With a warm, fragrant beauty in his arms, Naoki Senju had no amorous thoughts at all, simply because Tsunade was trembling softly in his embrace...
This was how she showed her fear that something might happen to Naoki Senju, her worry taken to its utmost.
Her slender, rounded shoulders trembled faintly, and her lovely little face was streaked with tears, a sight that could not help but stir boundless tenderness.
Feeling a slight dampness on his shoulder, Naoki Senju patted Tsunade's back and comforted her softly. "Don't be afraid. See? I'm perfectly fine."
Naoki Senju stood half a head taller than Tsunade, so she could easily lean against his shoulder without even standing on tiptoe.
Embarrassed and annoyed at being soothed like a child, Tsunade could hardly keep crying in Naoki's arms. She squirmed in his embrace, but nothing happened. She pressed against his chest and pushed, but still got no response.
Tsunade's pretty brows immediately shot up, and she snapped, "Let go!"
Instead, Naoki Senju tightened his grip, holding Tsunade firmly in his arms.
"What? Sister Tsunade can throw herself into my arms, but I'm not even allowed to hug her?"
As he spoke, Naoki Senju lowered his head and nuzzled Tsunade's neck and ear. Her soft skin and faintly fragrant hair only captivated him further.
The earlobe he brushed against instantly grew red and hot, and even her fair skin flushed pink. This little lecher doesn't know what's good for him! Tsunade cursed inwardly in mortification.
She began exerting herself too, intending to force her way out of Naoki Senju's arms. Otherwise, who knew how long he would keep holding her?
"Ahem."
Tsunade, who had been struggling hard to escape, instantly stopped moving, afraid of hurting Naoki even the slightest bit.
"Sister Tsunade, let me hold you a little longer."
Naoki Senju's pleading gradually relaxed Tsunade's tense body. Finally, she sighed helplessly and went limp in the little lecher's arms as though resigned to her fate.
Below the stone pillar lay a blood-soaked hell; atop it, the two were wrapped in tender affection.
Tsunade had never imagined she could have such a "weak" side, leaning in a man's arms like an ordinary young girl rather than sweeping across the battlefields of the Shinobi World.
But this feeling truly put her at ease.
At such close quarters, both could clearly hear the other's heartbeat, breathing, and even their innermost thoughts.
In the end, Naoki Senju could no longer contain his excitement and lightly kissed Tsunade's forehead. Even though she had already braced herself, Tsunade could not help her racing heart or her burning face and ears.
"Don't~"
Tsunade pushed Naoki Senju's head away and pressed two fingers together against his unruly lips.
"Now isn't the time. I want you to think things through before deciding. You and Shizune are more... mmph!"
Before Tsunade could finish, the rest of her words were sealed away. Naoki Senju caught her right hand, which had been entrusted with such an important duty, in his palm, and she could not pull it free.
Only when a sting shot through his tongue did the greedy Naoki reluctantly pull away.
"Sister Tsunade, do you believe in love at first sight?" Without waiting for Tsunade's answer, Naoki Senju looked straight at her and said with deep affection:
"I didn't believe in it before, but when I met you, it felt as though we'd already known each other in a past life. I understand everything about you, and I love everything about you. I'm willing to train hard in Ninjutsu and grow stronger for you, just to protect you so you won't have to worry about all those messy worldly affairs."
Naoki Senju's gaze was sincere and intensely aggressive, leaving Tsunade, who had been about to teach the little lecher a lesson, suddenly speechless. She even forgot about Shizune, whom she had just mentioned.
After gathering her words for a long while, Tsunade finally lectured him "fiercely." "Where did you learn all this? Love at first sight... what does a little brat like you know about love? Protect me, you say? Do you know how dangerous this was? All you know is showing off. Luckily, no real experts came this time, or you would've been in danger long ago."
But Tsunade's feigned composure carried not a trace of authority. The lingering flush on her face had yet to fade, and instead, Naoki Senju's greedy, fiery gaze gave her a fright.
Naoki Senju slowly drew closer. With nowhere left to retreat, Tsunade could only close her eyes and press her lips together.
But Naoki Senju did not head for his original target, instead leaning toward her smooth, fair neck.
A faint sting in her neck drew an instinctive soft moan from Tsunade, and her pretty face instantly flushed scarlet. As a medical-nin of the highest caliber, she already knew what Naoki Senju had just done. Though she did not understand his intent, it would leave a mark!
"What are you doing! Let go of me! You'll leave a mark!"
Like a fish out of water, Tsunade began struggling restlessly in Naoki Senju's arms, twisting left and right without ever managing to break free.
"Naoki, let go! You can't leave a mark. Shizune will see it!"
"No. Didn't you just tell me to think things through, Sister Tsunade? This is my answer."
Seeing Naoki Senju about to kiss her again, Tsunade, her pretty face bright red, used the Substitution Technique to escape to one side. When she saw Naoki kiss the substitution log, she could not help laughing at him.
Naoki Senju was not annoyed. He, too, smiled knowingly, though the reasons for their happiness were different.
The Senju Clan was hardly better off than the Uchiha Clan now, with only a handful of people remaining as well. Uchiha Sasuke believed that reviving the Uchiha meant possessing unrivaled power and restoring the Uchiha's dominance.
Naoki Senju firmly opposed Uchiha Sasuke's view. If only a handful of people remained in the entire clan, even having the power to subdue the Shinobi World could hardly count as reviving the clan.
So, to revive the Senju Clan, population growth was essential. But if Tsunade disagreed, it would all be empty talk. Fortunately, judging by her behavior so far, she did not have a possessive yandere personality that demanded everything for herself.
This left Naoki Senju, who bore such a heavy responsibility, quite gratified. As long as he could revive the Senju Clan, it did not matter if he had to endure a little more injustice or suffer a few losses.
A certain shameless man unwittingly began to chuckle. Having removed the hickey from her neck, Tsunade heard Naoki Senju's snickering, spat out a few curses calling him a little lecher, then instructed him in a serious tone:
"Use Wood Clones to see if anyone down there is still alive. Keep him alive. I'm going to get Shizune first. Remember, don't go too far in front of Shizune."
"What if Shizune isn't around?"
Serious once more, Tsunade's gaze was as sharp as a blade, sending Naoki Senju fleeing in disarray and loudly lamenting the heavy burden and long road ahead.
Still, he obediently created several Wood Clones to search for the almost nonexistent survivors. After being pierced by the Cutting Technique, even Six Paths would have trouble saving them.
Only after parting with Naoki Senju did Tsunade finally suppress her turbulent feelings. If she went with Naoki to pick up Shizune, the little lecher might not give himself away, but Shizune would definitely see through her.
For Tsunade, that would amount to instant social death. She absolutely could not allow it to happen.