Jiraiya might as well have written the words "need money" right across his forehead.
Even Naruto couldn't stand it anymore. He stepped forward and said,
"Pervy Sage, you're shameless! How can you ask your own disciple for money? (｡•ˇ‸ˇ•｡)"
"I'm not asking you for money. I'm just worried that at your young age, you might lose yourselves in the temptation of wealth!"
Jiraiya's face was perfectly serious.
To that, Shinju only had two words in reply:
"No money."
...
The next day.
The trio of master and disciples searched through every gambling den in town, but there was no sign of Tsunade.
Still, plenty of gamblers recognized her. When they heard the three were looking for Tsunade, they responded excitedly.
"Tell that lady to come gamble more often! Just yesterday, I won seven hundred thousand off her! It was like picking money off the ground! Hahaha…"
Jiraiya walked out of the den with black lines all over his face.
"That woman's luck is still as awful as ever," he muttered darkly.
"Does Tsunade-sama really lose money that often?" Shinju asked in confusion.
"Not just often," Jiraiya sighed. "To my memory… she's never won, not even once."
Shinju: "…"
There are actually people in the world with luck that bad?!
"If Tsunade-sama keeps losing like that, wouldn't she end up broke?" Naruto asked curiously.
Jiraiya nodded.
"She does. She's in debt all over the world. She even changes her appearance constantly just to avoid her creditors…"
"Forget it. No need to rush finding her. What do you two want for lunch today? My treat."
Jiraiya waved generously.
"Let's go eat yakiniku! We've been out training for so long, but haven't had a proper meal yet. (◔◡◔)" Naruto suggested.
Jiraiya nodded.
"Alright then. Today your sensei's treating you to barbecue!"
...
A small-town barbecue restaurant.
As the three of them lifted the shop's curtain and stepped inside, Shinju immediately spotted a familiar figure.
"It's Tsunade-sama!" he exclaimed, pointing at the blonde woman seated inside with her attendant.
What a coincidence! They had stumbled right into her.
It was exactly like the saying: comb the land in vain, then find it without effort!
Jiraiya and Tsunade narrowed their eyes at the same time, sizing each other up.
Before Tsunade could even say a word, Jiraiya strode straight over to her table, waved to the server and said,
"We'll sit here."
Tsunade's cheeks were flushed from drink, but she greeted him nonetheless.
"Long time no see, Jiraiya."
"Long time no see," he replied, pouring himself a glass of water and taking a small sip.
"You're looking after kids for the village now? Why are you out traveling with genin?"
Her gaze fell curiously on Shinju and Naruto.
"These two are my new disciples," Jiraiya explained.
"This one's Shinju, and that one's Naruto."
Tsunade narrowed her eyes slightly, studying the younger boy.
"Shinju? That name sounds familiar somehow…"
Her attendant Shizune, holding her little piglet, blinked in surprise.
"Shinju… you mean the kid who can use Wood Release?!"
"Yes," Jiraiya confirmed.
"Oh? And you actually took him as your disciple?" Tsunade's eyes lingered on Shinju, examining him closely.
At the same time, Shinju was studying her.
This Tsunade-sama was indeed just as Jiraiya had described—strikingly beautiful.
And quite… "well-endowed."
But Shinju was only appreciating in passing. He knew full well that this woman was already in her fifties, nowhere near as young and radiant as her appearance suggested.
"Red hair, huh. Is this boy from the Uzumaki clan too?" Tsunade asked casually, glancing back at him.
"That, I don't know," Jiraiya shook his head.
Then he turned serious.
"Do you know why I've come to find you?"
Tsunade took her eyes off Shinju, raised her cup for another drink, and replied,
"You've been wandering the nations writing your books. Must've just been coincidence you ran into me."
Then she smirked, teasing,
"Don't tell me you're here to confess to me again? (◔◡◔)"
At that, Shinju and Naruto exchanged a look.
Could it be that Jiraiya-sensei and Tsunade-sama… had some kind of past?
But judging from her tone, if Jiraiya had confessed back then, she most likely rejected him.
"If you want, I can buy a bouquet right now. (๑❛ᴗ❛๑)" Jiraiya said shamelessly.
Tsunade sighed.
"You really haven't changed—still thick-skinned as ever."
"Ahem!" Jiraiya cleared his throat, then finally pulled out the Third Hokage's decree from his pack.
"This time I came to inform you: return to the village, and succeed as Hokage."
The moment Tsunade heard that, she turned her head away with a scoff.
"I'm not being Hokage. Only idiots want that job!"
Naruto, who had always dreamed of becoming Hokage, immediately jumped up.
"Hey! You old hag, how dare you insult the Hokage like that?!"
"What would a little boy who's never seen war know?" Tsunade sneered, clearly dismissing him.
"You—damn old lady!!" Naruto shouted furiously.
Jiraiya quickly grabbed him.
"Naruto! Don't be rude to your elders."
Then he turned back to Tsunade, his tone heavy with emotion.
"You still can't let go, huh…"
Tsunade lowered her head, clutching her cup. No one knew what she was thinking.
From their expressions, Shinju guessed Tsunade-sama must have gone through something heartbreakingly painful.
After a long silence, she drained her cup in one gulp. Her voice trembled.
"How could I just let go so easily… If only I could see them once more… Nawaki, Dan…"
At that moment, Shinju curiously raised his hand.
"Tsunade-sama, those two people you want to see… are they already dead?"
His words stabbed into Tsunade's heart like a blade.
With a surge of anger, her palm pressed down and crushed the restaurant table flat.
Bang!
Smoke and dust billowed as she clenched her fist, glaring at Shinju.
"Kid, do you even know how to talk?! ┻╰（‵□′）╯"
Jiraiya immediately stepped in front of her, facing Shinju.
"Tsunade is just a little agitated. Don't hold it against her."
Shinju nodded.
"Oh."
Tsunade: ◝₍ᴑ̑ДO͝₎◞
Wait a minute—something's not right!
Wasn't she the one who was angry?!
Why was he protecting the kid?!
Could it be that Jiraiya thought the kid might do something… that could hurt her?!
That only made her even more annoyed.
"Hey, Jiraiya! What's that supposed to mean?! (ꐦ ಠ皿ಠ)"
"You're saying… I'm not as good as this little boy who can use Wood Release?! (▼ヘ▼#)"
Jiraiya quickly turned back to her with an apologetic expression.
"Well… you might really not be. ┐(´-｀)┌"
He was just being honest.
Shinju had developed in ninjutsu, taijutsu, and genjutsu all at once. On top of that, he had Wood Release and Sage Arts.
Even if he and Tsunade joined forces, they might not be able to beat him…
But to Tsunade, those words were like pouring oil onto fire.
"What did you just say?! That I'm weaker than this boy?!"
"Jiraiya, you've got some nerve looking down on me like that!" she roared furiously.
Then she rolled up her sleeves.
"Come on, boy! Let's settle this with a fight! ( ´^` )"
----------------
Pls Drop some Power Stones
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