I, Your Father, Carry a Big Stick

After hearing what Wu had to say and taking a few moments to collect herself, Tenten recapped, "So you learned from the Third Hokage that Lady Tsunade's eggs were going to given to surrogates, volunteered to 'help,' got into a heated argument, and still somehow ended up getting married...?" Though he nodded his head, Wu corrected, "It would be more accurate to say Jiji asked if I was willing, and I replied that I was. After all, Tsunade is the woman you look up to and intend to surpass. The fact she agreed with the arrangement should tell you just how 'dire' the situation was..." Exhaling a sigh, Tenten leaned into Wu's shoulder as she replied, "Yeah...I get that. It's just hard to believe that 'the' Senju Tsunade is now your wife. I can't imagine how I'm going to face her..." Resting his cheek atop Tenten's head, Wu softly replied, "When you're ready...for now, we continue our lives as usual. I already talked to her at length, and she has no problems with me assisting in your training these next couple of weeks. She even permitted us to utilize the Senju Clan Compound, nearly 500 acres of forest personally planted by the Shodai Hokage..." As exciting as the prospect of exploring the 'heart' of Konoha was, Tenten wasn't quite ready to meet with Tsunade just yet, replying, "For now, let's just use the usual training grounds. I..." Realizing how her words could be misconstrued as running away, Tenten found herself unable to voice them. It wasn't like she could avoid meeting Tsunade for the rest of her life, so even though the very thought made her tremble, she supplanted, "I changed my mind...let's go ahead and use the Senju Clan Compound. In fact, let's go right this instant. The sooner I can get this over with, the sooner I can return to focusing on my training." Nodding his head in approval, Wu gave Tenten a kiss on the top of her head, saying, "That's my girl..." in an affectionate tone. He wouldn't have condemned her if she wanted to put things off, but facing the source of your worries and insecurities was infinitely better than allowing them to consume you. The longer she delayed the encounter, the more anxious and unfocused she would become... Catching Wu a little off guard, Tenten softly inquired, "So...what was it like? Someone as...experienced as Lady Tsunade should have been able to teach you all kinds of things, right?" Flipping things on their head, Wu surprised Tenten by asserting, "Quite the opposite, surprisingly. I also thought she would be experienced, but she yielded the advantage pretty quickly once I got her to climax a few times. After that, she never even tried to steal it back..." Though it was a little difficult to believe, a wry smile developed across Tenten's face as she remarked, "Why am I not surprised? And to think, for a moment there, I was actually looking forward to seeing you get teased by an older woman." Recalling the state he had left Tsunade in before his departure, Wu had a confident smile on his face as he stated, "That's not going to happen. You should know that if it's a skill I can quantitatively improve, I keep 'training' until I surpass even my own expectations. You might find this challenging to believe, but there was a point when Tsunade was shouting at me to go and find other women just to have a moment's reprieve." Contrasting Wu's expectations, Tenten remarked, "I can't speak about the parts concerning Lady Tsunade, but the rest certainly sounds like you. It's one of the reasons I'm terrified to actually do it. I've heard about Kunoichi who have been 'broken' during intense intercourse..." Planting another kiss on Tenten's head, Wu assured her, "I would never do something you're against, Tenten. Tsunade just goaded me and paid the price for her hubris..." Not wanting the image of her Hero to be tarnished any further, Tenten responded with a half-hearted, "Yeah, yeah..." before asking, "When do you want to introduce me? I didn't have anything planned today except training, so I'm down to go whenever." Surprising the dango-haired girl, Wu shook his head, asserting, "Now isn't the best time. We can go over the Senju Clan Compound, but I don't think Tsunade is in any condition to accept visitors. If I had to guess, she won't be waking for another six to eight hours, at least..." Blinking in surprise, Tenten's voice carried more than a hint of incredulity as she asked, "What did you do to her...?" Narrowing his eyes and adopting a playful smile, Wu replied, "She wanted to see my limits. I merely proved to her I didn't have any..." Understanding what Wu was insinuating, Tenten's voice trembled slightly as she softly inquired, "How long...?" Adopting a toothy, almost feral grin, Wu left the dango-haired girl reeling