Hiruzen's straightforward agreement to let Tenko join ANBU did not surprise Tatsuma. After all, while ANBU might seem closest to the Hokage, it can be the furthest from the core.
Of course, if Tatsuma were twenty-four instead of fourteen this year, Hiruzen might have been concerned about whether Tatsuma had intentions of forming factions for personal gain. But at his current age, what kind of conspiracy could a teenager manage? At most, it would be a desire to get closer to friends.
What surprised Tatsuma was Hiruzen's heartfelt advice in the end. Considering Tsunade's past behavior, it was true that Hiruzen had wrongly accused Tsunade this time, but Tsunade was not entirely blameless either.
As Tatsuma walked out of the Hokage Building, he even wondered if Hiruzen had ever said something similar to Orochimaru or Jiraiya, like "Don't let the bond of comradeship be tainted by money."
If so, then Orochimaru must have taken it to heart. No wonder Orochimaru repeatedly warned him back then—this is what's called inheritance!
After leaving the Hokage Building, Tatsuma didn't immediately head to the Uchiha clan's district to invite Uchiha Fugaku. That would have been too foolish.
It would be like someone who just received an award for police-community cooperation going straight to the yakuza after leaving the police station. Wouldn't the yakuza be on high alert?
Moreover, Tatsuma checked his pocket and realized that the money Hiruzen gave him was enough to host several banquets. Given his current demeanor, he definitely needed to return any excess money to Hiruzen, or his image would be ruined.
However, Tatsuma wasn't too eager to save money for Hiruzen, so it was best to spend more of Hiruzen's money in a legitimate way. After all, Hiruzen had mentioned that the bond between master and disciple shouldn't be tainted by money, and with Tsunade as a buffer between him and Hiruzen, it wasn't considered tainted.
Returning home with the money, Tatsuma found Nawaki. Nawaki was easy to locate—if he wasn't training in the yard, he was at the third training ground.
Despite the injuries Nawaki had sustained the day before, he chose to do his recovery training at home. Although Tatsuma had handled the aftermath well and treated all of Nawaki's injuries, even after healing, injuries required time to fully adapt and recover.
"Nawaki, do you have any plans for tonight?"
"Yes."
Nawaki's answer once again surprised Tatsuma. He hadn't expected the strong and burly Nawaki to have plans late at night!
Nawaki continued, "I plan to do 2,500 weighted squats, 2,500 weighted push-ups, and then some agility training to recover my body as soon as possible!"
"Is this what you meant by having plans tonight?"
Tatsuma looked at Nawaki, feeling like their thought processes were on different wavelengths. Nawaki responded naturally, "What else? My body isn't up for combat training right now."
"I meant social arrangements."
"None."
"Well, now you do. Go find Tenko, Brother Duy, and your sensei. We're having a dinner party tonight."
Tatsuma said with a flourish. Nawaki's expression fell, and he said, "I just questioned you yesterday. You're not going to make me pay for this, are you? I haven't been on a mission for a while, so I really don't have any money."
"Do you think of me as your older sister? I'll cover the bill."
"That's your sensei! Wait, you're paying?"
Once Nawaki realized, he gave Tatsuma a heartfelt bear hug full of sweat and excitement and said, "I'm going to find them right now!"
Afterward, he dashed off, and Tatsuma didn't even have time to remind him to change out of his green tight suit, considering Nawaki was about to go see Orochimaru.
If Orochimaru saw Nawaki, who had taken months to correct his fashion, revert back to his green-skinned attire...
But thinking about Nawaki's recent hug, which made him change into a new outfit, Tatsuma decided to let it be.
After changing into a different set of clothes, Tatsuma headed straight to Konoha Hospital. When he arrived, Tsunade had just finished a class and was on a break.
"Sensei."
Tatsuma waved from outside the classroom. Tsunade walked over with some confusion and asked, "What's wrong? Is there a problem with your health, or did Orochimaru find something new during the check-up?"
Concern is always heartwarming. Tatsuma shook his head and said, "Nothing's wrong. It's just that there's a dinner party tonight. Do you want to join?"
"What dinner party?"
"Nawaki and Tenko plan to learn Eight Inner Gates from Brother Duy. I'm planning to invite the three of them, along with Orochimaru-sama, to dinner tonight to discuss this matter."
Upon hearing this, Tsunade frowned and instinctively said, "Why are they learning Eight Inner Gates instead of focusing on Enhanced Strength?"
"Nawaki doesn't have your exceptional talent for Enhanced Strength, and his Chakra Control isn't precise enough. Senju's Enhanced Strength may not be entirely suitable for him. Trying out Eight Inner Gates might provide him with a different perspective and lead to further progress."
"That makes sense. You can handle the arrangements, but I've heard that Orochimaru is running low on funds lately and has been going to the Hokage Building for missions. It seems he won't be able to pay for it."
Tsunade had once cared about her brother's future development, but Nawaki's talent did seem to be somewhat lacking. Not only could she not teach him much, but even Orochimaru, who was his sensei, couldn't teach him much either.
On the other hand, following Might Duy over the years had led to significant improvements. Perhaps Nawaki is truly suited for that path.
