"Tsunade-sama," Kakashi said, walking up to her.
She looked up. "Huh? Oh… Kakashi?" Her eyes narrowed a little. "You look different without the mask."
"It was time." Kakashi smiled at her.
She raised an eyebrow, then looked at Ranmaru. "Who's the kid?"
"That's why I'm here," Kakashi said.
"His name's Ranmaru. He's got a rare kekkei genkai, and his legs don't work. I was hoping you could take a look."
"I don't heal for free, you know." Tsunade sighed and said with a cunning look on her face.
"I figured. I brought payment. Plus… I think you'll find him interesting." Kakashi said as he pulled out a scroll.
Tsunade looked at Ranmaru again. Her expression changed when she saw the way he held himself. Even though he was nervous, his eyes were calm and kind. She walked over and knelt beside him, gently touching his legs.
"Hmm," she muttered. "I can feel some chakra damage here. It's not permanent. With some work, I might be able to fix it."
Ranmaru's eyes lit up. "Really?"
Tsunade stood and stretched. "Yeah, but I'll need a place to work. There's an inn nearby. I'll set up a temporary clinic there. Bring him tomorrow morning."
Kakashi smiled. "Thank you, Tsunade."
She waved him off. "Don't thank me yet. I still expect payment."
As Kakashi and Ranmaru left the tavern, Ranmaru looked up at him. "She's really strong."
Kakashi nodded. "And really scary."
Ranmaru chuckled. He was starting to feel a little more hope.
….
Kakashi sat nearby while Tsunade checked on Ranmaru. She hummed a little as she gently moved her hands over his legs, her chakra glowing softly. Ranmaru looked a little nervous, but he was trying to be brave.
"You're healing well," Tsunade said. "It'll take some time, but you'll be walking normally soon."
"Thank you, Lady Tsunade," Ranmaru said with a small smile.
Kakashi watched quietly. He seemed relaxed, his hands in his pockets, but his eyes were focused.
Tsunade glanced at Kakashi. "You know, I didn't expect you to come all this way. I thought those informants were keeping tabs on me as usual."
"I know, me neither but Ranmaru needed help now," Kakashi said as he looked at her.
She raised a brow. "Hmm. Still the same stubborn guy."
Kakashi chuckled. "You haven't changed either."
Tsunade grinned a little, and then her eyes narrowed. "Speaking of change… something's different about you."
"Is it the face?" Kakashi said as he put a 'cocky' smirk on his face.
"I did notice you're not hiding behind that mask anymore. You're not bad-looking, I'll admit." Tsunade blinked and then laughed. She didn't expect Kakashi under the mask to be so handsome.
"Thanks," Kakashi said casually.
"But I'm not talking about your face. Your chakra… it feels stronger. Way stronger."
Kakashi smirked. "Want to feel it yourself?"
Tsunade narrowed her eyes, then stood up and walked over. She placed her hand on his shoulder, closing her eyes to sense his chakra.
A few seconds later, her eyes shot open, and she took a step back, surprised.
"What the hell, Kakashi… your chakra is still growing? At your age, that shouldn't even be possible."
Kakashi just shrugged. "Guess I'm full of surprises."
Tsunade looked shocked for another moment before she crossed her arms. "It's not just growing. You're at Kage level already… not as much as me yet, but you're close. And if this continues…"
"I might even pass you," Kakashi finished with a teasing grin. He knew Tsunade had monstrous chakra reserves, as seen in the Pain Arc.
Tsunade scoffed. "Yeah right."
But she smiled a little. It had been a long time since she met someone who surprised her like that.
"Is this because of some kind of Jutsu?" she asked.
"Kind of," Kakashi said. "It's a long story."
"Well," Tsunade said, walking back to Ranmaru, "you better not die anytime soon. I want to see how far you can go."
Kakashi just chuckled again. Ranmaru looked between them, confused, but happy. He had never seen grown-ups smile so easily before.
Tsunade sat back down beside Ranmaru, who was still nervously watching her every move. She smiled at him, trying to reassure him. "Okay, let's try something else to speed up your healing."
Ranmaru nodded, still a little tense. Tsunade extended her hand and placed it gently on his knee. "I want you to try something with me, alright?"
"What do I need to do?" Ranmaru said as he nodded again.
"Just focus on your chakra," Tsunade explained. "I'm going to help you guide it. But first, you need to feel it inside you. Can you do that?"
Ranmaru closed his eyes and tried to calm himself, focusing on his body. He had heard about chakra control before, but he had never tried it on his own. His hands clenched a little in nervousness, but he relaxed them. Slowly, he could feel a small warmth in his chest, like a flicker of light.
Tsunade watched him closely, her chakra still glowing softly around her hands. "Good, you're on the right track. Now, think about moving that warmth, like it's flowing through your body."
Ranmaru tried again, a little unsure. This time, he felt a small pulse of energy spread down his arm and into his fingertips. It was strange, but it didn't feel bad. It felt… controlled.
"That's it," Tsunade said, smiling.
"You're doing great. Now, I want you to send that energy to your legs. Focus on your knees first, then let it flow down to your feet."