Chapter 118 Tsunade's Dark History
After finalizing the battle plan, Nara Shikamaru went to Haruko Hayama and instructed her, "Hey, you better hide well later, or you'll get kidnapped again."
"Don't worry, I'm a top-tier player when it comes to stratagems!" Haruko Hayama declared confidently.
Nara Shikamaru looked at her for a few seconds, and finally said, "This is such a hassle. You stay behind me, and if there's any danger, just come over here."
"All right……"
What did she do to leave Shikamaru with the impression that she couldn't protect herself?
Haruko thought for a second. Come to think of it, she should be one of the strongest among her peers, right?
However, it's also great to have someone to rely on!
Haruko cheerfully approached Shikamaru Nara from behind, startling him with her sudden closeness.
"Why are you standing so close to me?!" Nara Shikamaru hurriedly took a few steps back.
He recalled that when Haruko Hayama approached him earlier, her fragrance, mixed with her unique sweetness, wafted into his nostrils. In that instant, it was as if his entire body was imbued with Haruko Hayama's scent.
Noticing his ears were red, Haruko tilted her head, puzzled, and asked, "Didn't Shikamaru tell me to follow you?"
"...Five steps away from me, no, three steps is better."
Nara Shikamaru awkwardly scratched his warm ears, unaware that after he did so, the tips of his ears became even redder and more vibrant.
Seeing Haruko's strange expression, Ino Yamanaka couldn't help but chuckle and pat her on the shoulder.
"Did I make Shikamaru uncomfortable?" Haruko asked her humbly.
Yamanaka Ino, with Nara Shikamaru's deadpan gaze, said with a mischievous grin, "No way! Shikamaru would love for you to be as close to him as possible."
"Ino!" Nara Shikamaru called her name, a mix of embarrassment and anger in his voice.
"I know, I know, look how shy you are," Yamanaka Ino said dismissively.
Haruko Hayama who doesn't join group chats: So, is Shikamaru happy or unhappy?
...
As the group ran through the jungle, Akamaru suddenly called out.
"There's a smell of blood nearby," Kiba Inuzuka translated.
Upon hearing his words, the others became wary.
Kiba Inuzuka continued, "It smells like four people."
"Four people?" Haruko Hayama recalled the strange group of four who had kidnapped her that day. "They should be Orochimaru's four subordinates. They are very strong, and we are probably no match for them."
"They're the ones who kidnapped Haruko, aren't they! Watch me beat them to a pulp with my newly learned ninjutsu!" Naruto Uzumaki said fiercely.
"Naruto, listen to Shikamaru." Hyuga Neji frowned.
Nara Shikamaru pondered for a moment, "Since there's blood, there must have been a battle, but our mission is to retrieve the documents and avoid any complications."
"Then let's go around that route and head quickly to the base." Kiba Inuzuka changed the route.
Sakura Haruno asked cautiously, "What if we run into them when we get there? They know the terrain better than we do."
"Then let's split into three groups: scout the area, set traps, and retrieve the documents."
At Nara Shikamaru's command, Hayama Haruko and Haruno Sakura were tasked with retrieving the documents.
Since Haruko had been here before, she was able to find her way, and the two of them quickly made their way to the base.
Walking on the dimly lit road, only the echoes of their footsteps could be heard in the damp corridor. Haruko carefully identified the forks in the road and marked them, while Sakura Haruno was on guard around her and solved the traps.
Thanks to Hiruko's system assistant, who had recorded Haruko's route during her long walk inside, they quickly found a shortcut.
If you can cut it with Haruko Hayama's white thread, then cut it; if you can't cut it, then use Sakura Haruno's brute force.
After kicking open another door, dust billowed up, and Haruko looked at Sakura Haruno as if she were watching a goddess of hand-to-hand combat.
"Wow... Tsunade must really like you," Haruko Hayama exclaimed.
Both rely on brute force, so Tsunade's mantle can be passed down!
"That's impossible." Sakura Haruno touched her head shyly.
As Haruko searched, she said, "Why not? Sakura is beautiful, smart, and has a great personality. No one could dislike you, right?"