As long as Tatsuma is around to continue the Senju legacy, Nawaki can pursue his own interests and dreams. Tsunade had long since come to terms with this.
Seeing that Tsunade did not oppose, Tatsuma felt a bit relieved. After all, Tsunade's attitude has a significant influence on Nawaki's decisions, and the other potential obstacle is Orochimaru. Tatsuma hoped Nawaki could persuade him himself.
Regarding the payment, Tatsuma smiled and said, "I'll handle the dinner arrangements. Just remember to come tonight."
"Alright, but since you're here, could you help me with a class?"
Tsunade looked at the curious students in the classroom and asked Tatsuma. Tatsuma immediately declined, "Sorry, I can't help with that. I need to go book a private room."
With a sigh, Tsunade said, "Then I'll teach the class myself. Go ahead and book the room. By the way, get me a few bottles of..."
"I don't drink."
Tatsuma interrupted Tsunade before she could negotiate and used Flying Thunder God to leave.
After mastering Flying Thunder God, Tatsuma and Minato had developed the habit of leaving their techniques everywhere. In fact, as long as Tatsuma wanted, he could instantly reach any landmark in Konoha or the home of someone he was familiar with.
However, when time wasn't pressing, both he and Minato avoided using Flying Thunder God for travel. It wasn't out of concern for Chakra consumption, but rather because using it could somewhat impact the people around them.
For example, suddenly appearing in a bustling area might cause a small-scale disturbance, so there's no need to rush and save a bit of time.
After finalizing the dinner arrangements, Tatsuma used Flying Thunder God to inform everyone of the time and place of the gathering before heading to Orochimaru's laboratory.
Orochimaru was indifferent to Tatsuma's arrival, though his expression was quite sour. Tatsuma asked, "Orochimaru-sama, has Nawaki been here?"
From some traces, Tatsuma had already noticed that Nawaki had been there, but he still asked as an icebreaker.
Orochimaru nodded and said, "Yes, he has been here and explained the situation. Taijutsu... Hmph, it's not that I can't teach it. My newly developed Great Serpent Style Taijutsu isn't bad either!"
As a sensei, Orochimaru felt slightly insulted that his disciple was planning to learn from others, especially when it involved core knowledge. His goal was to understand and master all techniques in the world, yet he couldn't offer a technique that intrigued Nawaki enough to want to learn it. Seeing Orochimaru sulking, Tatsuma reassured him:
"Orochimaru-sama, actually, Nawaki is quite similar to you, isn't he? Once he identifies a goal, he will devote everything to pursuing it. For you, it's the unknown science and unlearned techniques.
For Nawaki, it's the pinnacle of Taijutsu. Orochimaru-sama, I do not deny the brilliance of the Great Serpent Style Taijutsu you developed, but it is precisely because it is so intricate that it might not be suitable for Nawaki, who has a pure and naive heart.
I believe you are not the kind of sensei who disregards a disciple's future for personal reasons. After all, the fact that you did not oppose Nawaki's decision already shows your attitude, doesn't it?"
Orochimaru glanced at Tatsuma, not easily swayed, and said, "Did you incite this? Also, how can you be sure I did not oppose it?"
"It would be too harsh to say incited. Nawaki was already prepared; I merely helped him take this step. As for why I'm sure you did not oppose it... Given Nawaki's personality, if you had disagreed, he probably wouldn't have left. Instead, he would have insisted until you agreed."
"Humph! He wants to learn the Eight Inner Gates; I can agree to that. But I hope, as you said, that you are not inciting him. I absolutely do not allow my disciple to be a pawn in someone else's scheme."
Orochimaru spoke in a vague manner, but Tatsuma understood that Orochimaru was implying he had figured out the reason behind Tatsuma's encouragement for Nawaki to make this decision. Tatsuma knew that it would be hard to hide the truth. Even if Nawaki did not reveal it, Orochimaru's sharp mind would easily piece it together during tonight's gathering.
However, Tatsuma had no intention of taking the blame and said, "Brother Duy never said that he would only teach the Eight Inner Gates if both agreed. It was indeed my idea to let Nawaki learn it as well, but it wasn't for my own plans."
Upon hearing this, Orochimaru glanced at Tatsuma. He could easily tell that Tatsuma was not lying and understood that he should not be angry with Tatsuma. Yet, he still felt resentful—why couldn't his disciple inherit his own legacy?
Seeing that Orochimaru was sulking over a small bit of dissatisfaction, Tatsuma decided to stop comforting him and instead changed the topic:
"By the way, Orochimaru-sama, have you taken any missions yet? Do you need any help from me?"
Orochimaru shook his head and said, "In peacetime, there are too few missions that match my level. Either they take too long or the reward is too low. I'm still waiting. And…"
Orochimaru suddenly showed a hint of indignation and said, "Sensei actually wants me to lead a team! To instruct those clueless and ignorant kids! And he even warned me that I'm not allowed to sell the techniques I developed over the past three years, saying that they were developed as part of the village's Wood Release experiments, and are property of the village and the Daimyo's house. It's simply… simply…"
"Academic bullying?"
"Yes! Academic bullying!"
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