For a moment, silence filled the air.
Then, Tsunade took a half step back, a hint of embarrassment flashing across her face.
Not far away, Tenten stood frozen, her hands clenched into fists. Her jaw tightened as she gritted her teeth in frustration.
"Damn it, Tsunade-sama! That old witch definitely did that on purpose! She really has her eye on my brother! Hmph, trying to steal him with that old cow eating young grass act!"
The tense atmosphere was finally broken when Kazuki let out a dry chuckle, his voice tinged with amusement.
"You walk around without watching where you're going?" he asked, his tone carrying a hint of playful mischief. "If you bump into me like that again, I'll just lie on the ground and make you pay for my medical bills."
Tsunade, ever the seasoned kunoichi, quickly regained her composure. She adjusted her top slightly, her posture regaining its usual confidence. With a smirk, she scoffed,
"A big guy like you getting hurt from just bumping into me? You should be honored! Hmph, it's not like you suffered any real damage!"
Kazuki's brow twitched as he shot her a skeptical look.
"Oh? So getting smacked in the face with your—" He coughed. "—'assets' doesn't count as taking damage?"
Tsunade cleared her throat, her cheeks turning slightly red before she quickly changed the subject.
"I was distracted by the smell of sake just now! Tell me, kid, did you just come back from buying some?"
Kazuki casually raised his hand, revealing two bottles of high-quality shōchū.
Tsunade's eyes lit up instantly. "Heh, good boy! You knew exactly what I wanted! I haven't been out drinking lately, and I've been craving a good drink. Come on, let's go inside and have a few rounds!"
Just as she grabbed Kazuki's arm, ready to head inside, a sharp voice cut in.
"Big brother!"
Tenten stood there, her arms crossed in frustration. She had spent hours brewing fresh sencha with her own hands, and now her brother was about to ditch her for drinking with Tsunade?
Kazuki glanced at Tenten, and her frustration instantly faded. It wasn't fear, but an unspoken trust—something built over years of sibling loyalty.
With a small smile, he walked over, setting the shōchū aside. Picking up a cup of the freshly brewed sencha, he took a sip.
The taste was pure, the tea's natural sweetness enhanced by the mountain spring water.
After savoring it for a moment, he turned to Tsunade and smirked.
"Tsunade, don't be in such a rush. Now isn't the time to drink."
Tsunade frowned. "Huh? Then when is?"
Kazuki chuckled. "Drinking feels different depending on your mood. The right time makes all the difference."
Tsunade paused, then gave a small nod. She had to admit, he had a point.
It was that unique perspective that made her enjoy drinking with him so much. Over the past few days, she had been staying at Kazuki's home, getting to know both him and Tenten better.
The more she got to know them, the more she liked this sibling duo.
Kazuki was a strikingly handsome young man with impressive strength. Despite his age, he had a level-headedness that made him seem far more mature than he was.
As for Tenten, she was more like a typical teenage girl—sometimes fiery, sometimes playful, but always fiercely loyal.
And in this moment, as the warmth of the tea lingered, there was a comfortable ease between them all.
However, Tsunade agreed to take Tenten as a disciple, not entirely because of Kazuki's request.
During this time, she found herself growing fond of the young girl.
Tenten was serious, hardworking, outspoken, and sincere—qualities that resonated with Tsunade.
Despite their frequent bickering and verbal spats, a unique master-disciple relationship formed between them.
Although Tenten often spoke to Tsunade in a rather blunt manner, when it came to ninjutsu training, she displayed nothing but dedication and deep respect for her teacher.
"When will you be able to drink?" Tsunade raised an eyebrow and looked at Kazuki curiously.
"Of course, when you're happy!"
A bright smile appeared on Kazuki's face.
"Tonight, something interesting is going to happen.
If you have nothing else to do, come and help me.
I promise, it'll be quite the spectacle!"
Tsunade's expression turned thoughtful.
After a brief pause, she ventured a guess.
"…Is it about the Nine-Tails brat?"
Although Tsunade had been away from Konoha for years, her sharp political instincts remained as keen as ever—fitting for the granddaughter of the First Hokage.
If something involved Kazuki, an Anbu Division Captain, it had to be significant.
If it wasn't an enemy infiltration, then it had to be something as crucial as the Nine-Tails.
Kazuki nodded, a mysterious smile on his face.
"However, it's not just about the Nine-Tails~"
"I'll explain the details later.
But first, do you remember the gift I promised you?
Let's see if the weapon I made for you suits your taste."
A flash of white light appeared in Kazuki's hand, revealing a small, intricately crafted box.
"…A box?"
Tsunade's voice held a hint of surprise.
She had seen Kazuki create all sorts of unusual ninja tools before, but she hadn't expected him to give her something like this.
"This thing is a weapon? What am I supposed to do with it? Throw it at my enemies and hope it knocks them out?"
"…"
Kazuki sighed.
"Can't you tell? It's just a box."
Since it was a gift, he had wanted to present it properly.
That's why he put it in an elegant little container.
But if Tsunade thought the box itself was the present, maybe he should just ditch fancy packaging next time.
With an exasperated expression, Kazuki said, "The weapon is inside the box."
Tsunade opened it, revealing eighteen golden metal feathers.
"This is the weapon? It doesn't seem as useful as the box itself.
At least I could throw the box as a blunt weapon.
What am I supposed to do with these metal feathers?" she muttered skeptically.
Kazuki simply smiled and said nothing.
He pulled out a leather glove and carefully placed the golden feathers into the inner layer before slipping it onto Tsunade's left hand.
"…What is this?"
Tsunade frowned, her confusion deepening.
She had never seen a weapon like this before—feathers as tools of combat? It was bizarre.
"Why don't you give it a try?"
Kazuki grinned as he guided her wrist forward.
With a flick of her left hand, the golden feathers extended, forming a shimmering chain.
Without exerting much force, Tsunade effortlessly sliced through a wooden training post five meters away.
Her eyes widened.
"This is incredibly sharp! Is this a whip?
Wait… I can feel my chakra flowing through it…
It's linked to me?"
Kazuki chuckled.
"Oh, it's much more than just a whip."
Then, gripping Tsunade's wrist once more, he gave another subtle movement—
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