Sakura Haruno froze upon hearing her words, then subconsciously touched her forehead. "I... I'm not pretty. My forehead is wide, and I'm always being laughed at by others."
"Wide forehead?"
Haruko was drawn to her words and leaned closer to look at her forehead.
Sensing her approaching presence, Haruno Sakura nervously held her breath.
Haruko suddenly realized, "It does seem a bit wide."
“Right…” Sakura Haruno lowered her eyes, mocking herself for the expectation that had arisen in her heart.
“So it looks very friendly!” Haruko Hayama said decisively.
"Huh?!" Sakura Haruno exclaimed in surprise, startled by Haruko Hayama's bold words.
Haruko was still explaining in a serious tone: "Sakura's forehead is perfect for being kissed, it will attract everyone to want to protect you."
"Thank you..." Sakura Haruno quickly ended the conversation, turned around and awkwardly sorted out the documents, but the blush on her cheeks lingered.
When she caught a glimpse of Haruko Hayama searching with her back to her in the distance, Sakura Haruno couldn't help but raise her hand to touch her forehead.
It seems... the meaning of a wide forehead has suddenly changed.
...
When Shikamaru led a team to investigate, they indeed discovered that Orochimaru's four subordinates were heading towards their base.
What a coincidence! They ran into Orochimaru's men just as they were going to retrieve the artifacts for research.
Nara Shikamaru's mind was racing: This is so troublesome!
In order to buy time for Haruko Hayama and Sakura Haruno, after the Sound Four realized the trap and became alert, Shikamaru Nara had no choice but to lead everyone to confront them.
Despite employing a conservative strategy, the Sound Four were simply too powerful. Despite their desperate attempts to stop them, one of the enemies still managed to escape.
Nara Shikamaru gritted his teeth, "Haruko, hurry up!"
...
"This...this is it!"
Haruko's eyes were wide open, and her hand holding the document was still trembling slightly.
Sakura Haruno noticed her odd behavior and leaned closer to examine the document. The first thing she saw shocked her as well.
"Why is Lady Tsunade here?"
Sakura Haruno carefully read through all the text, which was about research on Tsunade's ever-changing appearance, and was accompanied by pictures of Tsunade's appearance at different times.
Therefore, pictures of Tsunade aging are also included.
Haruko covered her mouth, trying to stop herself from laughing out loud, but she couldn't hold it in, and laughter escaped from between her fingers.
Could it be that Tsunade is preventing me from participating because of her embarrassing past? Hahaha!
...
Tsunade sat upright in her office, her eyes sharp, but she wasn't working.
She recalled that she had taken Shizune on a trip to gather intelligence, so she was unaware of Orochimaru's defection.
When she encountered Orochimaru on her journey, she was particularly surprised that he had the leisure to travel.
Unexpectedly, Orochimaru tricked her into handing over his most unknown photos of himself aging, under the pretext of asking her to help provide research data.
As Tsunade thought of this, she gritted her teeth fiercely, gripping the edge of the table so tightly that it even cracked from the excessive force.
Orochimaru!!!
******
The list of recipients of gratitude as of March 6, 2024:
grateful--
K, the one who sent the update reminder charm
A love letter from Bu Xiaorui
Flowers sent by Fengqin, who loves spicy chicken noodles
Summer nights and fireworks, let the alpaca travel to all the books I like, early summer starry sky, my wives are so hot, Tang Xiaoyu from the North, Mo Wentian who loves red bean jelly, the scribbling nonsense and bad writing, Yan Xun, Uchiha Xueyi, Lu Lu Lu Lu Xiao Chen, G's Meow, Feng Qin who loves spicy chicken noodles, Red-clothed Xiang Yi Sai Gao, Ran Xia Q, Ru Yuan Tang, Wei Shang (Ao Tu Xiao Fen), Jin Xiu La from Nanning, and the love-powered gift from Uchiha Sasuke's wife.
Thank you so much for the gifts! The author is so touched! Sakura sends you all a loving hug (●˙˙●)
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