as he revealed, "Fifty-three hours, and I still haven't rested...in fact, I feel more energetic and 'alive' than ever before. Aren't you excited~?" Without hesitation, Tenten replied, "More like horrified..." before adopting a sober expression and adding, "Promise me you'll never do anything like that to me, Wu..." Pulling the usually bubbly girl close, Wu's expression and tone softened as he answered, "I said it before...I would never force you to do anything you're unwilling. This situation with Tsunade may have shaken things up, but you're still the first woman I chose to walk this path with...nothing can ever change that..." With Wu's words whittling away at the defenses of her heart and mind, Tenten momentarily forgot her trepidations and muttered, "Oh, Wu-kun..." in a faint, clearly enamored tone. Then, as the latter drew his face closer to her own, Tenten closed her eyes and just allowed her instincts to take over... ... .. . As the days since Wu's return transitioned into weeks, the delegations from Iwa, Suna, Kumo, Kiri, and several other smaller Shinobi Nations began to arrive in Konoha. Around the same time, Hiruzen called Wu into his office to ask if he intended to participate in the Chunin Exams, but the latter immediately refused. He had every intention of taking part, primarily to prevent Orochimaru from targeting anyone he found useful, but most of Wu's interest in the Chunin Exams involved its Finals. Since he had intended to talk Wu 'out' of participating, Hiruzen had no problem permitting the former to do as he pleased. It would cause an international incident if Wu were discovered partaking in the Exams as an inactive participant, but Hiruzen was confident in the boy's ability to go undetected. Besides, if Oto and Suna 'did' orchestrate an invasion of the village, they could easily claim that Wu was acting in the capacity of an ANBU operative. Who was going to attempt to hold the boy accountable? The Raikage...? With the matter of his 'participation' decided, Wu was asked to remain low-key until the delegations from the other villages departed. He wasn't expressly prohibited from walking around the village, but Hiruzen asked him to act with discretion unless he was sure of his victory and prepared to eliminate Orochimaru ahead of schedule. Fortunately for Hiruzen, Wu was more than happy to 'confine' himself to the Senju Clan Compound. 'Bullying' Tsunade and teasing Shizune were quickly becoming his favorite pastime, and he had already explained his circumstances to everyone that mattered. If anyone needed something from him, they could easily find him at the Senju Clan Compound, either training himself 'or' Tsunade... ... .. . "I can't believe I let you talk me into this..." With a mesh bodysuit covering her ribs, abdomen, and thighs, a white crop top that barely contained her breasts, and a red skirt that struggled nearly as much to conceal her remarkably rotund ass, Tsunade had sweat beading from her brows as Wu instructed her in his 'horse stance' training. It was the same training Wu had put most of his students through, but he had gradually refined it to include weights and strike training. While perched on the end of his staff, which was currently parallel to the ground and with the opposite end adhered to a tree, Wu replied, "You're the one who demanded to know the 'secret' of my strength. Besides, now that you have that incredible body to serve as a foundation, it would be a sin not to refine it further." Unable to refute Wu's words, Tsunade just continued to squat with her hands out to her sides, each clutching the rims of jars with the kanji for 'guts' written on their surface. The contents of said jars were granulated Chakra Metal Ore, the same material used to pack the weights used by people like Wu, Lee, and other physical-oriented Shinobi in their training. Even a palm-sized bar of the material could weigh hundreds of kilograms, yet Tsunade was supporting reinforced ceramic jars filled with liters of the substance, roughly 100,000 kilograms each. Though he was confident he would wipe the floor with her in a fight, Wu had to concede he wasn't a match for Tsunade in terms of raw physical strength. His current limit was around 140,000 kilograms, yet, according to Tsunade, she had once used the sword wielded by Jiraiya's summon to take out an entire platoon of enemy Shinobi. Said blade was more than 16 meters in length and purported to be around 400,000 kilograms, yet she had managed to swing it around like an ant swinging a full-sized tanto... Observing Tsunade's form, caked in sweat and focused to the extreme, Wu would be lying if he said he didn't feel an inkling of 'obsession' for the woman. Tsunade's character left a lot to be desired, but her strength