Kamizuki Hikari had wandered from the east side of the capital to the west, then from the north to the south. In the end, unwilling to return, he was "righteously betrayed" by his older brother and his "brother" Kotetsu, who forcibly escorted him back.
By noon, it was mealtime.
Tsunade was still waiting in the guest house. If they let her wait too long and she got impatient, Hikari might be fine, but the rest of them—her subordinates—would be the ones suffering under her wrath.
Faced with this reality, Kamizuki Hikari had no choice but to sacrifice himself for the greater good.
With food and alcohol prepared, he pushed open the door to Tsunade's room.
"Hokage-sama, here's the food and sake you asked for!"
Inside, Tsunade was sprawled out lazily. The fair skin peeking through the gaps in her robes nearly glued Hikari's eyes to her body.
["Amitabha... form is emptiness, emptiness is form!"]
"Leave it there."
Tsunade's voice was languid, carrying a tingling softness that made one's ears itch.
Hikari obediently set the food down and turned to leave.
Right now, he just wanted to go eat and then take a good afternoon nap. Accompanying Tsunade was way too draining—he had no desire to keep doing it.
If he could choose, he'd rather spend his days lying on a big bed, freeloading and wasting away.
That was his ideal life.
Of course, snacks, sunflower seeds, watermelon, and beautiful women as company were essential accessories.
"Come back. Sit here and have a few drinks with me!"
In Tsunade's eyes, the best drinking companion was Shizune. That girl knew how to pour drinks and take care of people, ensuring Tsunade could drink comfortably and then pass out without a care in the world.
But now, away from home and without Shizune around, Hikari became her backup option.
Hikari turned his head, forcing a smile. "Hokage-sama, I don't think that's a good idea. A man and a woman alone together... people might gossip."
Tsunade was already sitting in a chair, taking a swig directly from the bottle.
"Not bad. You didn't bring the cheap stuff this time."
First, she praised Hikari for doing his job well, then pointed to the seat beside her.
"Come on, sit here. I told you to come—what are you afraid of?"
"A man and a woman alone... you're not wrong there. But if you think about it, you're the one taking advantage here, and I'm the one losing out!"
Hikari dropped the pretense, curled his lip, and looked annoyed.
"That kind of advantage? No thanks."
"Heh."
Tsunade wasn't so easy to brush off. Hearing Kamizuki Hikari's refusal, she swirled the sake bottle and smiled slyly.
That smile made Hikari feel a sense of foreboding.
["This woman's up to no good!"]
Hearing his thoughts, Tsunade's smile widened.
"If you leave, then go get your brother, Kamizuki Izumo, and have him drink with me instead."
"It's either you or him today—your choice."
Whether he stayed or dragged his brother in.
Hikari hesitated for a moment, then slowly walked over.
Fine, he'd figured it out.
As far as everyone else was concerned, his innocence was long gone anyway.
Even if he had his brother Kamizuki Izumo come, chances were he'd find a way to throw Hikari right back into this situation.
Why make things more complicated? Might as well sit here and deal with it himself.
"Tsunade-sama, why do you have such a soft spot for me? Your blatant favoritism is so touching!" Hikari spoke with sarcasm, hoping to stir some guilt in her.
Unfortunately, that hope was misplaced.
Things like guilt had long been traded away for cash by Tsunade.
"First of all, your face gives me a sense of familiarity—it looks way too much like my granduncle!"
Tsunade stared intently at Hikari, her eyes flashing with nostalgia.
In her memories, her grandfather, Senju Hashirama, only occupied a small portion. Most of her childhood was shaped by her granduncle, Senju Tobirama. Even though she knew Hikari wasn't him, she still liked having him around.
Secondly, Tsunade could hear Hikari's inner voice. That helped her see things from more angles.
That was also why she had thoughts of marrying Shizune off to him.
As for Hikari's wild fantasies, Tsunade, in her magnanimity, decided that as long as he gave a dowry of, say, a hundred million or two when marrying Shizune, she'd let it slide.
She wouldn't ask for more.
"Well... I can't help what my face looks like."
Talking about his face left Hikari feeling helpless.
What was he supposed to do—get plastic surgery just because he resembled the Second Hokage?
"Second, there's something about you that feels different. Mysterious. Hard to see through. To make sure you're not a threat to Konoha, I have to keep you close."
Tsunade casually tossed out an excuse, just to give Hikari a reason that sounded good.
She didn't know why she could hear his thoughts, but for the sake of Konoha and her own peace of mind, she made the choice that benefited everyone.
"Fine. Since you're being honest, I'll drink with you." Kamizuki Hikari grabbed the bottle and poured himself a glass.
The sake was only around 15% alcohol, sweet and smooth—almost like fruit wine.
Tasted great and didn't break the bank.
"By the way, you and Shizune are around the same age, so you must've fought in the Third Great Ninja War. What are your thoughts on it now?"
The Third Great Ninja War?
["Why is Tsunade bringing that up all of a sudden?"]
Hikari gave her a puzzled look, but seeing nothing out of the ordinary, he answered honestly.
"War is something I despise. Where there's war, there's death, and massive financial losses. Even if the victorious nation extorts reparations from the defeated, it's nothing compared to the shinobi lives lost."
"During the war, I was just a genin, scared out of my mind every day, not knowing if I'd live to see tomorrow. Luckily, the Fourth Hokage rose to prominence and brought the war to a faster conclusion. If not for that, I don't know if I'd still be alive."
Thinking back, being reincarnated into the shinobi world from a peaceful modern one was already messed up. Then to top it off, he had to go through the Third War as a kid.
At the time, aside from slightly better strategic awareness, Hikari's combat skills were barely passable—just enough to scrape by.
Those who've never experienced war can't comprehend its brutality.
Had Minato Namikaze not risen to prominence during the Third Shinobi World War, the outcome might have been very different.
"Yeah... war really is cruel."
Tsunade raised her cup. "Cheers."
"Honestly, I never thought you were the type to reflect on things so deeply."
"When I asked Shizune about the war, she didn't know anything."
Hikari shook his head, chuckling bitterly.
"If I could, I'd rather be ignorant too. Just stay in Konoha, marry a beautiful wife, raise a few kids, and freeload for life."
"Too bad... time waits for no one."