Amegakure Declares War

Yusuke swept the last of the meat from the grill like a whirlwind, then polished off three more bowls of rice.

Yusuke felt half-full, the burning sensation in his stomach finally suppressed.

Indeed, after high-intensity exertion, gorging on carbohydrates was the ultimate bliss.

He let out a long sigh: "Finally, that's better."

"Eat slowly, no one is going to steal it from you."

Tsunade handed him a glass of warm water, her tone tinged with mock reproach.

For a moment, the clamor of the Akimichi BBQ Restaurant, the haze of smoke, the steam from the food, and the company of his lover made Yusuke think that he could afford to relax for a while.

But he quickly extinguished that thought himself.

He remained vigilant; the consciousness of Tyrant, temporarily bound by senjutsu energy within his body, was far from integrated—it was a ticking time bomb.

The external situation was even more treacherous, with the movements of Hanzo the Salamander and the Land of Rain remaining unclear.

The dark clouds of the Second Ninja World War hung perpetually overhead.

Within Konoha, that viper Shimura Danzō would never let things rest.

Now was far from the time to be at ease.

"Waiter! Ten more plates of premium beef tenderloin, today Lord Jiraiya is paying!"

Jiraiya's booming voice shattered the brief tranquility.

Watching the natural rapport between Yusuke and Tsunade, his last lingering hopes vanished completely, so he simply turned his grief and frustration into appetite.

Jiraiya was never a man who couldn't handle a loss.

The four of them ordered a few more bottles of shochu, and the meal finally ended amidst the rowdiness.

As the four stepped out of the Akimichi BBQ Restaurant, the night breeze hit them, and the food and alcohol they had just consumed began to take effect.

Jiraiya's steps were unsteady as he threw an arm around Yusuke's neck, dumping most of his weight onto him.

"Yu... Yusuke, my brother. Hic... not bad, you kid... you're really not bad!"

"In the future... treat Tsunade well. If you dare to bully her... I... I'll be the first to beat you up."

Jiraiya's tongue was tied, his breath reeking of alcohol.

Yusuke stumbled under the weight but smiled at the words: "Don't worry... I definitely... won't... hic."

"Haha, good brother!" Jiraiya slapped Yusuke's back hard, making him cough twice.

Tsunade stood to the side, helplessly clutching her forehead: "Two idiot drunks."

She stepped forward and cleanly separated the two men who were draped over each other.

"That's enough, everyone go home." She hooked her arm under Yusuke's.

"Orochimaru, this idiot is yours."

She pointed to Jiraiya, who was still shouting about going to the hot springs for "research."

Orochimaru nodded faintly: "Mn."

He stepped forward, reaching out to steady the swaying Jiraiya, though he sighed inwardly for his friend.

"Let's go."

Tsunade turned gracefully, supporting Yusuke as they walked toward his home.

The night breeze blew gently, and Yusuke felt his steps grow heavier, most of his weight pressing onto Tsunade's shoulder.

"You just recovered and you drink this much; you really aren't afraid of leaving hidden injuries or affecting your recovery."

Tsunade couldn't help but complain, though the arm supporting him remained firm.

Yusuke kept his eyes half-closed, leaning against her, the faint scent of Tsunade lingering at the tip of his nose.

"What's there to fear..."

"Aren't you here? The best medical ninja in Konoha..."

Tsunade huffed; had she not heard the exhaustion in his voice, she surely would have given Yusuke a couple of solid punches.

The two didn't speak again, though Tsunade's grip on Yusuke tightened.

The moonlight stretched their shadows long across the ground.

Back at home, Tsunade struggled to help Yusuke to the edge of the bed.

Just as she bent over to pull away, Yusuke's arm suddenly swept around her.

"Ah!"

Caught off guard, Tsunade let out a startled cry.

Losing her balance, she was pulled directly down onto the bed.

The next moment, Yusuke rolled over, half-pressing his body against hers, his hot, alcohol-scented breath drawing near.

Without giving Tsunade time to react, a soft kiss landed on her lips.

It was a fleeting touch.

Yusuke lifted his head slightly, looking down at Tsunade, whose cheeks had turned a deep crimson and whose eyes were filled with panic.

He smacked his lips. "So... it tastes like cherries."

Tsunade's heart raced, her eyes darting away as she began to stutter.

"I... I just had some barbecue, it was a bit greasy, so I... I ate a few cherries to cleanse the palate..."

The distance between them was so close that their breaths mingled.

Tsunade looked at Yusuke's face inches away; those eyes, usually so profound, appeared hazy from the intoxication.

Her mind went blank, her hands instinctively clutching the bedsheets, her body tensed straight.

Just as her heart hammered in confusion, not knowing what to do:

"Thud!"

The weight on her body suddenly shifted, Yusuke's head lolling to the side as he collapsed completely onto her.

Then, the sound of steady, long breaths followed; Yusuke had fallen fast asleep.

"..."

It took Tsunade several seconds to react, a surge of irritation mixed with helplessness rising within her.

"You bastard...!" she cursed under her breath, pushing the "dead weight" off her body with force.

Pushed aside, Yusuke rolled over unconsciously, lying flat on his back, sleeping without a shred of defense.

In this moment, he had shed his usual vigilance, appearing exceptionally relaxed.

Tsunade sat up, smoothing out her disheveled clothes and hair, her cheeks still burning fiercely.

She glared at the sleeping Yusuke, her chest heaving.

This guy, usually so cautious to a fault, yet so bold when drunk.

But looking at his peaceful sleeping face, the fire in Tsunade's heart gradually faded.

She couldn't help but recall the things that had happened between them.

During the mission in the Land of Rain, Yusuke had risked his own life to come back and save her;

The domineering aura Yusuke displayed when he threatened Hanzo;

Their escape, when she had exhausted every ounce of strength to carry the heavily wounded Yusuke back to the village;

Scenes from the past surfaced one by one, and involuntarily, the corners of her lips curled up: "What a troublesome bastard."

She rummaged through her personal ninja pouch and pulled out a small medical kit, where various common medicines were neatly organized.

Selecting a specialized hangover pill, she placed it on the nightstand and wrote a note.

Tsunade still felt something was amiss.

After standing for a moment, she bent down to take off his crooked shoes and pulled the quilt over him in a haphazard manner.

Having finished, Tsunade stood by the bed once more.

"If you drink like this again, see if I bother looking after you."

She muttered huffily at the sleeping man, as if speaking to him, or perhaps to herself.

With that, she took one last look at the person on the bed, turned, and walked out of the room, gently closing the door behind her.

The room fell completely silent, leaving only the sound of Yusuke's steady breathing.

The moonlight shifted slowly, illuminating the small hangover pill on the nightstand.

The next morning.

Yusuke rose slowly, his head feeling heavy and clouded.

It felt just like the state of having a fever in his past life.

He shook his dizzy head, his gaze sweeping over the note Tsunade had left on the nightstand, and he couldn't help but smile slightly.

He just didn't know why his lips felt a bit sore, with a lingering taste of cherries.

Just as Yusuke finished washing up and eating, wondering whether he should go visit Tohka Senju, the door was pushed open without ceremony. The person entering had her golden hair tied in a ponytail and was already wearing her combat plate armor.

"What's wrong?" Yusuke asked, handing Tsunade a glass of milk.

Seeing Tsunade's solemn expression, Yusuke had a guess.

Sure enough, Tsunade's next words confirmed his thoughts.

"Amegakure has declared war on the Five Great Nations!"