"Kid, I don't think I know you."
"Lady Tsunade..."
Before Wu Ying could finish, Tsunade's right fist was already flying straight toward his face.
"Such a violent woman."
Wu Ying wore a smile on the outside while cursing up a storm on the inside.
"Are you sure you want to fight me? That psychological trauma of yours..."
As he spoke, Wu Ying leaped backward to put some distance between them, realizing that going bare-handed against her might not end well.
After all, Tsunade was a veteran of the battlefield and had always excelled in taijutsu.
Still, Wu Ying wanted to test the waters.
Their fighting auras began to spread outward.
Seeing this, Might Guy and the others immediately backed away.
Only Kaoumi looked worried and wanted to step forward, but Tenten held her back.
Wu Ying remained calmly smiling as Tsunade watched his smiling face.
With a stomp of her foot, the ground shattered.
A faint glow flickered around Tsunade's right fist as she shouted, "Ha!" and lunged straight at Wu Ying.
Wu Ying's eyes narrowed. She was fast.
He channeled a shred of true essence into his lower dantian, causing his short, tousled hair to whip about in the wind as a wild, restless energy surged through his entire body.
When their fists collided, the ground cracked in a widening circle. A gust of shockwave swept past, and Wu Ying was sent flying several meters away.
Tsunade wore a triumphant smile as she stepped forward to close the distance.
Wu Ying lay on the ground, tempted to play dead. Seeing Tsunade rushing at him again, he considered using footwork to evade, but quickly abandoned the idea.
Wu Ying mobilized a few more wisps of true essence, clenched his fists, and met her attack head-on.
Close-quarters combat—Tsunade's favorite style.
The heavy, resonant sound of impacts echoed endlessly across the clearing.
Wu Ying now had a clear measure of his own strength; there was no way he could go toe-to-toe with Tsunade at full power.
So, he deliberately looked a bit flustered and left a few openings.
After Tsunade landed yet another sweeping roundhouse kick, Wu Ying stood at a distance sporting two black eyes and rubbing his lower back with one hand.
This violent maniac—she had gone and ruined his handsome face.
If he had known better, he shouldn't have played weak.
If he actually married her and brought her home as his wife, it would really be...
Wu Ying's heart rippled with eager anticipation.
"Tsunade, that's enough!"
"Hmph!"
Tsunade raised a hand to brush back her hair and straightened the collar of her shirt, acting as though nothing at all had happened.
Wu Ying gave a bitter laugh. It was his own loose lips—he must have let something slip for Tsunade to figure it out.
Besides, if he subdued Tsunade by exploiting her hemophobia, it would weigh on his conscience.
And fighting at full power would inevitably lead to bloodshed.
He didn't want Tsunade's weaknesses exposed, either.
"Tsunade, be a dear and heal me up."
Wu Ying leaned in close to Tsunade with a ingratiating smile.
Huimei ran over, tugged at the hem of Wu Ying's shirt, and shot a slightly hostile glare at Tsunade.
The person her older brother had chosen was actually this violent.
Looking at the bruising around Wu Ying's eyes, she could only think that this woman hit terribly hard.
Tenten stood off to the side, laughing heartlessly.
Wu Ying ruffled Kaoumi's hair a few times to soothe her.
"Hmph... Who on earth are you?"
Tsunade let out a couple of hums, but still began using the Mystic Palm Technique to heal Wu Ying.
The anger of the past few days finally subsided.
Though she had beaten up a total stranger, who told the guy to be so familiar with her?
And he had even dared to flirt with her while she was already fuming—she didn't hit the wrong person after all.
Once Tsunade stopped the Mystic Palm Technique, Wu Ying still felt a throbbing ache around his eyes.
He vaguely remembered that medical Ninjutsu could only heal about half the damage, because cellular division had its limits...
Still, he didn't bother using his true essence to kill the pain.
Pushing aside his stray thoughts, he pinched Huimei's cheek and asked her to go fetch a small jar of wine.
Huimei puffed out her cheeks, cast a sideways glance at Tsunade, and trotted off to get the wine anyway.
When Huimei brought the wine back, she saw Wu Ying and Tsunade spreading a cotton cloth out under the shade of a tree.
She pouting slightly, but went over and sat down beside Wu Ying.
Wu Ying waved to Might Guy and the others.
Tenten was the first to sit down in the spot closest to Tsunade.
