Thunder and Black Wings

Chapter 3:

– Blake –

I stared at myself in the bathroom mirror. 

It was weird, almost unsettling, to see myself now. I'd been looking at the same face for years, but this one… this one was slightly different. 

There was no way to say it, without it sounding arrogant, but I was definitely more handsome than before, and I'd already been a very good looking guy…

According to Emma and Jean at least, I was the most handsome guy in school. 

My face was sharper now, more defined. My blue eyes which had always stood out were now even more vibrant than before. My gaze shifted lower, taking in the subtle changes to my body. I'd grown taller. Not by much, maybe an inch or so, but it was enough to notice. My shoulders were broader, my chest and arms more defined. I turned slightly, flexing my arm just to see, and yeah, there was no mistaking it. My muscles were more developed, the kind of look that guys worked months to achieve.

This was all thanks to my reawakened Fallen Angel bloodline.

And then my eyes drifted lower.

"Wow," I muttered to myself, unable to stop the word from slipping out. And my cock was bigger... 

Not ridiculously so, but there was definitely an extra inch or two there that hadn't been before. I wasn't imagining it. I sighed, rubbing a hand over my face. "Fallen angels really are creatures of sin," I said under my breath, shaking my head. 

Still wrapped in the towel, I glanced around the bathroom for the clothes Shizune had left for me. She really was a really sweet woman. I unfolded the black pants and grey T-shirt she'd set aside, both simple but comfortable. Finally, I grabbed the sandals she'd left. Everyone in this world seemed to wear them instead of shoes, and honestly, they weren't bad once you got used to them. 

Once I was dressed, I headed out of the bathroom. I took a seat at the table, where Tsunade and Shizune were already in the middle of eating. 

Shizune smiled at me, and asked, "Are the clothes I picked out okay?"

I returned her smile. "They're great. Thanks again."

"That's good..." Shizune trailed off, her eyes lingering on me for a moment longer than necessary before she suddenly blushed and looked away.

Tsunade noticed immediately, of course, and started snickering. Shizune shot her a playful glare but didn't say anything, which only made it funnier to her mentor.

"It's been a long while since either of us have had a man around, Blake," Tsunade said, casually leaning back in her chair. "Don't be surprised if you find Shizune sneaking into your bed one of these nights."

I was halfway through sipping some fruit juice when her words hit me, and I started coughing violently. My face burned as I tried to clear my throat, sputtering like an idiot.

"Lady Tsunade!" Shizune practically yelled, her face turning an adorable shade of red. "I am not some kind of crass woman and would never do something like that!"

I wasn't sure which was worse—my inability to stop coughing or the fact that my traitorous mind was now picturing Shizune naked at the breakfast table. Damn it. My libido was already out of control these days, and this wasn't helping.

Tsunade laughed loudly, clearly enjoying herself. "Alright, alright, I'll stop teasing the two of you… for now."

Neither of us believed her.

I decided to steer the topic somewhere less awkward for me and Shizune. "So, what's the plan for today?" My question seemed to make things even more awkward somehow…

Tsunade and Shizune exchanged looks. Shizune leaned over and mouthed something quietly to Tsunade, who threw her hands up in mock surrender.

"Okay, fine," Tsunade said, sighing. "We didn't want to freak you out since you've just recovered and we're still getting to know each other, but… we kind of have to get moving. The sooner, the better."

I tilted my head. "Why?"

Shizune sighed, looking apologetic. "Some… debt collectors were asking around town for Lady Tsunade earlier."

I did my best not to give Tsunade a judgmental stare, but I was failing miserably. She at least had the decency to look sheepish under my gaze.

"The first step is recognizing you have a problem," I told her flatly. If she really did have debt collectors coming after her, then how much had she lost with her gambling? 

Tsunade pouted at me, crossing her arms like a scolded child. "I'm working on it, okay? I didn't even hit up the casino this morning like I usually would have."

