---

  Tsunade moved through the hand seals with deliberate slowness, her movements precise and controlled.

  "Watch carefully," she said.

  Rat. Ox. Dog. Boar. Fire.

  "Summoning Jutsu!"

  She slammed her palm against the ground. White smoke erupted outward in a spreading circle, and when it cleared, a massive white slug with a blue stripe down its back stood before them.

  "Lady Tsunade," the slug greeted politely, its voice surprisingly gentle. "I'm honored to meet your new student."

  The slug turned its attention to Hanekawa. "Welcome, Hanekawa. I am the Living Slug. Should you ever need my assistance, simply perform the summoning ritual."

  Hanekawa couldn't help but appreciate the contrast. The snakes of Ryūchi Cave? Arrogant and demanding—you practically had to sacrifice your firstborn just to ask them a question. The toads of Mount Myōboku? Better, sure, but you still had to grovel to the Great Toad Sage for any real help.

  But the slugs? Polite, responsive, genuinely helpful. They were like the customer service department of the summoning world.

  "Thank you, Master Slug," Hanekawa said respectfully. "I'll call on you when I need help."

  Tsunade released the jutsu with a casual wave. The slug vanished in another puff of smoke.

  "There's only one true Slug in the Shikkotsu Forest," Tsunade explained, stretching her arms. "What we just summoned were fragments of its consciousness. The real thing is... well, let's just say it's big enough that even Sakura and I together couldn't manage to summon its true form."

  Hanekawa nodded, filing that away. The sheer scale of power in this world never stopped being absurd.

  "Alright, enough for today," Tsunade said, rolling her shoulders. "Time to head to the hospital. Go grab my coat."

  He found it in her bedroom closet—a spacious room that smelled faintly of flowers and sake. The closet itself was a chaotic explosion of clothing, including an embarrassing amount of underwear that made Hanekawa wonder if Tsunade simply had zero sense of personal boundaries, or if she genuinely didn't see him as a threat due to his age.

  Probably both, he thought, grabbing the jacket.

  When she put it on, the word "GAMBLE" was emblazoned across the back in bold letters. The tea-green fabric rustled as she adjusted it.

  Perfect. The God of Gamblers theme song should be playing right now, Hanekawa thought dryly. Though in her case, it's more like the Goddess of Losing Everything.

  ---

  Three days of intensive study at Konoha Hospital.

  Three days of watching Tsunade demonstrate medical techniques, of practicing on training dummies, of learning to sense chakra flow through different body systems. Three days of Tsunade occasionally stopping mid-lesson to drag him to the casino, where his mere presence somehow prevented her from losing everything.

  By the end of the third day, Hanekawa had mastered hemostasis.

  A notification appeared:

  [E-Rank Ninjutsu Entry: Hemostasis]

  [Trigger Condition: Successfully perform this ninjutsu]

  You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.

  [Effect: This ninjutsu automatically reaches proficient level]

  Finally, Hanekawa thought, releasing a breath he didn't know he'd been holding.

  "You have a strange talent," Tsunade observed, watching him perform the technique flawlessly for the hundredth time. "Most people take weeks to reach this level of proficiency. You did it in three days."

  "Is that bad?" Hanekawa asked innocently.

  "Bad? No." Tsunade's expression shifted to something between pride and amusement. "It's excellent. Most geniuses take three days just to learn the technique, let alone master it. You've done both."

  "How long did it take you?" Hanekawa asked, genuinely curious.

  Tsunade held up three fingers with a smug smile.

  "Three days too?" Hanekawa's eyes brightened slightly.

  "Three hours," Tsunade corrected, her chin tilting up. "You've still got a long way to go before you catch up to me."

  "I'll work hard," Hanekawa said, and he meant it. The Ability System was his cheat code—but even with it, Tsunade's raw talent was staggering.

  "That's the spirit." Tsunade reached over and ruffled his hair, a gesture that had become her favorite way to show approval. Hanekawa grabbed her wrist and tried to twist it away, but it didn't budge. The woman was made of stone.

  Tsunade raised an eyebrow, genuinely surprised by the strength in a six-year-old's grip. For just a moment, something flickered across her face—a subtle realization that this kid was different. Special.

  "Don't resist your teacher," she said, pinching his cheek before withdrawing her hand.

  "Yes," Hanekawa replied, resigned to his fate.

  "Tell you what—I'll give you two days off," Tsunade said, already looking distracted. Without Hanekawa around, I'll definitely lose everything at the casino. I need to win more today to make up for it.

  "Go!" she announced suddenly, scooping him up and jumping out the window.

  The scent of flowers and sake surrounded him as they soared across Konoha's rooftops. Hanekawa found himself burying his face in her shoulder, more out of instinct than anything else. By the time they returned home late that night, he was exhausted.

  ---

  The next morning, Hanekawa made his way to the Konoha Knowledge Bookstore.

  It had been three days since his last visit.

  "Hanekawa, perfect timing," Tsuchihashi greeted him with a knowing smile, producing a scroll. "This is a reward from Lord Raikage himself."

  Hanekawa unrolled it carefully. Bold characters proclaimed: Lightning Style Chakra Mode.

  His heart skipped. This was exactly what he'd been hoping for—a detailed guide to one of the Raikage's signature techniques. But as he read further, he realized it was more of an overview than a complete training manual. The Raikage wasn't about to hand over his most powerful technique to a six-year-old spy, no matter how useful.

  Still, it was a start.

  "Thank you, Uncle Tsuchihashi," Hanekawa said, carefully rolling the scroll back up.

  "The Hidden Cloud is very pleased with your progress," Tsuchihashi said, patting his shoulder. "Continue to perform well, and there will be more rewards."

  Hanekawa nodded and produced another scroll from his bag. "This is my friend's new manuscript. I think you'll find it... interesting."

  Tsuchihashi opened it and read the title: A Comprehensive Guide to Evaluating Demi-Human Ninja Girls.

  His eyes went wide.

  "This is..." he breathed, scanning the first few pages. "This is genius. Pure genius."

  In the ninja world, demi-human girls—animal-eared warriors, hybrid ninja—were virtually unheard of. This was the first work of its kind.

  "When can we publish?" Tsuchihashi was already mentally calculating profits.

  "Two more months," Hanekawa said, thinking only of the money. "We don't want to overshadow the Taimanin release."

  Tsuchihashi nodded approvingly. "Smart. Very smart. We'll maximize both markets that way."

  After saying goodbye, Hanekawa headed downstairs and nearly collided with Rin Nohara at the entrance.

  "Hanekawa?" Rin's face lit up with surprise. "What are you doing here?"

  "Just visiting," Hanekawa said with a smile. "What about you?"

  "I'm looking for a medical ninjutsu book," Rin admitted, a slight blush coloring her cheeks. "After seeing what you've been learning with Lady Tsunade, I... I wanted to try it too."

  Hanekawa quickly found her a beginner's guide to medical techniques. "This one's perfect for starting out. And if you get stuck on anything, just ask me."

  "Thank you, Hanekawa!" Rin clutched the book to her chest, genuinely grateful.

  As he watched her leave, Hanekawa reflected on how small actions rippled outward. A six-year-old learning medical ninjutsu inspired a girl to pursue the same path. In a few years, Rin would become one of the village's most talented medical ninja.

  Not bad for a spy with a system, he thought, heading back out into the Konoha sunshine.