Naruto: Wooing Tsunade from Day One!

Hokage's Office.

"Lord Third, Kawakaze Hatake requests an audience."

A shadow guard appeared in the office. Hiruzen was in the middle of discussing compensation matters with Homura.

Though the Second Shinobi World War had ended, the families of fallen ninja still required support. Compensation remained a top priority and a significant source of profit for the Sarutobi Clan. Of course, he would never voice such thoughts to Homura directly. It was something best kept in the shadows.

It was enough that he understood it, and the two shared an unspoken bond—completely aligned, with their interests intertwined. There had once been a third in their circle, Koharu, but she had since been excluded.

"Kawakaze?" Homura's tone held a note of puzzlement. Kawakaze rarely came here. Even the funds to purchase the land initially had come from Tsunade.

"Let's see what he wants," Hiruzen said with a frown, not expecting Kawakaze to seek him out.

"Yes."

The shadow guard withdrew, and soon after, a knock came at the door.

"Come in," said Hiruzen. Kawakaze entered, his expression calm and smiling.

"Lord Third, Homura Counsellor," Kawakaze greeted the two men politely.

"Our great hero from Konohagakure."

"It's about time you came to see me. Is there something you need?"

Hiruzen's old face carried a natural smile, betraying no sign of the wariness he felt toward Kawakaze.

"I'm afraid I'm no hero. It's all for the village," Kawakaze replied smoothly. "I do have something to discuss with you today."

Kawakaze lowered his posture, his demeanor respectful, though inwardly, he was cursing the two old foxes before him.

"Just say it, I'll do it for you," Hiruzen said with an air of magnanimity, his favoritism apparent.

"Then I'll get straight to the point, and you mustn't refuse," Kawakaze began, his tone earnest.

"A while ago, Kumogakure tried to abduct Kushina. Are you saying we should just let this go?"

The room fell silent. The abduction incident had already passed, and Kushina had been safely rescued. Bringing it up now caused the expressions of Hiruzen and Homura to change.

The war had only recently ended, and neither wanted to provoke conflict with other major nations so soon.

"What do you think?"

Hiruzen didn't immediately confirm or deny whether the matter was over. Acknowledging it would only undermine his own authority. He wasn't even considering retaliating after Kumogakure's provocation. If he openly admitted this, and the villagers found out, it wouldn't remain a trivial issue.

"Although my personal strength isn't yet strong enough, I am willing to go to Kumogakure," Kawakaze said firmly. "Let them know that we from Konoha are not the meek type. Otherwise, something like this will happen again next time."

Inwardly, Kawakaze cursed the old fox again. There wasn't a single flaw in his words.

"Isn't this a bit dangerous?" Hiruzen took a slow drag on his cigarette, his mind racing.

"For the reputation of the village, this is nothing," Kawakaze replied, his tone filled with righteous determination.

Hiruzen couldn't help but feel a grudging admiration. He almost wanted to commend Kawakaze for embodying the Will of Fire. But that same drive made Kawakaze a threat to his own position.

"What are you planning to do?" Homura interjected, seeing that Hiruzen was lost in thought.

"What else is there for me to do after they tried to capture Kushina?" Kawakaze said bluntly. "Wherever they have a problem, I will target it."

Although he didn't explicitly mention the Tailed Beast, both elders immediately understood the implication.

"That's a good idea, but it won't be easy to pull off," Homura said, both buying time and stating the truth. In any village, Jinchūriki were always heavily guarded.

"Don't worry about that. You can trust my abilities," Kawakaze said, his gaze steady and filled with confidence.

After considering Kawakaze's track record, Homura couldn't deny his potential for success.

What a fearsome opponent!

Just as he was pondering how to proceed, Hiruzen spoke up.

"Okay, I promise. This is a super-secret S-rank mission. No one but you and Counsellor Homura will know about it. Go with peace of mind."

Hiruzen had considered the matter at length before finally agreeing. With a solemn expression, he handed Kawakaze a letter symbolizing the super-secret S-rank mission.

"Thank you, Lord Third. I'll get ready then," Kawakaze said with apparent excitement. "I won't come back to say goodbye when I leave."

Kawakaze accepted the letter with both hands, his demeanor full of enthusiasm.

"Safety first. It doesn't matter if the mission fails," Hiruzen said, his tone sincere as he looked at Kawakaze.

Who wouldn't want to praise such a good example?

"I'll be careful. Then I'll go first," Kawakaze replied, turning to leave.

After closing the office door, Kawakaze glanced at the letter in his hands, his expression turning strange. A soft laugh escaped him as he shook his head and tucked the letter into his pocket.

Back in the office, the conversation between Hiruzen and Homura shifted from the topic of pensions to Kawakaze's mission.

"This little schemer is quite the actor," Homura said sarcastically.

"Kumogakure is not an easy place to enter," Hiruzen replied, sitting in his chair and gazing out the window with a thoughtful expression.

The two seemed slightly out of sync.

Meanwhile, Kawakaze left the Hokage building and headed straight to Orochimaru's house, which happened to be closed that day.

"Kawakaze," Orochimaru greeted, leading him into the living room and motioning for him to sit.

Pakura, who was nearby, brought over a pot of tea before quietly leaving. It was clear she had a knack for this sort of thing.

"Nice training."

Kawakaze's first words were light and casual, avoiding anything serious.

