Naruto: Wooing Tsunade from Day One!

The next day, before dawn, Minato led the group northwest, deeper into the Land of Earth. They slept under the open sky, eating whatever they could scavenge along the way. After several days, they finally arrived near the supply route.

Stretching out before them was an endless plain with a broad field of vision that extended for miles in every direction. Finding a suitable hiding place here was nearly impossible.

"We'll have to attack head-on," Minato said, noting the complete lack of even a small hillock for cover. It was clear the Iwa Ninjas had carefully chosen this supply route.

"We need to finish this quickly," Fugaku added, expressing concern. "If we drag this out, Iwa Ninjas might call for reinforcements. We're deep in the Land of Earth, and we have no backup."

"I'll keep an eye out. Wait for my signal," Nawaki said confidently. He quickly formed a hand seal, and his body began to sink into the ground.

"That's a pretty good technique," Minato remarked as he and the others watched Nawaki disappear. Once he was completely out of sight, they cautiously stepped on the ground to test it, finding it as hard as concrete.

"Seriously? You're stepping on my head?" Nawaki's muffled voice came from below, sounding slightly distorted.

"I was just checking if it would give us away," Minato explained sheepishly, scratching his head. He truly hadn't meant any harm.

"Just get lost and wait for my signal," Nawaki snapped, clearly annoyed. He didn't want any mistakes that might reveal their presence.

"Okay, be careful," Minato said before signaling the group to retreat. Within moments, it was as if no one had ever been there.

Nawaki remained underground, his senses sharp as he waited for the Iwa Ninjas' supply force to arrive. To ensure his strength wouldn't waver, he chewed on several Military Ration Pills.

...

There was no sense of time underground, and Nawaki had no idea how long he had been waiting. The oppressive silence and endless loneliness gnawed at him, making it increasingly difficult to endure.

He regretted not bringing Minato down with him. At least then, he would have had some company. The solitude was almost unbearable.

Finally, one day, the sound of heavy wheels creaking against the ground broke the silence. Nawaki's heart leapt—it had to be the Iwa Ninjas.

Excited but cautious, he held himself in check. He needed to observe and gather information before taking any action. Slowly and quietly, he floated up to the surface and poked his head out to take a look.

Before he could see much, a foot struck him square in the forehead.

"Ouch! What tripped me?" one of the Iwa Ninjas exclaimed, stumbling and falling.

"Enemy attack!" another Iwa Ninja shouted. Nawaki's exposed Forehead Protector had already betrayed his identity. The sudden appearance left the Iwa Ninjas wary, unsure if there were more enemies lurking underground.

In an instant, a barrage of attacks was unleashed in Nawaki's direction.

Surrounded and outnumbered, Nawaki knew he was in trouble. Reacting quickly, he broke through the surface, bit his finger, formed a hand seal, and slammed his hand onto the ground.

Bang!

A Summoning Formation spread across the ground, and a cloud of smoke erupted.

"Hiss~"

From the smoke emerged a massive black snake, its upper body towering over the battlefield. Its huge head flicked its tongue menacingly, and its cold, snake-like pupils radiated murderous intent.

The Iwa Ninjas froze as the enormous serpent appeared before them. Their attacks, including kunai thrown at Nawaki, were all deflected by the snake's powerful tail. A wave of dust spread as the snake lashed out, scattering the Iwa Ninjas like leaves.

"Lord Nawaki," the snake greeted politely, perhaps following instructions from Orochimaru.

"Kuroda, let's go," Nawaki ordered, wasting no time. He pointed forward, directing the giant serpent toward the Iwa Ninjas.

Kuroda lunged, its massive body slithering at incredible speed.

"What a big snake!"

"Be careful!"

"Quickly, dodge!"

Panic rippled through the Iwa Ninjas as they scrambled to evade the charging serpent. The sight of the enormous snake barreling toward them left them shaken and disorganized.

...

Seizing the moment, Nawaki fired a signal flare into the sky, releasing a plume of red smoke that lingered above as a call for reinforcements.

