Facing the summons of the big boss, Nara Shikadan could not refuse. After nodding to Yakushi Nono, he followed Tsunade and left Kikyo Orphanage together.
Tsunade moved swiftly, demonstrating the ninja art of "flying over the eaves and walking on the walls," passing through Kikyo Castle with ease.
In just one day, two of the legendary Three Ninjas have visited Kikyo Orphanage in succession. It's really lively.
Shikadan followed behind the princess slowly, his mind racing with questions about the suddenness of her arrival.
It's a bit too abrupt... the timing feels too coincidental. Could it be...
Tsunade suddenly halted.
Shikadan came to a stop and looked around, realizing they had arrived at Kikyo Castle's training ground.
"Hm?"
He gave her a puzzled look.
"I just received a message from Orochimaru," Tsunade said, her beautiful eyes fixed on Shikadan with a hint of surprise.
"Nara, you've really changed a lot!"
A message from Orochimaru?
Shikadan recalled the snake's casual remark during their battle earlier and felt speechless.
Did the snake uncle really send spies? Is he that bored?
Lately, Tsunade had been busy managing the medical department—preparing supplies, cultivating medical ninja, and overseeing healing operations.
Her trips to the gambling house had decreased sharply.
Because of her busyness, she hadn't had time to think much about Shikadan, still remembering him as the "young, cute black-haired boy."
She hadn't expected that in just a short while, the cute boy had grown into a handsome young man.
This handsome look doesn't resemble a Nara at all, but more like a pretty boy from the Uchiha clan.
Tsunade measured Shikadan's height in her mind.
He used to barely reach my chest, but now his forehead almost touches my nose...
Unaware of the thoughts swirling in the big fat sheep's head, Shikadan politely responded.
"Tsunade-sama—"
"Hm? I taught you before—you should call me Sister Tsunade!"
"Sister Tsunade," Shikadan echoed.
"I remember saying you still need to grow up."
"If eating made you taller, the Akimichi clan ninjas would have grown sideways by now."
Tsunade shook her head and reached out to grab Shikadan's palm to check his physical condition.
But Shikadan stepped back quickly.
He was now "taken" — how could he let any other girl touch his hand, even the big fat sheep?
"Tsk, you really are..." Tsunade snorted softly.
She wasn't surprised by his evasiveness; to her, he had always been a shy and introverted boy.
"I just wanted to check your body."
That sounded even weirder.
Shikadan shook his head. "My body's great."
"I can see that," Tsunade nodded, her eyes seeming to see through the truth.
"Orochimaru mentioned in his letter that your family values you very much. They should be helping you solve your physical issues, right?"
"It seems the Nara family's medical skills are even better than I thought."
Before Shikadan could respond, Tsunade clenched her fist, and with surprising strength, a soft pink fist suddenly produced a sound like bursting muscle and bone, making even the eyelids twitch.
"In that case..." she stretched out her right hand and hooked her index finger at Shikadan.
"Compete with me! Use all your strength!"
At that moment, a task prompt popped up on Shikadan's panel:
[A-level ninja battle task detected]
[A-level task: Princess Tsunade]
[Task content: Defeat/kill Tsunade]
[Task reward: A-level ninja secret scroll]
Shikadan was silent for a moment.
"Isn't this bad?"
"What's wrong with it?" Tsunade took a big step forward, retracting her finger and clenching it into a fist.
"The genius of the Uchiha, Root's Jonin, even Minato and Orochimaru have fought you...Come on! Face me head-on!"
Seeing Tsunade's challenge, Shikadan took out a kunai from his ninja tool bag and gripped it.
"I'm going for it!"
Tsunade readied to rush forward and test whether Shikadan's strength really matched Orochimaru's praise.
But just then, Shikadan swiftly cut open his palm.
Blood gushed out instantly.
At the sight of the blood, Tsunade almost performed a "sliding kneeling sprint" before Shikadan.
The sight of the bright red blood was like a basin of ice water poured over her, instantly snuffing out her fighting spirit.
The majestic big fat sheep froze, trembling all over, unwilling to take a single step forward.
[You have defeated the target of the A-level ninja battle mission!]
[You have obtained an A-level [Ninja Secret Scroll]!]
'This might be the fastest A-level mission ever completed,' Shikadan thought.
He quickly pulled out a bottle of hemostatic powder from his ninja bag, poured it onto his palm to stop the bleeding, and wrapped it with bandages.
After the blood stopped, Tsunade sighed in relief but still looked a bit weak.
"Nara, you're cheating..."
"Didn't you, Sister Tsunade, say to use all my strength?"
Shikadan walked over, supported her gently, and led her to the side of the training ground to let her recover.
"Intelligence is also part of a ninja's strength."
"But..." Tsunade pursed her lips, unable to argue, then finally gave in.
"Come on, again!
This time, no hurting yourself or bleeding!"
After about fifteen minutes of rest, they started a new round.
"Remember the rules?"
"No blood."
"Okay!"
At the moment the battle began, Tsunade vanished and appeared beside Shikadan in a flash, fist raised.
But the shadow beneath Shikadan's feet spread quickly, forming a staggered fan-shaped black shadow network.
[Shadow Binding Technique]!
As Tsunade's fist came down, the shadow network forced her body to slow, restraining her movement.
"Nara, don't rely too much on your family's secret technique!
The shadow technique doesn't work on everyone!"
Tsunade shouted softly, a green light emanating from her body.
The violent power she unleashed tore through the [Shadow Binding Technique].
"Weird power!"
Breaking free with explosive force, she surged toward Shikadan again.
Her fist wrapped in green light aimed at his forehead.
At the critical moment, Shikadan suddenly shrank and fell flat to the ground.
Taking advantage of the break in Tsunade's attack, he executed
[Flat Shadow Technique]!
He folded into a smooth shadow and dodged her strike.
Without a target, Tsunade continued forward on inertia.
But just as her figure was about to lose connection with Shikadan's shadow,
His form burst out of the ground, pupils darkened, and he activated
[Lacquer Eye]!
He summoned multiple shadow palms that seemed real, locking Tsunade in place once more.
[Shadow Strangling Technique]!
The dark shadow hands groped along her plump thighs, intent on strangling her neck.
Feeling the heavy restraint, Tsunade gathered her strength.
"Supernatural power!"
With a violent gust comparable to a hurricane, she cracked the ground beneath her.
The dust and stones flew in every direction, clouding vision.
Shikadan's pupils narrowed.
He gathered chakra in his legs and darted backward at lightning speed.
[Instant Body Technique]!
At the same time, a thick shadow steel cable shot from beneath him, probing the dust.
Listening carefully, Tsunade identified Shikadan's position and sprinted toward the edge of the dust cloud.
But her movement collided with the shadow steel cable.
[Shadow Slap Technique]!
The big fat sheep was caught once again!
-End Chapter-
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