20 Chapters!?
Geez, it feels like it was only yesterday when I first started this story and now I'm nearly three arcs done with this story! Man I'm proud of myself! XD
BUT
Before I pat myself on the back too much, let's get started with the ending of the Search for Tsunade arc! ^_^
The scene shifted to the outskirts of the town where Naruto and Co. encountered Itachi and Kisame.
"Hey Sarada….you've been more silent than normal….you okay?" Boruto asked with his teammate in question sighing before turning to her friends with a sad smile.
"I'm fine…it's just…seeing my dad get trampled onto like that and mentally tortured…..it's just…too much….not to mention his screams…." As Sarada gulped, both boys put hands on her shoulders.
"We understand a hundred percent….seeing your dad who you idolize in such a vulnerable state is quite a bit to swallow…." Boruto gave Sarada a sad smile, remembering his surprise at the vulnerable state Naruto was in Momoshiki's dimension.
"Look at it like this, if Itachi isn't around anymore, that probably means Master Sasuke handled him." Mitsuki offered.
"That's right. And not to mention, Uncle Sasuke is leagues stronger now so I know he handed him his ass!" Boruto grinned, reassuringly.
"Thanks guys… "Sarada gave a small smile, feeling at least somewhat better.
"I just…never thought I'd be related to such a monster….how can my uncle kill his own clan…all those innocent children as well as my grandparents and torture my brother so…coolly?" Sarada asked with Boruto stumped on how to answer her.
"Well look at it like this, my "father" is one of the most notorious criminals in Leaf Village history so I can understand how you feel. After all, the sins of a parent or family member does not and should not lay on the shoulders of a child. Especially one like you with nothing but a good track record." Mitsuki slapped Sarada's back with Boruto slapping Sarada's other shoulder.
"Even if you are an egghead!" Boruto grinned with the familiar smile finding its way across Sarada's lips.
"Thanks guys! You're right. After all, I can only wonder what Papa's thinking. So thank you and I'm glad you two are here with me." Sarada beamed with both boys smiling back at the Uchiha.
"Now and forever." Mitsuki promised with the voice of Jiraiya snapping them back to the memory.
"Alright Guy, we'll leave Sasuke in your hands." Jiraiya instructed the Jonin who noticed the near pleading look in Naruto's eyes as if to tell Guy to guard Sasuke with his life who caught onto this as Guy smiled reassuringly at the two.
"Master Jiraiya, find Lady Tsunade and bring her back to us." Guy said as if giving the two of them an ultimatum as Naruto pumped his fist.
"Don't worry, you can count on us! We'll have her back to the village in no time!" Naruto vowed in a voice full of reassurance that slightly took Guy back as he was no doubt reminded of Rock Lee.
"Heh, nothing impresses me more than guts, Naruto. Now let me give you something that Lee got stronger with!" Guy smirked before pulling something familiar out of his pocket.
"Oh my god!" Sarada face-palmed with Boruto chuckling nervously while Mitsuki genuinely laughed as it was revealed Guy's gift to Naruto was the same bodysuit that both Guy and Lee wore with pride.
Naruto had sparkles in his eyes while Jiraiya looked nothing short of disgusted.
"It's breathable, retains moisture and offers the complete gift of freedom all in one sweet package. If you wear it while training, your results will only improve. They really grow on you and soon you'll be wearing it like Lee!" Guy winked as that was more than enough to win over Naruto.
"Please no." Sarada rolled her eyes.
"And he was just as weirded out as you were at the thought of those jumpsuits when he first met Master Lee. I wonder what changed?" Mitsuki wondered.
"Hmm….probably after seeing what Uncle Lee did to Uncle Gaara." Boruto theorized as Jiraiya's look of disgust only deepened as both parties departed for their mutual locations.
"Pretty cool, huh?" Naruto grinned as Jiraiya just looked at Naruto as if he turned into a miniature version of the Nine Tails.
"Don't even think about it. I mean look at him, now that is goofy." Jiraiya practically cringed as Naruto grinned before pocketing his new bodysuit and followed after Jiraiya on their quest to find Tsunade.
As the two walked, Naruto looked deep in thought, no doubt thinking about Itachi and Kisame.
Jiraiya noticed this and stopped.
"What's up?" Jiraiya turned to Naruto who sighed.
"So Pervy Sage, what exactly do those guys want with me, anyways? I mean you know, don't you?" Naruo asked the Sannin who looked for the right way to explain things to Naruto.
"Don't get the wrong idea. It's not you they want but what's inside of you." Jiraiya answered Naruto as that didn't seem to fully satisfy Naruto's question as his hand went to his stomach or more precisely his tetregram seal.
"What the hell is this thing anyways? Some horrible demon that terrorized the Leaf Village and that's why everyone is afraid of it, right? So why do those guys want it so badly?" Naruto clenched his stomach.
"The Nine Tailed Fox has appeared in times of consequence, all throughout the ages, a ghastly spirit destroying all that lays in its path. As powerful as any act of nature, men trembled before it." Jiraiya began his explanation while closing his eyes as if remembering something from ancient folklore.
"So that's how the Nine Tails came from?" Boruto asked.
"And then that Madara jerk made things worse." Sarada's eyes darkened as Jiraiya continued.
"As for what they would want with that malicious power, that's a hard question to answer. I suppose with all that power sealed up within you, they desire to control and bend it to their will. It's a bitter pill to swallow knowing they're after you but not to worry, you have me around!" Jiraiya winked with reassurance as Naruto grinned.
"Right! I'll just have to hurry up and get stronger so let's hurry up and find this Tsunade lady so she can heal Sasuke up and we can get to business!" Naruto pumped with everyone smiling their agreement.
"I can't wait to see Lady Tsunade's appearance!" Sarada beamed as she had never met Tsunade in person so hopefully these memories could shed some light on how Tsunade is.
"Same! Although I have a feeling it came with some bumps in the road…" Boruto said as Naruto and Jiraiya continued trekking on.
"Hey, so this beautiful lady you have us scouting out for, is she the Tsunade you mentioned?" Naruto asked Jiraiya.
"Heh, not bad kid. You're pretty sharp so what's on your mind than?" Jiraiya pondered.
"Well you said she was one of the three Legendary Sannin, right? The same as you, right?" Naruto asked with Jiraiya raising an eyebrow.
"That's right so what's your point?" Jiraiya asked.
"How old is she?" Naruto asked.
"Why would he ask that!?" Sarada nearly fell back at Naruto's bluntless.
"That's him." Mitsuki shrugged.
"Same age as me." Jiraiya pointed his thumb at himself as Naruto grimaced before shaking his head.
"So what's this Tsunade lady like anyways?" Naruto questioned.
"Ah curious are you?" Jiraiya turned to Naruto with a bemused expression before looking to the sky with a fond smile.
"Well for one, she's kind of unpleasant plus there is the fact she's known far and wide as a diehard gambler." Jiraiya started.
"A gambler?" Sarada cocked an eyebrow while turning to Boruto.
"She didn't do anything like that when I met her." Boruto threw his hands up.
"Great! This should be easy if she's as famous as all that?" Naruto thought this search would be a piece of cake.
"Oh she's famous, all right. You could even say legendary. She's called The Legendary Sucker." Jiraiya smirked much to Naruto and Team Konohamaru's confusion.
"….The Legendary Sucker?" Boruto, Sarada and Naruto all tilted their heads.
"What kind of name is that?" Sarada was utterly lost as Jiraiya continued.
"But as legendary of a sucker as she may be, I doubt she'll be that easy to find." Jiraiya added much to Naruto's confusion.
"What makes you say that?" Naruto asked the Sannin.
"She's not the type to age gracefully and is most likely using some kind of jutsu to mask her appearance. She's actually fifty years old but she probably looks like she did when she was in her twenties." Jiraiya explained much to the amazement of everyone listening.
"Oh?" Boruto remembered Naruto mentioning something akin to that as a twinkle slightly appeared in Sarada's eyes.
"Interested?" Mitsuki teased Sarada who grinned.
"Yes!" Sarada nodded her head with fervor.
"The word I hear as of late is that she started transforming on the fly, going from her teens to her thirties and forties all to avoid any trouble with any lendor." Jiraiya explained.
"Whoa, definitely sounds like a charmer." Naruto scoffed making Jiraiya chuckle.
"Yeah well she always loved gambling more than anything and it's too bad she never had any luck or skill in that area. She was such a sucker but then she would just borrow money and just skip out on her debts. It sure takes me back." Jiraiya bemusingly shook his head.
"Wow…I wonder if she's paid off all her debts by now." Sarada mused.
"C'mon, do you even have a plan to find her?" Naruto tilted his head.
"Not exactly but you and I will come up with something. Until then every moment will be dedicated to you so time to train!" Jiraiya grinned at Naruto who was hyped up.
"Alright then!" Naruto grinned before pulling out Guy's bodysuit much to Jiraiya's horror.
"Wait, wait, wait! I'm not being seen with you in that thing!" Jiraiya cringed as Team Konohamaru laughed.
"Never change." Mitsuki laughed before the two made themselves into a nearby town where a festival was going on.
"Whoa! This town is so lively." Sarada smiled.
"After what happened, the two deserve to have some down time." Mitsuki noted.
"Ah man this is gonna be great! I've never seen anything like this before in my life!" Naruto marveled at the festival as Jiraiya smiled at Naruto's enthusiasm.
"Downtime is important so have some fun before we start your training. This festival will be going on for a while so we'll hunker down here in the meantime." Jiraiya said.
"Makes a lot of sense." Boruto nodded as Naruto pulled out his very fat frog wallet much to Jiraiya's amazement.
"Whoa baby, that is one fat frog, you've got! You're filthy rich!" Jiraiya remarked, utterly amazed that a kid knew how to save so much money as Naruto snickered in pride.
"Well I've been saving up from my missions!" Naruto beamed.
"And here I thought he blew his money on ramen." Mitsuki teased.
"Just how a certain someone blows his on trading cards." Sarada sent Boruto a teasing look who laughed in response.
Just as Naruto was about to take his money and jet before Jiraiya stopped Naruto.
"Hold on, Naruto!" Jiraiya called out to Naruto before taking his wallet.
"Hey, what're you doing!?" Naruto tried reaching out for his wallet as Jiraiya held it upwards from Naruto's reach.
"Here, you can have this much to spend." Jiraiya hands Naruto only a tiny part of his savings.
"What!? Only two hundred!?" Naruto couldn't believe he was given only a small percentage of his earnings.
"Hey what gives?" Sarada didn't like Jiraiya just taking Naruto's money like it was his own.
"Yeah that's not cool." Boruto shared Sarada's feelings of disapproval as Jiraiya wasn't having it.
"I don't wanna hear it! Honoring the Three Shinobi's Prohibitions is the duty of all upstanding ninja!" Jiraiya sternly reminded the young boy.
"Wait, I remember Grandma and Grandpa mentioning something like that…" Boruto's eyes suddenly became downcast.
"These should be good." Sarada snorted having a feeling that these coming from Jiraiya wasn't anything good as Jiraiya believe how oblivious Naruto was.
"The Three Prohibitions? What's that?" Naruto tilted his head.
"You're kidding. Don't you know? They're a trio of temptations that will bring a Shinobi to his ruin-those being alcohol, pretty women and most of all, money." Jiraiya tilted his finger in a matter of fact way.
"Huh?" Boruto was just as lost as Naruto looked.
"With how lustful and wasteful some Shinobi are, that actually makes sense." Mitsuki found himself agreeing with Jiraiya.
"Yeah well none of those things really apply to me. I'm underage so I can't drink yet, I don't really get the whole woman thing and I worked hard to get my money so I don't feel like spending much of it." Naruto shrugged as that was enough to set off Jiraiya.
"You little fool! Don't take money lightly! Once you start spending, you'll never stop!" Jiraiya yelled almost as if speaking from personal experience before composing himself, "Money possesses a frightening power and the woman we're looking for has ruined herself because of it."
"Huh….with how different some people were in the past, I wonder how different Lady Tsunade was." Sarada put a finger to her chin in thought.
"Big talk for someone addicted to the ladies." Naruto huffed as Jiraiya decided to get down to business.
"I'm going to see if I can find some information so take my bag. If you get lost, use my tracker toad and it can sniff out my scent." Jiraiya threw Naruto his bag who stuck his tongue at the Sannin before making his leave.
Feeling his stomach start to growl, Naruto happily helped himself to the concession stands and games available.
However Naruto decided to get two squids on a stick at one of the stands, one for him and one for Jiraiya.
"That's sweet." Sarada felt herself getting teary eyed.
"But where is that old fart?" Boruto wondered as a familiar laugh came from a tent flap.
"I guess that's our answer." Mitsuki said as Naruto opened it to find two things; Jiraiya surrounded by what looked like hookers and more tragically, his wallet was as flat as a pancake.
"What in the hell?"Sarada couldn't believe that Jiraiya was so careless to use all of Naruto's money and not leave him any.
"Okay I hope dad lets him have it." Boruto shook his head in disgust.
"Oh hey Naruto." Jiraiya drunkingly greeted his student as Naruto looked at his flat wallet in silent horror before getting an adrenaline rush of anger.
"I need a refresher! What were those prohibitions again!? You're breaking all three in one go you dirty!" Naruto got right in Jiraiya's face.
"Wait, Naruto!" Jiraiya tried calming Naruto down who only got even more lit up as he jumped on him before smacking him with the squid.
