Naruto: Wooing Tsunade from Day One!
Chapter 505: Small Gathering

Chapter 505 - 505: Small Gathering

After completing the incredible feat of running 5,000 laps around Konoha on their hands, Duy and his two sons still made their way to the Hatake residence for drinks.

When the family of four arrived, they found the courtyard already bustling with people.

Fugaku and his family had arrived earlier.

Itachi was playing with Karin, who was about his age, while Misaki and Mikoto sat nearby, happily exchanging parenting tips.

Kushina, though unable to join the conversation, listened intently, her expression full of focus. If she had a notebook, she probably would have been taking notes.

Kakashi and Ginji, as the young masters of the Hatake Clan, did their best to entertain their friends.

Kawakaze and Sakumo chatted with their old comrades, and even Orochimaru had been dragged out of his lab by his daughter.

Though he initially looked annoyed, as the conversation went on, a rare smile occasionally surfaced on his face.

Nawaki and Minato were also there, laughing and talking—far from the inexperienced boys they had once been.

But the liveliest group was undoubtedly the women, led by Tsunade and Nayuki, whose laughter rang the loudest.

Whatever they were discussing, it was enough to make some of them blush.

Meanwhile, Onimaru and Shiromaru weaved through the crowd, wagging their tails.

"Kakashi!"

"Ginji!"

Despite their exhaustion, Guy and Kai barely hesitated before calling out to their friends and rushing over.

"5,000 handstand laps..."

"You two broke a record today, didn't you?"

Kakashi clapped Guy on the shoulder, and Kai winced, praying Ginji wouldn't do the same to him.

His arms already felt like they didn't belong to him. Even if his brother was stronger, there had to be a limit.

5,000 laps... What in the world made us go along with that insanity?

"Oww~"

Even someone as resilient as Guy nearly collapsed from Kakashi's slap.

"I don't even want this record."

"You know what?"

"After crawling back up, I honestly thought I'd lost my arms."

Guy tried to lift his arms but could barely move them. He suspected even eating later would be a challenge.

"You're exaggerating."

Seeing Guy like this, Kakashi finally realized the severity of the situation.

Normally, even after taking a few punches, he'd brush it off with, "No problem, easy stuff."

But this? He had never seen Guy looking so utterly drained.

"Brother, it's really not an exaggeration."

"I still can't feel my arms."

Kai wore a pained expression, wishing all their friends could experience 5,000 handstand laps just so they'd understand the suffering.

"You two brought this on yourselves."

"No one could hold you back."

"Didn't I tell you Satsuki?"

"Serves you right."

Kurenai, sharp-tongued but soft-hearted, nudged Rin forward as she spoke.

"I'll take a look."

Rin's gentle voice rang out, and Guy and Kai hurriedly thanked her, though they still couldn't lift their arms.

"Muscle strain. Overuse."

"Be careful over the next few days—don't push too hard."

After relieving their pain, Rin reminded them to rest, though whether they would listen was another matter entirely.

Obito, watching from the side, grinned smugly.

"My Rin really is the best."

"Practically a miracle healer."

"Thank you so much!"

Guy and Kai eagerly flexed their arms, now pain-free, singing Rin's praises.

As for whether they'd actually remember her advice, only time would tell.

"This time, you've learned your lesson, right?"

"Not every challenge is worth taking on."

Ginji smirked, having predicted this outcome from the start.

"You think a dog can stop eating garbage?"

Satsuki's sharp remark made it clear she had no sympathy for their recklessness.

But she wasn't wrong—if given another chance, Guy and Kai would do it all over again.

Some things just couldn't be changed.

"Heh heh~"

The two bowl-cut boys in green tights just chuckled awkwardly, unable to argue back.

Naruto and Shisui watched the spectacle from start to finish, grinning the entire time.

Asuma, visiting the Hatake household for the first time, seemed a bit reserved. But he was overthinking things—there was no way the grudges of the older generation would involve him. Besides, neither Hiruzen Sarutobi nor the Sarutobi Clan posed any threat to Kawakaze at this point.

Watching his son blend in with his friends, Duy and his wife soon joined their respective circles after being welcomed by Kawakaze and Tsunade.

Laughter and conversation filled the Hatake Clan's courtyard, creating a lively and harmonious atmosphere. It wasn't until the butler announced dinner that everyone slowly made their way to the dining hall.

