26-30

*Chapter 26: Protected by Her*

After Tsunade's little "outburst," the atmosphere at the table became a bit awkward. Shizune stayed quiet, lowering her head as if lost in thought, which was very much in line with her usual demeanor.

"Alright, that should do it!"

Shiro withdrew his hands, wiping the sweat from his forehead.

"What? You actually know how to heal? I thought you were just trying to take advantage of Shizune!" Tsunade exclaimed in surprise, glancing at Shiro.

It was clear from Shizune’s complexion that she had mostly recovered.

Shiro twitched slightly, wishing he could punch Tsunade in the face.

When handling serious matters, Tsunade was dependable and strong, but in private, she could be a bit unhinged.

"He's the genius who learned the Rasengan in just a few minutes. Learning something like healing techniques? Probably just takes one look for him!"

"What! You're a genius? No wonder! To master chakra shape transformation at your age—you're not just a genius, you're a monster!"

Tsunade stopped mid-sentence, realizing something wasn't right, and quickly turned her head away.

"Yo, Tsunade! Long time no see!"

Jiraiya waved with a grin. Behind him stood a blond-haired boy dressed exactly like Shiro.

Tsunade rolled her eyes in annoyance and downed her drink.

Jiraiya looked a bit embarrassed but still shamelessly took a seat.

The already tight seating arrangement for four people became even more cramped with Jiraiya and Naruto joining.

Shizune, ever the polite one, quickly stood up and stepped aside.

"Actually, I’m here for something very important," Jiraiya began.

"To ask me to become the Fifth Hokage?" Tsunade glanced at Jiraiya indifferently.

If Shiro hadn’t shown up, she might have been surprised. But now that Shiro had explained the situation, she was calm as ever.

Though, back when Shiro mentioned it, her mood had been pretty bad.

Jiraiya froze for a moment, then burst into laughter.

"Shiro, huh? Looks like you’ve got everything sorted out already. No wonder you're called the Hero of Konoha!"

Hearing the words "Hero of Konoha," Tsunade's interest was piqued. She set down her drink and turned to Shiro.

"A Hero of Konoha? Now that’s interesting. Tell me more!"

"Oh, so the kid hasn’t told you anything yet? Well, let me fill you in."

The more Tsunade listened, the more impressed she became. A twelve-year-old boy, attacking Orochimaru at a crucial moment and driving him away? Even Tsunade couldn’t help but give him a thumbs up.

Shizune, on the other hand, was gripping her clothes tightly, only letting out a deep breath at the end.

"Not bad! I like this kid!" Tsunade's smile widened, unable to hide her satisfaction.

It was like a parent beaming with pride after their child scored top marks in an exam.

"Shiro, did Jiraiya teach you to get close to me through gambling?" Tsunade suddenly asked.

"No! I wasn’t trying to get close to you!" Shiro instinctively replied.

Tsunade frowned. Her question was casual, and she would’ve forgiven him no matter the reason. After all, Shiro was someone special.

But if he lied, even though it wouldn’t be a big deal, a little knot would still remain in her heart. Their relationship wouldn’t be as close as before.

"I just wanted to win your money!" Shiro admitted.

Tsunade, who had just taken a sip of her drink, spat it all out, her face filled with rage.

"You little brat! I’ll deal with you later!"

She huffed, directing her anger toward Jiraiya.

"Jiraiya! What have you been teaching Shiro to make him like this?"

"I didn’t teach him to gamble!" Jiraiya protested, his mouth twitching. Who would’ve thought Shiro would only pick up the bad habits!

"Is that so..." Tsunade’s sharp gaze bore into Jiraiya, making him sweat nervously.

She then turned to Shiro. "Did Jiraiya ever make you do something you didn’t want to do?"

"No! Definitely not!"

"Actually…"

Before Shiro could finish, Jiraiya’s heart skipped a beat, and he quickly leaned in.

"Think carefully! What did I make you do?"

Bam!

Too late. Tsunade had already punched Jiraiya square in the face.

