Naruto: A New Life with Tsunade

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A flicker of curiosity lit up the Slug Sage's large eyes—a rare sight. It was unusual to witness this side of Tsunade.

Keen to stir the pot, the Slug Sage added, "Little Tsunade is correct. This path is dangerous. Whether or not to pursue it is entirely up to you."

"I want to train," Natsume responded without hesitation, his voice steady and firm.

"Why?!" Tsunade frowned, her voice rising in frustration.

If it were anyone else, she would've knocked them out and dragged them away rather than argue.

"Because I'm going to be Hokage," Natsume declared, his amber eyes burning with determination. "If I back down from something like this, I'd be betraying my dream."

Tsunade stared at him beneath the darkening sky, her chest tightening. His unwavering resolve left her momentarily stunned. After a pause, she reached out and ruffled his hair in annoyance, thoroughly messing it up.

"Fine," she muttered, her tone softer. "If you're that determined, go ahead and give it a try."

Though she had overcome her hemophobia, Tsunade's greatest fear remained—repeating the past. That fear had driven her to try stopping Natsume just moments ago.

But his words reminded her that children grow up, and they must eventually make their own choices. And...

He's quite impressive, she thought, her heart skipping a beat.

"Sit down," the Slug Sage commanded, satisfaction glinting in its voice.

Ambition like Natsume's was a mark of a true heir.

As the Slug Sage opened its mouth, Natsume braced himself. Thick droplets of natural energy began to gather, and the sky darkened as clouds rolled in. Moments later, acidic rain began to fall.

The moment the first droplet touched his skin, Natsume gritted his teeth. His flesh burned and blistered, the acid eating away at him. Blood oozed from the wounds, only for his body to regenerate in a brutal cycle of destruction and repair.

Tsunade watched silently, her heart aching as though the rain had seeped into her very soul. But to her astonishment, he didn't scream—not even once.

For the first time, Tsunade truly understood how serious Natsume was about his dream.

Hokage? Tsunade clenched her fists. It seemed far-fetched, even absurd, for most. But Natsume...

He had a chance.

He was her apprentice, after all.

A spark of fighting spirit flared within Tsunade—a feeling she hadn't experienced in years. She resolved to pave the way for him, no matter the cost.

Unbeknownst to her, Tsunade misunderstood Natsume's dream. But it didn't matter.

If Tsunade became Hokage, Natsume's dream would also come true.

---

The Slug Sage, mindful of Natsume's limits, stopped the downpour after half an hour. The clouds parted, and sunlight pierced through the clearing sky.

Before the Slug Sage could speak, Tsunade was already on her feet, her hands glowing with green chakra. She quickly healed Natsume's wounds, her movements brisk but gentle. Within moments, his skin returned to its unblemished state.

Natsume opened his eyes, a newfound strength surging through him.

"How do you feel?" Tsunade asked, tossing him a clean set of clothes. Her tone was casual, but her eyes betrayed her concern.

"I'm fine," Natsume replied, pulling on the fresh outfit. Noticing her expression, he smiled. "Thanks, Sis."

Relief softened her features. "Good. Now go get changed before you catch a cold," she grumbled. Before he could respond, she disappeared in a puff of smoke, using her Summoning Technique.

Natsume stood tall, his resolve unshaken, and left Shikkotsu Forest.

---

That afternoon, Tsunade made her way to the Hokage's office while Natsume headed toward the Hyūga compound to visit Hinata. He had been spending more time with her recently, helping her unlock her potential.

"Natsume," Hinata greeted softly, her shyness fading when she saw him. She often felt anxious during spars with Neji or other Hyūga clan members, but in Natsume's presence, she felt calm.

"Ready?" Natsume asked, giving her a gentle pat on the back.

Hinata nodded, stepping closer to wrap her arms around his neck.

Activating his Mangekyō Sharingan, Natsume teleported them to their training site in an instant.

---

Natsume carefully set Hinata down. "Let's begin," he said, casting a subtle Genjutsu with his Sharingan. The illusion was designed to hone her mental focus and reflexes.

While Hinata trained, Natsume turned his attention to practicing the Flying Thunder God Technique. Midway through his practice, a sudden fluctuation of chakra from the north caught his attention.

Leaving a shadow clone to oversee Hinata, Natsume moved swiftly toward the disturbance.

At the edge of a forest near a riverbank, he found two young shinobi locked in an intense sparring match. Both had their Three Tomoe Sharingan activated, their movements fluid and calculated as they read and countered each other's attacks.

One of them was Uchiha Itachi.

The other, a girl with dark eyes and black hair, was unmistakably Uchiha Izumi.

Their battle was mesmerizing, but it wasn't long before Izumi faltered under Itachi's relentless precision and lost the match.

"It's been a while, Natsume," Itachi greeted calmly, as though the spar had taken no toll on him.

Izumi turned to Natsume with curious eyes. "You're Tsunade-sama's student, right? I'm Uchiha Izumi. Nice to meet you."

Unlike Itachi's cool demeanor, Izumi exuded warmth and friendliness.

"The pleasure is mine," Natsume replied with a genuine smile.

As they exchanged introductions, Natsume's thoughts raced. He could feel the tug of destiny points, especially from Izumi. Her tragic fate in the original timeline was something he might be able to change. If he succeeded, she could become a valuable ally.

"So, why train here?" Natsume asked, glancing around the Forest of Death.

Izumi hesitated, glancing at Itachi.

Itachi answered for her. "Several Uchiha teams have been ambushed during missions recently. Many of the missing were considered promising geniuses."

Natsume frowned. His mind immediately turned to Orochimaru. Only someone with his obsession for experimentation could carry out such precise abductions.

"I see," Natsume said thoughtfully. He sensed no immediate shifts in destiny points, meaning the missing Uchiha were likely minor figures in the original timeline.

