Naruto: Wooing Tsunade from Day One!

Ei Onoda accepted the thankless task Kawakaze had assigned him with a stiff upper lip and visited every contact he could think of. He approached the Anbu, the Interrogation Force, and other departments, leveraging all his connections to gather test questions.

Forcing a smile, he tried to console himself, thinking that this hardship would eventually lead to something worthwhile. Yet, as he reflected on his plight, two lines of tears rolled down his weathered face. What sins had he committed to deserve this?

After the test, the selected Genin were assigned to one of four classes.

The Medical Class had the smallest enrollment, as expected, since the threshold for becoming a Medical-nin was the highest. The Combat Class, by contrast, had the largest number of students, as all the chosen Genin excelled in at least one technique. The Interrogation and Command Classes had roughly equal numbers of students.

In the end, Kawakaze managed to secure a large sum of funding from Tsunade. For teaching staff, he recruited several of his subordinates from the Second Shinobi World War.

With everything in place, the Advanced Classes at the Ninja Academy were officially established, creating a significant stir throughout Konoha.

Anyone with foresight could recognize the importance of this reform. Even Hiruzen, upon hearing the news, had a lengthy discussion with Homura.

Having distanced themselves from the center of power, the two elder statesmen could see things more clearly and couldn't help but marvel at Kawakaze's broad vision.

They sighed, admitting that Tsunade had found an excellent partner. Under her leadership, they believed Konoha could regain its vitality and move toward a brighter future.

That afternoon, in the Hatake Clan's dojo, two figures surrounded by lightning stood facing each other.

"It's me, brother. Come and kill me," Kawakaze said arrogantly, chest puffed out, exuding an air of defiance.

"I'll kill you today."

As soon as the words left his mouth, Sakumo charged at Kawakaze, a short blade gleaming in his hand. Today, I will have my revenge!

The wind rose, and lightning crackled in the air.

Sakumo's face was grim, his movements swift. In the blink of an eye, he closed the distance between them. The short blade, glowing with white light, swung directly at Kawakaze's stomach without hesitation.

The impact caused some pain, but not enough to faze him. Kawakaze neither flinched nor dodged, intent on testing the resilience of his new Lightning Release Chakra Mode. Under the force of Sakumo's attack, Kawakaze was pushed back several meters.

Everyone watching held their breath, tension thick in the air.

"Haha, Big Brother, have you not eaten?" Kawakaze laughed, patting his stomach, which bore no visible damage.

"No wonder Big Brother Sakumo always wants to beat him up. I've never seen anyone so infuriating," Duy muttered to Shinku Yūhi, who stood beside him.

"I'd want to chop him up too," Shinku replied with a nod. If I had a brother like that, it'd be unbearable.

"Okay, don't blame me for being rude," Sakumo said, adjusting his stance for another attack.

The defensive capabilities of Kawakaze's Lightning Release Chakra Mode were truly remarkable. Before mastering this technique, Kawakaze wouldn't have been able to endure Sakumo's short blade. However, Sakumo had also learned Lightning Release Chakra Mode, and the technique had significantly enhanced his strength.

In other words, the gap between them had narrowed considerably, though Sakumo remained a step behind Kawakaze's progress.

"Don't hold back, come on," Kawakaze taunted, brimming with confidence. With the help of his Cheat, his Lightning Release Chakra Mode rivaled even that of A. He had not only mastered it but also improved upon it, while Sakumo was still refining his understanding. The difference was clear.

"Ah~!"

Sakumo let out a loud yell as more Chakra surged around his body, reaching the strongest level he had ever achieved.

With a loud crackling sound, Sakumo vanished from sight. In his place, a white Thunder Dragon, its mouth wide open in a bloodthirsty snarl, charged toward Kawakaze. The dragon's fangs and claws appeared almost tangible, its immense size dwarfing Kawakaze, who seemed as small as an ant in comparison.

Bang!

A deafening explosion filled the air as smoke and dust billowed upward.

