Chapter 547: Muyue and Tsunade

At five in the afternoon, Muyue put down the sealing technique scroll he was reading, tidied up, and went out to the vegetable market.

If he went to Tsunade's house, she'd be happy; if he brought vegetables to Tsunade's house, then she'd be very happy.

He walked skillfully to the front yard of Tsunade's house; just then, Shizune was practicing taijutsu in the yard. Seeing Muyue arrive, she immediately put on a happy smile and went to greet him.

"Teacher Muyue, you're back."

"Mm, how's your medical ninjutsu study going lately?" Muyue asked, using the hand not carrying vegetables to pat Shizune's head.

Shizune was also considered half his disciple, so he still needed to show some concern.

"Let's go inside first. I'll help you carry that." Shizune wanted to help Muyue with the vegetables.

Muyue raised the bag of vegetables to a height that Shizune could only reach if she jumped.

"Huh?" Shizune looked at Muyue in confusion.

Muyue gently tapped Shizune's forehead with his index and middle fingers together. "Your teacher Muyue isn't that lazy. I've carried them this long; it won't hurt to carry them the little distance to the kitchen."

Hearing Muyue's words, Shizune couldn't help but think of Tsunade.

Though both were adults and Tsunade was older, Muyue was far more reliable and reassuring in every way.

"Tsunade-sama, Teacher Muyue is here."

Shizune obediently didn't insist on helping Muyue carry the bag; instead, she went back inside to inform Tsunade and prepare some tea.

"Oh, he's here." Tsunade was still lying on the bed, staring blankly at the ceiling.

It wasn't that she'd just gotten up at this hour; even though she had been hungover last night, she had actually woken up around eleven in the morning.

Around three in the afternoon, feeling that she had nothing to do and a little sleepy, she had taken a nap and had only woken up recently.

"Teacher Muyue brought a lot of vegetables!" Shizune called out.

A gust of strong wind swept in; the next moment, Tsunade, fully dressed, appeared in front of Shizune.

"So fast!" Shizune stared in amazement at Tsunade, who seemed to have teleported.

"Where? Let me see what vegetables there are. If anything's missing, we can still send Shizune to buy more before it's too late." Tsunade quickly looked around and spotted Muyue at the kitchen door.

Before Shizune could comment, Tsunade strode over to Muyue's side, unceremoniously opened the vegetable bag, and started rummaging through it.

"Mm, this is fine. No need to buy extra." Tsunade nodded in satisfaction.

"You sure are thoughtful, kid. You just got back to Konoha not long ago, and you still remembered me."

Living in a state of giving up, Tsunade had no interest in national affairs, but people in Konoha talked about them so much that even without listening on purpose, she ended up overhearing a lot.

"I only got back today. I didn't expect you to think of me that way, Tsunade-sama. Makes me feel like I don't want to come anymore." Muyue sighed as he spoke.

Tsunade looked at Muyue with a face full of exasperation. What was this? A threat? It felt weird.

"If you don't come, fine. Then I'll just go to your place and freeload a meal instead." Tsunade indicated that this wouldn't stump her.

She figured it wasn't a bad idea—since it wouldn't be her own house, she wouldn't have to wash the dishes or clean the table.

"Tsunade-sama, you're one of the Sannin. Isn't this just bullying a junior?" Shizune couldn't bear to watch and spoke up.

"What's being a Sannin? Can you eat it?" Tsunade said nonchalantly.

She didn't even want to be a ninja anymore; why would she care about the reputation of the Sannin?

"Joking time is over. Both of you go out; I'm going to start cooking." Muyue felt it was enough and began shooing them away.

In other matters, Tsunade might have argued, but when it came to Muyue cooking, Tsunade was two hundred percent supportive. She immediately did as Muyue said and went back to the living room.

Since one dish needed to simmer for a while, Muyue took the opportunity to rest in the living room for a bit.

"Muyue, do you have any new jutsu you want to develop?" Tsunade couldn't help but ask.

Their past interactions had been somewhat transactional—Muyue brought her the joy of eating, and in return, she taught him medical ninjutsu and helped him develop sealing techniques.

Now that the Yin Seal was complete, Tsunade felt like she was freeloading.

Although freeloading was joyful, it wasn't a long-term solution.

After all, Muyue couldn't possibly be good-natured enough to cook for her for the rest of his life without expecting anything in return.

"There is." Muyue nodded in reply.

"What type of ninjutsu?"

"Wood Release."

"You bastard!" Tsunade couldn't help but throw the sofa cushion at Muyue.

Tsunade didn't use much force, and Muyue easily caught the incoming cushion.

"I'm asking you seriously." Tsunade couldn't help but roll her eyes.

