"Nii-san… do I have to do it again?"
Naruto helplessly stares at Izuna.
"Yup… your training isn't over yet and this will be an excellent opportunity for you to train."
Izuna nods his head.
Haah…
Naruto lifts a giant boulder and places it on his shoulders.
"Good…"
Izuna and Naruto walk out of the Howling Village as they ascend the Three wolf mountain.
--------------------
Inside a guest room,
Hicc…
Tsunade chugs down a cup of sake as she lies on the table.
"Gimme more… I want more."
Tsunade slams the cup on the table as she demands more sake.
"Tsu… Tsunade-sama… it is still early in the morning. You shouldn't drink this early."
Shizune tries to stop Tsunade.
Oink… Oink…
Tonton jumps around Tsunade, agreeing with Shizune.
Hicc…
"I don't care… I need more sake."
Tsunade waves the cup at Shizune.
Sigh…
Shizune sighs to herself and refills the cup.
Gulp… gulp… Haah…
Tsunade chugs down the sake.
"I am so sleepy."
She slams the cup on the table and falls asleep.
"Sigh… Tsunade-sama has worked hard."
Shizune gently covers Tsunade with a blanket. She picks up the stacks of paper scattered around the room and arranges them in order.
"I have never seen Tsunade-sama pushing herself this hard in a while. She is giving her all for Izuna-kun's sake."
Shizune picks up a paper and reads through its content.
The paper has a detailed diagram of the lungs with tenketsu points and a chakra network.
"Incredible… I always wondered how Izuna-kun has such detailed information about the human body."
Shizune reads the details of the paper as she wonders in amazement.
"While studying under Tsunade-sama… I always had a feeling that Izuna-kun already knew a lot about medical ninjutsu."
She places the paper on the table and walks out of the room.
"Let me fetch some breakfast for Tsunade-sama."
Shizune walks out of the room.
"Miss Shizune… the breakfast is ready."
A sweet and gentle voice greets her.
Shizune turns towards the owner of the voice.
A fair lady with blue eyes, purple hairs framed in a ponytail with two bangs parting on each side of her face appears in her vision.
The lady is dressed in luxurious clothes with the insignia of Land of Medicine carved on her robe.
"Oh… it's you, Lady Hanyu. Good Morning…"
Shizune greets the newcomer.
Lady Hanyu signals one of her servants, who carries over the dishes.
"I have some matters to attend in the Howling Wolf Village… there was quite a ruckus yesterday… so I would have to visit the village."
Lady Hanyu nods her head and walks away.
'I wonder what happened there.'
Shizune shakes her head and carries the breakfast.
--------------------
"Just a little more, Naruto… we are close."
Izuna cheers Naruto, who struggles to carry the boulder.
Huff… Huff…
Naruto breathes heavily as he carries the shoulder.
"I am close… I won't give up… Dattebyo."
Naruto pumps up his chakra and dashes forward.
"That's the Naruto I know…"
Izuna nods his head and follows him.
Haah…
Naruto throws away the boulder as he lies down on the ground.
Huff… Huff…
"I did it. Dattebyo!"
"Good job… Naruto."
Izuna praises Naruto.
"With this, the first part of your training is over… we will continue the second part later."
Izuna uses Sage Chakra to rejuvenate Naruto.
"We are here… Let's meet with Tsunade."
Naruto stands up and dusts his clothes.
Both of them enter the mansion. Izuna takes out an insignia from his pocket given to him by Tsunade to get entry into the mansion.
'This place is well-guarded.'
Izuna raises his eyebrow as he notices many shinobis hiding in the shadows.
'These shinobi aren't a problem.'
He turns towards the walls of the mansion.
'Quite a sinister trap… if I have to say it. To use blue fire powder cylinders as landmines. Just a light step and it will start a chain reaction and blow away the entire buried Blue fire powder.'
Izuna raises his head and notices various cannons mounted on top of the outer wall.
'Quite a fortified place. This place is like a medieval-era castle with a hint of modern technology.'
Both of them continue to walk through the courtyard of the mansion as Izuna inspects his surroundings.
'Shinobi World has a mix of all cultures. Amegakure has fortified iron walls and houses. Takigakure is similar to a resort city and Konoha is like a pre-modern era village.
Anyway… I have to look for Tsunade.'
Izuna closes his eyes and senses Tsunade's chakra.
"Found her."
"I am so excited to meet her. I will show her my new jutsu."
Naruto jumps in excitement.
