Chapter 10: Tsunade, Great in Heart, Soft at Core
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Ron shrugged. "Well, don't blame me for talking smack and messing with you."
Looking at Ron's smug, fearless expression, Tsunade realized she had no way to deal with him.
Suddenly, she froze. A thought crossed her mind.
He knew about her hemophobia.
He found her without fail.
And instead of being cautious, he was provoking her with curiosity.
Could he be the old man's new student?
No way he was Orochimaru or Jiraiya's disciple. Without her permission, they wouldn't share her condition with their students.
As she reached this conclusion, her eyes lit up. That would make sense.
Just as she was about to speak, she noticed more and more people gathering around.
Without hesitation, she grabbed Shizune with one hand and hooked Ron's arm with the other.
"Let's find a quieter place to talk."
Ron didn't pull his arm back. Instead, he rested it naturally against her chest, feeling the greatness of her... well, her heart. And the softness within.
Despite always calling him a brat, Tsunade wasn't even 40 yet.
In the Naruto world, where six-year-olds were already chasing after handsome guys and teens having kids wasn't unusual, thirty-something was definitely "mom age."
As they walked, Ron silently enjoyed the full experience of being this close to Tsunade. Almost unconsciously, he shifted his arm slightly, earning himself a glare.
He met her gaze head-on.
Tsunade was about 165 cm tall. Ron stood at 183 cm.
Not towering, but just enough.
From this angle, he had a perfect view—snowy white skin and a deep, eye-catching valley.
Feeling her warning stare, Ron simply ignored it and openly stole a glance right in front of her.
Meanwhile, Shizune, flustered and embarrassed, hung back half a step, completely unaware of what was happening between them.
The three of them arrived at a tavern.
Ron looked up at the entrance. "Tsunade, you actually have money for a meal?"
BOOM!
Tsunade stomped her foot, and the whole street seemed to tremble.
"You pervy little brat!"
"You've been staring the whole way. Shouldn't you at least treat us to a meal?"
That controlled power—her stomp wasn't meant to harm, just to send a message: Yeah, I have hemophobia, but I'm not some weakling.
Ron could unleash that kind of strength too, but if he tried, he'd probably just leave a massive crater in the ground.
Not that it was a big deal. He had hundreds of battle experiences stored in his mind—he could learn to control it with practice.
He nodded slightly. "Hmm… yeah, fair enough."
Then, smirking, he added, "I've got enough money to feed you for a lifetime. Wanna reconsider your options?"
"Brat! Don't be so shameless in public, you're embarrassing me!"
Tsunade smacked his shoulder. When Ron didn't even flinch, a flicker of surprise flashed in her eyes.
Damn, his body is strong.
Ron's gaze flickered too. Embarrassing you?
Did she just sense my Senju bloodline?
That shouldn't be possible. If anything, she should be sensing my Uchiha bloodline instead.
If the Uchiha bloodline was an ocean, then the Senju bloodline was just a small stream—completely incomparable.
Shaking his head, he stepped inside the tavern.
"Bring out your best dishes and drinks!" Tsunade yelled as soon as she sat down.
Then she turned to Ron, her expression saying loud and clear: Let's see if you can keep up with my appetite!
Shizune, looking slightly awkward, glanced at Ron for his reaction.
Ron didn't mind at all. He casually walked over and ruffled Shizune's hair.
Her face instantly turned red.
Ron chuckled and took a seat.
Trying to bankrupt him? Good luck with that.
On the battlefield, he had looted countless treasures, racking up a fortune in the tens of millions.
If he wasn't so picky about aesthetics, he could've taken all of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen's weapons and sold them for another fortune.
When the food arrived, Ron grabbed a bite.
PFFT!
"What the hell is this?! It tastes awful!"
Of course.
In a world where ramen was considered gourmet cuisine, how good could other food be?
Ramen in the Naruto world was basically just fancy cup noodles.
He should've known better than to be curious.
Shizune looked puzzled. She took a bite of the same dish Ron just spit out.
"It's not bad. This is actually the best tavern in Tanzaku Town."
Tsunade, now suspicious, eyed Ron. "Brat, are you just putting on an act in front of me?"
Without answering, Ron grabbed a bottle of sake and rinsed his mouth.
The alcohol wasn't too bad.
Bland, tasteless—basically just water.
And how bad could water be?
Shaking his head, he set the bottle down.
Tsunade stared at him, blinking in confusion.
She took a bite of food and a sip of sake.
Tasted the same as always. In fact, it was way better than the cheaper places.
But looking at Ron's face, he didn't seem like he was faking it.
Wait a minute…
Is he seriously disgusted by this?
"Brat, are you saying you've had better food than this?"
Ron sighed.
He couldn't starve himself.
"Wait here. I'll get you something actually good to eat."
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