"Hey… that's enough, isn't it?"
Tsunade lowered her head, staring at their intertwined hands. Her voice sounded a little weak.
From the end of the patrol until now, this brat hadn't loosened his grip for even a moment.
More importantly, they were still on the outskirts of the camp. Patrol ninja could pass by at any time.
That constant risk of being discovered filled Tsunade with an uneasy sense of guilt.
"Enough of what?"
Tobirama asked innocently, deliberately scratching her palm with his fingers.
"The road's slippery. I'm worried Teacher might fall."
"Do you think a taijutsu specialist like me can't even walk properly?!"
Tsunade shot him an embarrassed, angry glare and tried to pull her hand free, but her resistance felt more like sulking than real effort.
"That's hard to say."
Tobirama stopped and turned to look at her.
Under the moonlight, Tsunade's cheeks were flushed. Her usual imposing presence had softened, replaced by a subtle, feminine charm.
"After all, someone's legs gave out back in the woods."
"You're still bringing that up?!"
Flustered, Tsunade reached out to cover his mouth.
Tobirama seized the chance, catching her wrist and pulling her into his arms.
They collided once more.
"Uchiha Tobirama!"
Tsunade clenched her teeth, but her body betrayed her—she didn't push him away. Instead, she buried her face against his chest, her voice muffled.
"Behave yourself…"
"If Jiraiya or Orochimaru see this, how am I supposed to face them?"
"That's perfect, then."
Tobirama chuckled near her ear, his warm breath making it itch.
"Just tell them you're giving me special training."
"Special training… a romance internship."
"You—!"
Tsunade couldn't help but laugh at his shameless words.
She looked up at the young man before her—clearly much younger than herself, yet overwhelmingly assertive.
She must be out of her mind.
He's obviously just a kid… so how does he have so many ways to flirt?
"Alright, hurry back."
Tsunade pushed him away, straightened her rumpled collar, and forced herself to regain the dignity of a strict teacher, though her face was still red.
"We have to get up early tomorrow to set up the defensive line."
"And…"
She took two steps, then suddenly stopped. With her back to Tobirama, her voice was as light as the wind:
"Tonight… I was very happy."
With that, she activated the Body Flicker Technique and vanished.
Like a little girl who had done something naughty and was afraid of being caught.
Tobirama watched the direction she disappeared in, rubbing his fingers that still retained the warmth and faint scent of Tsunade.
"Heh… from a mature woman to a shy girl."
"That's just unfairly cute."
…
Back inside his separate tent, the smile on Tobirama's face vanished, replaced instantly by calm composure.
Strength was everything. No matter how much he flirted, he couldn't let his power stagnate.
"System, open the panel."
[Host: Uchiha Tobirama]
[Strength: Super Kage-level (continuously growing)]
[Ninjutsu: Fire, Lightning, Wind, Earth, and Water—All Natures Mastery]
[Special Abilities: Mangekyō Sharingan (Amaterasu / Tsukuyomi), Susanoo (Perfect Form Authority Unlocked), Healthy Itachi Template (100% Fusion)]
[Summoning Beasts: Full Encyclopedia Unlocked (Duel Arena Only)]
"Hm?"
Tobirama narrowed his eyes.
The system seemed to be triggering a new function.
[Ding! Detected that the Host has unlocked all Summoning Beasts in the "Heavenly Duel Arena."]
[Now activating: "Reality Summoning Authority."]
[Rule: The Host does not need to sign summoning contracts in reality. By consuming chakra, the Host may directly summon Duel Arena beasts into the real world (e.g., Panda, Crow, Manda, Enma, etc.).]
[Note: System-summoned beasts are independent of the Ninja World's native creatures and possess absolute loyalty.]
"…What the hell?"
Tobirama's eyes lit up.
This ability was absurd.
Summoning beasts were normally exclusive. Take Manda, for example—Orochimaru's summon was vicious, temperamental, and fond of eating people.
But now, the system had given him a copy—an obedient one at that.
As long as he had enough chakra, he could single-handedly deploy an army of summoning beasts.
"And that all-nature ninjutsu mastery…"
The rewards he'd just received had completely perfected his ninjutsu arsenal.
All five elemental natures.
A true ninjutsu machine gun.
The Third Hokage was known as the Professor of Ninjutsu—but if Tobirama wanted to, he could already replace that title without controversy.
"Still…"
Tobirama rubbed his chin, recalling the earlier battle.
Susanoo was nearly invincible, and the Genjutsu from the Healthy Itachi template was practically unsolvable.
But there was one flaw—mobility.
