Seeing Guts rushing toward her with afterimages trailing behind him, Tsunade bit her lip and muttered under her breath:
"You little brat... couldn't you just stay in the academy and graduate like a normal kid?"
With no choice but to get serious, Tsunade released her chakra once more and launched a powerful kick.
Boom—!
Guts was sent flying like a baseball struck by a bat.
But this time, he didn't fly as far. Midair, he grabbed onto one of the thick pillars of the training ground and spun around it like an acrobat.
As he landed, he slammed his fist into a nearby pillar.
Crack!
The massive column shattered.
Guts wrapped his arms around the broken piece—over a meter thick and five meters long—and hoisted it up.
"This kid... he's going to tear down the whole academy!"
Hiruzen Sarutobi nearly leapt out of his seat.
"Hrrngh!"
Guts let out a guttural roar and hurled the pillar straight at Tsunade.
"You think this is gonna stop me?"
Impressive as it looked, it didn't faze Tsunade.
With a step forward and her right hand clenched into a fist:
Senju Style: Monster Strength Punch!
The instant her fist collided with the pillar, it exploded into pieces like brittle tofu. Debris slammed into the walls, ceiling, and ground.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
Shockwaves rippled through the building. The academy trembled again, sending students into a renewed panic.
"Second Gate! The Gate of Rest—Open!"
Pain surged through Guts's muscles as his speed increased, blitzing through the dust and debris.
The rubble barely touched him before being blasted apart by sheer force.
"Didn't I tell you to stay in school and behave?!"
Tsunade, now visibly irritated, dashed forward—her speed rivaling Guts's in his enhanced state.
Monster Punch!
Tekkai!
CRACK—!!
The deafening impact shook the training ground.
Guts activated Tekkai just in time, turning defense into offense.
A shockwave rebounded from his elbows and forced Tsunade back.
For the first time in the fight, she staggered.
"Soru and Tekkai..."
Guts spun midair like a tornado, combining two techniques. The energy concentrated in his legs.
"Tch..."
Feeling the force channeled into Guts's feet, Tsunade was forced to go all in.
She gathered high-purity chakra unique to the Senju bloodline and focused it on her own soles.
"Heavenly Foot of Pain!"
A blow that could easily split open the earth.
Even if she held back slightly, it was enough to cause devastation.
Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!!
The shockwaves cracked walls and shattered windows.Students were no longer just panicked—they screamed in terror.
"You dropped something."
Guts's voice cut through the chaos.
Ting ting ting—
Tsunade turned sharply and saw it—the bell tied to her waist, now flying through the air, dislodged in the collision.
"Ah—!"
A flicker of panic flashed in her eyes as she reached for it.
"You're wide open, Tsunade."
Guts pressed his palm to her abdomen.
"Tekkai... Break!"
A burst of shockwave energy blew her back several meters.
Using the opening, Guts leapt up and caught the deformed bell midair.
It was dented, but still rang softly.
"Looks like I win. Even if you don't want to admit it."
He grinned.
After a brief silence, Tsunade sighed and walked up to him, grabbing him by the curls and giving them a rough shake.
Guts could've dodged—but with his body aching from the Second Gate's backlash, he didn't bother.
He tilted sideways and fell against Tsunade's waist.
...Soft.
Too bad I'm not 20 cm taller.
"You little punk…"
Tsunade checked his pulse. Confirming he wasn't faking, she gently helped him lie down in her lap.
Then, she untied the forehead protector from her own head—and placed it on his.
"Huh?"
Guts blinked, confused.
"I thought for sure you'd fail today... I didn't even prepare one for you. So here—take mine."
[Achievement Unlocked: Ninja]
[Template Character: Monkey D. Garp
Completion: 15.00%]
[Activated Skills: Navy Six Styles – Finger Gun, Observation Haki]
As the system's voice echoed in his head, Guts's face lit up with joy.
'Observation Haki too?! Hell yeah!'
Tsunade couldn't help smiling at the sight of him—this reckless, stubborn boy grinning like an idiot.
And for some reason... she let him stay there just a bit longer.
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