During her years of wandering the Land of Fire after leaving Konoha, Tsunade saw many tall people, even encountering patients with gigantism who reached three meters in height.
But someone like Whitebeard, standing over six meters tall...
She had never seen it before.
His colossal and burly body seemed to contain the power to destroy everything.
The massive naginata he wielded gleamed coldly under the sunlight.
The fierce scars on his chest were shockingly visible.
This was a formidable individual!
"Edward Newgate..."
The petite Tsunade, appearing like a five-year-old child, looked up at Whitebeard ahead.
She spoke the name aloud.
A few days ago, two clueless Konoha Anbu had come over, delivering information about Whitebeard.
Including Whitebeard's real name.
So Tsunade knew there was such a troublesome figure in the Land of Fire.
And that this troublesome figure was looking for her.
"Exactly as the information described!"
Tsunade's small face tensed.
She saw Whitebeard walking toward her, but she no longer wanted to get involved in ninja affairs.
Just as she was about to turn around and sneak away disguised as a little girl, her eyes widened in shock.
She saw a familiar face.
"Shizune?"
Tsunade saw her ever-dutiful disciple Shizune, holding her little pig Tonton with an uneasy expression, standing to Whitebeard's right.
She also noticed a white-haired ninja beside Whitebeard, that spiky white hair reminding her of Sakumo Hatake.
"Is that...? Kakashi Hatake, Sakumo's child?"
Tsunade immediately remembered.
Finally.
Tsunade looked at Naruto.
Naruto's little face made her pupils contract, a flood of memories rushing in.
The name "Nawaki" almost slipped from her lips.
Too similar!
How could they look so alike?
"So, this blonde kid must be Minato Namikaze and Kushina Uzumaki's child, Konoha's jinchuriki."
Tsunade took a deep breath, finally calming her thoughts and distinguishing Naruto from Nawaki.
At this moment.
She knew she couldn't avoid this.
Others might not recognise her childhood appearance, but her foolish disciple Shizune certainly would, exposing her disguise.
As expected.
"I once saw you visit the village when I was a child, Lady Tsunade." Kakashi was the first to greet the petite Tsunade politely.
"Lady Tsunade," Shizune's voice was almost inaudible, sounding unsure: "On my way back to find you, I encountered Mr. Whitebeard."
Tsunade: "..."
Poof—
As a puff of smoke erupted from Tsunade, her true form emerged when the smoke cleared.
She returned to her height of 163.1 cm.
And...
Her voluptuous figure was revealed.
"Huh? What?" Naruto was stunned by the sight: "She turned from a cute girl into an old lady!"
"Huh? Hey! Kid! What are you saying?" Tsunade instantly exploded, glaring at Naruto with eyes that seemed to shoot fire.
But as her gaze unconsciously shifted to Whitebeard.
Tsunade suppressed her anger.
A giant...
Honestly.
Tsunade was very curious about how Whitebeard grew to be so huge.
Even more curious about Whitebeard's body structure.
Perhaps this curiosity was a common trait among medical ninjas.
However...
"I know why you're here." Tsunade said: "I will not get involved in ninja conflicts, nor will I treat ninjas. You should go back to where you came from!"
"Why?" Naruto was stunned; he hadn't expected to travel all the way from Konoha to receive such a response.
Tsunade waved her hand, her face expressionless: "There's no particular reason. I'm just tired of the brutal ninja games."
"But you're a medical ninja!"
Naruto said urgently: "Grandpa Hokage said that a medical ninja's duty is to help the sick!"
"That old man lied to you."
Tsunade said offhandedly.
Naruto looked around anxiously, suddenly thinking of something. He quickly took off his jacket, revealing the exaggerated weights tied to his body.
"I can pay!"
Naruto fumbled to untie the ropes binding him.
Bundles of cash and gold bars fell to the ground.
"It's not about the money... hmm?" Tsunade glanced casually at Naruto, but that glance made her unable to look away.
The gleaming gold bars and bundles of cash left her stunned.
As one of the most notorious spendthrifts in the ninja world, Tsunade could immediately tell that those bundles of cash were worth at least three to four million Ryo.
The gold bars were even more impressive.
Although they didn't seem like a lot, it was gold!
If sold to a gold shop, they would fetch at least several million ryo!
In total, it was over ten million Ryo!
How did such a young jinchuriki get so much money?
Tsunade's eyes were glued!
"Brat!" But Tsunade still held her ground: "Do you think a little money can buy off one of Konoha's Sannin?"
"The term 'Sannin' isn't a compliment to Tsunade; she used it with self-mockery."
Clang—
The money Naruto was holding fell to the ground.
At his age, Tsunade's firm attitude left him at a loss, not knowing what to do.
"If you don't treat Dad..."
Naruto's eyes filled with tears, and he sniffled, his voice choked: "Dad might... might leave me in three years."
"Dad is my only family..."
"Kid, playing the sympathy card won't work on me." Tsunade turned her head away, choosing not to look at Naruto.
She feared that a kid who looked like Nawaki, speaking to her with such a pitiful expression, would soften her heart.
Tsunade continued: "I don't want to get involved in ninja matters anymore."
"Shizune!" Seeing Shizune about to say something, Tsunade raised her hand, cutting her off: "You don't need to persuade me either."
Shizune responded with a meek "oh."
Feeling downcast, she lowered her head.
"Lady Tsunade, if the one seeking help isn't a ninja, would you offer your assistance?" Kakashi suddenly asked.
Tsunade casually replied: "If they pay, I will."
She hadn't taken any ninja missions in years, relying either on old savings, borrowing from loan sharks, or getting money from Shizune.
If desperate, she would return to her old profession, treating wealthy merchants and nobles.
Healing them would earn her a large sum.
Then, she could gamble again.
Kakashi's hidden smile widened: "This is quite a coincidence. Whitebeard isn't a ninja. Lady Tsunade shouldn't refuse someone who isn't a ninja seeking medical help from such a skilled medical ninja, right?"
"Pfft—"
Tsunade couldn't hold it in, and she laughed out loud: "Are you saying someone who isn't a ninja defeated the Third Hokage? And that the old man is still in the hospital because of it?"
Kakashi nodded: "If Lady Tsunade is referring to the Third Hokage, then yes, that's exactly what happened."
Tsunade: "???"
Although she hadn't returned to Konoha for many years and hadn't seen the old man in a long time, how could the Hokage be weak enough to be defeated by someone who wasn't a ninja?
"Your lie lacks any subtlety."
Tsunade shook her head, and a strip of chakra energy shot from her fingertip: "I'm a medical ninja; such a clumsy lie can be exposed with a simple check."
When the energy strip touched Whitebeard's wrist.
Tsunade froze.
Her eyes widened.
"Hmm?"
She looked up at Whitebeard in shock, one of Konoha's Sannin, utterly dumbfounded: "No chakra in the cells? How is that possible? Are you even human?!"
"Are you... an alien?"
Tsunade, with decades of medical knowledge, was hit with an unprecedented shock.
...
...