Chapter 27: Ayawai and Tsunade

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Equally disgusted and on the verge of nausea was Sakumo Hatake.

He had been living a perfectly comfortable life in the Land of Hot Water, leisurely collecting Kabuki side stories, selling iron, and enjoying a carefree existence.

And now, he was being told to return to Konohagakure?

Return to Konohagakure for what?!

What's the point of going back? Isn't it better for the two of us to just roam around freely?

Once I return, I'll be the eldest son of the Hatake clan again, stuck in the boring life of collecting rent and counting money every day.

But, complaints aside, Sakumo still noted down Rinjin's message and rushed back to Konohagakure without delay.

As for Rinjin, he set out with the Kumogakure delegation.

As a bodyguard, a mere civilian ninja, Rinjin obediently followed at the back of the group, enjoying himself in his own little world.

The Lightning Release Chakra Mode? Simply irresistible.

After reading the scroll detailing the Lightning Release Chakra Mode, Rinjin was utterly captivated by the training methods described within.

Wrapping powerful lightning around one's body for offense or defense;

In the Lightning Armor state, the user gains incredible speed and near-invulnerability.

And that's just while the technique is active.

The longer one maintains this state, the more the body's physical attributes gradually improve over time.

However, at the same time, the constant stimulation of Lightning Release greatly accelerates cell division and causes inevitable cellular damage.

Classic Raikage style.

But for Rinjin, these drawbacks were negligible.

He was immortal, with infinite chakra and extraordinarily resilient cells.

Simply put, the technique involved converting one's chakra into lightning and using specific frequencies and intensities to stimulate oneself.

This enhanced neural reaction speed and physical agility.

As for physical strength, that could only be honed through relentless training over years.

However, Rinjin's advantage was that he could keep the Lightning Release Chakra Mode active indefinitely;

This meant that while normal people trained for two hours a day,

Geniuses trained for four hours a day,

And monsters trained for eight hours a day,

He could train for twenty-four hours a day.

If talent couldn't match genius, then sheer time would make up for it. After all, that's how he had mastered the Flying Raijin Jutsu.

As for the Shadow Clone Jutsu, it didn't provide any shortcuts for the Lightning Release Chakra Mode.

But none of that mattered.

On the first day of the journey, Rinjin shivered with excitement, training non-stop for an entire day and night;

On the second day, he was thrilled to the core, training for another day and night;

On the third day, he was numb all over, yet continued training for yet another day and night.

By the end of three days, Rinjin discovered an astonishing side effect of the technique—it promoted growth.

Originally, Rinjin appeared to be around eleven or twelve years old, disguised as the fifteen-year-old Raimei, though his height was somewhat lacking.

To compensate, he had specifically padded his sandals with a thick layer of iron sand.

But now, Rinjin suddenly realized that even without the iron sand, his height had surpassed Raimei's.

Not that it mattered—people grow taller, after all!

However, by the fourth day, as the group entered the borders of the Land of Fire, Rinjin noticed something troubling.

It seemed like he was running low on "power."

In simple terms, the lightning generated from his chakra wasn't as potent anymore.

Although his physical attributes were still improving, the growth wasn't as pronounced as it had been in the first three days.

With this realization, Rinjin let out a wistful sigh.

Missing his carefree days on the fifth day, he felt a bit melancholic~

Before he knew it, another day had passed, and the Kumogakure delegation successfully arrived in Konohagakure.

At the village gates, Mitokado Homura and Utatane Koharu, along with several Anbu members, were waiting to receive them.

As the victor of the First Great Ninja War, Konohagakure still maintained a semblance of decorum.

Soon, Rinjin, with his dark complexion, followed the delegation to the all-too-familiar Hokage Building.

While the key members proceeded to the meeting, Rinjin and the other seven or eight bodyguards were assigned to the Konoha Guest House.

Time flies when one is training, and before long, the night had passed.

Lying diagonally across his bed, Rinjin decided to spend the entire day lounging.

It wasn't that he didn't want to go out, but he was afraid of running into familiar faces.

After all, a man as dazzling as me is like a firefly in the dark—so bright, so outstanding.

The mere thought of being recognized by Rie, Tsunade, Jiraiya, Kagami Uchiha, or others made Rinjin cringe in embarrassment.

Unfortunately, fate had other plans. A knock came at the door.

"Who is it?" Rinjin called out loudly.

"Who else? It's your girlfriend~" A sultry voice came from outside.

Instantly, Rinjin felt a headache coming on.

This woman! Ever since she had cried in his arms last time, her attitude had been cold and distant.

Throughout the journey from Kumogakure to Konohagakure, she hadn't bothered him once.

For that, he had been quite relieved.

After all, he was here on a mission, not to date.

"Not here, I'm asleep," Rinjin shouted back, pulling the blanket over his head.

Outside, a captivating laugh echoed through the hallway.

"Raimei, is that what you're calling yourself now?" The voice outside grew sharper.

Rinjin knew that this woman was threatening him. If he didn't open the door, she would undoubtedly call him by his real name.

With a sigh, the door creaked open.

Standing before him in a floral kimono was Ayawai, her beauty radiant and slightly intimidating. Rinjin scratched his head in exasperation and sighed.

"Lady Ayawai, what do you need from me?"

"Can't I visit without a reason?" Ayawai's large eyes blinked innocently, her expression one of pure grievance.

Sighing again, Rinjin peeked left and right to ensure no one was around before pulling her into the room.

After closing the door, he sat on the bed and asked softly, "Alright, what do you want?"

