Taking Uchiha Mikoto as an Apprentice

Jiraiya was in the hospital again.

Four broken ribs, a shattered left arm, and a ruptured spleen.

The medical ninja at Konoha Hospital trembled when they read his injury report.

"Did a summoned beast step on him?"

"No. That was Lady Tsunade's fist."

"...Good grief."

News spread fast.

Konoha was only so big, and ninja gossiped even more fiercely than civilians.

Within a day, the story of "Tsunade beating Jiraiya senseless" had spread through every street and alley.

The versions grew more outrageous with every retelling.

"Did you hear? Jiraiya just said, 'Tsunade, you look beautiful today,' and she sent him flying."

"I heard he walked past Tsunade's house, glanced at it, and ended up in the hospital."

"Tch. Tsunade of the Senju... What a violent brute."

"Better stay away from her. One wrong word and she'll beat you up."

"Right? With a temper like that, who'd dare marry her?"

"Well, the stronger a woman is, the less likely she is to find a husband."

A few Chunin huddled together in a teahouse, whispering.

They weren't loud, but they weren't making much effort to keep their voices down, either.

Tsunade heard none of it, of course.

She wouldn't have cared anyway.

At that moment, in the Senju residence...

It was early morning.

Tsunade was sleeping like the dead.

She had stayed up with Orochimaru until midnight, checking all the physical data for version 1.3.

When she got home, she had fallen straight into bed.

Knock, knock.

Someone was at the door.

Tsunade rolled over and covered her ears with a pillow.

Knock, knock, knock.

The knocking grew more urgent.

"...What a pain."

Tsunade muttered a curse and crawled out from under the covers.

Her hair looked like a bird's nest.

The collar of her pajamas had slipped below one shoulder.

Yawning, she shuffled to the door in her slippers.

"Who is it this early...?"

She pulled the door open.

Someone stood outside.

A light-purple outfit. Long black hair neatly tied back.

She was short, barely reaching Tsunade's shoulder.

Uchiha Mikoto.

She stood there clutching a cloth bundle, her knuckles tight around it.

Tsunade paused, most of her sleepiness vanishing.

"Mikoto?"

"Why are you—"

She stopped when she noticed Mikoto's eyes.

They were red.

So were the rims around them.

Even the tip of her nose was red.

Her large eyes glistened. She looked as though she had just cried—or was fighting not to.

Tsunade woke up completely.

"What happened? Did someone bully you?"

Her voice turned stern at once.

Mikoto shook her head. She pressed her lips together, then spoke with a clear nasal catch in her voice.

"Lady Tsunade... are you all right?"

Tsunade blinked.

"Me?"

She looked down at herself.

Crooked pajamas, wild hair, and a pillow mark on her face.

She certainly didn't look her best.

But there wasn't anything wrong with her, was there?

"I'm fine." Tsunade scratched the back of her head. "Why did you come all this way so early?"

At that, Mikoto could no longer hold back her tears.

Large drops rolled down her cheeks.

"People outside... They're all saying terrible things about you!"

Her voice shook with tears, but she pronounced every word clearly.

"They're calling you violent... saying you have a bad temper... saying you hit everyone..."

"Some even said... said you'd never get married..."

Mikoto wiped her eyes as she spoke, growing angrier with every word.

"I know that isn't true!"

"You're the kindest person, Lady Tsunade! You protected everyone at the bathhouse that day!"

"Those men don't know anything, but they're talking behind your back!"

"I... I was worried you'd hear them and feel hurt..."

She finished with a hard sniff. Even the hand clutching her bundle was trembling.

Tsunade stood in the doorway, looking at the red-eyed girl.

For a moment, she was at a loss.

The truth was, none of those rumors had bothered her in the slightest.

After years of hard knocks in her previous life, what hadn't she heard?

Besides, she knew perfectly well that Jiraiya hadn't taken that beating for nothing.

Rumors meant nothing to her.

But now...

Someone had come all this way at the crack of dawn, eyes red, just to ask if she was all right.

Something inside Tsunade softened.

"You silly girl..."

She sighed and reached out to rub Mikoto's head.

Her touch was gentle, her palm warm.

"You know what I'm like. When people gossip, I can't even be bothered to listen."

"Stop crying. Your nose is all red."

Under Tsunade's hand, Mikoto's sobs gradually quieted.

But instead of stepping back, she moved half a step closer.

"But..."

"No buts." Tsunade flicked her forehead. "Go home. You came all this way so early—won't your family worry?"

Mikoto didn't move.

She lowered her head, seemingly hesitant.

A few seconds passed in silence.

Then she suddenly looked up.

A stubbornness unique to the Uchiha shone through her tear-filled eyes.

"Lady Tsunade!"

"Hmm?"

"I want you to take me as your apprentice!"

Tsunade's hand froze in midair.

"...What?"

"I want to learn from you!" Mikoto clenched her fists. Her voice wasn't loud, but it was firm. "I want to become stronger!"

"That day, you said I could use your name if anyone bullied me."

"But I don't want to spend my life hiding behind someone else."

"I want to be like you. Someone who can protect others."

She took a deep breath.

"So please, take me as your apprentice!"

Then she bowed ninety degrees.

She bent sharply at the waist and held herself there.

Tsunade looked down at that small head.

Mikoto's hair was still damp with morning dew.

An apprentice?

She wants me to teach Uchiha Mikoto?

Tsunade's mind raced.

Mikoto belonged to the Uchiha clan.

She carried the Sharingan bloodline, and her aptitude for Chakra was hardly poor.

In the original story, she had married Fugaku and spent her life as a housewife.

In the end, her own son, Uchiha Itachi, had killed her.

But what if Tsunade started training her now?

With Mikoto's talent, combined with her own Monster Strength system and Medical Ninjutsu...

Tsunade narrowed her eyes.

This girl was an uncut gem.

One that had come straight to her door.

"Do you know how hard it'll be to train under me?" Tsunade's smile faded, and her tone turned serious.

Mikoto raised her head, her gaze unwavering.

"I'm not afraid."

"I can get up at four every morning."

The corners of Tsunade's mouth lifted slightly.

As early as I do.

"Does your family agree?"

"I haven't told them yet," Mikoto answered honestly. "But I don't need anyone's permission to make my own decision."

Well, would you look at that.

A thirteen-year-old Uchiha saying something like that.

No wonder she would one day be able to keep Fugaku in line.

Tsunade fell silent as a thought occurred to her.

Mikoto was an Uchiha.

How would the Uchiha react if Tsunade took her as an apprentice?

Tsunade narrowed her eyes.

The Senju and Uchiha had feuded for a hundred years.

Taking Mikoto in... would be like throwing a stone into still water.

Tch. Who cares? I'll take whoever I want as my apprentice!

Let the Uchiha try to object! Hmph!

Tsunade pursed her lips, reached out, and gripped Mikoto's shoulder.

"All right."

Two words. Clear and decisive.

Mikoto froze.

She had been ready for a refusal, then to ask three more times.

"R-really?"

"When have I ever lied?" Tsunade tilted her head. "No, wait. I lie all the time. But this time, I mean it."

Mikoto's lips trembled.

The tears came again.

This time, though, she was crying with a smile.

"Thank you, Lady Tsunade! I promise I'll—"

"Call me Master."

"...Master!"

Tsunade nodded in satisfaction.

She looked calm, but inside, she was bursting with joy.

I've got myself a little apprentice~

Uchiha Mikoto, the future most beautiful woman in the Uchiha clan, is mine~

Phase two of winning her affection: start as master and apprentice. Can't go wrong~