"Shiro, don’t be afraid. Just tell me everything!"

"Well… Jiraiya-sama asked me to use the Transformation Jutsu to turn into a girl..."

Bam!

Another punch, and this time, a five-meter-wide crater appeared in the ground! If Jiraiya hadn’t dodged quickly, he’d be completely done for.

"Jiraiya! Stop dragging Shiro into your nonsense! He’s under my protection!"

Jiraiya didn’t dare say a word in response, nodding rapidly like a chicken pecking at grain.

"So that’s the Fifth Hokage?" Naruto muttered to himself, watching the scene unfold.

"Yes, I’ll be the next Hokage of Konoha. And who are you, kid?"

"Me? I’m Naruto Uzumaki, the future Hokage!"

Hearing the name "Uzumaki," Tsunade’s body trembled, and her gaze softened.

"Oh? You want to become Hokage? But with Shiro around, do you think you can pull it off?"

"I’ll surpass Shiro and become Hokage for sure!"

Tsunade crossed her arms and chuckled.

Before meeting Shiro, if anyone else had said that, she wouldn’t have completely dismissed the idea.

But Shiro’s talent was terrifying. Learning the Rasengan in minutes, mastering chakra shape manipulation, and possessing a bloodline limit—it was impossible for anyone in this generation to surpass him.

If nothing changed, Shiro would undoubtedly be the Sixth Hokage. Unless, of course, he didn’t want the job.

"You want to be Hokage? Then let me test if you’re qualified!"

Tsunade stepped out into the street, raising a single finger.

"I won’t bully you. I’ll use only one finger. If you can land a hit on me, I’ll acknowledge that you have a chance to become Hokage. How about it? Wanna give it a try?"

Naruto, recalling the violent scene earlier, hesitated, but the idea of only facing one finger gave him a sliver of hope.

"Alright! Let’s do it!"

They stood in the middle of the street. Naruto tightened his headband and crossed his hands.

"Multi-Shadow Clone Jutsu!"

Dozens of Naruto clones appeared, charging at Tsunade from all directions.

"Multi-Shadow Clone Jutsu, huh? Not even close!" Tsunade smirked, and with one finger, she struck the ground.

Boom!

A shockwave rippled out, dispersing all the Naruto clones in a puff of smoke.

"Take this!" Naruto shouted, a blue spinning sphere forming in his hand.

"Rasengan!"

With Tsunade protecting Shiro, and you all protecting me, how about showing some love with more recommendations?

(End of Chapter)

*Chapter 27: Sparring with Tsunade*

“Oh? You’ve learned the Rasengan too? But it seems like you’re still a bit off,” Tsunade said with a dismissive smile.

With Shiro ahead of him, no matter how talented someone else was, they could only play second fiddle.

Naruto Uzumaki let out a roar, Rasengan in hand, and charged at Tsunade at full speed.

Tsunade didn’t dodge or show any intention of avoiding the attack.

Instead, she raised her hand high, waiting for the right moment to strike!

Her fingers struck Naruto’s hand directly, causing the Rasengan to slam into the ground.

It created a massive crater!

Then, Tsunade lightly flicked her finger, hitting Naruto’s forehead protector.

Naruto flew backward, his forehead protector falling to the ground.

“Now you know your limits, right?”

Naruto got up, unwilling to give up, but standing before Tsunade, he felt utterly powerless!

Seeing Naruto’s frustration, Tsunade turned affectionately to Shiro and said, “Shiro, come over here! Let’s spar!”

Shiro, who had been quietly watching from the sidelines, suddenly found himself called into the fray, confused by the situation.

But seeing the eagerness in Tsunade’s eyes, it was clear he couldn’t refuse.

Ding! A choice mission is triggered!

1. Defeat Tsunade! Reward: Rinnegan!

2. Beat Tsunade! Reward: Mangekyō Sharingan!

3. Fight Tsunade and remain undefeated! Reward: Additional synthesis attempts!

Shiro was stunned. The rewards were amazing!