Seeing that Tsunade hadn't replied for a long time, Tenten didn't mind at all; she casually popped the seal off the wine jar and placed it right in front of Tsunade.
The rich aroma of wine instantly filled the air.
Tsunade desperately wanted to hug the jar, but managed to restrain herself, taking a deep, appreciative sniff instead.
Wu Ying pulled out a sealing scroll and produced some snacks and beef jerky.
Seeing that Tsunade was only sniffing the air, Wu Ying smiled slightly and said:
"My name is Wu Ying. All this is for you. I'm currently off alcohol—drinking hurts the liver, and the liver belongs to the wood element..."
Tsunade looked up, cast a surprised glance at Wu Ying, and then silently picked up the jar and took a huge gulp.
Seeing her flushed cheeks, he really felt like giving them a pinch.
Wu Ying shook his head, invited everyone to dig in and treat it as lunch.
By the time Tsunade finished drinking, she had somehow ended up sitting on Wu Ying's left side.
"Kid, you really aren't going to have a drink with me?"
As Tsunade spoke, she threw an arm around Wu Ying's shoulder and leaned in close.
Whoa!
Wu Ying's expression stiffened for a moment, but he quickly recovered.
As expected of the great Tsunade, her body was unexpectedly soft.
He silently gave a thumbs-up in his mind, then turned his head to glance at her.
"I'll pass. How about we don't go back to that village after all? Come with me to Tanzaku Quarter instead—I actually wanted to trade a few things with you."
Tsunade suddenly whispered softly right into Wu Ying's ear:
"Still keeping up the act? How about I break a few of your ribs to see if you're really that tough!"
Wu Ying suddenly recalled Tsunade's original personality from his memories.
Somewhat extreme, headstrong, a hopeless gambling addict, and always eager to solve problems with her fists...
Yet, her vulnerable side and strong side, her gentle side and rough side, truly formed a rather charming contrast.
He glanced down at a certain area.
No wonder so many people in his past life loved her.
Wu Ying rubbed his nose, patted Huimei on the shoulder, and said to Tsunade:
"This is my younger sister, Kaoumi. You already know Might Guy over there.
The guy with the Byakugan is Neji Hyuga.
The bowl-cut kid is Rock Lee.
And this girl who idolizes you is Tenten. They're all ninja from the village."
After introducing everyone, Wu Ying straightened Tsunade up into a proper sitting posture and continued:
"Seriously, don't go back to that village for now. Come with me—I'll cover all your food and lodging, and there's plenty of fine wine like this."
His mind started racing again. From now on, he'd be neighbors with Tsunade. Just thinking about it...
Heh heh...
Tenten's eyes burned with the flames of gossip.
Huimei first looked down at her own chest, then glanced sideways at Tsunade's, feeling a bit discouraged.
If Wu Ying knew Huimei was directly comparing herself to Tsunade, he would mercilessly tease the little girl.
Still, Huimei's wasn't small by any means; at least for her age, she had already outpaced Hinata and her entire group of peers.
Tsunade took another large gulp of wine and exhaled a fragrant breath of alcohol.
"Hmph, it's not out of the question. But..."
Wu Ying paid no attention to whatever "but" Tsunade had in mind, and simply patted her shoulder.
"Haha, that's wonderful!"
Tsunade curled her lip, but didn't make an issue of Wu Ying's familiarity.
"Don't get too full of yourself. If you dare piss me off, you'll regret it."
"Relax, relax, I'll definitely be on my best behavior."
Watching her older brother's genuinely radiant smile, Huimei couldn't help feeling doubtful:
"Is my brother this happy just because he finally met the person he's been longing for?"
As she thought this, she unconsciously poked out her lower lip and let out a soft huff.
Muttering to herself:
It's fine, though. When I grow up, I'm going to be very pretty too.
The more Huimei thought about it, the smugger she became, and she started swaying her little head.
She mumbled under her breath, as if she could already picture herself as a great beauty.
Noticing Huimei chattering away incessantly beside him, Wu Ying lowered his gaze. The little girl's cheeks were flushed—she must have been daydreaming about something.
"Tsunade, stop drinking for a second and check my little Huimei to see if she has any hidden injuries."
Wu Ying's voice interrupted Huimei's spellcasting. She snapped back to reality in a panic, composed herself, and looked up at Tsunade.