Clearly, Tsunade thought Muyue was joking.

Not to mention the status of Wood Release in Konoha or even the ninja world, just the answer of developing a Bloodline Limit sounded like a joke.

"I'm answering you seriously too." Muyue placed the cushion behind him as a backrest and replied calmly.

Using development as an excuse to bring Wood Release into the open was not a decision Muyue made on a whim; it was well thought out.

Muyue was no longer the insignificant Root member or the unknown chunin instructor at the Ninja Academy.

Muyue's title as the number one of the new generation was not fabricated; it was earned step by step on the battlefield. Hiruzen Sarutobi, Jiraiya, Minato Namikaze—they all witnessed Muyue's rise.

He now had connections, and his extraordinary talent was recognized.

There had indeed been no precedent for developing Wood Release before.

But before, there was no Konoha ninja who developed Ice Release, and no one who developed Breathing Techniques or Observation Haki.

A genius seen once in a hundred years manifesting Wood Release again was indeed rare, but not entirely impossible.

Tsunade stared at Muyue's face carefully and, seeing no hint of joking, couldn't help but say, "What a fanciful idea."

In essence, Wood Release is not much different from other Bloodline Limits; it is also a product of mixing two basic types of chakra.

The reason for its special treatment is mainly that Wood Release is extremely rare, and its users are incredibly powerful.

Before Hashirama Senju, no one had seen Wood Release; after Hashirama Senju, no ninja was unaware of Wood Release, but it never appeared again.

Some people think Wood Release is the Bloodline Limit of the Senju clan, but it's not.

In all the years of the Senju clan, only Hashirama Senju possessed Wood Release.

The bloodline power of the Senju clan is chakra and vitality, inherited from their ancestor Ashura's Sage Body.

"That sounds like something you would think of."

The impression Muyue gave Tsunade was that he was not bound by common sense; otherwise, he wouldn't have thought of developing the Yang Seal.

"After all, there is already the precedent of Ice Release, so it feels worth a try.

In the end, Wood Release is just a new nature transformation produced by mixing Water and Earth chakra; it's not more special than other Bloodline Limits." Muyue picked up the hot tea Shizuno had poured and said with a slight smile.

"You understand it thoroughly, but saying it is simple; doing it is difficult." Tsunade said with her arms crossed.

The logic is there, but Wood Release does seem to be a bit stranger than other Bloodline Limits, appearing extremely rarely.

"Maybe I can help you look for things my grandfather left behind? They might be of some help to you."

Since Muyue wanted to develop Wood Release, Tsunade certainly couldn't help directly in the development; at most, she could help Muyue find some materials.

She really had no experience in developing Bloodline Limits, and trying to help forcefully would only backfire.

"Then I'll thank Tsunade-sama in advance." Muyue didn't stand on ceremony and agreed directly.

Although Hiruzen Sarutobi had already agreed to provide materials, having Tsunade's assistance also gave it a touch of orthodoxy.

After all, Tsunade was Hashirama Senju's own granddaughter.

After dinner, at Tsunade's request, Muyue didn't leave but stayed to play Ninja Kill with Tsunade for two hours.

Since there were only three of them, they played a one-versus-two Landlord mode.

In essence, it was like having one lord and two rebels on the field.

Tsunade had been playing Ninja Kill for a while, but compared to Muyue, who had played tens of thousands of rounds in his previous life, she was still too inexperienced.

In the first round, Muyue drew the lord identity and became the landlord, choosing the ninja Akimichi Torifu.

Skill: Multiplication Technique. Effect: when drawing cards, reveal the top three cards of the deck; you may only obtain Basic Cards, Weapon Cards, or Duel cards from among them. Then, for the next turn, damage dealt by Slash and Duel is increased by one.

First turn: Muyue did not activate the skill, simply drew cards normally and then played Slash on Tsunade.

On the second turn, because she still had Slash cards in hand, she directly activated the skill.

However, Muyue did not directly Slash Tsunade; instead, she used Borrowed Knife to Kill on Shizune to attack Tsunade.

Shizune's weapon is the Kusanagi Sword, which has the effect: after using Slash, if the opponent dodges, you can use Slash again.

Tsunade naturally did not want the Kusanagi Sword to fall into Muyue's hands; the damage bonus from Multiplication Technique combined with such a weapon was simply too brutal.

So she directly ordered Shizune to use Slash — losing one health point was better than letting Muyue obtain a suitable weapon.

Moreover, among the three cards Muyue revealed this turn, there was no Slash; she might not even be able to cut Tsunade.

Tsunade also considered the worst-case scenario: Muyue had two or even more Slash cards in the previous turn.

