The legendary big fat sheep

Tanzaku Town.

"High! High! High!"

Her blonde hair tied into two long braids, her slender, stunning figure curving generously at both chest and hips, Tsunade clenched her fists and pounded the gambling table, shouting in excitement.

"Lady Tsunade, please stop! We're about to lose even tonight's dinner money!"

Beside her, Shizune held the little pig Tonton, her face a mask of anguish.

"What are you talking about, Shizune? I can feel it. This roll will definitely be high!"

Tsunade paid her no heed and spoke with a hearty laugh.

The others at the gambling table watched her exuberant manner and the ample bosom swaying with her movements. Their gazes grew heated, their blood surged, and they could not help swallowing hard.

"Reveal!"

"Low!"

"What?!"

The news hit Tsunade like a bolt from the blue. Once again, she had lost every last bit of her savings.

"Didn't I already tell you? Lady Tsunade, when have you ever won at gambling?!"

Shizune covered her face with a hand, her expression growing even more anguished.

The people around them looked even more eagerly at Tsunade, scooping up great handfuls of the chips in front of her and pulling them over to themselves.

She really was the legendary big fat sheep!

Fat indeed!

And big, too!

"Damn it, one more round! I'll definitely win this time!"

Tsunade still refused to accept it.

That was how gambling addicts were.

Shizune opened the case she was carrying. Only a scattering of banknotes remained inside.

"Lady Tsunade, we're out of money! We don't even have enough for dinner tonight!"

Shizune spoke in a frenzy.

"Hmph, if we're out, just borrow some more. Go..."

Mid-sentence, Tsunade's expression suddenly changed, turning sour.

"We're leaving, Shizune."

With that, she walked straight out without so much as looking back.

"Huh? Ah, yes, Lady Tsunade!"

Holding the little pig tightly in her arms, Shizune hurried after her.

Only after they had left the casino and gotten away from the crowds did Tsunade finally stop.

She folded her arms, making her chest look even more like towering peaks, and spoke in a distinctly unfriendly tone. "Come out. Stop hiding."

An Anbu ninja with silver-white hair and a fox-patterned mask stepped out.

"You're... Kakashi?"

Tsunade was slightly surprised by the visitor's identity, then snorted and silently cursed that rotten old man.

"For Minato's sake, I'll at least hear what you came to say."

Kakashi presented the Hokage's handwritten letter with both hands and said in a muffled voice, "Lord Hokage has discovered an exceptionally gifted boy. He hopes you'll return and assess him personally."

Exceptionally gifted? Just how gifted could he be?

Kakashi here was already a ninja with outstanding talent, and I was a one-in-ten-thousand genius myself. Did he really think that would sway me?

Dubiously, Tsunade opened the envelope. The familiar handwriting made her pause, all sorts of memories welling up in her heart.

Hiruzen Sarutobi had not used any particularly demanding language. Most of the letter was an old man's reminiscences, while also hinting that his health was not very good and that he hoped Tsunade would return to examine him.

And, while she was at it, assess a little fellow named Yecheng.

Hmph, that rotten old man was a sly one. Always playing the sentiment card.

But that was precisely what worked on Tsunade.

"I've read the letter. Go back and give him my reply."

Tsunade turned briskly and headed toward her temporary lodgings.

Kakashi lowered his head in a slight bow, said something, then departed with the Body Flicker Technique.

Tsunade paused, then continued on as though she had not heard him.

He had said, "Everyone in the village is waiting for you."

After ninjutsu class came Taijutsu class.

The instructor first had everyone run a few laps, then taught them some basic attacks, defenses, footwork, and stances before leaving the students to practice on their own.

Watching this, Shikamaru Nara felt boundless envy. Now this was a great job for slacking off!

Yecheng, on the other hand, was utterly speechless. If this had happened in his previous life, parents would have complained until these Ninja Academy teachers lost their jobs!

But the students seemed accustomed to it. They paired up with their friends and began sparring.

"Smug Sasuke, fight me!"

"Hmph, Naruto, a dead last like you dares challenge me? Bring it on!"

Perhaps it was a connection of fate, or perhaps it was the influence of Asura's and Indra's chakra reincarnations. Without another word, Naruto went straight to Sasuke, and the two started fighting.

Though to Yecheng, Naruto's fighting amounted to wild, unstructured flailing, while Sasuke's moves were quite proper. He had clearly practiced at home.

As a result, the fight was almost entirely one-sided.

But Naruto had a formidable constitution and was practically impossible to keep down. Yecheng even suspected that, if Sasuke landed ten punches for every one Naruto landed, Naruto would still scrape out a costly victory if they kept going!

The sage body really was terrifying.

Meanwhile, Ino had wanted to seize the opportunity to hurry over and spar with Yecheng, but Sakura intercepted her.

Seeing Sasuke tied up with Naruto and knowing she had no chance, Sakura immediately sought out Ino for a fight.

If I couldn't spar with Sasuke-kun, you weren't getting to practice with Yecheng-kun either!

Besties had to stick together through thick and thin!

Yecheng suddenly realized that everyone had already found partners to practice with, leaving him unable to find one.

Uh... had I isolated everyone else?

Yecheng looked around and soon found a target to his liking.

"Hinata, come practice with me."

Finding Hinata shrinking back amid the crowd, Yecheng invited her with a smile.

"Yecheng-kun..."

Hinata looked at him, her pretty face flushing slightly, and answered in a clear, soft voice, "Okay."

She did not know exactly how strong Yecheng was, so she did not activate her Byakugan right away, instead engaging him with basic Taijutsu alone.

Yecheng stood rooted to the spot, blocking every one of her attacks with only his right hand.

"Hinata, use your Byakugan and Gentle Fist. Otherwise, this hardly counts as sparring."

"Okay. Be careful, Yecheng-kun."

Without hesitation, Hinata adjusted her breathing and assumed the opening stance of the Hyuga Clan's hereditary Gentle Fist.

At the same time, veins bulged around her eyes. She had clearly activated her Byakugan.

Hinata had never won when sparring with Neji in the clan, so she had no clear understanding of her own strength. Her opening attacks were fierce.

"Hah!"

Hinata moved with Eight Trigrams footwork, chakra filling her fingertips and knuckles. Her Byakugan picked out the chakra points on Yecheng's body, and she attacked them directly.

She had thought this would pose a threat to Yecheng, but to her surprise, he merely shifted his feet and used both hands, still handling her with ease.

Smack!

Thump!

The sounds of flesh striking flesh rang out incessantly.

The commotion their exchanges produced was nothing that students still attending the Ninja Academy should have been capable of!

Their speed was considerable, too. Even just sweeping past raised a gust of wind.

Gradually, everyone else on the field stopped sparring and stared at the two of them, dumbfounded.

W-was this right?

Sasuke also noticed the commotion. His attention slipped, and he carelessly took a punch from Naruto to the chest.

"Haha! Victory for Naruto!"

He immediately burst into delighted laughter.