But the first option was out of the question for Shiro, regardless of the reward. Tsunade had entrusted him with the First Hokage’s relics, treating him like family.

Killing Tsunade? Shiro couldn’t do it!

Defeating her was even harder.

A surprise attack could maybe kill her, but beating her outright with his current strength? The odds were nearly zero!

“I choose the third option!”

“Lady Tsunade, Shiro-kun is still injured. You shouldn’t spar with him!” Shizune said anxiously.

Tsunade hesitated, her eyes on Shiro, leaving the final decision to him.

Jiraiya, with a smirk tinged with jealousy, wrapped his arm around Shiro’s neck.

“You’re something else, huh? In just a few days, you’ve charmed both master and student!”

“Jiraiya! You itching for a beating again?”

Jiraiya shuddered and quickly shut his mouth, not daring to say another word!

Shiro scratched his head with an awkward smile and stepped forward.

Although Shiro was now as strong as a Jonin, his actual combat experience was still lacking compared to other ninjas.

With such a perfect sparring partner in front of him, how could he not take the opportunity?

“Lady Tsunade, how about you use just one finger against me?”

Tsunade instantly flared with anger.

“You brat! You took down Orochimaru with a devastating attack! Even though it was a sneak attack, that’s not something a Genin could pull off! And now you want me to go easy on you?! Are you trying to embarrass me?!”

Shiro chuckled awkwardly.

“Alright, just go easy on me, okay?”

“Enough talk! Come at me!”

As soon as the words left her mouth, Tsunade’s stance became alert, while Shiro crossed his fingers and muttered softly.

“Shadow Clone Jutsu!”

In an instant, countless Shiros charged at Tsunade!

“Shadow Clones again? Don’t you know the risks of using that technique?”

Though Tsunade was speaking, her movements didn’t slow down.

She stomped the ground with immense force, unleashing a powerful punch that shattered the ground, sending debris flying and dispelling the charging clones.

But before Tsunade could catch her breath, the ground beneath her feet started to soften into mud, pulling her down.

“Earth Style: Mud Wall Jutsu!”

Tsunade broke out in a cold sweat and quickly slammed her fist into the ground again!

Mud splattered everywhere as the force cleared a patch of solid ground, but it soon started turning into mud again.

Tsunade jumped out of the danger zone just in time, but couldn’t find Shiro anywhere. All she could see were a dozen crows flying in the sky!

“Damn it! Where did that brat go?” Tsunade looked around frantically for Shiro, then suddenly shivered in realization, staring at the crows in fear.

“Wait! Why are there so many crows all of a sudden?!”

At that moment, the crows flew dangerously close to Tsunade, transforming into kunai and shuriken midair, bombarding her from all directions!

Tsunade had no time to dodge. She kicked a boulder into the air, grabbing it with both hands to block the incoming projectiles.

But the shuriken came from every angle, and although she blocked most of them, a few still managed to cut through her clothing.

Just then, a figure sped toward Tsunade, holding a faintly glowing blue sphere.

“Is Shadow Clones and Rasengan standard for Konoha now? When did Genin start mastering such dangerous techniques? But you’re too slow!”

Tsunade smiled confidently and reached out to grab Shiro.

If she hadn’t gone for a grab and instead punched him, Shiro would be in serious trouble.

Although Shiro knew Tsunade was holding back, he wasn’t about to let this chance slip by.

“Flying Thunder Break Technique!”

Just as Tsunade was about to grab him, a flash of yellow light enveloped Shiro, and he vanished.

“Flying Thunder God Technique?!”

Jiraiya’s body trembled. He knew that jutsu all too well! His student, Minato Namikaze, had earned the title of Yellow Flash using that technique!

Minato had spent years mastering it with his immense talent.

Yet Shiro, only twelve years old, had already learned it. Such terrifying talent could only be compared to a god!

“Not bad, but your landing point is a bit off.”

Tsunade’s voice had barely faded when she spun around, reaching for Shiro with a cold, expressionless hand.

Shiro’s pupils shrank.

