"I'll go first! Me first!"
Tsunade's eyes lit up the moment she heard the word bet. Without hesitation, she grabbed a pencil from her bag and jumped into her performance.
Her technique hadn't changed much since that morning, but Mito watched with clear delight.
To think Tsunade's chakra control was already so refined at her age... If she kept progressing like this, she might truly master that technique someday.
If she succeeded, not only would Tsunade have no trouble protecting herself in the future, she might even be able to win that fated wager...
Once Tsunade's spinning demonstration ended, it was Hoshiyomi's turn.
He glanced at Mito, whose expression was unreadable, and hesitated for a moment—but ultimately chose to take a gamble. On the way here, he'd thought a lot about the reason behind her sudden invitation.
Mito wasn't some doddering elder with too much time on her hands. If she asked him to come, there had to be more to it than just watching children twirl pencils. Perhaps something about his technique had piqued her interest. Perhaps she'd even been inspired.
If that was the case, then this might be a rare opportunity—a chance to make a lasting impression on someone as powerful and influential as Mito Uzumaki.
Thinking this through, Hoshiyomi stood up and gave her a polite bow. "Please excuse me. I'll do my best."
But instead of taking the pencil from Tsunade, he reached into his ninja pouch and pulled out his dagger.
An Anbu nearby tensed immediately, almost stepping forward to restrain him—but Mito raised her hand slightly to stop him.
Hoshiyomi began his demonstration. If he was going to leave an impression, he had to go all out.
The dagger in his hands spun and danced with breathtaking precision, weaving through his fingers like a silver butterfly. Even Tsunade was stunned. The Anbu next to them stared wide-eyed—this wasn't child's play anymore.
That dagger wasn't a toy. One slip, and a finger could be gone. Even he wouldn't dare attempt such a stunt. Yet this six-year-old moved without the slightest hint of fear or hesitation, as if he'd been training since the womb.
Mito watched in silence, eyes sharp. The moment Hoshiyomi began, she knew: this wasn't some innocent childhood game.
No six-year-old—not even the Sage of Six Paths—could've devised such a refined training method. It had to be a family secret. Tsunade must have only learned a simplified version, which explained Hoshiyomi's initial refusal to teach her more.
So, it really was a Gekkō clan technique that inspired her… and if that was the case, this boy was owed a proper reward.
Hoshiyomi ended his performance with a little flourish, wearing an expression that practically said, "Impressed, yet?"
Mito clapped lightly. "That was a splendid display."
But Tsunade quickly jumped in, panicked. "No! Don't clap! Grandma, he's cheating! He only taught me two of those moves! You can't let him win! If you do, I won't talk to you anymore!"
Mito let out a small sigh and rubbed her forehead. "Alright, alright, you win." She turned to Hoshiyomi with an apologetic smile and said gently, "Tsunade's only been learning for three days, and she already mastered two techniques. Pretty impressive, right?"
She gave him a meaningful look—the kind that said, Do me this favor, just this once.
Hoshiyomi paused, then gave a little sigh and put on a disappointed face. "Alright, fine. We'll say she won. But she's not allowed to ask for anything too outrageous, alright?"
Kids were easy to please. The moment Tsunade heard she'd won, she burst into giggles, curling up in Mito's lap and laughing her heart out.
Mito gave her nose a playful pinch. "That's enough. Go work on your training. I need to speak with Hoshiyomi alone."
Tsunade didn't ask why. Still basking in her "victory," she skipped out of the courtyard without another word.
Once she was gone, Mito turned back to Hoshiyomi with a warm smile. "Come on in, let's talk."
Hoshiyomi's heart skipped. This was it—he could feel something good was coming. He followed her into the house with a mixture of excitement and nerves.
Inside, Mito poured him a cup of tea, which he respectfully received with both hands.
"Thank you, Lady Mito."
"No need to be so formal," she said, waving her hand dismissively. "You're about the same age as Tsunade. Just call me Grandma Mito, like she does."
Hoshiyomi immediately latched onto that with enthusiasm. "Yes, Grandma Mito!" he said cheerfully, eager to make a good impression.
After a sip of tea, Mito spoke again.
"That little trick you did earlier—it's a Gekkō clan technique, isn't it? A clever one, too. It sharpens vision, improves finger dexterity, and teaches fine control. Very unique."
Hoshiyomi blinked but nodded slowly. He didn't confirm or deny it. He simply waited to see where she was going with this.
"Tsunade's a bright girl," Mito continued. "But Hashirama spoiled her too much. She's clever, but too willful. And then she asks to learn another clan's secrets like it's nothing…"
She smiled knowingly. "Still, meeting you might have been a blessing in disguise."
"I… Grandma Mito, about the way she spins her pencil—"
Mito raised a hand. "That was me. I taught her that. You see, I've been troubled by her lack of fine chakra control. But your technique gave me the breakthrough I needed."
She didn't hide anything. "Thanks to you, I discovered that Tsunade's chakra control is far more advanced than I realized. I owe you a great deal."
Hoshiyomi's mind immediately went to Tsunade's monstrous strength in the future. So I accidentally helped unlock her path to super strength?
And now Mito was thanking him? This was it. This was his chance.
He quickly straightened up and said humbly, "You're too kind, Grandma Mito. I was only playing around with Tsunade. I never imagined it would actually be helpful to her."
Mito reached out and patted his head affectionately.
"Well, helpful or not, you still shared a clan secret. That deserves something in return. I don't believe in taking advantage of children—especially good ones."
She stood up and walked over to a nearby cabinet. As she opened it, Hoshiyomi's eyes widened.
Even though it was just a glimpse, he was sure—that massive scroll inside... wasn't that the Forbidden Sealing Scroll?!
Mito pulled out a few smaller scrolls and returned to the table. She laid them down gently, then picked up one larger scroll and handed it to Hoshiyomi.
"I know the Gekkō clan is known for its swordsmanship. This is a compilation of Tobirama's sword techniques. Think of it as a gift, a thank-you for helping Tsunade."
She then gestured to the smaller scrolls. "And here are a few of Tobirama's B-rank jutsu. Practical ones. You may choose one of them to keep—as a gift from me to you."
Hoshiyomi's eyes quickly scanned the titles—and there it was:
Shadow Clone Jutsu (Kage Bunshin no Jutsu)