I chose not to point out that normal people didn't go to the casino first thing in the morning… 

"Now that Lady Tsunade can fight and heal people again without blood freaking her out," Shizune explained, "it shouldn't be so difficult to make income… in theory."

"In theory?" I repeated.

Shizune winced. "It's just that paying over a decade of accumulated debt—with all the interest we owe—is… near impossible."

I snorted, trying to lighten the mood. "Maybe you should just declare bankruptcy."

Both women looked at me oddly, as if I'd just suggested summoning a Devil to solve their problems. 

"Bankruptcy? What's that?" Shizune asked.

I blinked, realizing they didn't know what I was talking about. "It's a legal process. Basically, if you're drowning in debt, you can declare bankruptcy to clear it. You lose most of your assets, but you're not hounded by debt collectors anymore. You get to start over."

Their expressions didn't change, but there was an uncomfortable silence before Tsunade spoke. "Yeah, that doesn't exist here. If you're in deep debt and can't fight or keep yourself safe, you end up a slave."

Shizune nodded solemnly. "Mines, lumberyards, things like that. For the rest of your life."

"This world is harsh," I muttered.

"This world?" Tsunade echoed curiously.

I scratched my cheek, realizing I'd let that slip out loud. I decided to bite the bullet and explain. These two women had saved me after all. Up until now, they had just thought I was from another continent. 

"I'm pretty sure… no, I'm one hundred percent sure that I'm from a completely different world. Or dimension. Or whatever the proper term is..."

Instead of freaking out, both women actually looked fascinated. 

Tsunade raised an eyebrow and leaned forward, resting her elbows on the table. "Really? My uncle theorized about other worlds when he was alive. He never developed any jutsu to actually reach them, though. The only place outside of this world anyone's been to is the Summoning Realm."

"Or the Land of Demons," Shizune added, glancing at me. My curiosity must have been obvious because she quickly waved me off. "I'll explain about that place later. It's not a big deal anyway. It's been sealed off, and a family of priestesses has watched over it for generations."

I nodded, filing that information away for later. 

…

Myself, along with Tsunade, Shizune, and their little pink pig Ton Ton were walking down a large dirt road towards the next town. Presumably, it was to make some money and start paying off Tsunade's debts, if that was even possible at this point.

I had asked them how much Tsunade owed, and after figuring out how the currency worked in this world, it was… a lot of zeros.

"Have you considered less conventional means of getting some cash?" I asked as we walked.

Tsunade smirked at me, her golden eyes gleaming with amusement. "Oh? And what would those be? I know I'm beautiful, and I've even been propositioned by daimyos in the past, but not even they would offer to pay off everything I owe." She gave me a playful once-over, and I felt my face heat up as her smirk widened. "Then again, with how handsome you are, Blake, I'm sure if the two of us teamed up in the bedroom, we could make some good headway. Some of these rich nobles can be real freaks in the sheets."

I sputtered, tripping over my words. "I didn't mean… that…"

Tsunade laughed, and Shizune hid a small smile behind her hand. I took a moment to collect myself before muttering, "Maybe we should just rob someone. Aren't you both supposed to be kick-ass kunoichis?"

Shizune blushed at the compliment, and Tsunade tapped her finger against her chin as if seriously considering it. "Huh? Robbing someone rich… hmm… you know, the old Tsunade would have been far too prideful to pay off her debts that way. That's honestly something my old teammates, Orochimaru or Jiraiya, would've done shamelessly. But I suppose if we found a corrupt businessman or something, it wouldn't be such a terrible idea."

She glanced at me. "Have you ever stolen before, Blake?"

I hesitated before nodding, my gaze fixed on the dirt road ahead. "I'm not really proud of it, but I grew up bouncing between orphanages and foster homes. Sometimes I had to steal food and clothes from local stores just to support myself or some of the other kids when I could. Luckily, I never got caught. I was never really proud of it, though, and I always only stole from large stores that could afford it."