"Wait, schmait! I can't believe you squandered all my hard earned savings! Look at my wallet, it's flat as a pancake!" Naruto continued wailing on Jiraiya, not paying attention to the point where one actually fell out of his hand and hit someone coming inside the tent along with two other men.
"Hey watch it! That's the boss' suit you just ruined you little brat!" One man with a black suit snapped at Naruto as it was shown the thrown squid left a thick mark on the boss' white suit.
"Oh…" Sarada began.
"Crap…" Boruto finished.
"You're paying for that 100,000 large!" The man snapped at Naruto who couldn't believe his ears as Jiraiya smirked.
"Hmph, that's a stretch fellas. You're telling me that monkey suit costs 100,000?" Jiraiya chuckled, calling them on their bluff as that seemed to set off the gentlemen even more.
"You'll shut your mouth if you know what's good for you, old man." The boss snapped at Jiraiya.
"The boss used to be a Chunin from the Village of the Hidden Stones. The dark lord feared across the land." The lackey tried threatening Jiraiya.
"Oh, so scary?" Sarada rolled her eyes as Jiraiya was even more unthreatened.
"Oh? This I've got to see." Jiraiya smirked as that was enough to set off the three thugs as thy charged Jiraiya.
"Stand back, Naruto. I've got a new jutsu to show you." Jiraiya smirked as a certain spherical jutsu formed in Jiraiya's hands much to Team Konohamaru's realization.
"Wait, that's the-"Sarada gasped out as Jiraiya slammed the Rasengan into the boss' chest, sending the three flying out of the tent into a nearby stand.
"That was the Rasengan!" Boruto remarked in amazement as they ran out to where the three men flew into.
"This must be when Lord Seventh learns the Rasengan." Mitsuki mused.
"Alright, we finally get to see it!" Boruto grinned in excitement as the gang leader tilted his head up as he realized just who he was dealing with.
"Wait…you're the Legendary….Here…this…should cover the stand…." The gang leader weakly handed Jiraiya his wallet before he was out like a light.
"Now he wants to kiss ass." Boruto snorted.
"I wonder if he killed him." Sarada blinked.
"Who cares?" Boruto shrugged as Jiraiya turned to the owner of the stand.
"Sorry about that, I guess we messed your stand up. But this should cover it so could I buy everything including water balloons?" Jiraiya asked the owner who blinked at such a bizarre request.
Naruto on the other hand just stared at the spiral shaped hole in the gangster's chest.
Jiraiya then gestured for Naruto to follow him into a nearby forest as it was time to finally get down to business.
"Here take this." Jiraiya threw Naruto a water balloon.
"Wait, what is this for?" Naruto didn't know the point as Boruto cringed almost as if remembering something terrible.
"Well, you saw the jutsu I performed, right? How would you describe it?" Jiraiya asked with Naruto blinking.
"You sent that guy spinning like a pinwheel." Naruto straight-forwardly answered with Jiraiya smiling before putting a balloon in his own hand before it burst much to Naruto's amazement.
"You see, with the tree climbing exercise you learn to gather chakra while you release chakra with the water walking exercise, both of which you've mastered. And with this, you'll learn to properly stream chakra with these balloons." Jiraiya explained with Naruto narrowing his eyes in utter confusion.
"Huh….so basically I create a stream of chakra." Naruto said in an unsure voice.
"Don't worry, I'll walk you through the basics. First, gather the chakra in your hand and gather it before streaming and releasing it." Jiraiya said with Naruto finally seeming to get it.
"Oh I see now! Basically you try to pop the balloon by spinning the water inside and trying to pop it!" Naruto grinned with Jiraiya smacking his back.
"Attaboy! We'll stay out here til the cows come home!" Jiraiya smiled.
"Yes sir!" Naruto pumped his fist.
"Right, didn't you do something similar?" Sarada turned to Boruto who sighed.
"Yeah but it was a huge pain in the ass. Not to mention I couldn't understand Big Bro Konohamaru's "this and that". And all those balloons were so annoying." Boruto groaned as Mitsuki chuckled.
"Well let's just hope Lord Seventh has it easier." Mitsuki laughed as Jiraiya took out a bottle.
"Hey, what do you think you're doing? You're supposed to be watching me train!" Naruto was offended with Jiraiya pulling out a bottle of alcohol as Jiraiya was looking to make himself comfortable.
"Well I figured I might as well get some shut eye in." Jiraiya stretched his body with Naruto huffing, taking that as a challenge.
"Hmph, better not get too comfortable since I'll have this done in a jiffy you lazy old buffard!" Naruto vowed, immediately getting to work.
However come Sundown, Naruto was just as stuck as he was when he started.
"Oh c'mon, what do you have to do!?" Naruto yelled in utter frustration, his screams waking up Jiraiya who actually fell asleep.
"Oh, you done it yet?" Jiraiya tiredly stirred himself awake as Naruto tensed.
"Oh uh…." Naruto sweated as Jiraiya picked up on Naruto's confusion before deciding to throw the Genin a bone.
"Come here." Jiraiya gestured for Naruto to come forward.
"Now do you stir the balloon right or left?" Jiraiya asked.
"Huh? What kind of question is that?" Sarada was lost.
"Yeah…it depends on your chakra flow and how you spin it. That's how I had to do it." Boruto said as Sarada shook her head.
"Yeah…that's not confusing…" Sarada blinked.
"I thought so…." Jiraiya smirked as he put a hand atop Naruto's head.
"The problem is that you're actually a right rotation type." Jiraiya said much to Naruto's confusion.
"A what?" Naruto blinked in confusion.
"Basically, your chakra is working against yourself. A good way to build chakra in the body is to spend it akin to a spiral. Whether the chakra spins to the left or right depends on the individual as some are left rotation types while others are right types. But if you spin the balloon opposite of your natural rotation type, your chakra is counteracting against itself so it's no wonder you're having trouble. It's something most ninja eventually figure out." Jiraiya explained as it was a gamble whether Naruto got it or not.
"So basically it's like a never ending game of playing spin…" Sarada surmised.
"I suppose you could say that. Although I wonder the mechanisms of the Chidori is." Mitsuki pondered.
"Yeah okay but how were you able to figure out my rotation type?" Naruto wondered as Jiraiya chuckled.
"By the way your hair grows. If your hair grows to the right, you're a right type while if it grows to the left than you're a lefty. It's quite simple really." Jiraiya laughed at Naruto's expression.
"Huh…if I ever brushed my hair, I may have noticed that…" Naruto muttered.
"Hair growth. Huh….I can't believe one of the most devastating jutsu in the world evolved from something as silly as hair growing." Boruto couldn't believe his ears.
"So that messy hair of yours is good for something!" Sarada snickered.
"Hey!" Boruto growled.
"Although that begs the question, if Konohamaru-Sensei had taught you this way, would you have struggled as much?" Mitsuki asked his friend.
"Of course not!" Boruto yelled.
"I think you'll find this is the perfect jutsu for you, Naruto. No complicated hand signs but pure chakra. Heh, even a slow learner like you can do it, I know you can!" Jiraiya grinned as he tapped Naruto's headband who was speechless as he realized Jiraiya believed in him.
"Aww that's sweet." Sarada smiled.
"Yeah this is probably when dad and Pervy Sage get really close." Boruto smiled nostalgically.
"That's a good point because while they've warmed to each other they're not that close yet." Mitsuki observed.
It was then that Naruto caught onto the slow part of Jiraiya's words.
"Hey! Who you calling slow! Don't forget I'm the guy who's gonna be Hokage one day! I'll have this jutsu down in three days flat!" Naruto vowed with a confident smile as Jiraiya's eyes softened as if remembering something.
"With how unpredictable Dad is, I wouldn't be surprised if that was the case." Boruto snickered.
"Hokage? This jutsu was handed down by none other than the Fourth Hokage?" Jiraiya stated much to Naruto's surprise.
"Whoa seriously?" Naruto remarked not believing his idol was the genius behind a cool jutsu.
"Oh yes, it took the Fourth Hokage three whole years to perfect it." Jiraiya said much to everyone's amazement.
"Three Years!?" Sarada couldn't believe just how crazy the mechanics of the Rasengan was.
"In terms of difficulty, this is the second hardest jutsu and it's a master rank jutsu. To learn this, it requires mastering three basic steps. The water balloon burst is only the first. And you who hasn't even gotten past the first step think you can do it in three days? Heh, knock yourself out. I'm going to do more research. You coming?" Jiraiya asked with Naruto's attention is focused dead on the rubber ball in his hand.
"Ugh this was such a pain…" Boruto muttered.
"Let's see it!" Sarada remarked in excitement as the team watched Naruto practice for countless days and nights only to no avail before noticing something off one day.
As Naruto went to eat breakfast, he notices his hand wobbly and not able to hold his chopsticks properly.
"What's wrong?" Boruto asked in concern.
"It must be those side-effects Master Jiraiya warned about…" Sarada frowned before Naruto suddenly came out of the bathroom with a different look on his face. One akin to…determination?
"Oh? What's that look?" Sarada raised an eyebrow.
"Isn't it obvious? He's figured it out." Mitsuki smiled.
"Yeah! But how?" Boruto wondered as Naruto went to the hotel room that Naruto and Jiraiya shared before rummaging through the bag of balloons that Jiraiya had bought before taking one and gathering chakra in his left hand while putting one in his right hand before rummaging his hand over the balloon before it burst.
"H-he did it!" Sarada cheered.
"Yeah! Time to show the old man." Boruto sniggered as Naruto did just that, using the method giving Jiraiya a rather rude awakening.
"So the first step down." Naruto smirked in pride as Jiraiya lazily sat up.
"Okay show me." Jiraiya yawned with Naruto paying Jiraiya's haggard state no mind.
"Watch and learn…." Naruto said as he repeated the same gesture only to get a warm reception as a result.
That warm result being Jiraiya dozing back off.
"What a nice audience." Boruto snorted as Mitsuki laughed while Sarada rolled her eyes.
"How busy can he be just going after floozies?" Sarada deadpanned with Jiraiya finally waking up as the two caught up in the hotel's cafeteria with Jiraiya looking nothing short of impressed at Naruto's knack for getting through the first step of Rasengan training.
"Heh, good work. I guess that little tip helped you after all." Jiraiya complimented Naruto who picked up a nearby cat.
"Actually, I've got him to thank! I was watching this guy play with the water balloon and then it came to me. He kept pushing it around which meant the water inside was sloshing back and forth and that's when it clicked! I remembered when you showed it to me and how the balloon was bumpy. My problem was I was only making the water rotate in one direction and that's why my balloon was smooth not bumpy like yours. If it was gonna burst, I had to get the water spinning in a bunch of directions so once I figured that part out, the rest was easy so what can I say? I rule, huh?" Naruto grinned in pride.
"No doubt." Sarada smiled with Jiraiya also smiling.
"Well done, you have successfully completed the first step." Jiraiya praised Naruto who grinned.
"Alright!" Naruto pumped his fists before Jiraiya got himself dressed and the two made themselves to a nearby forest.
"Okay, you ready for the second step?" Jiraiya asked with Naruto about to jump to the sky in glee.
"Yeah, enough with the kid stuff! What's next? Weapons or-"Naruto pondered as Jiraiya interjected.
"Heads up." Jiraiya threw Naruto a rubber ball.
"Oh god, this step?" Boruto groaned.
"Fun memories?" Mitsuki teased his teammate who scoffed.
"Fun my ass! That rubber ball was even more of a pain to pop! If it wasn't for that ninja tool I'd probably still be on that step…" Boruto grumbled, not at all missing that particular part of his Rasengan training.
Naruto shared his son's exact sentiments.
"Seriously? A rubber ball?" Naruto groaned, done with all these balls.
"Heh, let's see you try to pop this one." Jiraiya chuckled before popping said ball with little to no effort on his part.
Needless to say, Naruto was less than successful in trying to pop the rubber ball.
"The first step is rotation while the second one is force. But this object is solid and there's no water inside so it's difficult to exert your chakra rotation on it." Jiraiya decided to throw Naruto a bone.
"Well, yeah I can see that." Naruto sighed.
"I'll leave it to you to figure it out. And meanwhile, I'll get to my research." Jiraiya said before turning his back and starting his leave.
"Wait, he's just gonna leave him?" Boruto asked in disbelief.
"Yeah what kind of advice is that?" Sarada agreed, having reservations about Jiraiya's advice, not seeing it as reliable or helpful.
Thankfully, Naruto was on the same boat.
"Wait, Pervy Sage! Don't go away again! C'mon just stay and help me with my training!" Naruto was even more stumped and confused as he pleaded with Jiraiya with the Sannin actually turning back to address Naruto rather than ignoring his whining for once, surprisingly.
"Stop whining! There's one part of this process you don't seem to understand. I said I'd be your teacher not your father or best friend. I'm not here to hold your hand so you have to do this by yourself or not at all. Stop being a child and learn how to stand on your own two feet like a Shinobi!" Jiraiya told Naruto, pointedly.
"Okay that was way too just harsh. He gave him some half-assed advice and is just gonna leave him to his own devices?" Boruto glared at Jiraiya with some of the respect he had for the Toad Sannin waning.
"Matter of fact, he hasn't been that good of a trainer to Lord Seventh at all. He only agreed to train him because of that stupid Sexy Jutsu and has only scarcely been around." Sarada couldn't believe just how cold Jiraiya was being.
