Konoha: Tsunade, I Am the Hokage! [17]

The next day, Tanzaku Town.

Jiraiya returned to the Pavilion.

“Mr. Matsuyama, here’s your IOU. Next time you come to Konoha, bring this along. I'll have the money ready.”

“You…you’re going to pay for her?” Matsuyama Kōji asked hesitantly.

Jiraiya chuckled lightly. “Don’t worry. I'm just transferring her debt from your books onto mine.”

Matsuyama paused, then cautiously replied, “It might not be wise to cover gambling debts for someone like her. Gamblers of her caliber lose wherever they go—even you might struggle to handle it in the long run.”

Behind them, Kagenori was struggling to keep a straight face, desperately resisting the urge to glance back at Tsunade.

Jiraiya cleared his throat. “I’ll try to talk some sense into her.”

“No use! I’ve seen gamblers come and go, all swearing they'll quit, but they always sneak back in the end.”

Matsuyama sounded sincere—unusual honesty for a casino owner.

Jiraiya laughed awkwardly. “Let's...uh...not dwell on that. When you visit Konoha next, let’s have a proper chat.”

“It’ll probably be my uncle, Matsuyama Ichirō. He handles the eastern trade, including our dealings with Gato.”

Jiraiya nodded. “No problem, we'll stay in touch.”

“Great. And when you get back, please advise your friend to stop gambling. Honestly, her luck is awful. It's pretty rare to see someone never win a single bet—”

But suddenly—

BOOM!

The door behind them exploded inward.

Tsunade stood there, face dark as thunder, the green coat emblazoned with "Gamble" practically glowing.

Her sharp gaze pierced Matsuyama as she growled, “Hey! I’ve tolerated you long enough!”

“Calm down, Lady Tsunade! He’s just a casino boss; don’t stoop to his level!”
Shizune desperately grabbed onto her.

She seemed practiced at this—so practiced it was heartbreaking.

Kagenori quickly averted his eyes, pretending to study the shattered doorway instead.

That chakra just now—it’s the [Superhuman Strength Technique]!

Tsunade used it effortlessly, as naturally as breathing. Clearly, she’d mastered it.

That’s got to be at least master-level, he thought enviously.

Matsuyama Kōji cowered behind Jiraiya, pale with fright.

This woman’s strength is terrifying!

Even Kakashi, despite his mask, was obviously stunned.

The gap between Tsunade’s beautiful appearance and her destructive power was far too great.

“We'll take our leave now!”

Jiraiya quickly dragged Tsunade away.

If they stayed any longer, they’d have to pay for repairs!

Matsuyama didn’t dare pursue.

After the dust settled, it clicked.

A powerful kunoichi, gambling addict, notoriously unlucky, and friendly with Jiraiya…

There was only one person who fit all of that:

One of the legendary Sannin—
Tsunade.

A chill ran down his spine.

He’d heard of this legendary princess—strong, yes, but also known for a fierce temper.

What luck!

He'd survived another day as a casino owner.

…

“Tsunade, your temper really is… And anyway, he wasn't wrong!”

Jiraiya couldn’t help himself.

Tsunade shot him a cold look and said nothing.

She knew her gambling luck was terrible, but she had her reasons—some too personal to explain.

For example:

Whenever her luck improved, someone she cared about suffered misfortune.

She preferred bad luck. At least it meant those she cared about were safe.

She kept silent.

After walking a while toward Konoha, the group stopped to rest.

Tsunade suddenly glanced toward Kagenori.

“Hey, brat! Come here.”

“Huh?”

Kagenori looked around, then realized she was addressing him.

He approached respectfully.

“Tsunade-sama.”

“Sit. What kind of jutsu do you know?”

Kagenori listed the techniques he'd mastered.

Tsunade frowned as she listened.

Eventually, she asked, puzzled, “No genjutsu?”

“No.”

Kagenori shook his head.

Tsunade raised an eyebrow.

“Why not? Didn’t they pass down your family’s techniques?”

Senju Tōka’s genjutsu was famously powerful—even shinobi from other nations had feared it.

Kagenori explained, “My grandmother’s genjutsu was strong, but my parents weren’t talented enough to master it. We have some scrolls at home, but I haven't studied them.”

Those illusions weren’t particularly powerful, but they were difficult to master—not a priority for now. He'd chosen taijutsu training first.

Tsunade nodded, then asked again, “How long have you studied Water Release?”

“Only about half a month. I'm still not very good.” Kagenori answered sheepishly.

Tsunade went silent.

This kid…

Half a month and he's at this level? That’s already genius-tier talent, and he's acting humble?!

Her expression turned sour.

“You looking to get hit, kid?”

“As a ninja, I should always strive for perfection. I'm still far from good enough,” Kagenori replied earnestly.

Jiraiya silently gave him a thumbs-up.

Brave kid.

He silently lit a candle in Kagenori’s honor.

Tsunade raised an eyebrow, but didn’t strike out. Instead, she smiled widely, gently patting his shoulder.

“You said it yourself. Even with hemophobia, my experience and skills are valuable. I think I'll start testing that on you.”

“Thank you, Tsunade-sama,” Kagenori replied respectfully.

He knew Tsunade’s "testing" wouldn’t be easy—probably painful, even.

But countless people would kill for a chance to learn from Tsunade herself.

Such an opportunity was rare; any hardship would be worth it—

Beside them, Kakashi and Kurenai stared enviously, unable to hide their longing.

In this era, every young girl idolized Tsunade.

Kurenai had dreamed of becoming her student. If she got the chance to learn from her, she’d go crazy with joy.

But by the time she graduated, Tsunade had already left Konoha with Shizune. Now, she finally understood why—

Hemophobia.

A terrifying condition for any ninja.

Thinking about it, Kurenai felt sorrowful.

After a short rest, the group resumed their journey.

Though Tsunade doubted anyone would dare attack her and Jiraiya directly, she still stayed cautious on the road.

---

Konoha
Hokage’s Office

The Third Hokage stared in shock.

“What?”

“Lady Tsunade is returning. She’s ten minutes from the village gates.”

“!!!”

Sarutobi Hiruzen’s shock soon turned to panic.

Tsunade is coming back…

For a moment, he didn’t know how to face her. Complicated emotions surged through his heart.

Finally, he exhaled deeply.

“Understood. You may go. No need to spread the word just yet.”

“Yes, Hokage-sama!”

The ANBU ninja bowed and vanished.

Once alone, Hiruzen lit his pipe, gazing silently toward Konoha’s main gate.

After a long pause, he let out a heavy breath of smoke.

---

T/N: I think ill just do english versions of the jutsus

This is a fan translation of 木叶：纲手，我才是火影！by 卖身葬节操 All rights to the original work belong to the creator. Please support them by exploring their original work or sharing it with others if you can. Thank you for reading and supporting my efforts to bring this story to a wider audience!