Naruto: A New Life with Tsunade

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"Running pretty fast, huh?" Natsume chuckled, masking his frustration.

Despite using Sage Mode, Uchiha Obito remained undetectable. This could mean only one thing—he was beyond the range of any sensory abilities.

"I have to admit, Kamui is one hell of an escape route," Natsume muttered under his breath.

Suddenly, Ao's voice cut through the tense silence. "Damn it! Everyone, retreat! Now!" His Byakugan flared as he scanned the battlefield with urgency.

Natsume quickly turned in the direction Ao was fixated on. Not far away, Isobu—the Three-Tails—was radiating a dangerously unstable chakra, its form pulsing erratically.

"Isobu's chakra... is it going to self-destruct?" Natsume's expression hardened as the realization hit him.

"Obito's really pushing us to the brink," he muttered bitterly.

At Ao's command, the remaining Kirigakure shinobi began retreating in a desperate rush. Only Genji and Terumi Mei held their ground, weaving hand seals with lightning speed in a futile attempt to contain the impending disaster.

But against the immense power of a tailed beast on the verge of self-destruction, their efforts seemed hopeless.

Natsume hesitated no longer. "I didn't want to use this... but there's no choice now." He activated his Mangekyō Sharingan, its tomoe spinning into the unique design that marked his advanced dojutsu.

Forming a quick hand seal, he cast his technique. "Genjutsu: Kai!"

Yagura's body jolted violently, his eyes widening as clarity returned to his gaze. Memories of being manipulated flooded his mind, and a storm of emotions—horror, shame, and rage—played across his face.

"Mizukage!" Natsume shouted, his voice cutting through the chaos. "Control your chakra now!"

Snapping out of his daze, Yagura quickly assessed the situation. He performed a rapid series of hand seals, his focus entirely on regaining control over Isobu's wild chakra.

"The genjutsu is broken!" Ao yelled triumphantly, assuming it was his Byakugan that had dispelled the technique.

Terumi Mei's sharp eyes narrowed as she glanced at Natsume. How did he notice the genjutsu breaking before Ao? she wondered silently. But there was no time for questions.

As the moments dragged on, the oppressive, chaotic energy around Yagura gradually subsided. Against all odds, the imminent explosion of the Three-Tails was averted.

Being a Perfect Jinchūriki, Yagura had managed to stabilize the situation. Yet the relief was short-lived; the weight of his actions—done under another's control—hung heavy in the air.

"Mizukage-sama, are you back?" Elder Genji asked, his voice lined with exhaustion as he leaned heavily on his cane.

Yagura bowed his head in shame. "I'm sorry, Elder Genji. I don't deserve the title of Mizukage anymore. The harm I've caused... it's unforgivable."

Genji sighed, his expression a mix of sympathy and disappointment. "Mistakes can be atoned for, Yagura. From today, Terumi Mei will take over as Mizukage. You will step down and focus on mastering the Three-Tails."

Yagura nodded solemnly. "I accept. Terumi Mei is the rightful choice to lead."

Terumi Mei blinked, caught off guard. While she had known this day would come, she hadn't expected it to be so soon. At only twenty years old, she was now the youngest Kage in the ninja world.

---

Later That Evening

Natsume stood on the balcony of the temporary Mizukage residence, gazing at the moonlit village. The air carried the scent of salt and ash, remnants of the day's battle.

"Thank you for your help tonight," Terumi Mei said, stepping beside him.

"No need to thank me. I was paid for it, after all," Natsume replied nonchalantly, though his smirk betrayed a hint of pride.

She chuckled softly. "Even so, you saved Kirigakure from what could've been utter devastation. That's not something we'll forget."

Natsume turned to face her, his tone light. "So, what are the Mizukage's plans for the future?"

Terumi Mei smiled, determination flashing in her eyes. "For starters, rebuilding the village—and ensuring your Chamber of Commerce's trade routes remain a priority."

He raised an eyebrow. "Glad to hear it. I'll leave the details to you. Once things are stable, we'll pick up where we left off."

Her gaze lingered on him as he turned to leave. "Wait," she called out, hesitation evident in her voice. "Before you go... can I see your real face?"

Natsume stopped, glancing back with a faint smile. "Are you sure? It might not be what you expect."

"It doesn't matter," she replied firmly, curiosity overriding her usual composure.

With a sigh, he removed his mask. As his face was revealed, Terumi Mei's eyes widened.

"You... you lied!" she exclaimed, though her expression softened into something playful.

"I did it to see your reaction," Natsume said, his smirk growing. "And it was worth it."

Her mock glare couldn't hide the blush rising on her cheeks. As she watched him walk away, a quiet thought surfaced in her mind. Why does my heart feel so... strange?

---

Elsewhere

In a quiet forest outside the Land of Fire, Sarutobi Asuma exhaled slowly, pulling out a cigarette.

"Don't even think about it," Tsunade warned, glaring at him. "If you're trying to mimic your old man, don't start with the smoking."

Asuma quickly stashed it away with a sheepish grin. "No smoking. Got it."

"Are you heading back to Konoha, or staying with the Guardian Ninja?" Tsunade asked, her tone neutral as she poked at the campfire.

Asuma's expression grew thoughtful. "I'm heading back. I've had enough time away. I left because of a fight with the old man... thought his talk of 'jade' meant serving the daimyo. But now, I understand."

