"So hot!"
In her sleep, Tsunade felt as if she were trapped inside a blazing furnace. The scorching, restless sensation made her instinctively tear at her clothes, revealing smooth, fair skin.
"Trying to seduce me, huh?"
"Too bad I'm not that kind of guy, you know!"
"Feeling hot means I'm doing this right. Wood Release truly lives up to its reputation as a power rivaling the Sharingan. Even with your incomplete genes, it can awaken abilities comparable to the Mangekyō."
"Just hang in there a little longer. It'll be over soon!"
In her dazed state, Tsunade vaguely heard a gentle voice murmuring in her ear. At the same time, she felt a strange energy coursing through her limbs, filling every inch of her body.
Right now, Tsunade felt like she could punch a hole in the sky.
---
Morning.
The chirping of birds outside the window roused Tsunade from her slumber.
"Haah—"
She yawned and rubbed her bleary eyes.
"I feel... so full of energy!"
Flexing her fist, she marveled at the newfound vitality surging through her muscles. A puzzled expression crossed her face.
Could a single night's sleep bring such a drastic change? Had the bloodline limit within her finally awakened?
As a member of the Senju clan, Tsunade was well aware of her family's true heritage.
Wood Release.
"Tsunade-sama, you're finally awake!" Shizune's voice called from the doorway, snapping Tsunade out of her thoughts.
"Oh, Shizune."
Stretching lazily, Tsunade got out of bed—completely unaware of her exposed state.
Shizune gasped and immediately shut the door, rushing over to help Tsunade adjust her clothes. "Lady Tsunade, this is Hikari's house! You can't just—you'll end up at a disadvantage!"
Tsunade yawned again. Despite her body buzzing with energy, her mind still felt sluggish.
"What disadvantage? If anything were going to happen, it would've happened last night. Why wait until now?"
That logic was so impeccable that Shizune had no rebuttal.
After helping Tsunade get dressed, Shizune glanced nervously at the door and whispered, "Tsunade-sama, nothing... happened between you two last night, right?"
Tsunade shrugged. "What, you want something to have happened?"
"Of course not!" Shizune answered instantly. "If something did happen between you and Hikari, I wouldn't even know how to address him anymore!"
"What's the big deal? Even if something happened, it'd be me playing him. You can just call him whatever you usually do."
Shizune could only force a dry laugh and pretend she hadn't heard that.
If something really did happen between Tsunade and Hikari... could Shizune really act like nothing happened?
Impossible.
Since this wasn't her own home, Shizune didn't rush Tsunade to freshen up. Once she was fully dressed, the two headed downstairs, where Hikari was already eating breakfast.
"Why didn't you wake me? The food's almost cold!"
Without hesitation, Tsunade plopped down and started eating, completely unconcerned about the possibility of Hikari having spiked the food.
Well, if he'd wanted to do something, last night would've been the time...
Shizune sighed, gave up on reasoning with her, and ate a little before preparing to leave for work.
"That was a damn good sleep. Hikari, your bed's amazing."
[Heh, of course it is. I spent a fortune on it.]
Kamizuki Hikari could compromise on many things, but not when it came to sleeping arrangements. He'd always splurged on the best bed possible. Sleeping on a tatami mat for a day or two was tolerable, but any longer and he'd lose his mind.
A person spends at least eight of their twenty-four hours a day in bed. Why not invest in a good one?
"Hey, about that bed—"
"Mine. Don't even think about it. In fact, don't even consider thinking about it."
Hikari already knew where Tsunade was going with this. No way was he giving up his custom-ordered bed.
Did she think he was some simp?
"Fine. Shizune, handle the paperwork for me. Hikari and I have something to take care of."
Without waiting for a response, Tsunade grabbed Hikari's arm and dashed toward the Forest of Death.
In less than ten minutes, the two were deep within the forest. According to Hikari's sensory abilities, aside from the usual array of venomous snakes and wild beasts, there wasn't a single human presence around.
"Tsunade-sama, if you wanted some private time with me, we didn't have to come all the way out here."
Tsunade rolled her eyes, mentally responding with two words:
'As if.'
'The only time I'd ever act weak is when I'm drunk. Do you really think I'd ever need a man? Pfft.'
Taking a deep breath, Tsunade formed a series of hand seals.
Ram → Dog → Snake.
"Wood Release: Wood Clone!"
Under Tsunade's eager gaze, a woman who bore about an 80% resemblance to her materialized at her side.
"It actually worked!"
If this were a standard Clone Technique or even Shadow Clone, such an imperfect replication would be unacceptable. Shinobi were all about precision—a clone needed to be indistinguishable from the original to deceive enemies.
But since this was a Wood Clone, it was perfectly fine.
With that thought, Tsunade suddenly raised her right hand like a blade and slashed at the clone without hesitation.
*Snap!*
The Wood Clone raised its arm to block, but this was Tsunade's first attempt. The clone's strength was less than 30% of her own, making resistance futile.
Her hand cut through the clone's arm like a sharp blade.
Had this been a Shadow Clone or any other type, such damage would have made it disperse instantly.
But the Wood Clone was different. The severed arm fell to the ground, transforming into a withered branch, while the clone itself remained standing.
"So... I've really awakened Wood Release?"
Feeling the endless surge of power within her, Tsunade felt tears welling up.
If she'd had this power during the Second Shinobi War, could she have saved Nawaki?
Lost in her emotions, Tsunade didn't notice the complicated look in Hikari's eyes as he watched her from behind.
[As expected, newly awakened Wood Release is still unstable. At this level, it's only slightly stronger than Yamato's. To compete with powerhouses like the Fourth Raikage or the Third Tsuchikage, she'll need to stabilize and develop it further. More importantly... Sage Mode. I wonder if Hashirama left any records behind.]
Hearing Hikari's inner monologue, Tsunade's lips curled into a smirk.
'No matter how sly you are, you still end up giving me advice!'
'Calling my grandpa "Hashirama" so casually... Just wait until I master this. I'll make you regret it.'
'But this "Sage Mode"... I think I remember Granduncle mentioning it when I was little. Though he never explained the specifics. I'll have to search through the family records later.'
"Hikari, help me keep watch. I need to train properly now."
Tsunade no longer cared why her Wood Release had suddenly awakened.
She needed this power. And as long as it showed no signs of being harmful, that was enough.
"Got it. I'll keep guard. Go ahead and train."
-----
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