Taking Minato Namikaze and Kushina as Disciples

Tsunade's cheek twitched.

"Th-that's... that's impossible, right?!"

The thought exploded in her mind. She even wondered if the aftereffects of transmigration were making her hallucinate.

The Flying Thunder God Technique.

It was an S-rank Space-Time Ninjutsu developed by the Second Hokage, Tobirama Senju—one capable of changing the course of a war!

In all of Konoha, no one but the Second Hokage himself had ever mastered it.

Minato Namikaze learning it was one thing. He was destined for greatness.

He was the future Fourth Hokage.

A genius who came along once in a century.

But Nawaki...

Tsunade stared at her little brother, standing atop the bookshelf with a bewildered look and a hint of excitement.

Her understanding of the world took a tiny, billion-point hit.

Yet Minato Namikaze was calmer than she was.

He merely glanced curiously at Nawaki beside him, showing little surprise.

As though this were only natural.

Wasn't Flying Thunder God something anyone with hands could learn?

"Lady Tsunade, why do you look so excited?"

Minato Namikaze couldn't understand it.

Nawaki didn't think it was a big deal either.

He recovered from his initial shock.

He looked down at the slip of paper beneath his feet, then up at Tsunade, and waved delightedly.

"Sis! Huh? That's it? It's so easy!"

Easy?!

Tsunade's mouth twitched hard.

If Flying Thunder God were that easy, everyone in Konoha would have learned it by now!

There was no way!

She stared at Nawaki, her mind racing.

After the shock faded, a possibility she had overlooked suddenly surfaced.

Nawaki... was a direct descendant of the Senju clan.

More than that, he was Tobirama Senju's grandnephew!

She herself had inherited the potential for her grandfather Hashirama Senju's Sage Body and Wood Release.

Could Nawaki have inherited, a generation later,

her great-uncle Tobirama Senju's monstrous talent for Space-Time Ninjutsu?

Understanding struck Tsunade in an instant.

She knew it!

Nawaki was descended from both the Senju and Uzumaki clans.

Though he had more Chakra than other children his age, it was nowhere near an absurd amount.

His physical abilities were utterly ordinary, no different from any other child's.

Compared with her, his physical strength was worlds apart.

Tsunade had even considered having him learn the Yin Seal and build up a Chakra Reservoir.

But that demanded far too much patience and discipline.

With his restless nature, Nawaki would struggle to settle down and focus.

At an age when he measured himself against his peers every day, asking him to spend years without getting any stronger?

That would be worse than killing him!

(It would take Nawaki at least three years to cultivate the Yin Seal.)

But who would have thought!

The boy's true talent lay in Space-Time Ninjutsu!

And he wasn't merely good at it!

He was exceptionally gifted!

A surge of wild joy quickly replaced Tsunade's shock!

One future Yellow Flash was already enough to strike fear into every other ninja village.

What if there were another?

A "Senju Flash"?

Konoha's Scrap Plastic Twin Stars!

And both of these future "flashes" were hers!

Just thinking about it felt amazing!

As Tsunade looked at Minato Namikaze's handsome, respectful face, an idea sprang up that she couldn't suppress.

Why not take Minato Namikaze as my disciple right now?

Tsunade suddenly remembered who Minato Namikaze's actual teacher was.

Jiraiya.

She couldn't help curling her lip.

Forget it! What kind of student could that guy teach?

He'd only lead him astray!

Aside from Summoning Jutsu, what had Jiraiya taught Minato Namikaze?

Minato Namikaze had even developed the Rasengan himself!

An unpolished gem like this belonged in the hands of a great teacher like her!

She cleared her throat and walked beneath the bookshelf where Minato and Nawaki stood, then looked up.

"Minato Namikaze."

"Yes, Lady Tsunade!" Minato immediately snapped to attention.

Tsunade folded her arms and made her announcement in a tone that left no room for argument.

"From today on, you're my disciple."

"...Huh?"

The sudden, enormous surprise nearly stopped Minato Namikaze's heart again.

Lady Tsunade's... disciple?!

The Konoha Princess, one of the Three Sannin, the First Hokage's own granddaughter!

To be valued like this... trusted like this...

After a brief stunned silence, overwhelming joy swept through him.

He leaped down from the bookshelf and landed steadily before Tsunade, his cheeks flushed with excitement.

He bowed deeply to her, his voice almost choking with emotion.

"Yes, Master! I... I won't let you down!"

"All right, all right. Enough of that."

Tsunade waved a hand, pleased and in high spirits.

She turned to Nawaki, who had jumped down from the other side, and made her decision.

"You two will practice the Flying Thunder God Technique together every day from now on!"

"I'm giving you six months. After that, I want to see results!"

Tsunade raised a finger and pointed at herself.

"And by results, I mean you must be able to take me with you on long-distance teleports whenever I want!"

"Yes!"

Minato Namikaze's eyes burned with determination as he agreed without hesitation.

Even Nawaki jumped up in excitement.

"Awesome! The Flying Thunder God Technique is way more fun than practicing punches! Sis, I love this!"

He was sick of the dull, repetitive Taijutsu training he did every day.

Now that he had such a cool new toy, he was over the moon.

Tsunade watched the two boys, both brimming with motivation, and her smile grew wider.

Perfect!

With these two future high-speed movers, the Land of Whirlpools would have a second layer of protection!

Just then, her gaze drifted to the side.

It fell on the little red-haired girl who had barely spoken the entire time and had only watched everything in silence.

Kushina.

The girl's wide eyes were fixed enviously on Minato Namikaze and Nawaki, whom their new master had entrusted with such an important task.

Tsunade's eyes gleamed.

If I'm taking on two, what's one more?

One more won't hurt.

She beckoned to Kushina.

"You. Come here."

Kushina froze for a moment, then hurried over and looked up at Tsunade nervously.

"Lady... Tsunade..."

"Call me Master from now on, too."

Tsunade reached out and stroked her soft, fiery-red hair.

"You're my disciple now as well. I'll teach you Sealing Jutsu."

Kushina's eyes went round.

The overwhelming joy left her speechless. She could only nod vigorously as tears quickly filled her eyes.

"M-Master!"

"Hahaha!"

Looking at the three gifted children before her, Tsunade felt the future was bright.

She couldn't help bursting into laughter.

A future Fourth Hokage.

A future "Senju Flash."

A future Nine-Tails Jinchuriki.

What an outrageously stacked lineup!

One day, she would lead them to conquer the world.

Who would dare object then?!