Both Tsunade and Shizune patted me on the shoulder comfortingly. Their gestures were small but appreciated, a warmth spreading in my chest that I wasn't used to feeling. I gave them a wry smile that quickly turned into a look of confusion when Tsunade suddenly grabbed my arm and yanked me backward. A second later, a bunch of shuriken and throwing stars landed in the dirt right where I'd been standing.

"If you assholes are after me, I'd appreciate it if you didn't try to kill my companion here!" Tsunade said angrily, glaring at the treeline. In a blur, three other ninjas, all wearing masks and ninja headbands, popped out of the trees and bushes. Their movements were swift and precise, their presence exuding danger. "Kumo shinobi?" Tsunade questioned, narrowing her eyes. "What the hell does your village want with me this time?"

"The strongest woman in the world? One of the three legendary Sannin? What a joke! We've gotten plenty of reports that you're too afraid of a tiny drop of blood to even properly fight anymore! You'll be coming back to our village with us. We'll extract all your knowledge before putting you out of your misery!" the ninja in the middle sneered, his mask doing nothing to hide the venom in his voice.

And then he MOVED!

Far faster than I had ever seen a human move! My eyes couldn't even keep up, and I could barely process what was happening. But Tsunade—she was faster. She grabbed me and yanked me out of the way just as the Kumo shinobi's katana sliced through the air where my neck had been. 

I stumbled, my heart pounding, as she stepped between me and him. "I said I would appreciate it if you stopped trying to kill Blake!" Tsunade growled, gripping the ninja's wrist so tightly it looked like his bones might snap any second.

The ninja laughed, a twisted grin spreading across his face. "Everyone knows you always start with the weakest link!" He ran his free hand along the edge of his blade, slicing his palm open and letting the blood splatter onto Tsunade. Some of it hit her face and her shirt, the dark red contrasting starkly against her pale skin.

He smirked, clearly expecting her to freeze or panic. Shizune had mentioned that Tsunade used to have a major blood phobia, something debilitating enough to keep her out of battle for years. But it had been cured after she saved me and performed life-saving surgery on me. Whatever the ninja was hoping to see didn't happen. Instead, Tsunade's grip on his wrist tightened until there was a sickening crunch, and he screamed in pain.

"Fuck! Our intel was wrong! Help me and kill them!" he yelled to the two ninjas behind him, his voice strained with panic and agony.

This time, I was ready. My two fallen angel wings burst out from my back, spreading wide as I launched myself twenty feet into the air. A dark purple Lightspear formed in my hand.

"He has a bloodline that lets him fly!" one of the remaining ninjas shouted in alarm.

"We need to take him alive and bring him back to the village!" the other replied. "They'll give us a huge reward for him!"

"You two aren't going to touch him!" Tsunade and Shizune snarled at the same time.

Tsunade pulled her fist back and slammed it into the head of the ninja she was holding. His skull exploded into a red mist, his body crumpling to the ground like a puppet with its strings cut. The other two ninjas didn't even flinch at the death of their presumed leader. One of them threw a flurry of knives at Shizune, while the other began weaving his hands into strange patterns, lightning forming in front of him. Whatever he was preparing looked dangerous, and it was aimed directly at Tsunade.

I acted on instinct, hurling the spear in my hand with all the strength I could muster.

Truthfully, I wasn't expecting to hit him. These guys were so fast, I figured he'd dodge it easily. 

But he didn't…

He was so focused on his jutsu that he didn't even see it coming. My spear pierced straight through his chest and out the other side! His eyes went wide, and then he dropped to the ground, lifeless.

I hovered there in mid-air, staring down at his body in shock. I had just killed someone. Just like that. It was so quick and easy… 

I didn't know how to process it.

"Puchi, puchi, puchi!"

The sound of needles piercing flesh snapped me out of my daze. The final ninja fell to the ground, his body resembling a pincushion. Shizune stood over him with a handful of senbon in her hand. She had overwhelmed him in mere seconds once the other two were dead. 