In an instant, Shiro calculated that Tsunade’s speed and strength far surpassed his own.

The most critical factor: Tsunade’s arm was longer than his!

The chances of landing his attack were less than 10%.

Shiro immediately retreated, quickly putting distance between them.

“How about we call it a day?”

“Yeah, sure.”

Tsunade shrugged indifferently.

It wasn’t that Tsunade thought she’d lose, but rather, she was afraid she might accidentally hurt Shiro if she didn’t hold back.

If her opponent were Jiraiya, Tsunade wouldn’t have stopped until he begged for mercy!

“You over there! Do you see the gap between the two of them?”

Naruto hung his head low, looking even more dejected.

“I can’t compare to Shiro-kun...”

*End of Chapter*

*Chapter 28: Hemophobia*

Naruto Uzumaki actually gave up!

This made Shiro incredulous!

Naruto Uzumaki was known for his resilience. Even when on the verge of defeat, he never gave up hope.

That’s why he eventually became the Seventh Hokage!

But now, he had given up!

Tsunade, on the other hand, nodded in satisfaction. For some reason, the thought of someone surpassing Shiro left her feeling uneasy.

"Admitting defeat is a good thing for you. Some things can be caught up with hard work, but some things can't, no matter how much effort you put in!"

Naruto's whole body trembled, and his head lowered even further!

However, Tsunade didn’t seem to notice Naruto's disappointment. She walked back into the barbecue restaurant without looking back.

"Tsunade-sama, wasn’t that a bit too harsh?"

"What do you know, Shiro? That kid with the Nine-Tails is too stubborn. A little pressure might actually help him! Besides, I have no grudge against him, why would I want to push him too hard?"

Tsunade said irritably and then playfully grabbed Shiro in a headlock.

The next morning, Shiro felt as if the entire world was shaking, like an earthquake.

He could hear Shizune's anxious shouting beside him.

Shiro smiled nonchalantly. Shizune was known for her calm and composed nature; she would never lose her composure like this!

So, this must be a dream!

Since it’s a dream, he could do whatever he wanted!

With this thought, Shiro smirked mischievously and reached out to embrace her.

Suddenly, everything went silent. Even the "earthquake" stopped.

"Shiro-kun, please... Tsunade-sama is missing!"

Shiro jolted awake and quickly opened his eyes.

Shizune stood there, shyly glancing at him, her gaze flickering as if she wanted to say something but hesitated.

Shiro was fully awake now!

According to the storyline, today should be the day Tsunade goes to find Orochimaru, seeking a way to revive two people!

But because of her hemophobia, she nearly fell victim to Kabuto!

Shiro slapped his forehead in frustration. He thought he had convinced Senju Tsunade yesterday, but things were still going according to the original plot!

"Shizune, don't worry! I think I know where Tsunade-sama is!"

Shiro quickly jumped out of bed, threw on his clothes, and rushed out.

Jiraiya and Naruto were already waiting outside.

Especially Jiraiya, whose face was already clouded with concern.

"Shiro! You just said you know where Tsunade went, is that true?"

Jiraiya asked anxiously, even more desperate than Shizune!

For Jiraiya, Tsunade was the love of his life, and he had never given up on her.

Now that Tsunade was missing, how could he not be worried?

"She probably went to find Orochimaru!"

Jiraiya trembled, his face filled with confusion.

"She went to find Orochimaru? Why?"

"To bring two people back to life! Using the same technique he used against the Third Hokage!"

"Damn it! Tsunade’s lost it!"

...

After Shiro mentioned a possible location, Jiraiya pounded his chest hard.

In an instant, both Jiraiya and Naruto vanished in a puff of smoke!

Shiro chuckled bitterly. Of course, they were just shadow clones. With Jiraiya's personality, there was no way he'd just sit and wait quietly!

"Shizune! Let’s go! We can’t wait any longer!"

Not long after, Shiro and Shizune arrived at an open field on the outskirts of town. From a distance, they could see two men and a woman standing there.

