Although Sasuke still held a grudge, he didn't hesitate to return to continue his training when Tatsuya called. Compared to his personal grievances, training took precedence.
Inside the cabin, alongside Tatsuya and Tsunade, was a familiar face—Sakura. Now that Tsunade had officially taken her as a disciple, it was only natural for her to join their training sessions. At the same time, this arrangement fulfilled the unspoken desire lingering in the young girl's heart.
When Sakura saw Sasuke enter, she greeted him with a warm smile, her expression gentle and filled with anticipation.
"Good morning, Sasuke-kun!" she said brightly.
Sasuke barely spared her a glance before offering a curt nod in response.
Tatsuya, observing Sasuke's usual stoic demeanor, smirked but said nothing. That was just how Sasuke was—distant, composed, and reserved. No matter how much his training methods changed, Sasuke's personality remained the same.
Sakura, however, was undeterred. Even that minimal acknowledgment was enough to make her heart race.
Tatsuya, on the other hand, had no patience for brooding types. The moment Sasuke stepped further inside, he lifted his foot and kicked him—not hard enough to hurt, but firm enough to send him stumbling toward the field.
"The weeds are getting out of control," Tatsuya remarked lazily. "Time to do something useful."
Sasuke barely caught himself before falling into the overgrown grass, his sharp eyes narrowing in irritation.
"Tch." He exhaled through his nose, brushing off his sleeve. "You could've just said so."
Tatsuya chuckled, leaning back on his chair. "Where's the fun in that?"
Sasuke didn't bother responding, but deep down, he knew the older man wasn't entirely wrong. He had been slacking off lately, spending more time lost in his own thoughts than actively training. Perhaps this was Tatsuya's way of reminding him to stay focused.
Sakura watched Sasuke head toward the field and then turned to Tsunade with a hopeful expression.
Tsunade, who had faced some of the deadliest foes in history, somehow found herself more uncomfortable under the expectant gaze of her young apprentice. She glanced at Tatsuya for guidance, but he was too busy looking smug to offer any input.
With no clear objection from him, the decision was left to her. In Tsunade's mind, doing less work was often preferable to doing more.
"Fine," she sighed, waving a hand dismissively. "Go help him if you want."
Sakura beamed. "Thank you, Tsunade-sama!"
Without another word, she practically skipped toward the field, her enthusiasm painfully obvious.
Tsunade sighed, shaking her head. "Kids these days."
Tatsuya smirked, watching the scene unfold. "Jealous?"
A fist crashed into his gut before he could blink.
Tatsuya coughed, doubling over slightly. "Worth it."
Sasuke saw Sakura approaching and immediately regretted his life choices. Alone, he could have finished clearing the weeds in half an hour. With her tagging along, the task would take twice as long, if not more.
He sighed, rubbing his temple. "Sakura, just pull the grass. Don't touch anything else that's irrelevant."
Sakura nodded enthusiastically, completely missing the frustration in his tone. "Got it, Sasuke-kun!"
Resigned, he quickly assigned her the least intrusive tasks, ensuring she stayed out of his way. But in doing so, he ended up talking to her more than usual, giving instructions and correcting her mistakes.
"No, not like that. You're just snapping the tops off," he muttered, glancing at her hands. "Pull it from the root."
Sakura brightened at the attention. "Oh! Like this?"
Sasuke exhaled through his nose. "Less force. You're just making it harder for yourself."
To him, this was damage control. To her, it was progress. Every word he said, every small correction, felt like proof that they were bonding.
Even though Sasuke's instructions were blunt—bordering on dismissive—Sakura interpreted them differently. The fact that he was talking to her at all, watching what she did, meant he cared.
Tsunade, watching from a distance, smirked. Will these two end up together someday?
She leaned back slightly, observing the boy and girl working side by side in the field. Sasuke looked as though he'd rather be anywhere else, but there was something oddly peaceful about the sight.
Tatsuya, lounging in his chair, chuckled. "Men always need time and the right opportunity to grow."
His gaze, however, wasn't on Sasuke and Sakura—it was on Tsunade herself.
Tsunade raised an eyebrow. "And what's that supposed to mean?"
Tatsuya smirked. "You tell me."
Tsunade rolled her eyes but found herself suppressing a small smile.
Back in her youth, Tsunade had been no different from Sakura—headstrong, passionate, and, at times, foolish. But now? Now she was a woman who had grown into her own strength. She knew she had always been attractive, but the way Tatsuya openly stared at her figure made her wonder what nonsense was running through his head today.
Tatsuya exhaled, shaking his head as if in disbelief. "The old descriptions never did you justice," he muttered, more to himself than anyone else. His gaze lingered unapologetically. "If I hadn't seen you with my own eyes, I wouldn't have believed it."
Tsunade's brow twitched. "Seen what exactly?"
Tatsuya smirked, tilting his head slightly. "Your... overwhelming presence, of course."
The fist was already flying before he could finish his thought.
BOOM.
The impact sent Tatsuya—and his rocking chair—skidding across the porch. The wall behind him now sported a fresh, gaping hole where his body had nearly gone through it.
