Naruto: Starting By Saving Mikoto

"Going somewhere?"

Hiro froze for a second, sighing inwardly before turning slowly. There, standing in the middle of the street, arms crossed and eyes sharper than ever, was Tsunade. She stepped forward, her boots echoing in the quiet night.

"Leaving in the middle of the night? How sneaky of you." Her voice was filled with suspicion, though a faint smirk tugged at her lips. "Trying to avoid me?"

Hiro's gaze was calm, his face unreadable. "I figured it was time to move on. I don't stay in one place too long."

Tsunade's smirk faded, replaced by a cold expression. "Cut the crap. I knew there was something off about you the moment I saw you at the gambling table. 

No one wins that many rounds without a trick up their sleeve."

Hiro's eyes flickered, but his expression remained neutral. "just lucky, I guess."

"Bullshit," she shot back, stepping closer, her eyes narrowing. 

"You don't just walk away from a game like that. And you don't walk away from me without explaining who the hell you really are."

Hiro didn't move. He could tell she wasn't bluffing. She wasn't going to let him leave without an answer.

For a brief moment, he considered his options. Fighting Tsunade would be messy—she was a powerhouse, after all. But he knew something most didn't: her one crippling weakness.

He could see her confidence, her unshakable aura of authority, but he could also see the cracks underneath. The faint tremor in her hand that she thought no one noticed. 

The slight edge in her voice when she felt like things weren't in her control.

Hiro's lips curved into a faint smile. "You really want to do this?"

Tsunade's eyes flashed with determination. "Try me."

Without another word, Hiro slowly reached into his cloak, pulling out a small knife. He held it up between them, and before she could react, he pressed the blade against his finger, drawing a thin line of blood.

The crimson drop glistened under the moonlight, and Hiro casually lifted his hand, letting the blood drip slowly from his finger.

The change in Tsunade was immediate. Her face lost its color, her breath catching in her throat. Her eyes locked onto the blood, wide and filled with dread. 

She tried to look away, but she couldn't. Her body stiffened, and her fists clenched involuntarily.

"What... what are you doing?" she whispered, her voice barely steady, her bravado evaporating as her eyes remained glued to the blood.

Hiro, as casual as ever, shrugged. "I don't want to fight, Tsunade. I don't even want to stay here. I just want to leave. But you're not really giving me a choice."

He stepped closer, holding his bloody finger up, and Tsunade instinctively took a step back, her body trembling as she fought to keep control.

"You... bastard," she hissed, her breathing becoming shallow and uneven. Sweat beaded on her forehead, and her eyes darted between Hiro and the blood, desperate to regain some sense of control.

"Calm down," Hiro said softly, his voice almost too calm for the situation. He glanced at the blood on his finger, then back at her. "It's just a little blood. Nothing to freak out about, right?"

Tsunade's knees buckled slightly, her entire body trembling as she tried to keep herself together. But Hiro could see the fear in her eyes, the sheer panic she was trying to hide. 

It was like a dam breaking inside her, and she couldn't stop it.

"Stop... that," she managed to choke out, her voice shaking as she stumbled backward, putting distance between them. Her hand gripped the side of a building for support, but her legs wobbled like she was about to collapse.

Hiro's expression remained calm, though inside, he knew he had already won. He didn't have to fight her. He didn't even have to threaten her. She was unraveling on her own, and all it took was a drop of blood.

He stepped closer again, watching as Tsunade's face contorted in a mix of fear and rage, her breath coming in ragged gasps. "You should really sit this one out," he said, his tone so casual it almost sounded mocking.

"You... think this will stop me?" she snarled, but there was no strength behind her words. Her voice cracked as she stumbled, nearly falling before catching herself on the side of the wall. 

Her body was betraying her, and she hated it. She hated how easily Hiro had taken control of the situation.

"Maybe not," Hiro said with a shrug, wiping the blood off on his cloak. "But it's enough for tonight."

Tsunade glared at him, her vision blurring as she struggled to regain her composure. "I'll... kill you for this."

"Maybe," Hiro replied, his voice light. "But not tonight."

He turned, walking away as if nothing had happened, leaving Tsunade to gather herself. She was still standing, barely, her hand trembling as she wiped the sweat from her brow.

As Hiro disappeared into the shadows, her knees finally gave out, and she collapsed against the wall, breathing hard, her heart pounding in her chest.

"I'm going to find you," she whispered through gritted teeth, her pride burning more than anything else. "And when I do, you'll wish you never crossed me."

But Hiro was already gone, his figure fading into the night. He knew this wasn't over—Tsunade wasn't someone to forget.

Just as Tsunade was gathering her thoughts and trying to steady her breath, a familiar voice called out to her from down the street.

"Lady Tsunade!" Shizune's voice was filled with concern, and the sound of hurried footsteps echoed off the walls. Ton-Ton, the small pig, was trotting by her side, oinking softly in distress.

Tsunade straightened up quickly, wiping the sweat from her brow and trying to regain her composure. She couldn't let Shizune see her like this, vulnerable and shaken. But Shizune wasn't easily fooled.

"Lady Tsunade, are you okay?" Shizune asked breathlessly as she approached, her eyes wide with worry. She glanced around, noticing the cracked wall and the tension in Tsunade's stance. 

Ton-Ton sniffed the air, nudging Tsunade's leg with a worried oink.

Tsunade forced a smile, though it was strained. "I'm fine, Shizune," she said, her voice steady, but there was a sharp edge to it. "Just... ran into a bit of trouble."