Naruto: Wooing Tsunade from Day One!-Chapter 369: A Casual Chat Between Old Friends

Even so, he couldn't ignore that Tsunade somehow managed to make time to lecture. His excuses were beginning to feel flimsy, even to himself.

"If not you, then who? You're the head of the medical department. These students will be your future subordinates. If you don't care about their training, who will?"

Kawakaze's retort was sharp and unrelenting. Seeing Orochimaru's resistance falter, he stood abruptly, as if ready to drag him to a lecture hall right then and there.

"Okay, okay, I'll go sometime in the future," Orochimaru conceded, his head throbbing from the relentless argument. To him, it was just a lecture—why couldn't Kawakaze handle it himself?

"That's more like it. At least I didn't waste my breath." Kawakaze smirked, satisfied, as he settled back into his chair.

"The advanced class has been a resounding success," Fugaku chimed in, stepping into the conversation. "Several of the students who joined our department are already capable of handling significant responsibilities."

His praise highlighted the strength of the program.

"You heard it—this is the result."

"The medical class is severely understaffed," Kawakaze continued smoothly, not missing a beat. "With your wealth of medical knowledge, it's a waste not to teach."

Having just finished cornering Orochimaru, Kawakaze seamlessly switched to flattery. His opportunistic behavior was almost unbearable.

"Shut up, you. Listening to you makes my head hurt." Orochimaru shot him a glare, his patience wearing thin. "You've already said everything worth saying."

"Grumpy as always," Kawakaze quipped, pointing at Orochimaru with mock disgust before turning to Pakura with a cheerful smile.

"Pakura, aren't you bored at home these days? Why not get a job?"

The question caught Pakura off guard. She had grown comfortable with her quiet life as a housewife and hadn't considered returning to her old life as a ninja.

"What?"

"After exploiting me, now you're trying to hit on my wife?" Orochimaru interjected before Pakura could respond, his tone dripping with suspicion. His sharp eyes narrowed, clearly distrusting Kawakaze's motives.

"Don't twist my words!" Kawakaze shot back immediately. "I just think Pakura's skills are wasted at home. Why not join the Combat Class as a Sensei? Just like my sister-in-law—coming in occasionally to give the younger generation some pointers would be great."

It was evident Kawakaze was deeply invested in building up the advanced class, even recruiting skilled instructors wherever he could find them.

"That's it?" Orochimaru's skeptical glare stayed fixed on Kawakaze, his protective instincts flaring. He disliked the idea of Pakura being roped into something stressful.

"That's it. What else did you think?" Kawakaze replied, touching his nose with a hint of exasperation.

"I don't make the decision. She decides for herself," Orochimaru said with a sigh, finally relaxing slightly. He knew deep down that Pakura had no interest in returning to active duty, and if Kawakaze had been trying to push her, Orochimaru wouldn't have tolerated it.

"Am I really suitable for something like that?" Pakura asked hesitantly, her thoughts drifting to the idea of teaching young ninjas like Satsuki and Ginji. The possibility intrigued her.

"What's not suitable about it? You're the wife of the Head of the Medical Corps—a proper Lady Chief," Kawakaze said confidently, sensing her doubts. He understood that her hesitation stemmed from her past.

"It would be an honor for them to receive your guidance," Jiraiya said earnestly. Although he had never faced Pakura in combat, he fully respected her strength as the former acting Kazekage.

"That's right. My two boys will rely on you in the future," Duy added with a confident smile. He was certain that once his sons donned the right armor, they would find their place in the advanced class. While his younger son's natural talent wasn't exceptional, his unyielding determination rivaled even Guy's.

"Very well, I promise," Pakura said warmly, unable to refuse such a heartfelt request.

"Just don't forget to pay her a good salary," Orochimaru interjected, throwing a sly glance at Kawakaze.

"Don't worry, you'll get your share," Kawakaze replied without hesitation. With the Ninja Academy thriving financially, compensation was the least of his concerns.

The five of them continued chatting for hours, their conversations effortlessly weaving between lighthearted banter and professional topics. As the registration process concluded, a sharp knock on the door interrupted them.

Knock, knock, knock.

"Come in," Kawakaze said, sitting up straighter and clearing his throat, which had grown scratchy from the long discussion.

The door opened to reveal Ei Onoda, who hesitated briefly before stepping inside. In a room brimming with such prominent figures, few would dare interrupt.

"Lord Kawakaze, the opening ceremony is about to begin. You should head over soon," Ei said politely.

"Thank you for your hard work today," Kawakaze responded with a respectful nod. "I'll be there in a minute."

Ei smiled at the group, bowed slightly, and left the room.

"Go on, you should watch the ceremony," Kawakaze said as he stood up and adjusted his outfit. Running his fingers through his hair, he fussed over his appearance without bothering to hide his vanity.

"Looking good—you still clean up well," Jiraiya remarked, grinning as he headed out first. He had to admit, Kawakaze's charisma was undeniable. No wonder Tsunade had fallen for him once—she clearly hadn't made a bad choice.

"At your age, you still think you're handsome?" Orochimaru sneered, his expression barely masking his distaste. Taking Pakura's hand, the two left together. Orochimaru couldn't help but think, Kawakaze's in his thirties—why is he still so vain?

"I'm happy—what's it to you?" Kawakaze shot back, clearly amused by Orochimaru's jab. Then, turning to Duy, he added, "Right, Duy—"

"Right, I'm leaving too," Duy interrupted casually, already striding out with quick steps.