Naruto: Wooing Tsunade from Day One!-Chapter 360: Nagato VS Tsunade

Nagato's lips curled into a derisive smile, his tone brimming with arrogance. In that moment, Nagato, one of the leaders of Akatsukigakure, stood tall, his power and dominance shining brighter than ever before in the ninja world.

"Don't be so smug!"

Tsunade roared as crimson chakra surged explosively from her body. A pair of wings burst forth from her back, and with a tremendous force, she broke free from the gravitational pull of Banshō Ten'in, soaring into the air with an intensity that sent shockwaves through the battlefield.

"Is that the power of the Tailed Beast?"

"What a terrifying chakra..."

"Just looking at it makes my skin crawl!"

The onlookers instinctively retreated, their fear of the crimson chakra evident. They whispered among themselves, speculating whether Tsunade, overwhelmed by the will of the Tailed Beast, might lose control and endanger everyone nearby.

"So, this is the power of a Jinchūriki?"

Nagato lowered his right hand, his gaze calm yet calculating, as though he already knew the answer to his own question.

"Kid, you've really gone and ticked me off."

Tsunade's fists clenched audibly as her rage burned through her. In an instant, she transformed into a crimson streak and lunged at Nagato with devastating speed.

"Don't worry. Let's fight somewhere more spacious."

Nagato sidestepped her assault effortlessly and turned to leave, his calm demeanor an infuriating contrast to Tsunade's seething anger.

"Where do you think you're going?!"

Tsunade's voice thundered as she chased after him, her speed increasing with every stride. Within moments, both of them had vanished from sight, leaving the stunned onlookers scrambling to follow.

"Hurry, don't lose them!"

Excitement overtook the crowd, their curiosity outweighing their fear. The Hokage clashing with the Akatsuki's strongest—how could they not bear witness to such an extraordinary fight? Missing it would be a regret they'd carry for a lifetime.

Nagato eventually stopped in a secluded area, the sound of distant battles still echoing faintly in the background.

As Tsunade glanced around, her sharp eyes caught the flickering firelight reflecting off the lake. There, Konan and Nawaki were locked in a fierce exchange of ninjutsu. Konan, impervious to physical attacks, proved to be a frustrating opponent. Her constant creation of paper ninjutsu to attack Nawaki kept the battle dynamic, though her strikes never managed to land.

Nawaki's wide-range Water Release techniques did little to trouble Konan directly, but they caused significant disruptions for the onlookers. Several had ventured too close to the battlefield and were swept into the lake, forced to swim back to safety. Fortunately, no one had been seriously hurt so far.

Meanwhile, on Minato's side, Kakuzu had unleashed the full force of his five elemental jutsu. Yet, despite their overwhelming power, not a single attack managed to land on Minato. His mastery of the Flying Thunder God Technique made every strike futile, leaving Kakuzu consumed by a growing sense of helplessness.

Kakuzu's frustration was palpable. He hadn't wanted to engage in this fight to begin with, and the situation only fueled his resentment.

Damn Nagato, forcing me into this mess.

For the onlookers, the outcome of the battle seemed inevitable. All that remained was to see how long Kakuzu could sustain his chakra reserves. Once depleted, his defeat would follow shortly. What the spectators didn't realize, however, was that Minato could have broken through Kakuzu's defenses at any moment. Instead, he chose to draw out the fight deliberately, making the confrontation appear more competitive. If Kakuzu were defeated too quickly, Akatsukigakure's strength would be grossly underestimated, which ran counter to the purpose of their appearance here.

"You're still looking around. You really don't take me seriously."

Nagato's voice cut sharply into the moment, just as Tsunade's attack closed in. Her fist, wrapped in crimson red chakra, grew larger and larger in his line of sight. The sheer force behind it would have unnerved most opponents, but Nagato remained unshaken. He didn't flinch, didn't move, and didn't even raise his hands to defend himself.

Tsunade hesitated for the briefest of moments, startled by his composure. Is this brat looking for a beating? It was too late to pull back her strike, but the thought of Nagato's Uzumaki lineage tempered her concern. His clan's powerful constitution meant he could likely endure the blow without issue.

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Yet, what happened next defied her expectations. As her punch landed, an arm intercepted it with unyielding strength, halting her fist mid-air. It didn't budge an inch. Tsunade's attack, which had been just inches from connecting with its target, now felt impossibly distant—like a horizon retreating out of reach.

"Is he a monster?"

"How can he have an extra arm on his back?"

"He was able to block Tsunade's punch."

The faster onlookers had already arrived, witnessing Nagato block Tsunade's punch using the power of the Asura Path.

"He's got some tricks up his sleeve."

Tsunade frowned, then launched a swift leg whip aimed at Nagato's waist.

If I let him pin me down, I'll lose face as the Hokage.

This time, Nagato refrained from showing off. He knew well that Tsunade's legs packed far more power than her fists.

If that kick lands, at least half of my kidney blood would be gone.

The Asura Path arm released its hold on Tsunade, and Nagato swiftly dodged backward. The two opponents once again put distance between themselves.

"Water Clone Technique."

Nagato deliberately avoided using the Shadow Clone Technique. After forming the hand seals, six identical copies of Nagato surrounded Tsunade.

"It's just a clone."

Tsunade surveyed her surroundings warily, though her tone was laced with disdain.

"It's enough to deal with you," the six Nagatos replied in unison, charging toward her.

"You really don't know your place, trying to fight me in close combat."

Without hesitation, Tsunade surged forward. In Taijutsu, she was in no way inferior, even when facing multiple foes. Each punch and kick she delivered was brimming with tremendous power.

The clones, each possessing only a fraction of her strength, couldn't hold up for long. One after another, they were knocked out of the air, crashing into the ground and leaving massive craters. Ultimately, each dissolved into a puddle of water, seeping into the soil.

In less than half an hour, only Nagato's original body remained standing against Tsunade.

This is because the clones can't share my vision. Otherwise, it wouldn't have been so easy for her.

"Tsunade's strength is terrifying."

"The pits in the ground could bury ten of me."

"Fighting with clones is such a waste of chakra."

The onlookers exchanged their observations, thoroughly captivated by the intense battle.

There was no denying that the boy from Akatsukigakure excelled in Taijutsu. To hold his own against Tsunade—whose Taijutsu and unparalleled strength ranked among the best in the Ninja World—was no small feat.

Not only was he fighting back, but he wasn't at a clear disadvantage.

"What do you think, kid? I told you your clones weren't impressive."

Tsunade's face betrayed a hint of pride as she sent Nagato staggering backward with a heavy punch.

This boy Nagato has improved tremendously in Taijutsu. If I had known, I would have taught him more than just Medical Ninjutsu.

She briefly recalled Kawakaze's insistence that Nagato focus solely on Ninjutsu, though now, she no longer felt the same.

"I just wanted to see how strong Lady Hokage's Taijutsu really is," Nagato replied nonchalantly, shaking his hand with an air of feigned ease.

"Now I can see—it's not that impressive."

Despite his words, the pain shooting through his hand was excruciating.

Sensei's wife's fists are still as hard as ever!