I love how the reviewers are always so supportive. Thank you.
Lin: And I'm glad I got your well-deserved review :)
FrozenFlamingFire: Perfectly normal, my friend ;)
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Thanks to NTA FANFIC, Lin, S.R.457, FrozenFlamingFire, hi1235, WaterDrop, Awais, Guest, leafstone and fdch for the reviews!
"Where are we heading now, Pervy Sage?"
Jiraiya turned to his newest pupil. "We are heading out to a place called Tanzaku Town."
Naruto had a water balloon in his hand, and was relentlessly trying to make it explode.
"You can't do that while we're walking, idiot," Jiraiya pointed out. "To complete this exercise, you need concentration-"
The water balloon exploded, spraying water all over Naruto's face and hair.
He smirked at Jiraiya, whose eyes looked like they were about to pop out of their sockets. "You were saying?"
Unbelievable. Has he inherited your genius mind too, Minato?
"Not bad for a kid, I suppose." The older man grinned. "Well, bursting the water balloon is just the first step. There are three steps in total in order to master the Rasengan."
Naruto's face fell. "So there are two more steps?"
"Yeah, kid. Do you think mastering jutsu is that easy?" Jiraiya snorted. "I'll tell you all about it when we get there."
The duo continued their stroll through the Land of Fire.
"Hey... Pervy Sage... you haven't told me about them." Naruto frowned, turning and looking up to look at the Sage's face. "Who were those guys?"
Jiraiya tried to think up an answer, but couldn't find one.
"You don't have to worry about them yet, Naruto."
Naruto glared at Jiraiya. "Come on, I wanna know."
"You will, soon enough." He squinted his eyes. "There, Tanzaku Town is in sight. Let's hurry."
Jiraiya sprinted forward. Grumbling, Naruto followed.
"Wow! Tsunade-sama, you're on a winning streak!"
Tonton oinked in excitement, while Shizune was now smiling broadly.
Contrary to her apprentice though, Tsunade had a frown on her face. The fellow gamblers around her was staring at their wallets in dismay. This was supposed to be the Legendary Sucker! How were they losing?
"Shizune, it's time to leave."
The blonde arose, and exited.
"Oh... right." Shizune followed her master quickly.
I'm on a winning streak, Tsunade registered Shizune's words. Does this mean... something's bad going to...
"Shizune, let's leave," she said quickly.
"Eh? But..."
"No buts! Let's go!" Tsunade exclaimed fiercely.
Shizune was taken aback by her outburst, but quickly nodded.
The two walked past the Tanzaku Castle. Shizune marveled at the sight of the town's most famous tourist attraction.
However, her admiration of the beautifully decorated castle was soon cut short, as it exploded, throwing Tsunade and Shizune back.
Tsunade gritted her teeth. I knew it...
They waited for the smoke to clear, and as soon as it did, two men appeared in their sights.
One had long hair, pale skin and a twisted smirk. Another was bespectacled, possessed the Oto forehead protector, and looked somewhat nerdy.
"It's been awhile... Tsunade."
"Orochimaru." Tsunade glared at her former teammate. She wasn't one for formalities, especially with a missing-nin, and got straight to the point. "What do you want?"
"What, you can't even give me a simple hello?"
Shizune prepared herself for a battle, sensing one about to come.
"I have no interest in discussing anything with you." Tsunade replied coldly.
"I thought so." Orochimaru chuckled mockingly.
The two Sannin stared each other down.
Shizune then attacked, a needle in her hand.
Kabuto jumped forward.
Needle and kunai clashed.
"Shizune! Stay back."
Glaring at Kabuto, Shizune leaped back.
"You need to teach your pupil manners, Tsunade-sama," Kabuto smirked.
Tsunade glared at the silver-haired man and issued a harsh warning. "Say that one more time and I'll kill you."
Kabuto wasn't intimidated in the slightest. "Fair enough," he simply said, adjusting his spectacles.
Seeing that the storm had somewhat settled, Orochimaru started his explanation.
"I'm not one to beat around the bush. I want you to heal me."
Tsunade's eyes narrowed.
"Heal you? From what?"
