7 Chapter 7: Hope for a Happy Future

In the large bathroom mirror, Tsunade admired her reflection. She had to admit, she looked over 20% prettier than before, a confident and satisfied smile curving her lips. At this moment, she didn't mind letting her beloved little brother see her as she admired herself, grateful to him for this transformation, particularly pleased with the augmentation of her breasts...

-

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After getting dressed, Tsunade and Nawaki sat in their pajamas in his room. Tsunade was ready to share what she had learned after consuming 28 faint red orbs. While the technique she developed wasn't definitive, it was certainly more effective than not using one at all.

The technique was something Tsunade had learned in Shikkotsu Forest. Although she hadn't mastered Senjutsu, she had acquired a method to better manipulate nature's energy.

"Nawaki," she said, taking his hands. "I will teach you how to more efficiently circulate chakra, which also applies to the energy from the orbs. Pay close attention."

"Yes, sis," Nawaki replied earnestly.

"Good." Pleased with his attitude, Tsunade instructed him to close his eyes. When he did, she spoke softly, "Now, Nawaki, take another step and mimic what I do. The more perfect the chakra circles you create, the faster and more effective the process will be."

"Okay." Nawaki nodded and closed his eyes, trying to replicate exactly what Tsunade was doing. The task was challenging, akin to drawing perfect circles with your non-dominant hand.

While there are always exceptions, this analogy wasn't far off for Nawaki. His chakra circles were far from the perfection of Tsunade's, and the chakra lines he drew on his body were also imperfect. Consequently, his progress was at least three times slower than hers.

The adage "Practice makes perfect, and error leads to excellence" held a lot of truth. Nawaki didn't allow himself to be discouraged by his initial struggles to emulate his sister.

Of course, there are those who criticize this saying, arguing that "Practice makes perfect" is flawed because humans, being imperfect and not machines, can never achieve true perfection.

Nawaki believes that perfection is subjective. What may seem imperfect to some, or even to the majority, might be viewed as perfect by others. However, he understands that giving up due to not being a 'machine' leads to a lack of fulfillment in life, as it dismisses the inherent imperfection and effort in everything.

With these thoughts set aside, Nawaki focused on circulating chakra as effectively as his older sister. For almost an hour, Tsunade guided him through the process.

When he opened his eyes, Tsunade greeted him with a soft smile. "Nawaki, you've learned quickly! There's room for improvement, but you should be able to consume each red orb in 5 to 10 minutes at most."

"That's great, thanks, sis," Nawaki replied, his pink dimples deepening as he smiled. "All thanks to you~"

Unable to resist, Tsunade hugged him, inadvertently subjecting him to the pleasant 'torture' of being enveloped by her now larger breasts.

Nawaki, placing his hands on her chest to avoid being completely smothered, couldn't deny his curiosity about the increased elasticity, which he found quite pleasant.

Tsunade laughed freely as he pulled away. In her eyes, he was still her little brother, and his touch, even on her more sensitive breasts, was innocuous.

"Ready to get started?" she asked, her expression forming into a smile.

"Yes, I will do my best," Nawaki responded earnestly.

"Mm," Tsunade hummed, pleased with his positive attitude.

Nawaki found it more effective to circulate chakra while sitting in the lotus position, a posture commonly used in yoga where the legs are crossed and the soles of the feet face upwards.

Not wanting to overexert himself, he took only one faint red energy orb. After swallowing it, he replicated the chakra circulation techniques he had just learned, focusing on nourishing the parts of his body that needed it most.

Approximately 9 minutes later, he opened his eyes, surprised. "Wow!" The time it took aligned precisely with Tsunade's estimation, and the difference from his previous attempts was remarkable.

"Keep it up," Tsunade encouraged him.

She had said this before, but she knew the outcome depended on Nawaki's effort. A proud smile formed on her face as she looked at him with affection and admiration.

One trait Nawaki possessed that Tsunade admired was his hardworking nature. Even in tasks that others might avoid, Nawaki consistently put forth his best effort to overcome any barriers he faced.

With his characteristic smile, highlighted by rosy cheeks and cute dimples, Nawaki grinned at her before consuming the next energy orb.

As he grew accustomed to the process, the time required to absorb the orbs decreased. However, the weak light energy emitted from his body increased, and a foul smell began to emanate after he consumed more than 10 orbs, but he continued undeterred.