and beauty were 'beyond' exceptional. She was widely regarded as the most powerful Kunoichi in history, so seeing her aiming to improve herself 'just for him' stoked the flames in Wu's heart and eyes. Feeling Wu's gaze burning a hole in her, a progressively ruddy hue spread through Tsunade's cheeks. She would never, ever admit it, but his 'honest' desires caused her to feel increasingly giddy. She initially thought he was just a brat using his strength, appearance, and natural charisma to satisfy his desires. In reality, Wu's most sincere desire was to have at least one person who could keep up with his monstrous growth. Thus, whenever he found anyone even remotely close to him in terms of strength or potential, he did everything he could to 'obtain' them and spur their growth. In other words, at least from Tsunade's perspective, Wu was desperate not to feel alone... Reaching the limits of her endurance, Tsunade released the jars, allowing them to crash to the earth, their weight causing them to embed so deeply into the fertile soil they were nearly buried completely. Then, even though she knew she would 'regret' it, she turned to Wu and said, "Today is a safe day..." Replacing the faint red glow exuding from his pupils, Wu's eyes became fiery red as he promptly descended from his perch, a wolfish grin on his face as he teased, "Have I ever told you how much I absolutely fucking adore you?" Resisting the urge to point out that he had never even said he loved her, Tsunade rolled her eyes and said, "Yeah, yeah...why don't you take that silver tongue of yours and put it to use somewhere else? My hormones have been going crazy ever since I started training again. You have the responsibility of helping me 'balance' them." Grinning even fiercer, Wu's eyes looked like they were on the verge of firing beams as he practically growled, "If I weren't concerned with how you viewed me, I'd push you down right here and now..." Though her throat tensed slightly and her heart skipped a beat, Tsunade managed to appear unflustered as she forced a smile and replied, "Lucky for me that you do..." ... .. . (A/N: For those who are curious, check out the fight between Tsunade, Jiraiya, and Orochimaru. She really does swing around Gamabunta's tanto like it's a toy. And yes, it does weigh that much, if not considerably more due. After all, no ordinary metal could endure the strain of being swung around by a giant frog without snapping instantly.)

With all of the delegations from foreign nations having arrived, Wu began using his miniature clones to gather as much information as possible. He wasn't the type to leave things to chance, so he secretly sat in on a few Council meetings and accumulated intel on every participant, proctor, and test that would be administered. After learning that the Elimination Round would be taking place in Training Ground 44, colloquially known as the Forest of Death, Wu dispatched well over a thousand clones to conduct a survey and create supply caches. He had already memorized the topography during a past training session, but it was better to be sure than to assume everything was still the same. The Forest of Death was the origin of the 50m long snake Wu had slain, so the terrain was constantly changing as Chakra Beasts clashed for supremacy and to protect their dens. While his clones carried out his investigation, Wu's 'focus' was on helping his 'friends' prepare for the event. He initially started with just Tenten, but it wasn't long before her entire Team began showing up at the Senju Clan Compound. Shortly after that, Teams 7, 8, and 10 showed up, primarily at the insistence of Sakura and Ino. Once the duo discovered they had been given a chance to participate in the Chunin Exams, they instantly thought of training with Wu. Ino was basically the decision-maker in her Team, so she easily 'convinced' Shikamaru and Choji to participate. The dynamic in Sakura's Team was a bit different. Still, by persuading Sasuke and Naruto to join in, she created the opportunity for Hinata, Kiba, and the enigmatic Shino to do the same. When he first discovered that Naruto 'and' Hinata would be coming to the Senju Clan Compound for training, Wu expected some kind of incident to occur. There was still a notable tension in the duo's relationship, but upon learning that Wu was now married, Naruto 'enthusiastically' congratulated him, seemingly forgetting their past argument. Everyone else had mixed views on the relationship between Wu and Tsunade, especially those who had looked up to the Legendary Kunoichi their entire lives, but the general vibe within the group was that they were happy for him. At least, that was how things appeared on the surface... ... .. . "Are you prepared this time? I wouldn't