Chapter 0036: Tsunade's Thoughts
Boom.
It felt like I could hear the sound of Tsunade's veins bulging from the rising tension. Fortunately, her rationality hadn't completely faded, but she asked in a perplexed tone, "So… you want to continue?"
[Congratulations, host, for completing the task. You've been awarded a pair of Ice Silk Gloves and ten days of increased skill proficiency. The item has been automatically stored in the extra-dimensional ninja tool pouch.]
The notification about task completion didn't make me feel any more at ease. The real test was yet to come.
Faced with Tsunade's question, I shook my head without hesitation and forced a nervous laugh, "No, no! What I said earlier was just a joke. Haha… Do you, uh, believe me?"
"What do you think?" she asked, stepping back two paces and slowly raising her hand.
Oh no! I'm going to get smashed into pieces!
I quickly crouched down, covering my head and apologizing like a scared child, "I'm sorry! I was wrong!" My demeanor now was a stark contrast to the serious, focused attitude I had during our battle. The difference was almost endearing.
After a moment, the expected pain didn't come. Curious, I looked up to see Tsunade's amused face. "Who would have thought? You're surprisingly good at acting pitiful. You almost look like a girl right now."
"Please! Don't say that!" I covered my face, mortified.
"Hm? That shy look suits you even more."
"A warrior can die but not be humiliated!"
"Oh? You still have the nerve to speak so nobly after doing something so perverted? In a way, you're quite remarkable."
"Aaaah… stop saying that!" I was almost going crazy. I'd rather take a punch than be mocked like this.
"Hmph. I won't let you off so easily." Tsunade extended her finger and lightly flicked my forehead.
Thunk.
I flew backward like a kite with a broken string, rolling several times before finally coming to a stop.
"Since this is your first time, I'm only giving you a slight punishment." Tsunade's gaze was indifferent as she said, "If you dare do this again, hmph…"
"Y-Yes… Thank you for going easy on me, Sensei." I touched my forehead, grinning through the pain as I stood up.
As Tsunade said, the punishment was much lighter than I had anticipated. I had expected to have a few ribs broken, at the very least.
So, did she go easy on me because of my age?
I thought this as I failed to notice the complex emotions Tsunade revealed when she turned away.
Earlier, when she saw the blood, it was as if she was engulfed by darkness. Memories from the past resurfaced in her mind, overwhelming her with cold, fearful emotions, like falling into an endless abyss.
But just as she was about to faint from despair, a small hand reached out from the abyss, pulling her out. That embrace brought her unprecedented warmth and relief, rescuing her from her fear of blood.
Then she saw my youthful face and the slender arms that could only wrap around half her waist. Those hands provided her with a sense of liberation.
However, before she could express her gratitude, I had taken advantage of her distraction and touched the forbidden areas she had never allowed anyone to touch!
This made her feel both embarrassed and angry. A kid so young already thinking about taking advantage of others! Wouldn't he be a real scumbag when he grows up?!
She had to correct this bad habit!
With this thought in mind, Tsunade decided to teach me a deep lesson in this manner. She didn't want her proud disciple, who had once brought warmth, to become someone as detestable as those perverted older men.
"Are you okay, Hiroto-Kun?" At this moment, Kurenai and Shizune, the two little girls, came over to me, full of concern.
"I'm fine. Tsunade-sensei went easy on me." I shook my head and smiled.
"But the test is over. Why did Tsunade-sensei hit you?" Since they were keeping a safe distance during the fight, Kurenai and Shizune hadn't seen me make any inappropriate moves.
Uh.
This question caught me off guard. I couldn't exactly say that I had been punished for making an improper move on a beautiful teacher I had just met, could I?
"To punish him for being distracted during the fight, which even led to him injuring himself," Tsunade suddenly explained.
"Huh? Where are you injured?" Kurenai, never one to doubt Tsunade, looked at me with concern.
"It's just a small injury." I waved my arm, showing them the minor wound I had deliberately inflicted.
The wound wasn't deep, and the bleeding had stopped. Tsunade no longer displayed the fear she had before. Her expression was flat as she said, "Shizune, give him treatment. It's already noon. Let's find a place to eat. It's on me."
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