Naruto: Starting with Tsunade-san

Tsunade frowned deeply, questioning the nearby servants about the origins of the creature before her. After repeatedly confirming it wasn't contagious, she put on the gloves she had prepared and touched its slick, slimy skin—it no longer had any trace of humanity.

After a brief examination, Tsunade concluded that she had never encountered anything like this before.

Letting out a breath, she thought, To solve this mystery, I need to destroy the source of the problem.

From the gathered intel, the monster behind this was strong, but with her and Tōshirō working together, it shouldn't be too much of a challenge.

With her plan set, Tsunade left the area, passing through the streets and entering a store called "Chocolate and Nekopara."

The interior was elegantly decorated, bustling with customers, and clearly doing good business.

"Welcome back, Master," a cheerful voice greeted her as soon as she pushed open the door.

A young woman approached with a bright, breezy tone, the kind that would melt away the exhaustion of any overworked soul.

Tsunade frowned, glancing at her. The girl wore a frilly apron, a pink cat-ear headband, and a bell-tied cat tail.

Most notably, she had an impressive figure, with her ample chest noticeable even under the apron.

Tsunade felt a pang of envy.

Hmph, vulgar.

The maid's ears twitched, and she smiled. "Young lady, are you looking for someone?"

Tsunade's surprised expression revealed her thoughts: How did you know?

"A boyfriend?" the cat maid teased with a gossipy smile.

"N-No! That's not it!" Tsunade blushed, quickly shaking her head. "He's just an ordinary friend. I'm here for business."

"My apologies."

"It's fine," Tsunade replied, waving it off.

The cat maid pointed toward a spot in the café.

Following her finger, Tsunade saw Tōshirō chatting and laughing with another maid. Her eyes flared with anger as she clenched her fists and marched over, looking like she was about to catch someone red-handed.

Tōshirō noticed her approaching and, clueless about her mood, waved casually. "Oh, Tsunade! Are you done with your task?"

"You're relaxing while I'm working my butt off!" Tsunade's gritted voice sounded like it could crush walnuts.

Faced with her fiery outburst, Tōshirō quickly chose to surrender. Standing up, he pulled out a chair for her. "You must be tired from the mission. Sit down, have something to eat, and unwind."

Seeing him admit fault so quickly, Tsunade softened slightly and plopped into the chair. "Hmph, at least you have some sense."

She began eating in large bites as if venting her frustrations. Midway, a thought struck her: Wait, has Tōshirō eaten this food too?

If so, wouldn't that mean… an indirect kiss?

"Relax, I haven't eaten it," Tōshirō reassured.

"Oh…" Tsunade muttered, her expression deflating.

"How does it taste?"

Without caring about the nearby cat maid passing by, Tsunade bluntly responded, "It's mediocre."

"Oh, I forgot to use the jutsu that makes desserts taste better. Hold on, I'll order another one. With your appetite, another serving won't be a problem."

Tsunade was dumbfounded.

What kind of jutsu makes food taste better? I've never heard of such a thing.

Under her doubtful gaze, Tōshirō snapped his fingers, summoning a maid. After a brief exchange, the maid left and soon returned with a strawberry cake.

"Here is the strawberry cake you ordered, Master," she said with a polite bow.

"It looks appetizing," Tsunade admitted. "But what's this jutsu you mentioned?"

"Just wait," Tōshirō said mysteriously.

The cat maid stepped forward, raised her hands above her head as if preparing a technique, and struck a cute pose. With a cheerful tone, she exclaimed, "Melo melo moe moe kyun! Become delicious!"

It was undeniably adorable and fit her outfit perfectly.

But.

What does this have to do with the food?

Tsunade stood frozen, certain there had been no chakra involved. It was just a ridiculous chant with an embarrassing pose.

She was speechless.

"All right, you can eat now," Tōshirō urged.

Tsunade forced a smile, took a bite of the cake, and barely managed a reaction.

