The Dawn of the Extraordinary

Tsunade searched her memory for a long time, but it remained hazy. "Forget it, I can't recall."

"Hoo, hoo, hoo... keep going, I've gotten a little stronger again."

Shangguan Yue felt his body slowly growing stronger. Although the progress was slow, it was tangible, and he was obsessed with it.

Tsunade watched from the side, seeing everything clearly, but she did not stop him. "I have to say, your willpower is not bad."

After a good while, Tsunade vanished from where she stood, only to reappear in the same spot moments later with a massive lunchbox in her arms.

"Little man, come over and eat."

Hearing Tsunade's voice, Shangguan Yue stumbled over to her. "Wow, it smells so good."

Without standing on ceremony, Shangguan Yue took the lunchbox, which was larger than his own torso, and opened it to reveal a mountain of grilled meat. "Arigato, I'm digging in!"

"Phew, I've come back to life."

Tsunade channeled medical chakra into her hands and pressed them against Shangguan Yue's body. She closed her eyes, and after a long moment, she spoke.

"Little man, your body is in great shape now. Your recovery is fast, and you have no hidden injuries. Just remember to replenish your body with plenty of food after training, or you'll hollow yourself out. But since your physical strength has reached the standard, then... Shangguan Yue!!!"

"Yes? Present!"

Seeing Tsunade suddenly turn serious, Shangguan Yue stood straight as a reflex and replied.

"Today, I will officially teach you the art of chakra cultivation. This is an essential ability for becoming a ninja. Do you want to learn?"

"Of course! I am the man who will become the God of Shinobi."

"Hahaha, little man, your dreams are quite big. This is very difficult, are you sure? People die doing this."

"Of course! The path to becoming a powerhouse is destined to be overgrown with thorns."

Looking at Shangguan Yue's firm expression and his burning eyes, Tsunade couldn't help but become serious herself.

"Good, that is the spirit my future man should have."

Shangguan Yue muttered under his breath, "Hey, I haven't agreed to that yet."

"Hmm? Little man, do you have an opinion?"

Tsunade pressed her forehead against his, causing Shangguan Yue to cover his head and retreat repeatedly.

"No opinion, no opinion! Let's begin."

"This is the chakra extraction method unique to my Senju Clan. Once I teach it to you, you must keep it firmly in mind and never pass it on to others."

"I know, I'd definitely keep such a good thing to myself."

"Alright, steady your breath and focus your mind. I'll guide you."

"Ah? Aren't you going to tell me how, and then I do it myself?"

"This is my unique technique; others don't know it. It will cost me a certain amount of chakra to teach you, and I'll have to cultivate to get it back. Don't talk."

Tsunade pressed her hands onto Shangguan Yue's wrists as they sat cross-legged facing each other. Shangguan Yue felt a mass of energy suddenly emerge within his body.

"Is this... chakra?"

Tsunade's chakra circulated through Shangguan Yue's body, following his meridians all the way to his brain to form a closed loop.

Shangguan Yue felt his spirit and flesh unite under Tsunade's guidance, and before long, he generated his own unique chakra.

He followed Tsunade's movements, circulating it through his body. Although he didn't fully understand it, he memorized the process quickly.

Seeing that Shangguan Yue could continue to cultivate chakra on his own without her guidance, Tsunade stopped her flow.

"Little man, chakra cultivation must be done in moderation. Stop when you feel your body getting tired, or you'll shorten your lifespan."

Tsunade withdrew her chakra and exhaled a breath of stale air, watching the faint blue halo radiating from Shangguan Yue—the byproduct of his cultivation.

Although it was very faint, it was clearly visible in Tsunade's eyes.

As the sun began to set and dusk fell, Shangguan Yue suddenly collapsed to the ground. Tsunade appeared instantly, casting medical ninjutsu, and after a short while, Shangguan Yue was able to stand up again.

"Ouch, my body is so sore."

"You, I told you not to rush. You've already reached your limit for today; don't cultivate any more chakra."

Tsunade curiously channeled her own chakra into Shangguan Yue's dantian. "Huh?"

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing. It's just that the chakra you refined for the first time is actually quite good."

"Quite good? But it's not even as much as your scraps; it's nowhere near yours."

"Ouch! Why did you hit me?" Shangguan Yue covered his head and crouched down.

"What are you thinking? I am of the Senju Clan, you... forget it, that's normal. Let's go, I'm taking you to eat."

Tsunade hoisted the limp Shangguan Yue onto her back and headed toward the barbecue restaurant, drawing endless attention along the way.

"Greetings, Lady Tsunade!"

"Who is that child on Lady Tsunade's back?"

"I don't know, never seen him before. Is he Lady Tsunade's child?"

"Impossible, Lady Tsunade doesn't even have a boyfriend, where would a child come from?"

The residents of Konoha were intensely curious about Shangguan Yue, and before long, word reached the Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi.

"Hmm, you may go. Investigate that boy's identity and report back to me."

"Yes."

Hiruzen Sarutobi stared at the file in his hand, puffing on his pipe.

"Poof!" With a burst of smoke, a shadow appeared and knelt on one knee. "Lord Hokage, the investigation is complete."

"Hoo~" Hiruzen Sarutobi exhaled a cloud of smoke, his figure shrouded in the haze. "Speak."

"This child is named Shangguan Yue; his father is the missing Shangguan Hong."

"Hmm?... Very well, you may withdraw."

"Yes!" With a "poof," he vanished using the Body Flicker Technique.

"Shangguan Yue, Shangguan Hong, Tsunade... how did they get involved with each other?"

Hiruzen Sarutobi flicked the ash from his pipe, gazing out the window, lost in thought.

At the same time, in the dark underground, Shimura Danzō looked over the report in his hands before handing it to the subordinate kneeling before him with an outstretched hand.

"Shangguan Yue? He's still alive? But since he's gotten involved with Tsunade, then... Torune."

"Present."

"Keep a close watch on this child's intelligence. Do not expose yourself. Go."

"Yes."

Aburame Torune, wrapped tightly from head to toe, vanished from the spot and arrived at the address provided in the report, watching as Tsunade led Shangguan Yue out of the barbecue restaurant.

He vanished again, thinking, With Tsunade present, this won't be easy.

Along the way, Aburame Torune didn't dare to get too close, let alone attempt surveillance; he had no idea what they were talking about. After all, he didn't want to be discovered by Tsunade's sensory abilities and end up on the receiving end of a punch.

"Yue."

"Hmm?"

"From now on, come to my place every morning and go home in the afternoon. I will teach you specific training."

"Why?"

Shangguan Yue tilted his small head in great confusion, wondering why Tsunade had suddenly changed her tune.

"No reason. The honor of the Senju Clan cannot be tarnished. Since my grandfather set this, I will abide by it."

"However, your strength must be sufficient. Otherwise, you won't even have the qualifications for others to know you exist."

"The enemies of the Senju Clan are countless. Without strength, the ending won't be very pleasant."

"From now on, just say that I am your teacher and you are my student."

"Alright."

Shangguan Yue didn't say much more. Since Tsunade had put it that way, he couldn't back down now.