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Seeing Tsunade appear, Ronglin's first reaction wasn't shock or excitement.
A normal person would be ecstatic to learn that their team's instructor was one of the Legendary Sannin, Tsunade. But Ronglin felt no such joy. While Tsunade was undoubtedly impressive, her personality could make life unbearable if you couldn't get along with her. Her temper was infamous, and she wouldn't hesitate to make your life miserable if provoked.
This wasn't an exaggeration—Ronglin's eyes involuntarily drifted toward certain parts of Tsunade's appearance, causing his mind to wander momentarily. Fortunately, he quickly snapped out of it.
Though Tsunade's actual age was close to his own in this timeline, considering his current body's age, she could easily pass as his mother.
"Mm."
Tsunade responded indifferently, her expression neutral as her sharp gaze swept over the three students. To be honest, Tsunade wasn't conventionally beautiful, but her imposing presence, combined with her impeccable background, physique, and strength, exuded an aura that subtly enveloped the trio without them realizing it.
Ronglin, with his heightened perception, immediately sensed this oppressive energy and inwardly sighed. He knew there was no escaping today's test—a display of power to put them in their place.
The initially excited Shimura Oto and Haru Ame Yoru felt the pressure moments later, their faces paling as if a mountain had been placed on their shoulders, suffocating them.
While Ronglin remained composed under the pressure, Oto and Yoru were visibly struggling to endure it.
Observing the three silently, Tsunade sighed internally, confirming what the Third Hokage had said about these students.
"From today onward, you will be members of Team Tsunade, and I will be your instructor."
Tsunade spoke sternly, and just as suddenly as it had appeared, the oppressive aura vanished. While it hadn't significantly affected Ronglin, Oto and Yoru looked pale, beads of sweat forming on their foreheads. The earlier excitement and enthusiasm had drained from their faces.
"I won't waste time explaining unnecessary details unless you prove yourselves worthy through this test," Tsunade continued matter-of-factly, cutting straight to the point.
Ronglin wondered what kind of test it would be. Would it follow the traditional "Bell Test" used by many teams in Konoha, or something else entirely? He began calculating possibilities in his mind.
The Bell Test was a classic tradition in Konoha, though some instructors preferred alternative methods.
"The test is simple." Tsunade unhooked two small bells from her belt, a faint smile playing on her lips.
"You have one hour to take these bells from me."
Something about this setup seemed off to Ronglin. Narrowing his eyes, he tried to decipher Tsunade's intentions, but alas—he didn't possess mind-reading abilities.
His instincts screamed that something was amiss!
There were no bento boxes involved, and the time limit was explicitly set at one hour. Moreover, she hadn't clarified the consequences of failing to obtain a bell. With only two bells for a team of three, the distribution was clearly uneven. Having seen Naruto, Ronglin knew that obtaining a bell wasn't necessarily required to pass. The real challenge lay in teamwork, trust, and cooperation among the three teammates.
"Huh?! How can we possibly attack you, Lady Tsunade?"
Yoru, who had always idolized Tsunade, gaped in shock. Though Oto didn't outwardly react, his thoughts weren't far off. Watching this, Ronglin sighed inwardly:
What kind of teammates are these?
He could almost predict that all three of them would soon be thoroughly humiliated—this was clearly Tsunade's way of asserting dominance right from the start. Yet here were Oto and Yoru, still clinging to the idea that they couldn't harm their idol! Ronglin found himself at a loss for words.
"Oh? Is that so? Then don't move. The test doesn't forbid me from attacking."
Tsunade smirked mischievously, her eyes glinting with cunning and amusement as she observed the two.
"..."
Only then did Oto and Yoru realize that this was a test—not a fan meeting with their idol!
But having already spoken, they now exchanged worried glances before turning to Ronglin with apologetic looks.
Faced with such a bizarre pair, even if Ronglin had been irritated, he couldn't bring himself to lash out. All he could do was hope they'd grow stronger in the future and face fewer setbacks.
"Then let's begin. The Third Hokage speaks highly of you. Let's see if he's right."
Shaking the bells in her hand, Tsunade glanced casually at Ronglin.
"You have ten minutes to discuss your strategy for taking these bells from me."
She feigned a relaxed demeanor, seemingly generous in granting them ten minutes to plan.
"What should we do?"
Yoru stared helplessly at Tsunade, who stood gazing up at the sky. After the initial shock and excitement wore off, reality settled in—stealing bells from one of the Sannin wasn't going to be easy.
Oto remained silent, instead looking toward Ronglin. He understood that among the three, Tsunade valued Ronglin the most. Combined with his naturally reserved and unassuming personality, Oto's immediate instinct was to rely on Ronglin for a plan. As for Yoru, Oto didn't hold much hope.
"Yeah, what do we do?" Knowing their own limitations, Yoru also turned to Ronglin.
Rolling his eyes, Ronglin chuckled bitterly. "We do have a plan, but unfortunately, it won't work against Tsunade."
"Why not? If we have a plan, why say it's useless?"
"Because in the face of overwhelming strength, any scheme becomes as fragile as thin paper—easily torn apart."
Anyone familiar with Naruto knew Tsunade's fighting style: brutal and devastating. One punch from her could leave your insides quivering.
"Does that mean we have no chance?" Yoru and Oto exclaimed in dismay.
"Do you think the title of Sannin is just for show?" Ronglin shot them a glance. Seeing their disheartened expressions, he refrained from saying more. Honestly, he didn't have a brilliant solution either. When the gap in power was negligible, tactics might work. But when the disparity reached a level that left you feeling utterly defeated, no strategy mattered.
The ten minutes passed quickly. Apart from exchanging awkward glances, the trio had no viable plan. Ronglin suspected Tsunade wouldn't go easy on them; passing the test wouldn't be a cakewalk.
Meanwhile, Oto and Yoru, lacking initiative, were completely at a loss.
As the ten minutes ticked away, Tsunade, who had been staring absently at the sky, hadn't missed a word of their conversation. Observing how Oto and Yoru relied entirely on Rongline, she felt a tinge of disappointment. However, Ronglin's analysis earned her respect, raising her opinion of him slightly.
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