Uchiha Gen smiled lightly at Jiraiya's remark.
"Age isn't an issue at all," he said, his voice calm yet carrying a teasing undertone. "Lady Tsunade's secret jutsu keeps her youthful forever, and I certainly don't mind the difference. As for seniority..." he glanced knowingly at Jiraiya, "...doesn't Jiraiya-senpai find that sort of thing more… thrilling?"
"Enough, you brat!" Tsunade snapped before Jiraiya could even open his mouth. Fury flashed across her amber eyes. Her fist shot forward without warning.
Boom!
Gen didn't move to dodge. Instead, black chakra erupted around his body, an armor of dense spiritual energy, layered like muscle and iron. It wasn't the skeletal Susanoo others summoned. His mastery had refined it beyond form; it now manifested directly as tangible armor.
Tsunade's blow, monstrous as ever, slammed against the armor but it didn't shatter. The impact only sent a dull echo through the trees.
"Lady Tsunade," Gen said with a faint smile, the crimson glow of his Eternal Mangekyō flaring in his eyes, "ambushes are rather unbecoming."
"Who told you," she growled, "to say something so outrageous to me, you little punk? Let's see if you're really as powerful as the old man claimed."
Her other fist came swinging.
This time, she put her weight behind it. The punch landed squarely on his chest.
Crack!
The black armor fractured, splitting like broken glass. The force sent Gen skidding backward through the air before he landed lightly on his feet.
He looked up, laughing softly. "Isn't everyone curious about the power of All Creation? Don't you wonder, Lady Tsunade, what kind of power might be born from uniting the Senju and Uchiha bloodlines, two clans once destined to destroy each other?"
"I don't think my interpretation is wrong."
Tsunade glared, breath steady but burning with annoyance. Jiraiya's brows twitched.
"You still dare to talk?" she shouted, her tone sharp. "Jiraiya, help me beat this brat senseless! We'll teach him a lesson for his teacher!"
But as she spoke, she gave Jiraiya a subtle wink.
He understood immediately.
Tsunade wasn't just angry, she wanted to test him. Hearing rumors of Uchiha Gen's strength was one thing; witnessing it firsthand was another.
And besides, with their connection to Konoha and their status, Gen wouldn't go so far as to truly harm them.
Jiraiya nodded. "Fine by me. I've been wanting to see what Orochimaru's disciple can do."
Truthfully, he was already itching to move.
This brat had just said being with an older woman was exciting. Wasn't that his line?
Unbelievable. Even he, the so-called Perverted Sage, felt outclassed.
Gen smirked. "You want to fight me? Then... catch me first."
And with that, he vanished.
Tsunade and Jiraiya blinked in surprise, then immediately understood, he didn't want to fight near the town. Any battle here would draw too much attention, and Gen clearly didn't want to reveal his techniques before an audience.
Without a word, the two leapt after him.
Behind them, Shizune stood frozen, face caught between shock and disbelief.
"That guy actually said something like that to Lady Tsunade…!" she whispered. Then, realizing the two had already taken off, she hurried after them.
The three streaked across the countryside like lightning.
Leaves and branches tore in their wake; the forest blurred past in streaks of green and gold.
Even as they chased him with full speed, Tsunade and Jiraiya could not close the gap. The distance between them never changed, steady, deliberate.
When they finally reached the deep forest after miles of pursuit, Uchiha Gen stopped.
He landed lightly on a tall tree branch, coat fluttering in the wind, his breathing calm and unshaken.
Tsunade and Jiraiya landed opposite him on nearby treetops. Though they weren't winded, their breaths were slightly uneven. The difference in stamina was clear.
Gen clasped his hands behind his back. "Time truly shows no mercy," he said with a small, teasing smile. "Even at full speed, the gap between us grew shorter than expected. Would you two like to rest first?"
Tsunade scoffed. "Hmph. Don't get cocky, brat. That was nothing."
Jiraiya's tone turned stern. "Gen, stop this nonsense. Even your teacher wouldn't approve."
If this brat actually succeeded in wooing Tsunade, the generational hierarchy would be completely upside down.
He couldn't let that happen.
Gen chuckled, shaking his head. "My teacher wouldn't care about such trivialities. His mind is on uncovering the truths of the world, not worrying about titles or age gaps."
He looked between them, unbothered. "And besides, we can always call each other whatever we like. It's just words. They don't change anything."
Jiraiya and Tsunade's faces darkened simultaneously.
His confidence, no, his audacity, was astounding.
"Don't try to use my teacher to pressure me," Gen went on calmly. "My bond with him runs deeper than yours. Between you and him, there's friendship. Between him and me… there's friendship, knowledge, and shared ambition."
He paused, his gaze sharp. "Even my teacher can't truly restrain me. In this world, power speaks first."
Jiraiya's expression hardened. "Your thinking is dangerous, Gen. That kind of arrogance—"
Gen cut him off with a faint smirk. "Dangerous? Then what's normal, Jiraiya-senpai?
Is it the kind of thinking that lets the strong grow complacent, like you, or the kind that keeps Konoha stuck in its old ways?"
He stepped forward, the air trembling faintly with his chakra. "If it weren't for me, Konoha's strength would've fallen far below what it once was."
"Enough talk," he said finally, his voice firm. "I've decided, Tsunade-senpai, I choose you."
He raised his gaze to meet hers, his tone a mix of conviction and challenge.
"I will uncover what the power of All Creation truly is, no matter what method, no matter what it takes."
His words weren't lewd, yet the intent behind them was bold, an unshakable resolve that carried both reverence and desire. He wasn't flirting; he was declaring war.
Tsunade and Jiraiya could both feel that arrogance.
Their anger flared at once.
"When," Tsunade growled, "has anyone ever dared to speak to me like that?!"
The ground beneath her cracked. Jiraiya clenched his fists.
Forgetting all pretense of restraint, the two leapt toward him in unison.