Chapter 28: A Demonstration Worth Watching (2)
But there was no turning back now. He raised his hand, gathering chakra into his palm, feeling the familiar sensation as it surged outward. Carefully, he shaped it, compressing and rotating it in multiple directions at once.
The air around him swirled as the energy condensed—until finally, a perfect sphere of chakra materialized in his hand.
Silence.
Then—
"That's…" Rika blinked, staring at the spinning orb. "That's crazy. You didn't use any hand seals?"
Emiko, completely mesmerized, clutched her hands together. "It's… beautiful."
Shigeru's eyes narrowed slightly in thought. He was clearly impressed, but unlike the others, his mind had already started dissecting its mechanics.
Sayaka, meanwhile, merely tilted her head, unimpressed—until she noticed both her husband and Tsunade looking far more serious than usual. That alone told her just how significant this technique was.
And Tsunade—
Her expression had shifted entirely. Gone was the teasing amusement from earlier. Now, she was watching with sharp, calculating eyes.
Kiyoshi had always known that she was skilled in medical ninjutsu, famous for her ability to manipulate chakra inside the body with perfect precision. But the Rasengan was the opposite. It required molding chakra outside the body—pure Shape Transformation.
No hand seals. No external elements. Just raw chakra.
And Kiyoshi had done it.
She folded her arms, deep in thought. If I can incorporate this into close combat… if I can develop a way to use it instantly in a fight—
The possibilities were already spinning in her mind. A single well-placed Rasengan could be a one-hit KO in a brawl. No hand seals meant no warning. It could be devastating.
But Kiyoshi had no idea he had just sparked one of Tsunade's new obsessions.
"…Hmph."
She smirked slightly, finally breaking the silence.
"Well, well, Kiyoshi." She placed a hand on her hip. "Looks like you've been holding out on us."
Before Kiyoshi could respond, Sayaka suddenly clapped her hands together.
"Ahh, my dear Kiyoshi!" she gushed dramatically. "You must have practiced so much to finally perfect such an amazing jutsu! And all of this… for Emiko!"
Kiyoshi stumbled mid-step, nearly losing his balance. The Rasengan in his palm flickered dangerously before he hastily dispersed it.
Emiko's face turned bright red. "W-Wait! That's not—he wasn't—" She whirled toward Kiyoshi in panic. "You weren't doing it for me, right? Right?!"
Kiyoshi rubbed his temples, exhaling in exasperation. "Sayaka-san, please don't say things that make me want to disappear."
Sayaka just giggled, looking far too entertained.
Tsunade chuckled as well, watching the chaos unfold with amusement. "Now that's a good family atmosphere."
Rika, meanwhile, was grinning ear to ear. She walked up to Kiyoshi and nudged him with her elbow. "Looks like you've really taken your oniichan role seriously, huh?"
"Don't you start."
Shigeru let out a tired sigh, shaking his head at his wife's antics, but a fond smile played at his lips.
And just like that, the heavy tension from earlier disappeared, replaced by laughter and teasing.
But even as the conversation shifted, Tsunade's mind remained locked on the technique she had just witnessed.
The Rasengan, huh?
She glanced at Kiyoshi, her smirk deepening.
I wonder how much more I can learn from you…
The backyard atmosphere gradually settled after Sayaka's teasing, though Kiyoshi still felt residual embarrassment clinging to him like an unwelcome shadow. He sighed, ruffling his hair as he tried to shake it off.
This family is dangerous in a completely different way…
Meanwhile, Emiko—still red-faced—stood stiffly beside him, glancing away every time he so much as shifted. Rika, of course, was grinning smugly at her sister's predicament, while Tsunade remained disturbingly quiet.
Kiyoshi knew what that meant.
She wasn't done with him yet.
"So, Kiyoshi…" Tsunade finally spoke, cracking her knuckles lazily. "You've got some free time, right?"
Kiyoshi's stomach dropped. "Uh… maybe?"
Tsunade's smirk widened. "Good. Because you're going to spar with me."
Silence.
Rika blinked. "Wait, what?"
Emiko's eyes widened. "But… but Tsunade-nee-san, Kiyoshi just—"
"No excuses," Tsunade interrupted smoothly. "I just want to see something."
Kiyoshi's jaw clenched. He knew exactly what she wanted to 'see.'
His Rasengan.
And the worst part? There was no way out of it.
If I say no, she'll just drag me into it anyway. If I say yes… well, I might end up in a hospital bed by the end of the day.
"…Fine." He exhaled slowly. "But go easy on me, will you?"
Tsunade's smirk turned positively predatory. "No promises."
Emiko and Sayaka exchanged worried glances, while Shigeru simply sighed, as if mentally preparing himself to step in if things got out of hand.
Rika, on the other hand, was already backing away, excitement in her eyes. "I have to see this."
They moved toward a more open area of the backyard, where the ground was uneven—worn down by years of training and sparring. The perfect stage.
Tsunade cracked her neck as she stretched her arms, rolling her shoulders like a fighter warming up. "Alright, Kiyoshi. Show me how you fight."
Kiyoshi took a stance, steadying his breathing. He had no illusions about this match—Tsunade was leagues above him. If he went in recklessly, he'd get flattened in seconds.
But that didn't mean he wouldn't try.
Without warning, he dashed forward. He didn't waste time throwing a basic punch or testing the waters—he went straight for the Rasengan.
Chakra swirled in his palm as the sphere formed. The moment he closed the distance, he drove it forward—
Only to hit nothing.
Tsunade had moved.
Before he could react, something slammed into his stomach.
The world tilted.
Air rushed out of his lungs as he was thrown backward, skidding across the dirt before he barely managed to steady himself.
He coughed, doubling over slightly. What the hell was that?!
Tsunade sighed dramatically, shaking her head. "Too predictable, Kiyoshi."
He grit his teeth, looking up to see her standing there, completely unbothered.
"Here's the thing," she continued, rolling her wrist. "That jutsu of yours? It's powerful. But if you don't know how to land it, then it's useless."
He straightened, wiping the dirt from his sleeve. "Then what do you suggest?"
Tsunade smirked. "Try again."
Kiyoshi's eye twitched.
Fine.
If she wanted him to get creative, then so be it.
Kiyoshi dashed forward again, but this time, instead of aiming directly for her, he feinted—ducking low before twisting his body into a sweeping kick.
Tsunade, however, merely hopped over it.
But that was exactly what he wanted.
The moment her feet left the ground, his chakra surged again—this time, forming a Rasengan even faster than before. He lunged upward, aiming straight for her midsection.
For a split second, he thought he had her.
Then—
CRACK.
Pain exploded in his wrist as Tsunade grabbed his arm mid-motion and twisted it sharply, forcing him to release the chakra sphere before it could even connect.
And then—
She flipped him.
The ground met him violently, knocking the wind out of his lungs for the second time.
Tsunade crouched beside him, resting an elbow on her knee. "Better," she admitted. "But still not good enough."
Kiyoshi groaned. "I hate this."
Rika howled with laughter in the background, clapping her hands. "Oh man, Kiyoshi, I almost thought you had her!"
Sayaka, meanwhile, was already halfway to running over to check if he was still alive, only to be held back by Shigeru shaking his head in exasperation.
Emiko, however, looked on the verge of a meltdown.
"Tsunade-nee-san!" she whined. "You promised to go easy on him!"
Tsunade merely smirked. "I never said that."
Kiyoshi groaned again, barely managing to push himself up. He was bruised, humiliated, and exhausted—but at the same time…
His blood was pumping.
Because despite everything, this was fun.
And deep down, he knew—this was only the beginning.
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