Tsunade leaned back, folding her arms beneath her chest, the movement causing her generous bust to rise slightly—completely unintentional, or so she pretended.
A simple dice throw wouldn't cut it, not for Naruto. No, he was too energetic, too chaotic for something that basic. She needed something juicier. And since he had said he wanted to learn about the village…
"…Alright. I've decided," she said with a sly grin.
"The game's a quiz. Three questions. All about Konoha. If you get all three right, you win. But if you mess up even one…" Her eyes narrowed, sharp and challenging.
"Then it's my victory."
"A quiz!?" Naruto scratched the back of his head, looking a little unsure. Trivia wasn't really his strong point. "I dunno if I'm ready for that…"
But he was already hooked. Naruto wasn't the type to back down from a challenge, especially one so boldly laid out by someone like Tsunade. There was a thrill in this—maybe more than just winning or losing.
"…Ah, screw it. Let's do it, dattebayo!" he grinned. "I'm in!"
"Good boy." Tsunade nodded in approval, her tone almost flirtatious.
"Now, let's talk about the reward. You said you didn't want to do boring tasks, but most of a Hokage's work is just that. So what is it you really want from me if you win?"
Naruto blushed, just slightly, but didn't hesitate.
"Well… I do wanna help with work too, but… if I win… there's something special I'd like to ask, dattebayo."
Tsunade raised a brow, and even Shizune glanced up, curious.
"…Special?"
Naruto nodded, looking just a bit bashful.
"I want… a massage from you, Granny Tsunade."
The room fell silent.
Even Tonton stopped moving.
"…A massage?" Tsunade echoed, blinking in disbelief. Had she heard that right?
"I'm serious!" Naruto leaned forward eagerly.
"You're always overworking yourself, and I've seen you rubbing your shoulders and your back when you think no one's looking. I just wanna help you relax, y'know? Let me do something for you for a change, dattebayo!"
For a moment, Tsunade just stared at him. The brat was being serious. That wide-eyed, clueless sincerity that only Naruto could pull off… and the way he noticed things, even when he wasn't supposed to.
Unlike her, who couldn't resist a wager and often chased thrill over meaning, Naruto cared deeply for others, truly, unshakably.
And now, that warmth of his... it reached something in her that had been cold for a long time.
"…A massage, huh~!" Tsunade scoffed, trying to cover the soft heat blooming in her chest. "You're such a strange brat. Most people would ask for money or gifts."
"I don't need any of that, dattebayo!" Naruto beamed, that dazzling, innocent smile lighting up his whole face. "What matters most is seeing Granny happy and healthy!"
That unfiltered sincerity in his eyes—that unshakable smile—hit Tsunade harder than any punch. It disarmed her. She could've refused, could've brushed it off with a joke… but something about Naruto's pure-hearted offer made her pause.
After all, it was just a massage. Harmless. And she was sure she wouldn't lose the contest. Confident, even cocky.
But still… somewhere in her weary heart, his words had carved out a spot of light.
"…Fine," Tsunade exhaled deeply, finally nodding. "You win the contest, all three questions right… and I'll give you your massage. But just once. Got it?"
She paused for a second. "And…" Her mouth opened again, as if she wanted to add something more—some sly caveat about what kind of massage that might turn into.
But she shut her mouth with a tiny smirk instead, letting that question hang in the air. The readers might catch the unspoken hint: the fan-fictional implication for that massage to wander far beyond something innocent.
"Alright! It's a deal, dattebayo!" Naruto practically jumped in the air, pumping his fist.
"I'm gonna win and get that massage from Granny for sure!"
Tsunade chuckled at his excitement, amused by his blind optimism. 'He actually thinks he can win?' she thought.
But strangely, she didn't mind. This kind of moment—this kind of game—it was rare. And as ridiculous as the stakes were, there was something charming about it.
'A massage from my own student, huh…' She shook her head slightly, realizing where her thoughts had started to drift. 'What the hell is wrong with me?'
"The contest will happen in a few days," Tsunade declared, switching back to her sharper tone, the gambler in her waking up again.
"Don't think I'll go easy on you. I'm gonna pick the hardest questions I can find—ones you've got no chance of answering. You'd better prepare yourself."
"That's fine by me~!" Naruto shouted, full of fire.
"Giving up's not in my ninja way! No matter how hard the questions are, I'm gonna crush them! I'll win—and I'll make sure Granny feels real good!"
He clenched his fist with unshakable determination, completely unaware of just how suggestive that sounded… or maybe he was aware, just a little.
And so, an unusual wager was struck between the Fifth Hokage and the village's rowdy young hero—a quiz about Konoha, with a "special massage" as the prize.
What would happen on that fateful day? No one knew yet.
But Naruto, as always, believed in his victory.
Tsunade, for all her bravado, started to feel a flicker of unease about her infamous losing streak.
And in the background, Shizune let out a quiet sigh, already dreading the chaos to come.