join patreon.com/worldoffanfiction for advanced chapters and to support the daily update
Hinata had forgotten how many times she had fallen today. Her entire body was covered in scrapes and bruises, the redness and swelling on her forehead seemed even worse. The ground beneath her feet was dotted with shallow pits, all left from her practice of "Soru." Panting heavily, she took a deep breath, wiping away the fragrant sweat beading on her forehead. But she accidentally touched the swollen spot, almost making her cry out in pain. Pursing her lips, she forced herself to remain silent, her small face filled with seriousness and determination. A year and a half of arduous training had made her incredibly tenacious. Although she felt her body was extremely tired, she had experienced even greater fatigue before. She was long accustomed to this feeling, so Hinata wouldn't mind physical exhaustion. As long as she hadn't reached the point of being completely overwhelmed, she would continue training.
Liu Chen, meanwhile, leaned against a large tree, stifling a yawn from boredom. He watched Hinata's training with drooping eyelids. He had been sitting here for half a day, from morning until noon. "It seems... it'll be difficult for Hinata to master Soru in less than ten days to half a month, unless this girl has some sudden enlightenment." Liu Chen tilted his head, leaning against the tree trunk, and yawned again.
However, at this moment... his expression suddenly froze. His gaze turned in one direction. He muttered to himself, "Someone actually came to this godforsaken place? Could it be a woodcutter from the mountains?! But this is the middle of nowhere. What kind of woodcutter would come here? Aren't they afraid of encountering wild beasts or mountain bandits?!" "And this person is moving quite fast; they shouldn't be an ordinary person."
"..."
About a kilometer away from Hinata and Liu Chen, a woman with long golden-blonde hair was moving forward at an extremely fast pace. However, her face was slightly flushed, and a strong smell of alcohol emanated from her, as if she had drunk a lot. This woman had a very slender figure, and the two enormous objects on her chest were astonishing, almost rivalling a cow's. She let out a burp, mumbling indistinctly, "I can't believe I lost everything again today... It seems tonight I'll have to sleep rough with Shizune. And I don't know if that girl... has told Sensei about that matter yet."
"Burp... I think I've had a bit too much to drink. And this time, I owe another million in gambling debts, and I'm being chased. Tsk! Do I look like someone who doesn't pay her debts? I'm just... just temporarily going to raise money."
"Burp..." Just as Tsunade was moving forward at an incredibly fast speed, a faint sound reached her ears, catching her attention. It sounded like someone speaking. "Oh dear... ouch... failed again. I've already used up seven-tenths of my stamina." This voice sounded a bit like a girl's voice. And it seemed a little timid. In any case, it sounded very gentle. Although the voice was faint, Tsunade could still discern the speaker's distance... Judging by the volume of the voice, it shouldn't be more than 200 meters away. After all, Tsunade, once one of the Legendary Sannin of Konoha, had very strong sensory abilities. Her hearing, in particular, was incredibly keen.
"A girl? In this desolate wilderness, how could there be a girl?" Tsunade's face held a hint of confusion. The flush on her face had also subsided considerably. And just as she was about to continue moving forward... a sudden sense of crisis袭 (assaulted) her mind, giving Tsunade an ominous premonition. She quickly retreated several steps, hurriedly leaving the spot where she had just stood. The moment Tsunade shifted backward, a purple lightning bolt suddenly struck down, blasting a small crater into the ground right in front of her foot. This small crater was about the size of a bowl's mouth, but its depth was several meters! Tsunade's beautiful eyes slightly constricted. A bead of sweat clung to her forehead. She couldn't help but sigh in relief: "I almost got hit by that lightning bolt... With such penetrating power, if I had really been hit, I would definitely have been injured, wouldn't I?!"
"Who exactly attacked me?! The opponent didn't seem to aim for a killing blow." "This is more like... a warning!" "..." Tsunade's body had now paused, her expression very complex. She hadn't expected to encounter such a thing when she came. A look of intrigued amusement appeared on her pretty face. She muttered, "Someone actually dared to warn me?! That takes some nerve, using the power of lightning. Is it a Lightning Release ninja?" "That's right! Was that very thick lightning bolt last night also caused by this person?!" "I remember there aren't many powerful Lightning Release ninja in Konoha Village, are there?"
"..." The most famous Lightning Release ninja in Konoha right now should be Kakashi. Tsunade knew that Kakashi possessed very good Lightning Release Ninjutsu. But if the opponent was truly Kakashi, why would he warn her? Although Tsunade had been away from the Land of Fire for some time. But she was, after all, one of the Legendary Sannin of Konoha. She wasn't a rogue ninja of Konoha. Or... was the opponent actually not Kakashi Hatake at all?! But a new Lightning Release ninja in Konoha? Or a mysterious foreign ninja!
"Ah... Although I don't particularly want to return to Konoha Village right now, this isn't within Konoha Village's territory. Forget it, forget it. I'll go see who it is. If it's an enemy, I'll deal with them." "It can also be considered helping Konoha Village eliminate an enemy. If not, then it's a misunderstanding." Tsunade scratched her smooth hair. All the intoxication had long since vanished from her face. One second she looked completely drunk. The next second, she instantly returned to normal. It had to be said that this was a little terrifying... She didn't heed the lightning bolt's warning just now. Instead, her figure flashed, and she moved forward at extreme speed, even faster than before, at least several times faster. In just a few breaths, she was already hundreds of meters away. Then she saw a very familiar, massive crater. And a little girl covered in injuries.