Considering his current situation with Tsunade, Nawaki decided to use only three orbs to direct energy towards vitalizing himself. He didn't aim for dramatic growth, fearing it might jeopardize future opportunities to shower with his sister.

Tsunade, sitting nearby, didn't notice anything unusual about Nawaki. Her primary concern was ensuring he didn't experience any adverse effects like last time, so she kept a close watch on him.

After nearly three hours of meditation, Nawaki finished consuming all 25 faint red energy orbs. A glimmer of excitement shone in his eyes. 'It worked!' While the growth was modest, only 2 centimeters, it filled him with hope.

"I finished!" He turned to Tsunade with a beaming smile. "Sis, shall we shower?"

Tsunade's smile wavered momentarily before regaining its warmth. "Fine, but let's use a bigger bathroom this time."

Hearing her suggestion, Nawaki casually agreed, "Okay, but could you get me a change of clothes then?" His hands and body were dirty, and since they were heading to the largest bathroom in the complex, he would need her assistance.

Reflecting on it, he realized he hadn't yet used the bathroom with a whirlpool as large as a swimming pool.

Tsunade nodded, "Okay, go ahead."

"Mm," Nawaki complied.

Arriving later at the bathroom, he sighed. The space reminded him of hot springs. The hot water created a misty atmosphere. 'This is actually a hot spring.' Digging through his memories, he recalled it was created by his grandfather for his grandmother, who enjoyed hot springs. He remembered that Uzushiogakure and the Uzumaki Clan were known for their many hot springs.

Nawaki didn't wait for Tsunade to arrive before undressing, eager to wash away the unpleasant smell. On the right side of the bathroom, he found wooden buckets and a faucet, which he used to fill a bucket with hot water. He poured the water over himself at least three times, continuing until he heard footsteps approaching.

Looking up, he saw Tsunade entering in her pajamas. As she began to undress, Nawaki found himself captivated, feeling as though he was witnessing an alluring striptease. When she freed her large breasts from her bra, Nawaki couldn't suppress a physical reaction, finding her incredibly attractive and sexy.

Despite the recent 2 cm increase, Nawaki was self-conscious about his size, now measuring 11 cm when aroused. He considered it neither small nor particularly large, and felt it was a bit thin.

Struggling to divert his gaze, Nawaki felt an almost supernatural pull to keep looking at Tsunade. Unbeknownst to him, Tsunade had sensed his intense gaze from the moment she entered. She chose to somewhat provocatively undress, believing it was healthy for him to become accustomed to a woman's body. She hoped that by setting a high standard with her own appearance, it would protect Nawaki from being easily swayed by others and prevent anyone from taking advantage of his innocence.

Observing Nawaki, Tsunade noticed a change in his size, which she attributed to the energy from the orbs. She realized that even a small increase like 2 cm was noticeable.

When Tsunade finished undressing, she approached Nawaki from behind, surprising him with a playful "Boo!"

Startled, Nawaki almost panicked, feeling her hug him from behind.

The texture and elasticity of Tsunade's breasts pressed against Nawaki's back were unmistakable.

"Y-Sis?" He stuttered in surprise.

"Haha, I just wanted to scare you a little," Tsunade explained, pulling back slightly before leaning in closer. She looked down at him, blinking innocently yet attractively, and asked, "Surprised?"

"Yes, definitely," Nawaki replied, swallowing hard. The angle at which Tsunade leaned forward accentuated her breasts, making them appear even larger.

"Hehe, that was fun," she laughed, sitting beside him on the wooden stool.

"Glad you're having fun, sis," he responded, thinking to himself about the difficulty of the situation for him.

Tsunade, aware of his discomfort, turned away with a mischievous smile, concealing it from Nawaki.

- -

"How are you feeling?" Tsunade inquired once they were in the hot water. "Are you okay? Nothing unusual?"

"I am fine," Nawaki assured her calmly. After a few minutes in the hot water, his earlier arousal had subsided. "More than fine, I feel great!" he said, flashing his classic smile.

Tsunade, charmed by his smile, felt an urge to hug him but restrained herself to avoid overwhelming him.

"Umu, good," she smiled in response.

- -

The next morning, despite having slept only a few hours, Nawaki woke up early to go to the gym.

"Nawaki, good morning," Mikoto greeted him warmly.

"Mikoto? Good morning," Nawaki greeted her with his classic smile.

