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Not being able to save the Third Hokage was a regret, but the appearance of that mysterious ninja disrupted Naruto's plan.
The main character has changed, and so will the story. It seems the plot will take a new direction.
However, what is this ninja's true identity? They decided to bring the body back to Konoha for further investigation.
Shikamaru carried the ninja's corpse while Sakura supported Naruto. Although Sasuke wasn't in the best condition, he could still walk independently.
Together, they made their way back to the village. Returning to Konoha, they received the first news that the Hokage had died.
The Third Hokage was highly respected throughout the village, and his death plunged everyone into deep sorrow. However, the grief would only be temporary.
The shinobi of Konoha understood that the village, which the Hokage sacrificed his life to protect, could not afford to fall into despair.
The village quickly went on high alert, ensuring no other ninjas from rival villages would take advantage of the situation.
Another urgent matter was to appoint a Fifth Hokage swiftly. The Hokage not only needed to be powerful but also had to command respect.
Surprisingly, the selection of the Hokage wasn't entirely up to the villagers of Konoha. Instead, it largely depended on the two advisors appointed by the Daimyo.
Naruto wasn't happy with the Daimyo's interference in Konoha's internal affairs.
With the Third Hokage dead, Danzo held significant power within the village, and Naruto was concerned that he might be dragged into Danzo's "Root" organization.
So, when Jiraiya was tasked with finding Tsunade to become the Fifth Hokage, Naruto immediately insisted on going with him.
This way, he could avoid being caught up in Danzo's schemes and also have the chance to learn new jutsu from Jiraiya.
Another person who shared Naruto's concerns was Itachi Uchiha.
The Third Hokage had promised to protect Sasuke, but now, with the Hokage gone, Sasuke's safety was in jeopardy.
Danzo, who coveted the Sharingan, posed a significant threat to Sasuke, and no one knew this better than Itachi.
Thus, Itachi appeared in Konoha, and alongside him was Kisame Hoshigaki.
Naruto always thought Kisame's Samehada sword was somewhat wasted in his hands.
Although Kisame knew how to use it, his ninjutsu and chakra levels weren't outstanding, meaning he couldn't harness Samehada's full potential.
When the two appeared, Itachi took down Kakashi with a single move.
If Guy hadn't arrived in time, Kurenai and Asuma might have been killed as well. But Itachi's appearance was more of a warning.
After achieving his objective, he and Kisame retreated. Naruto and Jiraiya then set off on their mission to find Tsunade.
Itachi once again tried to confront Jiraiya and capture Naruto, but Naruto was fully aware that Itachi's true goal was to provoke Sasuke.
Itachi wanted to push Sasuke to unlock a stronger Sharingan mentally.
After successfully provoking Sasuke, Itachi broke free from Jiraiya's jutsu and escaped again.
Naruto had considered trying to take Samehada from Kisame, but given Itachi's overwhelming strength, he decided against it.
Itachi's sole interest was Sasuke, and once he had accomplished his goal, he disappeared.
Gai brought Sasuke back to Konoha to recover while Naruto and Jiraiya continued their search for Tsunade.
Along the way, Naruto began asking Jiraiya about the nature of wind-style chakra manipulation and tried to improve his understanding of other jutsu.
Jiraiya also mentioned the possibility of learning Sage Mode, though it would require travelling to Mount Myoboku for specialized training, something they couldn't do now.
The most direct way to find Tsunade was to visit gambling establishments, as she was notorious for her love of gambling and had earned the nickname "Legendary Sucker."
However, locating someone as elusive as Tsunade was no easy task, especially since Jiraiya was fond of frequenting pleasure districts.
Although he claimed it was for gathering information, his interests were also clearly involved.
This was frustrating for Naruto, who wasn't allowed in those places as a kid, not that it would do him any good even if he could go.
Days passed, and Jiraiya seemed to enjoy himself, but at least the places they visited provided useful information.
Naruto, meanwhile, focused on training and improving his jutsu. Even if he couldn't fully master wind-style manipulation, he worked to enhance his other techniques.
He'd ask for information about Tsunade at different gambling spots when he wasn't training.
Eventually, thanks to Tsunade's reputation and their persistent efforts, they received a reliable lead.
At the same time, someone else was also searching for Tsunade—Orochimaru.
Orochimaru had his agenda as the biggest antagonist among the Sannins and the one responsible for killing the Third Hokage.
