...
Outside the Tanzaku Quarters, in a quiet forest.
Sunlight filtered through the dense leaves, casting dappled shadows on the moss-covered ground.
The occasional chirping of cicadas only served to deepen the serene silence.
Jiraiya leaned against a massive ancient tree, his arms crossed, his iconic white hair swaying gently in the breeze.
Gamakon squatted on a nearby branch, yawning out of sheer boredom. "I'm telling you, are you sure she'll come? That's Tsunade we're talking about; her whims are legendary. She might be so happy from a winning streak that she won't even bother with you."
"She'll come."
Jiraiya spoke with absolute certainty, his gaze fixed on the entrance to the woods. "If she's winning money, she'll think it's a bad omen. That'll make her even more restless."
Just as he finished speaking, the sound of hurried footsteps echoed through the trees.
Soon after, a familiar green figure appeared at the end of the path.
Tsunade walked briskly, her aura in full force. Wherever she passed, the fallen leaves on the ground were swept up by an invisible pressure.
Shizune followed closely behind, panting for breath. Tonton, clutched in her arms, was already rolling her eyes from the jolting run.
Seeing the white-haired figure under the tree, Tsunade came to a sudden halt.
The two stood ten meters apart, staring at each other in silence.
It felt as if time were flowing backward.
The smoke of the battlefield was gone, and the slaughter was forgotten. For a moment, it was like being back at the Konoha training grounds, three children fighting over bells.
Except, the man who always smiled coldly was no longer there.
"Yo, Tsunade."
Jiraiya was the first to break the silence. He raised a hand, flashing a smile he thought was dashing but Gamakon found utterly foolish. "Long time no see. You're still as... voluptuous as ever."
"BOOM!"
A massive boulder grazed Jiraiya's scalp and smashed into the ancient tree behind him, snapping the trunk—which was thick enough for two men to hug—clean in half.
"It seems your mouth is as foul as ever."
Tsunade retracted her fist. Her exquisite face held a trace of killing intent, yet the tension buried deep in her eyes quietly dissipated. "Why aren't you back in the village properly assisting that brat Minato? Did you get caught peeping in a women's bathhouse and decide to lie low here?"
"Hey, hey, is that really how you see me?"
Jiraiya exaggeratedly wiped non-existent cold sweat from his forehead, glancing at the shattered tree with lingering fear. "I just finished an S-rank top-secret mission. I was passing through and decided to visit an old friend."
"An S-rank mission?"
Tsunade raised an eyebrow, her sharp eyes scanning Jiraiya as if looking for signs of injury. "Another one of those suicidal jobs, I assume. Well? Are you still in one piece?"
"With this Sage on the job, success is guaranteed."
Jiraiya puffed out his chest before his expression turned slightly more serious. "However, things are indeed getting complicated. The shinobi world... is far from peaceful."
Tsunade fell silent.
Though she had left Konoha, it didn't mean she was oblivious to the state of the world. As the granddaughter of the First Hokage, political sensitivity was etched into her very bones.
"Shizune."
Tsunade gave the order without turning back. "Go scout the area. Don't let anyone get close."
"Yes, Tsunade-sama!"
Although Shizune was full of questions, she knew they had serious business to discuss. She hurried away to the distant path, cradling Tonton.
Once they were alone—save for one toad—Tsunade sat down on a rock. She pulled a bottle of sake from her robe and took a long swig.
"Spit it out. What's going on? For you to come looking for me specifically, it can't be a small matter."
Jiraiya walked over and, without ceremony, snatched the bottle from her and took a large gulp of his own.
The spicy liquid slid down his throat like a ball of fire.
"I went to the Rain Village."
Jiraiya wiped the corner of his mouth, his voice low. "I saw the three students I took in back then."
Tsunade's fingers tightened around the bottle, her knuckles turning white. "Nagato and the others?"
"Yeah."
Jiraiya nodded, his gaze drifting to the dappled leaves above. "They've changed. Yahiko... is dead. And Nagato's eyes... it seems they are being manipulated by something."
"The Rinnegan..." Tsunade whispered, her expression turning grim.
"There's more."
Jiraiya pointed to Gamakon on his head. "This guy discovered something even more interesting. A being named Black Zetsu, who has lived for a thousand years, has been manipulating Uchiha Madara and Uchiha Obito."
"Pfft!"
Tsunade spat out her sake, her eyes bulging as she stared at the purple toad. "Uchiha Madara? Has a donkey kicked you in the head? You actually believe a toad? Do you really think someone could manipulate Uchiha Madara?"
