"Is this the territory of the Senju Clan? It's not quite what I pictured," Tatsuma remarked, casting a curious eye over the surroundings. The emptiness of the place felt oddly distinct to him. Minato shared his sentiment, puzzled by the apparent scarcity of Senju Clan members in their own domain.
Jiraiya offered an explanation, "Many members of the Senju clan have departed from their ancestral lands and forsaken the 'Senju' surname. Take Tsunade and her brother, Nawaki, for instance; they've moved on from the clan name."
It appeared that following the village's establishment, children bearing the Senju surname became a rarity. Nevertheless, there were still occasional bursts of activity within the Senju territory each year."
However, Jiraiya opted not to delve into further explanation. After highlighting this observation, he resumed leading the group forward. After a while, he halted abruptly, or more accurately, he hesitated to proceed any farther.
For on the other side of the gate, Tsunade was demolishing a stone stool with her bare hands. Her expression conveyed extreme displeasure, as if she had been deceived by her parents who had promised playtime but instead assigned her homework. She vented her frustration akin to a helpless and enraged student screaming into a pillow.
"Jiraiya?!"
Despite Jiraiya halting his steps, Tsunade's sharp eyes caught sight of him. Her initial dissatisfaction swiftly morphed into anger as she exclaimed, "Why aren't you in confinement?!"
"Huh?! What confinement? Sensei said you returned to practice a special technique, didn't he? what does it have to with me?"
Jiraiya felt a pang of injustice. He hadn't erred in any way; in fact, he was assisting Tsunade with her prospective students. Yet here he was, suddenly scolded.
"Isn't being held until I learn a form of confinement? why can you and that snake be free!"
Tsunade's anger remained palpable. Jiraiya took a deep breath and said, "Tsunade, I understand you're in a rush, but let's not act hastily. I came today to see Lady Mito, and perhaps I can inquire about your situation."
Upon hearing Jiraiya's words, Tsunade furrowed her brows before declaring, "You'd better persuade Grandma to let me go, or else you'll be stuck here too."
"Not leave?"
A sudden blush stained Jiraiya's cheeks, but before he could indulge in his daydream, Tsunade interjected, "Stay and be my sparring partner!"
"Gulp~"
Jiraiya had no doubt that Tsunade would follow through with her threat. After all, the only time he'd sustained serious injuries was at her hands, albeit provoked by his own act of peeping.
"I'll do my best!"
With those words, Jiraiya dashed past Tsunade, heading straight for the inner sanctum where Uzumaki Mito resided.
Tatsuma and Minato exchanged glances, feeling somewhat abandoned by their sensei.
At that moment, Tsunade glanced at the two. She had heard from Hiruzen that she and Jiraiya were to each select a disciple.
Though Tsunade didn't object to Hiruzen's mentorship method, which absolved her of responsibility and obligation, she couldn't help but scrutinize the two candidates unconsciously.
Even though she wasn't required to shoulder the burden of teaching disciples, and even if they turned out to be mediocre, she could always shift the blame onto Jiraiya, their actual sensei. However, Tsunade wasn't inclined to accept a disciple with average abilities.
After a cursory glance, Tsunade found these two individuals vaguely familiar. Upon closer inspection, she began to recollect, realizing she had encountered them before.
In truth, Hiruzen had previously provided Tsunade with profiles of Tatsuma and Minato. However, Tsunade had neglected to peruse them at the time, paying scant attention to the specifics of what Hiruzen had conveyed.
Knowing she wasn't tasked with personally instructing them, she had relaxed and allowed her thoughts to drift. Now, after observing them closely, she only recalled the incident from two years prior when Hiruzen had brought her along to witness the end-of-year assessment for first-year students.
Furrowing her brows, Tsunade felt a twinge of puzzlement. She couldn't fathom why her sensei would deem two eight or nine-year-old children worthy of such high recommendations, prompting Jiraiya to interrupt his duties specifically to mentor them.
Moreover, Tsunade recalled that the white-haired child had displayed mediocre talent, perhaps not even qualifying for Chunin status. With such average abilities, why were they assigned to her?
However, upon closer observation, Tsunade grew even more perplexed as Tatsuma's condition didn't align with that of a typical Genin. Despite his underdeveloped physique lacking overt strength, it showcased remarkable coordination.
Tsunade wasn't one to rely solely on intellect; she beckoned to Tatsuma and Minato with a curl of her finger, saying, "Come, attack me."
"Huh?" x2
Still reeling from the sting of feeling abandoned by Jiraiya, the two became even more perplexed at Tsunade's request. However, they swiftly grasped the significance, and the confusion in their eyes dissipated instantly.
Both understood that Tsunade would become the sensei for one of them, and now, it seemed to be the moment for Tsunade to assess their skills.
Observing the earnest expressions on their faces as they assumed combat stances, Tsunade was suddenly struck by a mix of emotions. She nodded and remarked, "Looks promising."
"Susu~"
The duo charged at Tsunade with no Ninjutsu, mindful of their surroundings filled with Senju Clan buildings. They avoided causing unnecessary damage.
Observing their approach, Tsunade opted for direct counters without fancy techniques, relying on speed and strength.
She swiftly grabbed one, hurling them into a wall. Minato bore the brunt of the impact, his expression grim as he struggled to rise.
Tatsuma exchanged a glance with Minato, who shook his head. Three years of experience enabled Tatsuma to grasp Minato's intent: to disregard him.
"Susu~"
Tatsuma swiftly brandished a Shuriken, sending it hurtling towards Tsunade before launching into an attack with a Kunai in hand. Tsunade's response was succinct; she effortlessly caught the Shuriken with a wave of her hand.
Without hesitation, she seized Tatsuma's wrist, preparing to employ the same maneuver and throw him aside. However, Tatsuma, anticipating the move, wasn't about to be easily overpowered. As Tsunade gripped his wrist, Tatsuma engaged his core muscles, tightening his waist and abdomen. With a swift motion, he extended his legs, aiming a kick towards Tsunade.
"Bang!"
Tsunade intercepted Tatsuma's assault with a single hand. Without granting Tatsuma another opportunity, she swiftly hurled him out as well, his landing beside Minato punctuating the exchange.
Tsunade's focus wasn't solely on Tatsuma's ninja skills but on something more fundamental: his physical conditioning. This served as the simplest gauge of a ninja's strength.
After just two rounds of assessment, Tsunade concluded that Tatsuma's current physical prowess was on par with some Chunin.
As for why she included Minato in her challenge, it was a matter of balance rather than a desire to appear lacking. Tsunade contemplated how Minato might feel if she faced Tatsuma alone.
This exchange piqued Tsunade's curiosity. Two years prior, she had assessed Tatsuma as possessing only Genin-level talent, with a frail physique and slow recovery. Yet, witnessing Tatsuma swiftly rebound after enduring her attacks left her deeply intrigued.
She couldn't fathom how the untalented white-haired kid can showcase such impressive skills. Narrowing her eyes, she inquired, "Where are you currently training with Jiraiya?"
Tatsuma, anticipating Tsunade's skepticism, hesitated momentarily. After a quick exchange of glances with Minato, he replied, "We don't have a fixed location; usually, it's either the Third Training Ground or the back mountain of Konoha."
"Tell Jiraiya to start training here from tomorrow," Tsunade commanded with a wave of her hand. However, Minato interjected, shaking his head, "I apologize, Tsunade-sama, but we won't be available tomorrow."
Tsunade's expression froze, and she asked with discontent, "Why?"
"We have a mission scheduled for tomorrow."
"Damn it! How is it that you two brats can go on a mission, but not me?!"
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