---
"The Thunder God's Sword?" Natsume raised his eyebrows as he glanced at Tsunade. The name sounded oddly familiar, though his mind couldn't quite place it.
Noticing his confusion, Tsunade smiled and began to explain. "The Thunder God's Sword was a weapon used by my great-uncle, Senju Tobirama." She leaned back, her tone taking on a story-like quality. "It's infused with lightning chakra and becomes more powerful the more chakra you channel into it."
Natsume's eyes widened in realization. That's why it sounded familiar.
A memory surfaced—he'd heard a story involving the sword. Midori Aoi had once stolen it with the help of Morino Idate before defecting to the Hidden Rain Village, where he'd become a rogue. Later, when Team 7 encountered him, both Sasuke's Chidori and Naruto's Rasengan were too much for the sword, and it shattered in the clash.
Natsume frowned slightly. It wasn't that the Thunder God's Sword was weak; Aoi's lack of control had been its downfall.
Unaware of his thoughts, Tsunade continued, "It's a relic of my uncle's and has been kept in Konoha for years. It could be given to you, but… you still have a few merits to earn first."
Sarutobi Hiruzen, who had been quietly observing, finally spoke. "Natsume, as Hokage, I hold fairness above all else. Even though you're Tsunade's apprentice, rewards must be given with balance."
Natsume nodded, his face neutral despite the hint of disappointment he felt. The Third Hokage's impartiality was well known—no wonder he'd held his position for so long.
"Then give him my share of the reward," Tsunade said suddenly, her voice resolute. "I don't need any reward."
Hiruzen raised an eyebrow. "You truly care for your apprentice," he noted, both amused and exasperated. After a pause, he gave a slight nod. "Very well. Take the sword."
Technically, the sword belonged to Tsunade as part of the Senju legacy, but she'd left Senju's inheritance matters to the village years ago. Hiruzen felt that if she chose to pass it on, it was only fitting.
"Thank you, Lord Hokage." Natsume bowed respectfully, exchanging a glance with Tsunade that promised a proper thank-you later.
Hiruzen gestured to a nearby ANBU. "Shisui, retrieve the Thunder God's Sword."
Natsume blinked, surprised. He hadn't even noticed Shisui's presence. The Uchiha had mastered the art of staying hidden in plain sight.
"Shisui's with ANBU?" Tsunade asked, raising an eyebrow.
Hiruzen nodded, pride evident in his smile. "Yes. Shisui has inherited the Will of Fire from his ancestor Kagami. He's not only strong but also one of our ANBU captains."
Tsunade nodded in admiration. She remembered Shisui holding his ground against the Fourth Raikage—a remarkable feat even for a jōnin.
A few moments later, Shisui returned, carrying the Thunder God's Sword. He handed it to Natsume with a quiet, "See you tomorrow." Before Natsume could ask what he meant, Shisui disappeared just as swiftly.
Natsume turned his focus to the sword, channeling chakra into the hilt. A blade of lightning surged forth. He couldn't help but think it looked like something from the ancient Jedi tales.
Guess that makes me a Jedi now.
[Because of your actions, Midori Aoi's fate has changed. You have gained 39 destiny points.]
[Because of your actions, Morino Idate's fate has changed. You have gained 28 destiny points.]
Natsume smiled inwardly. Even minor characters brought destiny points.
Then Hiruzen spoke again, "Tsunade, Kumogakure will soon send envoys for peace talks. Would you consider representing Konoha?"
"Not interested," Tsunade replied immediately, rising to her feet. "Come on," she waved at Natsume and Shizune, heading for the door.
Hiruzen sighed as they left. He'd hoped she might be willing to take on a formal role; he had even considered her for the role of Fifth Hokage, though she seemed focused only on her apprentice.
How can she lead the village with that attitude? he thought, shaking his head. It seemed his time as Hokage was far from over.
---
Back at the Senju residence, Shizune excused herself to train, leaving Tsunade and Natsume alone.
"I'll be in the kitchen," Shizune said, stepping out.
"Thanks, sis," Natsume called after her, his tone more familiar in their private space.
Tsunade ruffled his hair affectionately. "Keep up the good work, and maybe your onee-chan will reward you with more gifts."
"Really?" Natsume grinned mischievously. "What kind of rewards?"
Tsunade chuckled. "You'll have to wait and see," she teased, giving his cheek a light pinch.
Natsume reached into his pouch and pulled out a small box. "Actually, I have something for you." Opening it, he revealed a gleaming necklace. The jewel inside sparkled, catching Tsunade's eye.
"Sis, someone as beautiful as you should have a necklace worthy of you," he said with a gentle smile. "Think of it as a thank-you for everything."
Tsunade's eyes softened. She reached out and tousled his hair again, smiling. "Put it on me, then."
Natsume moved behind her, carefully lifting her twin ponytails to fasten the necklace around her neck.
"How does it look?" Tsunade asked, turning to him.
"Perfect," Natsume replied, sincerity in his gaze.
Tsunade laughed, poking his forehead gently. "Such a sweet-talker."
Natsume grinned. "Just being honest."
She yawned, looking a bit tired. "I used a lot of chakra earlier when I broke the Yin Seal."
Natsume gestured to the couch. "How about a massage, nee-chan? You deserve some relaxation."
Tsunade hesitated, then relented with a sigh. After all the battles, a massage sounded perfect.