"Let's get down to business."

Orochimaru sighed inwardly. He truly didn't want to deal with Kawakaze right now. Training? As if. Pakura could probably teach him better skills—like how to handle his wallet.

"Haha, let's get down to business," Kawakaze said, laughing at Orochimaru's uncomfortable expression.

"I just came from the Hokage Building. The mission to Kumogakure has been classified as a super S-rank mission."

"Oh? So you're going to set off?" Orochimaru asked, raising an eyebrow. He had assumed Kawakaze had forgotten about the mission, not expecting him to be departing so soon.

"Yes, we're leaving tomorrow."

"Is that fine?" Kawakaze 's eyes briefly flicked toward Pakura, and he didn't miss the opportunity.

"Fuck you, it's fine," Orochimaru snapped, finally losing his patience. He cursed his poor judgment in befriending someone like Kawakaze.

"Alright, then," Kawakaze said, smirking.

"Are you sure you don't need a few days to spend some time with her?" Kawakaze leaned forward slightly, clearly enjoying the teasing.

"I'll spend some time with you," Orochimaru retorted sharply.

A snake suddenly darted from Orochimaru's sleeve, biting Kawakaze on the nose.

"Haha, don't get angry. It hurts the body," Kawakaze said, unfazed. He wickedly grabbed the snake, holding it firmly in his hand.

Ever since befriending Orochimaru, Kawakaze's fear of snakes had plummeted.

"Yo, this is still a non-venomous one."

"Didn't you say you don't keep non-venomous snakes?"

Kawakaze remembered asking Orochimaru for a snake to eat back in the Land of Rain.

"Can't I keep the ones I've recently raised?" Orochimaru retorted, quickly snatching the snakes back, afraid Kawakaze might take them away. These were a new species he had been researching.

"Fine, you're the boss," Kawakaze said, wiping his hands on his clothes.

"If you're fine, just go. I feel bad just watching you." The more Orochimaru looked at Kawakaze, the more annoyed he became, wishing he could make him leave immediately.

"After all, it was my mistake. If you want me to go, I'll go."

Kawakaze put on a sad face and stood up. Except for not moving his feet, the performance was flawless.

"Meeting you is my bad luck. I'll treat you to snake soup."

Orochimaru looked at Kawakaze, helplessness filling his eyes. Dealing with such a gluttonous friend was exhausting.

"That would be too embarrassing," Kawakaze said while licking his lips and sat down again.

From afar, Pakura watched in confusion, thinking the two were about to fight.

"You, feeling embarrassed?" Orochimaru said, staring at Kawakaze. He had never seen anyone more shameless.

...

After a delicious meal of snake soup with Orochimaru, Kawakaze returned home content. They were set to depart for Kumogakure the next day.

That evening, Tsunade visited the Hatake Clan. The two sat together in a quiet room, sipping tea and chatting softly.

"I think what you're doing is too risky," Tsunade said, her concern evident. She still didn't fully understand Kawakaze's actions. Even if they avoided informing Hiruzen Sarutobi, Kawakaze and Orochimaru could easily proceed in secret without issues. Hiruzen would never officially declare them as defectors from Konoha.

Whether the villagers believed it or not, the defection of these two would undoubtedly be a piece of news welcomed by the other nations in the ninja world.

"It's not really risky. Didn't you think he wouldn't act like that?"

"Maybe I just think too badly of people." Kawakaze took a sip of tea, his tone calm.

Even if things turned for the worse, he believed in the strength he and Orochimaru shared.

There was no reason why something Orochimaru managed to accomplish alone in the original events couldn't be done now with the two of them working together.

"No matter what, I will always worry about you." Tsunade looked into Kawakaze's eyes, her gaze full of tenderness. She didn't want to see the man before her hurt in any way—apart from the marks she herself had left, which she considered signs of love rather than harm.

"Don't worry, I know what I'm doing," Kawakaze reassured her.

"Stay the night."

Kawakaze didn't want to continue the conversation and had his own reasons for his actions. With a playful expression, he stood up and sat down beside Tsunade, his hand resting naturally on her waist.

"I was worried about you, and you..."

"Mm-mm~" Tsunade's words were cut off as Kawakaze covered her mouth. He lifted her up effortlessly, carrying her toward the bedroom.

"Put me down; I can walk!" Tsunade protested, lightly pounding her hands on his chest.

"It's fine; they can't see us," Kawakaze said, glancing around. The Hatake Clan Samurai outside seemed engrossed in stargazing.

Bang! As the door clicked shut, faint moans echoed softly from within the house.

...

"I'm going on a mission tomorrow."

"If you have any business at home, you can contact me through Nawaki."

Orochimaru had just finished researching Scorch Release and was speaking to Pakura.

"Okay, I got it." Pakura nodded, though there was a hint of heartbreak in her response.

Hehad never experienced this strange emotion before; Orochimaru had always been free to go on missions whenever he wanted.

"I've left some money in the cabinet in my room, so help yourself if you need it," Orochimaru said. He personally had little use for money, and his laboratory was well-equipped. In the original story, his reliance on Danzo had been a financial necessity, but now he was far better off.

"Come back early, or I'll spend it all," Pakura said, looking up into his piercing snake-like eyes.

"Haha, I'll try my best," Orochimaru replied, laughing at her serious expression. A quiet trace of warmth stirred in his heart.