The sun had already risen high into the sky.
Suddenly, the bedroom door was pushed open.
A hand braced itself on the doorframe. Uchiha Hikaru staggered out, barely managing to straighten his back as he leaned against the frame for support.
He slowly shuffled to the sofa in the living room, collapsed onto it, and let out a long, exhausted sigh.
Then, from the inner pocket of his coat, he pulled out a few of the Nara Clan's specialized soldier pills. He also reached into the nearby drawer, retrieving a pack of cigarettes. Lighting one up, he took a deep drag.
One cigarette wasn't enough to calm his nerves. He lit a second. Then a third.
By the time he'd finished seven or eight cigarettes, Hikaru finally felt somewhat recovered.
Thankfully, in the shinobi world, chakra flow cleanses and circulates through the body, so damage to the lungs from smoking wasn't something ninja had to worry about.
Ordinary civilians might suffer from it, but even they could go to the hospital and pay for a B-rank medical ninjutsu—Cellular Extraction Technique. It wasn't easy, but a few medical-nin in the village could perform it.
"Crazy... Tsunade's gone completely insane…"
"Even if it means injuring herself as much as me, she's determined to win against Anko."
"The will to compete—and the bloodbath between women—is truly terrifying."
Nine times.
Even with the enhancement of Hashirama's cells in his body, Uchiha Hikaru was completely spent.
It wasn't that he lacked stamina… it was his waist that couldn't handle Tsunade's intense, relentless pace.
It should have ended after the eighth round, but then… Anko had left a note under the bedroom pillow.
[" Kurenai and I will come visit you together next time~"]
That single sentence reignited Tsunade's cosmic rage, and she went in for round nine.
Besides—Anko and Kurenai weren't the same.
Anko was known for her flexibility. Kurenai had beautiful, porcelain-like skin. But Tsunade? Tsunade was a taijutsu master with explosive power behind every move.
Her legs were long, firm, and devastating—elegant in appearance but packed with terrifying strength.
That woman could split the ground with a single punch or kick.
Hikaru glanced at the clock on the wall. There were still a few minutes before his shift at the Konoha Police Force was supposed to begin.
Forget it. I'll be late. I'd like to see Fugaku try and lecture me today.
After scarfing down a quick breakfast, he turned back and glanced at Tsunade, who was still fast asleep on the bed.
He silently pulled the blanket over her exposed shoulder, kissed her gently on the forehead, and quietly left the house.
What he didn't notice was the small smile that curved Tsunade's lips after he turned around.
A few minutes later, Hikaru arrived at Nara Shikaku's house and knocked on the window.
Knock knock knock.
Shikaku, reading a scroll in his study, turned toward the noise. Seeing it was Hikaru, his face immediately soured—but he still opened the window.
Hikaru slipped inside without a word.
Shikaku started grumbling the moment his feet touched the floor.
"Hikaru, I've only been away from the Hokage's office for about a week."
"Three months—three months of unpaid overtime."
"I finally get some time off, and now you show up again."
"Shikamaru is already seven years old. As a father, I need to spend time with my son."
He was about to continue ranting when Hikaru cut him off.
"Okay, okay—this isn't about the village. It's personal."
Shikaku exhaled in relief and slumped into his chair, picking up his tea.
"A personal favor, huh? Alright, what strange request is it this time?"
He was used to Hikaru's odd needs. First it was a custom sheath made from treated medicinal wood. Then, a few months later, it was a tailored blend of high-grade soldier pills.
Shikaku had accepted long ago that this man—the deputy head of the Uchiha clan and vice-captain of the Konoha Police Force—had no shortage of money or strange ideas.
So, he waited.
Hikaru hesitated for over ten seconds before he finally spoke.
"…Shikaku, do you have any prescriptions that enhance physical stamina and strengthen the body? I want to focus on taijutsu training."
Shikaku raised an eyebrow, immediately suspicious.
"Hikaru, the Uchiha aren't known for taijutsu. And your physical skills are already decent. Why the sudden interest?"
Hikaru didn't respond right away. For once, the normally composed tactician looked like he was struggling to find the right words.
It wasn't a topic any man wanted to talk about openly.
Shikaku squinted and took a closer look at him.
Something was… off.
His posture wasn't as straight as usual. He looked worn down. His gait was sluggish.
Shikaku's eyes narrowed in concern.
It was common for middle-aged men to struggle with stamina, but Hikaru was barely in his twenties...
Just then, Hikaru noticed the probing gaze and curled his index finger slowly.
Shikaku froze.
"…No way. Nine times!?"
"You're trying to get yourself killed!!"
Hikaru shook his head helplessly, then made a sequence of hand gestures: five, seven, nine.
Shikaku's jaw dropped. "Over three days?"
Five… seven… then nine?
This wasn't normal. This was inhuman.
And then it hit him.
Only one kunoichi in the entire village could possibly push someone to that extent and still look elegant doing it.
Tsunade.
Only she had the physical prowess to back up such insane demands.
Suddenly, respect surged through Shikaku. He gave Hikaru a slow, solemn thumbs-up.
Damn, brother.
Most men dream of becoming Hokage. You just became the Hokage's man instead.
High. Truly high-level tactics.
He didn't say a word, but his expression said it all.
They locked eyes—and both men chuckled quietly in mutual understanding.
Hikaru clapped him on the shoulder.
"Don't overthink it. I'm perfectly healthy. My back's just a little sore, that's all. Just give me something to help recover faster."
Shikaku scrutinized him once more.
His complexion was rosy. Chakra flow stable. Vital signs normal.
Tch… youth really is wasted on the young.
Still, even for a young man, that much activity was overkill.
He sighed, reached for his drawer, and scribbled a prescription on a slip of paper.
"Take one pill a week. Bring this to the Nara pharmacy—they'll mix it up for you."
"No charge this time. Consider it a favor."
Hikaru accepted the note and waved goodbye.
As he walked toward the Nara Clan's pharmacy, another thought struck him.
Why not just sign a summoning contract with the Slug Sage? Wouldn't summoning Katsuyu for healing be faster than taking medicine?
Or… maybe he could learn senjutsu from the Shikkotsu Forest. He'd already mastered the Toad Sage arts from Mount Myoboku. The transition should be easier now.
After all… he'd been eyeing Hashirama's Sage Body for quite some time.
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