After drinking heavily, you sleep exceptionally soundly. If you use Chakra to cure your hangover, it would be a waste of the alcohol.
Kawakaze slept until morning. With no pressing concerns weighing on his heart, he rested well. He felt as though he was hugging something, and it was surprisingly comfortable. Reaching out, he gave it a squeeze—soft, unexpectedly so.
When he opened his eyes and looked over, he saw it was Onimaru. Why was the dog sleeping in his bed?
Disgusted, Kawakaze kicked the still-sleeping Onimaru off the bed. The action startled the canine awake. He vaguely remembered grabbing Onimaru the previous night and telling it to take him back to his room. he had no recollection of how they'd ended up like this.
"Woof," Onimaru yelped, landing on the floor and wincing from the unexpected pain. Who had ambushed him? Looking up, he met Kawakaze's puzzled gaze. Then he turned to assess the situation and realized he'd somehow ended up spending the night in what he now considered the worst place imaginable, even being hugged by the one he despised.
Owww, he thought miserably. I'm not clean anymore. I hope this doesn't ruin my chances of finding a fine bitch.
Without wasting another moment, Onimaru sprinted out of the room, disappearing from sight in the blink of an eye—a flawless demonstration of Ninken agility.
Kawakaze shrugged it off. There was no point in overthinking hugging a dog—it wasn't as if he'd spent the night hugging Tsunade. He got up and washed up, the scent of alcohol still clinging to him, yet he remained uncertain about when Nawaki would arrive.
Kawakaze resolved to make the most of his brother-in-law's visit. By this time, Sakumo, who had a wife to keep him on a disciplined schedule, was already practicing in the dojo. Only the unmarried younger brother was allowed the luxury of sleeping in.
Since the Hatake Clan had risen in status, their quality of life had vastly improved. Onimaru, for example, had gained over ten pounds in just a few years. With a simple command, a lavish breakfast was served, and Kawakaze enjoyed it alone. He was about to pour himself another bowl of congee when his sister-in-law's voice came over the intercom.
"Kawakaze, the Senju Clan is here. I've seated them in the living room."
As a member of an elite Konoha family, his sister-in-law treated the Senju Clan with the utmost respect. Her presence was soon felt as she entered the dining room.
"Alright, I'll head over now," Kawakaze replied, taking one last sip of congee. Wiping his mouth, he followed her out.
He had assumed Nawaki Senju would be waiting for him alone, but upon entering the hall, he found a surprising scene: Sakumo was talking with Tsunade, while Nawaki and Kushina sat nearby.
This brother-in-law was definitely worth keeping around—he's unexpectedly helpful, Kawakaze thought.
Tsunade was dressed in her usual short-sleeved shirt with a green trench coat. Her light yellow twin ponytails were as striking as ever, and her cleavage, as always, drew attention.
The atmosphere in the room was tense. Tsunade and Sakumo clearly didn't see eye to eye, making things almost unbearably awkward. When Kawakaze entered, Sakumo appeared visibly relieved. Social situations like this were best handled by someone else, in his opinion.
"Kawakaze, Tsunade is here to see you," Sakumo said. "Now that you're here, I'll leave you to it."
Eager to escape, he quickly said his goodbyes to Tsunade and exited, leaving Kawakaze and his wife to navigate the strained atmosphere.
With Sakumo behaving like this, it was a miracle Kakashi had managed to become Hokage entirely on his own merits.
"Ahem."
"My Big Brother probably had some urgent business to attend to, so you should go check on him too, Sis-in-law," Kawakaze Feng said, breaking the silence as he gestured for his sister-in-law to leave. It seemed someone wasn't willing to let him off easily.
Nayuki, sensing something odd in her brother-in-law's tone, briefly greeted everyone and headed in the direction her husband had gone.
"Tsunade, I didn't expect you to come too," Kawakaze said with a polite smile as he casually took the seat Sakumo had vacated.
"Big Brother, I'm the one who told my sister to come," Nawaki interjected firmly, unwilling to let her role in the matter be overlooked.
Kushina, unusually quiet, sat in her chair with a curious sparkle in her eyes. Something about this Kawakaze big brother didn't sit right with her.
"Kawakaze, since Nawaki has come to learn from you, and as her sister, I should show my appreciation too," Tsunade said, her tone calm but firm. "I brought you a gift today. I hope you like it."
Reaching across her chest, Tsunade pulled out a scroll she had hidden behind her back and placed it before Kawakaze.
"What is this?" Kawakaze asked, puzzled, his eyes scanning the scroll as if trying to guess its contents.
"Haha, it's just a Ninjutsu developed by my second grandfather," Tsunade explained, her smile growing. "I thought it would suit you, so I brought it over. Why don't you take a look?"
She had clearly put effort into selecting the scroll, eager to see Kawakaze's reaction. She hoped the surprise would be worth it.