---
Tsunade rested her head on Natsume's lap, closing her eyes as the exhaustion of the day began to melt away.
"I'm starting," Natsume murmured softly.
With a gentle touch, he brushed her bangs to the side and began massaging her forehead. Although he wasn't well-versed in massage techniques, he followed a steady rhythm, kneading the tension away. After a few minutes, he noticed her breathing had slowed and deepened—a clear sign she'd fallen asleep.
He continued his gentle movements, now moving down to her face, tracing her features with care. Tsunade's skin was soft, and the warmth made his fingers tingle. She shifted slightly, turning to face him, and he hesitated for a moment.
A smirk crossed his face. "What now?" he thought, amused.
On a whim, he leaned down and blew gently into her ear. He had heard of this trick being relaxing, almost like an early form of ASMR. However, instead of calming her, Tsunade jolted awake, her eyes blinking in confusion.
"Natsume..." she murmured groggily, her voice uncharacteristically soft, her cheeks tinged with a slight blush. "You don't need to... massage my ears," she whispered, stumbling slightly over her words.
Natsume blinked, taken aback by her tone. This wasn't the usual brash Tsunade he knew. Noting her sensitivity, he chuckled softly. "Got it," he replied.
Tsunade closed her eyes again, drifting back to sleep. Natsume took the moment to run his fingers gently through her blonde hair, enjoying the rare peacefulness between them. It felt like a small repayment for all the times she'd affectionately ruffled his head over the years.
When it was time for dinner, Tsunade woke, looking more refreshed than before. She stretched, and as she sat up, Natsume tried to get to his feet. His legs were numb from sitting too long, and he stumbled, reaching out to steady himself.
His hand landed—unexpectedly—on her chest.
Both froze. Tsunade's face turned crimson. For a split second, she was too stunned to move, then quickly pulled away, leaving Natsume to tumble back onto the sofa.
"Come on, dinner's ready," she said hurriedly, her voice a pitch higher than usual as she hastily left the room.
Natsume sat up, face flushed, muttering, "That was... really an accident."
After a quiet meal and some training, Natsume fell asleep almost as soon as his head hit the pillow. Tsunade, however, couldn't rest as easily. Her mind was buzzing, her thoughts swirling around the day's events. Staring up at the ceiling, she found herself unsettled, feeling things she hadn't expected.
Eventually, she slipped out of bed and tiptoed to Natsume's room. The door was closed but unlocked, and with her well-honed stealth, she managed to reach his bedside without making a sound. Natsume lay there, his expression peaceful and his breathing even. To Tsunade, he looked almost vulnerable, so different from his usual self.
She found herself lingering, watching him longer than she should have. Her heart stirred with emotions she'd tried to keep under control.
"I should leave," she whispered to herself, but her feet didn't move.
Finally, after what felt like an eternity, she sighed softly and turned to go. She made it back to her room without disturbing him, but her thoughts kept her awake long into the night.
---
The next morning, a knock sounded at the door. Tsunade opened it to find Uchiha Shisui standing outside.
"Tsunade-sama, is Natsume home?" Shisui asked with a polite smile.
Tsunade raised an eyebrow, a hint of wariness in her gaze. "What do you need with him?"
Shisui noticed the subtle edge to her tone but couldn't quite place it. "I wanted to treat him to dinner to thank him for his help yesterday."
Tsunade paused, assessing him. Though she didn't harbor strong feelings toward the Uchiha clan, she trusted Natsume's judgment. After a moment, she turned and called out, "Natsume, Shisui wants to take you to dinner. Do you want to go?"
"Dinner?" Natsume repeated, remembering their recent encounter with Orochimaru. "Sure, why not?"
A short while later, Natsume and Shisui arrived at a local barbecue restaurant, where Uchiha Itachi had already ordered some food. The three of them sat down to eat, the atmosphere light but with a hint of unspoken tension.
"This meal is to thank you," Shisui said, lifting his juice glass. "For your help in stopping Orochimaru. Without you, I might have lost my vision in that fight."
Natsume nodded, clinking his glass with Shisui's. "Glad I could help."
"I also read the article you wrote on the Will of Fire," Shisui added. "Not many people see things the same way. I think we could be good friends."
Natsume smiled politely, though inwardly he was cautious. Befriending members of the Uchiha clan carried its own risks, especially given their internal politics. Outwardly, he simply said, "We can definitely talk more about it."
The meal ended on a positive note, with all three seemingly content. Though Natsume had earned Shisui and Itachi's trust for the moment, he knew things could shift quickly given the complexities of clan loyalty.
---
A week later, envoys from Kumo Village arrived in Konoha. Hiruzen Sarutobi personally greeted them in the Hokage's reception hall, flanked by key representatives from the village's major clans.
"Where is Hiashi?" Hiruzen asked, noticing the absence of the Hyuga clan leader.
"The head of the Hyuga clan is preparing for Hyuga Hinata's third birthday," a guard responded.
Hiruzen frowned slightly, recognizing the subtle act of defiance. However, he let it pass, aware that the Hyuga clan's loyalty to Konoha was steadfast.
Meanwhile, Natsume received an invitation from the Hyuga clan, personally signed by Hiashi. He was invited to attend Hinata's birthday celebration, and he wasn't about to miss it. He knew what was likely to happen next.
The infamous kidnapping attempt by Kumo's envoys—the event that would irrevocably change Hinata's destiny.
---