The Candy You Owe Me

The meeting adjourned.

Several clan heads walked out of the main hall in small groups, bowing to each other in farewell.

Hashirama walked at the very back, exchanging pleasantries while unbuttoning his collar.

Catching sight of the Hagoromo Clan Head about to take his leave, he called out to him casually.

"Hagoromo Clan Head, don't you have a little one at home? Did you bring him?"

The Hagoromo Clan Head turned back. "Kaede? I did. I told him to wait in the courtyard."

"The courtyard?" Hashirama mused. "Little Tsunade is over there too."

He rubbed his chin, a subtle expression crossing his face.

"How old is your son?"

"Four."

"Then he's probably being bullied," Hashirama said offhandedly. "My granddaughter has to spar with everyone she meets. Last time she sat on a seven-year-old kid and beat him up; when his father came to complain, I had to pay him off with three boxes of snacks."

The Hagoromo Clan Head laughed and said, "They're just children," but his pace quickened involuntarily.

Kaede might be smart, but he was only four. Who could say what would happen when he ran into the First Hokage's granddaughter?

The two men crossed the corridor and rounded a low wall.

The scene in the pavilion made Hashirama slow his pace by half a beat.

The little demon who "sat on a seven-year-old kid and beat him up" was currently sitting upright on the steps.

Her two short legs were pressed together, her back was straight as a board, and a dice cup sat before her.

Sitting next to her was the four-year-old boy—Hagoromo Kaede.

He reached out and adjusted Tsunade's wrist.

"Too tight. Loosen it a bit."

"Like this?"

"Use this part to lead when you turn."

"Oh."

Tsunade lowered her head and followed his instructions.

The dice rattled dully inside the cup, sounding much steadier than before.

"That's it."

The corners of Tsunade's mouth curled up, but she quickly tightened them and continued to practice.

Hashirama stood behind the low wall, watching for a few seconds.

He didn't make a sound.

The Hagoromo Clan Head stole a glance at Hashirama's face.

The smile was still there, but his eyes were narrowed.

The Hagoromo Clan Head was all too familiar with this expression of Hashirama's.

Every time someone said something inappropriate during a high-level meeting, he wore that exact look.

Hashirama walked over, his footsteps neither heavy nor light.

The two children in the pavilion looked up at the same time.

When Tsunade saw Hashirama, she grinned and was about to shout—but suddenly hid the dice cup behind her back, as if afraid it would be confiscated.

"Grandpa! Are you done with your meeting?"

Her tone was cheerful, but she didn't budge from her spot.

Hashirama squatted down.

His gaze fell first on Tsunade's face, and he reached out to brush her cheek.

"Did you cry?"

Tsunade still had dried tear tracks on her face; she tilted her head to avoid his touch.

"I did not."

Hashirama didn't press the issue, shifting his gaze to Kitahara Kaede.

A four-year-old child, sitting with perfect posture, his expression calm.

There was no fawning, no nervousness, and no deliberate show of respect.

He sat there naturally, as if the person squatting across from him wasn't the First Hokage.

"Lord Hashirama."

Not "Lord Hokage," but "Lord Hashirama."

He used his name, not his title.

Hashirama's eyebrows twitched, but he didn't point it out.

He turned his head to look at the mountain of candy piled up in the pavilion, then back at the dice cup Tsunade was hiding behind her back.

"Did you teach her?"

"She wanted to learn."

Tsunade interrupted, "I'm the one who made him teach me!"

Hashirama didn't take the bait.

He picked up a die, spun it on his fingertip, and set it back down.

"Four years old, and you can control dice with technique."

The words were light, sounding like a compliment, yet also like an appraisal.

Kitahara Kaede didn't deny it, nor did he offer any unnecessary modesty.

Hashirama looked at him and suddenly chuckled.

He dragged the dice cup over and placed it in front of himself.

"Play a round with me."

The First Hokage was going to gamble with a four-year-old.

Hashirama had seen the way Tsunade listened so obediently just now, and that look—any grandfather would understand it.

How long have you been here? A few hours?

I've raised her for three years, and she picks fights with everyone she meets, yet she listens to every word you say.

Kitahara Kaede didn't respond immediately, instead tilting his head to look at Tsunade.

"Let her do it?"