As more Iwa Ninjas gathered behind him, Nawaki stood atop Kuroda's massive head, his gaze cold and unyielding.

If you want to die, don't blame me, he thought.

"Water Release: Great Exploding Water Colliding Wave!"

A torrent of water erupted from Nawaki, crashing into the ground and creating massive waves that swept over the Iwa Ninjas. In an instant, a small oval-shaped lake formed, trapping many of them.

The waves overwhelmed several weaker Iwa Ninjas, who were unable to resist and drowned in the sudden flood. Nawaki's mastery of large-scale Water Release, even in a dry environment, was now undeniable.

"With some skill, it's no wonder he dared to attack us alone," remarked an Iwa Ninja who appeared to be their leader. He hadn't yet grasped the full gravity of the situation, assuming Nawaki was just a skilled but reckless brat.

"Break his Water Release!" the leader commanded, confident that Earth Release techniques would overpower Water Release. Glancing up at Nawaki perched atop the snake, he thought grimly, Konoha really does produce talented shinobi.

"Earth Release: Earth-Style Rampart!"

The Iwa Ninjas poured Chakra into the ground, channeling the earth's natural energy. The rising earth split the lake into several sections, disrupting its unity and causing the water to disperse.

One of the trapped Iwa Ninjas was pulled from the water, choking and sputtering as he lay on the ground, temporarily incapacitated.

Meanwhile, Kuroda had already charged into the Iwa Ninja camp, its massive jaws snapping shut around its enemies. It mirrored the ferocity of Manda, Orochimaru's signature summon.

To enhance the snake's power, Nawaki applied the Added-Weight Rock Technique, which significantly slowed the snake's movements but greatly amplified its destructive force.

With each swing of its massive body, the Black Snake caused devastation. Whether by crushing, smashing, or sweeping its enemies aside, the Iwa Ninjas fell one after another, either killed outright or gravely injured by its relentless assault.

"Surround him!" the leader of the Iwa Ninjas commanded, his voice betraying a hint of panic. The black snake's overwhelming strength had shaken his confidence.

"Earth Release: Moving Earth Core!"

Several Iwa Ninjas quickly formed hand seals, slamming their hands onto the ground. The terrain around Kuroda shifted and rose, trapping it in a deep pit with steep walls.

"Roar~"

The black snake thrashed violently, slamming its massive body against the earthen walls, but the enclosure held firm.

"Quiet, is that the best they've got? This won't hold us," Nawaki muttered calmly, standing atop the snake. Despite being unable to see outside, with even boulders raining down from above, he showed no fear.

Earth Release was one of his specialties—thinking they could restrain him with such a tactic was a mistake.

"Earth Release: Earth Flow Wave!"

Nawaki formed a hand seal, and the ground beneath Kuroda churned like a river of stone, lifting them out of the pit. The boulders falling from above were shattered one by one as Nawaki sliced through them with precision.

"We're here, Nawaki!"

Minato suddenly appeared beside him, and Nawaki glanced up to see Fugaku leading a wave of Konoha Ninjas into the fray. Fugaku's Three Tomoe Sharingan was already active, its crimson glow intimidating the opposition.

"Finish them off."

Nawaki's eyes scanned the battlefield as reinforcements poured in.

"Summoning Technique!"

With a puff of smoke, a giant slug materialized beside the black snake. Though it was only a smaller clone of Lady Katsuyu, it matched the black snake in size.

"Lady Katsuyu, thank you," Minato said as he leapt from the snake's head to the slug's. Together with Nawaki, they charged at the Iwa Ninjas.

Lady Katsuyu remained silent, likely due to her unfamiliarity with Minato, as her contract with him had been an unexpected development. Assessing the battlefield, she opened her mouth and sprayed corrosive liquid across the enemy ranks.

The areas touched by the acid began to dissolve instantly, eliciting agonized screams from the Iwa Ninjas as chaos erupted in their ranks.