Before Kushina could say another word, Saiki hopped out of bed and began to get dressed.
He let out a long stretch, taking a deep, restorative breath, but his hands instinctively moved to rub his lower back.
Even though his constitution was practically superhuman—indestructible and tireless—facing the combined, relentless milking of two powerful mature women was a heavy toll for even a young man like him to pay.
Massaging his aching waist, he turned around. Kushina didn't meet his eyes; he didn't know what she was thinking as she stared down at the messy bedsheets with a lowered head.
"Sensei Kushina!" Saiki called out softly.
"Ah? What is it?" Kushina snapped her head up, her face flushing a deep crimson. Who knew what forbidden thoughts were currently racing through her mind?
"You must be hungry. Go wash up and get ready. I'll go find us something to eat. Given your condition, it's best if you stay in the hospital for a few days of observation."
Kushina nodded obediently. "Mm, I understand."
"Wait here, I'll be back soon." With that, Saiki turned and headed for the door.
Everything that was meant to happen had happened last night, but the truth remained: Kushina hadn't been fully prepared for it, and the sudden addition of Tsunade into the mix had left her heart in a chaotic tangle.
The moment Saiki left the room and clicked the door shut, Kushina let out a massive sigh of relief.
She didn't know what he was thinking, but she slapped her own cheeks to cool them down. She whispered to herself, "Kushina, what are you doing? Stop overthinking. It's not... it's not what you think."
With that, she threw back the covers, exposing her alluring, naked body to the cool air. She reached for the clothes Saiki had neatly folded the night before and began to dress herself, her face still burning with shame.
Outside the room, Saiki left a Shadow Clone to stand guard. As he walked down the street searching for breakfast, he didn't feel as relaxed as he looked.
To put it bluntly, things were complicated. He still didn't know how to properly balance his relationships with them; he couldn't rely on a "medical emergency" like last night every time he wanted to be with both.
Moreover, Saiki had to consider the political fallout. The Nine-Tails was gone. Tsunade looked composed on the surface, but she was undoubtedly drowning in stress. Kushina wasn't faring much better.
The fact that things had escalated to this point—the pressure on Tsunade and the trauma for Kushina—was partly due to Hiruzen Sarutobi's death-throes and the Uchiha conspiracy, but Saiki knew he wasn't blameless.
He had been too passive. After breaking the village, he had dumped the ruins in Tsunade's lap and acted like a detached observer. It was irresponsible. Saiki realized it was time he started shouldering some of the burden.
After filling his own stomach at a breakfast stall, he bought a large portion for Kushina.
Returning to the hospital, he found Kushina finished with her morning routine. Doctors were performing a check-up, confirming that her vitals were miraculously stable. Once she finished her breakfast, seeing that she wasn't in the mood for deep conversation, Saiki said his goodbyes and headed straight for the Hokage's office.
This time, the hidden Anbu didn't dare block his path. They had all witnessed the scene of Saiki brutally pummeling the Nine-Tails.
In a world governed by strength, raw power was the only passport that mattered—provided you weren't being suppressed by someone like the Third Hokage.
He knocked on the door. Tsunade's voice drifted out, and Saiki pushed it open.
Tsunade, much like Saiki, was a soul that loathed administrative busywork. But as the only person capable of holding the village together, she was forced to bury herself in a mountain of scrolls.
She looked up, her brow furrowing with displeasure. "What are you doing here?"
Clearly, she was still irritated by the way Saiki had taken advantage of her "vulnerability" the previous night.
"Brought you some food," Saiki said, looking perfectly composed. "And I wanted to see if there was anything I could help with."
Tsunade's response was ice-cold. "I already ate."
She had grabbed a quick bite from a street vendor on her way to the office. Still, the fact that Saiki had come specifically to feed her made a small spark of warmth bloom in her heart.
Naturally, she wouldn't show it. She didn't want him getting cocky and pushing his luck even further.
Saiki ignored her attitude and glanced at the corners of the room. Tsunade followed his gaze and sighed. "Leave us."
Silently, the shadows in the corners shifted and faded as the Anbu guards retreated. The ones outside the window did the same.
Knowing Saiki's personality—that he never visited without a reason—she frowned. "If you have something to say, say it. I have a mountain of work to finish."
"What, I can't just come to see you? I was worried you'd be hungry, so I ran all the way here. Don't be so cold." With the guards gone, Saiki's tone turned playful and flirtatious.
Unlike Kushina, Tsunade had truly been "molded into his shape." Despite her status and pride, her cold mask was a facade. Saiki knew that the only way to handle a woman like her was to be relentlessly persistent.
A flush of embarrassment and irritation flared on Tsunade's face. Her amber eyes narrowed as she snapped through gritted teeth, "Don't get cocky, you little bastard! Do you want me to kill you? If you have nothing else, get lost!"
The fact that she was calling him "little bastard"—a term that sounded like an insult but carried a heavy undertone of doting affection—proved she wasn't even aware of how much she had softened toward him.
Seeing her temper flare, Saiki stopped teasing. He adopted a helpless look. "I really did just bring food. And I have a few things to ask you. Please, just listen."
"Hmph. I don't need your concern," Tsunade muttered, though she didn't look away.
Saiki smirked internally but kept his face neutral. He set the breakfast on the desk and pulled over a small stool from the corner.
Since Tsunade had taken the acting position, Shizune had been helping her organize files, so a small chair had been kept nearby for her. Saiki sat on it, positioning himself right next to Tsunade, their shoulders almost touching.
Tsunade frowned at the proximity but didn't push him away. "Fine. What is it?"
"Here, Sister Tsunade, eat while I talk," Saiki said, gesturing to the food.
Like Saiki, Tsunade was a carnivore; she hated sweets. Saiki had bought her several meat-filled rice balls.
Looking at him, Tsunade knew he was trying to butter her up.
She felt incredibly helpless against him. She knew their relationship was forbidden, yet Saiki wouldn't let go, and she found herself becoming increasingly unable to let go of him either.
Furthermore, Saiki had "sucked her dry" last night. Her Yin Seal was almost entirely depleted of its stored chakra.
However, because of their Dual Cultivation, the quality of her current chakra was higher than ever. She didn't feel tired after waking up; in fact, she felt energized.
Still, to refill the seal, she needed to consume a massive amount of calories. She had eaten earlier, but she was already genuinely hungry again.
She picked up a salmon-filled rice ball and began eating, washing it down with some miso soup.
"Well? Out with it," she said. Her pink lips were pursed as she chewed, one side of her cheek bulging out in a way that Saiki found heart-stoppingly cute.