A Man in Leaf Village: Starts by Slapping the White Fang — Chapter 31

He hadn't expected his old man to experience it ahead of time.

Behind him, Tsunade had, quite unusually, not gone to the casino. Instead, she stood behind Genetsu, rubbing her eyes from time to time, looking like she hadn't woken up yet.

Well, in truth, she had barely slept at all.

Less than two hours after falling asleep, Jiraiya and Minato Namikaze had come knocking.

That bastard Hatake Gengetsu had the nerve to do that kind of thing with her even after they broke up.

She had subtly hinted at getting back together.

But that big idiot had started playing dumb again.

Whenever she thought of the worshipful look that little girl from Shinku Yuhi's family gave Genetsu, Tsunade's gaze toward him filled with contempt.

This guy... he couldn't really be that perverted, could he?

"Lady Tsunade, while I'm away training with Master Jiraiya, could I ask you to take care of Kushina?"

Minato Namikaze suddenly dropped into a dogeza before Tsunade and bowed deeply.

Kushina's status in Leaf Village was exceptionally special.

Although her identity as the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki had not been exposed, the ninja from the village's great clans could vaguely guess some of it.

They all told their children to stay as far away from her as possible.

Once he left, Kushina would likely have no one in Leaf Village to look after her.

After much thought, the only person Minato Namikaze could entrust her to was Tsunade.

After all, the Senju Clan and the Uzumaki Clan were distant relatives, and intermarriage between them had been customary since ancient times.

Though that tradition had been buried in the ruins of history alongside the successive downfall of the Uzumaki and Senju.

"Kushina... she's had it hard too."

At the mention of that little girl, Tsunade sighed emotionally.

The two of them had met through her grandmother, Uzumaki Mito.

They had originally been on good terms.

But after Grandma Mito passed away and the Senju suffered disaster, Tsunade no longer had the heart to look after Kushina.

Besides, as the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki, as long as the higher-ups hadn't lost their minds.

They would never dare do anything to her.

"Minato!!!"

Just as they were talking, a red-haired, round-faced girl about the same age as Minato Namikaze—roughly fifteen—came running over.

"Tomato."

With her crimson hair and chubby baby face, that was Genetsu's first impression of Kushina.

He blurted it out on instinct.

"Kushina, calm down, calm down!"

The moment Minato Namikaze heard Genetsu say those three words, his face went pale with fright. He hurriedly stepped between Kushina and Genetsu.

Genetsu could vaguely see Kushina's red hair beginning to float in the air without wind, like flames.

Those three words provoked Kushina about as much as "fat pig" would provoke Choji Akimichi in the future.

Only after Minato Namikaze soothed her for quite a while did Kushina barely calm down.

"These are Lord Genetsu and Lady Tsunade. While I'm away, the two of them will take care of you. Come, say hello."

Minato Namikaze said with a wry smile.

"Lady Tsunade!"

When she saw Tsunade, Kushina's face was full of admiration. But when she turned to Genetsu, she forcibly suppressed the anger in her heart and put on a smile uglier than crying, saying with a fake grin:

"L-Lord Genetsu..."

The mother of Naruto Uzumaki, the child blessed by cheats?

For this woman, who had very little screen time in the original story and was still just a girl now.

Genetsu gave her a once-over.

Suddenly, Genetsu felt someone smack him hard across the back.

Turning around, he saw Tsunade wearing the same fake smile. "Looks good, huh?"

"It's a misunderstanding..."

Genetsu was speechless.

Could you stop getting jealous over nothing?

He was purely curious about Kushina Uzumaki.

If they were talking feminine charm, Kushina couldn't compare to Tsunade. She probably couldn't even beat Yūhi Kurenai. She wasn't his type.

Fortunately, Tsunade didn't know what Genetsu was thinking. Otherwise, it would not have been just a slap—she would probably have swung a Monster Strength Fist at him.

You bastard, you really are that perverted!?

"Oh, right, Minato, Lord Hokage told me to give this to you!"

Kushina suddenly remembered something and handed a scroll to Minato Namikaze.

Before leaving, Minato Namikaze had told her that he would first visit Lord Hatake Gengetsu, the [Black Blade], outside the village.

That was why Kushina had been able to find this place.

"Hm?"

Minato Namikaze accepted the scroll and opened one end slightly.

Jiraiya beside him leaned closer.

