"I met a strange merchant who gave me an invitation card, and that's how I ended up in the game."
Tsunade saw no reason to hide the truth. Clearly, the others had entered the game before her and knew more about it.
Asuma adopted a serious expression and asked, "Tsunade-sama, could you describe the appearance of this mysterious merchant and exactly where you encountered him?"
Beside him, Uzumaki Naruto, amazed, exclaimed, "Asuma-sensei, who is this woman?"
Naruto couldn't believe that someone he'd never seen before was receiving so much respect from Asuma, an elite jounin.
Hyuga Neji sighed and explained, "Idiot, her picture is in the Hall of Fame at the Ninja Academy. This woman is one of the legendary Sannin."
Though Neji hadn't known Naruto for long, he was already accustomed to Naruto's impulsive behavior. At best, Naruto was exaggerated; at worst, a complete fool.
Meanwhile, Kabuto Yakushi adjusted his glasses, keeping a low profile. In his mind, a concern arose: "Tsunade has also entered the game? I need to inform Orochimaru as soon as possible."
Naruto's eyes widened as he recalled something: "Iruka-sensei mentioned in class that the Sannin were all really old ninjas. But she..."
His gaze unconsciously wandered over Tsunade's smooth skin and attractive curves, his childish mind amazed by the sight.
**Bang!**
A vein pulsed on Tsunade's forehead in anger, and she punched Naruto, sending him flying.
With a cold expression, she scolded, "Is this how the new generation treats their elders?"
Asuma quickly stepped in, apologizing: "Forgive him, Tsunade-sama, Naruto just..."
But he didn't finish the sentence. After all, Tsunade had left the village years ago and was no longer officially a ninja of the Hidden Leaf. Moreover, Naruto's situation, as the Jinchuuriki of the Nine-Tails, was a top-secret matter.
Changing the subject, Asuma proposed: "Tsunade-sama, why not join us? You've just entered the game, and your level is still low. The ghosts around Dead Soul Ridge have been mostly cleared by other players. It'll be hard to level up on your own."
Naruto, still recovering from the punch, crossed his arms and said, "Old Lady Tsunade, I'll lend you this gear. But don't let the ghosts kill you, alright?"
Despite his provocative tone, Naruto offered a mace that increased strength by two points. It was a common item, but useful for beginners.
Tsunade took the mace, casually swung it, and felt her power increase. Surprised, she handed the weapon back to Naruto and asked, "Have you all tried the exchange function in the shop?"
She was referring to the ability to trade valuable items in exchange for reward points.
Asuma shook his head: "We tried, but it usually takes a hundred thousand points to gain one experience point."
Ignoring the warnings, Tsunade decided to try for herself. Without hesitation, she began trading ninjutsu.
"Deliver Fireball Jutsu (Fire Release), C-rank, 100 reward points."
"Deliver Mystical Palm Technique, 300 reward points."
"Deliver Chakra Scalpel, 500 reward points."
In just a few minutes, she had accumulated eight thousand experience points by trading mid-level ninjutsu. While keeping her more powerful ninjutsu, such as the Hundred Healings Seal and the Summoning Technique for Slugs, she gained a significant number of points.
As she delivered the ninjutsu, Tsunade felt a peculiar energy coursing through her body, illuminating it with a green glow.
"It's working."
Her exchange yielded a complete set of green-quality equipment: weapons, armor, shoulder pads, boots, and belts. Although they were level 1, she spent 3,000 reward points to obtain them.
In the blink of an eye, Tsunade disappeared from her spot, reappearing behind Naruto and landing another punch on his head.
"Your head really is hard, brat," she commented, smiling.
Naruto, holding his aching head, looked enviously at Tsunade's new gear. Even Asuma was left speechless. The Konoha team struggled to gather enough points to equip themselves due to the high cost of items, resurrections, and healing potions.
Tsunade, on the other hand, had spent lavishly right after entering the game. Asuma, impressed, thought, "Maybe I should trade all my ninjutsu too…"
A logistics ninja, drooling, muttered: "That ghost set increases agility by ten points and can release a ghostly shockwave every thirty seconds without consuming energy."
The impact was so great that even the level 6 warriors were surprised.
Asuma sighed: "Tsunade-sama, that was impulsive."
With a mysterious smile, Tsunade seemed satisfied with her test. She had not only confirmed the game's authenticity but also helped redefine the priorities of the players without even realizing it.
(End of the Chapter)