98: Chapter 98 The Toad's Back View and the Lottery That Was Destined to WinDusk in Konoha always arrives slowly and reluctantly.
The orange-red light spread across the rooftop, like an overturned bucket of aged rust.
The red lanterns at the izakaya were lit.
It's a bit dazzling.
Tsunade sat in a corner with three empty wine bottles in front of her.
She wasn't drunk.
Or rather, she was desperately trying to get herself drunk, but her damn medical ninja constitution was working incredibly efficiently at that moment, breaking down the alcohol completely.
"You absolutely have to go?"
Tsunade gripped the wine glass, her knuckles turning slightly white.
The man sitting opposite me was eating a plate of grilled saury.
Her long, white hair was piled messily at the back of her head, and the word "oil" on her forehead protector was darkened by the smoke.
Jiraiya removed a fish bone and smacked his lips.
"Information from Amegakure has been cut off for a long time."
He didn't look up, picking through the fish with his chopsticks.
"The leader of Akatsuki is right there; someone has to go and confirm it."
"Why not send the Anbu?Or have Kakashi."
"Tsunade."
Jiraiya put down his chopsticks.
He looked up, and his eyes, which usually squinted and peeked into the women's bathhouse, were now as still as a stagnant pool.
"That's the Rinnegan."
Three words.
He left Tsunade speechless.
Those are the eyes of the legendary Sage of Six Paths.
If it's true, apart from Jiraiya, one of the Legendary Sannin, no one from Konoha could have brought back the information alive.
Even Jiraiya might not be able to come back alive.
The atmosphere was as heavy as if you were holding your breath underwater.
The sound of clattering footsteps came from outside the door, unrestrained, approaching from afar.
Tsunade was about to frown.
Whoosh!
The sliding door of the izakaya was rudely pulled open, and the afterglow of the setting sun pierced through the gloom inside the establishment like a sharp sword.
The blond boy stood in the light, his smile more dazzling than the setting sun, as if he couldn't understand the sadness in the air at all.
"Uncle!Two bowls of tonkotsu ramen, with garlic and chili!And a plate of edamame too!"
Naruto swaggered in, his gaze sweeping around the store.Then, as if he had just spotted the two people in the corner, an exaggerated look of surprise crossed his face.
"Oh!The perverted sage?And Granny Tsunade too?"
He strode over and plopped down in the empty seat between the two of them, acting as if he were one of them.
"Drinking in broad daylight, what a degenerate adult."
Naruto grabbed a bean from the table, squeezed one out, and popped it into his mouth.
It made a crunching sound when chewed.
Tsunade wasn't in the mood to scold him.
She glared at Naruto, trying to shoo him away, but Jiraiya held her hand down.
Jiraiya looked at Naruto.
This kid has grown taller.
My shoulders have broadened.
That silly look that was always on his face still seemed to be there, but there was something else in the depths of his eyes.
That's the kind of experience that comes from seeing blood and killing people.
"I heard you killed Kakuzu?"
Jiraiya poured a glass of wine and pushed it in front of Naruto, saying, "Although minors can't drink, I'll make an exception today."
Naruto didn't answer.
He fiddled with the edamame shells in his hand, a playful smile playing on his lips.
"Killing those old men who only know how to save money isn't very satisfying."
"But you, you lecherous immortal."
Naruto turned his head, his blue eyes staring intently at Jiraiya.
"You're going to Amegakure?"
Jiraiya's hand trembled slightly.
A few drops of wine spilled out.
"How did you know?" Tsunade turned her head sharply, her eyes gleaming.
"Don't be so nervous."
Naruto shrugged and pointed to his ear.
"I still have some informants in the village.And…"
He paused, his gaze falling on Jiraiya's face, a face etched with stories.
"Your expression is like you're going to your death."
Bang!
Tsunade slammed her hand on the table, making the wine bottles bounce around.
"Naruto!Shut up!"
"Let him speak."
Jiraiya laughed.
He picked up the glass of wine that Naruto hadn't drunk and downed it in one gulp.
"The kid has a keen eye for observation.That's right, I'm going to make a trip there."
"Alone?" Naruto asked.
"one person."
"You'll die."
Naruto's tone was unusually relaxed.
Tsunade's face turned deathly pale instantly.
She was about to lash out when she saw Naruto reach into his ninja tool pouch.
What was pulled out was neither a prank frog nor a trick toy.
It was a kunai.
But this kunai looks very strange.
The trident-shaped handle is wrapped with thick sealing incantations and engraved with several black tadpole-like characters.
Jiraiya's pupils suddenly contracted.
"This is..."
He's very familiar with this look.
That was Minato Namikaze's signature weapon.
Flying Thunder God Kunai.
"This is a failed attempt that I just messed around with."
Naruto casually tossed the kunai onto the table with a loud thud.
