Tsunade held Haruto Saito in her arms, comforting him for a long while before she started berating Hiruzen Sarutobi: "That old man is too much! Asking for an outrageous price! Two hundred million ryo, and he actually dared to demand it! That old geezer's heart is as black as coal..."
"None of them are any good!" Haruto Saito's resentment flared again. "In Konoha, no one truly cares about me! They all hate me! They only know how to use me, value my wealth, and no matter how much I contribute, they still doubt me—because I'm an outsider..."
Tsunade's heart sank completely.
Haruto Saito's mentality was in serious trouble!
This could lead to something disastrous!
"Who says no one cares about you? Don't I count?" Tsunade looked down at him, her gaze slanting gently as she comforted him in a soft voice. "Don't I care about you?"
Haruto Saito lifted his head to meet her eyes.
Their gazes locked, their faces extremely close.
Tsunade blinked at him with a warm expression.
Suddenly, Haruto Saito leaned up and quickly pecked her lips.
Tsunade pushed him away, but not with much force.
"You reckless little brat, what do you think you're doing?"
"Lady Tsunade, I like you..."
"Pah! You little pervert!"
"Lady Tsunade!" Haruto Saito called out, and this time, he was even bolder. He wrapped his arms around her neck and gave her a long, deep kiss! He had already pushed her down onto the soft couch.
"You little punk, mm... let go... mm..." Tsunade struggled for a bit but then stopped moving. In the end, she simply played dead. Her thoughts were conflicted—if she forcefully pushed Haruto Saito away and beat him up, then maybe his words would become true: everyone in Konoha really did hate him!
She could tell that Haruto Saito was emotionally fragile right now.
After a long while, Haruto Saito finally got up, and Tsunade immediately sat up as well, fiercely poking his forehead with her finger and scolding, "You little rascal, taking advantage of me, don't think I don't know what you're up to, you little brat..."
She wasn't truly angry. It sounded like scolding, but in reality, she was trying to ease the atmosphere and shift the topic.
"Lady Tsunade, I don't want to go back to that cold and empty house tonight," Haruto Saito said, his expression heavy with emotions.
"What do you mean?" Tsunade asked.
"Can I stay here?" Haruto Saito asked, looking at her with sorrowful eyes. "I just want to talk with you more..."
Tsunade instinctively wanted to slap him, but she restrained herself.
"Forget it, I'm leaving!" Seeing that Tsunade didn't immediately agree, Haruto Saito got up, giving her a lonely, desolate figure.
Tsunade suddenly reached out and grabbed his hand from behind...
Not long after...
On the soft couch, two pillows and two blankets were laid out!
Haruto Saito and Tsunade lay side by side, each covered with their own blanket, facing each other, speaking in hushed tones.
"You little brat, if you dare try anything, don't blame me for beating you up!" Tsunade warned.
"I won't..." Haruto Saito sighed.
"Hmph! As if I trust you!" Tsunade snorted lightly.
Haruto Saito remained silent, his expression still weighed with heavy thoughts.
"Hey, kid, why aren't you saying anything?" Tsunade asked.
"What is there to say? I can't get my money back, and I can't beat the Hokage either!"
"Haruto Saito! You can't think like that! You need to understand the hardships my teacher has gone through. Is money really that important to you? You already have more than you can spend. You should realize how much effort my teacher put into finding you when you lost contact! If it weren't for the looming war, I doubt he would have asked you for two hundred million ryo..."
Tsunade spent hours trying to talk sense into Haruto Saito.
Eventually, exhaustion caught up with both of them, and they fell asleep.
...
The next morning.
Haruto Saito woke up from his slumber, inhaling the faint fragrance of Tsunade's scent.
At some point, he had snuggled into her embrace!
At some point, his hand had slipped under Tsunade's sleepwear, resting on something it definitely shouldn't be touching.
Tsunade was still sound asleep!
Haruto Saito shifted up slightly and placed a kiss on her cheek, then another on the corner of her lips. Tsunade woke up, her eyes opening to see Haruto Saito grinning at her. She seemed to realize something, her lips twitching as she said, "Take your filthy paws off me!"
Haruto Saito obediently withdrew his hand from under her sleepwear.
"Lady Tsunade, thank you!" Haruto Saito said with a smile, then sat up.
Time to get up!
Haruto Saito got dressed and left Tsunade's room.
"Damn brat, always getting handsy..." Tsunade muttered, adjusting her slightly disheveled sleepwear before turning over, hugging her blanket, and gradually drifting back to sleep.
******
Haruto Saito returned home! Right next door to Tsunade's place!
He didn't find anyone in the main house.
So he went to the indoor training ground instead! As soon as he opened the doors, he saw two boys about his age, Minato Namikaze and Kaga!
When they saw Haruto Saito return, both boys dashed toward him excitedly!
"Sensei, you've been released!" Minato Namikaze said joyfully.
"Greetings, benefactor!" Kaga, on the other hand, immediately knelt before Haruto Saito and bowed his head heavily to the ground!
"Mm!" Haruto Saito nodded at Minato, then quickly helped Kaga up.
Tears welled up in Kaga's eyes, and he was visibly overwhelmed with emotion!
Haruto Saito had changed his fate! Once, he had been just a homeless orphan wandering the Land of Whirlpools, beaten, cursed at, and despised! He had lived a life worse than that of an animal until he met Haruto Saito!
Back then, he had doubted Haruto Saito, but for the sake of survival, he had agreed to follow him.
It wasn't until he was brought to Konoha, cared for by its ninja, given new clothes, and admitted into the Ninja Academy that he finally understood the depth of Haruto Saito's kindness—it was nothing short of life-changing! He had risen from the lowest depths to the "privileged class!"
Yes, he considered ninjas to be the "privileged class." In the world of ordinary people, even the lowest-ranked ninja was addressed with respect.
He didn't know how to repay Haruto Saito. All he had wanted was a full meal... but Haruto Saito had given him so much more!
Now at the academy, Kaga was seen as a prodigy. Though he still faced discrimination as an outsider, his talent was recognized by the teachers, who often praised him.
He didn't care about the discrimination—he had endured much worse as a street orphan!
"Stand up, stand up, why are you crying?" Haruto Saito smiled as he helped Kaga up. "Kaga, have you gotten used to Konoha? How's life here?"
"Benefactor, I'm doing well! I love it here! I love everyone here! Benefactor, thank you..." Kaga was still crying. This exceptionally gifted prodigy had no idea how high he would rise in the future. In his heart, there was only gratitude for Haruto Saito!
"Good, that's what matters!" Haruto Saito smiled, then his expression suddenly turned serious. "Kaga, I have a question for you, and I want you to answer it seriously!"
"Benefactor, please ask! I will answer sincerely!" Kaga sniffled.
"Would you like to become my personal disciple?" Haruto Saito asked with utmost seriousness.