Slowly, I lowered myself back to the ground, my wings folding behind me as I landed. "That all happened so fast…" I muttered, still trying to wrap my head around what had just happened.

Tsunade nodded, brushing some blood off her shirt. "Yeah. Usually, ninja battles aren't so easy or quick, but these guys were all trash. Just some random chunins or even genins, I'd reckon. Probably discarded ninjas."

"Discarded ninjas?" I asked, trying to distract myself from the fact that I just killed a man.

Shizune must have noticed my distress, because she walked over and pulled me into a small hug. The hug helped, even if just a little. Her voice was soft as she explained, "Sometimes villages want to get rid of unruly members of their forces. So they send them out on suicide missions, not caring whether they succeed or not…"

"It's fucked up and annoying…" Tsunade growled while looking down at her chest. "I liked this top and now it's covered in that loser's blood…"

…

When we reached the next town, we headed straight for the nearest inn. Tsunade needed to get cleaned up, she was still covered in blood from the fight. 

The innkeeper barely glanced at us as we paid for a room. Clearly people showing up bloody wasn't as rare an occurrence in this world as my original.

The second the door closed behind us, Tsunade started stripping out of her clothes…

She peeled off her bloodstained top and dropped it to the floor, followed by her pants. They piled up next to her, and I couldn't stop myself from staring. Her body was stunning. Her breasts were enormous, with perfectly shaped pink nipples. Her stomach was toned, her thighs thick, and her ass was round and firm.

I knew I was staring, and I didn't even try to stop. Tsunade giggled, clearly noticing my reaction.

"Lady Tsunade, what are you doing!?" Shizune practically shouted, her face turning bright red.

Tsunade smirked. "I just thought I'd give Blake a little show to take his mind off things. Also, I wanted to thank him for being so heroic and saving me from that lightning jutsu!"

Shizune crossed her arms and muttered something about Tsunade knowing damn well that jutsu wasn't a threat to her...

Tsunade turned her attention back to me, her breasts bouncing slightly as she moved. "Well, Blake? Have I taken your mind off all the bad thoughts?"

I nodded without thinking. My mouth was dry, and no words were coming out. My brain had short-circuited.

Tsunade leaned in and kissed me on the cheek, her lips were soft and warm. Then she walked away, her hips swaying back and forth as she disappeared into the washroom.

Shizune sighed and started gathering Tsunade's bloodstained clothes off the floor. She looked over at me, shaking her head. "I know you're not remotely upset about that, being a healthy young man, but… sorry about the way Tsunade acts sometimes, Blake."

"It's fine," I told her and took a seat on the couch in the room.

Shizune placed Tsunade's clothing in a laundry bin and then sat down close next to me. "Was that your first kill? Do you want to talk about it?" she asked.

"Not really…" I trailed off for a moment. "I know those guys were scum, and I'm not upset they're dead. I'm more upset at how I froze up and how much faster they were than I was. Especially since I'm supposed to be better as a fallen angel."

"Nobody's ever better without proper training," Shizune pointed out. "You can only rely on your bloodline to take you so far. Tsunade and I didn't want to point it out earlier before we knew you're from another world, but there's very little chakra in your body. So, you'll never be able to learn any of our jutsu. But that doesn't mean you can't train your own powers… and your physical body while you're at it. Tsunade didn't use any jutsu at all when she punched that guy's head off. Just pure speed and strength."

I nodded at Shizune. I had my first lesson with Tsunade earlier, and I think it went pretty well, but I was obviously going to need to work harder if I wanted to survive in this world. At least until I found a way to return home… or if I ever wanted to come back again. 

I pointed all that out to her.

Shizune smirked and told me that she had some old leg weights in her storage scroll that she used to use in her training that would be perfect for me. "It's only 100 kilograms per leg!" she declared.

My smile dropped. "Wait, what...?"

XXX