~Soutarou POV, four months after The Nine Tails Attack~
A crashing noise rang out in front of Soutarou. Soutarou simply punched out, clearing the dust out of the way, before chakra instinctively flooded his legs and he arrived before a youthful blonde with twin tails. The two exchanged blows, while Soutarou was obviously losing, he was able to finally keep.
The two tangled in exchange after exchange with the woman across from him changing pace randomly, or attacking with more strength. To all of which Soutarou calmly responded with crushing blow after blow. The two danced around the training ground with grace, as the golden-haired woman slowly smiled and her smile continued to grow.
As she struck the boy's shoulder all he did was grunt before yanking her arm and bashing his head against her head, or at least that's what he attempted to do, only to rebound on her obscenely large chest. Before he lost momentum Soutarou kicked the ground in front of both of them with extreme force causing both to move in towards each, and he threw his fist out with as much strength as physically possible, combined with all of his chakra he could pull on without damaging his chakra coating.
The woman put her hand up and said, "No more Soutarou, You've done well. You did it, faster than I expected too. You mastered the Senju Clan's Taijutsu all the way through to the Bankai level, even now I can see your body is passively infusing chakra throughout your entire body. Now from this point on it's up to you to develop it, and make your own taijutsu style. Or if you just wait until your body develops you easily become an Elite Jonin, at that one specialized in Taijutsu. Combined with your future prospects in ninjutsu… I'd say reaching S-rank isn't too far for you… though we'll have to see whether you can reach the strength of a kage."
Soutarou nodded before opening the ninja pouch at his waist and grabbing a scroll and throwing it at Tsunade saying, "Remember at the beginning of training I told you I'd let you in on a bit of interesting information? Well take a look and if you can grab them all… If you know how to do Kato Dan's jutsu, that'll make things easier in the long run."
Tsunade read the information with a flabbergasted look before saying, "I really wonder where you find things like this… Alright I'll grab them all while I'm out and about… As for Kato Dan's jutsu, I learned the soul memory extraction portion long ago. I'm assuming that's what you wanted me to get?"
Soutarou nodded with a smile before adding, "Make sure to get that last little 'collectable'."
Tsunade shook her head and said, "You know… You should just give me access to Second Grandpa's information networ-"
Soutarou retorted, "Hell no! You'll gamble away the whole network! You already gambled away one million ryo of my marriage and retirement fund. Not to mention how much those bastards Kabuto and Nono ate. At this rate the entire senju clan's money is all going to disappear!"
Tsunade deadpanned and said, "Do you really think all of our money is gone? Also do you seriously not know about the Daimyo being our third cousin? You think I got the title Princess Tsunade by some random miracle? No, I'm legitimately a princess and I'm seventh in line to become the Daimyo."
Soutarou said, "Ehh? Isn't the Daimyo-"
Tsunade shook her head, "The Daimyo's don't train other in ninjutsu, but when the Senju and the Uchiha made the village we sent off some of our civilian members to the Daimyo's Court and then slowly took over the entire court within about three years. Anyways, long story short… Yes, the Daimyo are our blood relatives, the Uchiha, and the Hyuga are similarly related to nobles though anyone who awakens their Kekkei Genkai is pulled back into the family. So you don't have to worry about your retirement kiddo. Worst case scenario I'll send you to the Daimyo and the Daimyo would happily sponsor your marriage. Why do you think I don't care about money? Let me show you my last bank statement…"
Soutarou looked at Tsunade's bank notebook and rubbed his eyes and went, "HUH? Then why the hell are you borrowing money all the time? Why doesn't the Daimyo just take your money and pay off your debts?"
Tsunade grinned and said, "Because who would offend, Tsunade Senju?"
~Tsunade POV~
Tsunade watched in amusement as Soutarou looked deflated after finding out just how much money Tsunade really had.
Soutarou grumbled and said, "You're paying for my wedding."
Tsunade shrugged and said, "If you live that long and I make it that far I'll gladly do so. Anyways Kiddo I've been in this damn village for too long so it's time for me to head out I suppose. I'll come bother you sometimes…"
Soutarou waved his hand dismissively, "Aww look it's getting sad that it has to leave now."
Tsunade shook her fist in mock anger and teasing the threat of a punch before she ruffled his hair and said, "You ready for the academy?"
Soutarou stared at her and said, "I'm almost a jonin in strength and you're asking me if I'm ready for a ninja academy that aims to try to make genins, that by the way are barely genin level."
Tsunade chuckled as she realized what she had just said, "Fine if not for studying, are you at least ready to meet some girls your age? I wonder if you'll give me a sister-in-law soon?"
Soutarou growled, "Strength first then women. Now shoo, you've eaten in and slobbered all over my house too much."
As the two bickered and left the underground training hall they both looked a bit sad, before Tsunade made a comment, "Don't worry Kiddo I'm sad too, but you're right now's not the time for me to return. I'll come back soon enough, though it's time to go rescue some girls and steal some artifacts."
Soutarou rolled his eyes and said, "Have a fun adventure prince charming."
