Naruto: Wooing Tsunade from Day One!

The next day, Kawakaze and Tsunade woke up from their sleep. They released their tightly clasped hands at the same time, immediately noticing the unpleasant smell of sake on each other.

"Hurry up and wash up."

Both wore the same disgusted expression.

"Haha, I'll go back first." Kawakaze chuckled. There were no clothes here, so he naturally had to go home.

"Go ahead. I'll bring Orochimaru with me later, and we'll meet at the hospital," Tsunade said, recalling what she had mentioned the previous night.

"Okay."

Before leaving, Kawakaze kissed Tsunade's cheek and then disappeared from her sight.

The next moment, he appeared in his own bedroom. Gathering his clothes, he headed to the bathroom. After washing up, he made his way to the dining room. Sakumo and Nayuki were already eating with the kids.

"Orochimaru is back," Sakumo said as soon as he opened his mouth, barely pausing to swallow the fried dough stick he was chewing.

Last night, after hearing the news that Kushina had returned, he had come home early to spend time with his wife and child. Otherwise, he would have been drinking sake with the others.

"Hm," Kawakaze responded, sitting down to join them.

"So, his training in Senjutsu has been successful?" Sakumo asked, his curiosity evident. He was quite the gossip, and he knew that Kawakaze and Orochimaru would definitely have discussed this topic.

In some ways, the two brothers shared a similar sense of curiosity.

"He said he has made some progress," Kawakaze repeated Orochimaru's exact words.

"So he's mastered it pretty well." Sakumo, however, didn't truly believe that Orochimaru was only at that level.

"You're not going to let yesterday's incident go, are you?" He knew his younger brother too well.

"I'll go pay them a visit. We're not pushovers," Kawakaze said casually while eating his breakfast, though his words carried a weight that was anything but casual.

"I'll go with you if you want." When brothers stand united, their strength knows no bounds.

Nayuki didn't try to stop them, though a look of worry inevitably crossed her face.

"No need, just stay home with your wife and Kakashi," Kawakaze said decisively. He had to leave, and Tsunade still needed someone by her side.

"That's fine." Sakumo, guessing that Kawakaze already had help lined up, didn't insist.

After finishing breakfast, Kawakaze stood and left. Using the Flying Thunder God Technique, he arrived at the hospital quickly. Tsunade and Orochimaru weren't there yet, so Kawakaze headed to the director's office to wait.

After about half an hour, he sensed Tsunade's arrival. He stood and appeared beside her as she and Orochimaru walked toward the research lab, chatting.

"What are you talking about, so happy?" Kawakaze asked. His sudden appearance didn't surprise the two of them.

"Just chatting," Tsunade said first, brushing off the topic. She was reminiscing about funny moments from their childhood—stories she didn't want Kawakaze to hear.

"Haha, you're late," Orochimaru teased, though he couldn't help feeling disappointed about missing out on more stories of Tsunade's childhood embarrassment.

"Forget it. Don't be surprised later," Kawakaze said with a raised eyebrow, knowing Tsunade's current research could shock even the ninja world.

"I'm not that easily surprised," Orochimaru replied, skeptical. He prided himself on being well-informed and didn't believe the two could produce anything that would truly astonish him.

...

The three of them arrived at the laboratory in no time, and Tsunade didn't kick Kawakaze out.

"Hurry up," Kawakaze impatiently urged, motioning for Tsunade to show something.

"What's the rush?" Tsunade shot him an angry glare. She knew he was itching to show off.

When Tsunade revealed the cultivated finger of Hashirama and the Tailed Beast's cells, Kawakaze's eyes lit up. He could barely contain his excitement and wanted to show Orochimaru immediately. However, Tsunade's threatening gaze kept him in check.

"This is?" Orochimaru asked, his expression unchanged as he examined the finger. He had seen far too much death over the years for something like this to faze him at first glance.

"This is a finger cultivated by fusing the cells of the First Hokage with my own cells," Kawakaze said proudly, watching as Orochimaru's expression shifted from calm to shocked.

"What?" Orochimaru's reaction filled Kawakaze with satisfaction.

"You heard him right—I fused them."

"If this finger stabilizes without problems, we can conduct human experiments," Tsunade added. Her words made Orochimaru believe even more in the legitimacy of their work.

Orochimaru understood the significance of moving from mere hypotheses to actual human experiments. It was a monumental difference, bypassing the need to force life into risky trials.

"Remarkable research," he said, slightly moved. "You've managed to complete the experiment that Sensei abandoned." Orochimaru was all too familiar with the lives lost in attempts to realize this very experiment.

"What's the other one?" he asked, shifting his attention to the second petri dish.

"These are the cells of Chōmei, the Seven Tails," Tsunade explained calmly. "I plan to cultivate a part of the Tailed Beast's body. In the future, it can be sealed into the human body, allowing for the use of some of the Tailed Beast's abilities."

Her tone remained flat, unsurprised by her own research, but Orochimaru's intrigue was clear.

"A grand gesture." Orochimaru couldn't find adequate words to describe the shock in his heart at this moment. These two extraordinary experiments—how could they proceed without his involvement?

"I will definitely help you complete the experiment," Orochimaru said to Tsunade with utmost sincerity.

"I knew you'd be interested," Kawakaze said, patting Orochimaru on the shoulder.