In response, the snake summoner ripped off his top, displaying severe burn marks all over his chest. Tsunade studied them as best as she could from afar. They don't look like normal burns...
"The wounds inflicted by the legendary Uchiha technique... the Amaterasu."
Unable to resist a small smirk from taking over her face, Tsunade let it show.
"The Amaterasu? Ha, you've gotten old, Orochimaru."
Orochimaru's evil smile turned into a frown. "You're one to talk... Tsunade." He looked down at the wounds on his body. "Besides... it's not like the Amaterasu is an easy jutsu to avoid."
"And why can't the great Orochimaru-sama function with these wounds?" The blonde Sannin asked with a dismissive wave. "I'm sure they'll heal. You don't have to come to me."
"For a Sannin, you are quite the idiot," Kabuto spoke up. "It is impossible for the wounds of Amaterasu to heal with time-"
Tsunade was suddenly in the air on top of him, her foot stretched out and raised. "Heaven Kick of Pain!"
Kabuto dived to the side swiftly, as the ground he was standing on exploded as soon as Tsunade's foot made contact.
"Still as feisty as before," Orochimaru laughed.
"I simply think our conversation can be better continued without your prick of a subordinate over there."
Kabuto pushed his glasses up. "Excuse me?"
Ignoring him, Tsunade looked up at Orochimaru. "So you want me to heal your Amaterasu wounds... correct?"
Orochimaru grinned creepily. "Yes."
"And what makes you think I would accept such a thing?" Tsunade scoffed. "At your full power, you will only return to Konoha and attempt to destroy it again, isn't that right?"
"That, I can't deny. So, are you willing to heal me, or not?"
"Why would I?" The well-endowed woman turned, walking away. "Shizune, let's go."
"Wait."
Tsunade stopped, turning. "I believe I said I was unwilling to heal you. If you want to take me by force, you can try. I'll pummel you and Four Eyes over there into pieces."
The killing intent in her words were easy to detect. Orochimaru chuckled.
"Did you really think I would have approached you if I didn't have something to give in return?"
Tsunade stared at her former teammate in silence, a sign for him to continue.
"I have mastered the Second Hokage's technique." He smiled sickeningly. "The Reanimation technique."
Shizune glanced at her master, having not heard of that jutsu before. Apparently, Tsunade had, for her eyes widened, before they turned into a frown.
"The Summoning Jutsu: Reanimation?"
"Yes."
"And? So what?"
"Nawaki. Dan."
The big-breasted woman twitched as Orochimaru spoke the names of her beloved ones.
"I can bring them back to life."
"What?" Shizune questioned.
"I can use the Summoning Jutsu: Reanimation to bring Nawaki and Dan back to life... if you heal my wounds, of course." Orochimaru smirked. Heh. She can't refuse this. "It's a win-win solution."
"Hm..."
"Tsunade-sama!" Shizune piped up in alarm. "You can't!"
"Be quiet," the pale man hissed. He turned, walking away and motioning for Kabuto to follow.
"I will give you three days... three days to think about my offer. I will be back."
Jiraiya and Naruto sat in the room of the inn.
"This, is the next step." Jiraiya got out a rubber ball. "You're going to have to break it, in the same manner as you broke the water balloon."
Naruto laughed. "Are you joking? You can't-"
The rubber ball burst, and pieces of rubber fell all over the ground. Naruto's jaw dropped.
Getting out another rubber ball, Jiraiya threw it to Naruto. "You can always ask me for help, you know." He grinned lecherously. "But then of course, you have to show me that Sexy Jutsu of yours again! Hehehe!"
Scowling, Naruto turned away. "I'm going to be the Hokage someday! If I don't master a simple thing like this by myself, I can't refer to myself as a Chunin of Konoha, much less the Hokage!"
"You've got guts, kid," the Toad Sannin admitted with a smile. Just like Kushina.
Naruto focused on his task.
"Shadow Clone Jutsu." A clone of Jiraiya poofed into existence, while the original exited through the window of the inn.
"Huh?"
