Namikaze Naruto- The Unpredictable Shinobi

Chapter 114: Awa Odori

"Yondaime Hokage was the student of my comrade and Kushina was a relative."

Kushina's title stemmed from the fact that she was of the Royal blood, a direct descendant of the clan head of Uzushio, like Mito, whose blood was Tsunade. And she recognized it by saying that.

"Right. Thus, you might not have any obligation to Yondaime-sama's family more than a comrade from the same village, while that of Uzumaki-Hime's family is more noticeable because of shared blood."

He let Tsunade nod but didn't give her enough time to respond more than, "Yes."

" And hence, our ages and your wisdom deems me your subordinate, ignoring that of a Hokage and Konoha's shinobi."

There was a confusion- was he laying a subtle trap? Or was it a logical conclusion?

"Well, that is what I wanted-" Tsunade tried not to stutter, because, hell, any answer could be the wrong answer.

"That's exactly what you are implying, Tsunade-sama, when you say that. That you are my elder, and I must listen to you and follow you. That has been clear, no matter how much you try to deny it. The question here is on what basis do you declare yourself as my older, my supervisor?"

"I'm your Hokage-"

"Please keep Konoha's entitlement aside for a bit, we know that is not that answer."

In any other circumstance, Tsunade would've looked for a diversion. But this was Naruto. Even if the Namikaze was cleverer than most people thought to catch her out, this was someone who first looked up to her and called her Nee-san without any judgement and obligation. Shizune had followed her out of her love for a near-relative, there had been love even before. But Naruto had accepted her flaws even while acknowledging her strength, 

yet simply calling her his sister, before his Hokage.

"Even if you hadn't called me Nee-san, by the blood of my grandmother, I would have taken you under my wing somehow. I wanted to take care you, shape you up as an excellent shinobi. Be not worried about where you would stray away. And I did indulge in your insubordination, but no one can refute the fact that you were obedient.

When Seiichi entered the picture, I thought I didn't have to be worried, seeing how as a Senju, he would come under my care. However, you took him under your wing. I was worried for you, was worried for him. I wondered whether you would be lax, or you would be strict, caring or not.

Seeing as most of your childhood, you had not adult supervision to take lessons from when you teach that boy, I must admit that my fears did not lessen as I observed his training. You are a Jinchuuriki. Your training will be on a different level compared to an average shinobi, and Seiichi is from a family of civilians, with his ancestry being his only saving grace." Her face lost the desperate feature, went through a phase of defensiveness, before settling with neutral righteousness.

Naruto blinked, being bombarded with these sudden emotions, "I must admit, Senju Tsunade, that you have been quite successful in hiding your true emotions away behind your gambling face all these years." The vicious streak in his voice snapped a crack in her facade.

Giving her a moment, he started, "I would rather not point out the obvious faults of others and find myself petty, but sometimes idiocy is better to have been cut off at its seed. Unfortunately, this is well past its shrub-stages.

Your claim literally means the one thing that since we share the blood of the same ancestor and that you are the elder, I should be deferential to you, according to general clan rules.

I call bullshit.

A clan is also responsible for the growth of its children, whether as warmongers or peace-makers. As far as I remember, I was a clanless child in Konoha, or rather, a sole survivor of my clan. By the time you entered my life, I was almost a Chunin, an adult in the current terms of shinobi.