Obedient

Although Xu Yue had used him as a target to divert attention and draw some aggro, the Anbu still dutifully led Xu Yue to the front of an ordinary-looking tent.

He was also slightly surprised that Xu Yue had managed to keep up with his speed.

No wonder Lady Tsunade thinks so highly of him. This kid isn’t ordinary—but why would a Uchiha kid be summoned by Lady Tsunade? Forget it. The less I know, the better…

Because of his experience upon first entering, Xu Yue’s identity had become quite varied in different people’s eyes. Most people, like this Anbu before him, knew only that he was an orphan from the Uchiha clan, and merely one in name at that. He did not even live in the clan compound, so he was probably unwelcome.

He was an Anbu errand-boy genin.

A small number knew that he was Orochimaru’s disciple, such as Uchiha Fugaku, who wanted to recruit him.

Then there were the even fewer Konoha higher-ups who knew about Xu Yue’s Senju and Uchiha bloodlines.

As for those who knew Xu Yue had awakened the Sharingan and mastered Wood Style, there was probably only Orochimaru. Danzo might have noticed something as well.

"Lady Tsunade, I’ve brought him."

The Anbu’s thoughts about Xu Yue had only flashed through his mind. He respectfully reported outside the tent.

"Let him in."

A valiant female voice came from inside. Though it carried a woman’s natural charm, it was also filled with the imposing presence of someone in power.

Knowing better than to act recklessly in front of certain people, Xu Yue entered the tent like an obedient child. He then saw a beautiful woman standing before a map, her brows furrowed.

Looking at that spectacular figure that seemed ready to burst free, Xu Yue could only sigh inwardly. Kishimoto Makoto had not deceived him.

"Big Sister Tsunade, were you looking for me?"

Relying on his tender eleven- or twelve-year-old face, Xu Yue acted as obediently as an elementary school student, blinking his eyes innocently.

In any case, acting cute could not go wrong right now.

Hearing Xu Yue’s voice, Tsunade looked up at him. Her furrowed brows eased, and a hint of gentleness appeared on her face.

"Yue, I didn’t expect them to send you to the front lines. Those bastards. Stay by my side for the time being."

Her voice was gentle, but her valiant bearing carried an overbearingness that brooked no refusal.

The Sannin were the Sannin! Even the only woman among them was no exception!

Xu Yue actually had a vague idea of why Tsunade cared about him. On the surface, Tsunade treated him a hundred times better than Orochimaru did, but in truth, his bond with Tsunade was only at 10 points.

She had probably been reminded of her younger brother who had died during the Second Ninja War. Considering that Xu Yue was the last member of the clan, she might even have entertained the thought of dragging him back to breed.

That was why she opposed him taking the Uchiha surname most strongly. The Konoha higher-ups had perhaps consistently rejected her proposal for the same reason.

She only treated him better because her personality differed from Orochimaru’s.

"Big Sister Tsunade, I’m already a ninja who can stand on his own. How can I keep following behind you?"

With a faint flush on his face, Xu Yue spoke with a trace of defiance.

"What ninja who can stand on his own? You’re just a kid."

Tsunade gave a dismissive snort, but her eyes also grew somewhat unfocused. Nawaki had been just as stubbornly strong-willed…

"What? I heard that Kakashi, who’s about the same age as me, is already a Special Jonin. He’s even carried out several A-rank missions."

Xu Yue shouted dissatisfiedly. (Note: Kakashi had only just become a jonin when he went on the Kannabi Bridge mission, so he was currently arranged to be a Special Jonin. Obito should originally have become a Chunin around the same time Kakashi became a jonin, so arranging for him to have just become a Chunin now is fine too.)

"Kakashi? He’s a genius. What, are you competing with him?"

Tsunade teased him. Because of that bond that made Xu Yue bristle, outsiders familiar with them would probably think Xu Yue and Kakashi shared a somewhat special connection.

"That’s right. If he can be so active, I absolutely can’t lose to him."

Though helpless, Xu Yue still followed along with her words.

Before Tsunade could speak again, Xu Yue added another sentence that made her expression change drastically.

"I’m a man who aspires to become Naruto."

"You! Brat, do you know what the word Naruto represents?!"

Tsunade had been teasing him casually all along, but it was as though something had suddenly provoked her. An immensely oppressive aura burst from her body, one that even Xu Yue found suffocating.

The air around them seemed to freeze completely, and the ornaments inside the tent floated without any wind.

Xu Yue’s entire body even began to feel stiff.

Without even making a move, she had weakened him to this extent. Was this the terror of a Kage-level powerhouse? He had not expected the gap to be so vast without using the Mangekyo!

When all was said and done, he was merely a Special Jonin with Kage-level offensive capability.

Still, Xu Yue needed to thank Tsunade. Her aura had allowed him to familiarize himself in advance with the feeling of facing a Kage-level powerhouse. Otherwise, if he truly tried to interfere with a Kage-level powerhouse and was suddenly hit with something like this without warning, he would most likely collapse on the spot.

Now that he had experienced it once, he would at least not be unprepared if he encountered it again.

"As long as I can become Naruto, everyone will acknowledge my parents. They weren’t deserters!"

Having lived a different life, Xu Yue obviously could not use the Will of Fire to fool Tsunade. Naturally, though, he had his own argument.

The fact that he managed to say those words with difficulty under that terrifying pressure, and seemed to be rapidly adapting to her aura, greatly surprised Tsunade.

This kid’s will is much stronger than I imagined. His strength must not be at the genin level stated in the records.

Just as I thought. How could a disciple accepted by someone as proud as Orochimaru possibly lack talent?

Using the right reason and the right opportunity to display his strength and worth before Tsunade, Xu Yue was clearly arguing with her, yet he received a notification that his bond with Tsunade had increased by 5 points, reaching 15/15.

"All right. With this level of strength, you should at least be able to come and go freely among those cannon fodder."

After pondering for a moment, Tsunade temporarily gave up on keeping Xu Yue by her side.

Her original intention had indeed been to drag Xu Yue off and have him breed more. She could even adopt a few children into the Senju surname afterward. Those old stubborn fools in Konoha could not reject her proposal forever.

But after discovering Xu Yue’s potential, Tsunade seemed to have formed some new plans.

"Big Sister Tsunade, you nearly scared me to death just now. Is this the strength of a ninja with their own title? So I’m still this weak."

After Tsunade reined in her aura, Xu Yue put on a frightened expression of relief and shamelessly continued acting cute.

Seeing Xu Yue looking so immature now, Tsunade’s face softened again.

"It’s good that you know that. But don’t belittle yourself either. There aren’t many people in the entire ninja world with strength at my level. You may not count as a powerhouse yet, but if you want to leave, very few people can stop you."

"Eh? Is that so? I haven’t had much actual combat, so I don’t really know where I stand."

After Xu Yue subtly exposed such weaknesses as being a "newbie" and "lacking experience," he indeed drew some of Tsunade’s attention.

"I see. Right, your teacher has a mission during this period. Then for now, I’ll teach you some wartime techniques…"

Xu Yue did not share a master-disciple bond with Tsunade, so he could not directly seek instruction or exchange abilities from her. He therefore made full use of the conditions at hand and latched onto Tsunade’s thigh…

Everyone rejoice—the National Day holiday still had one day left…