The setting sun melted into gold. Dusk pressed heavily against the horizon.
Two figures—one tall, one short—walked in step with the fading glow, leaving through the front gates of Konoha.
Tsunade counted the 100,000 ryo in cash for the fifth time without the slightest sign of fatigue. Afterward, she tucked the stack confidently into her personal "four-dimensional pocket," patting the outside twice with satisfaction.
Bet on the name of my grandfather...
Tsunade can definitely turn this 100,000 into five million!
"Nara clan kid," she said, eyes on the distant silhouette of Kikyo Castle cloaked in twilight. Her tone sharpened slightly. "You said you're weak. Have you ever had a professional medical ninja give you a full physical?"
The emphasis was deliberate.
Besides her gambling habits, Tsunade was still quite confident in her medical ninjutsu.
Even though there'd been a slight misunderstanding with the kid earlier—and she had shamelessly extorted a "mission bonus" from him—she hadn't forgotten her professional ethics as a healer.
...Well, mostly, she just wanted to make more money.
Under normal circumstances, a ninja earned income by completing missions. A standard B-rank mission, for example, only paid around 100,000 ryo. You had to split it with your team, which meant your personal cut was often just one-third.
And for Tsunade, who—due to certain special personal reasons—could no longer tolerate the sight of blood, high-level missions were off the table. As a result, her income as both a ninja and a medic had taken a hit.
So despite being one of the fabled Sannin, Tsunade had no stable income source and a... moderate gambling problem.
In short: she would not miss even a single opportunity to make money.
This kid from the Nara clan clearly came from wealth. Tossing around 100,000 ryo like it was pocket change? A super fat sheep!
If his condition turned out to be minor and easy to fix, then that 100,000 ryo could just be considered payment for treatment.
If the condition was serious... she was ready to negotiate a much bigger deal.
She looked back, waiting expectantly for her "temporary employer" to respond.
One second passed.
Two seconds.
Nothing.
The boy behind her didn't say a word—like he'd been steamrolled into a trance.
Tsunade frowned, turned around, and was about to check what was wrong when—
She ran straight into his blank, focused gaze.
"This kid!"
Tsunade clenched her fists. Her porcelain forehead twitched with the sudden appearance of a few prominent veins.
She hadn't imagined it.
That look was exactly like one of Jiraiya's!
She raised her arm, ready to smack the little pervert, but before her hand could lift, she realized—
Shikadan was still walking, expressionless, not even seeing her.
'Wait… he wasn't peeping?'
Tsunade froze, caught off guard. A flicker of embarrassment flashed through her eyes.
'I… I was completely ignored?!'
Anger surged up to smother her shame. She gritted her teeth.
This lady has beauty, brains, money, power, and status. I've got suitors lined up from Konoha to Kumogakure, and this brat is walking behind me—daydreaming instead of staring?!
Do I look like AIR to you?!
Furious, Tsunade stayed rooted in place and sneered to herself, watching him approach.
Step by step, Nara Shikadan got closer… until he was just about to walk chest-first into her—
Smack!
She slapped him lightly on the forehead.
Shikadan blinked, shaken out of his thoughts by the sudden sting. He quickly closed the [Lazy Ninja Goes to Heaven] panel and looked forward—only to trace the slap's origin straight to a blinding valley of white cleavage.
Our universe may be made of protons, neutrons, and electrons—but this right here...
He instinctively bowed his head.
His gaze slid downward.
Slender waist. Bare thighs that glowed even under fading light. Down to the pair of ninja sandals that clung to smooth, elegant feet.
Several white, round toes peeked from the top of the sandals. The neatly trimmed nails were painted with a rust-red polish that shimmered faintly under the dusk.
Tonight's moonlight was soft.
Shikadan knew something terrible was about to happen.
"...Hiss."
He sucked in a breath and stepped back, pretending to be in pain.
"Lady Tsunade," he said calmly, "is there something you need?"
"I did."
Tsunade crossed her arms, looked down at him with smug satisfaction, and raised an eyebrow.
"Now I don't."
Brushed me off, did you? Thought you could just ignore me?
"…"
Shikadan turned his gaze to the side, suppressing a sigh.
What a petty Senju heiress.
And I just paid my protection fee...
"Hmm?"
Tsunade narrowed her eyes.
She could almost smell the sarcasm.
But before she could react, Shikadan noticed a figure walking toward them.
It was a sturdy man in a brown shirt—ordinary-looking, with hard, rocklike features.
"Who's still out here this late?"
Shikadan frowned slightly.
Kikyo Mountain was one of the eight that guarded Konoha's perimeter. Kikyo Castle, nestled at its base, housed many civilians. The village sometimes stationed ninja nearby, like members of the Nara clan who raised deer while serving part-time.
Shikadan himself had a good relationship with the local orphanage director—a blonde older sister.
But with tension rising, even the people of Konoha had started staying indoors after dark.
This guy...
"Maybe he's a traveling civilian?"
Shikadan forced down his suspicion.
But while Shikadan let his guard down, Tsunade didn't.
'His breathing is steady. His steps are silent and even. And he won't meet my eyes...'
Her gaze sharpened.
Too suspicious.
She gathered chakra at her feet and exploded into motion. The ground cracked beneath her.
Mud and stone flew as she launched herself skyward.
The man, alarmed, raised two fingers and instantly activated chakra through his legs.
Shunshin no Jutsu.
Whoosh—!
He vanished like a ghost, leaving only a fading blur behind.
Shikadan was stunned.
He's a ninja?!
That speed… not a normal chunin. Special jonin? Maybe even a full jonin!?
Tsunade's kick landed a beat too late, striking the earth just ahead of where he had stood.
Her movement was light as a swallow, landing gently, but her gaze snapped to the man's new position.
It had all been a feint.
"You—! You're definitely a ninja!" she barked. "Which village are you from?"
The man stared in horror.
"Long golden hair... absurd strength... Could it be..."
He didn't lower his hand. But his voice trembled.
"You're one of the Legendary Three—Slug Princess Tsunade?!"
"That's right."
She gave a proud nod.
"Then—eh?!"
At that moment, the man vanished completely.
It was as if someone had erased him from the world with a single swipe.
Even his scent was gone.
He knew from the start... Tsunade's frown deepened.
"That was a delay tactic… to activate a secret technique."
"Invisibility? No… not quite. Not Suna's style."
"An Iwagakure spy?"
Back beside Shikadan, Tsunade moved defensively.
Almost simultaneously, a flurry of new notifications appeared on Shikadan's panel:
[B-Rank Ninja Battle Mission Triggered!]
Mission: Iwagakure Spy
Objective: Defeat or kill the Iwagakure jonin
Reward: B-Rank Ninja Secret Scroll (Random B-rank jutsu, tool, or item)
Hint 1: First-time mission completion upgrades the reward by one tier.
Hint 2: Same-target B-rank missions can be completed once per month.
Hint 3: Lazy ninja benefit! You may "auto-complete" the mission panel (no combat required) by accepting a downgraded reward. Accept/Decline?
This is it! So that's how you unlock the Ninja Secret Scrolls—by completing missions!
Shikadan read the info carefully.
If there are combat missions, there must be other types too.
And this 'auto-complete'... it doesn't apply to the real world. But maybe… right before failure, I can still use it to salvage the reward?
This might just be...
'Lazy ninja collecting minimum wage benefits!'