After a few days, Kawakaze and his party entered the territory of the Land of Grass. The landscape here was vastly different from that of the Land of Waterfalls. While there weren't as many waterfalls, the area was filled with vast grasslands, true to the name of the Land of Grass.
Kawakaze recalled that the Land of Grass lacked formidable ninjas and primarily survived by selling information about the major nations. They often resorted to capturing ninjas from other nations to steal their Ninjutsu, which severely harmed the interests of those nations.
Because of this, in the original story, the country was nearly destroyed by the Kaguya Clan, and Karin's mother was used as a medical tool during the war—eaten alive.
The Kaguya Clan's Shikotsumyaku also had a powerful Kekkei Genkai capable of evolving into the All-Killing Ash Bones.
Orochimaru's interest in Kimimaro as his first choice for reincarnation was proof of the power of this Kekkei Genkai. Unfortunately, Kimimaro's early death due to the Kekkei Genkai Disease ended that potential. Kawakaze speculated that combining the power of the Six Paths with Shikotsumyaku could lead to the All-Killing Ash Bones' evolution.
However, now wasn't the time to search for the Kaguya Clan. Still, he resolved not to let go of the opportunity to acquire this ability if it ever presented itself. The All-Killing Ash Bones were a fearsome technique of certain death—anyone struck would disintegrate into ashes, the destruction starting at the wound and spreading through their entire body.
"I guess we're here. The main force hasn't arrived yet," Kawakaze said, estimating that it would take another two or three days for them to catch up. Most of their time had been spent traveling, and the capture of the Seven-Tails had gone remarkably smoothly.
"Then we'll wait in town," Tsunade said. After all the roughing it they'd endured recently, she was already feeling unwell.
"Good, I want a big meal," Nawaki's voice called out from behind, despite being quite far from the rest of the group.
"Sensei, I'm fine," Minato chimed in, following closely behind. However, it was Nawaki who had earned the most credit during their recent missions. Minato wasn't one to compete for recognition, though.
"Okay, you two brats," Kawakaze said with a smile, his gaze shifting to Tsunade, who was flying diagonally above him. His eager eyes gave him away—these past few days had been hard on him.
"What are you smiling at?"
Kawakaze snapped back to reality when one of Tsunade's wings slapped him across the face. He quickly wiped the drool forming at the corner of his mouth.
"Nothing, just thinking about something delicious," he stammered, his wandering eyes betraying a hint of guilt.
"You'd better be right," Tsunade said, eyeing him suspiciously. She had the distinct feeling he was up to no good, but without the ability to read minds, there wasn't much she could do. Otherwise, Kawakaze would have surely faced her iron fist of shame.
"Ahem... that's it. Don't think too much about it."
"Let's speed up a bit. We'll be at the border soon," Kawakaze said, finding an excuse and running ahead.
Tsunade flapped her wings and followed, leaving the two younger ones struggling to keep up. Thinking it was a sudden test from their sensei, Minato and Nawaki pushed themselves to their limits, moving as quickly as they could.
Entering the Land of Fire from the Land of Grass, they reached the border near the Land of Rain. However, the main group had yet to arrive, and there was no sign of them at the agreed-upon location.
Kawakaze and his party made their way to a town where Orochimaru had stayed previously. The area remained unaffected by the ongoing war, still as prosperous and lively as before.
The two younger ones had been pushed to their limits during the journey. Having exhausted much of their chakra trying to keep up with Kawakaze's pace, they were visibly worn out.
"Let's eat first, then find a hot spring to soak in and get a good night's rest," Kawakaze said, outlining the itinerary for the rest of the trip. His words drew feeble cheers from the two younger ones.
"Let's go," Tsunade said eagerly. She hadn't had a proper meal in a long time and was the first to head toward the street, drawn by the delicious aromas wafting through the air.
They passed by a gambling house on the way, and Tsunade slowed, her eyes glinting with interest. But before she could step inside, Kawakaze tugged at her arm and pulled her away.
"I didn't bring much money. There'll be another chance next time," he said firmly, dragging her along. Kawakaze wasn't about to let her gamble their funds away and risk all of them sleeping on the street that night.
"What's the point of even coming to town, then?" he muttered under his breath.