He was a master of forbidden jutsu who would stop at nothing to achieve his goals, no matter how twisted.
Despite Naruto and Jiraiya's efforts to find Tsunade, Orochimaru managed to reach her first. By the time they arrived, all that was left were signs of a recent confrontation.
The next day's search yielded little success.
That evening, Jiraiya decided to try his luck at a bar, and there, he and Naruto stumbled upon Tsunade and her assistant, Shizune.
Naruto was curious about the only female member of the Sannin, granddaughter of the First Hokage, and the most renowned medical ninja in the world.
She was as tall as Jiraiya, yet she appeared youthful, her face flushed with a slight drunkenness, and her figure was... well, let's say it was hard not to notice.
Her demeanour was that of someone in her twenties. Had Jiraiya not already described her short temper and sharp personality, Naruto would have had difficulty believing this woman was one of the legendary Sannin.
Unlike Orochimaru, Tsunade and Jiraiya's reunion was much more amicable.
Though Jiraiya had once embarrassed himself by pursuing Tsunade in their younger years, their bond, forged through many battles and hardships, was undeniable.
Old friends meeting again was always a joyous occasion.
As the conversation deepened, Jiraiya and Naruto began to understand Orochimaru's purpose for seeking out Tsunade.
But judging by her conflicted expression, it was clear that Tsunade hadn't yet made up her mind. Otherwise, with her temperament, she might have already killed Orochimaru.
Orochimaru had offered to use the Reanimation Jutsu to bring back Tsunade's brother Nawaki and her lover Dan, the two most important people in her life whose deaths had devastated her.
Their loss had driven Tsunade to a life of gambling and drinking. She had even developed a fear of blood—an ironic condition for someone so strong and a symptom of the trauma she endured.
This showed just how deeply affected she was by their deaths. Orochimaru's resurrection offer gave Tsunade hope, but it came at a price.
His jutsu required living sacrifices, and once he restored his hands, he intended to continue his quest to destroy Konoha.
If Tsunade agreed, it would mean betraying everything she once stood for and aligning herself with Orochimaru.
The weight of this decision overwhelmed her, and it was no wonder she was so torn. But Jiraiya had even more important things to tell her this time.
"I came this time to ask you to return to the Leaf Village and take up the role of the Fifth Hokage. This is a unanimous decision by the village's higher-ups," Jiraiya said.
This news threw Tsunade into a mental conflict. Tsunade had once been a person who wholeheartedly protected the Leaf Village, but the blows she had suffered over the years had been too many.
After a brief inner struggle, she refused. Watching this, Naruto said, "The position of Hokage is the dream of many ninjas in the Leaf Village, including me."
"We all work hard to become Hokage, yet you look down on the title like this. I can't understand how the higher-ups would choose someone like you to become Hokage."
Tsunade turned to Jiraiya and asked, "Who is this brat? I don't like him already."
Jiraiya responded, "This is my new student, a talent not inferior to the Fourth Hokage. His name is Naruto Uzumaki."
Tsunade was familiar with Naruto's name, but she hadn't expected to meet him so soon.
She turned to Jiraiya and said, "The Fourth Hokage died protecting the village. My grandfather, the First Hokage, also died for the village, as did the Second Hokage and our teacher, the Third Hokage, Hiruzen."
"Losing money in gambling means nothing, but you only get one life."
Naruto, understanding Tsunade's pain, knew that the people close to her had all died protecting the village, leaving her with deep emotional scars.
He replied, "People can't live forever trapped in the shadows of the past. The previous Hokages chose to give their lives for their will and beliefs. That's something we should respect."
Tsunade raised her voice, "What do you know, brat? Let's settle this outside so I can see how great this so-called genius is."
Although Naruto didn't want to clash with Tsunade, he couldn't back down now.
Slamming his hand on the table, he retorted, "Fine, I'll see how strong one of the Legendary Sannin is, old lady!"
They headed out to the street. Tsunade raised a finger and said, "To deal with a mere genin, one finger is enough."
Naruto was furious at being underestimated like that. Jiraiya and Shizune, watching from the side, were speechless.
Although Naruto didn't believe he could be beaten with just one finger, he knew Tsunade was one of the Sannin, so he carefully created five shadow clones for added safety.
First, he attacked from different angles using shuriken, but Tsunade effortlessly dodged them, using just one finger with astonishing agility to counter every attack.
