"Wh-what's going on?!"
Shizune, sitting on the ground, felt a powerful gust of wind burst out from Whitebeard.
Immediately, an incredibly oppressive force enveloped her heart.
Even though Whitebeard's control over his Conqueror's Haki was impeccable, the release of such a level of Conqueror's Haki...
Still made Shizune, Kakashi, and Naruto all tremble with fear!
For the two ninjas, Kakashi and Shizune, it was still bearable.
But for the youngest, Naruto, the impact was the greatest.
Naruto felt his mind buzz.
The surroundings became unusually quiet, so quiet that he couldn't even hear his heartbeat.
His consciousness turned blank and dazed.
Although he didn't pass out, as Whitebeard was controlling his Conqueror's Haki.
But Naruto's overall consciousness was still extremely hazy.
It felt like being drunk.
Staggering.
Very uncomfortable!
Kakashi's forehead was covered in cold sweat: "Is this just an aura? Can simply releasing an aura achieve this? Not even a tailed beast can do this, right?"
...
The next day.
Morning.
The giant bonfire in the forest had burned out, leaving only a pile of wild boar bones.
Those dozen wild boars had been eaten to bare bones the night before.
"Gurararara!"
Whitebeard laughed heartily, looking down at Shizune beside him: "Shizune, are you sure you don't want to be my child? My ship is in need of an experienced doctor!"
"Mr. Whitebeard, my parents and uncle died on the battlefield, and I am indeed an orphan."
Shizune felt like crying but had no tears: "But right now, I really don't want to adopt a father!"
She hadn't expected Whitebeard to have such a strange quirk.
It seemed similar to Lady Tsunade's gambling addiction.
But...
This quirk seemed better than Lady Tsunade's gambling. At least it didn't involve losing so much money every day.
Shizune quickly changed the topic: "Mr. Whitebeard, my medical ninjutsu is definitely not as advanced as Lady Tsunade's, so it's difficult to completely heal your hidden ailments."
"Even if I treated you every day, it wouldn't cure you. Unless... Lady Tsunade herself takes action, her medical ninjutsu is truly remarkable!"
Shizune didn't hesitate to "sell out" Tsunade.
She led Whitebeard and the others straight to Tsunade's location.
The key was she had no choice but to "sell out."
She was supposed to deliver money to Lady Tsunade, and Whitebeard and the others knew Shizune was Tsunade's disciple.
They would definitely follow her.
If it was just Shizune traveling alone, she could find Tsunade within a day.
However.
With Naruto among them.
Whitebeard's devilish training for Naruto hadn't stopped.
During the day, Whitebeard trained Naruto as if trying to kill him, and at night, Kakashi was forced to teach Naruto ninjutsu patiently.
This severely delayed their progress.
After all, Naruto, a five-year-old boy carrying a heavy load all day, couldn't travel quickly.
Along the way.
Shizune occasionally glanced at Naruto.
She felt that both Mr. Whitebeard and this blond-haired child defied her understanding of human limits.
Mr. Whitebeard could be explained as a giant.
Different from ordinary humans.
But this child named "Naruto," how could he endure such intense training with his small body?
Yet he hadn't been broken!
Shizune was amazed!
She couldn't help but look at Kakashi, the famous Copy Ninja, wondering why he was with Whitebeard.
Whitebeard was a wanted man in Konoha!
Kakashi, a Konoha ninja, was getting along harmoniously with a man Konoha had put a 50 million Ryo bounty on.
Shizune was puzzled!
But she didn't dare to ask.
...
Time passed.
They traveled for another four days.
Until.
A travel-worn Shizune finally saw the familiar small town, and a smile appeared on her face: "Finally, we're back."
But she was also a bit worried: "I hope Lady Tsunade hasn't gotten impatient."
She was actually more worried that Lady Tsunade might have borrowed money from loan sharks again during her absence.
The possibility...
It was very high!
"Has Lady Tsunade been staying here all this time?" Kakashi, holding a book, slightly raised his dead-fish eyes to look ahead.
"Yes!" Shizune nodded: "Lady Tsunade has been in this town for over a month."
There was something she didn't say.
She was too embarrassed to.
——Actually, Lady Tsunade had been gambling here for over a month and had lost all the money she had painstakingly saved, several million Ryo.
That was with Shizune constantly urging Lady Tsunade to bet smaller amounts.
Otherwise, those several million Ryo might not even last Tsunade a day.
"Lady Tsunade should be in the town..."
Shizune hadn't finished her sentence.
A commotion could be heard in the distance.
Amidst the noise, there were angry shouts.
"Quick! You two search the left! You two search the right! The rest follow me this way! Damn it! Owing us money and not paying back! So what if you're a ninja? Even a Konoha ninja has to pay us back!"
"Boss! Over here! I think I saw that woman running in this direction!"
"Quick! After her!!!"
Then Whitebeard and the others saw a group of men rushing over. They looked like hired samurai, each holding a sharp katana.
They were searching everywhere.
As if looking for someone.
"Hey! Kid!" One of the samurai grabbed a little girl by the back of her collar, lifting her roughly: "Did you see a big-breasted woman run this way?"
The little girl, terrified, burst into tears.
Her trembling hand pointed to a nearby alley.
"Over there?" The samurai threw the girl aside.
Shouted to his companions: "Over here! This way! Don't let her escape!"
A group of samurai rushed over.
But they didn't notice the girl they had thrown aside suddenly stop crying.
A sly smile appeared on her face.
"Do they think they can catch me?" Tsunade, disguised as a little girl, chuckled, but then she remembered something and became furious: "Hmph! Those casino people must be cheating! How else could I keep losing without a single win?"
Suddenly.
Tsunade sensed something.
And she noticed the sun above was being blocked by something, casting a shadow over half the street.
Tsunade also saw that the townspeople on the street were looking behind her with fear.
"Hmm?"
Tsunade turned to look behind her.
And was stunned.
...
...