As the shadows of Tanzaku Town flickered under the moonlight, Naruto, still clad in his Shadow persona, watched as Tayuya disappeared into the night. Her intel on Orochimaru's movements was invaluable—something he would use soon. But for now, he had to return to his cover.
With a snap of his fingers, the black slime covering his form melted away, revealing his usual orange and black attire. His violet eyes dimmed back to blue, and he took a deep breath before making his way back to the inn where Jiraiya and Akane were staying.
Tanzaku Town – Jiraiya and Akane's Inn
The smell of grilled meat and cheap sake wafted through the wooden inn, where Jiraiya sat cross-legged at a low table, a large gourd of sake in one hand while his other scribbled notes into his infamous "research" journal. Across from him, Akane tapped her fingers impatiently against the table, her crimson hair tied back in a loose ponytail.
"Where the hell is Naruto?" Akane huffed. "We were supposed to plan our next move an hour ago."
Jiraiya shrugged, taking another swig of sake. "Relax, Akane-chan. The brat's probably off stuffing his face with ramen or causing some trouble. You know how he is."
As if on cue, the door slid open, and Naruto stepped inside, stretching his arms behind his head with a sheepish grin. "Yo! Sorry, I got a little distracted."
Akane narrowed her eyes. "You weren't eating, were you?"
Naruto chuckled, scratching the back of his head. "Nope! Just taking in the sights. You wouldn't believe how crazy this town is."
Jiraiya raised an eyebrow but didn't press further. "Well, since you're back, we need to get moving. I've heard rumors that Tsunade is in this town, and we need to find her before anyone else does."
Naruto grinned. "Then let's get started."
The Search Begins
Their search led them through the bustling nightlife of Tanzaku Town. Akane took the lead, questioning shopkeepers and travelers, while Jiraiya, predictably, "investigated" the bathhouses and gambling dens. Naruto followed behind, keeping his senses sharp for any signs of trouble.
Eventually, they found themselves outside a high-end gambling house. Jiraiya smirked. "If Tsunade's anywhere, it's here."
Naruto and Akane exchanged glances before following the old pervert inside.
The atmosphere was thick with the smell of sake and expensive perfumes. The sound of dice rolling and coins exchanging hands filled the air. And at the center of it all sat Tsunade Senju, a pile of empty sake bottles next to her and a mountain of gambling debt in front of her.
Akane exhaled. "Found her."
Jiraiya cracked his knuckles. "Now, let's have a chat."
Naruto, however, merely smirked, his thoughts already calculating how to best use this meeting to further his own plans.
The heavy scent of alcohol and the constant chime of gambling chips filled the air as Naruto, Akane, and Jiraiya stepped into the extravagant gambling house. At a table in the back, a blonde woman in a green haori leaned lazily on her arm, a deep scowl on her face.
Tsunade Senju.
Beside her, a petite woman with short black hair and a piglet in her arms—Shizune—sighed heavily as she counted a pile of losing bets.
Jiraiya smirked, stepping forward. "Yo, Tsunade. Long time no see."
Tsunade looked up, narrowed her amber eyes, and snorted. "Jiraiya. What the hell do you want?"
Jiraiya chuckled. "Is that any way to greet an old teammate? We came to talk."
Before he could continue, Naruto shoved past him, pointing an accusing finger at Tsunade. "You're Tsunade, huh?! The Legendary Sucker?! The woman who was supposed to be some big-time shinobi but just wastes her life gambling?!"
Akane groaned, rubbing her temples. "Naruto… tone it down."
Tsunade arched an eyebrow, eyeing Naruto with mild amusement. "Oh? And who's the brat with the big mouth?"
Naruto's eye twitched. "I'm Naruto Uzumaki! Future Hokage!"
Tsunade stared at him for a moment before bursting into laughter. "Hokage? You? A snot-nosed kid?" She shook her head. "Don't make me laugh."
Naruto clenched his fists. "What's so funny, you old hag?!"
Akane instantly stepped between them, putting a firm hand on Naruto's shoulder. "Oi, Naruto. Chill." She turned to Tsunade, her tone calm but firm. "You shouldn't underestimate him. He may be loud, but he's not weak."
Tsunade smirked, eyeing Akane curiously. "And who's this? The babysitter?"
Akane's eyes twitched. "I'm Akane Uzumaki. And I'm his twin sister."
Tsunade blinked. "Twins, huh? Didn't know Minato had two kids."
Naruto scowled, arms crossed. "Whatever! That doesn't matter. We came to bring you back to Konoha."
Tsunade took a long sip from her sake bottle before setting it down with a sigh. "And why would I go back to that village?"
Jiraiya stepped forward, serious now. "Because the village needs a Hokage. The Third is getting old, and Orochimaru is on the move."
Tsunade's gaze darkened slightly at the mention of Orochimaru, but she quickly hid it with another smirk. "Hokage, huh? That title is nothing but a fool's dream."
Naruto's temper flared again. "You—! What kind of shinobi disrespects the Hokage like that?!"
Tsunade smirked, eyes gleaming mischievously. "Tell you what, brat. If you can land a hit on me, I'll acknowledge you."
