Chapter 183: The Nine-Tails Under the Moonlight

October 10th, Dusk.

Tsunade tied her blonde hair into a ponytail, bounced a couple of times in front of the mirror, and checked her ninja tools and armor once more.

"Let's go!" she said with determination. She raised her eyebrows, and the blonde warrior in the mirror smiled back at her—a valiant figure, surpassing many men.

Unlike in the original story, because she had been teaching Yuto, Tsunade had stayed in Konoha Village these past few years, not wandering around causing trouble.

Since she hadn't left, Tsunade was naturally called upon to assist during the critical event of the jinchūriki's childbirth.

Although her hemophobia hadn't fully healed, preventing her from delivering Kushina's baby in the delivery room, she was more than capable of standing guard in a critical location, using her massive chakra reserves and powerful healing abilities to act as a shield.

However, what Tsunade didn't expect was that just as she was about to head out, someone suddenly appeared within the Senju Clan grounds.

"Yuto~" Tsunade called out cheerfully, her smile as bright as the sunset. She approached her disciple without any reservations and threw her arm around his shoulder.

"I heard from Minato yesterday that you were out on a mission. How did you get back so quickly?" she asked, curious.

"It was a small mission, easily completed," Yuto replied nonchalantly.

"Impressive, as expected of my disciple!" Tsunade praised, dragging Yuto inside. "Hurry, put on your armor and come with me to the outpost outside the village. We don't know when Kushina will go into labor, and we might have to guard all night. It'll go by faster if you're with me—it's boring alone..."

Yuto allowed the blonde woman to lead him into the house.

"Sensei," Yuto said, lightly tapping her shoulder to get her attention. "I brought you something good."

"Is this… sake?" Tsunade asked, her eyes lighting up.

"Yes, brewed by Kumo shinobi. Want to try it now?" Yuto offered, uncorking the gourd.

A special fragrance quickly filled the room. Tsunade's throat moved as she hesitated.

"Let's not… the mission is more important," she said, trying to resist the temptation.

"Just dip your chopsticks in and taste a drop—only two milliliters. What harm could it do?" Yuto coaxed gently.

"You make a good point!" Tsunade grinned, relenting. "Then just a small sip."

Drinking before a mission might sound a bit absurd, but when you think about it, it's not really an issue. Tsunade was a highly skilled shinobi, particularly in taijutsu, with a robust physical constitution. Moreover, with the Senju and Uzumaki bloodlines, alcohol had almost no adverse effects on her. Even if she drank heavily, she could easily handle it, and with her ability to break down chakra, she could swim in pure ethanol while drinking!

The blonde woman poured the sake into a small cup and drank it in one gulp.

"Uh…?" Tsunade blinked in confusion, her cheeks unexpectedly flushing red. "Why can't I taste anything?"

Yuto rubbed his nose, feeling a bit guilty. "Then have some more."

"Alright! Yuto, you've given me some really good suggestions today..." Tsunade praised again as she poured herself a few more cups. But it wasn't enough. She ended up drinking straight from the gourd.

From the first drop of alcohol that touched her mouth, her rationality began to erode. Ordinarily, even if Yuto brought fine sake, Tsunade wouldn't drink this much before a mission. But somehow, she couldn't control herself; the more she drank, the more dazed she became, and the more dazed she got, the more she wanted to drink.

—The sake had been spiked with a "targeted sedative" by Yuto.

If it were any ordinary medical shinobi, their concoction wouldn't have affected Tsunade. But Yuto's skills were advanced, and more importantly, he had access to a large number of Hashirama Cells for repeated trials and tests.

It had taken Yuto nearly six months to perfect this "targeted sedative" for Tsunade.

By the time the gourd was half empty, Tsunade's legs gave out. Yuto quickly caught his sensei.

"Sensei?" Yuto called out, pinching the blonde woman's nose, testing her. "Want some more?"

Tsunade lay in Yuto's arms, giggling foolishly, but said nothing.

'It worked!' Yuto sighed in relief, gently laying Tsunade on the tatami. He stared into the distance, lost in thought.

When he came back to his senses, it was already night. A silver moon hung in the sky, and the village was silent. The autumn breeze was cool and refreshing.

"Yuto."

At that moment, Tsunade's voice suddenly came from behind him.

Yuto was startled. He saw that the blonde woman had somehow sat up, her flushed face now pale, and she was staring blankly at him.

"Sensei, let me explain. This sake is…" Yuto instinctively tried to defend himself. However, before he could finish his excuses, the woman's warm lips silenced him.

The citrus scent was overwhelming, more intense than ever.

It was sweet and soft—Yuto's first thought.

'Wait, Yuto, don't do it...'

He pushed her away, panting heavily, his voice trembling. "Sensei, you're drunk..."

"Drunk?" the blonde woman tilted her head. Despite the Yin Seal preserving her youth, Tsunade usually appeared as a mature and sexy big sister. But under this moonlight, in front of Yuto, she seemed almost girlish—innocent, straightforward, and bursting with pure, passionate love.

"Is this what it feels like to be drunk? I'm not sure," she mused, her voice softening. "I only know that kissing you makes me very happy."

Some emotion exploded in Yuto's heart.

'Forget it.'

He reached out, grabbing the blonde woman by the throat and pinning her forcefully against the wall.

Tsunade cried out in pain but didn't flee. Instead, she responded with even more ferocity, biting into Yuto's shoulder.

Blood and desire tangled in the night.

...

A long time later, Yuto returned to his original seat.

Behind him, the blonde woman was sound asleep, her pale skin covered in traces of their passion. This time, she was truly out cold.

Yuto bit his lip, taking a long time to recover before dressing Tsunade.

At this moment, a sudden change occurred.

The clear night sky suddenly erupted with the roar of a god.

Beneath the silver moon appeared a massive nine-tailed fox.

Chakra explosions swept through the entire Konoha Village, fierce winds destroying countless houses in an instant.

Goosebumps rose on Yuto's arms as he squinted, feeling the immense power.

Violence, madness, hatred...

Next, flashes of yellow light, dark-tailed beast balls, the whistling Adamantine Staff, and a kaleidoscope of elemental ninjutsu lit up the night sky.

Then everything vanished, replaced by an even greater surge of chakra outside the village.

Yuto stood up.

"When will you come back…" At that moment, the woman behind him mumbled.

The boy turned abruptly, only to see his sensei still fast asleep, breathing evenly.

It was just sleep-talking.

Yuto gently reached out, stroking her disheveled blonde hair.

"I'm sorry, sensei," Yuto whispered, his voice filled with regret. "I won't be coming back."

(End of Chapter)