"I wish it were fake too."
Gamakon chose this moment to pipe up. He hopped onto the rock in front of Tsunade, standing with his hands behind his back like a little adult. "But unfortunately, Legendary Sucker—er, I mean, Princess Tsunade—the masked man's abilities are bizarre. And that Black Zetsu... tsk tsk. He's a Cunning Schemer far more terrifying than even Madara without his back covered."
Tsunade stared at Gamakon for a long while before suddenly extending a finger and poking his belly hard.
"This toad... why is he so annoying? Did he learn that from you?" She shot a sidelong glance at Jiraiya.
"It's natural, purely natural." Jiraiya laughed it off, quickly changing the subject. "In any case, the situation is very complex. Although Minato has stabilized things for now, I'm worried the Akatsuki will make a major move. And..."
Jiraiya paused, his gaze becoming exceptionally soft as he looked intently at Tsunade.
"And what?" Being stared at like that made Tsunade feel inexplicably uncomfortable.
"And, I wanted to see if you were doing okay."
Jiraiya dropped his playful facade, his voice raspy and sincere. "Orochimaru is gone. If anything happened to you too... I'd truly be all alone."
The forest went still.
The rustling of leaves in the wind became incredibly clear.
Tsunade was stunned.
She looked at her old friend, who was no longer young. Wrinkles lined his eyes, and his hair was beginning to gray at the temples.
In her memory, he was the idiot who always followed her around, getting beaten black and blue yet still grinning like a fool. Now, even he looked so weathered.
"Idiot."
After a long silence, Tsunade turned her head away to avoid his gaze, her voice thick with emotion. "What could happen to me? I'm Tsunade. Unless I allow it, even the God of Death won't be taking me."
She raised the bottle and took another deep swig, seemingly using the alcohol to mask the flicker of vulnerability in her eyes.
"You, on the other hand—wandering around at your age. Don't go dying in some random corner where no one can even collect your body."
"Haha, don't worry!"
Jiraiya burst into laughter, returning to his boisterous self. "This Sage is the man who will write a masterpiece for the ages! How could I die so easily? Until my book is finished, no one is taking my life!"
"Oh, right."
As if suddenly remembering something, Jiraiya pulled a crumpled banknote from his robe and handed it to Tsunade. "I made a little extra in the Rain Village. It's not much, but it's enough to treat you to a drink. I heard your luck hasn't been great lately?"
Tsunade looked at the money, which still bore traces of dirt.
She knew this wasn't just about money.
This was Jiraiya telling her that no matter what happened, no matter where she was, he would always appear before her just like this—travel-worn and dusty—to buy her a drink and listen to her complaints.
"Don't look down on me."
Tsunade snatched the money, a bold smile tugging at the corners of her mouth—the confidence and dominance belonging to Tsunade of the Sannin. "This isn't even enough to cover a tip. But... since you're being so sincere, I'll let you treat me tonight!"
"Shizune! Stop hiding! Let's go! We're having BBQ tonight! Someone else is paying!"
Tsunade stood up and strode out of the forest, her back looking carefree and resolute.
Jiraiya watched her leave, his smile gradually fading into a look of deep affection and protectiveness.
"Let's go, Gamakon."
Jiraiya patted the toad on his shoulder. "It looks like my wallet is going to take a heavy hit tonight."
"Let it. It was hush money from Nagato anyway," Gamakon grumbled. "But old man, that look in your eyes just now... tsk tsk. It was so sentimental it gave me goosebumps. Weren't you afraid she'd punch you?"
"If she really punched me, it would mean she cares about me."
Jiraiya started walking to catch up, leaving Gamakon speechless with disgust.
...
"Sizzle—"
The moment the pork belly touched the scorching iron plate, the fat burst with a joyful pop, releasing a cloud of white smoke mixed with the scent of charcoal.
"Boss! Five more plates of premium beef! The most expensive ones!"
Tsunade slammed the table with heroic bravado. The hand that had been throwing money away at the gambling table was now expertly wielding tongs, flipping the perfectly grilled meat.
Shizune sat to the side, Tonton already whimpering in her arms, lured by the scent of the meat.
She looked at her lady's 'turning grief into appetite' routine and could only sigh helplessly, feeding Tonton a piece of lettuce.
"Hey, Legendary Sucker."
A long tongue unceremoniously reached over the grill, precisely snagging a freshly cooked, glistening piece of beef.
Gamakon squatted by a sake bottle at the corner of the table, hissing from the heat while greedily swallowing the meat. "Are you planning to eat back everything you just won? Don't make the old pervert and me wash dishes to pay your debt later."