"I don't wanna bash the old man since Dad really likes him but you're right. Him and Old Man Kakashi haven't been that good of teachers to dad over the course of these memories." Boruto coldly said as even the exuberant Naruto was taken aback by how cool Jiraiya was being.
"O-oh okay…Uh…I was just wondering if you could just show me one more time?" Naruto uneasily asked before Jiraiya held out a hand.
"Pay me." Jiraiya said as a blank silence filled the air.
"….Is he serious!? He spits all that bullshit but has the balls to ask dad for money!?" Boruto growled in righteous anger.
"Who does he think he is? I hope he doesn't give him one single Ryo!" Sarada said with Naruto thankfully finding his voice again.
"Get outta here, you greedy old skirt chaser! You're one to talk about growing up and acting like a Shinobi! Why don't you act like a Shinobi instead of a perverted bag of bones!?" Naruto outwardly refused Jiraiya as he got to work.
Sadly….he made no progress as the day turned into nights which turned into days.
"Hey, Naruto!" Jiraiya casually strolled up to Naruto who was huffing in exhaustion who sighed.
"What're you doing here, Pervy Sage?" Naruto was surprised to see the Toad Sannin.
"I want you to hop into town and get me some lunch." Jiraiya smiled down on the young boy who looked at him in disbelief.
"Huh? Why do I have to?" Naruto's face showed his disbelief at such an odd request as Jiraiya smirked.
"A student must always listen to his teacher, right?" Jiraiya chuckled as Naruto pouted.
"Okay what the hell is this?" Sarada didn't even bother to hide the disgust in her voice.
"Yeah he's treating him more like a lackey than an actual student." Boruto scowled.
The team watched as Naruto did just that and got Jiraiya's food but as he walked away from the town he noticed a father and son laugh together before the father gave his son a blue Popsicle that the two happily ate together.
The scene was enough to bring a tear to Naruto's eye and made Team Konohamaru's hearts go out to him.
"He just wants someone to watch over him like a dad…" Sarada looked down, understanding Naruto one hundred percent.
"What about Iruka-Sensei?" Mitsuki asked.
"They're more like brothers if you ask me." Boruto said.
"Oh I see…but it is a tragedy Lord Seventh is feeling like this. Especially after the Third recently passed." Mitsuki frowned.
"Yeah…too bad Old Man Jiraiya is acting with too much of a stick up his ass to notice…" Boruto clenched his fist.
Shaking his head, Naruto made his way back to the forest as the sun was starting to set.
"Say…I was wondering if you could stay and look over my training?" Naruto meekly offered.
"Oh dad…" Boruto frowned hearing how so unlike himself Naruto was acting.
"Sorry, no time, I've got an appointment with someone who can help with my research." Jiraiya utterly disregarded Naruto who looked close to tears though Jiraiya was having none of it.
"It's up to you to get it Naruto. Like I told you three weeks ago, stop acting like a helpless child!" Jiraiya sternly reminded Naruto whose eyes were covered by his bangs.
"What is his deal!? Doesn't he see he just wants a dad?" Boruto's fist clenched as he started to lose respect for Jiraiya.
"But it's really been three weeks?" Sarada couldn't believe so much time had passed since Sasuke was put into a coma. If it had been that long, she could only imagine how worried Sakura was.
Naruto looked as if he was about to cry out before he started laughing.
Forcibly.
"Haha, that's okay! I was just asking that's all! You just go ahead and do whatever you gotta do!" Naruto fake-laughed as Team Konohamaru stared somberly at Naruto as Mitsuki looked the most sad.
"Oh dad, when are you gonna learn not to hide how you really feel? It's not healthy…" Boruo frowned as several more days passed as Naruto was making no progress.
"Ugh….no matter how much I try…it still hurts…" Naruto grunted as he cradled his hurt hands before hatching an idea. Despite the pain, he gathered a pool of chakra before actually managing to pop it.
"Yes he did it!" Boruto cheered.
"Although…I wonder….how he can work through the Chakra pain?" Sarada worriedly asked as Jiraiya walked to Naruto.
"Hey, how's it going?" Jiraiya asked as Mitsuki noticed he had a hand behind his back.
"I made it pop a hole not leak." Naruto snapped, feeling anger at Jiraiya who smiled.
"Boy you're touchy all of a sudden." Jiraiya chuckled before revealing his hand that had two popsicles, them being the same ones the father gave to his son from earlier, "Want one?" Jiraiya offered to Naruto who was stunned to silence.
"You did well, all on your own." Jiraiya smiled at Naruto in pride as he looked close to tears.
At this, Team Konohamaru's respect for Jiraiya returned in stride.
"I guess…maybe he's not so bad after all…" Sarada smiled softly.
"Yeah…I suppose with all that madness there was a method to it…" Boruto laughed as Naruto happily ate the treat.
"Heh, you ready for an experiment? Give me your right hand." Jiraiya said as Naruto confusingly did so before Jiraiya drew the Leaf insignia in Naruto's palm.
"Huh? What's that for?" Sarada asked with Boruto remembering.
"Oh, right! That's how Dad and I were able to work in sync!" Boruto blinked in remembrance.
"W-what's this?" Naruto asked as Jiraiya remov ed one of his hand guards, revealing the same mark.
"It's the same mark?" Naruto cocked an eyebrow.
"You're the type of kid who got yelled at in the Academy for a lack of concentration, right?" Jiraiya finished off his Popsicle before pulling out a slip of paper.
"What am I looking at?" Naruto blinked.
."Just give it a second look." Jiraiya said as he sketched a certain insignia on the paper with Naruto looking even more lost.
"Well I don't think it'll help much if I explain too much right away but the first time you saw this, your eyes probably saw through the whole thing, right?" Jiraiya asked.
"Probably." Naruto muttered not a hundred percent sure.
"And the second time?" Jiraiya continued before Naruto gasped as if he was having an epiphany.
"Anytime a person's eyes gaze on a blank sheet of paper, they don't focus where to look and their eyes just wonder the page. But if you put even a dot on it, the mind is drawn there and you're concentrating on a single point and with that comes spiritual stability, letting you tap into unimaginable power." Jiraiya finished as Naruto finished his Popsicle with his eyes lighting up in intrigue.
"Sounds about right." Boruto nodded.
"And I thought the Chidori or Sage Mode was strenuous." Mitsuki chuckled.
"When you finally broke open that hole in the rubber ball, I'm sure you desperately tried conjuring the chakra in your hands." Jiraiya surmised.
"Yeah, right!" Naruto nodded.
"When you concentrate, you draw out power but without a target concentration can be difficult, hence the mark on your hand. From now on, when you're storing power in your right hand, make sure to concentrate on that mark." Jiraiya said much to Naruto's excitement.
"Got it!" Naruto pumped his fist in excitement.
"Can't be too difficult, right?" Sarada teased.
"It helped me tremendously. It's an amazing method in chakra control. But...strenuous." Boruto laughed.
And strenuous it was as Naruto spent days upon days trying to focus on the center of the leaf as he was up to well….nothing.
It all came to a head when Jiraiya dropped a bag of rubber balls on the ground in front of Naruto, one afternoon several days later.
"Alright then, I've got to scrounge up more information." Jiraiya was about to take his leave much to Naruto's dismay.
"What? But you just got here!" Naruto whined as Jiraiya waved him off.
"Sorry kid, I've got no time to waste." Jiraiya walked much to Naruto's annoyance.
"What!? Not even a game of tag between a loyal student and his master!?" Naruto yelled as he was rewarded with Jiraiya walking off, making him grab a ball irately, "You lousy bum!" Naruto threw the ball at Jiraiya in an attempt to nail him in the head only for Jiraiya to catch it by his teeth way too fast for Naruto to comprehend.
"Haha, strike!" Jiraiya grinned broadly before spitting it out.
"See you around, squirt." Jiraiya took his leave, leaving Naruto to process just what happened.
"Okay that face was too funny." Mitsuki laughed.
"Right!? I wish I had my phone on me…" Boruto sighed as Naruto was left to his own devices only to find himself stumped on where to go as more days passed.
Eventually Naruto tuckered himself out to the point where his headband fell off as a leaf landed on his forehead as his mind flashed to Iruka snapping at him along with Choji, Kiba and Shikamaru.
"Ugh…back then I was so stupid….." Naruto muttered, sitting himself back up as an idea hatched into his brain.
"I-I've got it…." Naruto scrambled to his feet as he put both hands on the rubber ball despite the ball.
"Ugh….just focus on the point…." Naruto closed his eyes, as the literal chakra started to erupt all around Naruto.
"Whoa look at all that power!" Sarada had to fix her eyes under her glasses.
"And I thought I had it rough during that training!" Boruto was nothing short of amazed as the power was enough to not only burst the rubber ball but sent Naruto skidding back several yards.
"Whoa!" Boruto marveled as Naruto was left exhausted and huffing for breath.
"Heh…finally did it…" Naruto grinned despite his fatigue as Jiraiya knelt to Naruto's level as he smirked at him.
"Well done, kid. Well done." Jiraiya praised his student as Naruto finally lost consciousness, completely and utterly tuckered out.
"It seems like it's only a matter of time until we see him use the Rasengan." Mitsuki smiled.
"Right!? I can't wait!" Boruto grinned as the scene shifted to sometime later as Naruto was fully back to a hundred percent with Jiraiya on looking a town.
"Okay! Here we GO!" Jiraiya pointed ahead like a surprising child unlike Naruto for once.
"Quit acting like an immature kid." Naruto muttered in a voice of complete annoyance.
"Whoa…what crawled up his ass and died?" Boruto blinked in confusion.
"Yes, it's like a clear case of role reversal." Mitsuki laughed with Jiraiya inquiring the same thing as Boruto.
"Well, what do you think? We're still in the middle of my training and you said there were three steps, right? Well I've only learned two of them!" Naruto grunted, holding up two fingers for emphasis.
"Relax, you can work on the third one while we walk." Jiraiya chuckled as Naruto's expression perked up only to deadpan when Jiraiya tosses him a green balloon.
"More balloons?" Sarada blinked.
"Wait, what's the deal? More balloons?" Naruto blinked.
"The first step you learned was rotation and the second was power. The third and final step is for you to master this." Jiraiya pulled out a balloon.
"Wait I'm lost…." Sarada was lost.
"Maybe….he wants dad to try to figure the center of it…" Boruto remembered as Naruto stared long and wide at the balloon before getting fed up.
"Ugh!? What am I even doing!?" Naruto ground out much to Jiraiya's amusement.
"Heh, well it looks like I'm holding a regular balloon, right?" Jiraiya mused.
"What do you mean 'looking'? That's what you're doing you pervy weirdo…" Naruto deadpanned although Jiraiya didn't seem offended for once.
"Well, let's see what's happening in my other hand, shall we?" Jiraiya then showed him using the Rasengan with his free hand as Naruto was amazed realizing the still balloon in Jiraiya's other hand was basically covering a Rasengan.
"Now listen, in the third step, you've got to draw up a hundred percent of what you've learned. First, visualize a thin membrane inside the balloon." Jiraiya instructed Naruto who beamed in realization.
"I've got it! Basically keep it all under control!" Naruto laughed with Jiraiya nodding.
"Well, you're starting to get the hang of this!" Jiraiya praised Naruto before something came to him.
"But wait, why am I going through all this?" Naruto tilted his head with Jiraiya turning on his heels.
"Come with me." Jiraiya ordered his protégé who did just that.
"Now watch and learn." Jiraiya said before forming a smaller Rasengan into the tree and slamming it into it.
"Once you've mastered the third step, you can do this!" Jiraiya said as a swirl insignia was left in the tree before he followed with a bigger Rasengan, destroying the swirl in the tree.
"Whoa! That was how it was for you, right Boruto?" Sarada asked, remembering how tiny Boruto's Rasengan was.
"Yeah, kinda! Although my first Rasengan was a lot smaller…." Boruto noted in remembrance.
"If you can keep the size of the typhoon that small, its destructive power will be at its max." Jiraiya said as Naruto took all of that to heart as he tried using his previous tricks to pop the balloon in his hand before he did that although not as easy as Jiraiya did.
"There's no cutting corners here. You have to get your power and rotation to a hundred percent and then maintain them. Heh, this is an A rank jutsu, kid." Jiraiya smirked in amusement at Naruto's troubled expression before on his heels.
"Now c'mon, we can practice on the road." Jiraiya said much to Naruto's disbelief.
"Wait, what about my training!?" Naruto shook his head as Jiraiya continued on undeterred.
"There's no guarantee Tsunade may stay in this town for long. After all, it's not like she'll bump into some old friend and remember the old days…" Jiraiya said as Naruto followed after his sensei.
"Oh cool! We're gonna see her soon?" Sarada's eyes perked up.
"We may!" Boruto smiled with the day eventually turning into evening time as Naruto and Jiraiya arrived in a town known as "Tanzaku".
"Okay, we'll stop and get a bite to eat here." Jiraiya said as the two stopped in front of a bar.
"Huh!? This is a tavern! I'm underage." Naruto was quick to point out with Jiraiya ignoring him as he went in.
"Why a bar? He can get into trouble." Sarada deadpanned.
"Old enough to drink, old enough to kill?" Mitsuki joked.
"When will you learn that you can get information in places like this?" Jiraiya rolled his eyes at Naruto's less than enthusiastic attitude before picking up on something awfully familiar at a nearby table.
