Young Tsunade

"Big sister, I'll be right there!"

Nawaki waved first, then turned back. "Wuye, using me to draw his attention so you could launch a sneak attack was wrong. We are—"

"I know! Companions from the village!"

Kushina planted her hands on her hips and snapped, "You're an upperclassman, and it's bad enough that you didn't help us. Wuye and I handled it ourselves, and now you're going to lecture us?"

Nawaki lowered his head sadly. "I was supposed to mediate, but I only made things worse. Wuye, you two... huh?"

He looked up, intending to persuade them further, only to find that Hyuga Wuye had been staring in another direction.

"Why are you looking at my sister?" he asked curiously.

"Because I'm curious!" Hyuga Wuye replied matter-of-factly.

Tsunade had only just come of age. She had yet to develop the legendary breasts she would possess in the future, and her face still retained some youthful girlishness.

But the future her... merely thinking about it sent countless little books drifting through Wuye's mind.

His smile gradually turned perverted.jpg.

"Wuye."

Kushina waved her fair little hand in front of his eyes. "Why are you staring at Lady Tsunade?"

"Cough." Hyuga Wuye withdrew his gaze and casually covered for himself. "I was thinking about medical ninjutsu. Maybe it can solve the problem of vitality... eh!"

He suddenly stopped.

Whether it was the First Hokage or Tsunade, their passive or active recovery abilities did not consume vitality. Perhaps it really was related to medical ninjutsu?

If he could do the same, wouldn't he become like Hashirama Senju, with infinite passive recovery?

It looked like Tsunade had to be the target of his second breakup? First this, then that, then all sorts of positions... Mm, it was all to analyze medical ninjutsu. Sacrificing a little of his looks was only proper!

But the age gap... Hyuga Wuye glanced at his seven-year-old body.

It would probably still be a few years before he could get on board...

"Let's go."

Hyuga Wuye went around Nawaki and left the scene.

But Kushina tugged on his sleeve and whispered, "Couples aren't like this..."

Wuye paused, then nonchalantly took her little hand and walked off hand in hand with her.

Kushina walked beside him with a smile as radiant as a flower.

Perhaps it was the softness unique to a young girl, or perhaps beating someone up earlier had gotten her blood flowing, but Kushina's little hand was soft and warm. It was like holding a lotus blooming on a summer night—smooth, tender, and alluring, making him want to bring it to his lips, give it a kiss, and breathe in its scent.

Behind them, Nawaki looked at the boy lying at his feet, then at Wuye and Kushina leaving on their own, utterly dejected.

"What's wrong?"

Suddenly, a warm hand touched his forehead.

"Big sister..."

Nawaki looked up. Tsunade had come to stand before him.

He briefly explained what had happened. Tsunade could not help but laugh. "They finally managed to beat up a genin, and you wanted them to be loving and considerate toward each other?"

Nawaki's face darkened. "Big sister, are you questioning my dream?"

"Nawaki, when it comes to lecturing people, you first need to beat them into submission." Tsunade smiled as she rubbed his head. "Otherwise, who would listen?"

"Beat them into submission first?"

Nawaki fell into thought. "Would it be inappropriate for an upperclassman like me to challenge a lowerclassman..."

"Didn't you say he defeated a genin? Strength shouldn't be judged by age, right?" Tsunade suddenly asked, "What's his name? Kushina is actually with him. She's Grandma's successor."

"Wuye. Hyuga Wuye," Nawaki said.

"The Hyuga Clan?"

Tsunade suddenly frowned, her expression turning cold.

"Big sister?"

Nawaki froze. "You don't dislike the entire Hyuga Clan because of the Hyuga Clan head, do you?"

"Hmph. How could I possibly look favorably upon Hyuga Kaguya's clan?" Tsunade crossed her arms.

"Big sister, that's wrong," Nawaki said, getting fired up again. "Although the Hyuga Clan head is your opponent, hasn't she shown you kindness? Besides, we're all companions from the village—"

Tsunade's face darkened several shades. With a smack, she slapped the top of his head. "No lecturing your big sister."

Nawaki's head buzzed.

He finally understood why one had to beat someone into submission before lecturing them... at least then the lecture would not be interrupted by violence.

Elsewhere.

Kushina's face had darkened several shades as well.

"Wuye, come on! Uncle's treating you to barbecue!"

Before they had gone very far, Hyuga Wuye was dragged into a barbecue restaurant by an uncle with the unmistakable build of the Akimichi Clan and a huge character for "food" written on his clothes.

"This is Uncle Torifu," Hyuga Wuye explained.

"Oh." Kushina nodded listlessly.

Seeing this, Hyuga Wuye lowered his voice. "Uncle Torifu has taken very good care of me since I was little. He even lets me eat whatever I want at his family's barbecue restaurant without ever charging me."

"Ah." Kushina gave a small cry and hurriedly said, "Uncle Torifu, thank you for treating Wuye so well."

"You're thanking me on his behalf?" Akimichi Torifu bent down to look at her and chuckled. "Are you Wuye's little girlfriend?"

Kushina blushed furiously and clutched Wuye's arm with both hands. "Mm!"

"Hahaha!" Akimichi Torifu laughed heartily, hooked an arm around Wuye's neck, and dragged both of them into the barbecue restaurant. "Come on! Eat whatever you want today!"

"Eh? No, that won't be necessary. Today, Kushina and I still have—"

Hyuga Wuye did not even have room to refuse before Akimichi Torifu shoved him into a booth.

"Why are you being polite with me?"

He swept out a hand and slapped the table grandly. "It's my family's place. Eat your fill!"

Hyuga Wuye looked at Kushina's drooping little face and spread his hands helplessly.

Sizzle, sizzle!

Soon, fragrant barbecue was placed onto the grill.

Perhaps because the owner of the restaurant was present, a dedicated server stood beside them to grill the meat.

Hyuga Wuye kept placing meat onto Kushina's plate. "Uncle Torifu is loaded. It'd be a waste not to eat, so don't hold back."

Kushina's cheeks were stuffed full by him, making her look adorable as she chewed and swallowed.

"If you hadn't refused to use the clan subsidy to open a restaurant with me, then I wouldn't be the only rich one now. We both would be." Akimichi Torifu spoke irritably.

Kushina finally swallowed the barbecue in her mouth and turned around cutely, wanting to ask something, only for Wuye to fill her mouth again.

"Mmph, mmph!"

Her two little hands lightly patted his chest, seeming to complain.

Hyuga Wuye set down his chopsticks with a smile. "I know what you want to ask, but I was only four back then. Uncle Torifu insisted on doing business with me. How could I not be careful?"

"Brat, did you think I'd cheat you out of your money?" Akimichi Torifu rolled his eyes. "I'll be forty next year. How could I do something like swindling a child?"

As he spoke, his chopsticks flew, moving faster than Wuye and Kushina combined.

The barbecue meal lasted a full two hours before Akimichi Torifu reluctantly saw them out.

"Hey, Wuye, come find Uncle whenever you want to make some money," he called out, waving his hand. "These days, I'm not interested in anything except eating and making money!"

"Got it!"

Wuye waved back, took Kushina's hand, and left...