I really want to see how this evil little Uchiha brat is going to explain our relationship to Kurenai, Tsunade thought coldly. At this rate, his precious Red is going to end up heartbroken and leaving him.
When she imagined Yuhi Kurenai's gentle, kind personality, Tsunade suddenly felt like she'd turned into some sort of villain herself—stealing a young girl's boyfriend. Worse still, that Uchiha brat technically counted as her student.
"All right, all right—go get some rest already. And don't come looking for me again tonight!" Tsunade said, waving her hand dismissively like she was shooing away a fly.
Watching her do that, Uchiha Ran immediately felt displeased.
"Hey, Tsunade-sensei," he snorted, "you basically acknowledged being my girlfriend just now. We even kissed, and now you're dumping me already? Hah… women."
He crossed his arms and let out a cold laugh.
"W–Who said that?! Don't spout nonsense, brat! I didn't say anything like that. Hurry up and leave!" Tsunade snapped, her face burning as she denied it outright.
"Don't play dumb," Ran replied smoothly. "You didn't reject our relationship. That means you're already my girlfriend."
He stepped forward, forcing Tsunade back until her spine touched the tent wall. Her expression shifted slightly—because she had no way to refute him. Deep down, she had accepted it.
"You damn, naturally evil Uchiha brat—don't get so full of yourself!" she shouted, flustered and furious.
"Heh heh," Ran grinned wickedly, flashing a row of bright white teeth. "From today onward, I'm your boyfriend. No—your man. Don't forget that."
"W–Wait! I never agreed to that! You—you get out! Right now!" Tsunade yelled in embarrassment. This little Uchiha was far too arrogant.
"Tch~ you already agreed~~ I'll just take it as you being shy," Ran said cheerfully as he turned and walked out of her tent.
Left behind, Tsunade stood there in turmoil.
What… what did I just do?Why hadn't she rejected him? Why had she silently allowed Uchiha Ran to become her boyfriend?
"Damn it…"
She pressed a hand to her forehead, suddenly feeling like she'd fallen straight into a pit. She'd only wanted him to help treat her hemophobia—how had it turned into this? Had she subconsciously been plotting something against an Uchiha who was basically her student from the start?
Her eyes dimmed slightly as she shook her head in self-mockery.
"I must be insane… actually fantasizing about that damn brat. Wait—I know! It must be that little bastard used Sharingan genjutsu on me!"
She huffed angrily—but the smile tugging at the corner of her lips betrayed her true feelings.
Early the next morning, Uchiha Ran arrived at Tsunade's camp.
"Tsunade-sensei, I'm heading out. Orochimaru-sensei is deploying the defensive lines today."
Tsunade froze for a moment. Her hemophobia had eased significantly, but she still wasn't fully suited for the battlefield. She looked at Ran with soft, lingering emotion in her eyes.
"Ran… you…"
"Tsunade-nee, don't worry. No need to raise any death flags for me," Ran said confidently. "I promised you, didn't I? I'll definitely come back alive. You stay safely in the rear and wait for me."
"Ran…" she murmured.
In the end, Tsunade nodded. She had already decided—after all these years, she would return to the battlefield once more. She wouldn't allow that wicked Uchiha brat to fight alone. She'd show him a surprise when the time came.
Ran left with a confident smile.
This time, all he needed was a massive amount of One-Tail chakra to pour into that pure Ten-Tails chakra core. Once it expanded enough, he could stimulate his Sharingan—
—and then, he would awaken the Mangekyō Sharingan.
With the Mangekyō, the possibilities would be endless.
Yet even as excitement surged, a trace of melancholy crept in.
The Mangekyō was a power born from the heart. Ran couldn't help but wonder—would his overwhelming desire for evolution, for absolute and versatile power, affect the ability his Mangekyō manifested?
Back when he'd lived on Blue Star, he'd heard a theory: Mangekyō abilities were fixed at birth. A desperate craving for power often resulted in abilities like Amaterasu, the ultimate offensive flame.
"Please don't," Ran muttered to himself. "I don't want it, so don't you dare give it to me."
Time passed quickly. More than ten days slipped by without incident.
Then Orochimaru confirmed that Sunagakure was preparing to move within the next few days. He immediately summoned the higher-ups for a meeting.
The agenda was simple—assign opponents.
Just like last time, everyone would face familiar enemies. Uchiha Ran would once again take on the monk Bunpuku.
As for Pakura and her disciple-led elite squad, no immediate solution presented itself.
The eight-man Uchiha jōnin unit still had to focus on Ebizō and Chiyo—two fighters at near Kage level. Without Tsunade's specialized medical drugs, Orochimaru himself would've had to deal with them.
A heavy silence fell over the room.
Pakura's Scorch Release was terrifying. Her elite squad was perfectly balanced—and they possessed sealing techniques as well.
What were they supposed to do?
"I'll handle Pakura and her elite squad."
A clear voice sounded from outside the room.
Everyone turned.
"Tsunade?!"
"What?! Tsunade, have you lost your mind?! You have hemophobia—you can't go to the battlefield!" Orochimaru was the first to object. "You're far more useful in the rear preparing antidotes! I won't allow this—absolutely not! You'd only cause trouble out there!"
"Heh," Tsunade replied calmly. "Orochimaru, there's no need to panic. Everyone knows Pakura's abilities—there's no way she'd be allowed to enter the main battlefield freely. I'm the best choice to hold her back. And besides…"
She smiled.
"I've already overcome my hemophobia—with Ran's help."
"…Overcome it?"
"Tsunade-sama doesn't have hemophobia anymore?"
The room erupted in shock. All eyes instinctively turned to Uchiha Ran.
"Yes," Ran confirmed calmly.
Though he didn't know why Tsunade was so eager to fight, this wasn't the time to question it. Supporting her was enough.
"If Tsunade has recovered," Orochimaru said after a moment of thought, "then this is the best possible outcome."
He nodded in agreement.
"All right. Tsunade, I'll leave Pakura to you. With your strength, I trust you can handle them."
Watching Tsunade practically brimming with excitement, Orochimaru couldn't help but sigh. She was already in her thirties, yet somehow seemed more energetic—and younger—than ever.
Still, he reminded her to be careful. After all, Tsunade who once suffered from hemophobia was now an unknown variable.
"Haha! Of course," Tsunade laughed, clenching her fist. "I'm not just any ordinary Konoha ninja."
"Oh, and you too, brat," she added, pointing at Ran. "Don't let me outshine you."
"I'll do my best, Tsunade-nee," Ran replied with a warm smile.
Seeing that expression, Tsunade's face flushed red.
"I—I'll go prepare some things," she said hurriedly to the others.
Without lingering a second longer, she turned and left the meeting room.
The atmosphere inside instantly stiffened.
Everyone fell silent.
…So Tsunade-sama and Uchiha Ran were that close already?