Suddenly, there was a knock on the door, and Tsunade jumped up. "Act normally," she said, turning to Hiro, her expression shifting to one of composure.
Hiro raised an eyebrow but quickly adjusted his demeanor, trying to look casual as he leaned against the wall.
"Come in!" Tsunade called, smoothing her hair back and attempting to appear relaxed.
The door creaked open, revealing Shizune, her face filled with curiosity. "Tsunade-sama, I just wanted to check on you. I heard you were back."
"Oh, hey, Shizune!" Tsunade replied, forcing a bright smile. "I was just… resting. You know how tiring it can be to deal with everything."
Shizune narrowed her eyes slightly, unconvinced. "Uh-huh. And what's he doing here?" She gestured to Hiro, who gave her a friendly wave.
"Hiro was just keeping me company," Tsunade said quickly. "Nothing to worry about."
Shizune studied them for a moment, then nodded slowly. "Okay, just making sure. master jiraiya had came he told me to infrom you that he and naruto will meet at neaby mountain during night!"
"Ok," Tsunade said. "We'll be there."
As Shizune left, Tsunade let out a sigh of relief. "That was close."
Hiro chuckled, easing the tension. "You're a terrible liar."
Tsunade shot him a playful glare. "At least I tried. You can't expect me to just announce we're having a moment."
Hiro stepped closer, a teasing smile on his face. "Well, maybe next time you should prepare a better cover story."
"Maybe I should," Tsunade replied.
As night fell, Tsunade and Hiro made their way toward the mountain where they were supposed to meet Naruto and Jiraiya.
Upon arriving, they found Naruto already there, his expression a mix of determination and excitement. He glared at Tsunade, hands on his hips.
"You old grandma! Just watch me! After I show you the Rasengan, you'll lose the bet and have to apologize to the Hokages and come with me to take the Fifth Hokage position!" he shouted, his voice echoing in the quiet night.
"Oyy, brat! Don't get full of yourself!" Tsunade shot back, crossing her arms. "There was never anything about apologizing in the bet!"
Naruto grinned, unfazed. "Doesn't matter! Once I show you this, you won't have a choice!"
"Alright, alright, let's see this Rasengan then," Tsunade said, rolling her eyes but unable to hide her smile.
"Show me what you've got!"
With a newfound confidence, Naruto stepped back, focusing his chakra. He could feel the energy swirling within him, a familiar sensation that drove him forward. "Here goes nothing!" he shouted.
He thrust his hand forward, and the Rasengan began to form—a bright ball of swirling chakra. "Rasengan!" he yelled, unleashing the technique with all his might.
The sphere of energy pulsed brightly, hitting a nearby rock and exploding with a dazzling flash. Dust and debris flew into the air, momentarily obscuring the scene.
As the dust settled, Naruto stood there panting, a triumphant grin on his face. "Did you see that?! I did it!" he exclaimed, pride shining in his eyes.
Tsunade crossed her arms, her expression unreadable for a moment before breaking into a smile. "Not bad, kid. You've got the basics down."
Jiraiya watched with a smile, but his expression shifted to one of caution as he glanced at Hiro beside Tsunade.
Clearing his throat, he asked, "Tsunade, have you introduced your friend here?"
Tsunade quickly straightened up. "Oh, this is Hiro. He's just a friend."
"Do you have a problem with that?" she shot back, glaring at Jiraiya, which made him quickly shut his mouth.
Jiraiya raised his hands in mock surrender. "No problem at all. Just looking out for you, that's all."
Tsunade turned her attention back to Naruto. "And since this brat won the bet, we'll head back to the village tomorrow. I'll take the position of Fifth Hokage."
Naruto pumped his fist in the air. "Yes! I can't wait to see everyone's faces when they find out!"
Jiraiya chuckled, a hint of pride in his voice. "Just make sure you keep up the training, Naruto. You've got potential."
"Yeah! I'll become Hokage someday!" Naruto declared, his enthusiasm infectious.
...
"How's it going, Kabuto?"
"Did you deliver the news to Itachi?"
Kabuto nodded, his brow furrowed. "Yes, I spoke with him. He seemed... surprised, actually. I don't think he was aware of the existence of the unknown Uchiha."
Orochimaru raised an eyebrow, intrigued. "Surprised? That's interesting. What else did he say?"
"He did not say anything just left after i told him about this and the location"
Orochimaru looked at the cealing "then get ready tommarow will be the day"he muttured
Orochimaru gazed at the ceiling, a thoughtful expression crossing his face. "Then get ready. Tomorrow will be the day," he murmured.
Kabuto shifted, his tone becoming more serious. "And Jiraiya is with them."
Orochimaru sighed, irritation flickering in his eyes. "Oh, Jiraiya... That will make things harder. His presence complicates our plans."
"What's the strategy?" Kabuto asked, eager for direction.
Orochimaru smirked, a glint of cunning in his eyes. "We'll need to create a distraction. If we can draw Jiraiya away."
Kabuto nodded, formulating a plan in his mind. "Understood. I'll work on something that can divert Jiraiya's attention."
"Good." Orochimaru said, his voice low.
Kabuto felt a shiver of excitement. "I'll make the preparations."
Orochimaru waved him off. "Do it swiftly. We don't have time to waste."
...
The next morning, Tsunade and Shizune were getting ready to leave.
"Hiro, is there a reason you're not coming with me?" Tsunade asked, her gaze searching his.
He looked at her beautiful face, feeling a mix of emotions. "It's not that I don't want to go back to the Hidden Leaf Village. I just don't think it's the right time," he replied, carefully choosing his words.
He couldn't tell her directly that Mikoto and Pakura were waiting for him. It wasn't the right moment to bring that up.
Tsunade studied him for a moment, her expression shifting. "Are you going back to that vixen?" she asked, a hint of jelousy in her tone as she recalled the day he returned with love bites all over his neck.