Naruto: A New Life with Tsunade

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Not long after, Natsume acquired what he sought from Kakuzu and Sasori: the Uzumaki clan's sealing techniques and the Wood Release (Mokuton) potion.

Kakuzu, however, muttered under his breath, cursing Orochimaru. "That snake is nothing but a coward. The Sannin—always chasing fame."

It appeared that Orochimaru had followed Natsume's advice and chosen not to appear in person, much to Kakuzu's displeasure. The bounty hunter had missed out on a hefty prize—tens of millions of ryo.

Natsume unsealed a storage scroll and found thirty bottles of the Wood Release potion. His first thought was that Yamato must have endured hell to produce this many. Orochimaru had probably drained him dry.

He didn't drink the potion right away—he didn't trust Orochimaru enough for that. If it was tampered with, Natsume could face serious consequences. Only Tsunade had the skill to check for such things.

But he couldn't bring it to her without arousing suspicion. Instead, he spent ten fate points to test it. It was a small price to pay, leaving him with nineteen points from what Jūgo had contributed earlier.

The results came back clean. All thirty bottles were safe. It made sense—Orochimaru wouldn't dare risk angering him. There was still much Orochimaru wanted to learn from Natsume.

With a sense of relief, Natsume uncorked one of the bottles and drank the green liquid. A warmth spread through his body, and he felt his chakra reserves expand by nearly ten percent. His body felt invigorated. The effects were remarkable, though he knew they would likely diminish with repeated use.

Still, it was an undeniable win.

Orochimaru had even left a note, advising him to consume only one bottle per week to avoid rejection. Even though the foreign cells had been neutralized, they were still not his own.

Natsume sealed the rest of the potions back into the scroll and made his way to Gunma Casino. After spending so much time with Uzumaki Ena, he understood her well. Once a marginalized member of the Uzumaki clan with no knowledge of ninja techniques, she had ended up stranded in Kusagakure.

A little sealing knowledge might have been enough to change her fate. But her low status had ironically saved her from the clan's destruction. Blessings and misfortunes always seemed to come hand in hand.

"Natsume," Ena greeted him warmly, pulling him into her lap. She used to call him "Sir," but Natsume had found it too formal and insisted she use his first name.

"This is for you," Natsume said, handing her a scroll.

Her eyes widened when she saw the contents: Uzumaki clan sealing techniques. Despite her heritage, she had never been taught them due to her low rank.

"This is too valuable! I can't accept this," she protested. "I already owe you so much, and with my two-million-ryo debt—"

Natsume waved off her concerns. "You'll be more useful to me once you've mastered these techniques. Think of it as an investment."

He casually picked up a grape, savoring the sweetness as Ena blushed, her hands trembling slightly. "If I learn these techniques, I'll be able to help you more…" she murmured.

Natsume relaxed in her lap, She gently massaging his shoulders. The rest of the day passed in peaceful comfort.

That evening, after Ena had helped him bathe, Natsume returned home. He had planned to train with Wood Release, but Tsunade summoned him into her room instead.

"Natsume, I need your help with something," she said seriously.

Natsume blinked in confusion. "What kind of help?"

Tsunade sat on the edge of her bed, her expression unusually grim. "You've seen my hemophobia in action, right? As a medical ninja, it's a deadly weakness."

In the past, she hadn't cared much about her condition. But after spending so much time with Natsume, Shizune, and even Kabuto, she realized she could no longer afford such a vulnerability.

"I need to overcome it," Tsunade sighed. "If I don't, I'll become a liability instead of protecting the people I care about."

Hemophobia wasn't something that could be cured with medical ninjutsu—it was psychological. The only way to defeat it was to face it.

"I noticed that when I held onto you last time, the fear subsided faster than usual," Tsunade explained. "So... I want you to help me again."

Natsume was taken aback by the request, but if helping Tsunade meant she could overcome her phobia, it was worth it. Without that weakness, Tsunade's combat effectiveness would skyrocket.

Tsunade pulled out a kunai and made a shallow cut on her arm. Blood began to flow, and her body tensed up with visible tremors. Natsume, sitting between her legs, could feel the tightness in her muscles.

The situation reminded him of a game he had played in his past life, where a certain character was known for her strong legs, but he quickly shook off the thought.

The night passed in silence.

The next morning, Natsume woke up to find Tsunade staring at him. "Breakfast is ready," she said, pinching his cheek playfully. "Thanks for helping."

"No problem," Natsume replied with a small grin. Truthfully, he had enjoyed it too.

After breakfast, he went to school. The routine felt tedious, but the days passed quickly.

In the blink of an eye, Natsume turned ten, and he was ready to graduate early to become a genin.

The years that followed were relatively calm. Konoha and Kumogakure remained in a stalemate, and the village had largely recovered from the scars of the Nine-Tails attack.

Naruto Uzumaki, on the other hand, continued to endure the cold indifference of the villagers, treated as nothing more than the demon fox. Natsume knew it was time to step in.

This was Naruto's first major turning point. If not for the warmth Sarutobi Hiruzen had shown him, Naruto might have been lost to darkness. But Natsume had plans to expose Hiruzen's true nature and guide Naruto down a different path—one that would yield more destiny points.

Meanwhile, Orochimaru continued his experiments on Wood Release, Immortality Jutsu, and the Cursed Seal. His interest in Uchiha Itachi had grown, but his agreement with Natsume remained solid.

As for defecting from Konoha, Orochimaru had set that idea aside. He needed the quiet environment Konoha provided for his research.

Natsume also gained fate points from Kimimaro and Suigetsu, who had yet to meet Orochimaru but were already destined to cross paths with him.

At the Academy, Natsume applied for early graduation. Yamanaka Naoto approved his request, and he passed the Three Basic Techniques exam with ease. That day marked the official end of his student life and his entrance into the ninja world.

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