"It’s really Tsunade-sama!"

Seeing Tsunade safe and sound, Shizune finally breathed a sigh of relief. She quickly picked up her pace and ran toward them.

"Senju Tsunade! I know not only about your strengths but also your biggest weakness!" Kabuto said smugly, stabbing his hand with a kunai.

He flung his arm, sending a spray of blood toward Tsunade!

Tsunade, who had remained calm until now, suddenly had her pupils shrink to the size of needles. She collapsed to the ground, trembling uncontrollably.

"See that? How can someone with hemophobia be fit to be a ninja, let alone a medical ninja? I’ve heard that your lover died right in front of you!"

Kabuto pushed up his glasses with one hand, a cold smile spreading across his face.

He then picked up the kunai and started walking toward Tsunade step by step.

Bam!

Tsunade was kicked hard, rolling across the ground several times before coming to a stop.

But her trembling didn’t cease; in fact, it worsened as Kabuto’s blood dripped onto the ground near her.

"You're this scared of my blood? I wonder how you’d react to your own!"

Kabuto sneered, raising the kunai high before plunging it down toward Tsunade!

Bam!

Suddenly, Kabuto felt the world spinning as a sharp pain shot through his abdomen, sending him rolling on the ground.

Kabuto scrambled to his feet, glaring at Shiro and Shizune in rage.

"Shiro! You again, you brat!"

Kabuto had been kicked by Shiro yesterday, and now the same spot and the same kick had sent him flying again.

"That's right, it's me! And today, you’re not getting away!"

"Kabuto, come here!"

Orochimaru, standing behind Kabuto, suddenly spoke. Kabuto obediently ran over.

"Blood!"

As soon as Orochimaru gave the word, Kabuto quickly smeared his blood onto Orochimaru’s hand. Orochimaru made a series of hand seals, and a cloud of thick smoke rose up!

Ding! Identified Ninjutsu: Summoning Jutsu! (No contract signed)

Ding! Mission choice triggered!

1. Help Orochimaru capture Tsunade! Reward: Byakugan!

2. Defeat Orochimaru! Reward: Creation Rebirth Jutsu!

3. Kill Orochimaru! Reward: Rinnegan!

Shiro cursed inwardly. The first and third options were pure temptation, designed to mess with him!

There was no way Shiro could betray Tsunade.

And killing Orochimaru? That was highly unlikely!

Even in his weakened state, Orochimaru had techniques like Immortality Jutsu and the Eight-Headed Serpent Technique to save himself.

If he escaped, it wouldn’t be worth it.

I choose option two!

As soon as he made his choice, a black diamond shape appeared on Shiro's forehead, identical to the one on Tsunade’s!

This was Tsunade’s S-rank jutsu, the Creation Rebirth Jutsu!

It stored unused chakra in a seal on the forehead and released it all at once when needed!

This gave enough chakra to use a variety of jutsu.

And it greatly enhanced all physical abilities!

"Shizune, you take care of Kabuto! I’ll deal with Orochimaru!"

"Got it!"

As soon as Shizune agreed, she looked up and saw a massive snake hissing and flicking its tongue.

"Manda! Shiro, I’ll handle these two; you take Tsunade-sama and get out of here!" Shizune said with determination in her eyes.

Shiro walked over to her, lightly flicked her forehead, and said:

"Idiot! Like I’d ever leave you behind!"

Idiot! How could you guys not vote for me?

---

(End of Chapter)

Chapter 29: Battle Against Manda with the Multi-Size Technique

Shizune was still in shock, while Shiro quickly ran off into the distance, diverting Manda's attention.

"Good! Since you want to die, don't blame me for what's coming!"

"Orochimaru, when did you become so weak that you needed me to handle a kid? But even if it's just a kid, I won't accept less than a hundred sacrifices!"

"Fine! Kill him quickly!" Orochimaru growled through gritted teeth.

Seeing Manda move, Shiro frowned.

Although Orochimaru was no longer able to fight, Manda's strength was still on par with half a Kage level, not to be underestimated!