Tsunade snorted before heading up to her room and grabbing all her things and sealing them into a scroll.
Tsunade looked around before heading down and being greeted with the sight of Nono, Kabuto, and Soutarou all waiting for her. Tsunade nodded warmly before hugging the group and saying, "I'm headed off to tell the old man. Make sure to keep training kids."
Soutarou then remembered something and said, "Wait before you go, could you pass this along to the old man?"
Tsunade looked down at the paper and nodded. Tsunade then met Shizune in the front of the house who looked absolutely flabbergasted as the poor black haired girl said, "Ah we're leaving now Lady Tsunade?"
Tsunade shook her head and said, "You'll be staying with Soutarou, Nono, and Kabuto for the time being. I'll come back eventually. But I want you to have some stability for a while, plus I'm essentially going on a mission and I can't even guarantee my own safety, so how could I guarantee yours? Plus you'll be staying with my family and you can keep an eye on that brat for me."
Shizune looked confused, but she still nodded sadly before Tsunade smoothed her hair and said, "Silly girl. It won't be long, then we'll go get drunk and gamble again."
Shizune sighed exasperated, before she smiled and said, "I'm glad you're happier now. Come back safely, Lady Tsunade."
Tsunade smiled softly before making her expression flat and heading to the Hokage's office. Without ceremony Tsunade threw the door open revealing Hiruzen and Danzo squabbling, while Koharu and Homura tried to calm the pair down. The office went silent before Hiruzen coughed into his hand and said, "Tsunade, what brings you here? Another change in the medical system?"
Tsunade shook her head and said, "No, old man, I'm headed out again. I'm leaving Shizune in the care of that brat, so make sure to take good care of them… Oh and if you assign Soutarou a bad jonin sensei I'll personally come and beat the shit out of you. Oh yeah there's also this… it's Second Grandpa's written order to handover the Sword of Thunder to well… Soutarou."
The group paused on the words Second Grandpa's order's and all just glanced at each other before Hiruzen seriously took the order in hand and verified it, before smiling a bit and saying, "Take the sword on your way out. Still, do you intend to come back to see Soutarou again?"
Tsunade smiled and she said, "Of course, protect him well old man or I'll seriously lose my shit."
Hiruzen nodded understandingly and said, "No problem I'll ensure he gets the best of the best. I just wish you could've stayed."
Tsunade frowned and said, "I wish I could too, but staying here too long makes bad memories pop up and I don't want Soutarou to simply be a replacement for someone else. He's his own person, even if he's just a more unserious version of Second Grandpa. Protect him well, he'll change the whole world as for staying the more I stay the more I'll think of him as Nawaki or Second Grandpa… which isn't fair so I'll leave and come back occasionally."
Hiruzen then grinned and said, "So basically you'll come back and scam that brat whenever you run out of cash and no one will lend to you."
Tsunade smirked and put her thumb up and said, "But of course. Anyways see you old man."
Hiruzen scolded Tsunade lightly saying he wasn't that old yet.
Tsunade left the office after grabbing the Sword of Thunder, deciding whether or not to slip back into the house and drop off the sword when he realized something.
'That brat… says he doesn't care… still waits for me at the village gates… Idiot.'
Tsunade flickered over and appeared right behind Soutarou only to be met with a loud pop noise and a cloud of smoke before she saw him appear right next to her.
Tsunade smiled and said, "Seriously? Who do you think I am? Kabuto?"
Soutarou snorted and said, "No, but it was funny to see you run and try to almost hug my clone. How'd I do on the chakra balancing?"
Tsunade smiled as he said that and replied, "Really good I almost couldn't tell. Though once I got close enough your shadow clone was infusing less chakra than you usually do so I stopped my hug mid way. Still want a hug?"
Soutarou smiled and said, "I think you want a hug, not me."
Tsunade rolled her eyes and said, "Semantics."
Soutarou's eyes widened happily and he said, "See I told you, you'd start talking like me."
Tsunade's lip twitched as she shut up the brat by squeezing him into a tight hug.
Tsunade scolded Soutarou like a mother reminding him to train and to eat properly. When she finally ran out of things to say, she just stared at Soutarou, before Soutarou interrupted the silence saying, "There's no need to say anything more Tsunade-nee-chan. Afterall… This is just a farewell, not a goodbye. No need to get so emotional. Just remember to come home eventually."
Tsunade's expression melted as she cried a bit before smiling at the brat and sticking out her thumb and flashing him an 'OK' sign. She waved before flickering away. And Soutarou stayed there for a moment before opening his pocket and taking out the sword of thunder. Before putting it back and returning home…
~Narration~
*Read in Pokémon Narrator voice*
And so begins the journey of Tsunade Senju, one of the Legendary Sannin. On the other hand we watch with anticipation as our main character, Soutarou Morita, prepares to begin his tenure at the Ninja Academy along with his unending stream of plans for the future...
***Author's Note: Thank you for reading, this was the end of the pre-academy mini-arc or mini-arc one. From here one volume is just about the ninja academy. Stay tuned for more every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday at 6:00PM EST.
Mass release ends, normal uploads begin from Monday.***