Carrying Tsunade into the bathroom, Haruto Saito gently placed her on the bench before turning on the water in the bathtub. Testing the temperature, he then lifted Tsunade again and carefully lowered her into the tub.
Although Tsunade was deeply asleep and unlikely to wake up, Haruto remained extremely cautious.
He was genuinely worried that if she suddenly woke up, his head might end up decorating a flagpole—with no one able to stop it.
Scooping up water, he gently wiped the dirt off her face, then her hair. The clean bathwater quickly turned into muddy sludge, forcing Haruto to lift her out again, place her back on the bench, drain the tub, and refill it with clean water. This process repeated five times until the water supply in the storage tank was completely depleted.
The bathhouse's water system relied on a rooftop tank made of heat-absorbing metal. During the daytime, sunlight alone was enough to warm the stored water to a comfortable bathing temperature.
Now, with the water used up, there was no more warm water left. Yet, Tsunade was only somewhat clean. Her hair still had dirt and sand in it, and Haruto couldn't submerge her entirely in the water—if she inhaled it, she'd wake up immediately. Cleaning her hair this way was proving impossible.
Without wasting a moment, Haruto dashed out of the bathroom, climbed onto the roof, removed the empty water tank, and sprinted to the lake. He filled the tank, used his Fire Release jutsu to heat the water externally, then reinstalled the tank, reconnected the pipes, and rushed back inside.
Once the tub was refilled, Haruto carefully lowered Tsunade back into the bath.
"This isn't working. I can't get her fully clean like this, and I can't dry her clothes either. If she wakes up and notices, I'm doomed. Should I just… kill her?"
The thought sent a shiver down his spine. Imagining the consequences, he shook his head immediately. No way. The risk was way too terrifying.
At this point, there was only one option left.
He had to take off her clothes.
That was the only way to thoroughly clean her body, wash her garments properly, and dry everything without raising suspicion.
But…
Take them off?
Or not?
Take them off?
Or not?
Haruto struggled internally for a full second before making his decision.
Yes.
"Please, please, please don't wake up… Please…" His hands trembled slightly as he carefully undid the buttons on Tsunade's clothes, removing them one by one, layer by layer.
Tsunade was a masterpiece.
As Haruto finally pulled the last light-colored undergarment from the water, he couldn't help but be in awe.
If he were eighteen years old, who knows what might have happened? But alas, he was only twelve—on the scrawnier side, too.
"This is not my fault!" Haruto muttered to himself before lifting his sunglasses slightly to steal a glance at Tsunade's completely bare body. Then, clutching her clothes and shoes, he bolted out of the bathroom.
At the lake, he swiftly scrubbed all her garments clean, used Wind Release to dry them, then carried them back inside to hang them up properly.
Returning to the bathtub, Haruto hesitated.
Bathing someone meant scrubbing them.
"This really isn't my fault," he muttered again before reaching out his "sinful" hands.
The sensation was beyond description.
Haruto was completely stunned.
An entire day had passed, yet no one had come to the lake.
Even though the rumor of him being buried alive by Tsunade had spread, no one had dared to check on him!
Terrifying.
Tsunade was absolutely terrifying.
Her sheer dominance over the village was astonishing.
But at the same time, Haruto was relieved that he had taken the effort to clean her up, wash her clothes, and put them back on her.
Late at night.
A gentle breeze stirred the lake's surface. The full moon hung high, casting a serene glow. The world was silent.
Haruto sat cross-legged on a grassy slope, motionless, his breathing steady.
Meditation.
He had essentially spent the entire day meditating, afraid to leave—even skipping dinner. Tsunade was still in his house, still asleep. Technically, he could wake her up now, but he was hesitant. What if she somehow noticed what had happened?
"This is insane."
His breathing faltered. Opening his eyes, he sighed as he gazed at the shimmering lake.
He simply couldn't focus.
A whole day had passed.
Every time he closed his eyes, Tsunade's image surfaced in his mind. His body was only twelve, but his soul was over twenty years old. He had to admit—aside from her rotten personality, Tsunade was absolutely perfect. Everything about her was flawless.
"This is ridiculous. It was just a bath, for crying out loud—" Haruto suddenly cut himself off, his body going rigid. His head snapped toward the wooden house.
A powerful chakra surge had erupted from within!
Tsunade was awake.
And her energy was anything but stable.
"She figured it out? No way. No way. No way…" Haruto murmured anxiously.
"YOU BASTARD!!!"
A furious scream echoed through the night.
Haruto turned and bolted.
Dashing across the water at full speed, he shot into the dark forest like a crazed animal. His mind was overwhelmed with horrific visions—being torn limb from limb, hacked to pieces, decapitated and hung from a flagpole.
If he had known this would happen, he would've fled earlier in the day!
Through the dim forest, Haruto pushed his speed to the absolute limit.
WHOOSH!
A gust of wind brushed past him. A ghostly figure flickered in the shadows, appearing directly in his path. Cold eyes locked onto his, golden hair fluttering in the wind.
Tsunade.
Haruto skidded to a halt, stumbling back several steps.
Their eyes met.
Big eyes. Small eyes.
"I can explain."
"Where's my money?"
They both spoke at the same time.
An eerie silence followed.
Haruto blinked.
"What?"
"You little bastard! I said—where is my money? Did you steal my money?" Tsunade snarled, grabbing Haruto by the collar.
When she had first woken up, she was shocked at the sheer effectiveness of Haruto's hypnosis. But soon after, she had patted herself down, only to realize her coin pouch was missing.
"Uh… Money? Pouch? Oh! Your pouch! Here, here!" Haruto feigned realization, quickly pulling the pouch from his pocket and handing it over.
Tsunade opened it immediately, pulling out the stack of money inside, carefully counting through it.
Over eighty thousand ryo—not a single coin missing.
"She didn't notice." Haruto exhaled in relief.
"Hm?" Tsunade's brows furrowed. She eyed Haruto suspiciously. "Then why the hell were you running?"
"You looked terrifying! You were charging at me like a madwoman—of course I ran!" Haruto replied naturally.
"Oh?" Tsunade narrowed her eyes. "Then why was my money in your pocket?"
"I was going to town for food and didn't want someone stealing it while you slept," Haruto lied smoothly.
Tsunade's expression changed. She glanced up at the night sky.
"How long was I out?"
"A whole day. Over ten hours." Haruto shrugged casually. "See? I told you I could hypnotize you. Do you believe me now?"
Tsunade's expression twisted with complex emotions. She stroked her chin in thought.
Haruto took the chance to slip away.
"STOP!"
"Nope!"
Haruto didn't stop walking.
WHOOSH! Tsunade flashed in front of him again.
"Again?! What now?"
"Teach me."
"What?"
"Teach me hypnosis."