want to knock you on your ass before you can prepare your 'absolute defense' again." Seeing Wu standing in a relaxed posture, not even bothering to make use of his staff, the perpetual scowl on Neji's face became even grimmer than usual. He had trained exhaustively since his last spar with Wu, but despite awing nearly everyone in his clan, the 'distance' between him and the boy across from him seemed to have increased exponentially... Despite history having proven otherwise, Neji answered, "I'm ready..." in a firm tone, the veins around his eyes bulging. At that exact moment, Wu's figure seemed to 'flicker' before appearing right in front of him, seemingly without taking a single step. Neji immediately backstepped, but found his vision blocked as Wu's hand stopped right in front of his face. ("Not again...") Disregarding the prodigious Hyuga's thoughts on the matter, Wu promptly grabbed the grim-faced youth's face before tossing him to the side before he could present any meaningful resistance. It's not that he didn't attempt to, but every time he struck one of Wu's Tenketsu, the mysterious, bright green energy within his body would condense in that location, effectively repelling the Chakra of his Gentle Fist Technique. While Neji bounced back to his feet immediately, rebuilding his stance and showing a willingness to continue, Wu just stared at him with a bored look and said, "I've said this time and again, but if you keep relying exclusively on the Gentle Fist Techniques, you'll never be able to defeat anyone truly powerful. It might be exceedingly powerful against 'ordinary' Shinobi, but extraordinary individuals like me see it for what it really is, a gimmick. You are powerless against anyone that can counter your attacks or stay out of melee range." To prove his point, Wu leaped a few tens of meters into the air before crossing his arms and asking, "Now what? Will you throw a kunai at me?" Clicking his tongue, Neji reached into the angular pouch strapped to his right thigh and grabbed three kunai, throwing them at Wu's grinning face out of spite. In response, the latter just let them hit him, a metallic ding ringing throughout the training field as they deflected off his skin. "..." Refusing to be 'played with,' Neji dropped his guard and said, "We're done here. Sparring against you isn't going to help me get stronger..." Maintaining his cross-armed posture in the sky, Wu retorted, "It would if you actually tried devising countermeasures against my abilities. Do you think your 'enemies' will just let you walk away? Are you going to accuse people on the battlefield of being 'dishonorable' for not standing at your ideal range and permitting you to poke them to death?" Without waiting for Neji's response, Wu shifted his attention to the peanut gallery watching off to the side, shouting, "Hinata! Come and show Mister Destiny over here how a capable Shinobi fights...!" Hearing Wu shout her name, Hinata, still wearing baggy clothes, looked to Naruto as if to seek his permission. Only once he had nodded and told her good luck did she rise from his side and make her over to where Neji had been standing moments prior. Then, instead of getting into the traditional Gentle Fist stance, she stood with her feet close together, back straight, and hands hanging loosely at her sides. Maintaining his position in the air, Wu's expression and tone hardened as he said, "Give it your best..." Instead of responding to Wu's words with her own, Hinata closed her eyes, veins bulging along their periphery as a high-pitched 'humming' sound began to reverberate through the area. From the centers of her palms, laser-like blades of extremely condensed Chakra began to take shape before she suddenly kicked off the ground with enough force to generate a small explosion. Though most Shinobi would avoid launching an aerial assault, as it placed them in a highly vulnerable position, Hinata exhibited no fear or hesitation as she attempted to slice through Wu with her exceptionally sharp blades of Chakra. When he evaded her by simply dodging to the side, she flipped her body in mid-air, surprising Neji by 'stopping' in place and appearing to crouch against an invisible wall. She then used said wall as a springboard to continue her assault on Wu, changing directions several times without needing to return to the ground. Nodding his head in approval, Wu remarked, "You've improved..." while continuing to dodge Hinata's assault. The latter had struggled a bit with her control near the start of the training but had quickly surpassed even Sakura once he began providing her supplemental lessons in secret. Though he couldn't keep it up for long, as empty air was a pretty shitty medium, Hinata could emulate the effects of Wu's