"Wait, is that-Tsunade!" Jiraiya called out noticing a familiar pool of blonde hair, getting everyone's attention.
"Wait, Jiraiya! What are you doing here!?" The woman known as Tsunade remarked just as amazed.
"Wait, THAT'S Tsunade!? Man she's beautiful!" Sarada could hardly believe her eyes. In her opinion, Tsunade was even more beautiful than her mother.
"It is hard to believe she's middleaged." Mitsuki chuckled.
"I wonder what she looks like now…" Boruto pondered as Naruto looked just as lost as he was checking her out, not believing she was in her fifties.
As the two sat down, everyone noticed how much liquor she was pouring down.
"That sure is a lot of alcohol…." Sarada noted worriedly.
"Yeah…I never took her as an alcoholic…" Boruto said as Tsunade gave a sigh of relief once guzzled all the booze.
"All y'all's faces…feels like a reunion…." Tsunade started with Jiraiya cocking an eyebrow.
"Orochimaru, you mean?" Jiraiya asked much to Naruto and Team Konohamaru's amazement.
"Wait, she encountered that creep!" Sarada's eyes widened in disbelief.
"And she doesn't have a scratch on her…whoa…" Boruto was impressed.
"She is a Sannin for a reason." Mitsuki reminded his friend as Sarada then noticed the dark haired woman by Tsunade's side.
"Wait, I know her! She's Shizune Kato, Lady Tsunade's aid! She's a very talented medical ninja…" Sarada smiled.
"Right…I remember her." Boruto nodded as Tsunade then took out a pair of cards.
"So what happened?" Jiraiya wondered as Tsunade shrugged.
"We had a small talk. Now what brings you all the way out here?" Tsunade put the deck of cards on the table which Jiraiya took.
"Tsunade, it's the wisdom of the village that has chosen you as the Fifth Hokage." Jiraiya said, getting straight to the point as both Naruto and Shizune were lost for words.
"Huh!? So that's how?"Boruto blinked.
"Just as blunt and direct as Lord Seventh…" Sarada couldn't believe how straightforward Jiraiya was.
"But why her?" Boruto asked, thinking of other strong ninja in the Leaf.
"Isn't it obvious? She was the disciple of the Third and someone who can rival my dad." Mitsuki said.
"Oh…right." Boruto said as Jiraiya looked up from the cards he was holding.
"You've heard what happened to the Third Hokage?" Jiraiya asked as Shizune looked down as Tsunade kept her face blank.
"Yeah…it was Orochimaru's doing right?" Tsunade said as Naruto's eyes widened in astonishment.
"Wait, Orochimaru killed him!? Who is he!?" Naruto turned to Jiraiya who didn't take one eye off of the woman in front of him.
"He's one of the Sannin like Tsunade here and yours truly." Jiraiya explained with Naruto being even more in disbelief.
"But if you're all from the Leaf Village then why!? Why'd he do it?" Naruto demanded more than asked, not believing someone so despicable hailed from his village.
"Who's this brat you've got with you?" Tsunade darted an eye at Naruto already sick of his presence with Naruto glaring at her for the insult.
Jiraiya merely chuckled, "This is Naruto Uzumaki." Jiraiya explained as Tsunade shot a questioning look at the young boy with Naruto getting fed up.
"Wait, there's still something about this I still don't get! This Orochimaru guy that killed the old man, why haven't you done anything about it? Why haven't you caught him!?" Naruto demanded as he was met with silence.
"You know, that is a good question…" Sarada put a thumb to her chin in thought.
"Yeah….if they ganged up on him, maybe they could win?" Boruto pondered.
"Something tells me even that might not be enough…." Mitsuki surmised.
"What makes you say that?" Sarada asked.
"Just a hunch." Mitsuki replied as he noticed the look that was in Jiraiya's eye, a look of regret as Naruto rounded on Tsunade.
"And what's the deal with this lady? Why make her the Fifth?" Naruto couldn't believe some drunk was suggested as a viable contender.
"Naruto, sit down and shut up." Jiraiya ordered Naruto.
"Sit down." Jiraiya said in a voice that let Naruto know, Jiraiya wasn't about to continue arguing with the kid as he begrudgingly sat down.
"Wow….he sure schooled him." Sarada gulped, not believing Naruto could be so docile.
"Schooled?" Boruto snickered at the term with Sarada slapping his head for him to shut up.
"I'll say it again….the Leaf Village has made its decision for you to be the Fifth Hokage. So what's your answer?" Jiraiya fiddled with the cards in his hand as the air was thick with tension as everyone awaited Tsunade's answer.
"Ugh! I don't understand this!" Naruto clutched his head as Tsunade looked deep in thought before finally putting the cards in her hands down.
"Impossible. I decline." Tsunade refused much to the shock and dismay of everyone listening both in and out of memory.
"Wait, what? Did I hear that right?" Boruto blinked in disbelief and dismay.
"But she had to have been Hokage though!" Sarada looked just as surprised.
"Obviously something changed." Mitsuki pointed out as Boruto snorted.
"That's just the hallmark of these memories, huh?" Boruto thought about all the different 180s of people he had seen in these memories.
While Naruto, Shizune and Tonton were stunned, Jiraiya merely smiled.
"You know, it's kind of funny, that rings a bell. I remember you say those very words the first and only time I asked you out." Jiraiya chuckled.
"Wait, he had a thing for her?" Sarada couldn't believe what she was hearing yet she wasn't surprised at the same time
"Yeah that was actually how I met them…" Boruto chuckled remembering that Tsunade kicking Jiraiya's ass was his first impression of the hermit.
"You know, they're a lot like Team Seven." Mitsuki suddenly said.
"Well….Lady Tsunade is a lot like Master Sakura with how proficient they are with Medical Ninjutsu." Mitsuki began with his teammates blinking in realization at Mitsuki's words.
"Wait….just like how my dad and Old Man Jiraiya are the same." Boruto realized.
"And…with how aloof they make him sound….maybe that creep Orochimaru was like my dad…" Sarada grimaced at the thought of comparing her dad to that bastard.
"I never realized that until you pointed it out…" Boruto muttered with Naruto's head looking like it was gonna burst.
"Ugh! Would someone please just tell me what's going on!? What're we even doing here? I thought we were gonna bring her back to the village to heal Sasuke and Kakashi-Sensei. You pull all this stuff about making her Hokage but she goes and refuses!?" Naruto clutched his head in frustration. Was his goal of healing his friends just for naught with Jiraiya looking unturned.
"Don't worry Naruto, she knows she can't refuse. There's no one else who has contributed more to the Leaf's victory than her during the great war. She combines unrivaled skills as a warrior with the ability to heal. What's more is she's the granddaughter of the very first Hokage and so in heritage and skills, she is the best choice to be the next Hokage. And so once she accepts her destiny, she will come back to the village with us and heal your friends. No offense but it's not something a Genin can understand." Jiraiya laid everything out with Naruto puffing his cheeks.
"At least we know how this all ends." Boruto snorted.
"But the fun is getting to that point." Mitsuki smiled with Tsunade scoffing.
"You're slipping, Jiraiya. This apprentice isn't like your last one. He's a fool with a big mouth. Not to mention, funny looking too." Tsunade smirked.
"Yep." All of Team Konohamaru nodded.
"What!?" Naruto growled as Jiraiya chuckled.
"Well to be fair, it wouldn't be easy for anyone to measure to that standard. The Fourth Hokage showed all the signs of becoming the greatest ninja in generations, brimming with talent and possibility. Brilliant, popular and to top it off, not nearly as handsome as his teacher." Jiraiya noted to his student.
"Oh sure on that last part." Sarada rolled her eyes with a snort.
"But wow….my grandpa was really someone special…" Boruto's eyes glistened with pride as Tsunade shook her head.
"That may be but that didn't save him from dying young. Throwing his life away for the sake of the village?" Tsunade picked at the cards in her hand.
"What!?" Boruto growled, not appreciating the tone Tsunade was taking as Naruto looked quite the same with Tsunade continuing.
"Money's one thing. A life's another. To risk your life against the odds? What a fool's bet." Tsunade scoffed uncaring not caring if she was spitting on Minato and Kushina's sacrifices for their village and their son.
"What's her deal? A fool's bet!?" Boruto couldn't believe how blatant disregarding Tsunade was being about Minato's sacrifice for his son.
"I know! They went out with honor for their child." Sarada agreed as while Naruto had no idea about his lineage, the fact that someone spoke so derogatory about the Hokages was blasphemous with Tsunade continuing.
"My grandfather and his successor were all so willing to die for the village. Well they're both dead alright and the village is no safer than it ever was." Tsunade rolled her eyes, disgusting everyone listening.
"You've changed, Tsunade. I don't know what's happened to make you like this but to say such things out loud?" Jiraiya tried hiding the disgust he felt with Tsunade snorting in response.
"How can you be so callous to your own grandfather?" Sarada muttered with her question more to herself than her friends.
"Don't forget, I'm not as young as I look. The years have taught me well…." Tsunade started again, having a full house on deck, "Sarutobi-Sensei should have known better. What did he expect, playing Hokage at his age." Tsunade uncaringly continued adding fuel to the fire, not paying Naruto who was progressively getting more and more pissed off.
"If she doesn't shut up…." Boruto was livid that someone could insult someone as noble as Hiruzen.
"And why isn't Lady Shizune saying anything?" Sarada couldn't believe Shizune wasn't calling out her master on her insensitive comments. Sure Tsunade was a grand medic but there was a thin fine line and Tsunade has long since crossed that thresh-hold.
"What can you honestly expect her to say?" Mitsuki countered.
"Pfft, playing Hokage? Count me out. It's a fool's game." Tsunade darted her eyes to the ceiling as that was the last straw for Naruto.
"To not be a complete b-"Boruto was about to curse as Naruto thankfully stopped him as he lunged at Jiraiya only to be held back by Jiraiya. The commotion was enough to get people staring in the bar.
"Whoa! I knew he'd be pissed but man…" Sarada blinked at how things literally went from zero to hundred.
"But can you blame him?" Boruto challenged.
"Stop it, people are staring." Jiraiya reminded his protégé who shook out of his grip.
"I'm not about to sit here and let her bash the old man!" Naruto's nostrils flared as he cracked his knuckles, "I don't care if she is a lady, I'll knock that cynical sneer of her face!" Naruto declared much to the astonishment of everyone watching.
"Holy…" Boruto began.
"Crap…" Sarada finished with Tsunade's eyebrows wiggling before taking a knee and meeting Naruto's gaze with a cocky smirk.
"You challenging me? Let's take this outside, kid!" Tsunade challenged with Naruto clearly not showing any fear in his eyes but adrenaline to avenge Hiruzen's honor.
"Wait what is just happening?" Sarada couldn't believe how quickly things had escalated.
"Through a battle of wits, two hot-headed fools come to a clash under the moon." Mitsuki smiled.
"Of course you'd find humor in this…" Boruto sweat-dropped with Tsunade standing across from Naruto in the street with Jiraiya, Shizune and Tonton as spectators.
"To think one of the Legendary Sannin taking on some Snotty Genin, I should be ashamed of myself." Tsunade twirled her hair in Naruto's direction only serving to set him off even more.
"Who you calling snotty!?" Naruto spat as Tsunade only raised one finger in response.
"Oh stop trying to show off." Jiraiya rolled his eyes.
"One finger is all I need." Tsunade smirked, gesturing Naruto to "Come On." With the finger she displayed.
"Someone sure is confident." Sarada snorted much to Naruto's annoyance.
"Don't ever underestimate me!" Naruto roared as he charged at Tsunade throwing several ninja projectiles at the Sannin who dodged with relative ease as he charged at her with a kunai in hand before she back-smacked the kunai straight out of Naruto's hand before flicking his forehead, knocking his headband off and knocking him straight off his feet.
"Man she's vicious!" Boruto was stunned at how easily Tsunade was dominating Naruto.
"Without even a sweat." Mitsuki was impressed, looking a bit forward to seeing Tsunade fight in these memories.
"One question before you pass out." Tsunade began as Naruto stumbled back to his feet, "What makes you so touchy about being Hokage?" Tsunade asked with Naruto huffing before smiling.
"It's because unlike you, that's my dream. Remember this, to be Hokage is my dream!" Naruto declared in a voice, letting everyone know he wasn't just some arrogant kid anymore but rather an evolving ninja.
"You tell her!" Boruto and Sarada cheered as Mitsuki raised an eyebrow at the looks in both Tsunade and Shizune's eyes. Almost as if Naruto had triggered something in Tsunade.
Taking note of Tsunade looking distracted, Naruto closed his eyes before conjuring nothing short of the Rasengan!
"That's the Rasengan!" Boruto was amazed.
"Did he perfect it?" Sarada asked with Mitsuki looking at the jutsu before making his observation.
"No…it's still incomplete." Mitsuki observed, noting how it didn't look as compressed at Jiraiya's.
Jiraiya smiled in pride with Shizune and Tsunade looking dumbfounded.
"T-that's-!" Tsunade exclaimed as Naruto charged at her.
Tsunade then regained her composure before smacking the ground in front of Naruto, causing him to fall face first, cancelling out the jutsu.
"Holy crap! She tanked the Rasengan like it was nothing!" Boruto couldn't believe what just happened.
"Like I said, it was incomplete." Mitsuki said with Shizune helping Naruto out of the crater.
"Naruto, are you all right?" Shizune asked with Naruto gasping for air as Jiraiya winced as if remembering something particularly awful.
