Night.
Guts could sense it—Tsunade carried a strange scent that didn't belong to this peaceful mont.
A criminal scent, faint but there. His instincts were sharp, and though his body was exhausted, his thoughts were anything but calm.
His body might've been useless in so ways right now, but his mind? Restless.
He lay still, eyes closed, yet all he could see were the fragnted images from his past life.
Most of them centered around Tsunade...in different fan arts.
Ti passed slowly. Tsunade's breathing had softened, calm and rhythmic. She was probably asleep now.
But Guts was still wide awake, tossing and turning quietly.
Suddenly, Tsunade turned over and, without warning, pulled Guts into her arms.
Before he could react, he found himself smothered between two overwhelming obstacles.
Her chin rested lightly atop his head, and then she mumbled in a soft, tearful voice:
"Mm...Nawaki..."
Guts froze. He could feel the warmth of her skin, the scent of her hair, the soft press of her chest. It was the kind of closeness that could confuse a man.
He sighed deeply, not in pleasure, but in exasperation.
"Man, there really are a lot of brocons in the Naruto world…"
Madara. Itachi. Sasuke. Temari... barely.
And of course—Tsunade.
She was wrapped up in a pain that had never left her.
Nawaki had died too young to leave a strong legacy, but Tsunade carried his mory like a scar etched into her soul.
Guts didn't sleep a wink that night. He stayed there, still and quiet, waiting for the sun to rise.
When morning finally broke and a soft golden light stread into the house, he carefully slipped from her arms and sat up, brushing himself off.
Tsunade stirred faintly. Her eyebrows twitched in response to the missing warmth.
Leaning down, Guts whispered into her ear:
"Thanks for the blessing... but rember, I'm not your brother. If you need comfort, I'm willing. But not like that."
With that, he straightened up, fixed his clothes, and left the room after a brief wash.
He had picked up on sothing odd yesterday—Tsunade had referred to herself as his "elder sister" more than once.
Technically, given their physical ages, it wasn't strange. But ntally? Guts wasn't so naive kid.
He'd lived a whole life already, with experiences and wounds of his own.
He had a good idea why she said it.
But he had no desire to be a replacent for her dead brother. He wasn't going to beco her Nawaki 2.0.
That role was already taken—in the past, by Dan, the man who also bore the title "replacent."
Boom.
The door closed behind him.
Inside, Tsunade's green eyes fluttered open slowly. She recalled his words, the closeness, the rejection wrapped in an offer. Her lips quivered, and she bit down gently.
"Stupid brat…"
Later That Morning — Classroom
"Zzzzzzz… snrk…"
The sound echoed from the back row, low and continuous.
The teacher's eye twitched. This wasn't the first ti this week.
Guts wasn't a Kakashi-type genius. He wasn't hardworking like Rin, either. He was quiet. Stayed out of trouble. Usually reliable.
But once in a while—he made a scene.
Like now.
He was snoring like thunder.
A few students stifled giggles behind their textbooks. The teacher clenched a piece of chalk in his hand.
"Guts! OUT! Go stand in the hallway!"
"Zzzzzzz…"
No response.
The snoring grew louder. Was that a power-up?
Might Guy raised his hand awkwardly.
"Um… sensei, once he's out, he's really out. No one can wake him."
The teacher marched over, frustration bubbling. He shook Guts by the shoulder—nothing. His head simply slumped to the side… right onto Kurenai's shoulder.
Kurenai's cheeks turned crimson. She shoved him reflexively.
Thud.
He flopped sideways in his seat like a ragdoll.
The teacher sighed.
"Might Guy, take him to the infirmary."
"Yes, sir."
Guy hoisted Guts onto his shoulder and jogged off. Five minutes later, he returned, and class resud.
Guts had just replaced Kakashi as the top student yesterday, so he got so leniency.
If it were Obito? He'd be mopping the hallway floors by now.
It wasn't until the end of the school day that Guts finally woke up.
Blinking drowsily, he sat up and rubbed his forehead. The stiff pillow and clean scent told him he was in the infirmary.
"…Huh?" he muttered, glancing around.
Outside, the final bell rang. The building buzzed with students eager to head ho.
"…Forget it," he mumbled to himself.
"No point going back to class now."
He slipped on his sandals and exited the building casually, hands in his pockets.
Just as he stepped past the school gate, sothing—or rather, soone—unexpected caught his eye.
And not just his.
Gasps and whispers swept through the crowd of students streaming out.
"Tsunade-sama?!"
Standing at the gate was none other than the Fifth Hokage herself—or at least, the woman who'd beco one in the future.
Her golden hair swayed gently in the breeze.
Today, she wasn't in her usual robes. Instead, she wore sleek, thin armor—clearly designed for mobility and the damp climate of the Rain Country.
Her presence was like a stone dropped in still water.
Heads turned. Eyes widened.
All of it directed at her—and at the boy she was calling out to.
"Hey! Brat!"
Tsunade raised her arm and waved, voice loud and clear.
Guts blinked, still groggy from sleep.
"What…?"
He rubbed his temple as he walked toward her, trying to fully wake up. Everything felt slightly surreal.
Tsunade greeted him with her usual smug grin, already reaching out to grab his curls like she always did.
But this ti—he dodged.
Not deliberately. It was more like instinct. His body shifted just out of her reach.
Tsunade froze mid-motion, fingers still hanging in the air.
Her eyes narrowed slightly. "Huh… You're really fast now..."
Internally, she was a little surprised. This kid—he's improving faster than I thought.
Clearing her throat, she crossed her arms and spoke in a more serious tone.
"I'm heading back to the Rain Country front lines today. I ca to say goodbye."
Guts tilted his head slightly. So she'd gone out of her way just for this?
That ant… his position in her heart had changed again.
He smirked.
"Don't stress too much. If things get tough, I can always co help."
Tsunade raised a brow. "You?"
The sheer boldness of that line made her chuckle.
"If you were ready for the battlefield, I'd have transferred you back by now."
Guts shrugged, unfazed.
"Wanna bet on it?"
He glanced down, eyeing the pendant she'd recently worn—a deep-colored ore that shimred faintly under the sun. She'd brought it back not long ago, a rare item from the field.
Tsunade paused.
"…Bet?"
Her eyes glead.
Now that got her attention.
Everyone knew: if there was one thing Tsunade loved more than sake and punching perverts—it was gambling.
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