"Is something wrong?" Shinku asked anxiously, rising to his feet. The commotion was far greater than expected, and the melon seeds in his hand froze mid-air. He knew the extent of Sakumo's strength, and Kawakaze was clearly taking a serious risk by standing his ground.

"I don't think so. They're very close brothers," Duy said, attempting to appear calm. However, his wide eyes betrayed his effort as he strained to see through the smoke.

"Uncle! Dad!"

Kakashi, growing increasingly anxious, abandoned his friends Kurenai and Guy and started running toward the smoke on his short legs.

"Oww~"

Onimaru and the white dog rushed to protect him from either side. If the little brat fell and hurt himself, they feared they might be on the receiving end of a scolding—or worse.

"Kakashi, run slower," Kushina called, quickly catching up. With one smooth motion, she scooped Kakashi into her arms. Unlike the others, she wasn't worried at all—Minato had practically demonized Kawakaze's strength in his stories, and she trusted it completely.

Meanwhile, Kurenai and Guy were being looked after by two other women, one of whom was Mikoto Uchiha.

Duy had taken a backseat from any major positions, so Tsunade tasked him with overseeing Kushina's training, forming a three-person team. True to her promise, she had found a remarkable Sensei for Kushina.

Duy's performance during the Second Shinobi World War had been legendary. His reputation was built through grueling battles, and no one in Konoha doubted his prowess.

However, at the moment, Kushina's team seemed far from impressive. The three girls were struggling to follow Duy's relentless pace while also managing the children. They had yet to handle any real tasks, and Duy hadn't been able to teach them any Ninjutsu.

As Kawakaze would say, it was just a "Epic Fail Situation."

Kushina was carrying Kakashi when they saw two figures emerge from the smoke and dust before reaching their destination.

"Daddy's fine, just playing with your uncle," Sakumo said as he approached, taking Kakashi from Kushina and giving him a kind smile.

"Uncle, uncle," Kakashi called, patting Sakumo's chin. Then, spotting Kawakaze, he reached out to him eagerly.

"Good boy, you still know how to care for others," Kawakaze said, taking Kakashi from Sakumo, whose glare was sharp enough to cut.

That casual glance from Sakumo was almost heartbreaking. If you can't beat me, fine—but your son being close to me really grinds your gears, doesn't it, old man?

"Kawakaze Hatake..." Sakumo began, clearly ready to unleash a tirade, but was cut off by a familiar voice from the distance.

"I let you guys take care of the kids, and you two turn the house upside down?" Nayuki called, her tone exasperated.

The massive pit where Kawakaze and Sakumo had just fought hadn't even had time to be repaired. Nayuki didn't need to think too hard to know the two brothers had caused trouble again.

"No, we were just having a friendly spar. Right?" Sakumo said quickly, plastering on a smile and trying to explain to his wife. He didn't forget to wink at Kawakaze, silently urging him to play along.

"Yes, Big Brother and I were just playing around. Thank you for your hard work," Kawakaze said smoothly, greeting Nayuki, with Kakashi in his arms.

Nayuki wasn't alone; Shinku and Duy's wives were with her. They had gone to the Senju mansion to help and had left the children in their husbands' care. The women had just returned, not even stepping through the door, when they heard the loud explosion and nearly panicked.

Shinku and Duy quickly moved to take the children, but their efforts were in vain as they faced scoldings from their wives, being deemed utterly out of touch.

Kushina, watching the scene with her two little friends, found it amusing and couldn't help but feel a sense of relief. Bringing up kids really is the most annoying thing ever!

"Kawakaze, your wedding to Tsunade is only a few days away," Nayuki reminded him. "Senju's side is already prepared. We can't look shabby on our end either. You should go check everything yourself. Got it?"

Nayuki took Kakashi from Kawakaze's arms, giving him a few more words of advice.

"Got it, sister-in-law," Kawakaze replied with a smile. It was truly his fortune to have a sister-in-law who took care of almost everything.