---

  The five hundred thousand ryo was as good as won.

  With the "God of Gamblers" entry blessing his luck, there was no force in heaven or earth that could stop Tsunade from walking away victorious. Hanekawa had learned this lesson well enough by now.

  "What do you want to eat tonight?" Tsunade dangled her freshly won stack of bills, grinning like she'd just conquered the world.

  If you didn't know better, you'd think she was offering to treat him out of the goodness of her heart.

  "Barbecue," Hanekawa said without hesitation.

  He'd contributed at least a third of the credit for this win. After hours of sitting beside her at the gambling tables, the least she could do was spring for decent food.

  "No problem!" Tsunade reached over to ruffle his hair.

  Hanekawa instinctively tried to push her arm away. It didn't work. His strength had improved considerably—thanks to the "Ninja Tool Throwing" entry—but he was still a six-year-old going up against a legendary kunoichi.

  Tsunade felt his resistance and raised an eyebrow, clearly noting the improvement. She didn't comment on it, just took his hand and pulled him across the street toward the restaurant.

  Her hands are warm, Hanekawa thought, then immediately felt annoyed at himself for noticing.

  The barbecue restaurant was packed. The moment they walked in, someone shouted, "Lady Tsunade!"

  Hanekawa glanced over to see a young man with a distinctive pig-like face waving them over. Beside him sat two others—a heavyset redhead with an unusual pineapple-shaped hairstyle, and a lean man with a contemplative expression.

  Yamanaka Inoichi, Akimichi Choza, and Nara Shikaku, Hanekawa identified them instantly. The legendary Ino-Shika-Cho trio.

  "Lady Tsunade, we've already ordered meat. Would you care to join us?" Yamanaka Inoichi's invitation was polite, but Tsunade simply nodded and sat down without ceremony.

  Hanekawa followed suit, already eyeing the grilled meat with interest.

  "Is this your new student?" Nara Shikaku asked, studying Hanekawa with open curiosity.

  "No," Tsunade replied casually. "He's from Nonō's orphanage. I help look after him."

  Help look after. Hanekawa suppressed a smile. That was one way to describe their arrangement.

  The conversation drifted toward business. Yamanaka Inoichi mentioned a recent memory extraction that had yielded little—the culprit had worn a mask.

  This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author's consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.

  "A mask?" Tsunade's tone turned sharp. "That disgusting old rat Danzo again?"

  Yamanaka Inoichi broke out in a cold sweat. "We have no evidence at this time."

  Hanekawa listened carefully while pretending to focus on his food. So Danzo was involved in whatever incident they were discussing. That tracked with what he knew from the original timeline. Yamato—the poor kid who'd been forced into Root—had been one of Danzo's victims.

  I should tell Tsunade about Yamato eventually, Hanekawa thought. But not yet. Need to find the right moment.

  After dinner, Tsunade walked him back home. The rest of the week blurred together in a haze of training—medical ninjutsu, swordsmanship, chakra control. Hanekawa pushed himself relentlessly, driven by the knowledge that every skill he mastered brought him closer to genuine power.

  Saturday morning arrived clear and bright.

  Hanekawa was in the courtyard outside Nonō's office, running through Konoha-style sword forms. His chakra was nearly depleted from earlier medical training, so he'd switched to pure physical practice.

  The movements were becoming more fluid. More natural. Less like copying a textbook and more like genuine technique.

  Then it happened.

  [E-Rank Ninjutsu Entry: Sword Ninja - Acquired]

  [Trigger Condition: Reach entry-level proficiency in Konoha-style swordsmanship]

  [Effect: Increase Konoha-style swordsmanship power by 10%]

  [Note: As proficiency increases, advancement to D-Rank Swordplay Genin is possible]

  Finally, Hanekawa thought, allowing himself a small smile. One more piece of the puzzle.

  The progression path was straightforward—proficiency would lead to mastery, and mastery would eventually put him at special jonin level. Not bad for a six-year-old.

  More importantly, his progress on "Seven Ninja Tools" had skyrocketed. The katana proficiency requirement was now met, leaving only one tool remaining. He was close to unlocking that entry too.

  From a window overlooking the courtyard, Tsunade watched him with interest.

  "Is he always like this?" she asked Nonō.

  "I've tried to convince him to take breaks," Nonō replied helplessly. "But he insists he's fine. Most genin don't train this intensely."

  Tsunade made a small sound of acknowledgment, then suddenly leaned forward.

  Hanekawa had resumed his practice, but something had changed. His movements were sharper now, more confident. It was as if a switch had flipped in his understanding of the technique.

  From Tsunade's experienced eye, his swordsmanship had just surpassed the level of most genin.

  Nonō noticed it too, her eyes widening slightly.

  "Genius truly operates by different rules," Tsunade murmured, settling back into her chair and crossing her legs. The motion pulled her trousers tight, emphasizing her figure, but she seemed entirely unconcerned with such details.

  ---

  Meanwhile, across the village at the Konoha Knowledge Bookstore, business was booming.

  A new poster had appeared on the storefront—three female ninja in provocative poses, with bold orange lettering proclaiming: "Taimaninja: A Masterpiece by the Talented New Novelist Rai Kaen - An Adult Novel You Cannot Miss."

  Customers streamed in, drawn by curiosity and the eye-catching artwork. Once inside, they found themselves captivated by the content.

  A man in a red coat paused in front of the poster, his forehead protector bearing the kanji for "oil." His eyes widened as he read the title.

  Are you serious? he thought, already reaching for a copy.

  He had to see what all the fuss was about.