But she was still not flustered. Although Tsunade was only a three-health ninja, if Muyue had Slash she could directly slash her to death. However, Shizune's ninja status had a healing skill, so she wouldn't die.

"Soldier Ration Pill, Slash." Muyue discarded two cards from her hand.

The effect of Soldier Ration Pill: Slash damage +1, and if you are dying, you can save yourself.

Combined with Muyue's own ninja skill, the damage of this Slash was three health points. Tsunade directly fell into negative one health.

"Shizune, save me!" Tsunade quickly looked at Shizune — it was only the beginning.

Shizune threw out two red cards to restore Tsunade to one health point.

"Shadow Shuriken Clone Jutsu." Muyue immediately played another card.

The effect of this card: after playing, everyone else needs to play Dodge; if not, lose one health point.

Tsunade, who had no Dodge, looked at Shizune.

Shizune helplessly spread her hands to Tsunade. She was a three-health ninja; she could only hold three cards in hand, all of which were used up. She couldn't save her.

Without a teammate, Shizune couldn't withstand Muyue, who had the support of the Landlord's skill, and before long, she was also slashed into negative health.

"Last round was just luck. Come again, come again!" Tsunade said with a dissatisfied expression.

"Given my relationship with Grandpa, there must be Grandpa among these ninja cards!" Tsunade slowly picked up the few ninja cards distributed to her.

Seeing names like Hyuga Tenjin and Uchiha Shimada, Tsunade couldn't help showing a disappointed expression.

Not only was she tired of playing these early ninjas, but their strength was mediocre, incomparable to the later-issued Hashirama Senju and Madara Uchiha.

"Is playing Ninja Slash also considered gambling?" Watching Tsunade fail again and again, Shizune couldn't help thinking.

When Tsunade was the Landlord, Muyue won; when Muyue was the Landlord, Muyue also won.

Shizune had reason to imagine that Tsunade had triggered the passive skill of losing every time she gambled.

Uchiha Clan Grounds.

After finishing dinner, Shisui first took a stroll around the clan with Zoroark.

Since Zoroark was now quite large and no longer as cute as before, Shisui had Zoroark maintain an illusion.

This way, others would see Zoroark as an ordinary Uchiha youth and would not frighten the children.

After the walk, Shisui originally wanted to go home and train, but recalling his previous agreement with Uchiha Itachi, he headed toward Uchiha Fugaku's courtyard.

The Uchiha Fugaku family had just finished dinner as well; the whole family was in the courtyard.

"Shisui, this is?" Uchiha Fugaku looked at Zoroark, vaguely feeling something strange.

Logically, he, as the clan head, should know an Uchiha youth of that size.

"Zoroark, no need to keep the illusion here anymore." Shisui said.

"So it's the summon beast from that day." Uchiha Fugaku recalled the battle at the clan meeting.

At that time, the most dominant was Shisui, but Zoroark's unique illusions also left a deep impression on the Uchiha.

"Shisui-nii."

Uchiha Itachi stood up, trotted over, said nothing, and silently looked at Shisui.

"Uncle Fugaku, I'm here to see Itachi today." Shisui smiled and nodded at Uchiha Itachi, then looked at Uchiha Fugaku and said.

Uchiha Itachi hadn't spoken just now, but Shisui could tell what Uchiha Itachi was thinking.

Uchiha Itachi was asking: "You haven't forgotten our promise again, have you?"

"Then you young people chat more."

Uchiha Fugaku smiled and nodded, then took Uchiha Mikoto to the living room, leaving the space to Shisui and Uchiha Itachi.

"I didn't forget this time." Shisui crouched down to meet Uchiha Itachi's eyes and smiled.

"Mm." The corners of Uchiha Itachi's mouth lifted slightly, looking in a good mood.

"Last time I think I got to the part where I became an apprentice ninja."

"Mm."

"Ahem, then I'll continue from there." Shisui coughed lightly and began to recall what he wanted to say.

"My apprentice instructor was Mubuki-sensei, and my two teammates were Anko Mitarashi, whom I mentioned to you before, and another full-fledged ninja, Shizune."

"As a ninja, unless there is a huge gap in strength between you and your opponent, teammates are a necessary existence." Shisui added a reminder.

Uchiha Itachi would be able to annihilate his clan, so he would surely be a genius in the future.

He didn't want Uchiha Itachi to develop a habit of going it alone just because everyone around him was weaker than him.

Even Might Guy needed Obito and Kakashi's strength during missions.

And the content wouldn't be such pure daily life anymore.

Mainly, I was thinking that after writing about a period of war, I should write a bit of small daily life to balance it out.