Tsunade's Teaching

"My sweat and hard work haven't let me down!"

Uchiha Sasuke had his entire clan massacred and his parents killed before awakening a one-tomoe Sharingan in rage. By that logic, my talent far surpasses Sasuke's.

Jokes aside, Indra knew very well that the Sharingan's awakening and evolution were both tied to emotional fluctuations.

The Uchiha Clan being full of lunatics was no joke. The crazier they were, the faster they awakened their eyes and the stronger they became.

Uchiha Itachi, that madman who wiped out his own clan; Uchiha Obito, whose Kamui could not conceal his tears—these were the best examples.

Sasuke had simply been too normal and too resilient as a child. The same went for him.

The environment in the Hidden Leaf Village was clearly so ideal—"troublemakers everywhere," "bullying rampant." If his heart had been just a little more fragile, he might have awakened his eyes long ago.

"If I can't do it myself, perhaps I can rely on external help."

Indra thought of the Shadow Masks. Their side effect was precisely the amplification of evil thoughts, eroding the wearer's mind until the demon soul sealed within the mask ultimately took over their body.

If used properly, they might serve as a tool to assist in awakening the eyes.

"The prerequisite is still control and safety. I need to have Old Man prepare a solution for removing the mask, or once I put it on, I won't be able to take it off."

Indra looked toward the All-Heavens Pearl. The orb of light had already dimmed somewhat.

By his estimate, he would have to wait a while longer for the All-Heavens Pearl to restore itself before he could travel again.

"No rush. I have the Twelve Talismans, and my Sharingan only has one tomoe for now.

It's not like this is the Fourth Shinobi World War yet, where immortals battle it out, Kage-level fighters are everywhere, and those above Kage level roam the streets."

Indra remembered that, in the current shinobi world, aside from Madara Uchiha and Black Zetsu lurking in the shadows, everyone else was easy enough to deal with.

Hanzō of the Salamander could still be called the "Demigod of the Shinobi World" right now!

With the Twelve Talismans in hand, his survival was absolutely guaranteed.

To ensure the talismans would not be lost, Indra found a sturdy thin cord and strung the Rooster Talisman and Tiger Talisman onto it, wearing them around his neck like a necklace.

As for the other talismans, he placed them all inside his ninja tool pouch and carried them with him.

Feeling refreshed, Indra looked out the window.

The sky had begun to brighten. Morning was almost here.

"Wake up, Tsunade!"

Indra nudged Tsunade on the bed. Her sleeping posture was rather uninhibited, and at some point, she had taken off the outer robe she had been wearing.

"Haah... Is it morning already?" Tsunade yawned and lazily stretched.

The full curves threatening to spill free swayed slightly. Fortunately, Indra had seen plenty before, so he managed to keep his eyes straight ahead.

After breakfast, Tsunade personally brought Indra back to the Hidden Leaf Village.

Indra was now her biggest benefactor, so Tsunade's attitude toward him had noticeably improved.

The two arrived at the ninja academy together and parted ways at the entrance.

Indra walked straight into the classroom and took his seat.

"Indra~ You're in a very good mood today. It seemed like you weren't home at all last night."

Indra turned toward the voice and saw the dainty, adorable face of Uchiha Mikoto.

Sitting beside him, Uchiha Mikoto stared straight at him.

When she caught the lingering scent of an unfamiliar woman on him, her crimson two-tomoe Sharingan quietly emerged.

Indra's heart skipped a beat. Mikoto had awakened her eyes when both of her parents died.

Indra had taken that opportunity to comfort her, and over time, the two had become childhood sweethearts.

Ever since then, Mikoto had always been gentle and virtuous. Why did she suddenly feel so yandere now?!

"Mikoto, I went to see Tsunade yesterday. I wanted her to become our guiding jōnin."

Indra quickly explained the situation in broad strokes, without any hesitation.

The crimson color in Mikoto's eyes faded, returning them to their blankly adorable black.

"Huh! Lady Tsunade?"

Tsunade was not only the First Hokage's granddaughter and the Senju Clan's princess, but also the Third Hokage's disciple.

There was not a single female ninja in the Hidden Leaf Village who did not admire and revere Tsunade, and Mikoto was no exception.

But more than that, she was curious why Lady Tsunade would become the guiding jōnin for the two of them. Was Indra really that close to Tsunade?

Indra did not hide anything and explained the details.

By the end, Mikoto looked completely disillusioned.

The idol she admired was actually a gambling addict?

That was completely different from the Lady Tsunade she had imagined!

With curiosity itching at her heart, Mikoto waited until the group assignments were over.

Tsunade's connections really were formidable. Normally, teams were formed in groups of three, yet he and Mikoto had somehow been assigned as a two-person team under Tsunade.

Following the instructions, the two arrived near the academy's open grounds and immediately spotted Tsunade standing there with her arms crossed.

She wore her hair in a neat ponytail, and even the dark green jonin vest could not conceal the proud, full curves of her figure.

"Yo~ Tsunade!"

Indra greeted her excitedly.

Mikoto immediately followed suit. "Hello, Lady Tsunade!"

Once the two drew close, Tsunade reached out and pinched Indra's cheek.

"Look at her. You should show some respect when greeting people too, brat!"

"Who was it that owed another five last night—mmph!"

Before Indra could finish, Tsunade clamped a hand over his mouth.

She shot him a vicious glare and reminded him, "From now on, call me Teacher. I'm starting your lessons!"

[If you dare mention the debt again, I'll tear your mouth apart.]

As though they were telepathic, Indra actually understood Tsunade's look.

With no other choice, Indra hurriedly nodded. "Yes, Teacher Tsunade."

Hearing that form of address, and seeing the cute black-haired boy Indra earnestly trying to straighten his hair, Tsunade felt a surge of delight well up inside her.

This was bad. It felt like she might get addicted!

Watching everything unfold, Mikoto's two-tomoe Sharingan silently emerged.

More than having her admiration shattered by confirming that Lady Tsunade really was a gambling addict, the playful banter between Indra and Tsunade made her feel uncomfortable.

But before Mikoto had time to think it over, Tsunade's voice interrupted her.

Although it was Tsunade's first time serving as a squad leader, as an elite jonin, teaching two genin was effortless for her.

Hand seal techniques and the tricks to chakra control—Tsunade taught them everything in detail.

Seven days passed in a row, and Indra's strength improved by leaps and bounds.

Having someone guide him and learning on his own were completely different things.

His hand seal speed, the precision of his chakra control, and more all improved noticeably.

But after that, Tsunade suddenly became busy. After teaching them the techniques for using the taijutsu "Monster Strength" and training in medical ninjutsu, she declared that they would study on their own.

Both Monster Strength and medical ninjutsu were undoubtedly extremely difficult to master.

Indra chose to focus on training Monster Strength, while Mikoto chose to focus on medical ninjutsu.

"Other than my chakra reserves multiplying several times over and already nearing chunin level, my learning progress is still too slow."

Indra put away the Horse Talisman and Dog Talisman, shaking his head helplessly.

Still, he understood that Tsunade had matters to attend to. He could not possibly keep having her tutor him one-on-one.

"In that case, it's time to make use of the clan's resources."

Indra had long since formed a plan. He then looked toward the residence where Uchiha Mikoto lived not far away.