By the time Hikari left the Hyuga compound, the sky had already grown dark, and it was past six o'clock.
As adults, after discussing Hinata's education with Hiashi, Hikari spent some time exchanging views on taijutsu. Impressed by his breadth of knowledge, Hiashi grew somewhat reassured.
Now, Hiashi held only one thought: if Hinata truly became as strong as Hikari claimed, he wouldn't be at a loss. Even if she didn't reach that level, forging a connection with Kamizuki Hikari would still be beneficial.
Either way, he couldn't lose.
By the time Hikari arrived at the izakaya, the lights inside were already glowing warmly.
As for Tsunade, several empty bottles already surrounded her. Her face was flushed, her eyes hazy with intoxication as she looked at him.
"Hehe, Hikari~ You're finally here!"
Hikari's lips twitched as he eyed the alcohol Tsunade had ordered, sighing in exasperation.
"You're really treating me like a walking wallet, huh? Do you think my money grows on trees?"
With Tsunade's spending habits, he'd probably burn through an A-rank mission's worth of cash tonight.
[With this kind of spending, no matter how much money I have, I'll never afford to keep up! What a spendthrift woman!]
"Don't talk nonsense, got it?!"
Tsunade slid a bottle toward him, then gestured to the grilled meat on the table. "Eat up. They recently got their hands on some 'snow beef'—a specialty import from a new trade deal between the Land of Fire and the Land of Snow. Thanks to this, our shinobi have another long-term escort mission source!"
Transporting beef from the Land of Snow to the Land of Fire wasn't easy. The journey was long, and the risk of bandits—or even disguised shinobi from rival villages—attempting to hijack the shipment was high. So, hiring shinobi as escorts was only natural.
Thankfully, the shipments were large, and the Land of Snow even provided special refrigeration tools to preserve the meat. Though the price was higher by the time it reached consumers, its uniquely exquisite flavor made it popular regardless.
"So, this is Princess Koyuki's doing."
Hearing about the snow beef, Hikari was reminded of that white lotus blooming atop the snowy mountains—
Radiant, dazzling, unyielding to the cold.
Princess Kazahana Koyuki had finally grown into a true queen worthy of the Land of Snow.
"She's Queen now. Recently, she's been sending all sorts of specialty beef to Konoha. This grilled meat here? I personally arranged for it!"
...Huh???
Hikari gave Tsunade a questioning look. Her wording didn't make sense to him.
"You're so slow!"
Tsunade scoffed. "In other words, I took all the snow beef that was originally sent to Konoha as gifts and put it straight up for sale!"
This time, Hikari's gaze shifted to one of outright disdain.
He stared at Tsunade as if judging her actions.
"Don't look at me like that! You think I pocketed the profits?"
Understanding his silent accusation, Tsunade huffed and explained, "I only kept part of the revenue. The rest went back to the village, and a portion was turned into food vouchers for shinobi. They could exchange them for cash if they didn't want the beef—meaning everyone benefits!"
Ah, that made sense.
Turns out, Tsunade had orchestrated a win-win situation—she profited, the village profited, and the shinobi received an unexpected bonus.
"Not bad. Didn't expect you to have political savvy. Cheers to that." He raised his cup toward her.
"Hmph! There's a lot you don't know about me."
Pleased by the compliment, Tsunade couldn't hide her satisfied grin.
"I've finally become a somewhat competent Hokage, but honestly, this kind of life still doesn't suit me. Compared to sitting in Konoha all day approving documents, I still prefer my old wandering lifestyle!"
"Wandering? You mean running from debt collectors. I really have to hand it to you—owing that much money everywhere really isn't easy."
"Shut up! Would you die if you didn't roast me for once?!"
Now debt-free, Tsunade enjoyed a life without the constant specter of loan sharks chasing her. Though she occasionally gambled small amounts to scratch the itch, she strictly avoided large bets—after all, as Hokage, she had an image to uphold.
Back then, drifting from place to place, her life had been a mess—sometimes starving, sometimes fleeing creditors. Yet she'd relished the thrill—both the gambling and the chase.
But those days were long behind her.
"I won't die, but damn, it does get dull."
"And you're the Hokage, holding a high position and great power. Enduring criticism from others is normal. What's wrong with me saying a couple of things?"
"Hmph! Others can say whatever they want about me—but you are not allowed to!" As Tsunade spoke, she stretched her waist. The mountains bounced, offering a boundless view—magnificent from every angle.
"Alright, alright, I'll stop."
Hikari's throat went dry as he stole another glance.
Smirking triumphantly, Tsunade leaned forward. "You know... you've softened since returning. The old Hikari never would've humored me like this."
[Back then, you weren't mine. Why should I have spoiled you?]
Glancing around warily, he lowered his voice. "Talk softly. Some skilled shinobi frequent this place. If someone overhears..."
"So what?"
Tsunade waved him off. "Everyone already says we're close, that there must be something going on between us. Even if they see us, it would just confirm the rumors!"
"Besides..." She tapped the wooden divider beside them. "They renovated the place—see those engravings? Soundproofing seals. Unless we're shouting, no one will hear a thing."
Hikari inspected the hidden markings and silently applauded the designer of these barriers.
"Well, if that's the case... then I think I'd like to confirm something."
With a swift motion, he traced a symbol in the air—a translucent barrier shimmered into existence around them.
"What's this?" Curious, Tsunade poked at the faintly glowing film.
"An upgraded sealing barrier. From the outside, people will unconsciously ignore this space. And inside..." He smirked. "No matter how loud you get, nothing escapes."
His grin made Tsunade tense.
"Don't you dare!" She shot a warning glare. "We're in public!"
"Doesn't matter."
In a blur, he was beside her, his hand already exploring forbidden territories.
"Isn't this kind of thrill... exhilarating?"
Tsunade tried to protest, but soon, words became irrelevant.
Now, she could only surrender to the battle ahead!