"Jiraiya! Are you the one who taught this little kid the Rasengan?" Tsunade turned to Jiraiya, snapping him from his stupor with Naruto's eyes widening at the name.
"Well of course I did. I'm his teacher, aren't I?" Jiraiya didn't see what Tsunade was getting at.
"You and the Fourth Hokage are the only ones who can use that jutsu. What's the point of teaching it to someone who will never master it? You old fool; giving him false hope like that and filling up his head, making him actually think he could be Hokage!" Tsunade turned her nose as that was enough to set Naruto off.
"Stupid!? I'll show you who's stupid! Just give me three days and I'll nail that jutsu down flat!" Naruto pointed at her with Tsunade snorting.
"Heh, watch what you say kid. I just may hold you to it!" Tsunade huffed with Naruto smirking.
"I've said it and I'll stick with it; that's my nindo, my ninja way!" Naruto declared looking Tsunade dead in the eye, making her gain that same remembrance look in her eyes.
"Heh, and we know how this is gonna end!" Boruto snickered.
"But how we got there is the most important part." Sarada said.
"After all, the journey is more important than the destination." Mitsuki chuckled as Tsunade regained her composure.
"Well then, care to make a bet on it?" Tsunade started to the surprise of everyone listening.
"A bet?" Naruto, Boruto and Sarada asked.
"I'll give you one week. If you can master that jutsu by then, I'll admit I'm wrong and I'll even throw in my necklace." Tsunade gestured to her neck much to Naruto's confusion and Shizune's ire.
"Oh, so that's how he got that necklace!" Boruto knocked his fist in his palm.
"I don't think he wears it anymore…." Sarada put a hand to her chin with Shizune protesting.
"Lady Tsunade, no! You don't mean that!" Shizune tried reasoning with her master as Naruto shrugged.
"You can keep it, I'm not into jewelry." Naruto flatly declined with Jiraiya shaking his head.
"You numbskull, that necklace belonged to the First Hokage himself and is worth three gold mines." Jiraiya informed Naruto of its history.
"Three Gold Mines!?" Sarada exclaimed with Naruto's eyes sparkling.
"Well then, you've got yourself a deal!" Naruto grinned, a hundred percent interested.
"Of course he's in it for the money." Mitsuki chuckled.
"Alright then. And if you don't master it in a week, you admit you were wrong and I get all the money in froggy." Tsunade held up Naruto's frog wallet.
"Huh!? Gama!?" Naruto couldn't believe she pick-pocketed him.
"Wait, when did she?" Sarada was bug-eyed.
"Lady Tsunade, you can't gamble with the necklace." Shizune tried reasoning with her master who snorted.
"He hasn't a chance in winning." It was obvious Tsunade didn't believe Naruto could hack it.
"I wonder why she has reservations about Lord First's necklace…" Sarada pondered.
"Whatever the case, it can't be good." Boruto said as Tsunade took her leave with Shizune following after.
With a new goal in mind, Naruto got his headband and made his way to his hotel room as Jiraiya decided to go out. But surprisingly Naruto got a surprising visitor at the door.
"Lady Shizune? What's she doing here?" Sarada blinked.
"I know it's late but I must talk to you." Shizune looked down as Naruto huffed.
"I wanna get a good night's sleep cause I'm gonna start training first thing in the morning." Naruto said as Shizune looked down.
"That's just it….before you get into this, there's something you must know….And about Lady Tsunade." Shizune said with Naruto scoffing.
"Ha, I don't care about that old bat!" Naruto snorted, offending Shizune.
"Don't say that! She's not who you think she is! What right do you have to talk about her like that!?" Shizune was quick to come to her master's defense before realizing she overstepped her boundaries.
"Please forgive me, I didn't mean to shout. But Lady Tsunade wasn't always like that, she used to be so kind….dedicated to that village." Shizune looked down.
"What happened?" Boruto asked for everyone.
"But ever since that day….." Shizune gulped.
"What day?" Sarada and Naruto wondered.
"The day she lost everything she had….except for that necklace…Please understand….that necklace is all she had…it holds her memories and means a lot to her. It's not a silly piece of jewelry to be gambled away in a bet." Shizune explained as Naruto wasn't fazed.
"Look it was her idea not mine." Naruto shrugged as Shizune glared at him.
"You'll be sorry if you think it's just a simple trophy. It won't accept anyone else wearing it. Only on Lady Tsunade does it remain safe. Should anyone wear it….they die." Shizune said much to Naruto's surprise as that was enough to make him shut up.
"Wait…what? How?" Boruto was just as disturbed as Shizune looked down as she began her recollection of Tsunade's tragedy.
And so everyone listened to the sad tale on how Tsunade had a little brother named Nawaki who was as headstrong as Naruto who sadly lost his life the day after he turned twelve. As this weighed heavily on Tsunade's heart, it was healed by Shizune's uncle, Dan, who she fell in love with only to lose him soon after….This even led to her developing a fear of blood.
"Wow…so that explains why she's so disillusioned…" Sarada's heart went out to Tsunade.
"Yeah…if I lost everything…" Boruto was beginning to feel bad on how he was on her earlier as Naruto wordlessly left.
"Where are you going?" Shizune asked as Naruto turned his head back to her.
"I'm going to go train." Naruto replied as Naruto spent the next couple of days trying to master the Rasengan.
As the trees with swirl marks were indications on Naruto's progress, Naruto still wasn't at the level he needed to be.
As Naruto huffed and was covered in sweat, his mind flashed to Tsunade.
You old fool; giving him false hope like that and filling up his head, making him actually think he could be Hokage!" Tsunade turned her nose up at Naruto as the scene then shifted to Naruto standing across from Neji during the Chunin exams.
"You thought you could be Hokage? It's absurd, never!" Neji scoffed at Naruto's declaration.
"Wow….with how disillusioned they both were, I can see how similar they were…" Boruto blinked at the similarities between Neji and Tsunade.
"Yeah…both wrecked with grief by the loss of their loved ones…" Mitsuki looked sympathetic as the memory returned to the present.
Naruto then fell to the ground in exhaustion but before anyone could say anything, Tsunade walked.
"It's Lady Tsunade!" Sarada smiled as Tsunade looked down with an expression not comprehensible.
"What's with that expression?" Boruto noticed Tsunade's face.
"If what we take about Master Shizune said about her brother at face value, it's possible he reminds them of her brother." Mitsuki surmised as Tsunade picked up Naruto before taking him to her hotel room as Shizune was relieved Naruto was okay.
"He's exhausted and will need bed rest…" Tsunade went over Naruto's state before shaking her head.
"Wait, why do I care about some kid?" Tsunade shook her head as it looked like Shizune was finally fed up with Tsunade.
"Lady Tsunade, while I feel sorry for your loss, you can't be so callous!" Shizune stated.
"Yeah, go!" Boruto cheered although Tsunade didn't look too amused with her student's words.
"Shizune, you remember who you're talking to." Tsunade growled with a glare before walking past her but not without bumping into her, the gesture actually knocked out Shizune.
"Okay….that's just…" Sarada was lost for words.
"I can't wait until she changes." Boruto couldn't believe how cold Tsunade was but much to everyone's surprise, Naruto was up only several hours later.
"Wait I thought she said dad would be out for days?" Boruto was amazed at Naruto's healing as he zipped his jacket and fastened his headband.
"Maybe it's the Nine Tails' influence?" Mitsuki assumed.
"I can buy that." Sarada agreed as it was then that Naruto noticed Shizune on the ground.
"Hey, that's that Shizune broad. Big Sis Shizune?" Naruto nudged her shoulders several times as she stirred awake slowly.
"N-Naruto…" Shizune tiredly said as she stirred awake, "Naruto! You're up but how!" but before she could be too amazed, a question came to mind.
"Wait, what day is it!?" Shizune asked much to Naruto's confusion.
"Uh…Monday morning?" Naruto blinked as Shizune looked as if something important came to her.
"Naruto, stay here! Do you understand me?" Shizune stated more than asked but before Naruto could say anything, a kunai embedded itself into the wall by Shizune.
"What the hell?" Boruto was taken aback.
"Is that an enemy attack?" Sarada was hoping it wasn't.
"No…" Mitsuki pointed to a Jiraiya stumbling and clearly under the influence.
"What happened to him? He looks drunk…" Boruto was curious as to what put Jiraiya in such a state.
Naruto and Shizune were just as confused before Jiraiya was given a pitcher of water to help sober him up.
"Double crossing little vixen. She must've spiked my drink when I wasn't looking….I'm so weak I can't even throw a kunai…" Jiraiya grunted.
"If it's not one thing after the freaking other…" Sarada groaned with Naruto just as annoyed.
"Great, Pervy Sage! And you're always going on about what a great ninja you are! What!? Did you get distracted by her pretty face!?" Naruto roasted Jiraiya, setting him off.
"SHUT UP!" Jiraiya snapped before regaining his composure, "She possesses a healer's knowledge of herbs and elixirs. I should have known better….Only Tsunade could whip out a knockout drug that could knock out even a ninja. Ugh, I must be losing my touch…But now I'm back to thirty percent." Jiraiya said before turning to Shizune.
"Okay Shizune, it's time you told us about your mistress and Orochimaru." Jiraiya stated with a sharp eye, letting the medical ninja know he wouldn't tolerate any BS.
Shizune winced before she looked down.
"I never thought she would do this but….time is of the essence! Come on!" Shizune began with everyone following after.
"When we met Orochimaru….he said he could bring her loved ones back…." Shizune started with a sigh.
"Wait, there's a jutsu like that?" Boruto asked.
"Wait, I heard about it! The Reanimation Jutsu. It can bring back anyone from the dead." Sarada explained to her friend.
"Wait, seriously?" Boruto was amazed that such a jutsu exists.
"Yeah…but at the cost of human sacrifices…" Mitsuki darkly admitted much to Boruto's shock and disgust.
"What?" Boruto couldn't believe what he was told.
"Yes…a jutsu by the Second Hokage." Mitsuki sighed as Shizune continued.
"Wait seriously?" Naruto blinked surprised Orochimaru would do something kind.
"Don't be fooled, Naruto. I highly doubt he's doing it out of the kindness of his heart." Jiraiya caught the look in Naruto's eyes.
"She was given a week. And if she agrees, Orochimaru will no doubt….destroy the Hidden Leaf…" Shizune grimly admitted.
"What!?" Boruto and Sarada yelled.
"Surprised?" Mitsuki asked.
"No but to think Lady Tsunade would actually contemplate that…" Sarada gulped.
"I know….thank god we know how this ends." Boruto sighed in relief as Naruto was about to spaz out as Jiraiya was silent.
"What!? She better refuse!" Naruto yelled as the team touched down in a nearby town.
"Whoa…what happened here?" Boruto was amazed at the damage accumulated around the town.
"It's obviously Lady Tsunade." Sarada said as the group in the memory noticed something green laying in the debris.
"That's Lady Tsunade's jacket!" Shizune noted in alarm as she hastily picked it up.
"Then that means we're getting close!" Jiraiya said.
"Then let's go!" Naruto said as the group jumped again before making their way to a grassy green plain before noticing two things.
"That's dad." Mitsuki pointed at the sight of Orochimaru, looking amused at what was occurring before him; Tsunade and Kabuto dishing it.
"Hey, they're going at it!" Boruto pointed at Tsunade and Kabuto going at it.
"I see he's finally shown his true colors." Boruto grunted in disgust as Sarada's eyes widened in dread.
"Oh no! He's going for a kunai!" Sarada gasped in alarm as Kabuto charged straight at Tsunade with a kunai in hand, intent on turning her into a pincushion.
"Gotta hurry!" Naruto said.
"Already on it!" Jiraiya made a hand sign before they appeared in a puff of smoke, saving Tsunade as Naruto found himself face to face with Orochimaru.
"Heh, almost similar to how Lord Seventh appeared with Haku and Zabuza." Mitsuki chuckled as Boruto and Sarada blinked.
"Huh…you're right…" Sarada realized.
"Though Dad didn't make nearly of an ass of himself this time." Boruto snickered with Jiraiya and Orochimaru smirking at each other.
"It's been a long time old friend." Orochimaru drawled as Jiraiya grunted in amusement.
"Indeed. The years haven't been good to you." Jiraiya retorted as Orochimaru chuckled, not at all offended.
"Funny cause he looks younger now." Sarada shook her head making Boruto look at her.
"You're right on that…" Boruto wondered what happened.
It was then Naruto noticed Kabuto.
"Hey, Kabuto! What're you doing here?" Naruto greeted his "friend" who looked genuinely surprised to see Naruto there.
"Naruto…" Kabuto said in disbelief.
"You know him?" Jiraiya turned to his student.
"Of course I do! He helped me during the exams. So what're you doing here, Kabuto?" Naruto asked with Kabuto not responding with Tsunade getting fed up.
"Out of my way!" Tsunade shoved Jiraiya to the ground as she charged at Kabuto.
"So you've recovered? No matter! The gig's up kid." Tsunade readied an attack on Kabuto, not noticing him reach for a leftover kunai.
And before anyone knew anything, blood suddenly filled the air as Tsunade found herself covered in that very same blood.
"What did he do to her!?" Sarada was surprised at the sudden shift in battle.
"No, he hurt himself." Mitsuki pointed to a bloodied cut in Kabuto's wrist.
