"Have I ever taken anything from you, Lady Tsunade?"
Hearing Tsunade's words, Natsuhiko looked puzzled.
After all, Tsunade was the one who had borrowed plenty from him over time.
—Not to mention the large stash of scrolls and snacks she had "borrowed" previously, which she still hadn't returned!
Seeing his completely oblivious expression, Tsunade couldn't help but feel exasperated. Biting her lip, she gave him another hint:
"It's that thing..."
"Which thing?" Natsuhiko scratched his head.
"You know, that thing!"
Tsunade's tone carried a mix of irritation and embarrassment. "The one you used to have that ninja dog find me back then!"
At that moment, Natsuhiko suddenly understood.
Ah, not that thing—but this thing.
Wait, why did this remind him of a song lyric?
Though distracted for a moment, he quickly let it go and smiled helplessly.
"Lady Tsunade, wouldn't it have been easier to just say it outright? You were so generous when you gave it to me back then!"
Tsunade rolled her eyes dramatically at his words.
The only reason she had been so "generous" was that she'd assumed they wouldn't cross paths much afterward. She hadn't expected to get so familiar with him now, let alone end up returning to Konoha together.
In hindsight, her past behavior felt a bit embarrassing.
Of course, Tsunade maintained an outward air of confidence.
"I was just being cautious," she said with a cold laugh. "You wouldn't want the village spreading strange rumors, would you?"
In truth, there was another reason Tsunade cared so much. She had noticed that Kushina, that little girl, seemed to have developed a fondness for Natsuhiko.
Though Natsuhiko could be a bit devious, even Tsunade had to admit he was a standout talent among the younger generation. She couldn't help but wonder how he stacked up against Jiraiya's brilliant student.
Between Kushina and Natsuhiko, Tsunade was quite supportive of their connection.
To prevent any unnecessary drama, she decided to resolve this potential issue immediately.
After all, with her bad luck, it was only a matter of time before that thing caused a ridiculous scene.
"Enough chit-chat. Hand it over already," Tsunade said impatiently, extending her hand.
Then, as if a thought had struck her, she glanced at Natsuhiko with a peculiar expression and added:
"Don't worry. Even if there's something weird on it, I'll pretend I didn't see."
Natsuhiko's forehead creased with black lines.
To avoid further awkward remarks, he quickly pulled out a storage card.
With a puff of white smoke, the so-called thing appeared in his hand.
The next moment, Tsunade snatched it away and examined it carefully before snapping:
"Why did you break the seal? You could've just given me the card!"
"I just thought you'd want to verify it first, to avoid any disputes later," Natsuhiko replied with a shrug.
Realizing this was payback for her earlier teasing, Tsunade could only glare at him.
After some thought, she added another reminder:
"And one more thing—don't tell anyone I slept in your room. Pretend it never happened."
"Understood," Natsuhiko replied helplessly.
"Good. Now get out."
Having resolved the issue, Tsunade felt a sense of relief and casually waved him away.
"…"
The situation left Natsuhiko with the distinct impression of being treated like a backup plan discarded by a heartless woman.
He didn't dwell on it, though, and after bidding Tsunade farewell, he headed home.
Watching his retreating figure, Tsunade couldn't help but smile smugly.
But when she turned to open the door to her residence, her expression froze.
Standing there was a wide-eyed Kushina, utterly stunned.
Her gaze was fixed on the small item still in Tsunade's hand—a piece of undergarment.
Oh no.
In that instant, Tsunade knew things had gone south.
The item in her hand, combined with her recent conversation with Natsuhiko, was more than enough to spark misunderstandings.
All her efforts to avoid drama had directly caused it.
Was the universe really out to get her?
"Kushina, don't jump to conclusions. Let me explain…"
Tsunade hastily stuffed the garment into her pocket and forced a smile.
But her words only made things worse. Kushina, teary-eyed, bolted away without a word.
Tsunade reached out desperately, shouting:
"Kushina, wait! Just hear me out!"
But Kushina, seemingly a natural in melodrama, ran away sobbing:
"I won't listen, I won't listen, I won't listen!"
Even Natsuhiko, who hadn't gone far, could faintly hear her cries.
"Sounds like Kushina… But why's she so loud?"
He rubbed his chin and concluded with a smile:
"Tsunade's return must've gotten her excited. She's showing her true colors now that I'm gone."
Content with his conclusion, he decided not to dwell on it and let them sort it out.
Unaware of the chaos, Natsuhiko returned home.
The first thing he did was check the barrier around his house.
Once satisfied there were no issues, he conjured a lounge chair in the yard and lay back, enjoying the comfort of home.
Ah, nothing beats the feeling of being back.
As a longtime introvert, his favorite pastime was solitary research, the same reason he had chosen to become a programmer in his past life.
After resting briefly, he stood and pulled out three half-red, half-white sealing balls, tossing them forward.
With bursts of white smoke, three white-haired clones in colorful outfits appeared, striking exaggerated poses and announcing in unison:
"The Ginyu Force has arrived!"
Natsuhiko twitched at the display but sighed.
"Alright, enough theatrics. We gained a lot from this mission, but our research has been delayed too long. Let's get to work."
"Yes, sir!" the clones replied, dragging out their words before focusing on their tasks.
But Natsuhiko stopped one of them:
"Number Three, the house hasn't been cleaned in a month. Use Wind Release to tidy up. Also, wash the travel clothes—it'll help practice Water Release. Finally, it's almost dinnertime, and I'm sick of scroll rations. Cook something for dinner while practicing Fire Release."
Leaving the dejected clone to his chores, Natsuhiko returned to his study and placed Tsunade's scroll on the table.
Though this mission yielded much, he almost forgot his original goal was simply this small scroll.
Taking a deep breath, he unsealed the scroll.
At first glance, it appeared blank.
This didn't surprise Natsuhiko, as it was likely encrypted with sealing techniques—a common practice among ninja to protect sensitive information.
He channeled his chakra into the scroll to dispel Mito-sensei's restrictions, revealing lines of text.
To his surprise, these weren't notes on cursed seals but Mito-sensei's warnings, urging him not to delve too deeply into the field.
After the warnings faded, the scroll's true contents were revealed.
Natsuhiko paused, reflecting on Mito-sensei's advice.
To traditional sealing ninjas, cursed seals were taboo. Mito-sensei's concerns weren't unfounded.
Still, Natsuhiko understood that exploring the essence of chakra required venturing into forbidden areas, much like ancient doctors dissecting bodies to study anatomy.
Even so, he resolved not to lose himself in this pursuit.
After composing himself, he delved into the scroll, comparing its content to his research.
Hours later, he leaned back, drained his tea, and exhaled deeply.
Though the scroll only covered the basics, it was clear the knowledge came at a great cost—likely countless lives.
He now understood Mito-sensei's disdain for such knowledge.
Still, Natsuhiko wasn't one to shy away from its utility. Perhaps he'd donate to Nono's orphanage to offset the karmic debt—if such a concept existed.
With these insights, he felt confident in dismantling Danzo's cursed seal array without relying on Orochimaru.
Even so, he still planned to visit Orochimaru for other projects—a collaboration might be mutually beneficial.
(End of Chapter)