Naruto: Wooing Tsunade from Day One!

"Lord Third, I have important news," the head of Kumogakure's intelligence division burst into the Raikage's office in a panic.

"Hm? What is it?" The Third Raikage's expression darkened slightly. After the failed attempt to kidnap Kushina and the widespread hunt for Kumogakure's spies in Konoha, he had little patience for more bad news. The worsening condition of the Two-Tailed Jinchuriki, Jonah, only added to his frustration.

"We have reliable information from a bounty hunter that Hatake Kawakaze is coming to Kumogakure with Orochimaru, the Hokage's disciple." The intelligence officer handed over the costly report to the Raikage.

"There is a problem within Konoha," the Raikage muttered, glancing over the report. With little thought, he quickly realized the underlying issue. Missions of this caliber would not be leaked so casually, and the fact that such information had ended up with a bounty hunter made it clear that something was amiss.

He didn't believe this leak came from Hiruzen Sarutobi himself. As a fellow Kage, he understood that the Kage of a Village would never resort to such betrayal. However, someone else in Konoha clearly had it out for Kawakaze Hatake.

"Kawakaze Hatake is too prominent. It's only natural for someone to see him as a threat," the intelligence officer remarked reasonably. It was no surprise that others might seek to bring down the tallest tree in the forest.

"This reeks of revenge. I'll make sure to entertain them well," the Raikage said, clenching his fists with a loud cracking sound.

"Pass the word. The entire village is on alert. Report immediately if any suspicious individuals are found. I will personally reward anyone who locates Kawakaze Hatake or Orochimaru."

A series of orders quickly followed.

"Yes, Lord Raikage," the intelligence officer replied, turning and leaving swiftly. This was no small matter—it was a rare honor for two individuals to warrant putting the entire village of Kumogakure on high alert.

"Kawakaze Hatake, I hope your strength matches your reputation," the Raikage murmured to himself, barely giving Orochimaru a thought.

Unbeknownst to him, Orochimaru, having mastered Senjutsu, was no longer the same as the man who had once been easily defeated by Hanzō. With the power of Senjutsu, his strength had grown immensely, far beyond what the Raikage might expect. It would only be a matter of time before Orochimaru's capabilities became a topic of discussion throughout the ninja world.

...

Kawakaze and Orochimaru enjoyed their stay in the Land of Hot Water for a few days before continuing their journey. They crossed Crescent Moon Island and entered the Land of Lightning.

The Land of Lightning, perched atop a towering mountain, was perpetually shrouded in clouds, with thunder echoing loudly across the skies. Apart from its border with Crescent Moon Island, it was accessible only by water. This isolation had led to the flourishing of water trade, and the country's boat-building craftsmanship was unmatched in the ninja world.

"No wonder Kumogakure's lightning techniques are entirely based on Chakra," Kawakaze remarked as he walked along the road, observing lightning strikes splitting rocks with ease.

"Naturally. The environment influences the techniques ninja specialize in," Orochimaru replied.

"Ninja from the Land of Lightning specialize in Lightning Release. In the Land of Wind, many focus on Wind Release. The Land of Earth is synonymous with Earth Release, and the Land of Water emphasizes Water Release."

"In contrast, the Land of Fire is unique in practicing all five types of Chakra Releases. While we are known as Konohagakure, Wood Release has disappeared," Orochimaru continued, his tone instructional.

"However, it's possible that Wood Release might reappear—through you," he added, glancing at Kawakaze.

"With Tsunade and me, it's only a matter of time," Kawakaze said confidently. He believed in their combined abilities. Both he and Tsunade were capable of independently studying Hashirama's Cells, and together, their combined efforts were far greater than the sum of their parts.

"Don't get too excited. We haven't started the live experiments yet," Orochimaru said. He had already discussed this with Tsunade, but they had yet to decide where to source live subjects for their experiments.

Prisoners on death row were one of their tentative options, as Tsunade could more easily manipulate Fugaku, given that the prison was under their control.

"It's fine. I have confidence in you. Just tell me to go ahead—I won't say no," Kawakaze said, patting his chest with a fearless expression, as if willing to sacrifice himself for science.

In truth, it was pure flattery. He knew neither of them would ever joke about putting his life at risk.

"I think that's fine. I'm just afraid Tsunade won't be willing to let me do it," Orochimaru said, eyeing Kawakaze's exaggerated act. Instead of appreciating it, he hinted at his readiness to personally send Kawakaze to the operating table.

"Thank you very much!" Kawakaze snapped, shooting him a dirty look. Did Orochimaru really see him as a guinea pig?

"You said it yourself. I didn't force you," Orochimaru replied with a laugh, clearly enjoying his upper hand this time.

...

The two men concealed their figures and quickly navigated through the mountains, heading straight for Kumo Ninja Village.

When they arrived near the village, they noticed Kumo Ninja checkpoints stationed everywhere. Suspicious individuals were strictly interrogated. It was clear that their movements had been exposed.

"Is the position of Hokage really that important?" Orochimaru muttered. He had no interest in power and couldn't comprehend Hiruzen Sarutobi's despicable behavior. Was this the true face of his Sensei—the Third Hokage, who claimed to act for the good of the village?

To maintain his position, Hiruzen had shown he was willing to abandon the village's heroes and even his own disciples without hesitation.