Hearing the mention of Tobirama Senju, Kawakaze's thoughts immediately leapt to Impure World Reincarnation. Could it be that? he wondered. But that would be too extraordinary to imagine.
Though his heart raced with anticipation, Kawakaze kept his composure as he picked up the scroll and began to unroll it. His pupils dilated the moment he recognized its contents. This technique wasn't just suitable—it was exactly what he had long desired.
It was Flying Thunder God Slash, a technique developed by Tobirama Senju. Kawakaze's speed had plateaued for some time, and mastering this technique would elevate his combat prowess to unprecedented levels.
"Thank you. This technique is very interesting," Kawakaze said as he carefully rolled the scroll back up and kept it close to his body.
"I'm glad you like it," Tsunade said warmly. "But keep in mind, this technique requires a sense of spatial power. Not everyone has the talent for it, and some may never be able to master it."
"I'll do my best to study it thoroughly," Kawakaze replied resolutely. "I won't let the Second Hokage's masterpiece be forgotten."
This is the same technique that killed Izuna Uchiha, Kawakaze thought, his mind flashing to Madara's younger brother—a formidable warrior who had once sparred with Hashirama.
"Nawaki, I'll leave you in charge," Tsunade said as she rose to her feet. "I'll take Kushina back."
Her tone suggested that her role in this visit had concluded. Seeing that Kawakaze appeared pleased, she decided it was time to leave.
"You're already here," Kawakaze interrupted, a mischievous glint in his eye. "If you don't stay for dinner, people might start thinking the Hatake Clan can't even afford to buy a meal."
He was clearly teasing. The Hatake Clan was well-off, and everyone in Konoha likely knew it.
Who would believe that a weapons workshop of that size wouldn't be profitable in this day and age?
"Then I'll accept your offer."
It turned out there was some connection between the two of them, and Tsunade, finding no reason to refuse, agreed without much hesitation during their conversation.
Kushina, who had been sulking about having to leave earlier, now wore a smile. She found this far more entertaining than learning Fūinjutsu with Mito.
"Big Brother, I want to learn swordsmanship, swordsmanship!"
Nawaki, who had been holding back due to his sister's overwhelming presence, finally gathered the courage to speak up.
"Then let's go. Let's visit my Dojo and take a look," Kawakaze said casually, addressing Tsunade while deliberately ignoring her brother.
"Okay," Tsunade replied with a smile, standing to follow him.
The two adults and two children left the living room together and made their way to the Dojo.
Inside, Sakumo was practicing Taijutsu. With the Shinto blade yet to be forged, he was focused entirely on his unarmed training. Nearby, Nayuki was training Onimaru, the movements of human and dog perfectly synchronized in a display of seamless teamwork.
"The Dojo is still a bit small; I'll expand it when I have the chance," Kawakaze remarked, glancing around. Despite the Hatake Clan's Dojo being larger than the Senju Clan's, he couldn't resist the opportunity to flaunt a bit.
Tsunade outwardly showed no reaction, but in her heart, she was calculating just how much this extravagance could cover her gambling losses.
"Today, I'll teach you something different and see if you have any talent for Kenjutsu," Kawakaze said, noticing Nawaki's eagerness. He walked over to the weapons rack, retrieved a wooden sword, and handed it to the boy.
Nawaki felt the weight of the sword in his hands—it was made of ironwood and sturdier than he had expected.
"There are eight basic moves. Watch carefully as I demonstrate."
With a flick of his wrist, Kawakaze grabbed the Eight-Sided Han Sword, its polished surface catching the light.
"Pay attention," he instructed.
"Thrust, Chop, Upward Slash, Hook, Circular Sweep, Tap, Smash, Intercept."
He performed the eight moves in a fluid sequence, his offensive techniques sharp and his defensive ones precise. It was clear he intended to show off in front of Tsunade, and his skill was indeed impressive.
"Kawakaze is quite skilled in Kenjutsu," Tsunade remarked, clapping politely. It was hard to deny the charm of a skilled swordsman, especially one with good looks.
Kushina's eyes sparkled with admiration. She couldn't help but imagine how handsome Minato would look practicing Kenjutsu.
"Big Brother, you were too fast!" Nawaki complained. "Slow down and do it again!"
"Fast or not, this is called continuity," Kawakaze retorted, though he obliged, performing the sequence again at a slower pace.
Though the performance lost some of its flair, it was much easier for Nawaki to follow. He mimicked the movements with his wooden sword.
"Raise your hands higher, lower your center of gravity, and keep your legs steady," Kawakaze instructed, correcting Nawaki's posture with a sharp eye for detail. It seemed he was enjoying the role of teacher more than he had expected.
Seeing Nawaki earnestly practicing under Kawakaze's guidance, Tsunade found herself even more impressed. His appeal seemed to grow with every passing moment.
What, does this woman have some kind of professional admiration filter?