From a taste perspective, it had nothing to do with the chant.

Glancing at Tōshirō, she felt like she was looking at an idiot.

After finishing the cake, Tsunade, curious about the shop's decor and service style, casually asked about the price.

When Tōshirō gave her the figure, she spit out her water in shock, drenching his face.

"Please visit us again, Master!"

After leaving the café, Tsunade turned to Tōshirō with disdain. "Are you insane? This place charges so much for such mediocre food. You must have too much money to waste."

Tōshirō replied calmly, "It's not about the food. It's about the atmosphere."

"Atmosphere, my foot! You're just here because you're a pervert."

Tōshirō: "…"

Tsunade mocked, "So if I wore a maid outfit and cooked for you, would you pay me too?"

"Sure."

Tsunade froze, regretting her words. "W-What are you saying? I was joking! Why would I wear something like that to please you?"

"I'll pay extra."

Tōshirōclasped his hands together, looking sincerely at her. "I'd love to see you in a maid outfit saying, 'Melo melo moe moe kyun!'"

"Not even for extra money!"

Tsunade fumed. She wasn't Tōshirō, willing to do anything for money. She was a woman of principles.

"Besides," she huffed, "those fake smiles from the maids are just an act. No one can genuinely smile like that all the time."

"I know," Tōshirō said plainly.

"Then why—"

Tōshirō's gaze turned serious. "Because we must face the lies we live with. This world is built on deception."

Tsunade paused, her eyes widening in surprise.

I don't fully get it, but it sounds deep.

Seeing her reaction, Tōshirō remained silent, maintaining his enigmatic expression.

Tsunade snapped out of her daze, scratching her head. "Fine. Since you said something profound for once, I'll reluctantly agree to wear a maid outfit."

Tōshirō's eyes lit up. "Really?"

Blushing, Tsunade added, "But you're paying for it!"

Tōshirō's excitement quickly faded. "On second thought… never mind."

Tsunade widened her eyes. "Hey, you promised to pay. Why are you going back on your word?"

Tōshirō shook his head. "It's not about the money. I'm just worried that if you wear it, it might ruin my beautiful fantasies about maid outfits."

As he spoke, his gaze drifted toward Tsunade's tall, curvaceous figure.

Soon, Tsunade would be turning 13, and her body was bound to experience rapid development. At that point, he wouldn't be able to tease her about being flat-chested anymore—a comment he often used as an excuse to claim he wasn't interested in her.

Feeling insulted by Tōshirō's veiled jab, Tsunade exploded with rage and launched into a furious pursuit, chasing him down relentlessly.

...

The mission target was reported to frequent an area near the eastern coast of the Land of Fire, specifically around a small island called Inns Island.

The island didn't belong to any nation and housed only a single village known as Maus Village.

Thanks to its isolated location, the island had been spared from the ravages of wars between major nations. However, this seclusion also meant limited trade routes and resources. The villagers lived a meager life, relying on fishing and trading their catch with the mainland.

Their hard-earned peace lasted only briefly. The arrival of a strange sea monster disrupted their lives, making it too dangerous to fish or trade. As their livelihoods disappeared, the village descended into poverty.

Determined to stop the creature's havoc, Tsunade felt a strong sense of duty as she approached the island with Tōshirō.

By the time their boat docked, the sun was setting. Tsunade and Tōshirō decided to find a place to rest before tackling the beast the next day.

As the villagers noticed their arrival, a group of them quickly approached, wariness etched on their faces.

Tsunade began to introduce herself, but then her gaze fell on something shocking—each villager's skin had an unusual, scaly texture. Those most affected had patches of blue-green scales resembling fish.

"Tsunade, look at their necks," Tōshirō whispered, elbowing her gently.

Without his prompt, Tsunade had already noticed. Strange, octopus-like creatures clung to the villagers' necks, their round, bulging eyes eerily shifting about. The sight sent chills down her spine.