"A person blinded by power has no heart," Kawakaze said pointedly, criticizing Hiruzen Sarutobi sharply. He had become a parasite feeding off Konohagakure, including its clans. Over time, the village's strength would only continue to decline.

In the original story, the Third Shinobi World War had nearly brought Konoha to the brink of destruction. It was hard not to see Hiruzen as anything but a "competent" Hokage in the most ironic sense.

"You planned this, didn't you?" Orochimaru suddenly asked, his tone serious. Kawakaze hesitated briefly, feeling a pang of guilt.

"Yes, it was part of my plan," Kawakaze admitted with a smile. "I'm going to help Tsunade rise." He explained the entire plan to Orochimaru. There was no point in keeping secrets from someone as perceptive as him.

"I was going to contact an informant, but now we'll have to rely on ourselves," Orochimaru said, steering the discussion to their next steps.

As a disciple of Hiruzen Sarutobi, Orochimaru had access to much classified information, but Kawakaze lacked knowledge of Konoha's spies in Kumogakure and didn't even have their contact details.

However, Orochimaru was now reluctant to reach out to Konoha's spies. There was a chance they had already been compromised. If so, contacting them would expose their presence immediately, a risk too great to take.

"It's better to rely on oneself than others. Let's figure out a way to infiltrate first," Kawakaze said, watching the meticulous inspection process of the Kumo Ninja. The Transformation Technique was useless here—any Chakra fluctuations would be easily detected under close scrutiny.

"Our intelligence has already spread throughout the ninja world, so we'll need to disguise ourselves," Orochimaru said.

To Kawakaze's astonishment, Orochimaru pulled out a variety of items from a storage scroll. Among the items were even women's clothes, proving that his Aunt Snake's reputation was well-earned.

"I'm not wearing women's clothes," Kawakaze said firmly when he noticed Orochimaru holding up the garments with a mischievous smile.

"What are you thinking? I bought these for Pakura," Orochimaru replied. "Do you like them?"

A faint, unidentifiable smile crossed Orochimaru's lips, making it hard to tell if he was joking. Kawakaze had a sneaking suspicion that if he wore women's clothes, Orochimaru would use it as blackmail material for life.

"It looks good, it looks good," Kawakaze replied perfunctorily, relieved when Orochimaru put the clothes back in the scroll.

Then he saw Orochimaru putting on a wig.

"Why are you carrying all this nonsense around?" Kawakaze asked, genuinely puzzled. Who in their right mind carried such things on a mission?

"It's all from my previous missions," Orochimaru explained. "I didn't expect it to come in handy this time."

Hearing this, Kawakaze finally understood. Not everyone shared his relaxed approach. Since becoming wealthy, Kawakaze rarely took on missions, unlike Orochimaru.

"You pick a few things. There's still some paint left in this bottle—enough for us," Orochimaru said as he inserted contact lenses, his pupils returning to a normal appearance.

"I'll just keep my disguise on. You go in and find somewhere unoccupied," Kawakaze suggested. "I'll fly over using the Flying Thunder God Technique. You're a smaller target alone, so it'll be easier for you to blend in."

Kawakaze had crafted a more reasonable excuse, knowing Orochimaru might otherwise refuse. It truly was easier for one person to move unnoticed than two.

"You're so good at saving yourself trouble," Orochimaru muttered as he finished painting his face, his appearance now strikingly similar to someone from Kumogakure. However, his slight frame still seemed a bit out of place.

"Hey, you're pretty good at this," Kawakaze replied with a smirk.

Bang!

Kawakaze transformed into a burly man, rippling with exaggerated muscles. At first glance, he appeared to be the stereotypical simpleton—large, strong, and not particularly bright. His new form was more than a size larger than his original self.

"Okay, come back in half an hour," Orochimaru instructed. His disguise was complete, with a wig, a painted face, and a prominent scar across his cheek. Combined with his cold, sharp gaze, he now exuded an aura that screamed "not to be messed with."

"You're not afraid something will go wrong?" Kawakaze asked, slightly worried. Orochimaru's disguise seemed a bit over the top, more like he was trying to intimidate his way in than blend in.

"What do you know? This is how Kumogakure operates. The more reckless I look, the more I fit in," Orochimaru said confidently. His experience dealing with different villages had taught him their distinct styles. Kumogakure, with its low number of Missing-nin and minimal scandals, thrived on boldness. Recklessness was the key. Even the future Fourth Raikage had a reputation for audacious behavior.

"I admit you have a point. Have a safe trip," Kawakaze conceded, watching as Orochimaru confidently strode toward the checkpoint.

Sure enough, Orochimaru's audacious demeanor didn't raise suspicion. The Kumo Ninja waved him through without a second glance, his natural confidence leaving no room for doubt. Kawakaze silently gave him a thumbs-up.

Half an hour later, Kawakaze timed it perfectly and reappeared beside Orochimaru. They had found an excellent hiding spot and managed to slip out of the remote street unnoticed.

Once outside, the two seamlessly blended into the crowd of Kumogakure. The initial infiltration was complete.

Now came the real challenge: figuring out how to cause trouble.

However, Kawakaze had his own plans—something he wanted to obtain but it would require a bit of risk!