Welcome: Senju Slaughter

The room fell silent for a while. Tsunade seemed to have composed herself, too, and said in a low voice,

"Are you going back to the Land of Fire?"

"No."

Ye Ning gritted his teeth and answered, bracing himself.

He had spent two and a half years begging his so-called father before finally making it to Konoha. Was he supposed to go back with nothing but a fake Scroll of Seals?

He wasn't willing to accept that!

So even though Tsunade's face was expressionless, Ye Ning still talked back.

"Fine."

Tsunade nodded, and Ye Ning finally let out a long breath.

Had she come around?

But in the next instant, Tsunade suddenly sprang into action. She stamped her feet and shot forward like a cannonball.

Boom—

A thunderous crash split the air.

In the blink of an eye, Tsunade had vanished from where she stood. She charged in a striking arc, bearing down on Ye Ning's right side like a bolt of lightning.

What the hell!

Are you crazy?

Tsunade's inexplicable move made Ye Ning jolt all over. He was completely dumbfounded.

What was this?!

Did she just attack whenever they disagreed?

Tsunade hadn't wound up or even gathered chakra before striking, yet her attack had come as swiftly as thunder.

Fortunately, though Ye Ning had been stunned, his reactions were still quick. He bent low and rolled clumsily out of the way.

That was thanks to the two and a half years he'd spent sparring with the abbot of the Fire Temple.

The old monk was advanced in years, but his strength was undiminished. He could always drive Ye Ning into a desperate situation, and that was what had honed his incredible reflexes.

Otherwise, that one punch would have put him in Konoha Hospital for a while.

As he dodged, Ye Ning didn't forget to protest.

"Wait! Tsunade, wait!"

"Are you crazy? Why are you hitting me?"

Tsunade remained expressionless, her presence growing more imposing by the moment. She was surprised to see Ye Ning dodge her punch, but showed nothing on her face. She only said coldly,

"If you insist on becoming a ninja, then I'll beat you until you give up on that unrealistic idea!"

"Don't worry. I'm a medical ninja. If you get hurt, I'll treat you."

As she spoke, Tsunade stamped down hard. The expensive tatami beneath her feet and the floor shattered instantly, leaving a sizable crater.

You're serious?

Ye Ning's eyes narrowed. He felt a wave of dismay.

If Tsunade kept going berserk like this, she'd probably tear the whole house apart!

Ye Ning steeled himself, leaped out the window, and landed in the courtyard.

Tsunade didn't let up. Her shapely thighs tensed, then launched her forward in a blur as she chased after him.

She's crazy, she's crazy!

That woman's definitely lost it!

Can't we talk this out?!

What kind of problem was this, attacking the moment they disagreed?

After dodging several of Tsunade's punches, Ye Ning was starting to lose it.

Help! How do you get an out-of-control Tsunade to stop? Anyone? It's kind of urgent!

There wasn't another soul in the Senju Clan Grounds. Couldn't someone hear the commotion and come stop her?

Ye Ning did have an idea for making Tsunade stop, but he couldn't bring himself to do it.

He could pull out a kunai and stab himself. Tsunade would stop immediately.

But Ye Ning didn't want to make her relive that painful memory, and he didn't want to hurt himself just to get her to stop.

Besides, after taking several punches from Tsunade, he was starting to get angry himself.

That crazy woman thinks I'm a pushover just because I haven't fought back!

Ye Ning took a deep breath and stopped dodging, standing his ground instead.

Tsunade was just as puzzled.

She hadn't used chakra in her first few punches. She'd thought that would be more than enough to deal with a kid like Ye Ning, but the boy had turned out to be slippery as an eel. He'd dodged every punch, even if he'd looked a little awkward doing it.

And in the punches that followed, she'd used chakra—and still hadn't hit him?

Seeing Ye Ning stop, Tsunade assumed he'd run out of energy and was giving in. She was just about to lecture him when she saw him form Hand Seals!

???

Hand Seals?

Tsunade's eyes widened in astonishment. She hadn't imagined Ye Ning could use ninjutsu.

And most importantly, those seals...

"Welcome: Senju Slaughter!"

A golden statue of the Thousand-Armed Kannon appeared behind Ye Ning, and a huge golden chakra fist formed in front of him, hurtling toward Tsunade!

The technique was tremendous in scale, and its surging power made even Tsunade turn serious. She had to respond with care.

"Heavenly Foot of Pain!"

Tsunade didn't retreat. She kicked out.

Bam!

Another thunderous crash. Violent gusts of air swept through the courtyard, raising clouds of dust.

As the dust gradually settled, the two of them came back into view.

Tsunade seemed to have finally calmed down. She stood still, her expression a little complicated, lost in thought.

Ye Ning, meanwhile, marveled inwardly.

Even the old abbot wouldn't dare take the Welcome: Senju Slaughter head-on as Ye Ning had just performed it. He hadn't expected Tsunade to block it completely with a single kick...

A human-shaped mother tyrannosaur. Terrifying!

Ye Ning watched Tsunade carefully, afraid she'd go berserk again.

But Tsunade seemed to have lost all desire to keep fighting. She only looked over the craters scattered throughout the courtyard, thoughtful.

"Why didn't you tell me you knew ninjutsu?"

"You never asked! Did you ever ask me? You charged in and started beating me up! I should be the one asking you!"

Tsunade frowned. "I only wanted you to understand the gap between you and a ninja, and to give up on becoming one."

"You still haven't answered me. How do you know ninjutsu?"

You wanted me to understand the gap between me and a ninja?

How could you even say that?

You're not an ordinary ninja!

Huh?

Ye Ning replied irritably, "I learned at the Fire Temple. I spent two and a half years there! I thought it over for two and a half years, too. Like I said, I made up my mind to become a ninja only after careful consideration."

At last, the frost on Tsunade's face melted away. A sorrowful look appeared in its place.

"I just... don't want to go through losing someone again."

Nawaki... Dan...

Who would be next?

Ye Ning was her younger brother, too. Tsunade couldn't bear to imagine him becoming a ninja and then leaving her as well.

She couldn't even bring herself to think about it.

If that really happened, she was afraid she'd truly break down.

She couldn't bear to lose someone again...