Once seated, Sakumo took on the role of the head of the house.

Outside, he was just the Anbu Commander, but at home, he was at least the nominal leader. He raised his cup first, marking the start of the night's drinking.

Following his lead, the other drinkers quickly joined in, toasting and passing cups around.

As the alcohol took effect, the conversation naturally became more animated. With no outsiders present, there was little need for restraint.

At some point, someone brought up the state of the ninja world.

"The Land of Earth is already in our hands."

"With Akatsuki Village's territory included, most of the ninja world now belongs to Konoha."

"Sometimes, it feels like a dream."

Shinku Yūhi spoke with a hint of emotion, as if he never imagined this day would come. The events of the Second Shinobi World War were still vivid in his mind, and the way the Third War had unfolded had long surpassed his expectations.

"Isn't that the truth?"

Jiraiya chimed in, equally moved.

"Speaking of Akatsuki, you really hit the jackpot."

"You picked up a few disciples in the Land of Rain, and they pulled off something this big."

"The three of us were against you bringing Yahiko and the others back at first."

"But looking back, you had the right eye for talent."

Jiraiya gave Kawakaze a thumbs-up, genuinely impressed.

Little did he know, Kawakaze had simply taken advantage of his knowledge from another life, swooping in to poach what should have been Jiraiya's students.

"Ah, it's nothing, nothing at all."

"Just a few unimpressive disciples."

Thick-skinned as ever, Kawakaze accepted the praise without hesitation, waving it off with mock humility.

Tsunade, sitting beside him, nearly rolled her eyes.

Everyone knew Kawakaze's personality well enough by now. To prevent him from dragging out the act any further, they wisely let the topic drop.

"We're this close to unifying the ninja world."

"Why not strike while the iron's hot?"

Though Shinku had stepped back from the front lines, his words still carried weight. They had come this far—of course, he wanted to see Konoha take complete control.

"Relax and enjoy the show."

"I've already set everything in motion."

"The next act is going to be quite the spectacle."

"I bet the Raikage is fuming at home right now."

Kawakaze's meaning was clear—next, they were targeting the Land of Lightning.

"Good. Let him stew."

"He's always been the most restless one."

Tsunade had no complaints about Kawakaze taking the lead, instead adding her own remark.

"That old man isn't having an easy time either."

"He wasted so much manpower and resources in the Land of Earth."

"Then he went back to Kumogakure, only to get torn into by the Daimyō of the Land of Lightning."

Jiraiya relayed the latest intelligence from Kumogakure, struggling to hold back his laughter.

The Third Raikage really was out of luck—he had been caught in Konoha's schemes from the very start without ever realizing it. That was the truly terrifying part.

He had no clue what was coming next.

"If that's the case, he should be thanking us."

"Soon enough, the Daimyō will have to rely on him again. The scolding will stop."

Orochimaru, ever composed, poured himself another drink, his words laced with irony.

And he wasn't wrong.

Once Konoha's forces reached the Land of Lightning's doorstep, the Daimyō wouldn't have anyone else to depend on. Forget scolding—the man wouldn't even dare raise his voice at the Raikage.

If the Raikage refused to fight, the Daimyō's own position would be in jeopardy.

"Haha, you're ruthless."

"He'll probably thank us with a blade in hand."

Kawakaze laughed, momentarily forgetting that if the Raikage truly wanted revenge, he'd be the first target.

After all, everything that had happened was orchestrated by him.

"What's your plan for Akatsuki?"

Sakumo, aware that Akatsukigakure's ties to Konoha would eventually come to light, was curious about how Kawakaze intended to handle it.

Still, the thought of Yahiko and the others finally returning to Konoha made him genuinely happy.

Nothing mattered more than family being reunited.

"It's already arranged."

"Whether others believe it or not, that's not my concern."

Kawakaze spread his hands, feigning helplessness.

In truth, calling it shamelessness might have been more accurate.

While the men discussed these weighty matters, the women and children remained silent, quietly listening.

Only Tsunade occasionally voiced her opinion, though she spent most of the time drinking.

By the time the conversation wound down, the alcohol had nearly run dry.

A group of unsteady men, supported by their wives and children, stumbled out of the Hatake Clan's residence.

Beneath the moonlight, everything seemed peaceful.

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