Naruto and Jiraiya found Tsunade in an izakaya, sharing drinks with her little companion, Shizune, and a small pink pig named Tonton.
The four humans and one pig sat around a table, silent and tense. Tsunade was downing glasses of sake one after the other, her face flushed. Jiraiya, seated across from her, looked at her with a mixture of nostalgia and concern.
Naruto, on the other hand, was distracted. He couldn't help but notice Tsunade's beauty... and certain, uh, physical features. His attention then shifted to Jiraiya, and his thoughts wandered.
He found himself comparing their dynamic to his own team. Back in Konoha, he, Sasuke, and Sakura were often called the "New Sannin." Sasuke, like Orochimaru, was driven by ambition. Sakura, like Tsunade, was strong and sharp. And he, well... he was like Jiraiya.
Naruto chuckled to himself. Fate really has a sense of humor.
He thought about Jiraiya's unrequited love for Tsunade, a love that remained unresolved until his death in the original storyline. Naruto felt a pang of sympathy for his mentor. But then, he reassured himself, At least I have Hinata, who's always loved me quietly. Poor Pervy Sage... he really had it rough.
Tsunade broke the silence by downing another glass. "Never thought I'd run into old friends here," she said, her voice slightly slurred.
Jiraiya poured her another drink. "Have you seen Orochimaru?" he asked, his tone heavy.
The question made Tsunade and Shizune freeze, their expressions tense.
"Be more specific," Jiraiya pressed.
"It's nothing. We just crossed paths," Tsunade shrugged, draining her glass. Then, pulling out a deck of cards, she motioned for Jiraiya to play a game. "So, what do you want from me?"
Jiraiya shuffled the cards and placed them on the table. "I'll get straight to the point. The village needs you to return as the Fifth Hokage."
Shizune's jaw dropped, and even Tonton squealed in surprise. Tsunade's expression darkened, but Naruto kept eating as though he hadn't heard anything.
Since the death of the Third Hokage, Naruto had started letting go of his previous pretenses. If Jiraiya asked him anything suspicious, he'd already prepared a stockpile of lies. Whether Jiraiya believed him or not didn't matter.
Tsunade's expression turned unreadable. She played her cards silently for a moment before speaking. "The Third Hokage..." Her voice trailed off, and a flicker of sadness crossed her face.
Jiraiya sighed heavily. "Orochimaru was behind it, wasn't he?"
Tsunade nodded, her lips tightening. Memories of Orochimaru's tempting offer flooded her mind. He had promised to revive her beloved Dan and her brother, Nawaki.
Her hands trembled slightly before she tossed her cards onto the table. "I won't do it. I'm not becoming Hokage!" she declared firmly.
Jiraiya smirked, unfazed. "That tone of rejection... it's just like when you turned me down back then."
Naruto nearly choked on his rice, barely suppressing a laugh.
"Who's the brat?" Tsunade asked, her gaze shifting to Naruto.
"His name is Uzumaki Naruto," Jiraiya replied simply.
Recognition flashed in Tsunade's eyes. So, this is the Nine-Tails Jinchūriki.
She studied Naruto critically and smirked. "He's not much like your last student. Pretty average, honestly."
Jiraiya chuckled. "He's got talent in certain areas. But compared to the Fourth Hokage? Well, there's no comparison. Minato was the greatest in history."
"And as handsome as me," Jiraiya added shamelessly.
Naruto snorted. "Then the Fourth Hokage must not have been that handsome."
Tsunade burst out laughing, while Jiraiya glared daggers at Naruto.
But Tsunade's laughter faded as her expression turned bitter. "So what? The Fourth Hokage sacrificed his life for the village. What a fool. Life isn't like gambling—you only get one shot. Only an idiot would throw it away like that."
Naruto froze, his chopsticks hovering mid-air. Idiots? Yeah, that's exactly what they are. Only idiots make their children Jinchūriki, then abandon them.
Tsunade continued, mocking the legacy of previous Hokage. "Even my grandfather and the Second Hokage—they dreamed of peace but died before achieving it. What's the point of such sacrifices?"
Jiraiya frowned. "Tsunade, you've changed. I didn't think you'd ever talk like this."
"Hmph. Time changes everyone, Jiraiya. I'm in my 50s now. Sarutobi-sensei... he clung to ideals in his old age, and look where it got him—dead."
"Hmm! Hmm!" Naruto muttered through a mouthful of food, nodding in agreement.
Tsunade slammed her palm onto the table, her eyes narrowing at Naruto. "Hey, brat. Don't you know when to keep quiet? Get lost!"
Jiraiya glanced at Naruto, his expression unreadable. Naruto's disdain for Konoha—and Hokage, especially—was becoming alarmingly clear.
But Naruto didn't flinch. Instead, he looked up at Tsunade with a mischievous smirk. "You can talk all you want, but deep down, you still love Konoha, don't you?"
Her eyes widened, then narrowed in fury. "You little...!"
"You've just been waiting for someone to remind you," Naruto continued, his tone teasing but sharp.
Tsunade's mask cracked, and her anger turned to frustration. Jiraiya, watching the exchange, relaxed slightly. This kid... he's got guts.
"Fine!" Tsunade declared, standing up. "You want to run your mouth? Let's see if you can back it up. I'll teach you a lesson!"
Naruto smirked. "Sure. But let's make it interesting. If I survive three rounds against you, you'll acknowledge my strength."
"And if I win, you come back to Konoha with us," Jiraiya interjected, grinning.
Tsunade didn't hesitate. "Deal. Like I'd lose to a kid."
Jiraiya leaned back, confident. She's in for a surprise. Naruto's learned the Rasengan.
Naruto sighed. "You really owe me for this, Pervy Sage."
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