Naruto: A New Life with Tsunade

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Ninja Academy Playground

The students of Class A formed a wide circle around the training ground.

Naoto Yamanaka stood at the center, a roster in hand, as he addressed them.

"This test isn't just about Lord Orochimaru selecting a disciple. It's also an assessment for the academy. So, I expect everyone to give it their all. Understood?"

"Yes, sir!" the students responded in unison.

"Good, I like that energy." Naoto flipped through the roster. "I'll call out names. Those chosen will step forward and fight. The winner will advance to the next round."

Natsume sat cross-legged on the sidelines, his eyes lazily following the matches.

To be honest, the fights could be summed up in one phrase: amateurs flailing at each other.

The Academy's graduation requirement was mastery of the Three Basic Jutsu—Clone Technique, Transformation Technique, and Substitution Technique. First-year students had a long way to go before they could achieve that.

Natsume, however, had already mastered five jutsu. Along with the basics, he knew the Body Flicker Technique and Water Release: Water Colliding Wave. He could've easily taunted them, saying, "Uchiha Itachi first. Everyone else here is just fodder."

He quickly noticed a pattern: the winners were always from established ninja clans. Civilian students just didn't have the early exposure to more advanced techniques.

Take Haruno Sakura, for example. At the start of the series, her abilities were mediocre. She leaned on Sasuke for help and relied on Naruto when things got tough. Yet, she was considered one of the best civilian students, which said a lot about the skill gap.

"Natsume versus Kuzuryu Kenji!" Naoto called out.

Natsume stood up calmly and walked to the center of the circle.

"Go get him, Natsume!" a group of girls cheered from the sidelines.

"Tch. You think you're special just because you're good-looking?" Kuzuryu Kenji muttered, clenching his fists. "I'll show you. I'm going to defeat you!"

Natsume gave him a calm glance. "Do you play shogi?"

"Huh?" Kuzuryu blinked, baffled. Shogi?

"I asked, do you play shogi?"

Kuzuryu looked even more confused. Seriously? We're about to fight, and this guy's talking about board games?

"My friend, also named Kuzuryu, is a shogi master. They call him the Dragon King," Natsume added nonchalantly.

"I… I don't care!" Kuzuryu sputtered. "We're here to fight, not play games!"

"Alright then," Natsume shrugged, ending the conversation.

In an instant, Natsume vanished with the Body Flicker Technique. Reappearing right in front of Kuzuryu, he delivered a sharp kick to the chest, knocking him flat on the ground before Kuzuryu could even react.

"Natsume wins!" Naoto announced, watching as Kuzuryu struggled to stand.

From a distance, Uchiha Itachi observed the match and gave a slight nod. Decent speed, but nowhere near Shisui's level.

"Uchiha Itachi versus Uchiyama Neko!" Naoto called next.

Natsume returned to his spot, turning his attention to Itachi.

This will be over in a flash.

Itachi stepped into the circle, and in a blur of movement, Uchiyama Neko was unconscious on the ground. The match barely lasted three seconds, and most of the students didn't even see it happen.

Natsume noted how close Itachi already was to Chūnin level.

One match after another passed, and soon, only two remained.

Natsume and Uchiha Itachi.

Naoto wasn't surprised. "You two will face each other. The winner will represent our class in the academy-wide tournament. The top ten students will have the chance to become Lord Orochimaru's apprentice. Give it your all!"

Naoto stepped back, giving them the stage.

On a raised platform, Vice-Principal Yoshiyuki Nara stood beside Orochimaru, introducing the candidates.

"The one on the left is Uchiha Itachi. He's earned top marks in both theoretical and practical exams. He's clearly the best student."

Orochimaru licked his lips, intrigued. "And the other one?"

"Natsume, Tsunade-sama's apprentice," Yoshiyuki replied.

Orochimaru's interest flickered for a moment. "What's his kekkei genkai?"

"He doesn't have one, but his Water Release abilities are remarkable."

Orochimaru's interest faded. No bloodline limit? Hardly worth my time. Plus, being Tsunade's apprentice made things more complicated.

While the two conversed, the battle had already begun.

Itachi initiated with a flurry of shuriken aimed at Natsume.

Without hesitation, Natsume deflected them with a kunai, but Itachi subtly raised his fingers, and the shuriken curved back toward Natsume, guided by invisible wires.

Shurikenjutsu... impressive, Natsume thought, dodging with Body Flicker Technique, but the shuriken followed him relentlessly like homing missiles.

Water Release: Water Colliding Wave! Natsume weaved hand seals, and a torrent of water surged from his mouth, crashing toward the shuriken.

The crowd gasped in awe. A first-year using elemental ninjutsu?

Itachi remained unfazed. Cutting the wires, he quickly formed hand seals of his own.

Fire Release: Great Fireball Technique!

A massive fireball roared toward Natsume's water stream, the overwhelming chakra quickly evaporating the water, turning it into steam.

"I surrender," Natsume said, appearing at the edge of the circle using Body Flicker. There was no point in continuing. He knew he couldn't defeat Itachi—not without using his Wood Release.

"You did well, Natsume," Naoto praised. "Let's congratulate Uchiha Itachi! He will advance to the next round."

As Class A wrapped up, other classes were also concluding their matches.

While upperclassmen typically dominated the tournament, Uchiha Itachi was the exception. He breezed through his battles until, by the end of the day, the top ten finalists were chosen.

They stood on the platform, all eyes on Orochimaru, excitement filling the air—except for Itachi, who remained stoic.

Orochimaru glanced at the finalists, nodding twice. "You two."

At that moment, a familiar sensation coursed through Natsume as the Holy Ring of Destiny chimed in his mind.