During his fight with Hanzō, his reactions were fast, but his pursuit relied entirely on physical movement. If Hanzō committed to fleeing, burrowing underground like a loach, Tobirama couldn't guarantee he'd catch him every time.
"I need a teleportation technique."
"Preferably that one…"
With a thought, Tobirama's consciousness sank into the system space.
[Duel Arena—Initiating!]
The familiar Roman-style colosseum appeared once more, cheers shaking the heavens.
[Today's Challenge Attempts: 1/1]
[Matching opponent…]
[Match confirmed!]
[Opponent: Minato Namikaze (Edo Tensei)]
A flash of golden light.
Opposite him stood a man clad in a divine cloak, his gaze gentle yet sharp. In his hand was a special Flying Thunder God kunai.
"The Yellow Flash, huh…"
Tobirama smiled.
So it really gives me whatever I'm thinking of.
An Edo Tensei Minato—at his peak. Half of the Nine-Tails' chakra, plus the Flying Thunder God Technique.
"Then, forgive me, Fourth."
"I'll be borrowing your cheat codes."
At the character selection screen, Tobirama didn't hesitate.
He chose the ninja infamous for making players curse in frustration: Unbound Madara.
Fast, are you?
Fine—then I'll carpet the field with attacks and see where you can run.
"Battle start!"
Whoosh!
The instant the countdown ended, Minato vanished.
Flying Thunder God!
"I knew you'd come straight at me—Eightfold Fire, counter!"
Though Minato was incredibly fast, he was still forced back by the Eightfold Fire, allowing Tobirama to seize control of the tempo.
What followed was relentless pressure—ferocious bites, Panda's super armor, and Wood Dragon-enhanced Susanoo giving chase without mercy.
That was the weakness of Edo Minato. Once he lost momentum and fell behind, turning the tide became extremely difficult.
At last, Minato collapsed, his body scattering into drifting paper fragments.
[Ding! Congratulations to the Host for defeating the powerful enemy "Minato Namikaze (Edo Tensei)"!]
[Reward settlement in progress…]
[Congratulations! You have obtained: Minato Namikaze—Peak Strength Inheritance Card!]
[Includes:]
1. Space-Time Ninjutsu: Flying Thunder God Technique (Complete Set—Stage Two, Guiding Thunder, Mutual Instantaneous Circulation, etc.)
2. Uzumaki Clan Sealing Jutsu Mastery (Reaper Death Seal, Four Symbols Seal, etc.)
3. Yin Nine-Tails Chakra (Perfect Jinchūriki Mode, infinite chakra endurance)
4. Rasengan and its advanced forms (Great Ball Rasengan, prerequisites for Rasenshuriken)
"Hiss—!"
Staring at the long list of rewards, Tobirama sucked in a sharp breath.
I'm rich.
I'm insanely rich.
Flying Thunder God solved the mobility issue.
Yin Nine-Tails solved chakra limitations—though his reserves were already massive, who would ever complain about more?
And on top of that… sealing jutsu.
"I'm a true hexagonal warrior now."
"No weaknesses whatsoever."
"Merge!"
Boom!
A cold yet tyrannical surge of chakra exploded within his body, perfectly restrained.
The power of the Yin Nine-Tails.
At the same time, spatial perception and Flying Thunder God formula patterns engraved themselves deep into his mind.
That sensation…
It felt as though space itself lay within his grasp.
As long as there was a mark, he could reach anywhere in the world with a single thought.
Several minutes later, Tobirama slowly opened his eyes.
Deep within his pupils, a faint golden glimmer flashed and vanished.
He pulled a kunai from his ninja tool pouch.
With a light tap of his finger, black sealing formulae manifested on the handle.
The Flying Thunder God formula.
"Let's test it."
Casually, Tobirama tossed the kunai toward the corner of the tent.
Before it could land—
Whoosh!
His figure vanished and instantly reappeared beside it, catching the kunai cleanly out of midair.
Fast.
Faster than neural reflexes.
This wasn't speed—it was spatial displacement.
"So this is the Flying Thunder God…"
Holding the kunai, Tobirama felt the exhilaration of instantaneous movement, the smile at the corner of his mouth widening.
"With this, in the entire Ninja World… where can't I go?"
"Hanzō?"
"The next time we meet, you won't even get the chance to run."
He put the kunai away and lay back on the military cot, hands folded behind his head.
His mood was excellent.
Not only had he won Tsunade's heart, but he'd also eliminated his final weakness.
"The me right now…"
"I can finally say it out loud—"
"'I'm invincible. Do as you please.'"