The dim yellow light filled the room, illuminating the beautiful woman soundly asleep on the bed. Despite such a tempting scene, Kamizuki Hikari remained unmoved, resisting the urge to indulge in the kind of "hehehe" activities most men would eagerly pursue.
This could only mean one thing—he disliked the smell of alcohol.
To be precise, he couldn't stand the scent of sweat mixed with liquor emanating from Tsunade after she got drunk.
[If anyone dares to claim that everything a beautiful woman does is fragrant, I'll smash their dog head in!]
Honestly, Hikari just couldn't bring himself to lay a hand on a woman in such a state.
Shaking his head, he returned to his study, where scattered draft papers covered the desk, each filled with elegant, flowing handwriting.
[The story's outline is complete. Now, I just need to adjust the pacing, ensuring the highs and lows blend seamlessly. Next...]
As Hikari diligently worked on his manuscript, Tsunade—lying on the bed—slowly opened her eyes. Half-asleep, half-awake, she was far from the unconscious state she had feigned earlier.
'This guy... he's really something. A beauty like me lying right there, and he doesn't even bat an eye. Is he... incapable?'
'Wait, does he prefer guys like Kakashi? If that's the case, well... I guess I'll just have to wish him happiness!'
'Ugh, so sleepy... might as well go back to sleep.'
Though she had used chakra to expel most of the alcohol through her sweat, a fair amount had still been absorbed by her body. Now that her guard was down, drowsiness overtook her, and all she wanted was a deep, undisturbed slumber.
As for why she had chosen to stay here instead of returning to the Senju compound—well, that was simply instinct. Compared to the vast emptiness of the Senju estate, Hikari's small, cozy home made her feel much more at ease.
---
After finalizing the structure and pacing of his story, Hikari nodded in satisfaction.
[That's enough for today. I'll fine-tune the rest another time. For now... maybe I'll sketch an illustration.]
Originally, he had planned to sleep, but Tsunade's unexpected visit had disrupted his routine. With practiced ease, he picked up his brush, and soon, a breathtaking image of a sleeping beauty graced the paper.
However, instead of delight, Kamizuki Hikari frowned as he examined the drawing.
[Damn, why does this woman look so much like Tsunade?!]
If she ever found out, his life would be over.
There was no way he could include this illustration in his book—not unless he wanted every shinobi in Konoha hunting him down for "defiling their goddess".
Folding the paper in half, he was about to tear it up when, on a whim, he opened a drawer and tucked it inside.
[Might as well keep it. Tearing it up would be a waste.]
Wait... was there something else he was supposed to do?
Hikari rested his chin on his hand, deep in thought.
For some reason, he felt like he had forgotten something important—something that left him unsettled.
[Was I planning to go out and... 'appreciate' some lightly dressed ladies?]
Nah, that couldn't be it. If he hadn't taken advantage of Tsunade being here, why would he bother with anyone else? Besides, if he really wanted a woman, he could just go find Ayame.
[Or was I going to confess to Anko and then... 'hehehe' her?]
No way. He wasn't ready to give up his single life yet.
[Ayame?]
Unlikely. Sure, she was a potential catch, but her father was way too overbearing. If he had to choose, he'd rather pursue Tenten—she was the real hidden rich girl of Konoha.
[What else? Kakashi?]
But he'd already promised to write the novel and include some illustrations. Nothing too complicated there.
[Shizune?]
Too flat. Just not his type.
[Honestly, I prefer women with more... presence—like Terumi Mei, Samui, or Tsunade. But two of them are from other villages, and I've only ever admired them from afar.]
[Tsunade... Wait, was I supposed to help her with her bloodline evolution?]
Ah, that made sense.
Right now, Tsunade was facing a crisis, and Hikari feared that if she couldn't overcome it, he'd lose his most reliable benefactor. To secure an even bigger and whiter thigh to cling to, ensuring her survival was a no-brainer.
But how? There were too many methods to choose from.
Hikari's own physique was already approaching that of a perfect Ōtsutsuki. Having mastered all seven chakra natures to an advanced level, all he needed was to unify them into Yin-Yang Truth-Seeking Balls to complete his transformation into a full-fledged Ōtsutsuki.
If the Ōtsutsuki were considered sage-level beings, then he could rightfully call himself a half-sage.
The simplest way to help Tsunade evolve would be to... ahem... "donate" some vital essence and then use chakra to refine it, stimulating her body's evolution.
Direct. Efficient.
After all, a single drop of essence was worth ten drops of blood—his contribution would far surpass the effects of ordinary vitality infusion.
But right now, Tsunade reeked of alcohol, and Hikari just couldn't bring himself to go through with it.
If that method was off the table, then the second option remained: targeted bloodline awakening.
As the granddaughter of Senju Hashirama, Tsunade possessed roughly a quarter of his bloodline. Under normal circumstances, this only granted her slightly greater vitality than others, without the overwhelming power of Wood Release.
Hikari's plan was to use his own chakra to awaken the dormant Hashirama cells within her, gradually transforming them into Tsunade's cells.
For others, assimilating Hashirama's cells would be nearly impossible—but for Tsunade, his direct descendant, it was far simpler.
Once awakened, even if she never reached the level of the "God of Shinobi", possessing even half his strength would allow her to dominate the other Great Nations and solidify Konoha's supremacy.
Of course, this would also paint a massive target on her back.
But Hikari couldn't worry about that now.
The crisis Tsunade faced was already life-threatening. If she couldn't even overcome this hurdle, there was no point in thinking about the future.
With that in mind, Hikari stood and walked toward the bedroom.
Looking down at Tsunade—sprawled across the bed in an unrestrained, almost heroic sleeping posture—he couldn't help but sigh.
This kind of woman... most men wouldn't stand a chance.
Drawing his left index finger across his right palm, he split the skin—despite its usual resistance to weapons—and let his crimson blood flow freely. A faint, sweet fragrance filled the air.
"Mmm..."
Still asleep, Tsunade instinctively sniffed at the scent.
"If this doesn't work, don't blame me for resorting to 'hehehe' tomorrow." Hikari muttered under his breath.
With that, he pressed his bleeding palm to her lips, letting the droplets trickle into her mouth.
In her dreams, Tsunade parted her lips slightly... and began to drink.
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