6 Chapter 6: Between Baths and Revelations

This time, Tsunade only allowed Nawaki to lather her back. He didn't complain, though he fondly recalled previous experiences where he had felt more of her body.

As they both settled into the tub, she nudged his arm, diverting his gaze from her milky breasts to her eyes.

"So?" she inquired with a questioning tone.

Understanding her curiosity, Nawaki revealed, "First, look at this."

A faintly glowing red orb materialized in his hand.

Tsunade raised an eyebrow, curious about the orb's origin. Considering its small size, she pondered how Nawaki could have brought it with him.

Handing her the orb, Tsunade was surprised by its lightness, akin to a grain of rice, but more intriguing was the warm sensation it emitted in her hand.

"Have you eaten these before?" Tsunade asked. "Is that why you've changed so much?"

"Yes, you're correct," Nawaki responded openly. "I ingested 16 of these orbs when you had to assist me."

"That explains a lot..." She didn't need to ingest it to sense its considerable energy, which intriguingly didn't feel like chakra. Her suspicions were now confirmed; it might be akin to natural energy. She marveled at how her little brother managed to digest such potent energy.

'He truly is extraordinary,' she thought, as someone who was learning to harness natural energy herself.

Setting her thoughts aside, she inquired, "How did you come by this?"

"This…" Nawaki faced the challenge of explaining. Despite the risk of disbelief, he chose honesty. "It's hard to explain. Two days ago, I found myself in a different place, filled with animals, or more accurately, monsters-"

"Are you okay?" Tsunade interrupted, her concern prompting her to examine his body for injuries. The thought crossed her mind that he might have been as reckless as Jiraiya.

After ensuring he had no injuries and conducting a chakra assessment, she finally relaxed. "That's a relief~"

Nawaki, taken aback by Tsunade's reaction, remained silent. He appreciated her concern, though he wished she had let him finish speaking. Nevertheless, he couldn't fault her for caring so much.

"By the way, sis, did you notice the energy you helped me refine hasn't left my body?" he asked with a slight smile.

She nodded. "Yes, I did notice." This also surprised her. She had expected some of the energy to remain, but not all of it. It seemed almost too incredible to be true.

She then said, "Let me see… (placing her hand on her chest and taking a deep breath) I've calmed down now. You can continue what you were saying."

"Mm," Nawaki acknowledged and resumed, "As I was saying, I found myself among monsters in a separate dimension. Initially, I thought I was trapped in a genjutsu-"

"Impossible!" she interjected, knowing she had been by his side the entire time; such an occurrence under her watch seemed highly unlikely.

"I know, and I also thought it was unlikely, but I was trying to make sense of it. I fell asleep and woke up in a completely strange place." He gave a weak smile: "That's where I encountered a large, 1-meter-tall white rabbit."

Noticing Tsunade's open-mouthed but silent reaction, he continued, "I considered killing and eating the rabbit, despite its abnormal appearance. However, when I killed it, the rabbit turned to ash and left behind two of these faintly glowing red orbs."

"Unbelievable..." Tsunade mulled over this information. Even with her extensive knowledge, she could only think of the realm inhabited by summoned animals, but none of the reports mentioned anything about dying and leaving energy orbs.

She was still pondering the fact that many summoned animals use natural energy, yet none transformed into energy orbs upon death.

Seeing her deep in thought and frequently frowning, Nawaki, initially planning to tell her that death in that dimension wasn't real, reconsidered and decided it was best not to say anything, at least for now.

After a few minutes, Tsunade asked, "Is it okay if I swallow this?"

"Yes, I have over 50 of them," Nawaki replied. "I thought I'd share them with you."

"...Okay, I'll try it and see how safe it is." She initially wanted to insist that he keep such a valuable item, but seeing his determined look, she realized she wouldn't change his mind. 'If I become stronger, I can protect him even more,' she thought.

Although Tsunade still had her grandmother Mito, she was aware that her time with them was limited. Soon, it would just be her and Nawaki. For her beloved little brother, she was willing to do anything.

With determination, she swallowed the orb and closed her eyes. It only took her two minutes to assimilate the energy from the faintly glowing red orb, due to her existing strength.

"That's a good thing," Tsunade stated gravely. "Nawaki, we must keep this a secret between us, promise me?"

"Sis, do you really need to be so serious?" Nawaki understood its significance; he had experienced it firsthand.

"Nawaki!" She raised her voice slightly. "Promise me! Don't tell anyone else." She was almost tearful. "This is far more significant than you realize. I'm now certain these orbs contain natural energy, and it becomes a part of whoever consumes it. Do you understand how critical this is? How much danger this could bring not just to you, but to everyone around you?"

His heart raced as he considered her words. He thought of the desperation for power among ninjas, likening it to the conflicts over the bijuus. The wars for these creatures, though uncontrollable, had caused widespread destruction and death.

Considering the broader implications, Nawaki realized that if others learned he could produce orbs granting personal power, it could spark conflict among villages.