Seeing Naruto's questioning look, the Jiraiya clone grinned. "I'm here to keep an eye on you in case we get a nasty run-in again." He sat against the chair and yawned.
"Sounds good," the blonde shrugged, and continued.
Six minutes passed.
Nothing happened.
Annoyed, Naruto flung the ball into the air aimlessly.
It sailed towards the window that Jiraiya had exited through earlier, and crashed through the transparent glass.
"Uh oh."
"Stupid kid," the clone muttered, adding a face-palm for good measure.
"You got another rubber ball?" Naruto asked sheepishly.
Rolling his eyes, the clone dug into his original's backpack, bringing out another rubber ball and throwing it at Naruto.
"Don't get too frustrated doing this, Naruto," Jiraiya laid back. "The Fourth Hokage spent three years perfecting the Rasengan. It's not something you can complete in a day. Sure, you completed the water balloon exercise in a day, but..."
"Just be patient," Naruto remarked. "I'll master this in hours!"
"Sure, whatever," the clone rolled his eyes.
Jiraiya returned in an hour, dispersing the clone.
He lied on his bed, taking a nap. When he woke up three hours later, Naruto was still at it, throwing all his attention and focus into the rubber ball.
Well, I guess it's good that he's practicing.
"Oi! Pervy Sage!"
"Eh?"
Jiraiya's right eye slowly opened.
A loud snap jerked him awake.
Pieces of rubber fell onto his face.
Standing on his bed in front of him was Naruto laughing his head off, a piece of rubber on his hand. "I did it, Pervy Sage! I mastered the second step of the Rasengan!"
Jumping off the bed, ignoring Jiraiya's dazed expression, Naruto put what he'd learnt into his right hand.
"Rasengan!"
A miniature sphere of whirling blue chakra came into existence on his right palm.
Holy... Jiraiya stared at the Rasengan. It's nowhere near complete, but it's a start! He rubbed his eyes in disbelief, convinced he was still dreaming, but he wasn't. Heck, when I started learning this... I took a whole year to make even the smallest Rasengan... and this kid has done it in a day!
"There's still one more step, right?"
"Oh yeah," Jiraiya threw the covers off, getting out of bed, and noticed the boy's panda eyes. Did he... practice the whole night?
"I'll tell you about it later."
The duo checked out of their inn, and started walking towards a particular direction.
"Where are we going, Pervy Sage?"
"Oh." Jiraiya grinned. "Well, if my sources are right... the woman we're looking for should be right around... here."
Naruto looked up. "A bar?"
"She's a heavy drinker."
The Chunin frowned at the explanation. "A heavy drinker can become Hokage?"
His older companion couldn't resist a chuckle, and simply nodded his head before pushing the door to the bar open.
Naruto entered, and immediately a man who appeared to be extremely drunk stumbled past him with a crazy grin plastered on his lips. The spiky-haired boy shook his head.
Tsunade sipped at her alcohol absentmindedly. Shizune was out exploring the town, so she had to take the opportunity to drink as much as she could.
Then, something familiar caught her eye. She looked up, frowning at the sight.
"Yo!"
Tsunade regarded her former teammate with nothing more than a glance and the speaking of his name, before going back to her drink. "Jiraiya."
"Tsunade," Jiraiya smirked. "You haven't aged a bit! The only thing that's grown is your chest-" He stopped, starting to sweat as Tsunade looked back up at him and gave him a death glare.
"Is this the 'beautiful woman' we're looking for?" Naruto asked, bounding over to the table.
Tsunade spared Naruto a glance as well. "Who's the kid?"
"The name's Naruto Uzumaki!"
"Hm?" She stared at her fellow blonde, his name catching her attention, something that was rare these days. Uzumaki?
"The name's Naruto Uzumaki," Naruto repeated, a little slowly this time.
"I heard you the first time, brat."
Annoyed by the woman's rudeness, Naruto took a seat and glared at her. Tsunade noticed this, and glared back.
Jiraiya took the last seat, smiling nervously as the two blondes glared each other down. It seems they've got off to a good start.
Now turning to the Sage, Tsunade began her questions. "Why are you here?"
Smiling wryly, he explained himself.