greaves by diffusing her Chakra into the air to create a solid surface. Her strength had also increased explosively, allowing her to vault about at high speeds, punch through trees, and even destroy large boulders with a palm thrust, utterly transcending the typical Gentle Fist user. Hearing Wu's praise, a faint smile developed across Hinata's face before immediately disappearing. Then, for the first time since her assault began, she opened her eyes to reveal a Byakugan tinged with glowing blue light. At that moment, her strength and speed seemed to compound, her figure turning into a blue and beige blur as she zipped through Wu's afterimage and impacted the ground like a small meteor... ... .. . Witnessing Hinata's performance, Kiba couldn't help asking, "Is that really Hinata?" in an incredulous tone. This was the first time he had seen her go 'all out' since they were placed on the same Team about five months prior. He knew she was strong, especially after training with a 'monster' like Wu for four years, but he never imagined she was 'this' strong... Rubbing the underside of his nose with his index finger, Naruto had what could best be described as a shit-eating grin as he replied, "Yeah, that's my Hinata, alright. You should see her when she summons these massive lion heads around her hands. She's only using those blades because she's trying to conserve Chakra, and they're probably the only things that can cut through Wu's defense." As he often trained with Hinata as a substitute for 'other' kinds of physical exertion, Naruto was intimately familiar with her abilities. The only way he could win against her was by keeping a safe distance and 'spamming' his Wind and Earth Release Jutsu. The moment he fell into her range or ran out of Chakra, he was basically 'fucked' as Wu would say. Fortunately, he had 'a lot' of Chakra... ... .. . Rising from the rather sizeable crater she had created, an embarrassed smile developed across Hinata's face as she glimpsed the damage she had caused to her surroundings. It faded almost immediately, but Wu had noticed it, remarking, "No need to worry. A bit of damage here and there adds character to the Estate." Since Hinata seldom spoke to anyone when Naruto was around, Wu didn't wait for her response. Instead, he turned to Neji and questioned, "Do you still think this kind of training is pointless, or are you just going to continue making excuses for your shortcomings?" Furrowing his brows even deeper than usual, Neji replied, "Lady Hinata has trained with you since she was a child. I won't be able to emulate her abilities just by seeing them in action..." Though he had seen Hinata dispersing her Chakra into the air, thanks to his Byakugan, Neji couldn't understand how it permitted her to create a foothold in empty air. He could also disperse Chakra outside of his body, but it generated a stream of pressure, not a static wall. He presumed it had something to do with her control and immense physical strength, but he couldn't be certain without hearing an explanation or observing Hinata utilizing the technique over a prolonged period. Egging Neji on, Wu teased, "Excuse it is..." before dropping to the ground and adding, "Two years ago, Lee was the weakest kid in your Class. Now, he's running around with 12,000kg of weight strapped to his calves. How much can 'you' carry, Mr. Prodigy...?" With his angriest expression yet, Neji replied, "It doesn't matter how much weight he can carry. He's never once defeated me in a spar. Not everyone is as 'monstrously talented' as you, Wu-kun. Some people are fated to-" While making a sock puppet gesture with his right hand, Wu interrupted Neji's monologue with a "Blah, blah, blah..." before adding, "Just because you cry me a river, that doesn't mean I'll drown myself in it. Actions speak louder than words, asshat. And talent can only get you so far. Give me six months with Lee, and I'll have him surpass you so thoroughly you'll never catch up on your own. Why? Because you lack the conviction. A person who believes their fate was decided from birth will never rise above it..." Finished with what he had to say, Wu preempted Neji's response with a shooing gesture, stating, "I know you're the center of your own distorted little world, but I have other people to train. If you interfere with someone else's progress, I'll fucking destroy you..." "..." Though he had a lot he wanted to say, Neji turned away and stormed off with a characteristically grim expression. In his place, Lee happily jumped into the fray, not even waiting for a starting cue as he performed a flying kick towards Wu, shouting, "Have at thee, Wu-kun...!" ... .. . (A/N: I wonder how Naruto would react if he learned this isn't the limit to Hinata's power...?)