Then, Naruto's clones tried to attack her with taijutsu, but Tsunade easily knocked them back individually.
She had taken out all five clones in less than ten seconds, showing her unbelievable strength.
Naruto realized that the limited space prevented him from using large-scale jutsu, which could have damaged the surrounding buildings.
Still, even with prior knowledge of her strength, Tsunade's power was beyond imagination.
Naruto activated his Lightning Armor technique. As his chakra control improved, he had become more adept at using this technique.
Tsunade, seeing this, thought, "No wonder Jiraiya calls him a genius. This level of lightning release is already approaching the Raikage's."
"And he's just a kid! He might even surpass Minato one day. But this complicates things."
Now covered in lightning, Naruto created another shadow clone and began charging a Rasengan, dashing toward Tsunade at full speed.
Seeing the Rasengan, Tsunade was taken aback. "He can even use this move? Looks like one finger won't be enough."
Tsunade quickly formed hand seals, and her hands began to glow with chakra.
She caught Naruto's right hand, the one preparing the Rasengan, and struck his body with her other hand.
Despite her holding back and Naruto's protection by his lightning technique, the blow sent him flying several meters back.
Brushing off the dust on her clothes, Tsunade told Naruto, "I admit your talent, but I need time to think this over. I'll give you an answer in a week."
Coincidentally, a week was also the deadline for Tsunade's meeting with Orochimaru. It seemed a fierce battle with Orochimaru was inevitable.
Even though his hands were sealed, weakening his strength, with Kabuto at his side, it wouldn't be an easy fight. No one could predict how things would unfold.
Naruto and Tsunade clashed frequently over the next few days, their "duels" happening simultaneously. Naruto was eager to gain battle experience.
But the week passed quickly, and the day of Tsunade's meeting with Orochimaru arrived.
Early that morning, Tsunade had vanished. Shizune was found knocked out on the ground, and when they finally located Jiraiya, he wasn't in great shape either—it looked like Tsunade had drugged him.
Tsunade planned to face Orochimaru alone, incapacitating anyone who might interfere.
But in the end, Tsunade refused Orochimaru's offer. At heart, she was still a good person.
This led to a fierce battle with Orochimaru, and although Tsunade hadn't fought in a long time, she was still struck by Kabuto's medical scalpel during the fight.
Worse, her hemophobia rendered her unable to move. By the time Naruto and the others arrived, Tsunade was already paralyzed with fear, unlike her usual strong self.
Seeing Jiraiya arrive, Kabuto felt things were getting tricky. After all, Jiraiya was on the same level as Orochimaru.
But Orochimaru wasn't ready to give up, believing that even in their current state, he and Kabuto could still win.
Kabuto retreated to Orochimaru's side, undid the bandages on Orochimaru's hands, and began forming seals with Orochimaru's blood, summoning two giant snakes.
Jiraiya immediately began forming his seals, preparing to use the summoning technique.
However, because Tsunade's drug still affected him, he could only summon Gamakichi, making Orochimaru mock him as a fool.
Orochimaru realized that Jiraiya couldn't fight at full strength due to Tsunade's interference, which reassured him. If this was all Jiraiya could do, with Tsunade unable to fight, victory seemed within reach.
But Jiraiya wasn't done yet. He performed an Earth Release technique—Yomi Numa (Swamp of the Underworld).
Although the swamp wasn't deep enough to fully submerge the summoned snakes, it did restrict their movement, significantly reducing their threat.
Jiraiya and Orochimaru began battling on top of the snakes, with neither side gaining a clear advantage.
Just as Orochimaru expected, Kabuto proved himself a formidable fighter, on par with Kakashi.
Although Shizune was a skilled ninja, she couldn't keep up with Kabuto's strange and unpredictable attacks.
Before long, Kabuto used an Earth Release technique to ambush her from below, cutting her legs with his medical scalpel and immobilizing her.
Now, Kabuto turned his attention to Naruto. Although Naruto's abilities had previously been a little weaker than his own, Kabuto knew that Naruto had great potential.
If Naruto fought to the death, the outcome could be unpredictable. Even though the time since the Chunin Exams wasn't long, Kabuto wasn't sure of Naruto's current strength.
Tsunade, still sitting on the ground, watched as Shizune was defeated. She realized that now the only person left to rely on was Naruto.
Based on his Lightning Release technique, she believed Naruto could still hold his own in the battle, though her experience fighting Kabuto left her deeply worried for him.
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