Sakura gasped. Nobody in Konoha ever dared to challenge Master Tatsuya. Yet Tsunade-sama had just casually punched him through a wall, without a second thought. Then again, they were husband and wife. Maybe this was normal? A minor lovers' spat?
Tatsuya, for his part, barely looked fazed. He adjusted his seat, brushed some dust off his shoulder, and sighed.
"As lively as ever," he mused. "You really don't hold back, do you?"
Tsunade cracked her knuckles. "Next time, you won't have a wall to stop your flight."
Sasuke, who had been silently observing the chaos, took this moment to step away before he got dragged into anything unnecessary.
Unfortunately for him, Tatsuya's voice cut through the air. "Sasuke, the wall's not going to fix itself."
Sasuke's eye twitched. He should have walked away faster.
"Why me?" he asked flatly.
"Don't waste any opportunity to train your abilities," Tatsuya said in a completely serious tone, as if assigning home repairs was somehow essential to a shinobi's growth. "True strength is built over time—through everyday struggles and unexpected challenges alike."
Sasuke exhaled sharply. "Right. Because construction work is exactly what I need to surpass Itachi."
Tatsuya smirked. "If you think you're above manual labor, then you're still not ready."
Sakura, meanwhile, had been hoping to see Sasuke's frustration give way to another moment of bonding. But before she could offer to help, Tsunade cut in.
"Oh, and Tatsuya?" Tsunade said, her tone deceptively casual.
He glanced at her warily. "Yes, dear?"
"I am not making lunch today."
Tatsuya blinked. "Wait, what? Why?"
Tsunade folded her arms. "Because you were staring."
Tatsuya scoffed, feigning innocence. "I was appreciating."
Another crack of knuckles.
"Fine, fine," he relented, raising his hands in surrender. "Sasuke, looks like you're making lunch too."
Sasuke paused mid-step. "What?"
"When Tsunade gives an order," Tatsuya shrugged, "I obey without question."
Sasuke stared blankly at him before muttering under his breath, "I hate this place."
Tatsuya could only sigh inwardly. So this is what happens when you take in an apprentice—they expect training, but all they get are chores...
He glanced at Sasuke, who was dutifully repairing the hole in the wall. Good. That'll build patience.
"You're not going to teach me today, are you?" Sasuke muttered, hammering a wooden plank into place.
Tatsuya leaned back in his chair, arms crossed. "This is training."
Sasuke shot him a flat look. "Fixing a wall is not training."
Tatsuya smirked. "You think swinging a sword is all there is to it? If your grip is weak, if your hands aren't steady, if you can't focus under pressure—what good is technique?"
Sasuke gritted his teeth but didn't argue. He knew better than to complain.
"Besides," Tatsuya continued, "if you can't master the basics, why should I bother teaching you anything advanced?"
Sasuke was nothing short of obedient when it came to Tsunade. If Tatsuya didn't specifically tell him what to do, the boy would turn to her for guidance instead.
It irked him, just a little. Not that there was anything improper about their dynamic—Tsunade and Sasuke were simply close. But even so, Tatsuya would have preferred if he occupied more space in her thoughts.
His grip tightened slightly on the wooden practice blade. No time to dwell on that now.
Facing Sasuke in a weighted spar, he only used about thirty percent of his true strength. It was enough to push the boy without overwhelming him completely. Yet, Sasuke had improved. His footwork was sharper, his reactions quicker.
Tatsuya parried a strike and countered effortlessly. "Not bad," he mused. "But not good enough."
Sasuke exhaled sharply, sweat lining his brow. "Then I'll surpass 'good enough.'"
Their blades clashed again, and for a brief moment, Tatsuya felt the chakra-infused layer surrounding his wooden blade flicker. Sasuke had disrupted it, however briefly.
Tatsuya's lips twitched into the faintest smirk. "Interesting."
Sasuke wasn't satisfied. He adjusted his stance, eyes sharp. "Again."
Tatsuya chuckled, lowering his blade slightly. "You're already at your limit."
Sasuke scoffed. "Then I'll break past it."
There it was—that infamous Uchiha pride. Tatsuya knew better than to argue. Instead, he raised his sword once more. "Come, then. Show me."
The duel resumed, and for a brief moment, Tatsuya allowed himself to enjoy the challenge. Sasuke was growing—sharper, stronger.
After their match, as Sasuke caught his breath, Tatsuya unsheathed his Zanpakutō. His training wasn't over.
Sasuke watched him for a moment before speaking. "You never stop, do you?"
Tatsuya smirked, not breaking his stance. "The only time I'll stop is when I'm dead."
Sasuke stared at him, then exhaled through his nose. "Hn."
Tatsuya resumed his practice, his mind already moving beyond the present. If my final opponents are to be Uchiha Madara and Black Zetsu, then I will make sure I'm prepared.
And as for Obito…
Tatsuya's grip tightened on his Zanpakutō. If given the chance, I'll see just how far his power can truly go.
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