Tsunade's Surprising Side! A Corrupting Master-Disciple Relationship!

The medical tent was dimly lit.

The rain still pattered outside, accompanied now and then by the groans of wounded soldiers, making the cramped space feel even more oppressive.

Tsunade's face was purple-blue, and her breathing was rapid yet weak.

The Tsunade who was usually so fiery and could punch straight through a wall was nowhere to be seen. Now, she was like a rain-soaked Koneko, curled weakly beneath the blankets.

Those brown eyes, always brimming with vitality, were now half-open and unfocused.

"To... Tobirama..."

Tsunade laboriously turned her head and looked at the boy sitting beside her bed.

"Am I... going to die?"

Hanzo's poison was terrifyingly potent. The reason the Rain Ninja had been so dominant during the Second Ninja World War was precisely because of his poison.

Even with her special Senju Clan constitution, she was nearly unable to endure it any longer.

Tobirama was using a wet towel to wipe the cold sweat from her forehead. At her words, his hand paused.

"What nonsense are you talking about?"

Tobirama shot her an annoyed look, but his movements remained gentle.

"Troublemakers live a thousand years. A woman like you, who can smash a floor apart with one kick, would scare Yama into refusing you. He'd be afraid you'd tear down Yama's Palace."

Under normal circumstances, Tsunade would have jumped up and cracked him over the head.

But now, she merely tugged at the corner of her lips, revealing a miserable smile uglier than crying.

"Heh... you brat... your tongue's still this sharp at a time like this..."

Tsunade sighed, her gaze turning unfocused as though she had fallen into the rambling delirium of someone on the verge of death.

"I don't want to die..."

"I'm only in my twenties... this is supposed to be the best time of my life..."

"I haven't become a great Hokage like Grandpa yet... I haven't restored the Senju Clan's glory..."

As she said that, a teardrop slid from the corner of her eye.

"And Nawaki... that idiot little brother... if I'm gone, with that hotheaded personality of his, he definitely won't last three days on the battlefield..."

Tsunade's voice grew hoarser and hoarser. The fear and regret she felt in the face of death finally shattered the strength she had been forcing herself to maintain.

"The biggest loss is..."

Tsunade suddenly gave a self-mocking laugh, her eyes staring blankly at the tent ceiling.

"I've grown up this much, and I'm still single..."

"Every day, it's either gambling or missions. I haven't even properly held a man's hand..."

"Tell me, has my life... been a complete failure?"

Hearing that, Tobirama raised an eyebrow, feeling a little strange.

What about Dan Katō?

What happened to that pretty boy from the original story who had Tsunade completely smitten with his Spirit Transformation Technique?

Oh, right.

The butterfly effect.

In this life, Tsunade had been fighting head-on at the front lines the entire time. She had never had the chance to run into Dan Katō in the Logistics Department.

No lover, no emotional baggage.

The current Tsunade was a blank sheet of paper.

"Since you're so unwilling to accept it, then stay alive and accomplish it yourself."

Tobirama tossed the towel into the basin, splashing up a small flower of water.

"You take care of that idiot Nawaki yourself."

"Don't try dumping your little brother on me. I can't be bothered to look after him."

"As for dating..."

Tobirama suddenly leaned down, his young yet sharply defined face drawing close to Tsunade's until their noses nearly touched.

Their breaths mingled.

"That wish, I suppose I can reluctantly help you fulfill."

Tsunade froze.

She looked at the boy so close to her.

Sword-like brows, bright eyes, a high nose bridge—there was probably no one more handsome than him in the entire Ninja World.

Well, of course. He was an Uchiha, after all, a clan famous for producing handsome men.

Her heart suddenly skipped a beat.

But that stubborn girl had always been too proud to yield, and she refused to soften even now.

"Tch..."

Tsunade turned her head away, though the tips of her ears quietly reddened.

"You brat... you're still wet behind the ears, and you want to take advantage of your teacher?"

"But..."

As though she had come to terms with something, she turned back to him and looked at Tobirama with part teasing, part resignation.

"If there really is a next life... or if I get lucky and don't die this time..."

"It wouldn't be impossible."

"After all... you're really quite handsome, and you're strong too. You're worthy of me."

"Just consider it end-of-life comfort for someone who's about to die..."

Tsunade's voice grew softer and softer, her eyelids fighting to stay open as the poison began to invade her brain.

"Who said this was end-of-life comfort?"

Tobirama suddenly reached out, pinched Tsunade's chin, and forced her to look at him.

"Tsunade, listen carefully."

"I'll remember what you just said."

"Don't even think about denying it once you're better."

"Now, I'm going to detoxify you. You only need to do one thing—trust me."

Tsunade looked at him dazedly, her eyes unfocused.

"De... detoxify me?"

"Stop joking... Hanzo's poison... even I can't deal with it... I need a laboratory... I need time..."

"You don't even know medical ninjutsu... If there were enough time, I'm confident you'd become an excellent medical ninja... but..."

She was a master healer.

She knew better than anyone how complex Hanzo's poison was.

Preparing an antidote on the spot?

Even if the Second Hokage came back to life, it would be impossible!

