Naruto: A New Life with Tsunade

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"Ahhh!"

A loud, rather grating scream pierced the morning air, jolting Natsume awake. He glanced out the window, spotting a dark speck hurtling through the sky at an alarming speed.

"Wife, come see—wait, I don't even have a wife," he muttered to himself with a chuckle. "But I do have teachers."

Natsume quickly changed clothes, left his room, and headed to the living room. To his surprise, it was empty. Stepping outside, he saw Tsunade and Shizune standing in the courtyard. Tsunade looked irritated, while Shizune's face was pale with shock.

"Who was screaming just now?" Natsume asked, confused.

"Jiraiya," Tsunade replied, clenching her fist. "Ignore him. He's just being a fool. Don't get involved with him."

Tsunade knew Jiraiya's character well. His loyalty to Konoha was beyond question, but his behavior around women left much to be desired. His notorious peeping habits were enough to drive any woman away.

Tsunade frowned, thinking briefly of Hiruzen Sarutobi. Like teacher, like student, she thought with an inward sigh. She couldn't let her talented and upstanding apprentice fall under Jiraiya's influence.

"Got it," Natsume said, nodding. He was curious about Jiraiya's sudden return to Konoha, but he doubted it had anything to do with Naruto. The boy was only three years old, and Hiruzen had given strict orders to keep him hidden. Jiraiya wouldn't act without his approval—unless he was planning something reckless...

Still, it didn't matter to Natsume. Jiraiya wasn't going to win Tsunade's heart either—not with his ideas about destiny and prophecy. Jiraiya had buried any chance of romance long ago.

After a quick breakfast, Tsunade led Natsume and Kabuto Yakushi to Training Ground 4, where Inuzuka Hana was already waiting. Beside her sat her trusted ninja dog, a large gray beast that resembled a husky.

"Tsunade-sama," Hana greeted respectfully, stepping forward.

Tsunade gave her a nod. "For the next three months, I'll be training you all personally. We'll be running different battle scenarios. Today's task is simple: attack me."

Hana blinked, surprised by Tsunade's bluntness. "Eh?"

"We'll start with a frontal assault," Tsunade continued, her tone brisk. "Natsume will lead, and you two will support him using your best abilities."

Natsume nodded and wasted no time, forming the hand signs for his first jutsu.

"Water Release: Water Whip!"

A stream of water shot from his hand, coiling into a whip that lashed toward Tsunade.

Kabuto followed immediately, throwing a smoke bomb that blanketed the area in a thick cloud.

Hana hesitated only a moment before activating her own jutsu.

"Four Legs Technique!"

She dropped to all fours, her posture shifting as she transformed into a wolf-like stance. With her enhanced sense of smell, she charged through the smoke, her ninja dog keeping pace beside her.

"You're quick to strike," Tsunade muttered, grabbing Natsume's water whip mid-air. With a sharp yank, she pulled him off balance and sent him tumbling backward.

But as Natsume flew through the air, his body dissolved into water—a Water Clone.

From behind, Hana and her dog pounced, aiming for Tsunade's vital points.

"Not bad," Tsunade commented, smiling as she spun and kicked them both away. The ninja dog yelped as it skidded across the ground.

Meanwhile, the real threat came from above: Kabuto had thrown a flurry of poisoned senbon, needles raining down from the sky. Tsunade saw them just in time and pulled out several kunai to deflect the barrage.

Just then, Natsume appeared from her right side, unleashing another jutsu.

"Water Release: Water Dragon Bullet!"

A towering dragon of water surged toward Tsunade.

Amusement glinted in Tsunade's eyes as she sidestepped, moving directly in front of Natsume. "Got you."

Natsume opened his arms as if to embrace her, and Tsunade hesitated for only a second—enough for his trick to succeed.

From above, a torrent of water came down, drenching her.

"Well played," Tsunade muttered, dripping wet but clearly unruffled. Natsume took a step back, knowing she'd probably let him hit her on purpose.

As if on cue, the ground beneath him cracked open. Tsunade's fist was already rocketing toward him.

