Treating Tsunade to a Meal

"I'm the leader of Root. I was the one who sent Kitahara Jo to fetch you at noon. I failed to keep my subordinates in line, and I never expected Kitahara Jo to use such excessive force. I've already punished him. I sincerely apologize for the harm he caused you," Danzo said gravely.

Behind him, Kitahara Jo stepped forward at just the right moment. He swallowed his humiliation and resentment, then dropped to his knees with a thud and faced the floor as he said bitterly, "I'm sorry. Please forgive me!"

Watanabe: "..."

Honestly, the spectacle of Danzo and Kitahara Jo apologizing had taken him by surprise.

He'd thought Mito would do no more than put in a word with Danzo for him. Whether Danzo would give him trouble afterward would be up to Danzo. He'd never imagined Mito would bring Danzo himself over to apologize and make amends.

Just what kind of person was Grandma Tsunade in Konoha? Surely even the current Hokage didn't have as much influence as she did!

After a moment's silence, Watanabe looked down at Kitahara Jo, who was kneeling before him, and tried to keep his voice cool. "Whether I forgive you is another matter. Just don't come looking for trouble again."

Kitahara Jo gritted his teeth. "Of course I won't!"

In truth, he was furious. Kneeling to apologize to a brat from the Ninja Academy was the most humiliating thing he'd ever done, but he had no choice.

Danzo added, "Not just Kitahara Jo. No one from Root will bother you again."

Watanabe nodded without showing any emotion. "You can go."

As Danzo passed Watanabe, he said meaningfully, "Some people are Konoha, basking in the sunlight. Others are Root, buried deep underground. Watanabe, I mean you no harm."

With that, he strode out the door. Kitahara Jo quickly got to his feet and followed him out.

Watanabe watched the two of them leave, baffled, and wondered what Danzo had meant.

Once they had left the residential district, Kitahara Jo finally let out his frustration. "Lord Danzo, I refuse to accept this. We did nothing wrong. Everything we've done has been for Konoha!"

Danzo's expression didn't change. "We did nothing wrong. But Lady Mito thinks we did."

"Then... is Root really going to be disbanded?"

That was what Kitahara Jo resented most. If his actions today led to Root being disbanded, he felt he would become a sinner in Konoha's eyes.

Danzo didn't answer.

If Mito insisted on disbanding Root, then so be it.

Danzo had paid close attention. A few wrinkles had appeared on Mito's exquisite, beautiful face. Even the Yin Seal couldn't slow her aging. That alone said a lot.

Mito was the last person left from the previous era. As long as she remained alive, she could keep Danzo in check. But if she were gone one day, Hiruzen alone wouldn't be able to hold him back.

"Senior Mito is so imposing!"

Watanabe shut the newly replaced iron gate and sighed deeply.

Mito had not only put an end to the threat from Root for good, she'd done it incredibly quickly. Only half a day had passed.

He couldn't help thinking of the elegant, dignified red-haired woman in the study at noon. Mito seemed mysterious from head to toe.

She was Grandma Tsunade, yet her face and figure were still much like a young girl's. He wondered if she simply took good care of herself, or if she'd practiced some kind of secret technique.

From now on, I need to get closer to Tsunade and try to become her friend.

Watanabe made up his mind.

He hadn't tried to approach Tsunade before because so many people tried to curry favor with her that he didn't stand a chance. Besides, even if he'd managed to get on familiar terms with her, it wouldn't have helped much. A ninja's confidence came from their own strength.

But things were different now. He'd realized Tsunade was a treasure of a girl. If he got on good terms with her, she really would step up whenever he ran into trouble.

And once they were friends, he could spar with Tsunade from time to time. Watanabe urgently needed someone to spar with. His strength was improving too slowly through slacking off alone. Ideally, Tsunade would beat him up seventeen or eighteen times a day.

That night, Watanabe made detailed plans for the rest of his life.

The next morning, Watanabe went to class at the Ninja Academy as usual.

Osaka Rukawa had clearly been given a heads-up by his superiors. When he saw Watanabe back in class, even though he should have graduated early the day before, he wasn't surprised. His gaze was merely a little complicated.

There was nothing worth listening to in the Ninja Academy's lessons. Watanabe had already gone through nine years of compulsory education in his previous life, so he spent the whole morning improving his strength by slacking off and figuring out how to get on Tsunade's good side.

You couldn't get close to a girl without spending money. Whenever Watanabe thought of it, his empty pockets made his heart ache so badly he could almost bleed.

You couldn't catch a wolf cub without risking your child. He was willing to pay the price!

When the bell rang for lunch, Watanabe saw Tsunade heading out again to go home. This time, he didn't let her leave. He hurried after her.

"Tsunade."

Tsunade glanced at Watanabe walking beside her and asked nonchalantly, "So, has Root come looking for trouble again?"

"No. Danzo brought Kitahara Jo to apologize to me last night."

Tsunade breathed a sigh of relief. "That's good. I told you, with my grandma stepping in, you'd be fine."

"Thank you and Senior Mito for helping me. I owe you both."

"It's nothing. This started because of me, so it's only right that I sorted it out. We're even."

Tsunade didn't think much of it. She didn't like feeling indebted to anyone, and had always thought helping Watanabe was the obvious thing to do. She'd never expected him to thank her.

Seeing how cool and distant she was, Watanabe figured that so many people tried to strike up conversations with her and curry favor that he really didn't stand a chance.

After hesitating for a moment, Watanabe explained why he'd come. "Are you free at noon? Let me treat you to lunch. I said I would last night."

Tsunade stroked her chin and thought it over. "All right. You lead the way."

She figured that if she didn't let Watanabe treat her to a meal, he'd keep thinking about it.

The two left the school gates. Tsunade looked at the restaurants along the way, wondering which one Watanabe would take her to.

But as they walked, Tsunade began to feel that something was off. Why had Watanabe turned into the market?

"What are you doing at the market?" Tsunade couldn't help asking.

"Buying groceries," Watanabe replied.

Tsunade: "Huh?"

So you're cooking it yourself?

Tsunade fell silent. She was skeptical of Watanabe's cooking skills. After all, he was only twelve. At best, he could probably stir-fry a couple of plates of meat and vegetables.

But what Watanabe did next was far beyond her expectations. He bought ingredients from one stallholder after another with practiced ease: things that flew in the sky, ran on the ground, and swam in the water. He had everything.

He's buying so much. Can he cook all of it?

Tsunade was curious.

A quarter of an hour later, the two left the market.

Watanabe spent a total of seven hundred ryo—one-tenth of his savings. If Kitahara Jo hadn't paid him seven thousand two hundred ryo the day before, he would have spent everything he had.

Cooking for ourselves really is more economical.

Watanabe sighed inwardly. Treating Tsunade to a lavish meal out would have cost at least two or three thousand ryo, but cooking it himself was different.