"Earth Style! Mud Wall!"

Suddenly, the ground beneath Manda turned into a swamp, and Manda's massive body sank into it.

However, Manda was just too big. Shiro couldn't create a pit deep enough to fully trap the enormous snake. He could only rely on the mud to limit Manda's movements!

"Damn it! Is this kid really a kid? How can he use such powerful ninjutsu!" Manda roared, glaring at Orochimaru.

"As long as you kill this brat, I'll give you 200 sacrifices!"

"You better keep your word!" Manda’s cold voice carried a hint of joy. "I'll devour this brat first!"

Manda twisted its body with astonishing speed, surrounding Shiro in an instant. With a sinister grin, it lunged at him with its massive jaws!

"Ninjutsu! Multi-Size Technique!"

Boom! 

A puff of smoke erupted, and Shiro’s body instantly enlarged, growing to several times his original size, towering over the battlefield like a mountain. At this moment, Shiro was even taller than Manda! With both hands, he grabbed Manda's upper and lower jaws, holding back the beast's gaping maw with sheer force.

"Orochimaru! Who is this kid?"

"I want to know that myself!"

Summoning all his strength, Shiro hurled Manda away!

However, right after tossing the giant snake, Shiro realized something was wrong. Although the Multi-Size Technique always consumed a lot of chakra, this time, the chakra drain was far beyond normal!

"It seems that the Akimichi clan must have special ways to manage their chakra when using the Multi-Size Technique, or else they’d be completely drained after just a few steps!"

Shiro scoffed. Now wasn't the time to hesitate—he had to take down Orochimaru before his chakra ran out completely!

"Hmm, if I get over there, Granny Tsunade won't be in danger anymore."

With that thought, Shiro grinned and leaped high into the air, aiming a powerful punch at Manda!

With the Multi-Size Technique, Shiro’s weight was astronomical. Adding to that the force of his jump and the impact of his punch, the ground shook violently the moment he landed! A shockwave blasted out, uprooting the surrounding trees, and a massive crater appeared as if struck by a meteor!

Fortunately, he was far enough away from Tsunade and the others; otherwise, the shockwave alone would have been enough to cause serious harm.

Manda narrowly avoided the direct hit, but with its body so close to the ground, the vibrations from the impact traveled through its body.

"Damn you, Orochimaru! I’ll remember this grudge!" Manda roared in frustration before disappearing in a cloud of smoke.

Shiro, however, was in bad shape. He bent over, hands on his knees, gasping for air, his body trembling. What he thought would be an easy strike had drained all his chakra in an instant. Still, the power was terrifying! No wonder the Akimichi clan rarely used other ninjutsu after using the Multi-Size Technique—they probably couldn’t afford to.

With a puff of smoke, Shiro returned to his original size. His chakra was almost completely depleted; he could barely move. He lay on the ground in the shape of a star.

"Hehe, didn’t expect to see you in this state," came Orochimaru's cold laugh as he walked over to Shiro, his eyes gleaming with desire.

"This body of yours is about to be mine!"

Orochimaru’s neck stretched out as he lowered his head toward Shiro’s face. But just as Shiro’s face showed fear, a faint smile appeared on his lips.

"Orochimaru, have you forgotten about Uchiha Itachi?"

Orochimaru paused for a moment, then grinned wickedly. "I don't know how you know about that, but it’s too late now! You’ll soon be part of me!"

Orochimaru lunged at Shiro to bite him, but suddenly, Shiro turned into Uchiha Itachi!

Startled, Orochimaru jumped back several steps.

"Impossible! No, it's a genjutsu! Damn kid!" Orochimaru roared, turning his gaze back to Shiro. But the Shiro that had been lying on the ground was gone, replaced by countless Uchiha Itachis, all staring down at Orochimaru with their Sharingan.

In reality, Shiro was still lying on the ground, his chakra too depleted to cast any ninjutsu. But fortunately, the day before, he had set up a pre-cast genjutsu on Orochimaru. All it needed was a glimpse of the Sharingan to activate, trapping Orochimaru in an illusion where he saw multiple Itachis!