"Shut it, you bratty toad!"
Tsunade glared at him but didn't stop him from stealing food. Instead, she dumped another plate of raw meat onto the grill. "I'm in a good mood today, so what's a little money? Besides, didn't Jiraiya say he was treating?"
Sitting opposite her, Jiraiya raised his cup and gave a wry smile, feeling his wallet rapidly thinning.
"Yes, yes, you're the boss today."
Jiraiya filled Tsunade's cup, the clear liquid swirling inside. "But Tsunade, we haven't finished our conversation from earlier."
Tsunade's hand paused.
The bustling BBQ restaurant seemed to fall away, isolating the group at the table.
"There's nothing to talk about."
Tsunade stuffed a large piece of meat into her mouth, chewing forcefully as if trying to crush something. "I'm retired. Whatever happens in Konoha has nothing to do with me. That's for Sarutobi-sensei and that new brat to worry about."
"Minato is doing a good job."
Jiraiya sipped his wine, his gaze piercing through the lingering smoke to land on Tsunade's face—one that remained young but was etched with her history. "He's more brilliant than we imagined. Danzo's power has been stripped, and the stale air in the village is slowly clearing. The Konoha of today is full of life."
"Isn't that great then?"
Tsunade snorted and downed her drink in one go. "Since that kid is so capable, why does he need an old woman like me who's out here dodging debts? Do I go back just to be a mascot for those geezers?"
"You know what I'm talking about."
Jiraiya set down his cup, discarding his usual playful grin. He leaned forward slightly, his eyes fixed on Tsunade with rare earnestness. "The village has just endured a great war. We won, but the casualties were heavy. Specifically, the shortage of medical ninjas... it's severe."
"So what?" Tsunade's voice turned cold.
"Many children who could have been saved died on stretchers because treatment didn't come in time."
Jiraiya's voice was full of lament. "The current level of the Medical Corps can't handle complex post-war trauma. They're stuck using the most primitive methods, essentially throwing lives at the problem."
"Enough!"
Tsunade slammed her cup onto the table. The sharp bang caused patrons at the surrounding tables to turn and stare.
Shizune flinched, instinctively hugging Tonton tighter.
"Jiraiya, do you think I've actually become good-tempered?"
Tsunade kept her head down, her blonde bangs obscuring her eyes. Her expression was hidden, but her knuckles were white from gripping the edge of the table. "I said I'm not going back. That village... only takes away the things I cherish."
Her brother, Nawaki.
Her lover, Dan Kato.
Gory images surged up from the depths of her memory at Jiraiya's words, carrying the nauseating scent of blood.
Tsunade's breathing became ragged. She subconsciously glanced at her hands.
Though they were clean, save for the grease from the BBQ, in her eyes, a warm, viscous red liquid seemed to be dripping from between her fingers.
"Drip."
The phantom sound of blood made her face turn deathly pale in an instant.
"Hemophobia..."
An abrupt voice shattered the suffocating tension.
Gamakon slowly licked the sauce from the corner of his mouth. His horizontal pupils held no pity, only a cold, scrutinizing gaze. "To put it simply, it's a psychological illness. Or what you humans call... Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)."
"What would a toad like you know!" Shizune couldn't help but defend her. "Tsunade-sama, she..."
"She what?"
Gamakon cut her off, hopping onto the center of the table to stare directly into Tsunade's trembling eyes. "Because you've seen too many dead people, because you couldn't save the ones you loved most, you've started fearing blood? You think that as long as you don't touch blood or medical ninjutsu, those pains won't catch up to you?"
"Shut up..." Tsunade's voice shook.
"Escapism is shameful, but it works. But Tsunade-hime, can you really escape?"
Gamakon pointed toward the door. "You drag Shizune across the world gambling, earning the title of Legendary Sucker. Is it really because of bad luck? Or are you just using that thrill to numb yourself so you don't have time to think about the dead?"
"I told you to shut up!"
Tsunade snapped her head up, her eyes bloodshot. A terrifying surge of chakra erupted from her, making the iron table groan under the strain.
"Don't be in such a hurry to kill me; let me finish."
Facing the fury of a Sannin, Gamakon didn't even blink. He remained squatting there with composed indifference. "Hemophobia is tricky to treat, but it's also quite simple. A sickness of the heart requires medicine for the heart, but you have to find the catalyst yourself."
...
Jiraiya held his breath, fearing Tsunade would punch this sharp-tongued toad into paste—and him along with it.
Just then, the specialized kunai Minato had given him showed signs of movement.