"Ok… ok Naruto… calm down. Also, did you buy any gift for her? It has been a long time since you met her; so you must buy her a gift."
Izuna asks Naruto.
"Gift?… I haven't bought anything."
Naruto scratches his head with an awkward smile.
"Naruto… whenever you visit someone, you have to bring some gifts for them. Like a bouquet, especially when you visit a girl."
Izuna advises him.
"But… granny is an old hag. She is not young anymore."
Naruto shakes his head.
"Oye… kid… what did you say?"
A shrill voice falls in their air.
Clomp… clomp…
Sounds of heavy footsteps close upon them.
"Naruto… you are on your own. It's not my fault… ok!"
Whoosh…
Izuna flickers away from his position.
Bonk…
Tsunade appears in front of Naruto and bonks his head.
"Oye… kid… what did you say just now? Who is an old hag… who isn't young anymore?"
Aww… Aww…
Naruto clutches his head and rolls around on the ground. He has tears in his eyes as a large bump appears on his head.
Hmph…
"That's what you get for being disrespectful to a lady?"
Tsunade places her hands around her waist as she stares at Naruto with an angry gaze.
Haha… Haha…
Izuna chuckles as he remarks.
"Naruto… I warned you beforehand."
"You are not much better than him."
Tsunade snorts at him.
"Naruto-kun… are you fine… Naruto-kun?"
Shizune walks out of the room. She uses the 'Mystic Palm Technique' to heal the bump on his forehead.
"Aren't you happy to see me after such a long time?"
Izuna walks up to her.
Hmph…
"Who would be happy to see you? Anyway… did you bring something for me? Earlier, I heard something about a gift."
Tsunade rubs her hands in excitement.
"Of course… I did. How can I not bring a gift for you?"
Whoosh…
Izuna takes out a scroll from his pocket and takes out a wine bottle from it.
"It is the frosted dew wine from Kirigakure. I got it from the collection of Terumi clan leader. That guy is quite grateful for your help."
"Yes…"
Tsunade hurriedly snatches the wine from his hands and enters the room.
"Let's talk in the room."
Her voice fades away as she enters the room.
"This alcohol addict…"
Izuna shakes his head and follows her.
----------------
Inside the room,
Gulp… gulp…
Tsunade drinks a mouthful of the wine.
"Ah… such a fine wine. It has been a while since I last had something like this."
Gulp…
She takes another mouthful of the wine.
"So… how is it? Any progress…"
Izuna asks her with an excited expression.
Gulp… slam…
Tsunade slams the cup as she signals Shizune.
"Shizune, bring those papers."
"Yes… Tsunade-sama."
Shizune pulls out a stack of paper and passes them to Izuna.
Izuna inspects the papers as Tsunade explains.
"Earlier, last year… I read your detailed report of the illness of the Terumi Clan Leader…."
Mmm…
Izuna nods his head as Tsunade continues.
"… so… I researched it in detail and found some similarities with Itachi's diseases."
"Can you treat him?"
Izuna nervously asks her.
"For now… no…" Tsunade shakes her head in denial.
"No…" Izuna gulps his saliva as these words pour a bucket of cold water on his hopes.
'Seems like I have to hurry up and learn Sage of Six Paths Senjutsu. That's the only way to save Itachi.'
Izuna clutches his fists.
"… but I think I would be able to… I just need some more time. I am near the end of my research."
Tsunade takes the papers from his hand.
Phew…
'At least… there is still hope." Izuna takes a deep breath.
"Anyway… I don't think your purpose to visit me is to just talk about this."
Tsunade adopts a serious expression as he questions Izuna.
"No… I want you to return to the village and take over the position of Hokage."
Izuna straight-forwardly reveals to her.
"No… I don't have any interest in that position. It is a position only meant for fools."
Tsunade shakes her head in denial.
"Hokage… did you say Hokage?"
Naruto jumps down from the bed and stands in between them.
"You mean to say that… granny will be the next Hokage."
He asks Izuna.
"Well, yes… but no… Tsunade denied the position and I am helpless to convince her."
Izuna raises his hands in submission.
'No matter what… Naruto is the protagonist of the story. I am sure his Talk-no-jutsu is still better than mine. Let me see how it plays out.'
Izuna backs down as Naruto turns towards Tsunade.
"Granny Tsunade… 'Fight Me'… if I win, you will become the next Hokage."
"…"
Izuna and Shizune silently stare at Naruto's bold remark.
'Well, too much for the protagonist. He is still the old Naruto.'