Naruto: Wooing Tsunade from Day One!

"Er... well, let's take a look first," the leader of the Sealing Team said cautiously. He didn't want to make any rash promises, knowing the seriousness of the matter. If something went wrong, he couldn't afford to take the blame.

"Okay," Blue B agreed readily.

He stepped forward to the leader of the Sealing Team, removing his shirt to reveal a large seal on his chest. The ends of the seal had visibly shrunk, indicating that the Eight-Tails had been breaking through for quite some time.

Kawakaze leaned in curiously to observe the seal. Its pattern was significantly different from the Eight Trigrams Seal he was familiar with. While his limited knowledge of Fūinjutsu didn't allow him to immediately see a way to break it, he wasn't concerned.

If I can't, Orochimaru surely can.

"The situation is not very optimistic. For now, we can only stabilize your seal. Strengthening the Iron Armor Seal will require more time to study," the squad leader said after placing his hands on Blue B's chest and sensing the seal's condition.

After the fall of the Land of Whirlpools, Kumogakure hadn't gained much in terms of Fūinjutsu resources. Otherwise, their situation wouldn't have been this dire.

"Okay, let's stabilize it for now," Blue B said. "I'll make time to cooperate with your research soon."

Blue B was afraid of death and worried about the potential devastation his rampage could bring to the village. This matter had clearly weighed heavily on him.

"Then I'll trouble you," the leader of the Sealing Team said as he began his work.

Kawakaze watched as the leader formed several seals and pressed one hand firmly against Blue B's chest in a Tsume. A strange Chakra flowed into the seals on Blue B's body, causing the shrunken ends of the pattern to extend and reconnect.

The seals were re-secured, restoring their original effectiveness.

Inside Blue B, Gyūki roared in frustration. All his efforts to weaken the seal had been undone in an instant, returning him to square one.

I will help you get out, Kawakaze thought silently, a slight curl forming on his lips as he observed.

"There you go, Lord Blue B," the Sealing Team leader said, lowering his hand as the Iron Armor Seal on Blue B's chest returned to its normal state.

"I feel much better," Blue B said. Whether it was real or just his imagination, the mental pressure seemed to have eased significantly. The heavy weight in his heart finally felt lifted.

"That's good. It's my duty," the squad leader replied with a smile, pride evident on his face. In all of Kumogakure, his skill in Fūinjutsu was unmatched.

"Is there anything else you need me to cooperate with next?" Blue B asked, putting his shirt back on but not immediately leaving.

"Why don't you listen to our ideas first and let us know if anything seems off?" the squad leader suggested politely.

Using Blue B as a test subject from the start felt excessive. Besides, the squad leader was inwardly nervous—if something went wrong with the Eight-Tails, it would be far beyond his ability to handle. Consulting Blue B for feedback based on his personal experience seemed like a safer approach.

"Okay," Blue B agreed, folding his arms as he stood to listen while the group resumed their discussion.

...

"What if we add an additional Iron Armor Seal?" one of the Kumo Ninja suggested.

"If one seal isn't enough, just add another," he reasoned. "If the quality isn't good, compensate with quantity."

"Do you think this is a game?" the squad leader said, giving him a sharp look. This new member clearly lacked experience.

"Not to mention whether they can even be stacked effectively," the squad leader continued. "Even if they could, Lord Blue B wouldn't be able to draw on the power of the Tailed Beast. What's the point of a double seal like that?"

Without hesitation, the squad leader dismissed the suggestion outright.

Kawakaze listened closely, quietly marveling at the sophistication of the Uzumaki Clan's Fūinjutsu. The Eight Trigrams Seal, formed by layering two Four Symbols Seals, not only strengthened the seal but also converted the Tailed Beast's leaked Chakra into usable Chakra for the Jinchūriki.

This was a level of mastery that Kumogakure couldn't hope to reach. If Blue B had been equipped with the Eight Trigrams Seal in the original story, Orochimaru's chances of success would have been drastically lower.

"Okay, it was just a thought," the Kumo Ninja said, shrinking back in embarrassment.

"It's okay, you were just looking out for me," Blue B said gently, soothing the younger ninja with his kind words.

Encouraged by Blue B's gentle gaze, the Kumo Ninja perked up again. He nodded but refrained from speaking further, choosing instead to listen carefully.

Kawakaze spent most of the discussion observing, occasionally agreeing with a point but offering no ideas of his own. He wasn't foolish enough to genuinely assist the Kumo Ninja, and simply refraining from misleading them was already the most he was willing to do.

By noon, no conclusion had been reached, and Blue B had other matters to attend to. After exchanging pleasantries with the squad leader, he turned and left.

Kawakaze watched him go, a general plan forming in his mind. There was still plenty of time—no need to rush.

After leaving the Raikage Building, Kawakaze waited for Orochimaru to come out. The two walked home together, deciding to avoid contact with too many people by eating at home.

To that end, Kawakaze even declined several invitations from Kumo Ninja to join them for a meal. Yota Katsumura seemed to have been well-liked during the day, but Kawakaze found a reasonable excuse that didn't raise suspicion.

"Do you have any news today?" Kawakaze asked once they were back home.

"No news, but I did visit the Raikage," Orochimaru replied, a faint smile curving on his lips as he glanced at Kawakaze casually.

