Tsunade, with vulnerability in her voice, lowered her gaze, "Don't fool me, Chen. Immortality doesn't exist in this world. But... if you really don't care about our age difference, then... then I promise you."
Her voice trembled slightly, betraying years of repressed feelings. Tsunade had kept these feelings for a long time, since Chen was very young. The idea of liking a child terrified her, and the jealousy she felt towards Mikoto and Kushina deeply embarrassed her.
"I..." Tsunade continued, her voice barely a whisper. "I've always been afraid of what others would say. You were only four or five years old when... when I started to feel this. And I was already fourteen. Can you imagine what they would say? That I'm a cradle robber, that I'm manipulating a child..."
Chen, noticing Tsunade's vulnerability, softened his gaze. "Tsunade," he said gently, "what others feel doesn't matter. What matters is what we feel."
A small smile appeared on Tsunade's face, but she quickly replaced it with a feigned warning expression. "But don't get too happy too soon, brat. Maybe one day I'll decide you're not so charming anymore and leave."
Chen chuckled, responding with a dangerous smile: "Ha! That day will never come. Now that you're my woman and you will be for the rest of your life."
His authoritative tone provoked flashes of obsession in the eyes of the three women, noticing this, he couldn't help but joke:
"Why those looks? I already know I'm irresistible. A man as handsome as me will always fascinate a large group of women."
Mikoto, with a smile that boded nothing good, replied: "Oh? So getting Tsunade-neesan isn't enough, huh? Now you want to fascinate a 'large group' of women?"
Tsunade and Kushina joined Mikoto, looking at Chen with meaningful eyes.
Knowing that they like this scum and can only regret it.
Sensing the danger, he raised his hands in surrender. "I was just joking! Why are you taking it so seriously?" Chen said, trying to sound helpless, although in his mind he thought, 'I'm so irresistible that I don't even need to try.'
Kushina, taking the opportunity to change the subject, wrinkled her nose: "Ugh! Chen, you stink of sweat. Go take a shower before we have dinner."
"What? I don't smell anything," Chen protested, but seeing the insistent looks of the three, he gave in. "Alright, alright. I'm going."
After a quick shower, Chen returned wearing an elegant black kimono with long sleeves and a high collar. As he approached the table, the aroma of dinner made his stomach audibly growl.
Observing the table full of steaming dishes, his gaze stopping on a particular plate.
A surprised smile appeared on his face as he pointed to the dish in question.
"Wait a minute," he said with confusion. "Didn't you say you didn't want to cook meat, Mikoto?"
Mikoto, with a slight blush on her cheeks, exchanged a knowing look with Kushina. "Well... today is your birthday, Chen. Some exceptions are necessary, don't you think?"
Kushina nodded energetically. "Exactly! And speaking of exceptions..." She leaned to reach for something under the table, her face lighting up with anticipation. "We have gifts for you!"
Chen watched with curiosity as three packages appeared on the table. His heart skipped a beat, moved by the gesture. "Girls, you didn't have to..."
"Oh, shut up and open them," Tsunade interrupted with a smile.
With slightly trembling hands, Chen reached for Mikoto's gift first. As he unwrapped it, his eyes widened. "Mikoto, this is..."
A beautiful light blue kimono lay in his hands, the fabric soft to the touch and the details exquisite. Chen knew well the meaning behind this gift in Japanese culture. He looked at Mikoto, who was now completely blushing, avoiding his gaze.
"Mikoto," he murmured with amusement. "It's beautiful. Thank you."
Kushina, observing the exchange, puffed out her cheeks in a pout. "Mikoto, you're a cheater! How did I not think of giving a kimono?"
Tsunade's laughter filled the air. "Come on, Kushina. Your gift will be special too, I'm sure."
With a smile, Chen reached for Kushina's gift, which was a giant box.
Upon opening it, he couldn't help but let out a chuckle. "A teddy bear, Kushina? Seriously?"
Kushina, embarrassed, crossed her arms. "What's wrong with that? I thought you'd like it!"
Noticing the hurt expression in Kushina's eyes, he softened his tone. "Hey, I love it. Really. I'll always take it to sleep." With a fluid movement, he made the stuffed animal disappear into his system backpack. "I'll always cherish it fondly."
The smile that lit up Kushina's face was worth every word.
"Well, well," Mikoto intervened, her curiosity evident. "What about Tsunade's gift?"
All eyes turned to the last elongated package on the table. Tsunade, with an enigmatic smile, simply said, "Open it and you'll see."
With growing anticipation, Chen unwrapped the gift.
His breath caught as he saw what it contained. A long sword, with red traces on the handle, lay before him. As he touched it, he felt a tingling in his eyes, as if it resonated with them.
"Tsunade," he whispered, his voice barely audible. "This is..."
"The Red Soul Sword," Tsunade completed with pride. "A clan relic I found. It's a legendary sword. It's on par with the Sword of Totsuka and Kusanagi."
Hearing this, Chen frowned, his mind working at full speed. In all his knowledge, he had never heard of this sword.
The swords of Totsuka, which belonged to Itachi, and Kusanagi, which belonged to Orochimaru and Sasuke, were well known, but he had never heard of the Red Soul Sword.
"It's beautiful..." he finally said, looking up at Tsunade. "I had never heard of it. How come it's not more well-known?"
Tsunade shrugged. "Some legends prefer to remain in the shadows. Perhaps it was waiting for the right wielder."
Chen nodded at these words.
He examined the sword again, noting how it contrasted with Ryūjin Jakka. Where his usual sword was like a dormant volcano, powerful but contained, the Red Soul Sword seemed to scream for action, its edge eager to taste blood.
"Thank you, Tsunade," he finally said with gratitude. "I'll use it well, I promise."
Carefully, Chen stored the sword in his system backpack.
At that moment, he felt something strange, as if the Red Soul Sword resonated with his Susanoo. His eyes widened in surprise, but before he could reflect more on it, Tsunade interrupted him.
"Well, enough admiring weapons!" she exclaimed, taking a knife. "If you like the gift so much, prove it by eating. Mikoto put a lot of effort into this cake, you know? Come on, let's cut and taste."
With a movement, Tsunade cut the cake in half. The sweet aroma filled the air, making Chen's stomach growl, eager to taste all the food.
The night progressed without many issues.
When they finally finished, night had already fallen, Tsunade, too tired to return to her house, decided to stay overnight.
"Just for tonight," she muttered, her eyes already half-closed. "Tomorrow... tomorrow I have to go to the battlefield."
Those words weighed on the atmosphere for a moment, a reminder of the reality that awaited them outside the bubble of happiness they had created that night.
Back in his room, Chen didn't head straight to bed. Instead, he entered the System's lottery space. The lottery was waiting for him.
"I won't be able to sleep if I don't do it now," he muttered.
________
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