"Looks like your jutsu's worn out and I'm back to a hundred percent!" Kabuto smirked before punching Tsunade, sending her careening into Shizune as Naruto was just lost at what he was looking at.
"Wait, did I miss something? Why is Kabuto beating on Granny Tsunade?" Naruto was utterly confused.
"Heh, you always were slow." Kabuto finally decided to address Naruto, confusing the boy even moreso given how cold Kabuto was being as Jiraiya decided to throw Naruto a bone.
"You want your answer? Look at his headband." Jiraiya said with Kabuto nodding.
"That's right. I'm a spy from the Hidden Sound." Kabuto admitted as Naruto stared at him with a combination of surprise and betrayal.
"And there it is." Sarada huffed.
"Yeah but….I feel for dad." Boruto looked sadly in Naruto's direction.
"But that can't….it has to be a mistake, right Kabuto? You saved our lives!" Naruto almost pleaded with Kabuto, hoping it wasn't true.
"I did all that for one single reason, to gather information on all of you. And I learned one important thing about you, Naruto. You lack any ninja ability and is nothing like Sasuke." Kabuto stated with Naruto's surprise being replaced with anger as he clenched his fists.
"No talent? Who is this ass clown talking about?" Boruto growled.
"Yeah! He took down Shukaku as well as defeated the Rookie of that year!" Sarada defended Naruto.
"I find it funny he talks about him while those Sound guys weren't that good." Boruto snorted with Kabuto continuing his derailing of Naruto.
"Go ahead, glare at me all you want. You're still just a pint sized Genin who's in over his head. I admit that demon inside of you had me worried for a time but surrounded by the Legendary Sannin, you're nothing but a kid sitting at the grown up table. Stay out or die." Kabuto turned his nose up on Naruto as that was more than enough for Naruto to do the opposite.
"Oh yeah!?" Naruto growled, summoning four Shadow Clones to his side, intent on pummeling the traitor before he and his clones were dispatched of rather easily as Kabuto even went as far as to flick the blood from his cut wrist into Naruto's eyes before he was thrown aside, thankfully caught by Shizune who spat a mouthful of poison needles which Kabuto managed to stop thanks to his glasses.
"Damn, he's good." Boruto blinked, slightly grateful he didn't have to deal with Kabuto.
"He is my dad's right hand man, after all." Mitsuki said, a bit impressed at Kabuto's strength as Naruto wiped his eyes.
"Ugh….thanks, Shizune." Naruto grunted as Shizune's eyes widened as she saw Kabuto place something in his mouth.
"So that's it…a plasma pill." Shizune's eye narrowed.
"Plasma pill?" Naruto asked, getting less disoriented.
"What's that?" Boruto asked his friends.
"It's a pill that helps to heal wounds by replacing blood." Sarada replied, remembering Sakura tell her.
"Seriously? Talk about broken…." Boruto muttered with Jiraiya looking at Kabuto and Orochimaru.
"Well of course, he's trying to replace all the blood he's lost." Jiraiya smirked.
"He's a medical ninja like me." Shizune glared at Kabuto who turned to Orochimaru.
"Lord Orochimaru, isn't it time to take your bandages off?" Kabuto suggested as Orochimaru did just that, revealing their grey discoloration.
"Gross! What happened to them?" Sarada grimaced at the state of Orochimaru's arms.
"Oh wait, I remember dad saying how his arms were sealed away or something like that." Boruto tried remembering.
"Huh….that explains things." Sarada seemed satisfied with his words as Naruto glared at Hiruzen's murderer.
"So that's Orochimaru!?" Naruto growled, intent on making him pay.
"Heh, I guess it's time to get down to business." Jiraiya smirked at Orochimaru's state before turning to Shizune, "You handle four eyes over there, just leave Orochimaru to me." Jiraiya said as Orochimaru chuckled at the prospect of facing his old friend.
As everyone glared at each other, Jiraiya turned to Shizune.
"By the way, I need Tsunade to do something about my body." Jiraiya requested with Shizune turning her head.
"It may be a while before the effects of that drug fully leave your system, I'm sorry." Shizune already knew how Jiraiya would react.
"What!? You've gotta be kidding!" Jiraiya nearly spazzed out before regaining his composure, "Hmph, no matter, I'll just have to face him as I am. Tsunade, you just stay there and rest." Jiraiya said with Naruto turning to him.
"What about me? What do I do?" Naruto asked as Jiraiya looked at him.
"You don't do anything. Just stand guard over Tsunade with the pig." Jiraiya ordered Naruto.
"Yeah, like that'll sit well with him." Boruto snorted as that obviously didn't sit well with Naruto.
"What!? But I wanna fight this guy!" Naruto complained as Jiraiya wasn't gonna hear it.
"Forget about it! The guy with the glasses is right, you're in over your head. Our opponent is one of the Sannin and the man who killed the Third Hokage. This is an eye for an eye so I'm the only one who can fight him! Not only that but four eyes over there could go toe to toe with Kakashi if he wanted to." Jiraiya explained as Orochimaru smirked at his comment on killing Hiruzen with Kabuto standing as stoic as ever.
"Wait, as strong as Kakashi!?" Boruto blinked.
"Well, Dad would have only the cream of the crop in his ranks." Mitsuki said as Naruto grunted.
"Don't worry, I can handle this!" Naruto made a very familiar hand sign.
"Hold on, Naruto. Shadow Clones won't work and they won't even be a decent diversion. You'd only be wasting your Chakra…Those two….they're a dangerous pair…" Jiraiya scowled at the two as Kabuto drew blood from his cut wrist as Jiraiya bit his thumb.
"SUMMONING JUTSU!" Both men yelled as a huge two snake erupted from the smoke around Orochimaru and Kabuto.
"Wait! Is that the same snake from the Chunin exams!?" Sarada grimaced as Boruto rubbed his eyes.
"No. That one only had one head and this one has two!" Boruto was quick to point out.
And on Jiraiya's end….
"What's up?" None other than Gamakichi grinned from the smoke.
"What the!? Where the hell's your father!?" Jiraiya and Naruto simultaneously.
"That must've been some drug!" Boruto exclaimed while trying not to laugh.
"She is called the greatest medical ninja after all." Sarada bit her lip as this was way too funny despite the circumstances as Mitsuki chuckled as it seemed Orochimaru was just as amused.
"Well Jiraiya, still playing the fool I see. You always were ridiculous." Orochimaru chuckled as Kabuto just stared blankly at Gamakichi.
"Your jutsu did require a sacrifice so maybe that's who she was gunning for?" Kabuto assumed as this made Orochimaru chuckle harder.
"Thank god she didn't." Sarada breathed a sigh in relief.
"Well it looks like our dear Tsunade has gotten to you. You're as big of a joke as the day we met." Orochimaru continued verbally assaulting Jiraiya as Naruto was finally at his wits end. NO one got to talk shit about Jiraiya BUT Naruto.
"Summoning Jutsu!" Naruto slammed his palm to the ground as Orochimaru's interest was briefly turned to Naruto.
"That's the Nine Tailed Brat from the Chunin exams. But for the sake of the Akatsuki and their goals, I let the boy slip by. I should have killed him when I had the chance….Although the only ones capable of breaking a five pronged seal includes us of the Legendary Sannin." Orochimaru noted.
"That may be but Lord Jiraiya is training the boy." Kabuto added.
"If he's learned to control the Nine Tails, he could be quite a formidable foe." Orochimaru said as the smoke finally died down, revealing a tiny yellow frog, not Gamabunta.
"And who's this?" Sarada blinked.
"Wanna bet ten ryou, he's Gamakichi's brother?" Boruto grinned.
"On it!" Sarada shaked Boruto's hand.
"….But that doesn't appear to be the case." Orochimaru's eyes lit as it was obvious he wondered why Naruto was even a ninja as Kabuto grunted.
"Well he never had any talent as a ninja." Kabuto scoffed much to Team Konohamaru's annoyance.
"Ugh, can these two just shut up already?" Boruto was getting tired of hearing these two turn coats run their mouths.
"Same." Sarada agreed as Naruto was lost, expecting Gamabunta and not this tiny frog.
"What happened!? Where did I go wrong!?" Naruto flailed his arms with the frog smiling.
"Hi, everyone!" The frog grinned with Gamakichi hopping to him.
"Hey, Gamatatsu. Why'd you pop out? Where's the old man?" Gamakichi asked.
"Oh brother! This is the first time I've ever popped out! I can't wait to show it's my time to shine." Gamatatsu happily gleamed as Boruto smirked.
"Ten Ryou please!" Boruto held his hand out as Sarada growled loudly.
"You son of a-"Sarada took her wallet out as she paid Boruto as Orochimaru was finally ready to start the party.
"Let's begin!" Orochimaru said as the serpentine launched itself at the Leaf Ninja.
"Kabuto, I want you to leave Jiraiya to me! The others are yours to do as you will." Orochimaru ordered Kabuto as he jumped on the other head.
"What a shame! I had been hoping to test my metal against one of the Sannin!" Kabuto smirked despite his words of disappointment with the snake crashing into the ground.
As Shizune jumped with Tsunade to get her to safety, Kabuto decked her in the face.
Before Naruto knew anything, he was immediately devoured by one of the heads of the snakes.
"Wait again!?" Boruto and Sarada simultaneously exclaimed in dismay.
"Naruto!" Jiraiya was about to run to Naruto's aid.
"You're dealing with me, old friend!" Orochimaru charged at Jiraiya with a pure blood-lusted smile as Jiraiya huffed.
"No problem, Dark Swamp!" Jiraiya said as a sludge of slime appeared in the destroyed parts of the land, stopping the snake.
"Ugh great, this bog is way too small and not big enough to sink them!" Jiraiya grunted turning to Jiraiya as Naruto managed to get out of the snake's mouth.
"I am not letting you eat me a second time!" Naruto said.
"Thank god." Sarada huffed before he was smacked by the head of the snake sending him crashing into a nearby cliff side as Shizune's leg tendons were restrained and subdued by Kabuto as Jiraiya narrowly managed to avoid Orochimaru biting him.
"Damn…it's not looking good…" Boruto looked in worry at the downed forms of Naruto and Shizune as Jiraiya didn't look like he was faring too well.
It was then Kabuto walked to Tsunade only to look at her with a look, one could perceive as disgust.
"To think this is how someone I used to respect ended up." Kabuto spoke in an patronizing tone.
"Oh screw off, asshole!" Boruto hoped that either Naruto, Shizune, Jiraiya or a combo of all three would put this asshole in his place.
"S-stay away from me!" Tsunade yelled in a voice not unlike herself as Kabuto turned up his glasses.
"Have some dignity or you'll taint the name 'Sannin' of which Lord Orochimaru is affiliated with." Kabuto spat before punching and kicking the woman much to the disgust of everyone watching.
"Stay away from her!" Sarada yelled, wishing she could defend Tsunade but couldn't as these were events long sense passed.
"C'mon dad!" Boruto turned to his dad who struggled to move.
"Damn it…my body's too heavy…" Naruto grunted trying to pick himself up which was a struggle for a lack of better words.
"Heh, look at you. They used to call you the village madman. And now you'll plodding along for that same village with that brat in tow? You really have fallen off." Orochimaru turned his nose at his fellow Sannin.
"Oh what a stupid asshole. Trust me, even problem kids can be all stars if you work with them." Boruto said, no doubt speaking from personal experience.
Jiraiya just huffed despite the insults hurled his way, "Trust me, I've always had a good eye for talent." Jiraiya thought of Naruto and Minato with Orochimaru turning his eye to Naruto's injured form.
"With that one, all I see is insipid mediocrity." Orochimaru was no doubt jeering at Naruto although Jiraiya took all this in stride with a smile.
"You hit the nail on the head. What would I want with the Uchiha kid? Tell me, where's the fun in teaching someone who's already a genius?" Jiraiya challenged Orochimaru's assertion on Naruto being just some useless waste of time not worthy of Jiraiya's time.
"You tell him!" Sarada cheered on Jiraiya with her respect for him gradually elevated.
"That's right! Some prodigy just would be too boring!" Boruto added, remembering how despite being frustrating, it was slightly fun training with Sasuke while Orochimaru shook his head at what he thought was ridiculous words.
"How touching….You're drawn to him because he reminds you of your old self? That brat of yours could never defeat Uchiha, born into the Uchiha Clan and blessed with the Sharingan. Without Sharingan, poor Naruto hasn't a ghost of a chance. A shinobi's strength rests upon their ability to obtain and master all jutsu in this world. The very reason we are called Shinobi is because of all the Ninjutsu we master." Orochimaru finished, a hundred percent convinced of himself.
"I swear if he doesn't shut his damn mouth….It's not Dad's fault he wasn't born into some fancy clan like the Uchiha." Boruto growled at all the shallow people he saw in the memory.
"That brings up a point I've noticed and has been reinforced with these memories. It seems that people who are crowned 'geniuses' or come from a famous well known clan, they get all the attention and love from the village like Master Neji or dad. But on the other hand, people like Lord Seventh, Lady Hinata and Master Lee who are hard workers but can't measure up to the village's standards, they get ignored and thrown away like trash." Sarada pointed out with Boruto processing her words.
"You know….you're right about that….for all its good points, the Leaf is surprisingly very shallow…." Boruto said as Sarada turned to Boruto.
"This is the same village that treated and even tried starving a toddler." Sarada pointed out with Boruto being humbled into silence.