"The old man is retiring. Konoha wants you to return and replace Sarutobi-sensei as the Godaime Hokage-"
"Are you crazy?" Tsunade slammed her empty glass down.
It shattered into pieces. Naruto gasped, comparing it to the water balloon and rubber ball he'd exploded with his chakra before. Small cracks appeared on the table.
"Um," Jiraiya felt himself starting to perspire. "Calm down, Tsunade-hime."
"Tsunade-hime?" Naruto snorted.
"Be quiet, brat." Tsunade silenced Naruto with a glare.
Normally, anyone who came under her glare always looked away.
Unfortunately for the Senju woman, Naruto simply glared back.
The waiter came over, observing the shattered glass. "Is there a problem here?"
"No problem," Jiraiya smiled innocently, waving the waiter away.
"Why would I want to be the Hokage?"
Tsunade started chuckling softly, but neither Jiraiya or Naruto could find the humor in her laugh.
"Tell me, Jiraiya... What happened to the Shodaime? My grandfather...?"
Naruto scratched his head. Grandfather?
"... He died in a war."
"The Nidaime?"
"... In a war too."
"The Yondaime?"
Jiraiya's eyes shifted towards Naruto uneasily. "He died when the Kyuubi attacked the village."
Naruto looked down.
Tsunade noticed the two's sudden change, but decided not to question it. She instead rested her head on her palm, while her elbow rested on the table.
"Then, tell me, why would I become the Hokage if there is a high chance of my death?"
"What?" Naruto looked up. "But... the Hokage has to protect the village, even if at the cost of his life! That's what it means to be Hokage, isn't it?"
"Exactly, brat. Why would I want to die so young?"
"You're not young, you're already 51." Jiraiya pointed out.
"51?" The youngest among the three stared at Tsunade in disbelief. "... Nevermind."
"I don't want to die protecting someone, or something. I value my own life, unlike the Shodaime, the Nidaime, or the Yondaime," Tsunade continued harshly. "That is why, I will have to turn down-"
A fist slammed on the table.
"What do you mean by that, you old hag?" Naruto shrieked in her face.
Tsunade's eyes narrowed. "Old hag?"
"I refuse to let you disrespect our predecessors!" Naruto now had one foot on his chair, and another foot on the table. He inched closer to Tsunade's face, making sure she could see his fierce glare.
"The Shodaime, Nidaime and Yondaime died by protecting the village! They are heroes! I'll not allow you to insult them like that!"
"What's it to you?" Tsunade laughed. "You're just a small brat."
"What's it to me? Well, I'm going to be the Hokage someday!" the sword-wielding Chunin continued, his thumb jabbed onto his chest. "Naruto Uzumaki is the name, remember it!"
This time, Tsunade laughed, her voice filling the entire bar.
Patrons turned to stare at the three. Jiraiya rolled his eyes at Naruto's antics. Somehow, I don't think this is going to end well.
"Hokage? You, Hokage? Don't make me laugh!"
"S-Shut up! I'm going to be the Hokage, believe it!"
Stopping her laughter, Tsunade smirked at him. "Why do you even dream to become something like that?" She got up and turned towards the exit of the bar, ready to leave. "What a pathetic dream... a waste of your life..."
Hearing this from the potential Hokage, Naruto jumped off the table and pointed a finger at her.
One could see the clear fury in his face.
"What did you say, you old Grandma?" He screamed at her retreating back. He stuck his right hand out, and chakra began to swirl within. "My dream... is not pathetic!"
"Heh."
Tsunade started to leave, unaware of the charging jutsu behind her.
"Naruto, stop!" Jiraiya spoke quickly.
Ignoring his words, Naruto finished his charge-up. A ping-pong ball-sized blue sphere came into view.
"Rasengan!"
Well, that's the end of it. Probably the last chapter in awhile, because I'm heading overseas and I'll be back on Saturday.
Question of the Day: Hottest kunoichi in the series, according to you? ;)
In the next chapter, a bet is made and Naruto continues his learning of the Rasengan. Meanwhile, Tsunade makes her choice regarding Orochimaru's deal. See you all next time.