Eating alone didn't require much fuss. Hanekawa threw together a simple bowl of ramen using whatever ingredients were on hand, then carried it to the dining table with a theatrical flourish. "Teacher, dinner's ready!"

  Tsunade rose from the sofa and settled into her seat. She'd barely picked up her chopsticks when she noticed the single bowl.

  "Who were you eating with?" she asked casually.

  "Uchiha Fugaku."

  Hanekawa kept his explanation brief, recounting the afternoon's events.

  Tsunade's eyebrows shot up. "Shisui opened his Sharingan already? At that age?"

  She set down her chopsticks, her mind clearly working through the implications. If anyone understood the Uchiha clan's secrets, it was Senju Tobirama—and by extension, Tsunade herself. She'd studied his research on the Sharingan extensively. From what she knew, even Uchiha Madara, the clan's legendary strongest, hadn't awakened his eyes until around twelve years old.

  "The Sharingan lives up to its reputation," Hanekawa admitted. "Once Shisui awakens the three tomoe, he'll be nearly unbeatable in one-on-one combat."

  "That doesn't mean you can't beat him again," Tsunade said between slurps of noodles. "Not once I'm done training you."

  Hanekawa smiled. "I still have confidence in my teacher."

  "What does that have to do with me?" Tsunade looked up, genuinely confused.

  "A good teacher produces good students," he said smoothly. "You're great, so naturally your student will be great too."

  "Only you can get away with that kind of flattery." Tsunade rolled her eyes, though she was smiling. "By the way, you've been focused on swordsmanship lately. Haven't you forgotten about learning my Superhuman Strength technique?"

  "Not at all." Hanekawa glanced at his system interface. "I think I'll have it mastered by the end of the year."

  Tsunade raised an eyebrow. "This year? That's ambitious."

  And it was. In the original timeline, Haruno Sakura had taken nearly three years to master both medical ninjutsu and superhuman strength—and Shizune had never managed it at all. The technique was notoriously difficult. But with his system and genuine effort, Hanekawa was confident.

  "I can't embarrass my teacher," he said seriously. "If I master it, you won't just avoid shame—you'll have something to be proud of."

  Tsunade's expression softened. "Then I'll be waiting to see it."

  If I can't master superhuman strength with a cheat system and actual effort, something's seriously wrong, Hanekawa thought.

  "Oh, I accepted a mission today," Tsunade said suddenly, as if remembering.

  Hanekawa's interest immediately piqued. "What kind?"

  It had been a month since his last real mission. Training every day was starting to wear on him. A chance to get out, maybe even encounter another genius like Mei Terumi to test himself against—that sounded perfect.

  "Catching a spy," Tsunade said casually.

  Hanekawa's heart skipped. A spy? From the Hidden Cloud? The irony wasn't lost on him. A spy catching a spy. But there was no way around it—necessary sacrifices and all that.

  "From the Hidden Stone," Tsunade clarified, taking a sip of broth. "They're meeting a contact tomorrow morning on Tansho Street."

  Iwagakure. Hanekawa mentally ran through the village's notable shinobi. Deidara was probably too young still, and Kurotsuchi definitely hadn't been born yet. "What's the mission rank?"

  "B-Rank," Tsunade said. "Don't worry—you won't run into another jonin like last time."

  "When do we leave?"

  "Tansho Street is about two hours away. We'll head out at six in the morning." Tsunade paused meaningfully. "Remember to cook breakfast early."

  Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.

  "I'm your student, not your servant," Hanekawa protested.

  "Exactly. You're my student, and I'm not charging you tuition." Tsunade gave him a pointed look. "You should be grateful I let you cook."

  "Right, right," he said, not bothering to hide his sarcasm.

  "Kid!" Tsunade set down her chopsticks and leaned forward, her expression turning serious. "Are you looking for a fight?"

  Hanekawa felt his resolve crumble under her gaze. What was I thinking? He raised his head with effort. "You're absolutely right, Teacher. I'll go wash the dishes now."

  Tsunade pouted as he escaped to the kitchen.

  ---

  The next morning, Hanekawa arrived early to wake Tsunade and prepare breakfast. As he worked in the kitchen, he caught her lingering in the doorway, watching him with an odd expression on her face.

  "Stop staring and bring out the dishes," he said without looking up.