After a much longer night than she was expecting, stretching well into the morning, Tsunade was using the Mystic Palm to alleviate the ache in her hips and lower back as she grumbled, "Dammit, kid...show some restraint next time..." Instead of responding immediately, Wu silently observed Tsunade's actions while lying on his side, hand propping up his head as he softly asserted, "You're beautiful..." with a 'dazed' look on his face. Though she 'glared' back at him, Tsunade didn't offer a rebuttal. Wu had performed 'a lot' better than she was expecting. He was meticulous yet passionate during foreplay, pleasantly 'forceful' during the act itself, and his stamina...she was utterly exhausted and cramping due to dehydration, but Wu looked like he could go another ten hours without issue...maybe a lot more... Shaking her head, Tsunade muttered, "Little monster..." under her breath before attempting to rise to her feet. However, despite her treatment, her legs immediately gave out on her, nearly causing her to stumble until Wu miraculously appeared, seemingly out of thin air, to catch her. "Take it slow...I can't imagine it's easy to walk after having your insides stirred up for ten hours. You couldn't even think straight half an hour ago, so don't force yourself..." Though she was secretly appreciative that Wu had caught her, Tsunade turned her eyes up at him with a judgemental look as she asked, "Do you enjoy hearing the sound of your voice? If you keep inflating your ego like that, your head will expand..." Adopting a cheeky smile, Wu mused, "I much prefer the sound of yours..." with a narrowed gaze and a fiery look in his eyes. He was half-tempted to give the busty blonde a smack on the ass, but he knew they weren't quite at that stage...yet. Blushing up to her ears, Tsunade was about to shove Wu away when he stole the initiative from her, picking her up in a princess carry and asking, "Where did you need to go? I'll carry you." with a markedly more 'sincere' expression and tone. "..." Resisting the urge to tell Wu to fuck off, Tsunade remained silent for a few moments before answering, "I need to wash up. Carry me to the bath..." in a soft yet authoritative tone. To her surprise, Wu's smile broadened as he replied, "No problem." before carrying her from the room and following her directions to the bathhouse. There, he disregarded her initial protests and gave her a 'very thorough' scrubbing before carrying her back to her room and advising her to get some rest while he went outside to train... ... .. . "I get it, okay!? You've proven your point! Go outside and collect all the women you want! Just give me a fucking break...!" After five days of cohabitation, punctuated by 8-10 hours of sex every single day, Tsunade was at her wit's end. It felt good, sure. Damn good, even. But she hadn't left the house a single since Wu came over, and his 'care' was so thorough that she barely even left her room. With an expression resembling a kicked puppy, Wu hung his head and whispered, "I thought you wanted me to prove to you I'm not a brat. You keep calling me things like 'kid,' so I just assumed you weren't satisfied..." Hearing Wu's 'explanation,' Tsunade had one of the most dumbfounded expressions the former had ever witnessed. If she had known Wu was going to town on her just to prove a point, she would have conceded the first night. Reaching up to massage her forehead, Tsunade exhaled a groan and said, "Fine, fine...you're a 'real' man, got it? Sorry for calling you a kid. Now, can you leave me in peace? Shizune and Tonton had to move to another room because you don't let any of us get any sleep at night..." Smiling apologetically, Wu scratched the back of his head as if he were embarrassed. In truth, he didn't actually know if his actions were extreme or not, as Tsunade was the first woman he had sex with. He reasoned this was the best time to weaponize that fact against her, so he hung his head and said, "Sorry...this is the first time I'm doing something like this. I just wanted to make you feel good..." Blinking several times, Tsunade opened her mouth to speak but couldn't find the words. When she did, several beads of sweat began forming on her brow as she tentatively inquired, "Don't tell me...could it be you were still a virgin before this? How is that possible...?" Shrugging his shoulders, Wu replied, "I definitely had the opportunity, but I didn't want to jump into a commitment or derail my future aspirations by inadvertently having a kid. Before Hiruzen approached me, and you asked me to 'prove' myself, I was planning to wait until I was between sixteen or seventeen before becoming sexually active..." "..." Unable to process what she was hearing, Tsunade cradled her forehead while holding up her left hand to prevent Wu from speaking further. If she had known Wu was still a virgin, she would have delayed their marriage at least a year or two. Now, she felt like she had stolen something precious from both Wu and the girls who were infatuated with him... Ignoring Tsunade's attempt to silence him, Wu exacerbated matters by adopting his most radiant smile and stating, "I don't regret it. Not even a little. I've said it before, but you're an extraordinary woman, Tsunade. A lot of people would envy the position I willfully stumbled into." "Ugh..." Feeling as though she had suffered critical damage, Tsunade groaned, and she couldn't even look Wu in the eye. His smile cut through her like the sharpest of knives, piercing to the very core of her being and filling her with emotions ranging from guilt