Haruto Saito glanced uneasily at Tsunade's status. The "relationship" had not turned hostile, which meant that she had no actual intention to harm him. All her threats about "killing him" and "burying him alive" were just intimidation. However, that didn't make it any less dangerous!
People acted on impulse, and Tsunade had a notoriously short temper. While she might not outright kill someone easily, beating him half to death, healing him, and then repeating the cycle over and over—well, that was definitely within the realm of possibility.
Haruto shifted his gaze to Jiraiya, who stood some distance away, looking pitiful. The poor guy had already learned his lesson and didn't dare approach. His handkerchief, soaked in blood from his nose, was a testament to Tsunade's "gentle" nature.
Suddenly, Tsunade bent down, picked up a small rock from the ground, then slung an arm around Haruto's neck and walked him over to the edge of the rooftop. Looking down at the bustling market streets below, she raised her voice and announced, "Everyone, I have an announcement!"
Her cold, commanding voice echoed through the air.
People in the marketplace—both civilians and shinobi—lifted their heads, their gazes locking onto the figures standing on the rooftop. They saw Tsunade standing there with a young shinobi by her side.
"This brat! Yes, him! You all should know him by now—Haruto Saito!" Tsunade pointed directly at Haruto as she continued loudly, "He made a bet with me, claiming he could learn the Mystical Palm Technique in a single day. Unbelievably, he actually succeeded! It's hard to believe, right? Even I find it suspicious! There might be something unknown behind this!"
"So, to ensure fairness and to dispel my doubts, I will test him again! Starting this morning, for the duration of one day, I will teach him another technique—a B-rank jutsu, Chakra-Enhanced Strength! If he manages to learn it within a day, I will grant him any request. Including the previous one, that will be two requests! But if he fails… well… just like this rock!"
As she finished speaking, Tsunade clenched the rock in her hand, crushing it effortlessly into fine dust, which scattered into the wind.
Haruto swallowed hard.
Terrifying.
Before long, word had spread throughout the village. In the Hokage's office, Hiruzen Sarutobi received the news. The Hyūga clan, through Hiashi Hyūga, and the Uchiha clan, through Fugaku Uchiha, were also made aware. Soon, every tea house and gambling den was abuzz with discussions.
Haruto learning the Mystical Palm Technique in a day was already seen as "suspicious." Tsunade herself had grown doubtful and now aimed to force him to "perform" once again. But this time, she had taken precautions. The technique she chose—Chakra-Enhanced Strength—was unique to her alone. There was no way for Haruto to have practiced it beforehand.
Under such circumstances, the debate wasn't about whether Haruto could learn the technique in a day. It was about how Tsunade would kill him if he failed.
Buried alive?
Drained of blood?
Strangled?
Or simply beaten to death?
Some of the more opportunistic gambling house owners even set up betting pools, offering odds on how Haruto would meet his end. Of course, there was also the option that he would survive. After all, the situation had too many variables—Tsunade might not actually kill him, the Hokage might intervene, or, against all odds, Haruto might actually manage to learn the technique.
That last option had the highest odds—because it was the least likely.
By the lake, at the wooden cabin.
Tsunade had brought Haruto back, along with Jiraiya and Orochimaru. According to her, they were here as assistants, but Haruto knew better. They were here to watch the entire thing unfold. And, of course, to ensure that Haruto didn't cheat.
A blanket was laid out on the grass. Tsunade and Haruto sat down, ready to begin.
Tsunade wasted no time.
She was in a hurry. That was just how she was—impatient to expose Haruto's supposed fraud, to tear apart his facade, and then decide how to "deal with" him.
"Chakra-Enhanced Strength," Tsunade began, "is a unique application of chakra control. It involves concentrating chakra into a specific part of the body and then releasing it explosively. Once mastered, this technique grants exceptional control over chakra as well as immense burst power. Unlike most ninjutsu, Chakra-Enhanced Strength does not require hand seals. The chakra circulates through the body's tenketsu in a specific pattern…"
Tsunade was explaining in detail.
Orochimaru stood by the lakeside, his back turned to them, seemingly admiring the scenery.
Jiraiya had dragged out a lounge chair and was lying near the cabin, still nursing his injuries. Tsunade had punched him earlier, and she hadn't bothered to heal him.
Time passed.
An hour later.
Haruto listened attentively, absorbing every word. He was genuinely trying his best to learn Chakra-Enhanced Strength within a day. He had no desire to have his legs broken. In fact, considering Tsunade's temperament, if he failed, the consequences would likely be far worse than just broken legs.
Jiraiya's sorry state served as a constant reminder—Tsunade was not someone to be trifled with.
"Chakra-Enhanced Strength is immensely destructive, but it also carries risks," Tsunade continued. "If too much chakra is drawn out, you could deplete your stamina entirely. But that's an extreme case. Anyone who masters this technique will have extraordinary chakra control. With proper control, over-extraction can be avoided… Watch closely!"
Boom!
Tsunade swung her fist, striking the air. A deafening boom echoed, accompanied by a visible distortion in the air—a shockwave so intense it created an illusion of space folding. The resulting gust of wind struck Haruto's face with tangible force.
Haruto was now seriously considering making a run for it.
This was ridiculously difficult!
After an hour, he had barely grasped the basics. He had attempted to circulate chakra through his body, but he couldn't feel any solid feedback.
Another thirty minutes passed.
Tsunade had finished her explanation. She leaped backward, landing gracefully about ten meters away.
"In theory, Chakra-Enhanced Strength can be applied to every movement," she continued. "The technique doesn't require a specific chakra amount—use more if you have more, less if you have less. But if you use too little, the power won't manifest properly. Instead of increasing your strength, you'll just waste chakra. That's why, in practice, this technique demands a high chakra reserve."
She moved through a series of combat stances, demonstrating various attacks. Her movements were smooth, yet each carried an overwhelming sense of destructive power. Even the slightest shift in her stance created a palpable pressure in the air.
Haruto was already devising potential escape plans.
Tsunade was terrifying! How could someone so beautiful be so violent?
"Chakra-Enhanced Strength is classified as a medical ninjutsu derivative because it stems from advanced chakra control, much like precision-based medical techniques. However, it is also considered a taijutsu technique. Either classification is correct…"
Thirty more minutes passed.
Tsunade had now spent two hours teaching Haruto.
Ding!
A notification rang in Haruto's mind.
[You have received general guidance from Tsunade. You have obtained 'Chakra-Enhanced Strength Fragment' ×3.]
Haruto's heart sank.
He had a bad feeling about this…
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