Naruto smirked. "Fine! Get ready to eat those words, Granny!"
Akane pinched the bridge of her nose. "Here we go…"
Tsunade stood casually in the middle of the empty gambling house courtyard, arms crossed, her expression filled with amusement. Across from her, Naruto cracked his knuckles, his eyes gleaming with determination.
Jiraiya and Shizune stood off to the side, watching the unfolding fight, while Akane remained tense, her arms crossed as she observed every movement. She wasn't worried about Naruto's abilities—he was skilled, trained in taijutsu by Mikoto Uchiha and proficient in wind techniques—but she was prepared to step in if things got out of hand.
Tsunade smirked. "You sure you wanna go through with this, brat? You'll be eating dirt in under a second."
Naruto grinned. "Talk all you want, Grandma. I'll land a hit on you, dattebayo!"
Tsunade sighed, cracking her knuckles. "Fine, but don't cry when you break a few bones."
The Battle Begins
Naruto was the first to move, vanishing from sight with a burst of speed. Tsunade's eyes barely had time to widen before Naruto reappeared above her, flipping mid-air and bringing his foot down in a powerful axe kick.
"Leaf Dragon Drop!"
Tsunade smirked and tilted her head slightly, the kick whiffing past her as she stepped to the side.
Fast for a genin, she thought, but she had seen faster.
Naruto landed and immediately spun into a sweeping kick aimed at her legs. Tsunade hopped over it effortlessly, but the moment her feet touched the ground, Naruto exhaled sharply.
"Wind Release: Gale Palm!"
A burst of wind erupted from his palm, propelling him forward like a missile. He twisted his body mid-air and unleashed a roundhouse kick aimed straight at Tsunade's head.
Tsunade raised an eyebrow, slightly impressed, before lazily raising a single finger.
BAM!
Naruto's kick connected with her finger and stopped instantly, a shockwave cracking the ground beneath them.
His eyes widened. "What the—?!"
Tsunade smirked. "That all you got?"
Before he could react, she flicked her finger forward, sending him flying back like a ragdoll. He crashed into the dirt, rolling to a stop, groaning as he pushed himself up.
Akane's fists clenched. "Naruto..."
Jiraiya let out a chuckle. "Welcome to fighting Tsunade."
Naruto's Counterattack
Naruto wiped some dirt off his cheek and grinned. "Okay... that was pretty cool. But I'm not done yet!"
Forming a half-ram seal, he inhaled sharply.
"Wind Release: Vacuum Wave!"
He spun mid-air, releasing a spiraling blade of compressed wind toward Tsunade. She narrowed her eyes and punched the ground, sending up a slab of earth that absorbed the attack.
Naruto used the dust cloud to close the distance, weaving through the debris before twisting into a flying knee strike aimed at her ribs.
Tsunade dodged again—but this time, Naruto was ready.
He planted his foot on the ground and pivoted sharply, delivering a powerful uppercut to her chin.
CRACK!
Tsunade's head snapped back slightly. Not much, but enough that her smirk faded for the first time. She wiped her lip, checking for blood.
"...Huh." She blinked at him. "That actually had some force behind it."
Naruto grinned. "Told you I'd land a hit!"
Tsunade smirked. "Yeah, yeah. But you're still not—"
She didn't get to finish.
Naruto was already moving, a spiraling orb of chakra forming in his palm.
"RASENGAN!"
Tsunade's eyes widened in genuine surprise. Minato's jutsu?!
The Turning Point
Tsunade barely had time to react. Naruto lunged forward, aiming the Rasengan at her torso.
Tsunade, instinctively, used her monster strength to swat his wrist away at the last second. The Rasengan veered off course, slamming into the ground beside them.
BOOM!
The sheer force of the explosion cracked the earth and sent debris flying. Naruto was thrown back from the shockwave, crashing hard against a boulder.
Blood trickled down his forehead. He coughed, struggling to push himself up, his vision spinning.
Akane's breath hitched. Her twin brother was hurt.
Something inside her snapped.
Akane's Overprotective Rage
Tsunade turned back toward Naruto, sighing. "Alright, brat. You proved your—"
CLANG!
A sword sliced through the air, stopping inches from Tsunade's throat.
Tsunade's eyes widened as she saw Akane standing before her, her katana gleaming under the moonlight, her stance deadly.
Her crimson hair flowed wildly, and her emerald eyes had shifted, the pupils slit like a fox's.
The air grew heavy with heat, the ground around her scorching.
Tsunade immediately sensed it. Kyūbi's chakra.
Akane's voice was ice-cold. "You hurt my little brother."
Tsunade frowned. "It was just a spar."
Akane's hands tightened on her hilt. "Then let's see how you handle a real fight."
Without another word, she lunged forward, blade engulfed in flames.
"Fire Release: Crimson Lotus Slash!"
Tsunade barely dodged, the fiery arc scorching the ground where she stood.
Jiraiya's face paled. "Oh, crap."
Shizune gasped. "Her chakra—!"
Tsunade, however, merely cracked her knuckles. "Well… this just got interesting."