Tōshirō sucked in a sharp breath, fear creeping into his voice. "Tsunade, is it too late to back out now?"

Tsunade didn't respond.

Suddenly, one of the villagers barked harshly, "Get out of here! You're not welcome!"

Tsunade attempted to explain their mission and reassured the villagers they were there to help.

In most cases, villagers would at least be grateful—if not relieved—upon hearing that help had arrived. Yet to Tsunade and Tōshirō's surprise, the villagers not only rejected their goodwill but also aggressively demanded they leave immediately.

Confused, the pair exchanged glances. Their attention was drawn back to the strange creatures latched onto the villagers' necks. Tsunade instinctively reached for her kunai but hesitated, worried about the risk to the host if the parasites were removed forcefully.

Before they could act, an elderly voice called out, "Wait!"

The villagers parted to make way for a hooded figure. Beneath the hood was a face that looked almost identical to the other scaly, fish-like villagers. The others addressed him respectfully as the village chief.

"Well, finally, someone reasonable," Tōshirō remarked with a faint smile.

Tsunade once again explained their purpose. This time, the chief showed no hostility and simply asked them to follow him, hinting that he wanted to discuss something privately.

The two followed him to a small house.

Curious about the village's hostility and their strange condition, Tsunade inquired about the situation.

The chief sighed and explained.

According to him, the creatures on their necks were offspring of the sea monster terrorizing the area. Some unlucky fishermen had been parasitized during their voyages, leading to the horrifying mutations now visible among the villagers.

These parasites drained their hosts' vitality over time. Eventually, the larvae would detach, leaving behind hosts with permanent deformities. Attempts to forcibly remove them would likely kill the host.

The villagers' hostility stemmed from their fear of being judged or ostracized by outsiders due to their grotesque appearances.

Moved by their plight, Tsunade vowed to defeat the sea monster and free the village from its curse.

Tōshirō, caught up in her fervor, also pledged his support, adding some flair to his declaration.

The chief, deeply moved, arranged accommodations for the duo and offered them a place to rest.

But Tōshirō waved his hand dismissively and said with a grin, "No need for two rooms. One is enough. She's my girlfriend."

"???" Tsunade's wide-eyed gaze snapped to Tōshirō, who scratched his head, feigning shyness.

It took her a moment to realize this was some kind of silent signal, likely a precautionary measure. Ninjas often relied on coded language or gestures in situations where verbal communication wasn't safe.

Feigning nonchalance, Tōshirō yawned. "After being tossed around on the ship all day, I'm dying for a proper rest. Chief, could you show us to our room?"

The chief quickly complied, leading them to a small house and showing them a modestly furnished room.

"These are your provisions. If you need anything else, just call out, and someone will bring it to you," the chief said, pointing to the food and water left on a table.

Tōshirō thanked him and shut the door.

Before Tsunade could say a word, Tōshirō pressed a finger to his lips, signaling her to stay silent. He gestured to the walls, indicating they might be overheard.

Still confused, Tsunade watched as Tōshirō pulled out a blank scroll and wrote:

"Be cautious. I don't trust the chief's story completely."

What followed was a silent exchange of written messages:

Tsunade: "What do you mean?"

Tōshirō: "Didn't you find it odd how hostile the villagers were? It's almost like they didn't want us here."

Tsunade: "The chief explained that already."

Tōshirō: "Who knows if that's the truth?"

Tsunade: "So what do we do?"

Tōshirō: "Just follow my lead."

Later that night, the room fell eerily quiet—except for the rhythmic creaking of a bed.

Tsunade sat in bewilderment, watching Tōshirō repeatedly rock the bed frame. She didn't dare question him, afraid of disrupting whatever plan he was devising.

Unbeknownst to them, a shadowy figure was pressed against the other side of the wall, eavesdropping. Hearing the bed creak, the spy couldn't help but marvel silently, "Youthful energy… truly impressive!"

(End of Chapter)

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