Sealing Jutsu Sensei

As the group pursuing Tsunade to collect debts passed by, Natsuhiko, Kakashi, and Ben followed at a leisurely pace.

Along the way, they watched as Tsunade was continually surrounded and chased by groups of people, creating chaos on the streets until she finally arrived at a secluded alley.

The trio — two people and a dog — then jumped onto a rooftop, finding a hidden spot to observe.

Tsunade stopped in the middle of the alley as a group of fierce-looking thugs completely blocked the road ahead.

It seemed that not only had Tsunade gained experience in evading her debts, but the debt collectors had also become more experienced in pursuing her.

To chase her down, they had even set up an ambush, forcing her into this spot — like catching a turtle in a jar.

It wasn't easy, but they finally managed to corner Tsunade. The debt collectors and their subordinates cheered with a sense of relief and even taunted her with a bit of smugness.

"Hahaha, let's see how you run this time!"

"It's time to settle the gambling debts you've racked up over the past few days!"

Kakashi, who had been crouching on the rooftop watching the scene unfold, was slightly stunned.

Could it be that Lady Tsunade was being chased because she owed them money? And gambling debts at that?

Borrowing money and gambling — Tsunade had clearly violated the ninja's three prohibitions concerning money.

The granddaughter of the God of Shinobi and one of the legendary Sannin, Lady Tsunade herself, was breaking the ninja code?

Yet, despite being heavily surrounded by fierce-looking men, Tsunade still seemed utterly unfazed.

After all, for someone who had lived through the Second Great Ninja War, this situation was nothing.

She glanced around the group, then, with a shameless tone, puffed out her chest and said, "I borrowed that money with skill, so why should I pay it back?"

Her words made the debt collectors jump in frustration, and she sneered, "Besides, with those outrageous interest rates, you probably never expected me to be able to pay you back in the first place. So, by not paying, I'm just fulfilling your expectations, aren't I?"

Hearing this, Kakashi, who had felt a bit disillusioned with Tsunade, suddenly regained some faith.

"So Lady Tsunade borrowed money on purpose to punish these despicable loan sharks."

No, no. She never intended to repay the debt from the start. She deliberately sought out these shady lenders.

Natsuhiko rolled his eyes slightly, secretly muttering to himself.

The debt collectors, now realising their true intentions had been exposed by Tsunade, awkwardly exchanged glances.

They hadn't expected Tsunade, this beautiful young woman, to have no intention of repaying the debt from the very beginning!

In a way, they were a perfect match.

A vicious-looking man, who seemed to be the leader of the debt collectors, stepped forward and coldly said, "No matter what, you signed the loan contract in black and white. Even if you take this to the daimyo, we're still in the right."

"We didn't expect you to be so capable before, which is why you managed to run away. But today is different."

As he spoke, he clapped his hands, and several men dressed like ninjas suddenly appeared beside him.

The leader of the debt collectors smirked and said, "We paid a hefty price to hire these esteemed ninjas, so your chances of escape are now nonexistent."

"Because these aren't ordinary ninjas, but powerful... Chunin!"

"..."

Both Tsunade and the group on the rooftop, including Natsuhiko, had ellipses pop up in their heads.

Indeed, for ordinary people, Chunin was considered quite strong.

Plus, they didn't know Tsunade's true identity and strength. Hiring a few Chunin to help was a significant effort for them.

However, given the situation, the outcome was already clear.

As soon as the debt leader gave the order, several cold and powerful Chunin rushed at Tsunade at incredible speed.

And then, in the next moment, they flew back even faster.

Bam! Bam! Bam!

The debt collectors, who had been gleefully awaiting a show of cruelty, were thrown like bowling pins as the flying Chunin crashed into them, causing pained screams.

The ones who weren't hit stared in horror at the blonde woman, who still appeared as delicate as ever, unable to comprehend the scene they had just witnessed.

The leader of the debt collectors collapsed onto the ground, his previous confidence wholly gone. Pointing at Tsunade with trembling hands, he stammered, "W-who are you? How are you so strong?"

Tsunade, who had just flicked her fingers, put her hands down and smiled sweetly.

"It's not that I'm strong; it's just that they're too weak."

"So don't worry, I won't treat you any differently due to your lack of strength. I'll make sure you all get injuries that'll have you bedridden for a month…"

With that, she leapt into the air above the crowd.

"Wait, there must be some misunderstanding between us!"

"It's too late... Heavenly Foot of Pain!"

Boom!

Tsunade's right foot came crashing down like a giant hammer, shattering the ground and sending debris flying, knocking down the fleeing people with painful wails.

Only then did they realise the blonde beauty before them wasn't some easy prey but a wolf in sheep's clothing!

Unfortunately, by the time they realised it, it was already too late…

— What kind of old-school face-slapping story is this?

Though Tsunade seemed to enjoy easily beating down weaker opponents, Natsuhiko found himself yawning.

Kakashi, on the other hand, who had never seen such a scene, was watching with rapt attention, full of admiration.

"So strong! As expected of the only female member of the legendary Sannin! She's able to handle so many enemies with just her taijutsu!"

What surprised him even more was that after watching Tsunade fight like a wolf among sheep for a while, Kakashi realised she hadn't even opened her eyes!

How cool is that?!

When he shared this discovery with Natsuhiko, however, Natsuhiko wasn't too surprised.

He knew that Tsunade likely wasn't trying to show off; she had no choice.

After all, Tsunade was still suffering from hemophobia — the fear of blood. Once she saw blood, she'd start trembling uncontrollably. So, she either had to avoid making her enemies bleed or simply keep her eyes closed.

Considering the situation's unpredictability and the strength of the enemies, keeping her eyes closed was probably the best option.

It seemed that before Tsunade had Shizune as her bodyguard, she must've relied on this method to navigate the ninja world without succumbing to her fear and being captured, leading to a dark fate.

Feeling that he had finally solved a long-standing mystery, Natsuhiko felt his trip had been worthwhile.

Before long, amidst the cries of pain, the debt collectors and their subordinates had all helped each other escape, leaving only Tsunade behind.

At that moment, she opened her eyes and righteously muttered, "Now they shouldn't dare lend money at usurious rates anymore."

She spoke as if she were indeed an agent of justice, not someone who refused to repay her debts.

Then she clapped her hands and said, "Alright, you've been watching long enough. Come down and talk."

Natsuhiko, Kakashi, and Ben exchanged glances before jumping down and approaching Tsunade.

"Lady Tsunade," they said respectfully.

"What is it? You need something from me?"

Having dealt with her enemies, Tsunade once again seemed disinterested.

Natsuhiko stepped forward and said, "The three-year period is up. We welcome... No, what I mean is, Lady Tsunade, you've been away for quite some time. Isn't it about time you returned to Konoha?"

(End of Chapter)