"So you really are a little brat."
Tsunade said as she sized up Shihui Aburame.
He was quite pleasing to the eye, but he really was too young. Her doubts only grew.
"Shiki."
Umino Iruka introduced them. "This is Lord Hokage and Lady Tsunade."
[Tsunade.] [Current achievement: The best way to eliminate fear.] [Passive achievement: Unknown.]
Fear?
Did that refer to Tsunade's fear of blood?
"Lord Hokage."
Shihui Aburame came back to his senses and greeted them without servility or arrogance. "Lady Tsunade."
Hiruzen Sarutobi smiled and nodded.
Tsunade pursed her lips.
Shihui Aburame reminded her of Orochimaru in the past.
He, too, had been this unruffled.
And the boy had just been distracted, hadn't he?
"Iruka, go teach your class."
Hiruzen Sarutobi glanced at the lively classroom, the smile on his face deepening.
The admiration in the children's eyes told him his years of effort had not been in vain.
He would surely take Konoha to new heights!
"Yes."
Umino Iruka turned and left.
"Let's find somewhere quiet."
After a moment's thought, Hiruzen Sarutobi headed toward the playground.
"I'm Shizune."
Holding a pink piglet, Shizune spoke first.
The child was so good-looking that she could not resist striking up a conversation.
"Big Sister Shizune."
Shihui Aburame glanced at her and addressed her.
In the original story, although she fell short of Tsunade, she was still a first-rate medical ninja.
There was no harm in building a good relationship with a medical ninja.
"What a sweet boy."
Shizune immediately beamed with delight.
Looking at the exceptionally handsome Shihui Aburame, she really wanted to pat his head.
But she stopped herself from doing something so impolite.
They had only just met, after all.
She rather hoped Shihui Aburame would become her junior fellow disciple.
Then there would be someone else who could understand her suffering.
Watching Tsunade drink and gamble all day really gave her a headache.
And she was terrible at handling both her liquor and her gambling losses.
Walking ahead of them, Tsunade realized she had misjudged him.
Shihui Aburame could not possibly be Orochimaru.
Because he would never call someone "Big Sister."
"Here will do."
Tsunade stopped, looked at Shihui Aburame, and said, "Use the Chakra Scalpel."
Both Hiruzen Sarutobi and Shizune looked curious.
Although the former had received Rika Miyata's report, he had not seen it for himself.
The latter was simply curious.
Shihui Aburame formed hand seals, and pale green primeval essence soon emerged around his hand.
Of course, to their eyes, it was chakra.
"It's actually true?"
Tsunade could not help falling into a daze.
This talent was simply too astonishing.
"Tsunade."
Hiruzen Sarutobi smiled and asked, "I wasn't lying to you, was I?"
Tsunade did not answer.
She fell silent.
In the past, she would certainly have been ecstatic and taken him as her disciple without hesitation.
But now, she wanted nothing to do with the Hokage, Konoha, or any of it.
Hiruzen Sarutobi's smile faded.
Naturally, he understood Tsunade's situation.
Even the Hokage position could not persuade her to stay.
She had lost too much in the previous Shinobi World War, ultimately leaving her unable to recover.
But she had come back, after all.
That meant she did not truly care nothing for the village.
"Since you're already here, why not teach him for a couple of days?"
Hiruzen Sarutobi tried persuading her with a compromise.
Tsunade looked at the calm-faced Shihui Aburame.
She could not help grinding her teeth.
This brat's attitude was really irritating.
She was one of the Konoha Sannin. Everyone treated her with the utmost respect, unlike this casual little boy.
"Brat." Tsunade reached out, tucked his head under her arm, and said quietly, "I'll teach you for two days first. If I'm not satisfied, that's the end of it."
Shihui Aburame's head was squeezed against soft, warm cushions of fat. Their heavy weight made him instinctively push back.
Seeing him struggle, Tsunade's lips instead curved slightly upward.
He was not as composed as he looked.
Suddenly, her expression shifted slightly, and she stepped half a pace back.
Such strength!
Looking at Shihui Aburame, Tsunade felt a subtle emotion well up within her.
She realized that, aside from his personality and sex, he was practically identical to her.
Exceptional medical talent coupled with innate superhuman strength.
At that moment, she truly was tempted.
She now suffered from a fear of blood and could no longer work as a medical ninja.
Her only hope was for someone to inherit her skills.
Shihui Aburame seemed even more suitable than Shizune.
"Wait for me at the school gates after class."
Tsunade withdrew her gaze, turned, and left.
She certainly acted decisively.
"Goodbye, Shiki."
Shizune was very happy and had already changed how she addressed him.
"Shiki, whether we can get her to stay will depend on you."
Hiruzen Sarutobi spoke with a face full of emotion.
Whatever happened, there was finally some hope.
Although Konoha had developed well over the years, apart from him, it had no ninja who could hold things together.
In particular, all three of the Konoha Sannin had gone their separate ways.
Now, at last, one had returned.
With her background and her standing as the strongest medical ninja, Tsunade enjoyed immense prestige.
With her here, Konoha would be that much more stable.
"I understand."
Shihui Aburame nodded slightly.
After saying goodbye to Hiruzen Sarutobi, he returned to the classroom.
All the students regarded him with curious eyes.
After all, Hiruzen Sarutobi held an exalted position in their minds.
Being called out by him alone was an unimaginable honor.
"Class is starting."
Umino Iruka tapped the lectern and said, "Today, we'll be discussing the Will of Fire."
Shihui Aburame opened his textbook.
That classic line was written right on the first page.
Where leaves danced, fire would burn unceasingly. Its light would continue to illuminate the village and allow new leaves to sprout.
A Konoha specialty you had to try.
Soon, it was time for a break.
"Shiki, what did Grandpa Third want with you?"
Naruto Uzumaki was the most impatient and immediately came over to ask.
"He introduced me to a teacher."
Shihui Aburame did not hide it.
It would not take long for all the major ninja clans to learn that Tsunade was taking a disciple.
He was happy to see that happen, too.
Because the more people knew, the safer he would be.
In short, all he needed to do was cling to Tsunade's coattails.
Perhaps he could even use her connections to get things done in the future.
"A teacher?"
Ino Yamanaka caught on and asked, "The female ninja who came with Lord Hokage?"
"Yes."
Shihui Aburame paused, then said, "She's Tsunade."
"What?!"
Ino Yamanaka raised her voice in surprise.
Shikamaru Nara, who had been slumped over his desk, also raised his head.
Kiba Inuzuka jumped straight up.
Only Choji Akimichi and Naruto Uzumaki showed little reaction.
The former was busy eating potato chips.
To him, nothing in the world mattered more than eating.
The latter did not know who Tsunade was.
"That's Lady Tsunade, one of the Konoha Sannin!"
Ino Yamanaka's eyes sparkled, with even a hint of admiration in them.
Being accepted as Tsunade's disciple proved that Shihui Aburame had exceptional talent as a medical ninja, and his future standing would rise accordingly.
Because he had already become a direct member of the Hokage's lineage.
From Jiraiya to Minato Namikaze, then to Kakashi Hatake, anyone connected to the Hokage had boundless prospects.
Of course, Ino Yamanaka had not thought that far.
Her strongest feeling was, I really do have great taste.
"Who's Tsunade?"
Naruto Uzumaki scratched his head and asked.
Everyone else gave helpless smiles.
(End of chapter)