This brat was just trying to cheer her up, wasn't he?

"Look into my eyes."

Tsunade instinctively did so.

There was no hint of a joke in those eyes.

Only determination.

An absolute confidence that seemed capable of holding up the sky even if it came crashing down.

In a daze.

Tsunade seemed to see him again in that rainy night—the figure controlling a red giant and crushing a water dragon with one hand.

The boy who had stood before an army and told her, "There are only Uchiha who die in battle, never Tobiramas who flee."

He had created The Miracle before.

Maybe...

He could do it again this time?

Reason told her it was absurd, but her instincts made her choose blind faith.

"Alright..."

Tsunade painfully forced out a single word, a weak trust curling at the corner of her lips.

"I trust you..."

"My life is yours... do whatever you want with me..."

After saying that, she completely relaxed and let Tobirama handle her as he pleased.

Tobirama let out a breath of relief.

Done.

"System, open the shop."

His consciousness sank into his mind.

[Host: Tobirama Uchiha]

[Current Money: 530,000]

This was the reward from that battle just now.

The bounties from dozens of Rain Ninja, plus the massive rewards for defeating Hanzo and killing Ibuse.

This was getting rich overnight!

"Exchange!"

Without hesitation, Tobirama waved his hand.

[Ding! Spent 300,000 to exchange for "Master-Level Medical Ninjutsu Mastery"!]

[Ding! Spent 100,000 to exchange for "Salamander Hanzo Poison—Perfect Antidote (formula + one finished dose)"!]

Whoosh!

Two massive streams of information instantly flooded into his mind.

Tobirama, who had previously known nothing about medicine, instantly felt as though he had become the most elite medical ninja.

Chakra Scalpel, Mystical Palm Technique, Cell Activation...

The knowledge was as clear as though it had always existed in his memories.

A green test tube also appeared out of thin air in his hand.

This was the life-saving medicine worth one hundred thousand points!

"So this is what cheating feels like? Damn, it feels good."

The corner of Tobirama's lips curled up slightly.

An antidote that would take days and nights to analyze in reality was delivered instantly by the system.

As long as he had money, he could snatch people back even from Yama!

"Bear with it. It might hurt a little."

Tobirama pulled the stopper from the test tube. With one hand, he supported Tsunade's neck, and with the other, he brought the medicine to her lips.

Tsunade no longer had the strength to swallow.

Some of the liquid medicine trickled from the corner of her mouth.

"What a hassle."

Tobirama frowned.

Looking at that pale yet still breathtakingly beautiful face, as well as those slightly parted light pink lips.

He made a decision that went against the ethics of being a disciple but perfectly suited a man's instincts.

He tilted his head back and took a mouthful of the medicine himself.

Then he leaned down.

And kissed her.

"Mmph..."

Though Tsunade's consciousness was blurry, the sensation on her lips made her body tremble violently.

The warm medicine was passed into her mouth.

It carried the boy's scent, along with an overbearing sense of invasion.

She instinctively wanted to push him away, but her hands were weak. Resting against Tobirama's shoulders, they instead looked like she was resisting while welcoming him.

A few minutes later.

Tobirama pulled back, licked his lips, and looked reluctant to stop.

"This medicine... is pretty sweet."

On the bed.

The purple-blue color of Tsunade's face began to return to normal at a visible rate.

Her breathing also became steady and strong.

Hanzo's poison had been cured.

But another kind of poison would probably never be cured for the rest of her life.

Tsunade's eyelashes trembled as she slowly opened her eyes.

The lifelessness in her gaze was gone, replaced by a trace of embarrassment and anger, along with a hint of panic she could not hide.

Just now...

Though she had been hazy, she had felt it!

Her first kiss!

The first kiss she had preserved for over twenty years!

That traitorous disciple had stolen it just like that?!

And... he had even used something as cliché as feeding her medicine for an excuse!

"You..."

Tsunade had just been about to lose her temper when she seemed to think of something.

She lay back down, her face as red as a ripe apple.

"The poison is cured."

Tobirama sat by the bed with a righteous expression, as if the one who had taken advantage of her just now had not been him.

"Teacher Tsunade, you said it yourself."

"As long as I didn't die, you'd agree to me."

"Now, it's time for you to keep your promise."

Tsunade looked at this brat who had taken advantage of her and was still acting innocent, grinding her teeth in anger.

Yet deep down, she felt an unprecedented sense of security.

He had really done it.

He had saved her life from the Demigod and cured this fatal poison.

This man...

Though he was a little young, he seemed... really dependable?

Besides, she was the dignified Princess of Konoha and this brat's teacher. Going back on her word would not be very proper.

"Hmph..."

Tsunade gave an aloof snort, buried her head beneath the blanket, and spoke in a muffled voice:

"Wait... wait until you can survive to the end on the battlefield!"

Tobirama smiled.

Not refusing meant agreeing.

This round, he had made a killing!

"Then get some proper rest, Teacher. As for the medical ninjutsu, please keep it secret for me. Say that you had just developed the antidote but hadn't had time to use it yet, and that I merely helped you take it out and use it."