"Heh, you're wrong. That's not what makes a Shinobi. You never did get it; a real ninja is one who endures no matter what." Jiraiya began his counter to Orochimaru's words as he tilted his head.
"A difference of opinion I suppose." Orochimaru had an amused smile on his lips with Jiraiya's resolve not wavering.
"Let me explain something to you. There's more to being a Ninja than the amount of jutsu he possesses. What matters is the guts to never give up!" Jiraiya finished his declaration, being met with silence from Orochimaru.
"That's right! You can be as powerful as a Buddha but if you don't believe in yourself who cares about your background?" Boruto smiled, remembering how he was close to giving up and would have had it not been for Sasuke.
"I swear, I used to think he was just a dirty old man but he's really grown on me." Sarada smiled.
"Funny how that works." Mitsuki returned her smile as Kabuto's punch to Tsunade was blocked thanks to the hard head of Naruto.
"Back off!" Kabuto yelled as Naruto glared at him with the same look he gave Neji and Gaara before he kicked their asses.
"That's enough, you traitor!" Naruto growled as he slapped away Kabuto's hand before managing to summon the Rasengan in both of his hands.
"He did it!?" Sarada exclaimed.
"Yeah that looks closer to the Rasengan I know!" Boruto commented on Naruto's Rasengan's appearance.
"All he needs to do is nail him." Sarada pumped her fist as Naruto lunged at Kabuto who was amazed that such a failure could perform such a jutsu.
However much to everyone's dismay, Naruto missed only barely with Kabuto nailing Naruto's right leg with a chakra infused strike with his palm.
"Damn it, he was so close!" Boruto cursed as Sarada's eyes widened in dread.
"Oh no…now his leg is shot!" Sarada gasped.
"What do you mean?" Boruto asked.
"That was a chakra scalpel meaning he can shut off a limb if he wants too…" Mitsuki explained as Boruto realized what that meant.
"D-does that mean he can't use his leg? How can he fight that rat faced bastard!?" Boruto demanded in frustration as Naruto winced in pain realizing his new disadvantage.
"It looks like you fractured the thigh in your left leg during your little tussle with the serpent. If it were just the bone, you could still move but it's beyond that now since I've severed the lateral vastus muscle in your right leg. Heh, frightened? Hope you don't feel like running away." Kabuto chuckled before drawing one of his ninja cards, "As I recall, you were nothing but talk during that first Chunin exam."
"Don't underestimate me! I don't quit and I don't run! You guys aren't gonna scare me away! I don't care if I stay a Genin for the rest of my life, I'm still gonna be Hokage someday!" The memory flashed to Naruto letting Ibiki know he was not going to intimidate him before flashing to the present.
"'Don't underestimate me! I don't quit and I don't run! You guys aren't gonna scare me away! I don't care if I stay a Genin for the rest of my life, I'm still gonna be Hokage someday!'" Kabuto mocked Naruto who glared at him.
"That bastard! He's mocking his dream." Boruto clenched his fists, tired of this guy.
"Why that look? If I kill you, you can't achieve anything, now can you?" Kabuto gave Naruto a patronizing smile before walking over to Naruto.
"I can't wait for Lord Seventh to put this guy down." Sarada growled as the team watched helplessly as Kabuto kicked Naruto's downed form before Naruto caught Kabuto's foot before knocking him away.
"That's enough….I'm not gonna give up and I'm not gonna run away! That's my nindo, my ninja way!" Naruto declared in a voice similar to the current adult Naruto of today.
"Alright, time to kick his ass!" Boruto cheered.
"It's gonna be so satisfying seeing him down." Sarada grinned as Kabuto didn't look impressed one single iota.
"What a shame, you should have stayed out of this!" Kabuto backhanded Naruto, making him fall right in front of Tsunade as the woman looked deeply conflicted over something mentally.
"W-what are you doing?" Tsunade was nothing short of amazed as she watched Naruto stand against someone who she assumed was out of Naruto's league.
"Still haven't had enough?" Kabuto grit his teeth, nothing short of annoyed at Naruto's tenacity.
"Get ready to pay up on your bet, grandma! That cursed necklace of yours is about to be mine." Naruto said to Tsunade before summoning a Shadow Clone as she was sure Naruto was about to get himself killed if he continued.
"Naruto, that's enough! You don't have to protect me!" Tsunade tried stirring Naruto away from what she assumed was a pointless death as Kabuto shook his head before pulling out his scalpel.
"You should have listened now you've thrown it all away! Your dreams won't come true when you're dead!" Kabuto charged at Naruto, scalpel in hand.
"Just get out of the way, Naruto!" Tsunade tried pleading with Naruto who smirked.
"Heh, don't you worry about me." Naruto said before catching Kabuto's projectile…getting it impaled through the palm of his hand.
"Ouch…that's gonna leave a mark." Boruto winced.
"No kidding…" Sarada caressed her own hand as Kabuto and Tsunade were nothing short of surprised at Naruto's action.
"Until I become Hokage, I don't care what happens, I'm not gonna die!" Naruto grinned as everyone was stunned as Naruto glared at Kabuto, ignoring the pain.
"Now let's see you dodge me this time!" Naruto held his free palm as Naruto's Shadow Clone began gathering and getting the necessary chakra for his jutsu.
"So that's why he uses Shadow Clones….it helps the chakra manipulation come easier!" Boruto noted in realization.
"And it's gonna work this time!" Sarada grinned.
"Compress the Chakra…Keep it going…." Naruto cocked his arm back before finally making contact with Kabuto's chest.
"Rasengan!" Naruto yelled, slamming the jutsu dead into Kabuto as Mitsuki was able to notice Kabuto clutch at Naruto's chest, something not his teammates or Naruto himself noticed before Kabuto was sent flying several metres into a nearby Cliffside, ironically the same one Naruto was knocked into at the start of the fight.
"Yes! How you like that!" Boruto jumped up.
"I was getting real tired of him running his damn mouth." Sarada grinned as Kabuto was left barely on his feet with Jiraiya looking nothing short of proud of Naruto as Orochimaru was nothing short of disgusted as the damage finally settled down.
However before anyone could celebrate, Naruto suddenly coughed a mouthful of blood before falling on his back.
"Wait, what the hell just happened!?" Boruto and his team ran to Naruto's side, not liking this current change in events.
"That guy didn't do anything to him!" Sarada pointed out as Mitsuki's eyes narrowed.
"So that's it…." Mitsuki surmised as his teammates stared at him in surprise.
"What's it? What the hell are you talking about!?" Boruto stated more than asked.
"Before he hit him with the Rasengan, he used a chakra scalpel to strike at Lord Seventh's heart." Mitsuki explained much to the disbelief of his friends.
"What!? But shoudn't the Nine Tails be healing him?" Boruto couldn't believe his ears as Sarada looked down.
"….There is the possibility so much damage may have been done that the Nine Tails can't heal him…" Sarada predicted.
"But how did he get out of this!?" Boruto couldn't believe this change of events as Kabuto was stirring on his feet.
"You have to be kidding me, he's still up!?" Sarada asked in dismay as Kabuto chuckled while Tsunade ran to Naruto's side while looking at Kabuto in dismay.
"How are you still up!?" Tsunade growled.
"I focused my chakra at the point of impact so before he even hit me, I already started healing myself so now you see why Lord Orochimaru values me so much. So no matter the injury, I can always repair myself while Naruto doesn't have that advantage and looks finished!" Kabuto laughed but before he could take a single step, he fell to his kns and then the ground before spitting up a mouthful of blood.
"Ha! How you like that!?" Boruto laughed as Kabuto was definitely getting a taste of his own medicine although the time for laughter was short as Tsunade put her ear to Naruto's chest only to notice something off.
"His heart's failing!" Tsunade noted in a voice of alarm and horror as she immediately zipping open his jacket and put her hands to his heart.
"The muscles surrounding his heart have been torn to shreds….but how the hell did it happen and when?" Tsunade asked before realizing what Mitsuki did before ripping open his black shirt and immediately going to work and trying to heal him making Kabuto despite his condition.
"You're wasting your time…with my last strike, I severed his heart's chakra network so now he can't even get help from the Nine Tailed Fox. He's finished, I'm telling you…" Kabuto was practically gloating at his work.
"Oh shut up!" Tsunade yelled speaking for everyone watching.
"Thank you!" Boruto said, getting tired of this asshole running his mouth.
"You'll be dead soon, I'll see to that!" Tsunade spat with hatred in her voice not taking her attention off of Naruto, with frustrated tears leaving her eyes as Naruto's condition seemed to worsen.
However as her tears hit Naruto with blow and blow, he suddenly gasped while touching her necklace.
"….Told you….I'd….win…" was all Naruto said before closing his eyes as his chest rose up and down, showing he was still alive.
"He's still alive!?" Kabuto couldn't believe he screwed up.
"That idiot…always making people worry…" Boruto breathed a sigh in relief.
"I know….if we didn't know he'd be your dad, I'd say he was done…" Sarada wiped her eyes as Tsunade smiled with tears in her eyes.
"Yes….you did…." Tsunade healed Naruto's wounded hand before slowly taking off her necklace and putting it around Naruto's neck gingerly putting him down as she caressed his head.
The sight was enough to bring a tear to mostly those watching.
"I'd say he won that bet." Mitsuki smiled with his friends nodding.
"Poor boy, looks like he won't make it." Orochimaru scoffed at Naruto's form with Jiraiya huffing.
"You're forgetting Tsunade's healing and soon she'll have him on his feet in no time" Jiraiya reminded the traitor who looked pensively at Naruto.
"There's far more to this little Genin that meets the eye. There's no telling what'd happen if the Akatsuki were to get their hands on him but if he were to die right now!" Orochimaru suddenly launched himself off the snake he was on.
"Oh no! He's going after Lord Seventh!" Sarada pointed as Jiraiya was quick to go after Orochimaru who threw his tongue around Jiraiya's ankle.
"What the devil!?" Jiraiya was suddenly thrown into the ground below before Orochimaru was inches from Naruto.
"Damn you, stay away from him!" Boruto threw a vanishing Rasengan at Orochimaru though it phased right through him.
But before Orochimaru's blade could impale Naruto, it was suddenly thrust through Tsunade instead, much to the surprise of everyone watching.
"S-she protected him…" Sarada's mouth dropped as a hand covered it as Tsunade coughed blood on the rogue Sannin before he ejected his sword, leaving blood splattering on the ground around Naruto.
"Tsunade, you're the one person I don't want to kill so listen to me. If that brat is allowed to live, it will mean more trouble than you and your friends could ever imagine now stay out of my way." Orochimaru said with Tsunade unwavering despite the odds.
"No…you listen to me….if nothing else, I WILL protect this boy…." Tsunade growled with this declaring nothing short of amusing and ridiculous to Orochimaru.
"Hmph, and how do you plan on doing that when you're like a leaf shivering in the wind? Moreover, why would one of the Sannin want to risk your life for one lowly boy?" Orochimaru tilted his head in mock curiousity as Tsunade raised her head despite the blood.
"By saving him, I'm saving my home, the Village Hidden in the Leaves!" Tsunade stated much to Orochimaru and Kabuto's dismay.
"Yeah you tell him!" Boruto cheered.
"But I wonder how she can…with her fear of blood and her wounds…." Sarada worriedly pointed out.
"You really think you're protecting the village?" Orochimaru cocked a brow as Tsunade turned her head to Naruto with a weak smile.
"You see, this lowly ninja has been chosen by fate to be Hokage…." Tsunade said as this was enough for Orochimaru to actually start laughing.
"What nonsense. Moreover, what of it? Who cares about being the Hokage? Only a fool would want that job!" Orochimaru said with some bitterness in his voice as Tsunade's eyes widened, no doubt remembering her own domineering words about the Hokage before they softened as they hardened.
"This time…I'm putting my life on the line!" Tsunade said with the utmost certainty.
"Yeah!" Boruto and Sarada cheered with Orochimaru's eye twitching in disbelief before chuckling.
"Well then, if you're willing to die for one insignificant brat, I'll be happy to accommodate you!" Orochimaru took his tongue sword before viciously slashing Tsunade across her shoulder, spraying blood everywhere.
"Oh shit!" Boruto's eyes widened.
"Lady Tsunade!" Sarada and an awakened Shizune yelled with Jiraiya stumbling onto his back in dread.
"Now all that's left is Naruto himself." Orochimaru grinned in glee, nothing in his way of cleaving Naruto as he was about to carve out Naruto like a Thanksgiving Turkey before Tsunade's side was slashed.
"How much more can she take?" Boruto gulped with Orochimaru swallowing his sword as he tilted his head, bemused.
"You're really determined, aren't you?" Orochimaru scoffed at Tsunade's tenacity as she huffed blood.
"Didn't I make it clear, you fool? I'll die before I let you touch him…." Tsunade growled, seemingly striking a nerve before he kicked her on her side.
"Ha, big talk but look at you, still trembling like a leaf. You've thrown it all away and for what? For the sake of some obnoxious little boy? For some worthless village you left behind?" Orochimaru jeered at Tsunade's trembling form before it suddenly stopped much to everyone's amazement.
Before Orochimaru knew anything, Tsunade kicked him dead in the face.
"Whoa!" Boruto and Sarada blinked.
"What the!? How!? You stopped the trembling!?" Orochimaru was not expecting this.
"You know what? I finally remembered something….I've been chosen as the Fifth Hokage of the Leaf Village!" Tsunade stated in a voice ready to rid the world of the plague known as Orochimaru.