to gratification. "Dammit, kid...if you keep saying shit like this, you're going to make me a fool..." Confused by Tsunade's words, Wu was about to ask what she meant but was preempted by her exhaling a sigh and muttering, "Just for tonight, I'll let you go for as long as you like..." with a distinctly 'pouty' expression on her face, complete with puffed-out cheeks. There was even a faint blush creeping into her cheeks, compelling Wu to smile from ear to ear in what Tsunade interpreted as unfettered excitement... ... .. . &lt;Two Days Later&gt; After entrusting Tsunade to Shizune, Wu made his way into Konoha with a smile and a discernible 'skip' in his step. He had gone to great lengths to ensure Tsunade no longer felt 'guilty' about taking advantage of him. More importantly, he had released all the 'tensions' that had accumulated in his body over the years, so he was in an incredible mood and felt lighter than he had in his entire life. Thus, even though he wasn't entirely sure how to explain the situation to Tenten, he was all smiles as he made his way over to Yakiniku Q. Though he didn't encounter anyone worth talking to during his visit, Wu emerged from the restaurant in an even better mood than before. Hiruzen had never explicitly told him he could no longer open tabs in his name, so Wu had filled his stomach with more than three kilos of premium-cut pork and steak. The Senju Manor's food stores were practically empty, and the budget given to Shizune to purchase groceries could barely afford to feed the two women and their pet, much less someone as voracious as Wu. He had fasted for six months in the past, just to confirm whether he could subsist entirely off of Natural Energy, but he much preferred to have a full belly. And food simply tasted better when someone else was paying. Feeling content and full, Wu set his destination as the Higurashi Tool Shop before allowing his feet to carry him on pure muscle memory. He wasn't in a hurry, so he spent the better part of an hour just taking in the sights and sounds of Konoha. Everything seemed just a little brighter than usual, the smiles on people's faces more prominent, and the sounds emanating from the crowds less annoying. Smiling in amusement, Wu softly hummed, "I had heard that having sex could change how people viewed the world, but I had never imagined it to be a literal interpretation...I could get used to this..." Spurred by his words, Wu was about to break his rule about not flying over Konoha when a peculiar sight caught his eye. Sasuke and Sakura were roaming around together, and the former didn't appear too annoyed despite the latter clinging to his arm and giggling like an idiot. They were clearly on a date, but instead of messing with them, as he was very prone to doing, Wu just exhaled a chuckle and mused, "It seems Spring is in the air..." before leaving the young couple to their business. ... .. . As it had been three days since she expected Wu to show up, Tenten was beginning to feel slightly exasperated. She knew there had to be a reason for him not to appear, but she would be disappointed if she found he had left the village without at least informing her parents... Fortunately, just as Tenten was thinking about visiting the Sarutobi Estate directly, her mother called up to her, shouting, "Tenten! Your beloved Wu-kun is here~!" in an audibly teasing tone. Though no one was around to see her, as far as she knew, Tenten rolled her eyes before rushing over to her door. She expected to find Wu down in the kitchen or the living room, so she nearly bumped into him when she opened the door to find him right outside. Taking advantage of Tenten's forward momentum, Wu caught her in his arms, a teasing smile on his face as he said, "Got ya..." Turning her eyes up, Tenten reciprocated Wu's embrace before asking, "Where have you been, Wu? I've had to train on my own since you didn't show up." Though he guided her back into her room first, Wu adopted a wry smile and replied, "I...kind of got married..." Blinking nearly a dozen times in rapid succession, the smile on Tenten's face became noticeably more artificial as she asked, "Care you explain?" Nodding his head, Wu said, "That's exactly what I came here to do. But you should probably sit down first. It's going to be a doozy..." "Right..." Allowing Wu to guide her to the bed, Tenten sat down, her brief stupor replaced by a serious expression as she stated, "This had better be good. Hinata and Naruto are still together, as far as I'm aware, so who could you have married in such a short period?" Scratching the back of his head, Wu's smile became even wrier as he said, "Yeah...that's the doozy part. For a variety of different reasons, I ended up getting hitched to your childhood hero, Senju Tsunade. Since then, we've spent the past few days...consummating our relationship..." As the gears in her mind ground to a halt, the expression on Tenten's face froze along with them. Wu had told her about the incident where he gave Tsunade a peach, but this was the first time she was hearing about them being in a relationship. She knew Wu wouldn't lie to her, but as someone that had been obsessed with Tsunade since childhood, Tenten couldn't wrap her head around the notion her boyfriend had married someone in their fifties... Fortunately, or perhaps not, Wu was ready and willing to give her an in-depth explanation of the events that had transpired. Beginning with his discussion with the Third Hokage... ... .. . (A/N: Peerless under Heaven...!)

Chapter 54: I, Your Father, am Living the Good Life