Due to your actions, Uchiha Itachi's fate has changed. You have gained 18 Destiny Points.

Due to your actions, Uzuki Yugao's fate has changed. You have gained 49 Destiny Points.

Uzuki Yugao

In the original timeline, Uzuki Yugao was destined to become an ANBU operative after graduating from the academy. Her exceptional skills in Konoha-style kenjutsu earned her the rank of special jōnin, and many jokingly referred to her as "Hayate's shadow" due to her close relationship with Hayate Gekkō. Despite her talents, she remained a minor character—easily overlooked if not for her beauty.

However, fate had now intervened, and by a stroke of chance, she had become Orochimaru's disciple. Her rise felt like a phoenix ascending from the ashes. Still, in the original story, her role was so small that had her appearance been less striking, she might have faded into obscurity.

In this world, destiny was measured by two factors:

1. The character's importance in the original plot.

2. How much their fate diverged from that path.

A character could earn up to 100 destiny points for each major change, with 50 points from each factor. Uzuki Yugao, for instance, had accumulated 49 destiny points—her fate had drastically shifted, taking her far from her original course. Uchiha Itachi, on the other hand, had only earned 18 points. Despite becoming Orochimaru's disciple, his core loyalty to Konoha remained unshaken. He was still destined to make pivotal choices in the future.

Orochimaru now counted both Uchiha Itachi and Uzuki Yugao among his students. As the academy day ended, the students left for home, each returning to their families.

When Natsume reached the school gates, he spotted Tsunade waiting for him—his guardian, and by name, his mother.

"You're half an hour late today," she said, raising an eyebrow.

Natsume smiled, taking her hand. "Lord Orochimaru accepted a new disciple, so the academy held a test."

Tsunade's expression softened as memories surfaced. Orochimaru's last disciple had been her younger brother, Nawaki. The pain of that loss still lingered. Sensing her silence, Natsume glanced up at her, but his view was partially obstructed by her… figure. He recalled an old saying from his previous life: When a woman can't see her toes, she's blessed with beauty. However, today, the phrase felt ironic in his situation.

Realizing he might have said something wrong, Natsume opened his mouth to comfort her, but before he could speak, Tsunade lifted him into her arms. She hugged him gently, her grip full of warmth and unspoken emotion. Natsume could sense the sadness beneath her strength—his words had brought back painful memories of Nawaki.

"Just let me hold you for a while," Tsunade whispered. Understanding her need for comfort, Natsume stayed still in her embrace.

After a few moments, Tsunade loosened her hold but didn't put him down. Instead, she carried him as they began walking home. Natsume, comfortable in her arms, observed her graceful features, trying to pass the time.

"You've been staring at me this whole way," Tsunade remarked with a smirk. "What is it? How do I look?"

Caught off guard, Natsume hesitated, unsure how to respond. His flustered reaction made Tsunade laugh softly. Hugging him closer, she rubbed her cheek against his. "Thank you. I feel better now."

Natsume felt a little embarrassed but relieved that her mood had lightened. "Is Shizune-nee done making dinner?" he asked, trying to shift the conversation.

"Let's go find out," Tsunade replied, setting him down. She patted his head affectionately before heading toward the kitchen.

Natsume sat down on the sofa, idly flipping through channels on the TV. Most of the shows weren't particularly interesting, but they helped pass the time. After a while, Tsunade and Shizune called him to the table for dinner.

"Itadakimasu!" Natsume clapped his hands together and eagerly dug into his meal. He had eaten at the academy earlier, but nothing compared to a home-cooked meal, especially after a long day.

Once dinner was over, Natsume stepped outside to practice his Wood Release (Mokuton) techniques. Shizune retired to her room to study medical jutsu, while Tsunade remained in the living room, watching him from the window. He decided to work on Wood Release: Wood Locking Wall (Mokuton: Moku Jōheki), summoning wooden pillars in a protective 360-degree arc around him.

"Natsume, want an apple?" Tsunade called after noticing how long he had been practicing.

"Sure!" Natsume answered, still focused on maintaining his jutsu.

After a few more minutes, when Tsunade didn't return, Natsume grew concerned. He peeked inside through the window—and froze. Tsunade stood there trembling, blood dripping from a small cut on her hand. The sight of blood had triggered her hemophobia.

Natsume rushed inside. "It's okay. I'm here," he whispered, gently patting her back. Tsunade, still shaken, clutched him tightly, her body trembling as she tried to regain control.

Time seemed to slow as Natsume held her, patiently waiting for her trembling to stop. "You should rest," he said softly when her body finally relaxed.

Instead of letting him go, Tsunade hugged him even tighter. Natsume sighed, realizing she wasn't going to listen. What can I do? he thought helplessly.

Tsunade stood up, carrying him to her room. She placed him on the bed and lay down beside him, wrapping her arms around him as she drifted off to sleep.

Natsume, bewildered but too tired to protest, thought, I guess this is happening now. He lay still, hoping to make it through the night.

By morning, Natsume awoke feeling sore. Tsunade had completely wrapped herself around him like a blanket, her face nuzzled against his neck. While the warmth was comforting, the weight was exhausting.

"Sister..." he murmured, his voice hoarse. Half-asleep, Tsunade responded by hugging him tighter, rubbing her face against his like a cat.

"Just a little longer..." she mumbled.

Natsume sighed and employed his ultimate move—wrapping his arms around her neck, he whispered in his softest voice, "Sister, I'm hungry."

Tsunade's eyes snapped open immediately. "I'll make rice balls!" she exclaimed, releasing him.

Finally free, Natsume stretched, smiling as he thought, That was a close one.

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