"So you're my husband's wife too...!"
Tsunade suddenly understood. She now realized why Mei Terumi had been so kind to her, even calling her "sister."
With the news about Natsuhane, the gloom in Tsunade's heart disappeared, and now the only thing on her mind was Natsuhane's name.
Thanks to the "Heart Bond Technique," instead of feeling jealous, Tsunade felt even closer to Mei Terumi.
After all, they were now truly a family.
"Where is Natsuhane? Is he still in the Land of Water?"
"Really... It's been such a long time, and he hasn't even come home to visit..."
"Sigh, it's been half a year since I've seen him. I miss him so much, and it's not just me—his other wives back in Konoha also miss him dearly..."
"After the meeting, can you take me to see him?"
Faced with Tsunade's series of eager questions, Mei Terumi smiled awkwardly:
"Sister, I don't know where he is right now either..."
"But I think he's probably in the Land of Sea. Natsuhane is the Daimyō of the Land of Sea, and his goal is to rebuild the Uchiha clan and turn the Land of Sea into a powerful ninja village. Once he's done, he'll probably come back to see you..."
"I see..." Tsunade looked a little disappointed.
She had heard about Natsuhane becoming the Daimyō of the Land of Sea.
Mei Terumi comforted her: "Sister, don't be sad. After the meeting, I'll go to the Land of Sea with you to find him."
"Sigh, forget it... Let's finish our current business first..." Tsunade said, rubbing her belly, and sighed:
"Natsuhane has his responsibilities, and I don't want to disturb him. Once Akatsuki is destroyed and the child is born, we can go together—holding the baby when we go."
Mei Terumi smiled warmly: "Alright, it's settled then~"
The Five Kage Summit ended soon after.
The first step of the plan the Five Kage discussed was to find Naruto Uzumaki.
Afterward, they would draw out Akatsuki and use the combined strength of the Five Nations to wipe them out.
The meeting ended hastily because all the Kage were anxious.
Whether their Jinchūriki were alive and whether they could be rescued depended entirely on time.
The sooner they found Naruto or Akatsuki's base, the better their chances.
Without much more to say, the Five Kage each returned to their villages with their subordinates at full speed.
...
At the site of the former Land of Whirlpools, in front of a small thatched house.
"Shadow Clone Technique!"
"Take this—Rasengan!!"
"Boom!"
A large tree was instantly destroyed by a young blond boy.
"Whoa! I did it! Look, Pervy Sage, I did it! I finally mastered this move!!"
Naruto Uzumaki danced in excitement. After a month of hard training, enduring countless hardships, he had finally mastered the Rasengan through his own efforts.
Since leaving Konoha, Jiraiya had brought him here, and they had stayed for half a year.
He didn't know exactly where they were, only that the white-haired old man in front of him had been good to him, teaching him many powerful jutsu like the Shadow Clone Technique and the Rasengan, which he had just learned.
Naruto often called him "Pervy Sage," but in his heart, he already considered Jiraiya as his master.
"Hey! Pervy Sage, look at me!" Naruto shouted unhappily, seeing Jiraiya sitting in front of the thatched house, engrossed in the book in his hands. "Really, you're looking at those pervy things again!!"
Naruto assumed Jiraiya was, as usual, secretly reading an adult magazine.
Jiraiya put down the book, his face serious, his brows tightly furrowed.
The book contained reports of the captured Jinchūriki from various nations, as well as information about the Five Kage Summit.
Jiraiya had a strong information network, and he was well aware of the recent events.
He also knew that Konoha had been searching for both Naruto and himself.
"Sigh..."
After a long while, Jiraiya let out a deep sigh.
"I knew it... They would use you as bait..."
Looking at Naruto, who was blissfully unaware and still complaining, Jiraiya murmured softly to himself:
"Staying here is the safest option for you..."
"I won't let anyone find you, and I won't trust anyone. Naruto, I will protect you... forever."