Kabuto reacted quickly, tossing a vial that shattered on impact, releasing a toxic gas cloud.

Unfazed, Tsunade sniffed the air and chuckled. "Not bad. But you'll need more than that."

She smiled, and the chase continued.

Half an hour later, Natsume, Hana, and Kabuto lay sprawled on the ground, gasping for breath. Tsunade and Natsume were the last ones standing, though Tsunade barely looked winded.

"Take a break," Tsunade commanded, glancing at her students.

Shizune rushed over to check on Hana and Kabuto. Though they had given it their all, the battle had been relentless, and neither could match Tsunade or Natsume's pace.

Kabuto, though a medical ninja, had shown he was more than just a healer, keeping up the pressure while providing crucial support. Hana, meanwhile, was skilled but struggled to keep up with the more experienced fighters.

As the day passed, Natsume's tenth birthday drew near.

Unlike previous years, this birthday was different. Tsunade, ever the doting guardian, had arranged a small celebration, inviting a few guests—Yakushi Nonou, Hyuga Hiashi, and even young Hinata.

The gathering was livelier than anything Natsume was used to, and he received several gifts. Tsunade gave him a beautiful golden sword tassel to adorn his Sword of the Thunder God.

Later that evening, Natsume brought a tray of food to Hinata's room.

"Natsume…" Hinata mumbled, fidgeting nervously. "I...I'm sorry I didn't prepare a gift for your birthday."

Natsume waved off her apology with a warm smile. "No need to worry about that. Let's just enjoy the food together."

Hinata blushed but nodded, her voice barely a whisper as she spoke.

After they finished eating, Hinata watched as Natsume cleared away the dishes, her fingers trembling slightly.

"Natsume…may I…ask you something?"

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Natsume instinctively turned his head, meeting Hyuga Hinata's gentle, pale Byakugan eyes.

Her small hands gripped the edges of her clothing, her face flushed with a blend of nervousness and anticipation.

Being asked so sweetly by someone so adorable—how could anyone refuse?

Natsume reached out, gently pinching her cheek with a warm smile. "Just tell me, Hinata."

Hinata's face turned a deeper shade of red, and she looked as if steam might rise from her head. This time, though, she didn't faint. Maybe she was getting used to his gentle teasing.

She hesitated as she began to voice her concerns, her words slow and careful.

Since she was young, Hinata had been trained by her cousin, Neji. Their bond had been strong initially, but everything changed after Neji was branded with the Caged Bird Seal.

That morning, something happened that left Hinata confused and afraid.

During a sparring session, Neji accidentally hit her with too much force, injuring her. Immediately, a member of the main family activated the Caged Bird Seal, and Neji collapsed in pain. The guard warned him coldly, "Neji, remember your place!"

Since that moment, Neji had grown even colder toward her.

At only three years old, Hinata couldn't fully understand what she had witnessed.

When she asked her parents about it, they only replied, "This is the fate of the Hyuga branch family. You needn't worry about it."

"Are you hurt?" Natsume asked softly, his voice filled with concern.

Hinata shook her head quickly, her face turning pink again, startled by the question.

"What do you think about the Caged Bird Seal?" Natsume asked, gently patting her head as he spoke.

"Father said the Caged Bird Seal is to protect the Byakugan from outsiders who might try to steal it," Hinata replied, her tone uncertain.

Natsume sighed quietly. While the seal might have been introduced for such protection, it now served other purposes as well.

As a member of the main family, Hinata would eventually have to confront the truth of the Caged Bird Seal. After all, it maintained a hierarchy within the clan. Those who had power were unlikely to relinquish it.

Firstly, it preserved the Hyuga clan's hierarchy—members of the main family maintained control over the branch family. Secondly, the seal acted as a method of control, preventing rebellion within the clan. And finally, it safeguarded the main family, allowing them to assign dangerous missions to the branch members while keeping themselves safe.

But there were downsides too. The seal limited the potential of branch members, meaning fewer strong shinobi emerged from the Hyuga clan. Unlike the Uchiha, with geniuses like Itachi and Shisui awakening the Mangekyo Sharingan, the Hyuga clan remained stagnant. The Caged Bird Seal became a shackle, preventing the talented from reaching their full potential.