  Tsunade blinked, then stepped forward and ruffled his hair hard before grabbing the bowls. Hanekawa made a mental note—he'd definitely get her back for that later.

  After breakfast, they set out for Tansho Street.

  "I've arranged for two ANBU to meet us there," Tsunade explained as they traveled. "They'll handle transport once we've captured the targets. As for us..." She rubbed her hands together eagerly. "Let's hit the casino."

  Ah. So that's why she took this mission. Hanekawa had read about Tansho Street in the mission files—a bustling commercial district and gambling hub. Tsunade had frequented the casinos there before, though she'd gone less often since meeting him and recovering from her hemophobia.

  Two hours later, they arrived. It was only eight in the morning, but the streets were already crowded. Hanekawa caught sight of scantily-dressed women soliciting customers outside various establishments. Tsunade's gaze, however, had already drifted toward the nearby casino.

  "Like last time, you'll handle the mission alone," she said, clearing her throat.

  Hanekawa nodded. He'd expected as much.

  When he looked up again, Tsunade had vanished.

  ---

  The target location was easy to identify: the Amaterasu Inn. According to the mission briefing, he needed to capture both the Hidden Stone spy and his contact alive—likely two chunin-level shinobi.

  Hanekawa slipped into an alley and performed a transformation jutsu. Smoke billowed around him as his body shifted, aging into that of an ordinary thirty-year-old man. He walked into the inn and checked in without incident.

  Once the clerk left, Hanekawa slipped out the window and made his way to the spy's room. Peering through the glass, he spotted a middle-aged man inside—alone.

  Hanekawa knocked.

  "Who is it?" the man asked, immediately alert.

  "Room service."

  "Not needed."

  Fine. We do this the hard way.

  Hanekawa formed the hand seals for his genjutsu and kicked the door open simultaneously. The moment their eyes met, he activated the technique.

  The man's surroundings shifted. Suddenly, he stood in the Hokage's office, facing Third Hokage Hiruzen Sarutobi himself—glaring at him with fury.

  "Your cover is blown!" the illusion declared.

  "No! Please, don't kill me!" Terror flooded the spy's face.

  The Magical Naraku Genjutsu reflected a person's deepest fears. For a spy, exposure was the ultimate nightmare.

  Hanekawa stepped forward and punched him, breaking the illusion through physical force. The man collapsed into unconsciousness immediately.

  Hanekawa dragged him onto the table and positioned himself on a ceiling beam, out of sight from any windows or door cracks.

  Minutes crawled by.

  Then came the knock—three long beats, two short, repeating. The secret communication code of the Hidden Stone.

  Hanekawa dropped down and opened the door.

  The young ninja's pupils dilated in shock at seeing an unfamiliar face. But before he could react, Hanekawa's eyes locked with his.

  Another genjutsu. Another unconscious body.

  "Illusions really are convenient," a familiar voice said from the shadows.

  Tsunade stepped out, having observed the entire operation. She'd expected him to charge in recklessly, relying on youth and strength. Instead, he'd used strategy and precision. Impressive. Though I suppose I don't get to lecture him about proper technique now.

  "Clear," Tsunade called out, clapping her hands.

  Two masked ANBU appeared from seemingly nowhere.

  "Take them back to the Hokage," Tsunade ordered, handing over the mission scroll. "And submit this for me, would you?"

  "Yes, ma'am," Aoi replied, securing the unconscious spies before vanishing with his partner.

  Tsunade's eyes immediately lit up. "Now then—let's go to the casino!"

  "Yes," Hanekawa sighed in resignation.

  The casino owner's face brightened considerably when Tsunade walked in. "Lady Tsunade! It's been far too long!"

  And there's the look of a man about to be fleeced, Hanekawa thought.

  Tsunade settled at a gambling table with absolute confidence. "I'm going to win back everything I lost before!"

  Before Hanekawa could protest, she pulled him onto her lap, wrapping an arm around him possessively.

  The casino owner blinked in confusion. Since when does Lady Tsunade have a kid?

  But his confusion quickly turned to alarm as Tsunade's winning streak began.

  "Hahahaha!" Her laughter rang out across the casino.

  Hanekawa, meanwhile, was trying very hard not to fall asleep against her chest. This is ridiculous. I just took down two spies, and now I'm being used as a lucky charm.

  He made another mental note. Tsunade was definitely going to pay for this later.