I'll Support You

"Keep up."

Tsunade dropped the sentence and turned to leave, her speed increasing rapidly, while Shangguan Yue desperately scrambled to keep pace with his short legs.

"Hey, you woman, can't you wait for me?"

Shangguan Yue wove through the crowd, following Tsunade's figure until they reached a forest, where she came to a halt.

"Woman, where are you? Come out!"

Feeling the silence of the forest, he suddenly felt a rush of heat behind him and Shangguan Yue whipped his head around.

"Hm?!"

Their eyes met, and Shangguan Yue took a few steps back. "Hey, what are you doing?!"

"Ptooey, ptooey, ptooey! My first kiss!"

Tsunade took a step forward, planting herself right in front of Shangguan Yue; the ground around her footprint began to crack, sending sand and stones flying.

"It's not my fault! You were the one who lowered your head and shoved it into my face, why did you even lean down?!"

Shangguan Yue cried out in grievance, watching the earth shatter beneath her slender feet, and gulped. "Watch it, be careful! I'm still small, it wouldn't be good if I got bruised or hurt."

"Hoo~" Tsunade took a deep breath. "Forget it."

"Kid, come over here and lie down."

"Huh? No way, why should I?"

"Why should you? Bang!"

The ground beneath Tsunade sank again, and a pebble whistled past, grazing Shangguan Yue's cheek.

"Gulp."

Shangguan Yue watched in terror. "Coming?" "Come here."

Watching Shangguan Yue scramble to lie down, Tsunade reached out, her palm glowing with a faint green light, leaving Shangguan Yue mesmerized.

It was his first time feeling the supernatural power of this world, chakra, face-to-face.

"Hm?"

"What is it? Is there something wrong with my body?"

"The fact that there's nothing wrong is the biggest problem."

"Can't you wish me something good for once?"

Shangguan Yue muttered under his breath. Tsunade didn't pull her hand back; she was frowning, seemingly searching for something.

"Kid, your body..."

The two stared at each other. Tsunade gave a self-deprecating laugh. "You're just a half-grown boy, what would you understand? Forget it."

Tsunade withdrew her hand, leaving Shangguan Yue confused. "What exactly did you bring me here for?"

"To talk about our marriage."

"Marriage? Didn't I already say I'm calling it off?"

"What kind of nonsense are you thinking? I've put so much into you, and you want to just brush yourself off and walk away? Keep dreaming. Let me tell you, the engagement stands, but you're still far from being man enough for me. So, from now on, I'll be guiding your training. If you want to marry me, then you'd better work hard."

"I don't want to."

"Bang."

Cold sweat broke out on Shangguan Yue's forehead as he looked back at the punch Tsunade had thrown, which had grazed his head.

Behind him, the trunk of a large tree had been blown through, leaving a hole with white smoke curling from the edges.

"Do you want to or not?"

"I do, I do, I do."

"But, but..."

"But what? You still have an opinion?"

"No opinion, how could I dare? It's just... training requires a lot of food for recovery, and my family is poor; we can't afford it. Grandma will go broke if I eat too much. Maybe I shouldn't train too hard for now."

Seeing the longing in Shangguan Yue's little eyes, Tsunade couldn't help herself; she pulled him into a hug. "It's fine, I've got plenty of money. I'll support you."

"Wuu wuu wuu, let me go, I'm being smothered to death!"

Shangguan Yue was buried in Tsunade's ample bosom, the extreme softness making him linger, right up until he ran out of oxygen.

"Hoo, hoo, hoo... I'm alive again."

"You're already done for? You definitely need to train."

"You, you, you..." Shangguan Yue's face flushed red. "Do you have any idea how big you are?"

"Big? I don't feel anything."

"Emmm, I'd believe you if you weren't making that expression."

"Then it's a deal. You'll take care of me and feed me."

"Of course. I've got enough for that little bit of pocket money."

"Let's go then. I'm hungry; I wasn't full earlier. There's a barbecue place over there, let's go."

Shangguan Yue pulled Tsunade into the Akimichi Clan's barbecue restaurant. Upon entering, he saw many members of the Akimichi Clan eating, along with plenty of ninjas in their gear.

"There's an empty seat. Let's go."

As soon as Tsunade and Shangguan Yue sat down, the person in charge of the Akimichi shop hurried over. "Lady Tsunade, what would you like to eat?"

"Hmm, he'll order." Tsunade pointed at Shangguan Yue, her arms crossed, which only served to highlight her massive assets, though Shangguan Yue didn't notice at all.

His heart was set entirely on the barbecue. Heaven knows why he was so hungry; he had only just eaten, yet he was starving again. Shangguan Yue looked at the variety of meats on the menu.

He quickly checked off items. "Here, take it."

"Is that all you want, little young master? Won't that be enough?"

"No, I want everything on the menu except for what I've already checked. Keep bringing them as I finish."

"Ah? This... can you really eat all that?"

"It's fine, she's paying."

"Well, alright then."

Seeing that Tsunade didn't object, the manager didn't say anything else and turned to make the arrangements.

Before long, plates of barbecue were brought out one after another. Shangguan Yue felt his taste buds explode, and he began to drool uncontrollably.

"I'm digging in!"

Tsunade ordered a bottle of sake and sipped it slowly, watching as Shangguan Yue—despite his small size—ate with the ferocity of a pirate, stuffing his face with meat.

He threw the food directly into his mouth, chewed twice, and swallowed. The people around them grew increasingly astonished.

"How can such a small kid hold so much? His stomach doesn't even look bloated."

Tsunade set down her wine cup. "Are you alright? Is it really okay to eat like that?"

"Mmph, it's fine, mmph."

Shangguan Yue mumbled incoherently, devouring everything in sight. Nearby, the Akimichi clansmen were practically moved to tears. "I'm so jealous of that appetite. Look at you, making me lose to someone else again."

They lowered their heads to scold their own stomachs, blaming them for being so useless.

Shangguan Yue, however, was oblivious to the world, focused solely on his meal. He felt his entire body growing warm, his strength gradually recovering. The sensation of breaking through and becoming stronger drove him to keep eating without pause.

At the counter, Tsunade looked at her empty purse and rubbed her furrowed brow.

"Lady Tsunade, about the remaining balance..."

"Put it on my tab. It's not like I can't pay you back."

With that, she dragged the burly, hiccuping Shangguan Yue outside. The Akimichi manager shook his head helplessly. "Put it on Lady Tsunade's tab. No need to rush her; just add it to the bill next time. Still, this kid... he's not ordinary."

"Where is this?"

"My place."

"Whoa, you live in such a big room all by yourself?"

"Unhuh. Alright, stop looking around. Go run some laps; let me see your physical strength."

Tsunade sat on the floor, pointing toward the massive training ground in front of her. Shangguan Yue muttered under his breath, "Truly the evils of capitalism. Such a huge training ground, I'm so jealous."

Shangguan Yue moved his short legs and began running around the perimeter, lap after lap. Tsunade watched him while sipping the sake she had packed from the barbecue restaurant.

"Little Yue-yue, your form is wrong. Swing your arms."

Shangguan Yue stomped his feet in anger. "Ahhh! Who told you to give me a nickname? You are not allowed to call me Little Yue-yue!"

"Oh? Quite the temper. Then what should I call you? My little man~"

"Hmph, just don't call me Little Yue-yue!"

Shangguan Yue continued to run, lap after lap, and the smile on Tsunade's face gradually faded.

"This little guy's physical fitness has improved this much in just one night? He hasn't reached the level of a genin yet, but he's close. Still, why does his body energy feel so familiar?"