Arm wrestling.
A pure contest of strength.
Asuma looked at the fierce standoff between Tsunade and Sakura and couldn't help but wipe a bead of cold sweat from his forehead.
Anyone else going up against each other might be manageable, but these two?
Should they be replacing the arm-wrestling table with something made of solid steel?
A normal wooden or stone table surely wouldn't survive this level of power…
"Since Lady Tsunade has issued the challenge, I'll gladly accept."
Sakura was already a little fired up at this point—she didn't even call her senpai anymore.
To be honest, Tsunade was someone Sakura had greatly admired, even in her past life. Ahem, in more ways than one.
But this was their very first meeting, and the other party was already this provocative. Sure, it fit Tsunade's personality to a tee, but Sakura wasn't made of clay either.
The two of them walked straight over to a stone table in the training field's rest area. Sakura locked eyes with Tsunade across the table, her expression serious.
In terms of pure strength, perhaps the woman before her was the only one in the entire shinobi world—aside from the old man Ōnoki—who could match her.
And Tsunade had been practicing monstrous strength for what, thirty or forty years? If they went all out, Sakura might really not come out on top.
But who was Sakura?
A true warrior with arms strong enough to support a standing man and a back broad enough to ride a horse.
A man among women, a woman among men.
Even if her opponent was Tsunade, Sakura had no intention of losing.
Shizune held the little pink pig in her arms, watching the pink-haired girl with the violet diamond seal on her forehead with a touch of envy.
Tsunade-sama had taught her the method of practicing the Strength of a Hundred Seal ages ago. But despite years of direct instruction, she still hadn't succeeded.
Yet this girl? Given the same method, she had mastered it in just four years.
Comparisons really were the death of motivation.
"Are you ready, kid?" Tsunade asked as she placed her hand—fingernails painted bright red—on the tabletop, eyes flashing with challenge.
"I hope you're prepared to lose, Lady Tsunade."
Sakura likewise extended her right hand, gripping Tsunade's pale and smooth palm.
"Heh, not bad. You're young, but you've got a temper."
"You've still got a long way to go before you can beat me!"
Tsunade's usually soft features sharpened, her eyes narrowing as her twin golden ponytails swayed behind her.
"Ahem… I'll be the referee for this match," Asuma coughed, stepping in quickly.
He looked nervously at the two powerhouses—one tall, one small—seated before him.
Everyone knew about Tsunade's strength and personality. She was a bonafide top-tier noble of Konoha, pampered since birth by the First Hokage himself and adored by countless shinobi. No one in the village dared cross her.
Even if she raised the flag declaring "Konoha is dead, the Senju reign supreme," Hiruzen Sarutobi—her own teacher and the Third Hokage—would still have to sweet-talk her until she got bored.
As for Sakura, she didn't have the lineage or political weight Tsunade carried, but she was only twelve.
Twelve years old, and she'd already mastered the Strength of a Hundred Seal, gone toe-to-toe with Orochimaru, and wielded medical ninjutsu on par with Tsunade's.
And the current state of the shinobi world? Also her doing.
Not to mention, just like Tsunade, she was a direct disciple of the Third Hokage. Her future was limitless.
Asuma definitely didn't want to get on the bad side of either of them.
Even if his dad was Hiruzen Sarutobi.
He placed his hand on top of Tsunade and Sakura's clasped hands and glanced between the two of them.
"Three…"
"Two…"
"One…"
"Begin!"
As Asuma's final word rang out, both Tsunade and Sakura simultaneously activated their monstrous strength.
Chakra surged violently through their bodies, so intense it was practically visible to the naked eye!
Sakura's gaze was locked onto Tsunade. For the first time, she truly realized how much of a boost monstrous strength gave to a taijutsu-type shinobi.
Until now, she'd always been the one hammering others into the ground. But now that she was facing Tsunade, her unbeatable strength had finally met its match.
"Not bad for a little brat!" Tsunade smirked, still having the leisure to taunt as she felt the immense force through their hands.
This kid's strength… might even surpass the Raikage's…
Her gaze sharpened as she gradually increased the pressure.
"Of course! If I want to be the strongest, I have to excel in every area!"
Sakura's tone was defiant as she responded, watching the golden-haired woman before her with a determined expression.
As their strength clashed, a golden aura of chakra flared up around Tsunade, like tangible fire.
Sakura watched as her hand was gradually pushed downward, and her eyes turned savage.
Full Power Monster Strength—Activate!
She wasn't about to be crushed by this big-breasted woman!
Her own chakra surged out in response, blue flames igniting around her hand, forming a tangible aura just like Tsunade's!
Crack!
A huge crack split down the middle of the stone table between them, which then exploded into rubble under the combined pressure of their monstrous strength!
But neither woman so much as flinched.
Their feet were rooted to the ground like ancient stone pillars, driven deep into the earth. The ground beneath them began to fracture under the pressure.
Asuma wiped another bead of sweat from his brow.
Seriously, these two… Once they get angry, even ten oxen couldn't drag them back.
Sakura gritted her teeth, feeling the sheer monstrous pressure emanating from Tsunade's hand.
It didn't feel like she was wrestling a person…
More like wrestling a prehistoric monster!
But no matter what—she wouldn't lose!
Crack…
Another loud sound echoed from below—the ground beneath them could no longer withstand their wrath and shattered completely.
This little girl…
Tsunade stared at the young girl before her, finally treating her with the seriousness she deserved.
Even though Hiruzen Sarutobi had vouched for Sakura, swearing she was worthy of inheriting Tsunade's legacy of monstrous strength, Tsunade hadn't taken it to heart.
But now, face-to-face, Tsunade was struck by an almost absurd realization—
If she didn't give it her all…
She might lose!
And lose in the very domain she was most proud of—raw power!
Even the Fourth Raikage had only beaten her by trickery and speed. But this girl?
She was going head-to-head with her in pure, unadulterated strength!
The golden flames of Tsunade's chakra and the blue flames of Sakura's surged and collided in an epic clash, twisting and intertwining as their personalities refused to yield.
The ground split and trembled, and cracks spider-webbed outward as the two women took the battle seriously.
Crash!
A massive tree nearby finally succumbed to the shockwaves, toppling under the sheer residual force of their prehistoric showdown!
---
(End of Chapter)