With Orochimaru trapped, Shiro had just enough time to activate the Creation Rebirth technique. The technique only required a tiny bit of chakra, and after about thirty seconds of resting, Shiro had just enough to use it!

The Creation Rebirth technique allowed him to access his stored chakra reserves. Although Shiro hadn’t stored much chakra, it was better than nothing. Black marks disappeared from his forehead, replaced by dark lines that spread across his face. With the extra chakra, Shiro was finally able to stand again.

But before long, Kabuto appeared, clutching a wound and rushing toward them.

Upon seeing Orochimaru, Kabuto frowned.

"Genjutsu?"

Kabuto immediately lowered his gaze, careful not to meet Shiro’s eyes, and quickly threw a kunai at Orochimaru.

The sharp pain snapped Orochimaru out of the illusion.

"Orochimaru-sama, Jiraiya is coming! We have to go now!"

Orochimaru shot Shiro a venomous look, full of unwillingness.

"Let’s go!"

With Orochimaru’s escape, the mission was successfully completed! However, just as Shiro was about to rejoin the others, he stopped. Tsunade’s fear of blood was only cured when she treated Naruto Uzumaki. In her current state, it might be impossible for her to recover from it!

With such a major weakness, she could easily be exploited in the future.

Thinking this, Shiro pulled out a kunai and made a cut on his hand, smearing blood over himself.

"What are you doing?"

Playing dead! I won't get up until you give me a vote!

(End of Chapter)

*Chapter 30: Overcoming Hemophobia*

Shiro was startled by the sudden voice.

His head slowly turned like a robot.

But when he saw that it was Jiraiya, he breathed a long sigh of relief.

"Oh, it's just you, Pervy Sage!"

"What do you mean 'just Pervy Sage'? What are you sneaking around here for?"

Since he'd been caught by Jiraiya, Shiro had no choice but to come clean.

"You know about Tsunade's hemophobia, right?"

"Of course, but if you know she has hemophobia, why are you covered in blood?" Jiraiya suddenly paused, then quickly asked, "Wait, are you trying to use this to treat her?"

"Exactly, so you have to keep this a secret!"

Jiraiya stroked his chin and nodded, then looked at Shiro with a mischievous grin.

"Just this little bit of blood? Let me help you out!"

"No, no! I can do it myself! Aah!"

Before long, Shiro's face was covered in blood, and the ground was soaked in it!

It wasn't all from Shiro, though. After a few punches from Jiraiya, he pulled out a small bottle from his pocket.

The blood on the ground had all been poured out from the bottle!

"Alright, you lie there, and I'll go get Tsunade!"

Jiraiya had admired Tsunade since they were kids. If there was something that could help her, he’d do it without hesitation.

Unfortunately, in the end, the two never got together.

Shiro quickly lay down on the ground, spreading the blood a bit more evenly, making himself look more like a seriously injured patient.

Before long, the sound of four sets of footsteps reached Shiro’s ears, followed by a worried shout.

Shizune rushed to Shiro’s side, pressing her hands against the "wound" on his chest and started using her Healing Palm technique.

Shiro was secretly pleased. He didn’t expect his acting to be this good—it fooled Shizune right away!

"Shiro! You must not die!"

Tears started falling from Shizune's eyes, dripping onto Shiro’s face.

Shiro’s heart skipped a beat!

The blood on his face was fake, and if this continued, he would be exposed soon enough!

He quickly opened his eyes and gave Shizune a signal.

"Shiro, you…"

Shizune, seeing Shiro blinking, was overjoyed, but the tears just wouldn’t stop. In fact, they started flowing even more!

Then she suddenly threw herself on top of him.

Her body shook with sobs, trembling all over.

"Sister Shizune, this is the only way Lady Tsunade can overcome her hemophobia, so we have to keep playing along!" Shiro said weakly, as if he were being crushed by a mountain.

