August 9, Year 37 of the Hidden Leaf.
"Happy twelfth birthday, Nawaki." Tsunade smiled as she wished him a happy birthday and handed him a gift box.
Nawaki glanced at the box and took it. Turning his head aside, he pursed his lips and said, "I'm not a little kid anymore. I don't want any presents."
As he spoke, he handed the gift box back to Tsunade.
Tsunade didn't take it. Instead, she planted her hands on her hips and leaned down slightly to say to Nawaki:
"What do you mean? You're still a kid, aren't you? Open it and have a look. You'll definitely be happy."
With that, Tsunade walked over to the side and leaned against the railing.
Nawaki stopped arguing and carefully unwrapped the box. When he saw the gift inside, he froze.
"Big Sis, could this be..."
"That's right. The First's necklace, our grandfather's Hokage ornament!"
Hearing Tsunade confirm it, Nawaki excitedly threw himself into her arms and shouted, "Thank you, Big Sis! I love you the most!"
Tsunade hugged Nawaki too and smiled. "I just thought you'd be a better fit for it than me. You've always wanted this, haven't you? Make sure you take good care of it!"
Nawaki straightened up and said solemnly, "It's not just this ornament. Konoha is Grandpa's treasure, and I'll protect it no matter what!"
As he spoke, Nawaki put the necklace around his neck. Then he rested both hands on the railing, looking down at Konoha below as he smiled and said:
"Because I'm the grandson of the First, who founded the Hidden Leaf Village."
"You've got some nerve saying that. Well, a man's word is his bond, so you'd better keep your promise." Tsunade put one hand on her hip and patted Nawaki's head with the other, smiling back at him.
"I want to be just like Grandpa. Someday, I'll inherit the title of Hokage too, because becoming Hokage is my dream!" Nawaki said confidently.
"Nawaki, take off your Forehead Protector." Though Nawaki seemed to like it, Tsunade didn't explain. She just kept urging him.
"Come on, don't worry about that. I have another present for you!" When Nawaki didn't react, Tsunade took the Forehead Protector off for him.
"This is magic that can make your dreams come true." With that, Tsunade kissed Nawaki on the forehead.
Then the two of them giggled together.
"Ah, there you are! Big Sis Tsunade, Big Bro Nawaki, so this is where you are! We've been looking for you forever!"
Just as Tsunade and Nawaki were giggling together, a voice came from nearby. They turned toward it and saw three boys running toward them—two redheads and one blond. The newcomers were naturally Uzumaki Qi Luna, Uzumaki Kushina, and Namikaze Minato.
"Sorry, did we interrupt you?" Namikaze Minato asked sheepishly, sensing that the mood seemed a little awkward.
"Not really. But you three look like you're in a hurry. Is something wrong?" Tsunade put one hand on her hip and touched her chin with the other, looking at the three who had rushed over in confusion.
"Of course! Today is Nawaki's twelfth birthday, the day he was promoted to Chunin! It's such an important occasion, so of course we had to come congratulate him!" Kushina answered matter-of-factly, folding her arms across her chest.
In this life, because of Qi Luna, Kushina and she had both been living at Grandma Mito's house. So Kushina was much closer to Tsunade and Nawaki than she had been in the original story. And since they often invited Minato over, he and Nawaki got along pretty well too.
That was how Kushina and Qi Luna ended up bringing Minato along to give Nawaki a birthday present.
"Ohhh, so that's what it is? It's not like I particularly wanted a present, but as an older brother and senior, I do want my younger siblings and junior to respect me after all~"
Tears of emotion streamed from Nawaki's eyes as he hugged his adorable younger brother, sobbing uncontrollably.
"Ha-ki-tree, don't get so carried away with your own feelings! Get off me! Your snot's about to get in my hair! If you have to hug someone, go hug Minato!" Holding to the principle of letting someone else suffer instead, Qi Luna pushed Nawaki away with a disgusted look and recommended her friend Namikaze Minato.
Nawaki held out both arms, looking first at Kushina, who was clearly resisting, then at Minato, who looked awkward. In the end, he sighed, feeling that once again, he was the only one who'd truly meant it...
"Idiot." Tsunade held her forehead. She couldn't stand watching Nawaki clown around, but all she could do was scold him with an exasperated smile.
"Okay, okay, time to open your presents! We picked these treasures out with great care. In a way, they're all one-of-a-kind, incredibly rare items with no duplicates!" Kushina raised her head and her proud little face, flashing a V sign. She was the very picture of smugness.
Her words successfully piqued Tsunade and Nawaki's curiosity.
"Then I suppose I'll have to see for myself." Tsunade's eyebrow shot up as she eyed the gifts skeptically. It wasn't that she didn't believe Kushina. She was just curious; with her grandfather, great-uncle, and even her teacher all having been Hokage, she couldn't imagine what kind of treasure she hadn't seen before.
"Then Minato can go first." Seeing that Tsunade was curious about the presents they'd brought for Nawaki, Qi Luna didn't keep them in suspense and immediately pushed her friend forward once again.
"The birthday present I got for Nawaki is a batch of military ration pills that I made myself." Minato took out a bag of cherry-sized pills. At a glance, there were at least twenty or thirty. He scratched his head and said awkwardly,
"What? They're just bigger military ration pills. What's so special about them? You're exaggerating, Kushina." Seeing the pills Minato had taken out, Tsunade wagged her left index finger and shook her head, speaking lightly.
"What if these military ration pills can do more than just restore stamina and chakra? Minato, tell us about them." Before Tsunade could ask, Qi Luna prompted Minato to explain what his homemade military ration pills could do.
"I call these special military ration pills 'Pitch-Black, Smooth, Super-Nutritious, Healing-and-Restoring Multi-Purpose Pills'! They can rapidly restore chakra and heal injuries to a certain extent. But the medicinal ingredients that can quickly heal injuries when taken orally are very rare, so I can't make many of them. When you factor in the cost, they're incredibly poor value..."
Tsunade's face said it all: speechless. She'd heard Nawaki mention Namikaze Minato's reputation as a naming genius, but after seeing it with her own eyes...
The medicine was precious and could make a big, even crucial, difference in a pinch, yet he'd given it some ridiculous name about black whatever pills. Jiraiya, who'd taken him on as a treasured disciple, really had no eye for talent...
"Next is my present. It might look ordinary, but it works really well. It took me a long time to finally make it!"
As she spoke, Kushina handed Nawaki a present shaped like an envelope.
After seeing what Minato had brought, Nawaki had no trace of contempt in his eyes this time. He accepted the gift solemnly and carefully opened it.
"A portable ninja-tool summoning device? But at this size, it can't hold much, can it?" Knowing Kushina's abilities and personality, Nawaki naturally didn't think she'd make something silly, like giving him a love letter before a mission. After all, he wasn't the kind of person Kushina liked.
"What? They're just cartoon stickers! I'm the older brother, but you and Big Sis Tsunade treat me like a little kid too!"
Looking at the gift in his hands, Nawaki felt deeply disappointed. But it was still a thoughtful present from his younger sister. Though he said those words, he didn't dislike it in the least.
Before you continue