But Uchiha Izumi's fate was far from minor.

And Natsume might just be able to change it.

---

Natsume didn't stay long.

Hinata was still caught in the Genjutsu.

Even though he had left a shadow clone behind, it wasn't safe to leave her in that state for too long.

Speaking of which, Natsume had once tried to discuss the same topic with Uchiha Itachi—the betrayal of the Will of Fire by Hiruzen Sarutobi.

As soon as he brought it up, however, Itachi's expression darkened, his usual calm demeanor giving way to a subtle tension. Natsume quickly realized he'd touched a nerve.

It didn't take him long to suspect that Itachi had been outmaneuvered by Hiruzen Sarutobi. The Third Hokage's handling of the Uchiha had always been strategic, and it seemed his focus on Itachi alone was no coincidence.

Shaking off those thoughts for now, Natsume returned to Hinata's side. He found her already awake, her expression calm but curious.

Dispelling his shadow clone with a quick hand sign, Natsume offered her a smile. "Hinata, you've made progress."

"Eh?" Hinata blinked, her wide, innocent eyes full of confusion. She tilted her head slightly, clearly unaware of how much she'd achieved.

So cute.

Natsume chuckled and leaned forward to pinch her cheek gently. Her face turned bright red in an instant, reminding him of a little heater.

"Hinata," he said, ruffling her hair playfully, "how about a spar?"

Hinata's blush deepened as she stammered, "W-Won't I... hurt you?"

Natsume laughed, tilting her chin up lightly with a finger so she could meet his gaze. "Silly girl. You can't hurt me now. Just activate your Byakugan and show me what you've got."

Despite her embarrassment, Hinata nodded and took a step back, activating her Byakugan with a soft exhale. The veins around her eyes bulged as she assumed a Gentle Fist stance. Her shyness seemed to melt away, replaced by an aura of focus and quiet confidence.

Natsume couldn't help but admire her transformation. She's still adorable, but now... she's kind of cool too.

Hinata scanned Natsume's chakra network with her Byakugan, her eyes widening slightly as she observed the sheer volume and intensity of his chakra. It far surpassed what she had imagined—greater even than her father's.

"How is this possible...?" she muttered under her breath. "He's only a few years older than me."

"What's wrong, Hinata?" Natsume asked, noticing her hesitation. "Come on, let's start."

For a brief moment, he wondered if she was using her Byakugan to see through his clothes. No way... If she were, she'd have fainted already.

Hinata finally moved, closing the distance between them with surprising speed. She struck at his torso with a precise punch.

Natsume raised his arm to block her attack, noting the power behind it.

Immediately, Hinata transitioned to palm strikes, targeting his chakra points with the Gentle Fist technique. The sharp needles of her chakra pricked his network, briefly numbing his arm before his body adjusted and shrugged it off.

Not bad. Natsume thought as he dodged her next strike. The Hyuga clan's Gentle Fist and chakra acupuncture techniques are incredibly effective in combat.

Even as he observed her skills, another thought crossed his mind. But the Hyuga clan's growth usually caps at the Jonin level. Without a transformation like the Tenseigan, they're limited to support roles.

As Hinata launched a roundhouse kick, Natsume lightly tapped her ankle with his palm to throw off her balance. She stumbled, and he quickly caught her by the wrist to steady her.

"No need to continue," he said with a reassuring smile. "I've seen enough for now."

Hinata's shoulders slumped slightly. "Is it... not good?"

"Of course not." Natsume tapped her nose playfully. "You've improved a lot. I'd say you could give Neji a run for his money next time."

Hinata's eyes widened with hope. "Really?"

"Have I ever lied to you?" Natsume teased, his tone warm as he stroked her cheek lightly before stepping back.

He quickly added, "Let's grab some dango to celebrate. My treat."

Hinata's face turned red again, but she followed him obediently, only snapping out of her daze when they arrived at the bustling dango shop.

---

That evening, after demolishing nearly a hundred skewers of dango between them (to the shopkeeper's stunned disbelief), the two strolled back toward the Hyuga compound. Natsume told stories of his adventures, and Hinata listened with a shy smile, occasionally chiming in softly.

When they reached her door, Natsume gave her a quick wave and disappeared into the night.

Returning home, he was surprised to find Tsunade lounging on the couch, her sharp eyes fixed on him.

"You smell like dango," she remarked dryly. "Let me guess—you were with Hinata again?"

Natsume tensed, expecting her usual teasing, but her expression remained calm, even thoughtful.

What's going on?

Before he could respond, Tsunade spoke again. "You know, the Hyuga clan has strict traditions. The main family usually marries within the clan to preserve their bloodline. You understand what I'm saying, don't you?"

"Huh?" Natsume blinked, unsure of where she was going with this.

"You need to work harder," Tsunade continued, her gaze both sharp and oddly soft. "Only if you achieve your dreams will you be worthy of marrying the Hyuga heiress."

Natsume's heart skipped a beat. Is she... encouraging me?

Her words felt suspiciously like a challenge, and yet, he couldn't help but feel a rush of determination.

"I will," Natsume promised firmly. But a new thought occurred to him, and he asked, "But, Sis... when are you going to become Hokage?"

Tsunade raised an eyebrow. "Why do you ask?"

"Because my dream can only come true once you're Hokage," Natsume said with conviction. "And right now, you're the most qualified person for the position."

Tsunade sighed and ruffled his hair affectionately. "If you weren't so young, I wouldn't even need to consider taking the role myself."

Natsume smiled faintly, thinking, If I were older, she'd probably let me take the position outright.

With renewed determination, he realized he needed to help her become Hokage.

After all, he was the only one who knew that Hiruzen Sarutobi would remain in power... until his death.

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