Pretending to Be Married to Tsunade

The Land of Rain had earned its name because it rained there almost every day.

Sometimes it drizzled; other times, it poured. Dark clouds covered the sky, and clear weather was rare.

"Ever since we entered the Land of Rain, the downpour's only gotten heavier. I wonder what it'll be like by the time we reach Amegakure."

Tsunade gazed at the silhouette of Amegakure gradually coming into view and sighed.

"On the Demigod's turf? What do you think?"

Sakuya looked up at the sky and frowned. "With rain this heavy, my Fire Release loses half its power for no reason."

"Not only that. My Earth Release also loses its advantage in a downpour like this," Tsunade said.

Heavy rain gave Water Release users an enormous supply of water. Water could douse flames and wash away earth, and the ninjas of Amegakure could make their techniques even stronger in such a downpour. Even an ordinary C-rank technique could become a raging torrent under the rain's influence, unleashing far more power than usual.

That was the power of the elements.

The good news was that although Hanzo's skill with Water Release was formidable, the poisonous mist of Ibuse—his greatest threat—wasn't Water Release, so it couldn't benefit from the rain. If it could, Hanzo would be even more terrifying.

"If only there were a technique that could clear the skies."

Sakuya adjusted his raincoat.

"Temporarily clearing the sky might be the best way to limit the Demigod's power."

"Changing the weather?" Tsunade looked as if she couldn't believe it. "Isn't that something only a god could do?"

Divine power? It wasn't quite that far-fetched.

Sakuya vaguely recalled a boy named Yota in the original anime. His family had a special power that let them change the weather with their emotions. He cried, and it rained; he got angry, and thunder rolled; he was happy, and it snowed. After he died, Yakushi Kabuto brought him back with Impure World Reincarnation, but Yota ended his own life out of kindness.

Although Sakuya didn't know how their Kekkei Genkai worked, it was clear that ordinary ninjas could wield the "divine" power Tsunade had mentioned.

Still, there was no way he could come up with a technique like that in this simulation. Even his self-developed advanced Fire Release was still in its earliest stages, let alone a technique to clear the skies.

"Anyway, let's leave that for now. How are we getting in?"

As Amegakure drew nearer, Tsunade asked Sakuya.

"There are plenty of guards posted outside the village. It won't be easy to sneak in."

"Just like Kato suggested before we left: you and I will pretend to be a married couple from the Land of Fields, here to buy supplies."

Sakuya left a mark on a nearby tree as he spoke.

"P-pretend to be married!?"

Tsunade's voice suddenly went shrill.

"W-why do we have to pretend to be married? We could pretend to be siblings, or fellow villagers, or anything else! Why married?"

Her voice grew quieter as she spoke, and her cheeks turned red. She didn't dare look Sakuya in the eye.

"What did you just say? Why? We only have to pretend while we're going in. It'll fool the guards at the gate."

Sakuya formed a few one-handed seals and used the Transformation Technique to change his face and body into those of a stranger. Then he looked at Tsunade, who was still frozen in place, and urged her on.

"Don't hold up the mission. Hurry."

"I-I know! Stop rushing me!"

Tsunade stomped her foot lightly and, flustered, used the Transformation Technique.

"From now on, you'll call me 'darling.' Got it?"

Sakuya fixed his eyes on her.

"...You jerk. You're getting a good deal."

Tsunade glared at Sakuya and clenched her teeth. A moment later, she shyly forced the word "darling" out of her mouth.

"Let's go. We're entering Amegakure."

Satisfied with how well she was playing along, Sakuya nodded. "Take my hand."

"I know."

Tsunade pouted and reached for Sakuya's left hand.

She missed and only caught his sleeve.

Right. His hand had been severed by that Tsuchigumo fellow when he saved her.

Thinking of it, Tsunade felt a fresh pang of heartache.

She gripped Sakuya's sleeve and unconsciously moved closer to him.

They walked together to the gates of Amegakure, where Sakuya took two travel permits from his robe and handed them to the guard.

"Sir, we're a married couple from the Land of Fields. We've come here to buy supplies. Here are our travel permits. Please take a look."

"Oh, merchants from the Land of Fields? You've had a rough trip getting here."

The Amegakure ninja glanced at the permits, then looked them over. When his gaze passed over Tsunade, she instinctively moved closer to Sakuya. To the gate guard, this only made them look like a newlywed couple who were shy around others, so he didn't think much of it.

Once he confirmed that everything was in order, he returned their permits and nodded.

"Go on in. There'll be a festival in the village tomorrow night. You can go have a look."

"Thank you, sir."

Sakuya nodded.

Ever since Hanzo, the Demigod, had pushed for the Small Nations Alliance, merchants from various small nations had often come to Amegakure to do business. The village was very friendly toward these merchants, who helped its economy grow, and even welcomed them warmly.

After passing the inspection, Sakuya and Tsunade entered the village together.

They walked through the curtain of rain, with people carrying umbrellas passing by from time to time.

They stopped in the middle of a plaza.

"Sakuya..."

Tsunade clutched Sakuya's sleeve, her voice low and trembling.

A pillar stood in the center of the plaza, with two corpses hanging from it.

One of them had a scarred face, and his features bore an occasional resemblance to Tsunade's.

Shota.

The Chunin who had gone missing during the mission involving the rogue ninja of the Land of Fang.

By generation, he should have been Tsunade's uncle.

"Stay calm, Tsunade," Sakuya whispered, trying to reassure her. "Don't do anything that might draw attention."

He could feel numerous gazes fixed on them from around the plaza.

Displaying Shota's corpse here served two purposes. First, it was a warning.

Second, it drew the attention of any spies who might have infiltrated Amegakure.

"When we leave, I'll find a way to take his body with us."

He nodded to Tsunade. "Trust me."

"...Okay."

Tsunade answered softly.

When she noticed a watchful gaze turn their way, she instinctively rested her head against Sakuya's shoulder.

"Darling... c-could we go look over there? It's my first time in Amegakure. Come walk around with me a little longer."

She made a point of saying, "The rain here makes the scenery much prettier than back in the Land of Fields."

"Whatever you want," Sakuya said with a faint smile.

When the watchful gazes finally moved away, Tsunade breathed a sigh of relief.

She exchanged a glance with Sakuya, and the two quietly slipped away from the plaza.