Hanekawa managed to save himself from a spanking.
With the "Gambling God" trait on his side, winning the 500,000 ryo was a certainty—even Jesus couldn't intervene.
"What do you want for dinner?"
Tsunade twirled the money she had just won in her hand, looking smug. Paired with that question, someone might have mistaken her for planning to spoil Hanekawa.
"Barbecue," Hanekawa said without hesitation.
Tsunade's victory was at least one-third thanks to him. After gambling for so long, why shouldn't he enjoy himself?
"No problem!" Tsunade grinned and reached out to ruffle his hair again.
Can we stop with the head pats already?
Hanekawa instinctively pushed her arm, but it didn't budge.
Tsunade noticed his effort and raised an eyebrow slightly.
This strength boost was due to the "Ninja Tool Throwing" training, but she didn't know that.
"This way," Tsunade said, grabbing his small hand and leading him across the street.
A warm, soft sensation enveloped his hand.
Hanekawa glanced at their clasped hands and quickened his pace. They soon arrived at the barbecue restaurant.
The moment they entered, a voice called out.
Hanekawa instinctively turned toward the sound.
It was Inoichi Yamanaka.
Beside him were two other young men—one a red-haired, heavyset guy, and the other with a pineapple-shaped hairstyle.
Though this was Hanekawa's first time meeting them, he immediately guessed their identities: Chōza Akimichi and Shikaku Nara.
Together with Inoichi, they were the iconic Ino–Shika–Chō trio.
Inoichi represents the "boar" (Ino).
Chōza represents the "butterfly" (Chō).
Shikaku represents the "deer" (Shika).
"Lady Tsunade, we've already ordered meat. How about joining us?" Inoichi offered politely after a brief exchange of greetings.
Tsunade gave a slight nod.
Like Hanekawa, she had no concept of being reserved.
"Is this Tsunade-sama's new student?" Shikaku asked, studying Hanekawa curiously.
"No," Tsunade replied, "he's a child from Nonō's orphanage. I'm just helping out."
Shikaku recalled all the stories he'd heard about Tsunade and couldn't help feeling a bit skeptical.
"Did the memory extraction help last time?" Tsunade casually asked Inoichi.
"No," Inoichi sighed. "Although he saw the murderer, the killer was wearing a mask."
"A mask?" Tsunade frowned. "Don't tell me it's that disgusting old guy, Danzō, again?"
Her disdain for Danzō Shimura was obvious.
To Tsunade, Danzō was like a sewer rat—always lurking in the shadows, doing despicable things.
"There's no evidence at the moment," Inoichi replied, wiping the cold sweat from his brow.
Tsunade might have the guts to openly criticize Danzō, but they didn't. If Danzō decided to target them, the Ino–Shika–Chō clan would face serious losses again.
Danzō's Root organization had already stolen countless young talents from their clans.
Hanekawa glanced at Tsunade thoughtfully.
As Lu Xun famously said, "For forbidden jutsu, ask Tobirama Senju. For scapegoats, blame Danzō Shimura."
This time, Tsunade's guess was half right.
One of the masterminds was indeed Danzō Shimura.
Hanekawa pondered for a moment.
In the original story, when Hiruzen Sarutobi discovered Danzō's involvement, he didn't punish him. Instead, he merely took Yamato (Tenzo) away.
Telling Tsunade about this wouldn't achieve much.
Not only would it fail to explain how he knew, but it would also provoke Danzō. At that point, Hanekawa might suffer immensely without any reprieve.
The only valuable outcome here was Yamato.
Although his Wood Release didn't compare to Hashirama Senju's, it still held a unique significance for Tsunade.
I'll find a chance to tell Tsunade later.
After finishing a barbecue meal, Hanekawa returned home with Tsunade.
They didn't do anything special—just pure focus on learning medical ninjutsu.
Time quickly flew by, and soon it was Saturday.
Over the past five days, Hanekawa had done only three things: train, train, and more training.
Hanekawa was practicing swordsmanship on the open grounds outside Nonō Yakushi's office.
Since it was Saturday, he had come early in the morning.
Of course, before practicing swordsmanship, he treated the koi fish he had been healing.
After using up most of his chakra, he stepped outside to train in Konoha-Style Swordsmanship.
Time passed unnoticed, but suddenly, four lines of text appeared before his eyes.
Hanekawa's spirits soared.
At last, he had unlocked it.
[E-Rank Ninjutsu Trait: Sword Ninja (Unlocked)]
[Trigger Condition: Achieved Beginner Level in Konoha-Style Swordsmanship.]
[Effect: Increases the power of Konoha-Style Swordsmanship by 10%.]
[Note: Further mastery can promote the trait to D-Rank Sword Genin.]
A straightforward and effective ability with a clear progression path.
Hanekawa nodded in satisfaction.
After reaching beginner level comes proficiency, then mastery. Once he mastered it, he figured he would be at the level of a Special Jonin.
In addition to the Sword Ninja trait, the progress bar for Seven Ninja Tools also surged forward.
Now that his swordsmanship had reached beginner level, his proficiency with a katana fulfilled the requirement.
The Seven Ninja Tools progress bar was at 90%—only one tool left to complete.
Inside Nonō Yakushi's Office
"Is he tired yet?" Tsunade asked as she watched Hanekawa pause. "Can a kid handle learning so much at once?"
"I've advised him to take it easy, but he insists he's fine," Nonō said helplessly. The latest_epɪ_sodes are on_the ⓝovelFire.net
Hanekawa's training regimen was something most Genin couldn't match.
And he wasn't just focusing on one skill—he was learning genjutsu, swordsmanship, and medical ninjutsu all at once.
Tsunade suddenly made a surprised sound.
Hanekawa had resumed practicing his swordsmanship, but this time, it was different. His movements had become exceptionally fluid and refined, as though he had just experienced a breakthrough.
With her sharp eyes, Tsunade could tell that Hanekawa's current skill level in Konoha-Style Swordsmanship had already surpassed most Genin.
Nonō noticed as well, her face filled with astonishment.
It seemed that true geniuses defied common sense.
"Well, looks like there's nothing to worry about," Tsunade said, withdrawing her gaze and reclining on the sofa. Crossing her legs, the tight fabric of her pants stretched over her thighs, emphasizing their fullness.
"I'll get back to work, Lady Tsunade," Nonō said, used to Tsunade's casual demeanor. She gave a polite nod before leaving.
While Hanekawa practiced swordsmanship, the Konoha Bookstore was unusually lively.
At the entrance, a striking poster was displayed.
The poster featured three female ninjas:
The one in the center was wrapped in a tight purple bodysuit, carrying a katana and boasting an explosive figure.
The one on the left wore a black bodysuit, her fair legs exposed.
The one on the right stood with her back turned, revealing a beautiful bare back and shapely hips.
Beneath the poster, bold orange letters spelled out the title: "Demon Slayer Ninjas"
In smaller text below, it read:
"From the genius new novelist Raika Ken—an unmissable adult novel."
The eye-catching poster drew an endless stream of customers. Driven by curiosity, they opened Demon Slayer Ninjas and were captivated by its content.
Just then, a man wearing a red haori and a forehead protector with the kanji for "oil" stopped in his tracks.
He stared at the poster, his eyes widening in shock.
"What the—?! So bold?!"
"Well, I have to give it a read to see what it's like!"