In the end, the truly powerful were always free.

With the seal, no matter how much a branch family member trained, their life would always be under another's control.

So why work hard?

"Do you think that's fair?" Natsume asked, his question drawing a look of confusion from Hinata.

What her father had told her seemed logical. But she couldn't forget Neji's anguished cries from that morning.

If the seal's only purpose was to protect the Byakugan, why was it used at other times?

Hinata recalled another incident. During a training session, she had overheard her uncle, Hyuga Hizashi, groaning in pain as her father scolded him. At the time, she hadn't understood, but now it seemed clear—it was because of the seal.

"I… I don't know," Hinata murmured, looking up at Natsume, seeking his guidance.

Confiding in him about something so personal showed how deeply she trusted him.

"A wise person once said, 'Just because something has always been done a certain way doesn't mean it's right,'" Natsume said, brushing his hand gently through her hair. "You're the heiress of the Hyuga clan, Hinata. One day, the future of the Caged Bird Seal will be something you'll need to address. Whether it should continue or not—that will be up to you."

Hinata was silent for a moment, then lowered her head shyly. "I… I don't think I can lead the clan. I'm not strong enough."

Her whole life, Hinata had been overlooked. She wasn't as talented as Neji or her father.

"You're still young," Natsume said, gently lifting her chin to look into her eyes. "One day, you'll grow up, and then you'll know if you can lead or not."

Hinata's heart skipped a beat, feeling a warm confidence from his words that made her feel hopeful.

"And besides," Natsume added with a grin, "I'll be there to help you."

Hinata's face flushed a deeper red, and the overwhelming emotions caused her to faint softly.

Natsume chuckled as he picked her up and laid her gently on the bed. "Goodnight, Hinata."

[Because of your actions, Hinata's fate has changed. You have earned 99 destiny points.]

Natsume quietly left her room. Instead of heading to bed, he slipped out, heading to another meeting.

This time, he didn't need to use a summoning technique.

He arrived at a lively casino on Tanshu Street.

"Happy birthday, brother!" a cheerful voice called out.

Karin, her red hair bouncing, ran up to him, clutching a book. "I've memorized the entire Analects of Confucius!"

"Is this my birthday gift?" Natsume asked, lifting her up with a smile.

"Yes!" she replied, eyes gleaming with pride. "Am I amazing?"

"Very," Natsume chuckled, ruffling her hair. "But I think it's time to double your homework now."

"Ah?!"

Karin froze, staring at him in shock. "Brother, no!" she pleaded, gripping his hand with her biggest, cutest eyes. "Please, don't give me more homework! I'll die!"

Natsume laughed. "Alright, alright. From now on, your homework will be ninja training with your mother."

"Yay!" Karin's eyes lit up with excitement. She'd wanted to train as a ninja for some time, but Natsume had been hesitant.

"She's in the kitchen, right?" Natsume asked.

"Yup! Go see her!" Karin called as she ran off to watch TV.

In the kitchen, Uzumaki Ena was busy chopping vegetables. She looked up with a soft smile as he entered.

"You're here," she said, continuing her work.

"I already ate," Natsume replied, gently taking her hand. "You don't need to cook."

"I know," Ena replied, "but you asked for noodles on your birthday, so I'm making a small bowl. It's no trouble."

"Oh? Then I guess I have to try them," Natsume grinned.

A few minutes later, she placed the bowl in front of him, and he ate with evident enjoyment.

"Your cooking is the best," he said warmly.

Ena smiled, her eyes softening with affection. "I'm glad you like it."

"Do you have a gift for me?" Natsume asked, setting down his chopsticks.

"There is something," she hesitated, "but I'll give it to you once I've perfected the Yin Seal."

Natsume blinked in surprise. The Yin Seal?

It took him a moment to recall the technique. The Yin Seal could store chakra and even aid in healing.

"I'm only ten, you know," Natsume teased, gently pinching her cheek. "You're really something… but I like it."

Ena blushed, lowering her head. She only wanted to be useful to him, no matter what that meant.

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