Unlike the other girls, Mikoto didn't blush but maintained a gentle smile as she looked at him with half-closed eyes.

"Nawaki..." She seemed about to say something but paused when the sensei entered the classroom. Quietly, she added, "Can we talk after class?"

"Oh, yes, of course," Nawaki replied.

"It's a deal," Mikoto smiled, a barely noticeable nuance in her expression catching Nawaki's attention.

Returning to her seat beside a girl from the Hyuuga Clan, Mikoto sat down next to a pretty girl with hair reaching down to the middle of her back and long bangs, featuring the large white eyes characteristic of her clan.

'This must be Hikari Hyuuga, right?' Nawaki thought. He hadn't formed a strong impression of her due to her quiet and shy nature, but he could see her potential beauty as she grew up.

"What were you talking to Nawaki about, Mikoto?" Hikari asked in a low voice as Mikoto sat down beside her.

"Just said good morning," Mikoto replied with a gentle smile.

"Oh..." Hikari wasn't entirely convinced but knew it wasn't her place to probe further, despite their friendship. "I understand."

"Still can't talk to him?" Mikoto inquired.

"Well..." Hikari's face turned tomato red as she fiddled with her fingers.

Mikoto shook her head, returning to her gentle smile, and advised, "You need to be more courageous, or you'll miss your chance. Remember, this is our last year at the academy."

"I know…" Hikari's voice trailed off, growing more despondent.

Mikoto shook her head again as the sensei called for silence, announcing they would have a practical class outside.

In the training yard, one boy stood out. "Sensei, I want to challenge Nawaki Senju!"

"Mmm?" Nawaki looked at Isao Uchiha in surprise.

"Isao Uchiha, be more disciplined!" the sensei reprimanded.

"Tsk, this is unfair!" Isao Uchiha protested, "If it were Nawaki who did the same, you wouldn't say that!"

"Isao Uchiha!" the sensei said, clearly irritated.

Nawaki interjected, "Sensei, I accept his challenge."

He wanted to resolve this quickly, unsure of what he had done to upset Isao Uchiha but unafraid of the challenge despite Isao being an Uchiha.

Isao Uchiha was slightly taller than Nawaki, measuring 150 cm. He was one of the tallest students in their class and had a more muscular build than the typically leaner Uchiha. His head was shaved, with the sun reflecting off his bald scalp.

"Tsk, at least you didn't run," Isao Uchiha spat on the ground.

Nawaki shook his head, puzzled by Isao's animosity towards him. 'What have I done to earn such hatred?'

"Senju-sama, are you sure?" The sensei asked Nawaki, who nodded in response. The sensei, not smiling but appearing calmer, said, "Since Senju-sama has accepted, I'll allow it this time."

"I knew it," Isao Uchiha muttered, showing disdain for the sensei's attitude.

As they took positions opposite each other, the sensei announced, "Remember, only taijutsu and wooden tools are allowed. Anything else, and I'll stop the duel immediately!"

"Yes!" Isao Uchiha yelled, confident in his taijutsu abilities.

"Begin!"

Before Isao Uchiha could finish his sentence, Nawaki appeared in front of him and flicked his forehead, sending him flying backward.

"Ahhh!" Isao Uchiha screamed in pain as he fell to the ground, dragging his body across the sandy floor and raising dust.

Disbelief filled the onlookers' faces as they looked from Nawaki to Isao Uchiha and back to Nawaki.

"Nawaki! Too amazing!" The silence broke with cheers and applause.

The spectators were thrilled, unable to track Nawaki's movements. They only noticed Isao Uchiha being thrown and then saw Nawaki standing where Isao had been.

'Damn, I used too much force...' Nawaki looked at his index finger and sighed. Even with reduced strength, he had been too powerful.

Seeing Isao Uchiha's dazed expression, Nawaki realized he had overdone it, albeit slightly. It wasn't entirely his fault; he hadn't expected his own strength.

A certain spiky-haired blond boy watched Nawaki, fists clenched tightly.

The sensei, recovering from his shock, announced, "The winner is Nawaki Senju-sama!" Another round of applause and cheers followed, with some girls shouting Nawaki's name excitedly.

Nawaki remained calm amidst the attention, finding it not unpleasant but not wholly convincing either.

He approached Shikaku Nara and exchanged a few words while other duels commenced.

As for Isao Uchiha, he remained disoriented for hours, stunned and unresponsive to attempts at conversation.