"What? Are you insane? Don't you want to live?" Kawakaze was shocked. Orochimaru had gone straight to someone who could easily crush them if discovered.

"It's just the Raikage. He didn't notice anything," Orochimaru said, brushing it off as though it was nothing, conveniently leaving out the part about the cold sweat he'd broken into earlier.

"If you had been discovered, I might not have been able to save you," Kawakaze said seriously. He wasn't doubting Orochimaru's strength, but the Raikage's fearsome reputation spoke for itself.

"It wasn't necessary. Guess what I found on his desk?" Orochimaru asked, his tone mysterious, clearly enjoying the chance to tease Kawakaze.

"Lightning Release Chakra Mode training scrolls?" Kawakaze guessed instinctively, unable to think of anything else that might interest Orochimaru.

"I knew you had other things on your mind," Orochimaru said, giving him a sharp glare. Kawakaze's ambitions were clear—he wasn't just after the Two-Tailed Jinchuriki or even the Eight-Tails Jinchuriki.

To Orochimaru, it was no surprise that Kawakaze was eyeing Kumogakure's secret techniques as well. Was this man even human?

"Haha, it's all trivial, not worth mentioning," Kawakaze said with a mocking laugh, waving his hand dismissively. He hadn't told Orochimaru about his other thoughts.

"It's no surprise that guy put a cross on your photo," Orochimaru said. "If I were him, I'd search every corner of Kumogakure to find you."

He shared what he'd seen in the photo, further confirming that their whereabouts had been leaked.

"Let's not dwell on that. Do you have anything useful with you?" Kawakaze asked, changing the subject. "Hallucinogenic potions, or something like that?"

"Why?" Orochimaru asked, narrowing his eyes at Kawakaze, unsure of what he was planning.

"Just tell me. I can use it for my plan," Kawakaze replied, playing along. Neither of them were particularly easy to deal with.

"There are many kinds. Which one do you need?" Orochimaru asked as he opened a storage scroll, releasing its seal and pulling out several bottles of potions.

They all looked like clear water, leaving Kawakaze skeptical about their effects.

"Something strong. Something that could knock me out if I drank it," Kawakaze said, his excitement evident.

Sure enough, Orochimaru had exactly what he needed. In the original story, a strong hallucinogenic drug had been used to incapacitate Blue B.

"This one," Orochimaru said, picking a bottle from the pile and holding it firmly, making no move to hand it over.

This guy hasn't even told me his plan yet! Orochimaru thought with frustration.

"How does it work?" Kawakaze asked, not reaching for the bottle, understanding Orochimaru's unspoken demand for details.

"Colorless and tasteless. Drink it, and you'll pass out within ten breaths," Orochimaru replied confidently, the result of his meticulous research.

"Good, good stuff," Kawakaze said with satisfaction. "Blue B is cooperating with the Sealing Team right now. I'll find an opportunity to gather everyone for dinner. You just need to slip it into his sake. As for the rest... heh..."

He gave Orochimaru a knowing wink, accompanied by a sinister smile.

"That's it?" Orochimaru frowned, finding the plan overly simplistic and crude.

"You think it's simple? Then come up with something more complicated," Kawakaze shot back, visibly annoyed. After all, in the original story, Orochimaru had executed even cruder plans.

"Cough, cough... let's go with this for now," Orochimaru conceded, realizing he hadn't met Blue B yet and couldn't formulate a better plan without more information.

"By the way, can you break the Iron Armor Seal?" Kawakaze asked, addressing the most critical question. He wasn't entirely sure of Orochimaru's current capabilities.

"No problem," Orochimaru replied confidently. He didn't regard the Iron Armor Seal as a significant obstacle.

"Good. Wait for my signal," Kawakaze said seriously. Once the plan succeeded, it would be impossible to keep their true intentions hidden.

"Mm," Orochimaru nodded.

"You can go cook dinner now. I'm hungry," Kawakaze added casually once their business discussion was over, his smug expression immediately irritating Orochimaru.

"Really? If you want to eat, cook it yourself," Orochimaru retorted, his arrogance flaring. He didn't mind cooking, but being told to do it was an entirely different matter.

"Do I have to make a heart sign for you?" Kawakaze teased, raising his hands as if to form a heart shape, his words dripping with mockery.

"Don't you dare disgust me. I'll cook!" Orochimaru snapped, hurrying to his feet. Preparing food was a trivial task, but he couldn't tolerate Kawakaze's antics.

"Haha, that's more like it," Kawakaze said triumphantly. "Do you think I can't deal with you?"

He laughed gleefully, paying no attention to Orochimaru's clearly annoyed expression.

...

Orochimaru reluctantly went to the kitchen and began cooking, muttering to himself the entire time. If one listened closely, the name "Kawakaze" could be heard repeatedly in his complaints.

After a while, the two sat down to eat. Orochimaru, still annoyed, didn't say a single word to the shameless one across from him.

"Silence is golden, right?" Kawakaze teased, glancing at Orochimaru.

"Hmph~" Orochimaru snorted, taking a mouthful of rice without bothering to reply.

"Oh, it's just a few meals," Kawakaze said casually. "When we get back to Konoha, you can come to my house. I'll feed you well."

He made the promise offhandedly, knowing Orochimaru wouldn't run out of food no matter what.

Besides, he wouldn't mind him bringing Pakura along. Watching such a "couple ship" would be entertaining, to say the least.