"I'll just have a look," Tsunade said weakly, her voice lacking conviction. She resisted slightly, clearly tempted. It had been ages since her last win—or so she chose to remember. In truth, she had never won anything.
The four of them arrived at a barbecue restaurant. Outside, the owner stood at the grill, shouting to attract customers.
"Delicious barbecue! If it's not delicious, it's free!"
"Boss, bring the meat and sake," Kawakaze called out as he led the group into the restaurant. He didn't bother asking about the price—he was confident he could afford it.
They found an empty table and sat down. Before long, plates of barbecue and sake were brought to the table, along with drinks for the two younger ones.
"It smells so good!" Nawaki exclaimed. He devoured the meat and gulped down his drink in big mouthfuls, his face full of satisfaction.
In contrast, Minato ate quietly, his composed demeanor a stark contrast to Nawaki's. It wasn't hard to see why Kushina favored Minato. If she ever imagined a family with Nawaki, it would probably be complete chaos.
"I hope you choke," Tsunade said, looking at her brother with a mix of exasperation and disbelief. What kind of brother is this?
"Just eat your fill. Let's drink," Kawakaze said, his face beaming with joy. This was just the beginning—he had more important plans in mind.
"It's a bit weak," Tsunade remarked, swirling her sake cup. She was accustomed to much stronger sake and found the sake a bit lackluster, though it was better than nothing.
"It's fine. Just drink more if you're not satisfied. Boss, more sake!" Kawakaze waved, and the owner promptly brought several more pots of sake.
The two younger ones ate happily while Kawakaze focused on pouring sake for Tsunade, trying to match her pace. However, he underestimated her drinking capacity. Since becoming a Jinchūriki, it seemed her tolerance had only grown stronger.
Realizing he was losing the battle, Kawakaze resorted to a dirty trick. Using the excuse of needing the bathroom, he ran off to sober up before returning to continue the effort.
Eventually, Tsunade became drunk, her cheeks flushed as she eagerly asked for more sake. She was in high spirits, completely at ease.
"The bill, please," Kawakaze said, satisfied she'd had enough. He paid and quickly withdrew, putting an arm around Tsunade's waist to steady her as they left the barbecue restaurant.
The two younger ones followed, burping loudly and patting their full stomachs.
The group made their way to one of the most luxurious hot spring baths in the area.
"Boss, two private hot spring baths," Kawakaze said, arranging for two separate rooms that offered maximum privacy, though they were significantly more expensive.
"You two, go and bathe," Kawakaze instructed Minato and Nawaki, sending them to their own room.
Meanwhile, Tsunade, still blushing from the sake, leaned heavily against Kawakaze.
"I knew you didn't mean well. It's just a hot spring—let's go," Tsunade said, grabbing him by the neck and dragging him into their reserved room. Letting him go, she walked unsteadily to the edge of the pool.
"Kawakaze, have you been planning this for a long time?" she asked.
As she spoke, Tsunade casually removed her clothes, standing naked in front of Kawakaze.
"I..." Kawakaze froze, his eyes widening as he swallowed hard.
This was unprecedented. In the past, whenever he had suggested bathing together, she had always rejected him. Now, it seemed his persistence had finally paid off.
"It's not like you haven't seen it before," Tsunade said dismissively, turning her head and stepping into the hot spring. She immersed herself fully, closing her eyes to enjoy the soothing warmth. The fatigue of the past few days melted away.
Kawakaze quickly removed his clothes and entered the pool, inching carefully toward her.
"Tsunade, I'll give you a massage—a professional one," he offered.
"Good," Tsunade replied without hesitation. After drinking sake, she was brimming with confidence, utterly fearless.
At first, Kawakaze's massage was proper and respectful, but as time passed, it grew increasingly less so.
"Umm..." Tsunade let out a faint sound of relaxation.
"Show me your wings," Kawakaze whispered into her ear, leaning close to her back.
In response, a pair of butterfly wings instantly emerged from Tsunade's back, their brilliance glowing faintly in the steam-filled air.
"That was so exciting," Kawakaze said, his enthusiasm reaching its peak.
He worked harder and harder, completely disregarding whether he'd face Tsunade's iron fist when she sobered up. For him, it was worth it. He was prepared to risk everything, all for the prosperity of the Hatake Clan.