Ayawai curiously examined the room's plain decor and shook her head repeatedly.

"Raimei, this room is too drab. You should move into mine!"

At this, Rinjin's eyes lit up, and he nodded enthusiastically like a pecking chicken.

"That works! How many beds do you have? If it's more than one, I'm not going!"

"Just one bed~" Ayawai raised a single, slender finger and winked playfully.

Hearing this, Rinjin clapped his hands in delight.

"Perfect! Go grab your bedding, and we'll switch right now. I've been complaining about cockroaches in this room for ages."

As he spoke, Rinjin grabbed his bedding and prepared to leave.

Seeing this, Ayawai's delicate face darkened. She quickly blocked his path.

"Not switch—I'm inviting you to stay with me."

Rinjin hesitated for a moment before nodding reluctantly.

"Fine... but you'll have to sleep on the floor. The doctor said my back isn't good, so I can't sleep on the floor."

At this, Ayawai's face turned bright red with anger. She flung the door open, ready to storm out.

But remembering her purpose in Konohagakure, she stopped herself.

Damn you, Rinjin! You always drive me crazy! I'll make sure you regret this someday!

Biting her lip in frustration, Ayawai turned back with a pitiful expression, taking small steps toward Rinjin. She glanced up at him with teary eyes.

"Fine... if you insist. But can you at least accompany me to shop during the day?"

Looking at the troublesome woman, Rinjin sighed in resignation.

This woman just won't give up!

"Fine, fine, let's go now."

And so, Rinjin left the guest house under the envious gazes of several Kumogakure ninjas.

It had to be said—Ayawai was stunningly beautiful, with a curvaceous figure that could make any woman jealous.

Especially today, dressed in a traditional kimono that revealed only the barest hint of skin, she exuded an air of forbidden allure.

Even on the bustling streets of Konohagakure, she attracted countless admiring glances.

After wandering through the bustling streets, the two eventually arrived at Konohagakure's famous commercial district, Tea Street.

The lively street was crowded with people. Rinjin followed behind Ayawai, carrying bags upon bags, his face filled with despair.

Even with his immortality and mastery of the Lightning Release Chakra Mode, he couldn't escape the fatigue of shopping with a woman.

Truly, no man—or dog—would willingly endure this.

At that moment, at a hairpin stall, two delicate hands—one slightly smaller than the other—reached for the same hairpin.

The owners of these hands looked up simultaneously, their gazes locking.

For some reason, sparks seemed to fly in the air.

Meanwhile, Rinjin, his head lowered under the weight of countless bags, accidentally bumped into Ayawai.

"Eh? Why did you stop walking?"

Rinjin looked up.

!!!

In an instant, Rinjin froze.

Tsu... Tsuna... Tsunade!!!

Panic surged through him. His scalp tingled, his back turned cold, his vision blurred, and he felt utterly restless.

Clearing his throat, Rinjin nervously lowered his gaze and stammered, "Wh-what's going on?"

Ayawai glanced meaningfully at Rinjin, a sly smile tugging at her lips.

"How familiar! Little girl, could you be Konohagakure's Princess Tsunade?"

Her sultry voice carried a hint of provocation as she refused to release the hairpin.

Though young, Tsunade was not one to back down. She glared at the woman in the floral kimono with equal defiance.

For some reason, she felt an inexplicable dislike for this woman, as if she posed a great threat.

Meanwhile, Jiraiya and Orochimaru, standing nearby, exchanged puzzled looks.

Jiraiya, in particular, wiped his mouth nervously.

No wonder—this foreign woman was incredibly voluptuous, almost impossibly so.

Wait, what's a Rasengan? The twelve-year-old Jiraiya scratched his head in confusion.

Orochimaru, however, kept his gaze fixed on Rinjin, who was desperately trying to minimize his presence, his expression thoughtful.

The standoff between the two women continued.

"Is this how the Princess of Konohagakure behaves? Grabbing whatever catches her eye?" Ayawai sneered, refusing to budge.

"Heh~ I only act this way with outsiders, you big-breasted freak from Kumogakure!" Tsunade retorted with a smug tilt of her head.

Rinjin watched nervously from the side, his heart pounding.

No, no, stop it! The hairpin is going to break!

Ayawai, just give up! Can't you see Tsunade isn't even trying?

You're no match for this violent girl!

As the standoff dragged on, Tsunade's expression grew increasingly relaxed. She even had the leisure to glance around.

"Hey, big-breasted freak from Kumogakure, is this all you've got? How are you going to kidnap me if you're so weak?"

With a slight twist of her wrist, Tsunade effortlessly snatched the hairpin away.

Nice! Tsunade! That strength of yours, capable of breaking six of Jiraiya's ribs, is truly impressive!

Having lost the hairpin, Ayawai's face flushed with anger. After all, she was only sixteen.

At that moment, Ayawai's gaze flickered to Rinjin, who had just sighed in relief. Her eyes gleamed with mischief.

You little brat! Mock me, will you?

Fine, I'll seduce your savior and steal him away!

With that thought, Ayawai put on a pitiful expression and clung to Rinjin's arm.

Feeling the firmness of his muscles, a blush spread across her cheeks.

"Darling, look at her! She's bullying me!"

In that instant, Rinjin felt as though his arm had ascended to heaven.

But before he could savor the moment, a voice echoed in his mind.

Rinjin! Stay calm! Cut off your arm and offer it to Princess Tsunade in apology!

At that moment, Tsunade let out a cold snort, her face filled with displeasure.

With a flick of her ponytail, she turned and walked away without looking back.