Naruto: Wooing Tsunade from Day One!-Chapter 330: Self-Awakening

"Ginji, I've come to play with you."

Just as Kakashi and Ginji were having fun, a childish voice called out from afar. A little girl, her short legs pumping energetically, ran toward Ginji. The newcomer was none other than Orochimaru's family of three.

No matter how vigilant you are, there's no guarding against your daughter liking someone. Orochimaru could only rub his nose and watch as the two children embraced. A wave of jealousy washed over him. His own daughter didn't even show this level of affection when he came home.

"Oh, if it isn't the in-laws!" Kawakaze teased with his characteristic sharpness, always quick to find a person's weak spot.

"It's not even official yet, so don't call it that," Orochimaru retorted with a disgusted glance. What kind of person could this guy's son even be? he thought bitterly.

"Come and sit down quickly," Tsunade interjected warmly. "Just let them play by themselves." She gestured toward a seating area where the servant had already replaced the tea with a fresh pot.

"It's really late; I'm sorry to bother you," Pakura said softly, her demeanor now far gentler than the fearsome battlefield leader she once was. These days, she rarely went out and still carried an air of formality and reserve.

"Nonsense, this is no bother," Tsunade replied with a smile. "The more, the merrier."

Nayuki chimed in, taking up the conversation. She had always held a good impression of Pakura. "Thank you," Pakura said, accepting the tea Tsunade handed her with a gracious nod.

In stark contrast, Orochimaru took the tea Kawakaze offered him without so much as a word of thanks. His eyes, filled with contempt, seemed to suggest he'd rather devour Kawakaze whole.

"Showing up at my house empty-handed, are we?" Kawakaze teased, unfazed by the venom in Orochimaru's gaze as he continued to provoke him.

Sakumo's eyes twitched slightly. His younger brother truly deserved a beating, but he couldn't help glancing at Orochimaru, curious to see how things would unfold. For now, he continued to enjoy the spectacle.

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"How about I give you two big balls? Care to take them?"

Orochimaru rolled his eyes. Yet another strange phrase he'd picked up from Kawakaze.

"Orochimaru, why don't you keep your two big balls to yourself? That way, we can keep Satsuki here for a few days," Kawakaze said casually, his expression unreadable as he deliberately poked at Orochimaru's sensitive nerves.

"Dream on," Orochimaru replied flatly, taking a sip of tea. There was no anger in his voice—he had learned that getting upset over Kawakaze's provocations was not worth the toll on his health.

"That line sounds familiar, doesn't it?" Kawakaze quipped, casting a glance at Tsunade with a slight bow, his expression full of mockery. Orochimaru had uttered similar words countless times before.

"You can stop now," Tsunade said, raising her hand to slap Kawakaze on the arm. "Is this really how you treat a guest?"

"It's fine, let him talk," Orochimaru interjected. "I doubt he has anything more shameless to say."

Orochimaru couldn't shake the feeling that Kawakaze and Tsunade were putting on a show at his expense.

"I'm done, I'm done," Kawakaze replied dismissively. "Actions speak louder than words."

In the distance, the sound of Satsuki's laughter floated over to them.

"Hmph, I'm not engaging with you," Orochimaru muttered, unable to keep his composure any longer. His annoyance slipped through his carefully maintained calm. My daughter... why are you so ungrateful?

"Ginji, this is a pet my father gave me. Isn't it cute?"

Satsuki pulled a small jade-colored snake from her sleeve, holding it up proudly like a treasure. She was every bit Orochimaru's daughter—even her toys were worlds apart from those of ordinary children.

Yahiko and the others froze, their hearts pounding in alarm. The "toy" in her hand was a highly venomous snake!

"Satsuki, you'd better put it away," Kakashi said, taking a cautious step back. He was still just a child, after all.

"It's really cute," Ginji said, reaching out to scoop up the jade-colored snake. Whether he genuinely liked it or was simply pretending to be calm wasn't clear.

"Brother, you're very brave," Kakashi remarked, his worry evident. If something did go wrong, he knew he'd have to call his aunt to save Ginji immediately.

"Jadelet is very obedient," Satsuki said proudly, clearly pleased that Ginji also liked her pet.

The other children had all seen how fast Jadelet could move—quicker than a rabbit. Only their senior, Nawaki, seemed to show any affection for it.

"Why don't you let my uncle raise one for me too?" Ginji asked as he continued playing with the snake, seemingly fascinated. The "uncle" he referred to was, of course, Orochimaru.

"Okay, I'll ask Dad to get another one later," Satsuki replied cheerfully. "Let's make it a pair with Jadelet." Her confidence came from the fact that her father never refused her requests.

The four members of Team Kakashi stood speechless, watching the two children play with the snake as though they owned the world.

"Can Jadelet grow bigger?" Ginji asked, wrapping the snake around his wrist like a jade green bracelet.

"Dad said Jadelet won't grow bigger," Satsuki replied. "But he also said that Jadelet's bite will become more venomous as it gets older."

She seemed slightly worried that Ginji might dislike her pet. After all, compared to Orochimaru's other snakes, Jadelet lacked deterrence. As for her father's comment about the snake biting people, she didn't fully understand it yet. With something so tiny, how dangerous could its bite really be?

For now, though, it was the best explanation she could offer.

"Blood-thirsty?"

Yahiko, aware of Orochimaru's immense power, leaned over to whisper to Nagato, who stood next to him.

As the one with the most medical knowledge among them, Nagato held the most authority in this situation.

"More or less," Nagato nodded, his expression serious. His intuition told him that the snake Orochimaru had raised through special methods was far from ordinary.

Their quiet conversation didn't disturb the exchange between Ginji and Satsuki.

"It's just so good-looking," Ginji said, rotating his wrist as admiration gleamed in his eyes.

"Jadelet usually coils around a bamboo pole," Satsuki remarked, glancing around the dojo. However, the Hatake Clan's training grounds only had a few large trees and no bamboo.

"Then, can we climb the small trees?" Ginji asked, pressing his hands firmly to the ground.

A strange scene followed!

Before their eyes, a small tree began sprouting from the ground, growing at a speed visible to the naked eye. The process was almost silent, and in mere moments, the tree stood nearly a meter high.

Ginji grasped a slender branch with his hand, and Jadelet slithered up along his arm to perch on it.

"That's amazing!" Satsuki exclaimed, her gaze fixed on the newly grown tree. "How did a tree suddenly grow here?"

The two children were captivated, oblivious to the significance of what had just happened. Meanwhile, the four adults nearby stood frozen, mouths agape.

"This... this is Wood Release?" Kakashi stammered, glancing at the three senior shinobi for confirmation.

"Sensei, Ginji seems to have awakened Wood Release!" Konan exclaimed, turning toward Kawakaze in alarm. This was a monumental development.

"Wood Release?" Kawakaze's expression grew grim as he instantly vanished from his seat.

"Self-awakening?" Orochimaru rose to his feet as the realization hit him. His eyes narrowed, frustration flickering in his gaze. This child had surpassed his expectations entirely. The comparison was infuriating!

"Let's go see for ourselves," Nayuki said to Pakura. The two women, now the only ones left at the stone table, quickly stood and prepared to follow.