Hikawa arrived at Tsunade's house, but instead of knocking right away, he took out the scroll Tsuchihashi had given him.
Lightning Release Chakra Mode sounded simple, but it was difficult to put into practice.
After reading it, Hikawa discovered a problem.
He was too young, and his body had not fully developed yet. If he wanted to train it, he would have to wait another two years.
Fortunately, it was not completely unusable.
The scroll contained a set of physical training methods, far more complicated and effective than simple running.
Hikawa put away the scroll and raised his hand to knock on the door.
A moment later, the door opened.
Tsunade was wearing loose pajamas and clearly had just gotten out of bed.
"Good morning, Sensei."
Hikawa took the initiative to greet her.
"Mm."
Tsunade nodded slightly, then suddenly held out her hand. "Here, a key for you."
"Why is there another key on it?"
Hikawa asked in confusion.
The two keys were large and small, so they were clearly not for the same door.
"The other one is for the room next to mine."
Tsunade yawned and said lazily, "If I'm not up yet, you can go sleep there."
"Sensei, you haven't read the Ninja Rules at all... ow! What was that for?"
Before Hikawa could finish, she flicked him on the forehead.
"You're the student. Why are you always trying to manage your teacher?"
Tsunade glared at him with her beautiful eyes. "Go make me breakfast!"
"Yes."
Hikawa took a few steps, then turned back to emphasize, "I'm not managing you. I'm making a suggestion!"
After saying that, he ran into the kitchen without giving Tsunade any chance to reply.
"This brat!"
Tsunade froze for a moment before a smile appeared on her face.
She returned to her room and took off her pajamas, revealing a perfectly proportioned, curvaceous body.
After getting dressed, Tsunade left her room and sat at the dining table, arranging her hair as she waited.
She lifted her hair with both hands, revealing her fair neck. After a few simple motions, her twin tails took shape.
Hikawa came out carrying ramen and saw the final scene.
His hands itched, and he wanted to play with those twin tails.
But that was obviously impossible.
"Beef ramen."
Hikawa set the ramen on the table.
"Where did the beef come from?"
Tsunade picked up her chopsticks and stirred the noodles.
"I bought it on the way here."
Hikawa answered casually.
"Not bad. You've learned how to help support the household."
Tsunade chuckled.
"This isn't my home."
Hikawa corrected her.
"You have a key now, so it's your home."
Tsunade slurped up a mouthful of ramen, leaving a faint sheen of oil on her soft lips.
Hikawa blinked.
What was that supposed to mean?
She made it sound like he was being kept.
No, that was not right.
If they really counted it, he was the one providing both money and labor. Tsunade was the one being kept.
"Isn't today your day off? Why did you come again?"
Tsunade glanced at him and asked.
"Because I'm filial."
Hikawa smiled. "Wasn't I worried that Sensei might have nothing to eat?"
"I haven't fallen that far."
Tsunade rolled her eyes, though the corners of her lips could not help but curl upward.
Tsundere was out of fashion now.
Her eye roll was quite pretty, but the expression did not have enough bite.
Hikawa hurriedly drove away his wandering thoughts.
"Since you're already here, how about coming to the Casino with me?"
Tsunade abruptly changed the subject.
There it was! One of the legendary four famous phrases!
Since we're already here, it's a holiday, he's still just a child, and no one has it easy.
"I'm still a child."
Hikawa responded with magic.
His old man had said to use magic against magic.
"Then what are you planning to do?"
Tsunade slurped up the rest of the ramen in one go and asked without changing expression.
"Train."
Hikawa thought for a moment before answering.
"Training requires a proper balance between work and rest."
Tsunade set down her chopsticks. "How about this? I'll take you to visit someone."
"Where?"
Hikawa paused, curious.
Given Tsunade's network, there were not actually many people she could visit.
Could it be Sarutobi Hiruzen?
"You'll know when we get there."
Tsunade smiled mysteriously. "I guarantee you won't be bored."
Riddle-speakers, get out of Konoha!
Hikawa stood up and took her bowl and chopsticks.
"What kind of reaction is that?"
Tsunade asked with some dissatisfaction.
"I'm going to wash the dishes."
Hikawa turned and walked into the kitchen.
Tsunade pursed her lips.
She had realized that her student was completely unafraid of her.
How strange.
It was not as if she was gentle, either.
A few minutes later, Hikawa followed Tsunade out the door.
After passing through several streets, the roads became increasingly secluded until there was not a single pedestrian in sight.
Hikawa fell into thought.
So far away and so secluded—it was most likely Kushina Uzumaki.
"We're almost there."
Tsunade raised her head and spotted a two-story wooden house.
"Tsunade-sama!"
The next second, an excited voice rang out.
Kushina Uzumaki appeared before them.
She was moving so fast that all her red hair streamed behind her.
"Kushina."
Tsunade smiled. "He is—"
"Hikawa!"
Kushina Uzumaki interrupted her. "Minato and I met him before, but I didn't expect him to be your student."
"I only took him in recently."
Tsunade said, slightly stunned.
"Welcome, little Hikawa."
Kushina Uzumaki grabbed Hikawa's hand and introduced the place as she led him along. "Look at that cherry tree. Minato planted it!"
Seeing this, Tsunade sighed.
Very few people were qualified to come here. Aside from her, there were only people such as Sarutobi Hiruzen and Namikaze Minato.
Kushina Uzumaki was naturally lively, so seeing a new face made her extremely excited.
"There's a grove of peach trees behind the house. Come back in another two months, and you'll be able to eat fresh peaches."
Kushina Uzumaki reached out and rubbed Hikawa's head. "There's a swing up there too. You can go play if you want."
Isn't she being a little too enthusiastic?
Before Hikawa could even react, she had already patted his head.
Damn it, is this what a Jinchuriki is like?
Tsunade walked beside them and could not help pursing her lips.
Normally quite popular herself, she was unexpectedly being ignored today.
They entered the living room.
Kushina Uzumaki pulled Hikawa onto the sofa, and the topic turned to the Final Exam from a few days ago.
She asked curiously, "How did you defeat Kakashi?"
"With a sword."
Hikawa answered casually.
"What about the details?"
Kushina Uzumaki pressed.
Hikawa had no choice but to recount it once.
"That's amazing!"
Kushina Uzumaki said enviously, "Too bad I don't have any students."
As the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki, she was destined not to become a squad leader.
As for taking students, she would have to wait until the next Nine-Tails Jinchuriki had been chosen.
But whether that person suited her tastes was hard to say.
Someone like Hikawa, for example, looked very pleasing to her eyes—after all, he was handsome.
"Are you interested in Sealing Technique?"
Kushina Uzumaki suddenly perked up and asked.
"Kushina, he's still too young. He can't learn that much."
Seeing that she was about to steal her student, Tsunade could not help speaking up. "He hasn't even gotten started with Medical Ninjutsu yet."
"That's true."
Kushina Uzumaki smiled awkwardly. "We'll talk about it after you grow up."
"Alright."
Hikawa quickly agreed.
Sealing Technique was practically a cheat-level ninjutsu in the Ninja World.
Of course he wanted to learn it if he could.
But when he turned his head, he saw killing intent on Tsunade's face.
Before you continue