The training session wrapped up around mid-afternoon, as it always did. One by one, the kids filtered out—some heading home for dinner, others lingering for a meal before departing. Hanekawa watched them go, then turned back toward the house.

  He'd barely made it to the living room when the front door slammed open.

  Tsunade stormed in, her expression dark as a thundercloud. Hanekawa didn't need to be a mind reader to know what had happened.

  "You!" She pointed at him, her beautiful face twisted into something almost unrecognizable. "You made me lose an extra million ryō!"

  Before he could even open his mouth to greet her, she was on him—both hands reaching out to ruffle his hair with theatrical aggression.

  Hanekawa sighed. He knew better than to resist an angry woman. Besides, he suspected the anger was mostly performance anyway. She just wanted an excuse to mess with his hair.

  Every single time, he thought, holding still as she attacked his head like it had personally wronged her.

  "I brought you something," he said, reaching into his pocket once she finally paused for breath.

  He pulled out a passbook and held it up.

  Tsunade's eyes lit up like a child's on their birthday. "One million ryō?"

  "Mission reward from the Land of Demons," he explained, watching her snatch it away with undisguised glee.

  "Now that's respect for your teacher." She tucked it away with a satisfied smirk. "You're learning."

  "Where's the Rasengan you promised?" Hanekawa asked, ignoring her self-satisfied expression.

  "It's getting late. We'll find Kushina tomorrow." Tsunade waved a hand dismissively. "She can teach you."

  Hanekawa blinked. "Sister Kushina knows the Rasengan?"

  "She doesn't know it herself—doesn't need to, being a Jinchuriki and all." Tsunade shook her head. "But that doesn't mean she can't teach it. She knows the theory inside and out."

  Ah. That makes sense.

  "I'm starving," Tsunade announced, reaching over to ruffle his hair again. "Let's cook."

  "Stop touching my head!" Hanekawa glared at her, already moving toward the kitchen.

  Tsunade's laugh followed him. "You're getting less cute every day."

  ---

  The next morning, Hanekawa arrived at Tsunade's house to find her exactly where he expected: still asleep.

  He knocked on her bedroom door. Hard.

  "Five... more... minutes..." came the muffled, drowsy response.

  The door cracked open just enough for Tsunade to poke her head out, her summer pajamas doing absolutely nothing to hide her figure. Hanekawa's eye twitched.

  "Fifteen minutes," he said firmly. "I'm making ramen."

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  He didn't wait for a response before heading to the kitchen.

  True to his word, he had a steaming bowl of beef ramen ready when the timer went off. He set it down outside her door and called out, then retreated to the kitchen to give her privacy.

  By the time Tsunade emerged—freshly showered and dressed—the food was still hot.

  After breakfast, they headed toward Kushina's house.

  "She still can't move around freely?" Hanekawa asked as they walked.

  "She's the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki," Tsunade replied, her tone heavy with frustration. "The village leadership keeps her on a short leash. Especially that old bastard Danzo."

  Hanekawa's mind was already working. "Once you become Hokage, we can fix that. You can make Danzo retire, give Kushina her freedom back."

  Tsunade stopped walking. She turned to look at him, one eyebrow raised. "You really are determined to push me toward that position, aren't you?"

  "I believe in you," Hanekawa said simply.

  "Even if I did become Hokage, it wouldn't be that simple." Tsunade started walking again. "The position isn't a dictatorship. There are advisors, political considerations... The Hokage has less power than you'd think."

  Hanekawa knew she was right. The two elder advisors, Mitokado Homura and Utatane Koharu, held nearly as much authority as the Hokage himself. And the retired Hokage, Hiruzen, still wielded considerable influence from the shadows.

  "There's always a way," Hanekawa said. "We just need to take the first step."

  "You little schemer," Tsunade said, rolling her eyes. "Always working an angle."

  "You're wise and capable," Hanekawa said quickly. "I'm just pointing out the obvious."

  "Hanekawa!"

  A familiar voice cut through the air. A flash of red hair, and suddenly Kushina was standing in front of them, beaming.

  "Lady Tsunade! It's been forever!" She practically bounced with excitement.

  "The Land of Demons," Tsunade said casually. "Long mission."

  "Don't remind me!" Kushina waved her hands. "Come inside! The Nine-Tails sensed you before I did—it's been excited all morning."

  Hanekawa's eye twitched slightly. The Nine-Tails. Excited. About Tsunade.

  He had a terrible feeling about where this was going.

  Inside, Kushina led them to the training yard. She retrieved a water balloon and filled it at the tap, then handed it to Hanekawa.

  "The Rasengan training has four stages," she explained, demonstrating by injecting her own chakra into a balloon. The water spun violently before the balloon burst. "First, you concentrate chakra in your hands. Second, you release it steadily to burst the balloon. Third, you maintain and materialize the chakra for actual destructive force. Fourth—the hardest part—you combine everything into a proper Rasengan."

  She clapped her hands together. "Since you're a medical ninja, the first stage should be easy. Start with the second. Ask if you have questions—I'm going to play cards!"

  Of course she is, Hanekawa thought, watching Kushina practically skip back inside where he could already hear Tsunade laughing.

  He looked down at the water balloon in his hands.

  Well. At least I have all day.

  He began to spin the chakra, focusing on steady, continuous release. The water inside the balloon started to rotate, slowly at first, then faster.

  Hours passed. The sun climbed higher, then began its descent toward the horizon. Hanekawa's hands grew tired, his concentration wavered and recovered, wavered and recovered.

  Finally—

  Bang!

  The balloon exploded. Hanekawa stepped back, avoiding the spray.

  He'd done it. Second stage complete in a single day.

  "Wow! That's amazing!" Kushina appeared from inside, clapping enthusiastically.

  "You're praising him like he's a dog," Tsunade called from somewhere inside the house.

  "Is that bad?" Kushina tilted her head innocently. "The Nine-Tails loves it when I praise like this. Its tail gets all fluffy."

  Hanekawa bit back a laugh.

  "Come back tomorrow," Tsunade said, emerging with a satisfied expression. "Kushina can teach you the third stage."

  "Thank you, Kushina," Hanekawa said.

  "Don't be silly," Kushina waved him off. "Besides, Lady Tsunade's my teacher too, in a way. We take care of our own."

  As they walked home, Hanekawa found himself smiling despite his exhaustion.

  One day down. Three more stages to go.

  He could work with that.