Hashirama was taken aback.

Kitahara Kaede ignored his expression and continued, "She just learned it, so it's a good time to test it."

He looked down at Tsunade.

"Remember how I taught you?"

"...I remember." Tsunade gripped the dice cup.

"That's enough."

He paused.

"Win it yourself."

Only three words, but Tsunade understood.

She bit her lip and slammed the dice cup onto the floor.

"Bring it on!"

Hashirama looked at the spirited little girl across from him, his feelings complex and hard to define.

His granddaughter.

The one he had raised since she was small.

She had never shown this expression when acting spoiled or crying in front of him.

Hashirama picked up the dice cup and gave it a casual shake.

He had intended to play seriously.

But seeing Tsunade gripping the cup tightly, her little face set in a serious expression, he habitually held back a little.

It wasn't throwing the game—just holding back slightly.

He controlled a four and a five.

Nine points. Neither high nor low.

It was Tsunade's turn.

She mimicked Kitahara Kaede's movements, gripping the cup and turning her wrist inward.

Her movements were still clumsy, the range of motion a bit too wide, and she hesitated slightly at the end, but the dice didn't scatter.

She slammed it down.

She took a breath and lifted the cup.

A six and a five.

Eleven points.

Tsunade was stunned.

Kitahara Kaede nudged her shoulder from the side.

"You won."

Tsunade snapped back to reality.

She jumped up, her ponytail whipping through the air—

"I won!"

She rushed over to Hashirama.

"Grandpa! I really won this time! You didn't let me win!"

Hashirama sat there.

He had rolled a nine, which wasn't low.

Few people could roll over ten with a casual shake.

Four years old, and she learned it so quickly.

His gaze drifted past Tsunade and landed on Kitahara Kaede.

The boy sat quietly in his original spot, his face showing no desire for credit, nor any "look how well I taught her" expression.

He just sat there, quiet and still.

Hashirama was silent for two seconds.

"Kid."

Kitahara Kaede looked up.

"You can come over to play with little Tsunade often from now on."

Tsunade pricked up her ears, her eyes lighting up instantly.

"Really?!"

"Really."

Tsunade turned to look at Kitahara Kaede, lifting her chin.

The expression was written clearly: Did you hear that?

Kitahara Kaede stood up and bowed slightly.

"Thank you, Lord Hashirama."

Hashirama nodded and took Tsunade's hand to head back.

After a few steps, Tsunade suddenly pulled her hand away and ran back a few paces.

"Hey!"

Kitahara Kaede looked at her.

"What's your name?"

They had been gambling for half the day, and she hadn't even asked.

"Hagoromo Kaede."

Tsunade moved her lips, silently repeating it once.

"Kaede—bring more candy next time you come. You still owe me."

"Didn't I just pay you back?"

"That was what you gave me; it's a different matter from what you owe me. And there's double the amount left!"

Kitahara Kaede opened his mouth but couldn't find the words.

Hashirama listened from the side.

The four-year-old kid who hadn't budged an inch when facing him was left speechless by his granddaughter's debt collection.

Hashirama huffed.

He felt a little better.

Just a little.

On the way back.

The Hagoromo Clan Head walked for a long time without a word, several times wanting to speak but stopping himself.

Finally, he couldn't hold it in anymore.

"Kaede... Lord First said you could come over to play with Princess Tsunade often."

"Mm."

He wanted to say more, but seeing his son's calm profile, he swallowed the words.

Kitahara Kaede walked behind, his eyes fixed straight ahead.

A light screen popped up in his mind.

[Side quest: First meeting--completed.]

[Final evaluation: S-rank.]

[Evaluation notes: You successfully left a deep first impression on the target. Not only did you gain the target's favor and trust, but you also earned the recognition of the key figure, Senju Hashirama. The dual personas of "genius" and "reliable companion" have been initially established.]

[Reward settlement: Chakra extraction efficiency permanently +5%.]

[Remarks: This reward is a percentage bonus and will increase synchronously with the growth of the host's total chakra.]

Kitahara Kaede's gaze lingered on the word "percentage."

It was not a fixed value.

Right now, a 5% increase was barely noticeable.

But in the future, when his chakra reserves increased tenfold or a hundredfold—

This 5% would scale right along with it.