On the battlefield, the female ninja in combat was Tsunade. She was not only the most beautiful woman in Konoha but also the deadliest weapon in the future ninja world.
Her opponents were her first batch of students as a team captain—the Ino-Shika-Cho trio: Choji, Shikamaru, and Ino. (Though this trio formation wasn't exclusive to the heads of their respective clans, the combination of the clan leaders usually proved strongest.)
"You're skilled with ninjutsu and kunai… let's see how your taijutsu holds up!"
No sooner had Tsunade spoken than she charged at Akimichi Genbu, landing a punch square on his face. Genbu was forced into close combat but remained unfazed—after all, he had his tricks.
Since the war began, the brown eyes behind Genbu's black goggles had turned a vivid crimson—the Mangekyo Sharingan.
Nara Kiyomizu, hidden behind a tree, sighed. Plan A had failed; it was time for Plan B. He joined the fray, but Tsunade was handling two opponents at once without any disadvantage.
A joke! She was the granddaughter of the First and Second Hokage, a disciple of the Third, and yet who could intimidate her?
Soon, Tsunade sensed something unusual. The two were coordinating flawlessly.
Genbu, fast and powerful, focused on frontal assault, always finding gaps in her offense and defense. It felt like fighting the Uchiha clan. Wasn't this kid from the Akimichi clan?
Meanwhile, Kiyomizu assisted from the sidelines, exploiting openings created by Genbu for sneak attacks.
Indeed, their teamwork caused Tsunade some trouble—but it was just a test, not a real battle. If she had used her full strength, the two would have been hospitalized instantly, and she knew it.
Tsunade was intrigued by their coordination. She wasn't in a rush to defeat them; she wanted to see their limits.
But she had overlooked one thing. Ino, Shikamaru, and Choji never truly separated. After a long skirmish, Shikamaru and Ino appeared—but where was Choji?
Tsunade, inheriting both the gambling luck and nerves of her grandfather Senju Hashirama, never worried unless life or death was at stake. Perhaps she'd notice a third player, but she wouldn't take it seriously.
After a moment, Genbu suddenly changed tactics. He absorbed Tsunade's punch head-on while grabbing one of her hands, using the Shadow Clone Technique to bind her and restrict her movement.
Kiyomizu also employed the Shadow Imitation Technique, connecting with Genbu to freeze him, making it harder for Tsunade to escape.
"Heh, you think you can stop me with this? Don't even dream it, you two brats," she said, slightly surprised. This kid could withstand a punch from her without going down.
Just as she prepared to break free with greater force, Choji finally acted.
"The Art of Transforming Thought," he whispered.
Yamanaka Yu used a secret technique, temporarily swapping consciousness with Tsunade. He could only control her briefly—but it was enough.
When Tsunade broke free, the bell had already been seized by Kiyomizu.
"Teacher, it's done," Kiyomizu said, tossing the bell with a proud smirk.
Genbu and Yu both exhaled in relief. Genbu was unharmed. Though Yu had only used his Mind Body Switch once, targeting an elite jōnin consumed a huge amount of chakra and mental energy. If the fight continued, their chances of winning would drop drastically, forcing Genbu to reveal more tricks.
"Did I say it was over, you three brats?"
Tsunade could not accept such a humiliating outcome. As an elite jōnin, being bested by three genin was intolerable. She decisively launched another attack.
"No!" the trio instantly wailed in unison.
Moments later, Tsunade stood before them, calm and refreshed.
"Ah, I truly am a teacher who loves her students. That stubborn Third Hokage thought I had no leadership skills—how insulting. So, tell me, do you think I'm a qualified teacher?"
Leaning down, she revealed a mysterious smile—beautiful, yet dangerous.
"Yes, yes, yes, Teacher Tsunade is the kindest," the trio chorused.
"Do you want to be my disciples?"
"Of course! Very much!"
"Excellent. From tomorrow, we'll meet in the Mission Hall to officially begin our journey as teacher and disciples. Be on time—or else…"
Tsunade glared fiercely.
"We'll be punctual!!!" the trio shouted in unison again.
"You're good kids. It's late; I'll treat you to barbecue. I'll wait for you at the shop."
With that, Tsunade vanished using her Body Flicker Technique.
The mention of barbecue immediately made Genbu drool. Barbecue—how could the Akimichi clan resist?!
As Tsunade left, she reminded them to untie the ropes first. The three bruised and bound genin cried out.
Finally, Genbu formed a cross seal with both hands and performed the Shadow Clone Technique. A clone, identical to him, appeared to untie the trio.
Kiyomizu got up, sighing: "Sigh… having a teacher like this… life's going to be troublesome."
His previously slouched posture looked even more defeated.
Shan Zhongyu nodded in agreement: "I think so too, but there's nothing we can do. We can only try our best. No matter what, Teacher Tsunade is incredibly strong."
Zhongyu's mood visibly improved.
Genbu thought only of the barbecue now: "Stop overthinking. Teacher Tsunade invited us to eat—let's go. If we're late, we'll get less."
He licked his lips, used Shadow Clone Technique, grabbed Kiyomizu with his left hand, Yu with his right, and ran straight for the barbecue shop. The clanging and rattling along the way would make anyone think an earthquake had struck Konoha.
Ah… what can you do? Nobody in the Akimichi clan can resist barbecue—not even a time-traveler.
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