"Holy shit! She's activated! Really!" Boruto pumped his fists, ready to see Orochimaru get his just desserts as Tsunade's seal was activated.
"That's the Regeneration Seal my mom has!" Sarada remarked just as excited as Orochimaru was just as amazed at Tsunade's seal before regaining his bravado.
"Heh, whatever you call yourself, it makes no difference. You may have conquered your inner demons but what about the rest of you? You can hardly expect to defeat me in your condition." Orochimaru was clearly still assured of his victory as Tsunade made a hand sign.
"Lady Tsunade, wait! Let me treat your wounds! Please don't break the seal!" Shizune desperately pleaded with her master who sadly ignored her.
"Ninja Art Mitotic Regeneration!" Tsunade yelled before her wounds started healing and vanishing instantly leaving only blood behind.
"Whoa! Her wounds have gone away! Talk about broken!" Boruto grinned with Sarada shaking her head.
"Yeah…but it comes with a price…." Sarada frowned.
"A price?" Boruto wondered.
"If you use it too much, you shorten your life…" Sarada explained much to Boruto's disbelief.
"Wait seriously?" Boruto couldn't believe that such a jutsu has an…..dire side effects.
"The human body can only repair itself so many times. After which, the body dies since it's gone over that limit…" Mitsuki added much to Boruto's disbelief as Shizune was thinking no doubt of what Sarada and Mitsuki had said.
"Lord Orochimaru!" Kabuto jumped to Orochimaru's side, putting some of his blood on Orochimaru's wrist as he realized just how dire the situation was turning for their side.
Tsunade took some of the blood on her with Jiraiya biting his thumb.
"Summoning Jutsu!" All Three Sannin yelled before summoning their respective summons, all of them looming at heights over twenty meters.
"Whoa….look at them…." Boruto was nearly bug-eyed.
"This looks like something out of an anime…" Sarada could hardly believe her eyes.
"We're about to see a Sannin Battle Royale…." Mitsuki commented, admitting looking forward to this.
"I feel so out of place…" Sarada admitted a bit helplessly as the Sannin all gazed at each other atop their respective summons.
"Manda and Orochimaru, Katsuyu and Tsunade….to think everyone is gathered here…tell me, did you bring a hanky? I think I'm going to cry." Gamabunta teased despite blowing on his pipe making Jiraiya grin.
"You old fool, I didn't summon you all the way here just to hear your jokes. Although…this rivalry has gone on for long enough and today, I'm putting Orochimaru out of our miseries once and for all…" Jiraiya's eyes narrowed with Orochimaru's meeting his challenge.
"Well Orochimaru, why have you dragged me here? You know I don't like being summoned! Maybe I should just eat you and be done with it!" Manda was already tired of being here.
"He's a real charmer, huh?" Boruto snorted.
"Didn't you have a snake summon?" Sarada asked.
"Yeah and he was a bit of a hardass but he was at least helpful." Boruto shrugged as Kabuto grimaced.
"Please don't talk that way, Lord Manda. You'll be rewarded, don't worry." Kabuto tried reassuring Manda though this seemed to incite Manda rather than make him feel better.
"Who do you think you're talking to, you little bug? What could you have that I could want?" Manda growled as Kabuto looked down before turning his eye to Orochimaru, "Orochimaru, when this is over, I expect a hundred human sacrifices." Manda ordered much to Boruto and Sarada's disgust.
"How awful…." Sarada cringed. What happened to summons just helping out people who summon them?
"Yeah at least Garaga wasn't that bad…" Boruto agreed as Tsunade turned to her summon.
"Katsuyu, see to the boy." Tsunade said at Katsuyu slicked down to a smaller form and slid Naruto down to where Shizune was as Gamabunta blew his pipe right in Manda's face.
"I'm going to pop you like a balloon you stinking dirty toad!" Manda growled with Gamabunta smirking.
"Then please go on and try it, I've always wanted a snakeskin wallet." Gamabunta went to his sword with Jiraiya looking dead at Orochimaru.
"Orochimaru, you're longer fit to walk among us. Your evil days are finally at an end!" Jiraiya was ready to rid the world of Orochimaru's evilness.
"'One of us'? What an insult!" Orochimaru snickered although Tsunade felt no humor.
"After today, there'll be one less Sannin in the world!" Tsunade declared with the three Sannin having a standoff before Katsuyu started the assault.
"Acid Slime!" Katsuyu spat a mouthful of acid at the summon who dodged before wrapping itself around the slug.
"I'll start with you!" Manda growled, opening his mouth with the intent of devouring both Tsunade and her summons. Thankfully Gamabunta came to her aid trying to impale Manda though he caught his sword with his mouth.
"This is like a scene from Godzilla…." Mitsuki admitted off the looks from his friends.
"Now Katsuyu!" Tsunade ordered.
"Yes, my lady!" Katsuyu complied before splitting off into a hundred smaller ones.
"That's so gross…" Sarada cringed.
"That's so cool!" Boruto grinned with sparkly eyes with Katsuyu reforming herself with Gamabunta jumping back at Manda spat the sword out as it landed thankfully not on Katsuyu.
"Tsunade stand back! Time for oil, Bunta!" Jiraiya made a hand sign as Gamabunta sucked in his gut.
"You got it…" Gamabunta readied himself.
"Fire Style Oil Flame Bomb!" Jiraiya yelled before the field became covered in fire, leaving Manda's burning carcass behind.
"They did it?" Sarada hoped that was over.
"Hm…that did it…wait….Bunta down below!" Jiraiya ordered Gamabunta who caught a tail meant to impale the two.
"His tail? How?" Jiraiya asked, not seeing the real Manda behind him.
"Oh damn, look out!" Boruto yelled as Tsunade thought fast and impaled Gamabunta's huge sword into Manda's jaw.
"Damn she's strong!" Boruto couldn't believe how much physical strength she had.
"That thing has to be several metres tall!" Sarada wiped her glasses just as much in disbelief as Orochimaru seemed to realize the tide of battle was shifting away from him.
Orochimaru smirked before wrapping his tongue around Tsunade's neck.
"Okay his tongue will never stop in disgusting me." Sarada cringed with Boruto grunting in agreement.
"I've always wondered what it'd be like to wring that pretty little neck of yours!" Orochimaru chuckled in glee although he stopped short as she hastily removed his tongue from her before untangling it and clocking him right in the face.
"Nice one!" Sarada cheered.
"Give that bastard his just dues!" Boruto grinned, wishing he could get one in before Tsunade continued to deck him with blows again and again though everyone seemed to notice her fists were coming up short.
"Wait what's wrong? Her fists don't look like they were connecting?" Boruto asked.
"It's that jutsu…its side effects are starting to come…" Mitsuki frowned.
"That soon? Ugh…." Sarada groaned, a part of her wanting to kill Orochimaru.
Despite fatigue plaguing her, she summoned chakra to her right fist.
"Give my regards to hell!" Tsunade growled, decking Orochimaru right into Manda who grunted.
"Ugh….I would eat the two of you but thanks to this sword I won't be eating solid food for a month….Just wait…." Manda growled before vanishing but as he did, everyone was stunned at what they saw.
Half of Orochimaru's face looked ripped off….
"What the hell? His face!" Boruto grimaced in disgust.
"It's like back in the Forest of Death…" Sarada remembered Orochimaru's face after Sasuke burned it.
"It's a part of his jutsu….his Living Corpse jutsu where he takes the body of whom he selects….at the cost of their lives…" Mitsuki grimly admitted much to Boruto and Sarada's disgust.
"And he wanted to do that to my dad…." Sarada clenched her fist.
"I always thought he was…off…but…" Boruto gulped as Orochimaru huffed.
"Tsunade…you refuse to heal my arms do you? No matter….I don't need you….there is one other way…and eventually…I will destroy the Hidden Leaf….Count on it!" Orochimaru all but guaranteed as Boruto snorted.
"Don't count on it, you sick bastard!" Boruto huffed before he and Kabuto started to slowly slide down into the ground below.
"Until then my dear old friends…" Orochimaru and Kabuto were gone.
"Wait! Ugh!" Jiraiya hands went to his side as both his and Tsunade's summons were gone soon after.
"It's hard to believe all of that is finally over…" Sarada was starting to feel tired after all these memories.
"Indeed…." Mitsuki agreed with Boruto about to speak his mind.
"You know….despite how vile he is, I'm sorta relieved that Orochimaru bastard didn't die." Boruto said.
"Oh yeah?" Sarada cocked a brow.
"Well yeah, think about it. If he kicked the bucket here, Mitsuki never would have been created." Boruto pointed out, smiling at Orochimaru's "son".
"Boruto…" Mitsuki blinked as Sarada smiled, catching on.
"He's right. You've been nothing but a blessing to us." Sarada smiled with Mitsuki silent before giving a small smile.
"Thank you…both of you." Mitsuki happily thanked his friends who smiled in response as Jiraiya walked over to where Tsunade and Shizune were.
"Heh, you never could pass up a fool's bet." Jiraiya amusingly pointed out with Tsunade silent no doubt recollecting over her life as well as Naruto before her seal came back as she started to age rapidly.
"Lady Tsunade…" Shizune raised a hand in alarm.
"It's that jutsu's side effects…." Mitsuki noted.
"Whoa…I wonder if Auntie Sakura prunes the same…" Boruto pondered much to Sarada's annoyance.
"SHUT UP!" Sarada growled, smacking his skull.
"I'll be fine….My younger self will be restored after rest and once Naruto's all well, we'll leave." Tsunade said as Jiraiya looked at her.
"Tsunade…." Jiraiya commented.
"No more first names. You know what to call me now." Tsunade said and before anyone could say anything, the scene shifted to Naruto and Jiraiya, obviously healed up right in the same bar where they first met Tsunade.
"What!? The Fifth Hokage!? I'm out for a few minutes only to see she's the Hokage!?" Naruto demanded more than asked.
"He's sure pleased." Mitsuki chuckled as Sarada sighed.
"This ain't gonna end well…." Boruto muttered.
"Is uh…something bothering you, Naruto?" Jiraiya genuinely asked his student who huffed.
"Oh c'mon, shouldn't the Hokage be kind, wise and everything like the old man was? I mean just look at her! She's mean, greedy and not all that smart! Nothing personal but I'm not sure she's right for the job…" Naruto bluntly stated not noticing how progressively pissed she was getting.
"Please shut up!" Boruto face palmed.
"Uh…should we order something?" Shizune tried defusing the situation though no one paid her any mind as Naruto continued.
"On top of that, she's a fifty year old lady who uses jutsu to make herself look younger. I mean is that who we want, someone living a lie?" Naruto pointed out as that was the LAST straw for Tsunade.
"You wanna take this outside kid!?" Tsunade got right in Naruto's face much to Shizune, Jiraiya and Shizune's chagrin.
"What was that you said about this not ending well?" Sarada asked Boruto as the group went outside with Naruto and Tsunade standing across each other, a contrast to when they first met.
"This is almost symbolic…" Mitsuki said.
"What do you mean?" Boruto asked.
"When they first met, it was nighttime and Lady Tsunade was consumed by the darkness of her inner demons but now that she's gotten over them, the sunlight is a perfect showing of a new beginning for her." Mitsuki explained as Boruto and Sarada were left surprised at Mitsuki's use of symbolism.
"Wow…who knew you were so poetic…." Sarada blinked.
"Why thank you." Mitsuki laughed.
"I may not be perfect but I am Hokage now. And for a squirt like you, one finger's all I need." Tsunade smiled holding one finger much to Naruto's ire.
"Not this time, granny! And stop calling me squirt! Right now I'm a kid but I'll be Hokage!" Naruto smirked catching her off guard as he charged at her before she knocked his headband clean off, a repeat of last time
"Oh not again…" Boruto grimace but rather than her finger, her lips connected with Naruto's forehead, leaving everyone surprised at Tsunade's gesture, none more than Naruto.
"You'll grow up to be a fine man." Tsunade said with the utmost certainty in her voice.
As Naruto and everyone smiled, the foggy bluish-purplish mist enveloped Team Konohamaru, ending the memory.
And as the Tsunade-Centric memory ended, in a strange void a certain man stirred awake.
This was a tall blonde man in his early thirties with shortened blonde hair, sapphire blue eyes and three whisker marks on each of his cheeks. For clothing, he wore a zip up orange sweater with black stripes on the bottom with matching black pants and a bandage on his right hand.
"What in the…" The man, rubbing his head.
"Have a good sleep?" Kurama asked his long time friend who blinked.
"K-KURAMA!?" The man yelled.
So who is the blonde man? ;D
And with that the Search for Tsunade Arc is FINALLY at an end! It sucks my computer dropped but good news I was able to go by Best Buy and a couple of days ago I was able to got my files back!
Still sucks about my computer since I had that one since like 2014 but all stuff must end…..
I do want to say I have two "cool off"" chapters before we get into the Sasuke Retrieval Arc coming December 2021! ^_^
Still can't believe the hate this arc gets BUT coming off the action of the previous arc, I can see why. It's why Thriller Bark gets hate despite the Water 7 arc….
And as for chapter 21, expect it coming October 31st as a nice Halloween Gift! ^_^
Til then stay safe my friends!
P.S: For those curious as to what would have happened if Tsunade HAD healed Orochimaru's Arms, here you go! ^_^
watch?v=O9Lsx0LHiAw&t=868s&ab_channel=NarutoExplained
