"Teacher Kitagawa!"
It was Shizune who answered the door.
"Is Tsunade-sama home?"
Kitagawa asked as he entered the courtyard.
Shizune replied, "Tsunade-sama went out. She said she had some business. Did you need to see her, Teacher?"
Kitagawa was a bit surprised Tsunade had gone out so early, but he smiled anyway. "Nothing urgent. Just a routine home visit."
"What are you doing here alone, Shizune?"
Shizune led Kitagawa to the study. "Tsunade-sama assigned me some homework. I'm doing initial studies in medical knowledge."
Kitagawa raised an eyebrow and saw stacks of books on the desk with open scrolls beside them.
"Already studying medical knowledge!"
Kitagawa stepped forward and saw Shizune's notes, smiling. "While I'm not as knowledgeable as Tsunade-sama in medical jutsu, I can answer basic questions."
Shizune was surprised. "Teacher Kitagawa, you understand medical ninjutsu too?"
Kitagawa nodded humbly. "A little, just a little!"
Shizune brightened—she definitely had questions.
By the time it approached noon, when Tsunade returned with lunch, she heard voices coming from the study and froze. This guy understands medical ninjutsu?
Wait, why is he here now?
Tsunade's expression shifted.
Because I drank earlier. Even if I'm not buzzed, there's definitely alcohol on my breath.
That annoying guy!
Tsunade muttered to herself, then quietly retreated to her room. She found some perfume she hadn't used in forever and sprayed it several times.
When Shizune saw Tsunade, her nose twitched slightly. "Tsunade-sama, are you wearing perfume?"
Tsunade gave a vague "Mm-hmm."
Kitagawa also noticed something odd, but he quickly figured out what was going on. He gave Tsunade a meaningful look.
Tsunade felt extremely uncomfortable under his gaze. She said coldly, "The home visit is over, right? We need to eat lunch!"
Shizune quickly said, "Teacher Kitagawa, eat lunch with us!"
Tsunade immediately countered, "I didn't bring a portion for him."
Shizune became embarrassed and started to head out. "Teacher Kitagawa, I'll go buy you—"
Kitagawa held Shizune back, smiling. "No need to trouble yourself. I prefer eating at restaurants."
"Well then, I'll take my leave. Tsunade-sama, Shizune—goodbye!"
He waved and vanished in the blink of an eye.
Tsunade couldn't help but quietly sigh in relief. But then she gritted her teeth. "Damn it, why am I nervous around that little pervert?!"
That feeling is awful!
I shouldn't have looked up his file in the first place.
Ever since learning that Kitagawa's parents had also died in the Great Ninja War and that he'd suffered grave injuries himself, Tsunade felt like she'd lost some of her edge when facing him.
That feeling irritates me!
So after lunch, Tsunade went out again.
But this time, she left behind a shadow clone to guide Shizune's studies. I'm not going to lose to that little pervert!
That afternoon, in the small grove.
Kitagawa was working on developing Moon Walk, his form constantly flickering with Body Flicker, when he suddenly stopped and turned around.
"Tsunade-sama?"
Kitagawa seemed surprised, then teased, "Secretly watching someone train doesn't suit your status."
Tsunade raised her chin slightly. "I'm watching openly."
"Besides, you were training chakra bursts, right?"
"I don't think I need to secretly observe anything from you in that regard."
Pretty tsundere.
Kitagawa smiled. "It's not just simple chakra bursts. I'm developing a taijutsu technique—you could call it an advanced Body Flicker."
Body Flicker?
Tsunade immediately thought of the powerful burst Kitagawa had used to beat her, and curiosity stirred. "The same Body Flicker you used to beat me last time?"
Kitagawa walked to a tree, grabbed his water pouch, and took a sip before responding. "I've already finished the initial development of that. Now I'm working on an advanced version, which I've named Moon Walk."
"It's a taijutsu technique that allows you to gain footing and change direction mid-air."
Tsunade heard this and was stunned. "Gain footing in mid-air?"
"That's impossible!"
Kitagawa put down the pouch, then his feet accelerated rapidly. His form vanished from the spot and reappeared in front of Tsunade in an instant.
Air currents swirled, lifting Tsunade's bangs.
"So fast, and... it doesn't seem to use chakra at all!"
Tsunade's pupils contracted slightly in shock.
She doesn't have that kind of pure physical speed.
"How are you doing that?"
Tsunade asked, but then caught herself. "Never mind. That's your secret. I shouldn't ask."
But Kitagawa didn't mind explaining. "I stomp the ground at high speed a dozen or more times in a single instant, which generates this velocity."
"If I also use chakra..."
BOOM!
A sonic boom erupted. Wind whipped Tsunade's clothes and tousled her long hair, forcing her to raise her hand to shield her face. That's even faster than last time... and this speed is already comparable to me at full power!
From a distance, watching Tsunade's shock, Kitagawa continued. "That's the speed from five consecutive chakra bursts."
"As for Moon Walk—my idea is to use high-speed stomping on air to generate reaction force, allowing me to gain footing and change direction mid-air. That would give me omnidirectional attack capability and powerful evasion ability."
"Of course, it's far more difficult than working on the ground."
Tsunade lowered her shielding hand and furrowed her brow. "In theory, it's feasible. But air is too thin."
Kitagawa nodded. "Exactly. It requires faster speed, stronger bursts, and better technique."
That's why he'd started by using chakra bursts in the first place.
With chakra, developing Moon Walk was much easier than using pure physicality.
After all, ninja could walk on water using chakra.
Tsunade shook her head. "The cost-benefit of developing such a taijutsu technique is too low. You could simply use nature transformation."
Kitagawa smiled. "The reason I'm developing this taijutsu is because I have a student without ninjutsu or genjutsu talent, but with incredible willpower and courage."
"If I develop a technique like this, even without ninjutsu and genjutsu knowledge, he could become an excellent ninja."
Tsunade froze at his words.
He's developing an advanced taijutsu technique for a ninja academy student?
This...
Tsunade didn't understand Kitagawa, but she was deeply moved.
She was silent for a moment, then asked, "Just for a ninja academy student, you're doing this... and besides, a technique like this isn't something a ninja academy student can master."
Kitagawa let out a self-deprecating laugh, then spoke seriously. "Even after they graduate, they'll still call me Teacher Kitagawa."
"They'll always be my students. And I'll always be their teacher."
Looking at Kitagawa, Tsunade suddenly found that little pervert much more likeable.
"Whatever. Do as you please!"
Tsunade stopped asking and instead said, "Can you fix a schedule for home visits? Say, twice a month?"
Kitagawa frowned. "Tsunade-sama, isn't that too infrequent?"
Tsunade snorted coldly, "I'm doing this so you have more time to develop jutsu!"
Kitagawa could see right through her little scheme. This morning with the perfume masking alcohol—did she think he hadn't noticed?
Internally scoffing, Kitagawa immediately became forceful.
"Tsunade-sama, considering how you used perfume to hide the alcohol smell earlier, I can agree to fixed home visits. But it has to be three times a week—Monday, Thursday, and Saturday!"
Three times a week?!
That's way too often!
Tsunade's eyes went wide, then she erupted in anger.
Moments ago, this little pervert finally seemed likeable. I didn't expect him to be this infuriating.
This annoying little pervert thinks he has me figured out?
Tsunade's fists clenched hard, her teeth gritted, looking ready to devour Kitagawa whole.