"You really do understand me." Orochimaru smiled and licked his lips, clearly enthralled. This was indeed a fascinating place.

"Can I take a look at the experiment records first?" Orochimaru asked, already eager to dive in. Kawakaze, however, was beginning to feel like a hindrance.

"You can go now," Tsunade said, handing Orochimaru her experiment records and decisively giving Kawakaze the order to leave.

"Can't I just take a look?" Kawakaze tried to protest.

"What do you think?" Tsunade countered, her tone firm. Orochimaru stood by, arms folded, watching with a knowing smile.

"Fine, I'll go," Kawakaze said, conceding defeat. He left the laboratory and sat down outside.

It was just some knowledge—what was so great about it? He didn't care, or so he told himself. Watching Orochimaru and Tsunade collaborate, he started to regret not having the talent for this kind of work. Doing research with Tsunade might have been a rewarding experience.

As Kawakaze let his thoughts wander, he slowly drifted off to sleep.

When Tsunade woke him up, he realized it was already noon.

"You slept pretty soundly," Tsunade remarked, clearly planning to tease him, but fortunately, Kawakaze woke up in time.

"I felt like something was pressing down on me last night, so I didn't sleep well," Kawakaze quickly made up an excuse. Orochimaru glanced at Tsunade a few times, a sly expression on his face.

So, this is what you're like, Tsunade, taking advantage of someone in a vulnerable state, he thought silently.

"I didn't." Tsunade couldn't stand Orochimaru's strange gaze and immediately spoke in self-defense.

"Haha, I didn't say anything," Orochimaru replied with an evil laugh, just as Kawakaze earned himself Tsunade's iron fist of love.

"I'll go first and find Sensei," Orochimaru said, his thoughts still lingering on Kekkei Genkai.

"Okay, go ahead," Tsunade responded, while Kawakaze nursed the pain from his earlier beating.

"See you this afternoon," Orochimaru said as he turned and left. Kawakaze then led Tsunade to the Hatake Clan for lunch.

When Orochimaru arrived at the Hokage Building, it felt like years had passed since his last visit. The environment outside was a stark contrast to the Ryūchi Cave.

After taking a brief look at the building, he walked inside.

"Lord Orochimaru," the ninjas he passed greeted him respectfully.

When he reached the Hokage's office, he knocked on the door.

"Come in."

"Sensei, I'm back," Orochimaru said upon entering, greeting Sarutobi Hiruzen. His expression was far more restrained than the joy he'd shown when reuniting with Kawakaze.

"It's good that you're back. I see your training has been successful," Hiruzen said, clearly pleased. Among his three disciples, Orochimaru was the one he was most satisfied with, though in recent years, his closeness with Kawakaze and Tsunade had grown noticeably.

"Well, I came to see Sensei today about something."

"Speak." Hiruzen frowned slightly, curious about what Orochimaru wanted. It wasn't often that he asked for anything.

"I want the acting Kazekage Pakura," Orochimaru stated. "I want to study her Kekkei Genkai. If I succeed, we at Konoha can also cultivate our own ninja with Kekkei Genkai."

He laid out his demands and the potential benefits succinctly. Whether to agree or not was up to Hiruzen Sarutobi.

Hiruzen took a long draw from his pipe, falling into deep thought. After a prolonged silence, he finally spoke.

"How confident are you?"

"I won't take her life, so I can't say how confident I am," Orochimaru replied, straightforward as always, without exaggerating the potential of his project.

"I can give you the person, but there is a time limit. Is one year enough?" Hiruzen wasn't inclined to make things too difficult for Orochimaru, but it was impossible to allow him to keep such an important captive indefinitely.

"Yes," Orochimaru answered without hesitation. If more time was needed, he could always ask for an extension later.

"Then go and get her." Hiruzen wrote an order, sealed it, and handed it to Orochimaru.

"Thank you, Sensei. I'll be going, then."

"Mm."

Orochimaru tucked the order into his robe and left the Hokage's office, heading directly to the Anbu headquarters. After passing through numerous checkpoints, he arrived at the Anbu prison.

Here, no one recognized Orochimaru personally; they only recognized the authority of the Hokage. The masked Anbu operatives didn't reveal their identities, and Orochimaru wasn't interested in guessing. His focus was entirely on retrieving Pakura.

When he reached her cell, Orochimaru handed over the Hokage's warrant. The Anbu officer promptly opened the door. Pakura, sitting inside, looked at Orochimaru with a wry smile.

Since her arrival in Konohagakure, she had been kept in complete isolation. Though her meals were provided daily, the darkness and confinement were driving her mad.

"Do you know me?" Orochimaru asked, studying her. He had never met her before but knew from Kawakaze that she was a ninja with a strong sense of duty. Now, however, she appeared haggard, reeking of uncleanliness, with no trace of her former beauty.

"Disciple of the Third Hokage, Orochimaru," Pakura replied. She was well aware of who he was; his name and reputation were known across all nations.

"It's good that you know me. Now come with me," Orochimaru said, holding his nose as he gestured for her to follow.

Pakura didn't try to speculate on what awaited her. She just wanted to leave the suffocating darkness of her cell and see the blue sky and white clouds once more.

As she followed Orochimaru out of the Anbu prison and into the streets of Konoha, a sense of confusion began to settle over her. Where was he taking her?