Tsunade Comes Calling

The story had already changed in many ways. Because Shangguan Hong was an outsider, many events had deviated from their original course.

Mito Uzumaki looked embarrassed, too. From what she knew, this marriage was a bit of a problem, and she wanted to call it off.

Tsunade was born in Year 10 of Konoha, while Shangguan Yue was born in Year 32. There was a full twenty-two-year age gap between them.

In Year 37 of Konoha, Tsunade was twenty-seven, while Shangguan Yue was only five. If news of this engagement got out, the whole Ninja World would be shaken.

People in the Naruto world might mature early, but this was taking it way too far. He was only five! Wouldn't the Senju become a laughingstock in the Ninja World?

Not knowing how to bring it up, Mito could only stall for time and wait until Shangguan Yue was a little older. Besides, Tsunade was already training in the Yin Seal, so by then, the arrangement might seem acceptable.

"Tsunade, there's still some time. Just wait a little longer, all right?"

Tsunade pouted unhappily, acting like a little girl as she flopped into Mito Uzumaki's arms.

"I have to wait even longer? I'm already twenty-seven. I'm practically an old woman. What if he's already dead?"

Mito Uzumaki gently tapped Tsunade on the lips. "Don't talk nonsense. He's alive, it's just..."

Mito Uzumaki stopped mid-sentence, leaving Tsunade hanging. Right now, she really wanted a boyfriend. She had never experienced being in love.

She had always had admirers, but Senju Hashirama had gone overboard praising the unborn Shangguan Yue to cover up his foolish actions.

All these years, Tsunade had treated the Shangguan Yue in her imagination as her boyfriend. Naturally, she couldn't take an interest in other men. After all, Senju Hashirama had really gone all out praising him.

Seeing things were going badly, Mito Uzumaki quickly changed the subject.

"Tsunade, more importantly, you need to hurry up and master the Yin Seal technique I'm teaching you.

This technique can keep you young forever!"

For a girl, eternal youth was the most irresistible temptation.

Sure enough, Tsunade's interest immediately perked up at that. Even Uzumaki Kushina, sitting nearby, had the same reaction, her eyes shining.

Kushina had been hearing about Tsunade's engagement for years, so she was used to it. But this Yin Seal...

Just looking at Mito Uzumaki made it clear. She was already seventy, which was a long life in the Ninja World, where the average lifespan was only thirty.

And yet Mito Uzumaki still looked like an eighteen-year-old girl. Aside from the aged aura about her, who would ever call her old?

Over the next few days, Uzumaki Kushina and Tsunade studied the Yin Seal alongside Mito Uzumaki. Tsunade also put her fiancé, Shangguan Yue, out of her mind.

After Tsunade kept pestering her, Mito Uzumaki finally told her:

"Your fiancé's name is Shangguan Yue. He lives at such-and-such an address. You can go see him yourself.

Tsunade, remember: no matter what you see, stay calm. Whatever you decide to do, I'll support you."

At Mito Uzumaki's warning, Tsunade felt a vague sense of unease, as if she had guessed what was coming. Her expectations dimmed.

Nervously, she made her way to Shangguan Yue's house. She crept up to the window, saw no one inside, lifted it, and slipped in.

Her figure flickered through the small house as she cautiously searched every corner.

"I want to see what you look like, and whether you're really as incredible as Grandpa said."

Unfortunately, Tsunade searched the whole house without finding anyone. She frowned in confusion.

"Did Grandma get the address wrong?"

Shangguan Yue's house wasn't small—it was about a hundred square meters, with a yard outside. With Tsunade's strength as a jōnin, it took only a few quick movements to search the place.

The only thing she noticed was how bare it was. There was no furniture at all, just a bed in the bedroom and several wooden training posts covered in wood shavings in the yard.

Meanwhile, Yue was eating at Granny's place. After turning five, he'd wanted his own space, and only after a long discussion with Granny had she let him move back into his own house.

The two houses were only a wall apart, so they were very close. They were neighbors, after all, and Granny didn't think it was a problem. It was perfectly normal for a child to grow up.

Still, they'd agreed on three rules. He had to come to Granny's for meals, and he could stop coming only after he graduated—or perhaps once he was capable of living on his own.

After dinner, Shangguan Yue said goodbye to Granny and headed home. He still had his training to do today.

"When will this ever end?

Why is my body so weak? No matter how much I train, I never make any progress. Am I some fake Uchiha or what? Aren't the Uchiha supposed to be a clan of geniuses?

What gives? Am I not worthy of dancing?"

Wearing a black, close-fitting training outfit, he kept his hands in his pockets and kicked small stones along the road until he reached home. He pushed the door open. "I'm back!" Then he went inside.

"There's no one home again. Why can't I break this habit?"

He didn't go to his bedroom. Instead, he headed to the training area he'd made in the yard and began striking the wooden posts, one punch after another.

Tsunade darted onto the roof and peeked over the edge, watching Shangguan Yue in the yard.

"Who's this kid?

Isn't this my fiancé's house?

Could he be his son?

You beast!"

At the thought, Tsunade's fury boiled over. White steam rose from her body, making her look like a volcano about to erupt.

"No wonder Grandma never wanted to tell me. My years of waiting were a joke."

Desperate to find out whether things were really as she suspected, she flashed to Yue's back.

Yue had been practicing Little Li Flying Dagger these past few days to strengthen his mental power, and he'd now developed a rudimentary sense of his surroundings.

He sensed an enormous mass of energy behind him and jumped. Turning around, he saw someone had suddenly appeared at his back.

Tsunade wore a tea-green robe, her smooth golden hair flowing in the wind. She was mature and alluring, with a pear-shaped figure that drew the eye and made people want to commit a crime.

"Tsunade?"

Tsunade's anger faded somewhat when she saw Yue's adorable face.

"Oh, you know who I am? What's your name?"

A mischievous smile curled her lips. She reached out and stroked Yue's cheek.

Yue shivered at Tsunade's gesture. Does she think she can bully me just because I'm small? She actually dares to tease me. Just wait until I'm grown—I'll wipe you out without leaving a single survivor.

"My name is Shangguan Yue. What are you doing in my house?"

Yue felt helpless as Tsunade kneaded his cheek.

At his words, Tsunade froze. Her hand stopped moving. She pulled Yue into her arms and looked him over carefully, then sprang away.

"How can your name be Shangguan Yue?!"

"Why can't my name be Shangguan Yue?" Yue asked, baffled.

"You just can't be called Shangguan Yue!!!"

Just then, Chuunibyou God suddenly spoke in Yue's mind. "Yue, I've finished making that cheat you asked for. Come take a look."