Shizune lifted herself off Shiro and gave him a small nod. Then, she tapped him a few more times!

Immediately, Shiro felt it become harder to breathe. His heart rate slowed down noticeably, and even his vision became blurry!

It really felt like he was gravely injured, as if he was on the brink of death!

"Now that looks more believable," Shizune whispered into his ear.

She then stood up and, with her head lowered, walked toward Tsunade.

From a distance, Tsunade saw the blood on Shiro’s body, and her own body began to tremble uncontrollably.

Shizune, now covered in blood, approached, terrifying Tsunade so much that she could barely stand.

"Shizune… how is Shiro?"

Shizune shuddered, her head hanging lower, tears streaming down her face uncontrollably. Her hands clenched tightly to her clothes, looking utterly unwilling to accept it.

"Shiro… he wants to see you one last time… His injuries are too severe. I can’t treat him, but if it’s you, Lady Tsunade, you can do it!"

Tsunade trembled, glancing at Shiro from afar, her fear only growing stronger.

"I... I can't..."

"Damn it! We should take him to the nearest medical station!" Jiraiya said, filled with sorrow, moving as if to carry Shiro.

"Wait! There’s no time. Let me do it!"

Tsunade said firmly, but her shaking hands betrayed the fear in her heart.

Forcing herself to push through the terror, she took slow, deliberate steps toward Shiro.

The closer she got, the clearer the blood on Shiro became.

The image of Dan Kato seemed to overlap with Shiro, shattering Tsunade’s heart all over again.

Tears welled up in Tsunade’s eyes, threatening to spill over.

"I can do this! I can do it!"

Tsunade took a deep breath, placing her hands on Shiro’s chest.

But the moment her hands touched the blood, all the courage she had gathered instantly vanished! She couldn’t even remember how to channel her chakra!

"Damn it! Why are my hands shaking?! Why can’t I control my chakra?!" Tsunade screamed in frustration, furious at her own helplessness.

"Lady Tsunade, Shiro’s breathing is getting weaker—he might not make it!" Shizune shouted anxiously.

Tsunade’s body shuddered, her lower lip bitten so hard that blood began to trickle down, without her even noticing.

"Shiro! You cannot die!"

Suddenly, Tsunade’s chakra surged. Her once trembling hands became still.

Even her pupils, which had constricted in fear, slowly returned to normal.

"You can't die!"

Shiro could feel a gentle wave of chakra flowing through his body, healing the "wounds" Shizune had set up one by one.

Gradually, Shiro began to feel more comfortable.

It was like basking in the warmth of the sun on a cold winter day.

Finally, as the last "wound" was healed, Shiro’s vision became clear again.

In front of him was a beautiful face, but it had already become streaked with tears.

Tsunade’s tears soaked Shiro’s chest, making him feel like he had just been pulled out of water.

"Lady Tsunade..."

Shiro weakly called out, breaking through Tsunade’s last bit of emotional control, and she burst into sobs.

She threw herself onto him, hugging him tightly, and Shiro felt like he was being crushed by a mountain again!

But this time, it wasn’t because Shiro was pretending to be weak—Shizune had actually left him so weak that even though Tsunade had healed him, he still felt utterly exhausted.

It was like running a 4K marathon at school—he felt sleepy and drained.

Shiro didn’t know if something would happen before, but now he was sure.

If Tsunade kept hugging him like this, he’d pass out from lack of air, or maybe even suffocate!

But Shiro didn’t dare speak. If Tsunade found out he was faking it, he'd be as good as dead!

The happiest person to see Tsunade overcome her hemophobia was Shizune.

However, when she saw how pale Shiro had become, his eyes rolling back, her heart nearly stopped.

"Oh no! Lady Tsunade! Shiro is slipping into unconsciousness again!"

"Quick, Shizune! Help me!"

"It’s too late! Was that just a momentary recovery?"

"Shizune! Do CPR, now!"

"I’ll only get up if a cute girl does CPR! Or if you guys leave me a nice vote!"

(End of chapter)