Tsunade tilted her head curiously. "And now? What do you think he meant?"

Asuma smiled softly. "He was talking about the precious people in your life—your loved ones, your comrades. That's the jade worth protecting."

Tsunade's gaze shifted to the necklace resting against her chest. Her thoughts drifted to Natsume. Even after all this time, the feeling hadn't faded. If anything, it had only grown stronger.

Clenching her fists, she whispered to herself. "My jade... will always be him."

---

"Tch, he's not dead."

Tayuya stood at the doorway, letting out a small sigh of relief at the sight of Natsume alive. Still, a scowl remained on her face.

"I'm so annoyed! How many times have I told you not to touch my hair?" she snapped, her expression resembling a furious cat guarding its food, metaphorical fangs bared.

"I'm just teaching you a lesson," Natsume replied with a playful smirk. "If you're weak, you'll get pushed around."

"I'm going to kill you!" Tayuya yelled, her rage barely contained.

Natsume chuckled and flicked her forehead, keeping her at arm's length as she flailed wildly in an attempt to land a hit.

"All right, pack your things. We're leaving soon," he said, stepping aside.

Tayuya narrowed her eyes, her scowl deepening. "Leaving in the middle of the night? Did you lose a fight or something? Is that why we're running away?"

Natsume raised an eyebrow, scoffing. "Do you really think I'm that weak?" He reached out and gave her a light chop on the head.

"OW! That hurt, you jerk!" Tayuya hissed, rubbing the spot as she glared daggers at him.

---

Half an hour later, the two boarded a small ship chartered by the Wanli Sunshine Trading Company.

"I'm hungry. Let's eat," Natsume said with a yawn. "You want anything?"

"Not a chance! I don't want anything from you!" Tayuya retorted, crossing her arms and looking away, still fuming.

Natsume shrugged, setting up a small table with an array of delicious food. Without warning, he tied her to the bench using a Water Whip.

"Dammit! Let me go!" Tayuya shouted, struggling against the bindings.

"Still full of energy, I see," Natsume teased, calmly picking up his chopsticks. "By the way, why haven't you tried to assassinate me in the last two days?"

"I'm just waiting for the right moment, idiot!" Tayuya growled, turning her head to hide her frustration.

"Oh really?" Natsume said, undoing the Water Whip with a flick of his hand. "Well, go ahead and eat. I'll be waiting for your attempt tonight."

Tayuya immediately grabbed a pair of chopsticks and began devouring the food with gusto.

---

Later that night, Natsume lay in bed, his eyes closed as he waited.

It didn't take long before Tayuya attempted to sneak into his room.

The lights flicked on.

"Your stealth is terrible," Natsume remarked flatly, watching her freeze mid-step. Her red hair bristled with anger at his words.

"You failed," he added, tapping her lightly to block her chakra pathways.

Thanks to his understanding of Orochimaru's curse marks, Natsume knew exactly how to neutralize her abilities with precision.

"Time for your punishment," he said, lifting her effortlessly and placing her on a stool.

"Wait, what are you—"

Tayuya's words dissolved into uncontrollable laughter as Natsume mercilessly tickled her feet.

"You… haha… bastard!" she gasped, tears streaming down her face as she squirmed and kicked in vain.

After a few minutes, Natsume stopped, leaving Tayuya slumped against the stool, breathless and glaring at him with all the hatred she could muster.

"I swear… I'll kill you for this…" she muttered, limping out of the room while clutching her stockings.

---

The next morning, as their boat neared the Land of Waves, Natsume stepped onto the deck. He heard the faint, melancholic melody of a flute.

Tayuya was practicing, her fingers deftly moving along the instrument's holes. Despite her temper, she was diligent when it came to refining her Sound Ninjutsu.

Her skills in summoning and genjutsu were channeled through her flute, but the techniques were still underdeveloped. The Hidden Sound Village had been little more than a facade to fund Orochimaru's experiments, leaving sound-based jutsu as an underutilized art.

Even with the strength of her Curse Mark, Tayuya's potential was capped at that of an average jounin.

If she truly wanted to grow stronger, she'd need to delve deeper—into genjutsu and necromancy.

---

By the afternoon, the boat docked at the port of the Land of Waves.

Natsume led Tayuya to the Daimyo's mansion, now repurposed as the headquarters of the Wanli Sunshine Trading Company. Uzumaki Karin and Ena had already relocated there, though the transition of power wasn't yet complete.

"Wait here," Natsume instructed Tayuya as they entered the courtyard.

Karin was training nearby, her sharp senses focused on honing her chakra control. Inside the building, Ena was buried in administrative tasks.

Natsume headed straight to the study, where Uzumaki Ena was engrossed in a pile of documents.

Quietly approaching her from behind, he lifted her hair and blew gently against her neck.

Ena smiled softly, her posture relaxing. She didn't need to look to know who it was.

"What are you working on?" Natsume murmured, wrapping his arms around her waist.

"The latest reports from the Chamber of Commerce," she replied, her cheeks tinged pink.

"Two hours straight, huh?" he noted, tilting her face toward him.

Ena nodded, her lips curving into a small smile.

"Good girl," Natsume praised, leaning in briefly before pulling back.

As she returned to her work, Natsume crouched beside her, gently massaging her legs.

They'd all come so far. But there was still so much more to do.

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