The instant he saw the first line, his eyes widened in shock as he cried out:

"This is—the Second Hokage's Flying Thunder God!?"

At the words Flying Thunder God, Tsunade, who had been acting indifferent, could not help raising her delicate brows sharply.

This was a technique developed by her second grandfather.

It could also be said to belong to the Senju Clan.

After it was confirmed that neither Tsunade nor Nawaki had inherited the Wood Style bloodline limit.

The clan elders had intended to teach this godly technique to the siblings.

Unfortunately.

Tsunade was unsuited for it, while Nawaki's aptitude was insufficient.

Since the founding of Leaf Village, other than Tobirama Senju, no second person had learned this technique.

"He really went all out, Lord Third."

Genetsu revealed a faintly smiling expression.

He suddenly understood why Minato Namikaze had later been willing to govern alongside Hiruzen Sarutobi without showing much dissatisfaction.

His soft personality was one reason. Another was that, as a commoner, he had surely received plenty of kindness from Hiruzen Sarutobi during his years of growth.

"The Flying Thunder God may only be rated as a B-rank ninjutsu, but in the hands of its user, it can unleash power reaching S-rank."

Tsunade narrowed her beautiful eyes slightly, propped her chin on her hand, and stared straight at Minato Namikaze until his scalp tingled.

"To give it directly to a brat like you."

After Tobirama Senju succeeded Senju Hashirama, he sought to further promote equal opportunity for commoner ninja.

He had the major ninja clans contribute their secret techniques and place them in the Scroll of Seals.

Then, under a merit system, those who rendered service to the village could earn the right to learn high-level ninjutsu.

The main purpose was to give commoner ninja the chance to rise through the ranks.

That was why it felt as though every Leaf Ninja knew the Uchiha's Great Fireball.

But for an advanced ninjutsu like the Flying Thunder God, one had to complete at least an S-rank Mission to qualify to learn it.

Yet Hiruzen Sarutobi had handed it directly to Minato Namikaze.

The meaning behind that was impossible not to speculate about.

"Lord Hokage actually entrusted such an advanced ninjutsu to me..."

Naturally, Minato Namikaze was incredibly excited to receive the signature ninjutsu of the Second Hokage.

After all, he was still only a fourteen-year-old kid. He hadn't thought that far ahead, and his heart was full of gratitude.

That meant Hiruzen Sarutobi's goal had been achieved.

Jiraiya sighed beside him, unsure whether this was ultimately good or bad.

He was taking Minato Namikaze away from Leaf Village to train precisely so he could stay far away from the village's bottomless political struggles.

But Jiraiya was still too naive.

As long as Minato Namikaze still aimed to become Hokage, he would inevitably be drawn into conflict.

At last, after Kushina waved goodbye, the backs of master and disciple grew smaller and smaller.

Until they disappeared completely from sight.

"Hey, aren't you worried? The old man is obviously planning to cultivate that kid."

Tsunade turned to Genetsu and asked.

"Him? Let him train for another hundred years first."

Genetsu smiled.

With the system at his side, Genetsu had no fear whatsoever. Even if Minato Namikaze activated Nine-Tails Mode, let alone learned the Flying Thunder God.

"Also, I think you've misunderstood something."

Genetsu picked up his sword, sat cross-legged on the ground, and began meditating with his eyes closed. Opening his left eye, he said to Tsunade:

"Although I killed Sarutobi Shinnosuke, I have no interest at all in the power Hiruzen Sarutobi holds. As long as they don't bother me, I can't be bothered to care what they turn Leaf Village into."

Kushina, who had just returned after saying goodbye to Minato Namikaze, happened to hear those words. Her little round face instantly turned pale.

Nani!?

What earth-shattering secret had she just heard?!

Was that just an auditory hallucination? Kushina swallowed hard, constantly comforting herself.

That's right, it was an auditory hallucination. It definitely was an auditory hallucination.

I didn't hear anything. I heard nothing.

When Tsunade heard the latter half of Genetsu's words—"I can't be bothered to care what they turn Leaf Village into."

Her expression became somewhat complicated.

She had not the slightest affection for Hiruzen Sarutobi, but she still held deep feelings for Leaf Village itself.

Even when she was fifty in the original story, that remained true.

One reason she returned to the village and became the Fifth Hokage was because she saw Nawaki's shadow in Naruto.

The other was the affection she held for Leaf Village.

"...Sigh."