

Otherwise, his kidneys would have been harvested long ago and he would have been sold off to some unknown place.

Not long afterward.

Rice balls were placed on the table.

As usual, Natsume mentally prepared himself, picked up a rice ball, took two bites, and swallowed it.

Shizune across from him did almost exactly the same thing.

Only Tsunade ate her rice ball while looking at Natsume, the smile on her beautiful face deepening.

Everyone liked a pretty face.

Tsunade was no exception.

She felt that Natsume perfectly matched her tastes, and merely looking at him put her in a good mood.

Breakfast ended.

Tsunade took out two sets of black mourning clothes and said, "Natsume, Shizune, put these on over your clothes. We're attending a funeral today."

Natsume nodded, accepted them, and put them on directly.

He immediately looked like part of a professional crew.

Konoha Memorial Stone.

By the time the three of them arrived, the place was already packed.

Everyone wore matching black outerwear, and the atmosphere was solemn and grave.

It was also Natsume's first time seeing so many characters from the story.

Every ninja without a mission was there.

He looked around.

He recognized only a few people with especially distinctive features.

For example, Kakashi Hatake.

His head of white hair and the mask that seemed to have grown onto his face made him stand out immensely.

But he looked utterly despondent.

As though a female ghost had drained every bit of his vitality the night before, leaving him lifeless.

Natsume could understand.

After losing Obito Uchiha and Rin Nohara one after another, Kakashi Hatake had now lost his teacher, Minato Namikaze.

Combined with losing his father at a young age, calling him a lone star doomed to bring misfortune would not have been an exaggeration.

It was not until he met Naruto Uzumaki that Kakashi Hatake finally pulled himself together.

Since it was a funeral, no one had any desire to speak to one another.

Natsume stood beside Tsunade, occasionally glancing around.

Before long, Third Hokage Hiruzen Sarutobi appeared.

His tone was heavy as he began his speech.

"Fourth Hokage Minato Namikaze, along with the unfortunate ninja and villagers who sacrificed themselves, gave their lives for Konoha's peace and to uphold the Will of Fire, perishing together with the invaders."

"Among them were elders in their fifties and sixties, as well as children of seven and eight. Their deaths are Konoha's loss. Those of us who survived will remember them forever, and we must carry on their spirit and the Will of Fire."

"I guarantee that every deceased person will receive compensation, and the family members they left behind will receive the best possible arrangements."

Though it was inappropriate for the occasion, Natsume nearly laughed out loud.

The greatest contributors during the Nine-Tails Attack had been Minato Namikaze and Kushina Uzumaki.

Yet their son, Naruto Uzumaki, who should have received treatment befitting a hero, instead suffered the most extreme treatment because of his identity as a Jinchuriki.

It was an immense irony.

The ninja and villagers attending the funeral had all been protected by Minato Namikaze and Kushina Uzumaki.

But who could have imagined that a few years later, they would call their saviors' son a demon fox and subject him to cold violence?

Fourth Hokage, just look at what you protected.

"Natsume."

Tsunade handed him a bundle of white flowers and said, "Come lay flowers with me later."

"Mm."

Natsume nodded.

How should he put it?

He did not feel much.

After all, the dead were all strangers to him.

After laying down the flowers, he returned home with Tsunade.

Over the following days, he had to hurry and master Wood Style: Three Basic Ninjutsu before making contact with Orochimaru.

Because Natsume did not know exactly when Orochimaru would defect.

If he missed the chance, it would be troublesome.

Orochimaru was a very important part of his plan.

Half a month passed.

Natsume and Tsunade became even closer.

Their bond felt like a combination of mother and son, as well as older sister and younger brother.

Under Tsunade's careful instruction, Natsume finally learned Wood Style: Three Basic Ninjutsu.

Though using all of them once would exhaust all his Chakra, it was still a rare achievement.

At his age, he could already be considered a genius.

At the same time, Hiruzen Sarutobi sent someone to deliver an admission notice from the Ninja Academy.

Tsunade agreed.

But not entirely.

In her view, there was no need to spend all six years at the Ninja Academy. Graduating early after two or three years would be enough.

Night.

"This ninjutsu is still too difficult for you right now."

Tsunade pulled out a tissue and wiped the sweat from Natsume's forehead.

The Three Basic Ninjutsu were E-rank techniques.

After mastering them, he had tried learning D-rank Wood Style Ninjutsu.

But it was far too strenuous.

Natsume raised his head and happened to see Tsunade's face close to his.

Because they were so near, he could feel her fragrant breath brushing against his cheeks.

He subconsciously turned his head aside, and his gaze was suddenly drawn to a snow-white abyss.

The stimulation instantly doubled.

"Alright, that's enough training for tonight. Go take a bath, then get some sleep."

Tsunade rubbed his head and said, "You're only seven. There's no need to rush your training. The more you rush, the greater the harm to your body."

Natsume nodded.

At this age, it really was harmful to his body.

So, big sis, could you maybe restrain yourself a little?

There were too many benefits, and all I could do was stare longingly.

After taking a bath, Natsume lay in bed. Half an hour later, he got up.

Wood Style: Wood Clone Jutsu!

Several vines emerged from his head and shoulders, rapidly forming two clones in front of him.

Wood Style: Transformation Jutsu!

The two clones were suddenly wrapped in branches, then their bodies grew taller as they transformed into two young men in their twenties.

"Try your best to persuade Orochimaru."

Naturally, Natsume would not go personally.

That would only be throwing his life away.

Fortunately, this was Wood Style. Ordinary Clone Technique and Transformation Jutsu could not be used like this.

Of course, having the Wood Clones walk there was not realistic either.

Natsume spent two Destiny Points to send them to where Orochimaru lived.

"I'll go first."

The clone on the left said, "With Orochimaru's personality, I'll most likely be done for."

"Doesn't matter. I'll make my move."

The clone on the right gave a thumbs-up and said, "This is a high-stakes match. Watch me carry."

"I'm counting on you, other me."

The clone on the left strode resolutely into the residence.