In a concealed cave, Orochimaru removed the scroll from the carrier hawk's leg and casually released the bird back into the wild.
"The old man?" A dirty, unshaven Jiraiya yawned, looking a bit out of sorts. The constant battles between Konoha and Amegakure were taking their toll on the trio, leaving them exhausted.
Tsunade sat silently on a wooden log nearby, her face tired and drawn. Of the three, she was the most worn out. Not only did she have to fight, but she also had to treat the injured and concoct various potions and medicines. Given a rare moment of respite, all Tsunade wanted was some rest, far away from the village's affairs.
After all, the Third Hokage had made the ridiculous decision to put Danzo in charge of the front lines. Absolutely absurd.
What was wrong with using the Nara leader ? He has the intelligence, strategy, and experience needed for such a role. But no, they put Danzo in charge—a recipe for disaster.
Yet, despite her frustrations, the Third Hokage had appointed Danzo as the commander of the front lines.
"Hm?" Orochimaru's snake-like eyes narrowed as he read the scroll.
"What is it?" Jiraiya noticed the change in Orochimaru's expression and leaned closer, while Tsunade, though fatigued, opened her eyes and glanced over as well.
"Suna has declared war on Konoha. The Third Kazekage, leading a force of ninja, has invaded the Land of Fire." Orochimaru's lips curled into a playful smile as he tossed the scroll to the stunned Tsunade. "That kid you've taken a liking to is something else. Despite his age, he's already unlocked the Three-Tomoe Sharingan and managed to wipe out an entire squad of Jonin. His expertise in genjutsu allows him to control even seasoned Jonin. However, the old man thinks the boy is a bit too rebellious and wants you back to temper him."
In the eyes of the Third Hokage, Takuya's actions were seen as insubordination. The only saving grace was that Takuya showed no interest in siding with the Uchiha, nor did he entertain any thoughts of rejoining the clan. Thus, the Hokage had sent word to Tsunade, informing her not only of Suna's declaration of war but also of the directive for her to return to Konoha.
Upon her return, she was to take Takuya under her wing, hoping that through her mentorship, he would develop a stronger sense of loyalty to the village.
"What?" Jiraiya couldn't help but be shocked.
"Is it that kid, Yagami Takuya?" Jiraiya tried to grab the scroll, only to be met with Tsunade's fist. With a yelp of pain, Jiraiya was sent flying into the rocky wall, his body twitching before he slowly slid down to the ground.
Tsunade was in no mood for games. She was eager to see the scroll's contents, and anyone trying to interfere was just asking for trouble.
Pre-darkness Orochimaru was actually quite amiable. He would sometimes joke around with Jiraiya and Tsunade, but the tragic fate of Nawaki would later harden his heart, setting him on a darker path.
Tsunade examined the scroll, her face thoughtful. "I didn't expect that brat to grow so quickly. His Sharingan has already evolved to the Three-Tomoe stage, and his genjutsu is advanced enough to control Jonin. No wonder the old man is getting anxious."
"When do you plan on heading back?" Orochimaru leaned against the rocky wall, staring out at the rain that continued to pour outside the cave.
"As soon as possible." Tsunade didn't want Takuya getting too close to the Uchiha. If that happened, Kushina might have to sever ties with him altogether, a prospect Tsunade wasn't eager to see. She didn't want to witness Kushina's heartbreak.
Honestly, what's so special about that brat besides his good looks and talent? Why is he so attractive to girls? Kushina's such a fool. She could have chosen anyone, but she had to pick him.
"Take… Minato along… too…" came a weak voice from the ground. Jiraiya, still sprawled out from Tsunade's punch, slowly raised his hand.
Tsunade: "..."
Orochimaru: "..."
"I brought a friend along. I hope that's okay," Minato said apologetically, pulling a slightly nervous Nara Shikaku into the room.
"Takuya, it's been a while," Shikaku greeted.
"Come in, don't just stand there blocking the entrance. You're not strangers," Takuya replied, glancing outside but not seeing the rest of the Ino-Shika-Cho trio. It seemed Shikaku had come alone with Minato.
This generation of the Ino-Shika-Cho trio had started at the academy at the same time as Takuya and Minato, though they had been in different classes. Eventually, Takuya and Minato had skipped ahead.
"They didn't come. I ran into Minato at the market, and after chatting for a bit, I accepted his invitation to join you for dinner," Shikaku explained.
"Perfect timing. Go help Minato with the vegetables," Takuya said, casually pulling Shikaku inside and pushing him toward the kitchen.
"Wash… wash vegetables?" Shikaku hadn't expected that as a guest, he would be put to work washing vegetables.
Minato wasn't surprised in the least. He just chuckled. "That's Takuya's rule. We can have dinner together, but we all have to pitch in. I usually buy the ingredients, Takuya cooks, and Kushina and Mikoto handle the cleanup."
Whew, for a moment there, I thought every guest would have to do chores.
Shikaku breathed a sigh of relief, but his relief was short-lived. Washing vegetables turned out to be more of a hassle than he'd expected, and Minato had bought a lot of food. Even with the two of them working together, it was a daunting task—definitely not something Shikaku excelled at.
Sigh… Looking at Minato already hard at work, Shikaku let out a long sigh and reluctantly joined him in the kitchen.
Crash!
Barely two minutes after entering the kitchen, there was a loud crash, followed by Minato's exasperated voice. "You better get out. Letting you help was a mistake—you ruined everything I just washed!"
"Sorry, it wasn't on purpose," Shikaku said sheepishly as he backed out of the kitchen, thoroughly embarrassed.
"Ha ha ha…" Takuya doubled over in laughter. The idea of the esteemed heir of the Nara clan struggling to wash vegetables was too much. Shikaku looked more tense in the kitchen than he did during combat drills, his nerves on edge the whole time.
"Have a seat. Don't be so stiff. The more, the merrier," Takuya finally said after a good laugh. He invited Shikaku to sit down, handing him a bottle of water. "You've graduated, right?"
"Yeah, we just graduated. But with the war breaking out, the village is short on Jonin, so they haven't assigned us a sensei yet," Shikaku answered.
For legacy clans like the Ino-Shika-Cho trio, there was never any concern about finding a sensei. The village would always assign them a top-tier Jonin to guide them. It wasn't like other squads where they had to compete for the best mentors.
"You clan kids sure have it easy," Takuya remarked with a touch of envy.
Shikaku gave a wry smile. "From what I heard, the village was planning to have Lady Tsunade be your mentor, but you turned her down. Honestly, I should be the one envying you."
"Takuya, we're here!" Kushina's voice echoed as she burst in, dragging Mikoto behind her and carrying a box of snacks. She stopped short, noticing Shikaku sitting in the living room, and asked curiously, "Who's this?"
He looked familiar, but she couldn't quite place him.
The Nara clan was well-known in Konoha, but Kushina had never paid much attention to these things. She had seen Shikaku with his signature spiky ponytail at school but had never interacted with him. That's why his face was familiar, but she couldn't remember who he was.
"This is Nara Shikaku, one of our classmates from a different class," Takuya introduced him.
*****
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