Rain Country Border

Tsunade arrived at the hospital and went alone to the Underground Research Lab.

She took out the documents and Hashirama Cells from the Storage Scroll.

At this stage, there was no one trustworthy enough to serve as her assistant, so she could only work on it by herself for now.

She sorted the documents into categories and returned the Hashirama Cells to the freezer.

By the time she had organized the piles of documents and left the hospital, it was nearly time for dinner.

Tsunade headed toward the Hatake Clan residence.

All kinds of dishes had already been laid out on the table. The spread was incredibly lavish.

Thinking about how he would not get to eat so many good things once he went to war, Kawafune practically wished they could set another table.

Once Tsunade arrived, the feast began.

"I'm planning to bring Nawaki along tomorrow."

Only now did Kawafune mention it to Tsunade.

"Then I'll leave him to you."

Tsunade's expression remained calm. Nawaki had long wanted to go to the battlefield, and this was simply a good opportunity.

With Kawafune leading him, the danger would be drastically reduced. Tsunade had no desire to stop him either.

"Don't worry. I'm here."

Kawafune reached out and placed his hand over Tsunade's.

They were not even avoiding others anymore.

Nawaki lowered his head and ate his meat, pretending not to see.

Minato watched with great interest instead, his mind full of the little red-haired girl.

He had been busy training lately and had neglected her.

He could only pin the blame on Kawafune.

"If there's any news, you can pass it to me through the Slug Sage."

Tsunade had turned the Slug Sage into a messenger.

"Alright, drink."

Kawafune raised his cup, and the three of them drained their drinks in one gulp.

Since Nayuki was pregnant, she had switched to drinking milk.

Alcohol was a wonderful thing. The mood gradually livened up, and the atmosphere was no longer so oppressive.

In the end, whether intentionally or not, Tsunade drank too much.

Minato, meanwhile, shyly followed Nawaki back to the Senju Clan residence.

He said he wanted to say goodbye to Kushina and would return tomorrow.

One little one left, while one grown one remained. Kawafune had made a killing this time.

Under Sakumo's shocked gaze, the still-sober Kawafune carried Tsunade back to the room.

The words "disgraceful to the family" stuck in Sakumo's throat, yet he forcibly swallowed them back down.

Before he married Nayuki, even holding hands had made him blush. Comparing people really could drive one mad.

Returning to the room, Kawafune gently placed the drunk Tsunade on the bed and removed her coat.

She was still unconsciously mumbling, "Come back safely."

At that moment, Kawafune had no improper thoughts at all as he looked at her fair face, softened by an adorable drunken haze.

He gently kissed her forehead and lay down beside her.

Holding her soft body, he fell asleep.

Meanwhile, Minato was at the Senju Clan residence, coaxing an angry Kushina.

He firmly pinned all the blame on Kawafune. Who would have thought the little sun had this side to him too?

"Don't be angry. Teacher was the one making me develop ninjutsu."

"I really didn't have the time."

"I'm leaving for the battlefield with Teacher tomorrow. That's why I came to say goodbye to you."

Minato wore a thoroughly ingratiating expression. Kushina had her back to him and her lips pursed, clearly dissatisfied with his attitude toward apologizing.

"I'm leaving tomorrow morning. Are you really unwilling to even look at me again?"

Minato used his ultimate move: acting pitiful.

Kushina ultimately could not bring herself to be cruel. She turned around and looked at Minato before her.

"I'll see you off."

The next day, Tsunade woke up in Kawafune's arms.

Feeling the large hand on her body, she quietly moved it away.

"Even asleep, you can't behave yourself."

Turning to look at Kawafune, whose eyes were still closed, she swept her pale golden hair beneath his nose.

Only when he raised a hand to grab at it did she pull it away. Yet Kawafune suddenly opened his eyes and pulled her into his embrace, facing him.

"It's early in the morning, and I'm feeling quite worked up."

"Don't provoke me."

Kawafune's lips curled upward as he tightened his hold around Tsunade.

Her breasts were squeezed flat.

"Ah, I need to get up."

Tsunade felt something foreign against her abdomen. Her face flushed red, and she hurriedly broke free from Kawafune's arms.

She darted out the door in a flash.

"Coward."

Kawafune muttered with a smile, rolled his neck, and got up as well.

At breakfast, Nawaki and Minato had their packs on their backs, while Kushina followed behind them.

Once they had finished eating, it was nearly time to gather and depart. Sakumo held the bag Nayuki had packed, and the two reluctantly said their goodbyes.

"I'll wait for you to return."

The battlefield changed in an instant. Nayuki only wished for his safe return.

"Wait for me."

For once, Sakumo kissed Nayuki's forehead lightly in front of everyone.

Everything Kawafune was bringing fit into a single Storage Scroll, and he handed that scroll to Minato to carry.

A disciple should serve his teacher. Nothing wrong with that.

Kushina looked disdainfully at Kawafune, who had empty hands and not a shred of an elder's dignity.

"Minato, be careful."

Minato nodded heavily.

"I'll miss you."

After saying that, Kushina shyly turned around. Minato's face was full of excitement as well.

"I'll miss you too."

Without saying anything, Kawafune first pulled Tsunade into a tight embrace.

"If you really miss me, we can meet in Shikkotsu Forest."

Good grief, the Reverse Summoning Jutsu had become a dating tool.

Neither of them showed the Slug Sage the respect it deserved.

At the entrance to the Hatake Clan residence, the two groups parted ways.

Nawaki received one final head pat from his sister, along with the words, "Listen to your big brother."

Otherwise, he would have been the loneliest one there.

When they arrived at the village entrance, a large group of Jonin had already gathered with the Chunin and Genin.

"Kawafune-kun, Sakumo-kun."

A gleaming center-parted hairstyle appeared before Kawafune. It was Might Duy.

Sure enough, just as he had expected, his big brother had called along his good buddy, whom he had only known for a short time.

"Duy, let's go."

At that moment, Orochimaru had already given the signal to advance.

Konoha's large force of shinobi began heading for the Land of Rain border.

Kawafune somehow produced a map of the Shinobi World. Traveling from Konoha to the Land of Rain at full Jonin speed would take roughly two days.

But this was a large force, including Genin and supplies. The march would likely take at least half a month.

The Land of Rain lay at the border where the Land of Fire, Land of Wind, and Land of Earth met.

It bordered the Land of Grass. Between it and the Land of Iron were the Land of Grass and the Land of Waterfalls.

Kawafune could not understand why Hanzō the Salamander had gone and attacked them for no reason. Was he bored or something?

The Land of Rain saw rain year-round and was filled with valleys. Though the Rain Ninja were few in number, under Hanzō the Salamander's iron-fisted rule,

they were still formidable fighters, most skilled at assassination and gathering intelligence.

Combining the map with the information he knew from the original work, Kawafune decided to move ahead first. The main force was too slow.

Leading the troops was Orochimaru's responsibility. What did that have to do with Hatake Kawafune?

Calling over Sakumo and Duy and bringing the two youngsters, Kawafune informed Orochimaru before the group split off from the main force.

Along the way, they lived off the land and ate plenty of game.

Kawafune's Storage Scroll even contained a full set of cooking utensils, giving Sakumo an even deeper understanding of him as he cooked.

His little brother had simply been born with a master's fate.

As the big brother, he still had to cook for his little brother. Where was the justice in that?

After a week of forced marching, the group finally crossed the Land of Fire's border and entered the Land of Rain.

Following the address Orochimaru had given them, they found the camp of Konoha's advance negotiation force.