Tightly closing his eyes, then reopening them with determination, he replied, "I understand, sis. I'll only share this with someone I trust as much as I trust you, which means I won't tell anyone else, not even Grandma Mito."

Tsunade was slightly shaken by his reference to their grandmother but knew the risks were too great. Grandma Mito had contributed immensely to the village, but Tsunade couldn't predict the consequences if she discovered Nawaki's abilities.

"Yes, not even to Granny Mito," Tsunade affirmed. "Grandma has been seeking a successor for the Jinchuuriki for a long time, and now she's found one. In our conversations, she made it clear that she's tired and wishes to join our grandfather."

"Mm, I understand." Though Nawaki felt Tsunade might be trying to comfort him, he acknowledged the possibility of her words being true.

After a moment of silence, Nawaki suggested, "Sis, take these 25 orbs. Try them and see how much they can strengthen you. You might even awaken our grandfather's Kekkei Genkai."

As an admirer of his grandfather, Nawaki knew from inherited memories that to acquire the Wood Style Kekkei Genkai, one needed not only Water Style and Earth Style but also natural energy – the transformation of nature.

"This might be possible..." Tsunade hadn't considered this before, and the desire to protect this secret grew. She pondered the implications of increased lifespan and the potential of becoming god-like if Nawaki could produce these orbs indefinitely.

Tsunade, momentarily overwhelmed, struggled to comprehend the idea of immortality. Nowadays, reaching 60 years old was considered a long life.

Choosing not to dwell on these thoughts, she gratefully accepted Nawaki's generous offer. Despite knowing their bond was strong, the trust he showed in sharing this secret and its benefits left her speechless.

Feeling both warmth and worry in her heart, Tsunade conducted a chakra sweep to ensure everything was normal, exhaling in relief when she found no irregularities.

Meanwhile, Nawaki, observing Tsunade's varied expressions, chuckled softly.

Hearing his laughter, Tsunade, a bit embarrassed, cleared her throat. "I'll start with a few more orbs," she said. "I'll also think of a better way to consume them. We wouldn't want a repeat of what happened to you."

"Mm," Nawaki smiled. "Thank you."

"I should be thanking you," she replied with a pout, then smiled.

However, Tsunade's expression grew serious as she prepared to consume the orbs. Just as before, she started with one.

1 minute and 55 seconds later, she reopened her eyes. The energy from just two orbs had already shown her their true benefit. She could use their energy to rejuvenate herself and even considered expelling impurities from her body.

Without comment, she took two more orbs. Directing and circulating the energy within her body became easier, and she noticed it was more effective through her skin. 'Will my skin change like Nawaki's if this continues?' she wondered.

It was indeed highly likely that Tsunade would experience significant changes, much like Nawaki had. However, unlike him, she carried more impurities in her body, and her skin was stronger and not as easily transformed.

After about four minutes, Tsunade opened her eyes again. The bathwater had begun to darken, hinting at the impurities being expelled from her body.

"You better leave first," she suggested.

"Mm." Nawaki didn't argue. He exited the tub but chose to sit on a stool near the shower, waiting for his sister. He was curious to see the changes she would undergo and wanted to be present for the entire process.

Tsunade had no objections. She understood the value of him witnessing the transformation. He had undergone it but hadn't seen the process, only the outcome.

'Mm?' About ten minutes later, Nawaki noticed something surprising. Tsunade's already sizable breasts seemed to be growing. 'Is that even possible?'

He glanced down at himself, considering the possibilities for his own body.

Feeling a bit hopeful, he planned to experiment later...

'Sis...' Nawaki wished he had something like the Byakugan at that moment. He was convinced she was directing the energy to her breasts. 'They're already large, why make them even bigger?'

Her bust size, already around 90 to 94 centimeters, seemed excessive to him.

What Nawaki didn't know was that Tsunade had been considered flat-chested in her childhood.

When Tsunade's circumference neared 100 cm, she opened her eyes, held her breasts with both hands, and a smile appeared on her face. Remembering Nawaki's presence, she coughed to cover her flushed embarrassment. "This is as amazing as I thought," she remarked. "Ah yes, I might be able to develop a faster way to consume these orbs."

"That's nice," Nawaki responded, choosing not to comment on her using natural energy to enlarge her breasts or her satisfied self-examination. He simply smiled at her.

"I think if I consume the remaining orbs, I might be able to shed my skin," Tsunade pondered, considering it might be good to give this transformation a name or classification, though it wasn't the right time for that.

"Great, but don't worry. If you need more, there are still plenty where these came from," Nawaki replied, his cheeks naturally flushed.

'Damn, he's so adorable...!' Tsunade thought, almost wanting to hug him right then.

Leaving her thoughts of her endearing little brother aside, she refocused on consuming the remaining orbs.

This time, she concentrated on strengthening her skin. It was evident, as after swallowing five more orbs, her skin began to glow and even peel.

By this point, the tub water had darkened almost to the consistency of sludge.