"I originally wanted to learn my dad's Flying Thunder God Technique, but I ended up doing a poor imitation.I can't use the Body Flicker Technique anymore, but it contains a lot of my chakra."
Naruto scratched his head, revealing a set of white teeth: "If you encounter danger, crush it, and I'll sense it.Although I might not be able to fly over to save you, at least I'll know which direction to go to collect your corpse!"
It was a seemingly carefree joke.
However, in the system's view, the kunai was flashing with a red light called [Forced Reverse Summoning - Anchor Point].
Jiraiya picked up the kunai.
It was heavy.
The above technique is very ingenious, even more complicated than Minato's.
When did this kid learn all this?
"Take it."
Naruto picked up another handful of edamame beans, "Consider it a talisman from your disciple to your master."
Jiraiya stroked the cold edge of the kunai.
a long time.
He grinned, revealing his big white teeth, and laughed heartily and freely.
"Very well!This immortal accepts it!"
He tucked the kunai into his robes and placed it close to his heart.
"It seems I'm really getting old; I actually have to rely on my apprentice's toys for courage."
Jiraiya stood up and casually putSeveral banknotes were slapped on the table.
"Keep the change."
He turned around, his wide red coat billowing behind him.
"Tsunade, you can drink the rest of the sake for me."
"Jiraiya!"
Tsunade suddenly stood up.
The chair fell to the ground with a loud thud.
She reached out to tug at his sleeve, but her hand froze in mid-air.
They can't be kept.
She knew better than anyone that once this man made up his mind about something, not even ten oxen could pull him back.
Let's take a gamble.
Jiraiya waved his hand with his back to her.
"I'm betting I'll die."
"Anyway, you always lose when you gamble."
"If I come back alive."
The voice paused for a moment.
It was as if he had swallowed something back.
"Never mind, we'll see when the time comes."
The sound of wooden clogs stepping on the floor gradually faded away.
Da, da, da.
Every step felt like stepping on Tsunade's heart.
Naruto remained seated.
He watched the figure disappear into the halo of light at the doorway.
The system panel flashed before his eyes.
[Key plot point detected: Jiraiya's determination.]
[Host involvement level: High.]
The Flying Thunder God mark has been activated.
Current target survival rate: 0%.
zero.
It's such a cold number.
"He'll come back, right?"
Tsunade's voice trembled.
She slumped into the chair, her hands, which were always full of strength, now trembling uncontrollably.
She pulled a crumpled lottery ticket from her pocket.
She bought it on a whim when she passed by the lottery shop.
I've never won before.
I've never even won the lowest prize.
"Who knows?"
Naruto picked up the half-finished glass of wine on the table, tilted his head back, and gulped it down.
The spicy liquid burned down my throat and into my stomach.
"However, Mother-in-law."
Naruto pointed to the lottery ticket.
"Can you take a look at the number?"
Tsunade was taken aback.
She mechanically looked down at the lottery ticket in her hand, then at the winning numbers scrolling on the television screen on the wall.
The first number matches.
The second one matches.
The third one.
All correct.
Special Prize.
In that instant, Tsunade felt as if all the blood in her body had frozen.
She won.
This is the biggest win I've ever had in my life.
Snap.
Tears fell onto the lottery ticket, blurring the string of black numbers.
"No..."
Tsunade covered her mouth and let out a suppressed whimper.
Winning means.
That idiot lost.
Naruto looked at the Hokage who was crying like a child in the izakaya.
Looking at the winning lottery ticket, soaked with tears.
[Ding!Extreme grief and a sense of fatalism detected.]
[Received 2000 units of [Despair] from Tsunade!]
Hearing the pleasant notification in his mind, Naruto offered no comfort.
He just silently chewed the edamame in his mouth, his eyes calm to the point of being cruel.
This is the seasoning he needs.
Let despair ferment first, and the final redemption will taste even better.
"system."
Naruto silently recited in his mind.
[exist.]
"Have you checked the reverse summoning technique on that kunai?"
[Check complete.The host can force a reverse channeling of the target at any time, if the host so desires.]
Naruto narrowed his eyes.
Looking out the window at the setting sun about to sink below the horizon.
The shadow is stretched to an infinite length.
It's like dragging the entire Leaf Village into darkness.
"Go on, you lecherous immortal."
Naruto stood up and placed the money under the empty plate.
There was no sadness on his face.
There is only one kind of calmness a hunter displays when watching the bait walk into the trap.
"Go and lure out that god named Payne."
"Your script is about dying in the rain."
Naruto pushed open the door and stepped into the night.
The wind lifted the corner of his clothes.
For a fleeting moment, his silhouette almost overlapped with Jiraiya's.
"But I am the director."
"There are no tragedies in my scripts."
only...
Perfect hope, exaggerated despair, and an even more perfect harvest.
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