After upgrading the level of his Devil Fruit ability, Leo took out a Silver Treasure Chest from his system inventory—the reward he'd received after defeating Namikaze Minato.
This wasn't his first time opening a chest, so his excitement had mellowed somewhat. He was calm, focused.
The chest creaked open on its own, a soft white glow spilling through the cracks.
A silver card floated within. Leo reached out and took it. The moment his fingers touched it, a line of text appeared in his mind:
"Moonwalk (Geppo) — One of the Six Powers of the Navy. By kicking the air with tremendous force, the user can remain momentarily airborne, moving through the sky as though climbing invisible stairs. However, it cannot maintain suspension for long."
A faint smile tugged at Leo's lips—an unexpected but pleasant surprise.
Shave (Soru) and Moonwalk (Geppo) complemented each other perfectly.
Shave used explosive footwork—kicking the ground more than ten times in an instant—to achieve movement so fast it seemed like teleportation.
Moonwalk, on the other hand, let one kick the air itself to move briefly through the skies.
With his remaining experience points, Leo immediately upgraded Moonwalk to Lv2, extending the duration and range of his aerial mobility.
The next morning, Leo's small, secluded house welcomed an unexpected visitor—
The Princess of the Senju Clan, Tsunade Senju.
At that moment, Leo was drenched in sweat, immersed in his grueling physical training, pushing his limits without noticing her arrival.
Tsunade wore a pale yellow, form-fitting kimono-style outfit. Her sleeves were rolled up, revealing slender arms as smooth and fair as polished bamboo shoots.
Her golden hair was loosely tied back with a simple ribbon, cascading down to her waist, swaying slightly with each lazy step. On her feet were a pair of wooden clogs—her every movement exuded an air of casual grace.
Crossing her arms under her chest, Tsunade stood watching as Leo repeatedly struck an ironwood training post bare-chested.
The bandages around his fists were soaked through with blood and sweat, yet his punches never stopped.
Even Tsunade, hardened by years of shinobi life, couldn't help but be moved.
At his age… I was still a pampered child under Grandfather's protection, she thought.
A faint, instinctive tenderness stirred within her heart—perhaps simply the natural empathy of a woman.
"Why are you training like you've got a death wish, brat?" she finally asked.
Leo froze mid-punch, glancing sideways when he noticed her.
"I only believe in my own fists," he replied curtly.
Then he continued—one hundred strikes, two hundred, three hundred…
Side kicks—one hundred, three hundred…
Relentless. Exhausting. Limitless.
He forced his body to its absolute limits.
Beyond their combat use, Leo had realized that as his Three Haki abilities improved, his body itself was evolving—harder, faster, stronger.
After all, even the ordinary humans in the pirate world possessed monstrous physical strength.
Among the Marines, most had at least one or two forms of Haki—Conqueror's excluded—and none could be underestimated.
It was painful, yes, but the sensation of growing stronger was intoxicating.
After about an hour, the training ended.
When he turned, Leo was surprised to find Tsunade still there—now sitting on a chair she'd brought over at some point, looking rather bored, like a restless young woman killing time.
She caught his gaze and asked casually,
"Done training?"
"More or less," Leo replied evenly.
"I get it now," Tsunade said as she rose, walking toward him. "Beating the Academy's so-called number one genius, Namikaze Minato—you've practically trained yourself to death for it."
"When talent falls short, effort must make up the difference," Leo answered.
Standing before him now, Tsunade was half a head taller. Her amber-brown eyes studied the boy intently.
"Heh… but you know," she said softly, "sometimes no matter how hard people try, it doesn't always pay off. I wonder how you managed it, kid."
Then, without warning, she extended a slender arm toward him.
Leo's instincts urged him to dodge—but his Observation Haki sensed no malice. And since it was Tsunade, he forced himself to stay calm.
"Not bad—composure under pressure," Tsunade noted approvingly.
Her hand came to rest lightly on his bare shoulder.
Their proximity was close—close enough for their breathing and heartbeats to mingle. Her touch was soft, warm, and gentle, like flowing water.
Leo could feel the heat spreading beneath his skin, a strange tingling coursing through him—an unfamiliar, dizzying sensation.
Thump… thump… thump…
After all, while his body was young, his soul was that of an adult man. His imagination, naturally, wandered.
He quickly averted his gaze, not daring to meet hers. Tsunade's allure was… formidable, to say the least.
If she noticed his reaction, it would be mortifying.
"How strange," Tsunade murmured, frowning slightly. "Your body temperature just spiked all of a sudden."
Her hand still on his shoulder, she could feel his warmth rising sharply.
Leaning closer, she peered down at him, eyes thoughtful—then her lips curved into a knowing smile.
"Hahaha… What's this, kid? You're blushing, aren't you?"
"…No," Leo said flatly, turning his head away, refusing to admit it.
"Tch."
Tsunade clearly didn't believe him. Her lips twitched upward, her expression that of an experienced woman amused by a boy's awkwardness.
After all, she was one of the Three Legendary Sannin—and also one of the infamous Three Poisons of Konoha (wine, gambling, and women).
Having spent years around Jiraiya and Orochimaru, there was little about the ways of men she didn't understand.
Ugh… my cursed charm, she sighed inwardly. Even kids can't seem to resist me.
Still, she didn't tease him further. In the shinobi world, early maturity wasn't exactly uncommon.
Seeing Leo's forced, stoic expression, Tsunade's playfulness faded. She grew serious, gathering chakra into her palm.
A soft green glow appeared as she placed her hand gently against his chest.
Leo's body stiffened instantly—the sensation was unlike anything he'd ever felt.
That power… pure, serene, and brimming with life.
He looked down at her glowing hand and immediately realized—Tsunade was using Medical Ninjutsu to heal him.
A kind and gentle girl, he thought, surprisingly moved.
Her chakra flowed through him, vibrant with vitality, cleansing his organs, mending his inner injuries.
All his fatigue and pain melted away as if washed by warm spring water.
It was… indescribably soothing.
If time could stop, Leo wished it would freeze—right here, right now.
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