In the following days, Tsunade didn't mention going to Hidden Cloud Village again, and Ino thought she was just talking nonsense while drunk, so she didn't bring it up.
"I've already figured out a way. The training for Spirit Transformation Technique can't be delayed any longer. Hmm, the reason you haven't taken the final step is partly because of you and partly because of me. Your next task is to continue drinking! Keep a joyful mood. A good mood is very important for the first Spirit Transformation."
Hearing that Tsunade was paying with Jiraiya's savings, Ino didn't hold back.
I've dedicated myself to Konoha for more than half a year, so why can't I enjoy myself? If I don't drink, I don't drink for nothing. Drink!
She didn't notice at all that after leaving the Land of Fire, Tsunade led the two people and one pig northeast. Three days later, they chartered a boat at a port in the Land of Hot Springs and officially set off for the Land of Lightning.
Tsunade said she was going to a place called Nanagusa Island to collect some medicinal herbs. Ino didn't have much knowledge about navigation and thought that Tsunade had traveled widely for many years, so she didn't question the route and just kept drinking.
When she was happy from drinking, she sat on the deck, holding a wine bottle, tapping her foot, and sang "Binks' Sake."
Several sailors, Tonton, and Tsunade all clapped and cheered for her. After singing, she even curtsied, holding up her skirt, to thank them.
Only Shizune kept looking at the sea suspiciously, getting very nervous whenever a boat approached.
She suddenly pointed northeast and shouted in a panic, "Over there! Lady Tsunade, it looks like a small boat is coming from that direction!"
Ino squinted, looked in the direction she pointed, and saw only one small boat, with seemingly only one person on board?
She said with a smile, "Don't be afraid, Senior Sister, I'll protect you."
She pointed at the surrounding sailors: "Who do you think I am? Get the boat closer to it!"
"Get closer, get closer!" Tsunade and Tonton cheered as if egging her on, while Shizune looked helpless.
"Tsunade! How dare you enter the Land of Lightning? Are you trying to provoke a war between our two Villages?!" The Fourth Raikage came out alone in a boat, without any attendants. It seemed he thought the boat was too slow, so he threw away the oars, ran on the water, and sternly questioned her with a raspy voice.
Tsunade was even more unyielding: "So what if I provoke one? Do you dare to start a war?!"
Ino:???
The moment she saw the Fourth Raikage, most of her drunkenness wore off. What was going on? How did they end up in Hidden Cloud Village? Didn't they say they were going to trick some big spenders for funds? Hidden Cloud Village, with its Village full of violent individuals, didn't seem like a place with big spenders.
She glanced at her surroundings. Good, this was the open sea, her home turf. If she dove into the water, ordinary Ninja wouldn't be able to catch her.
Tsunade patted her shoulder impatiently: "What are you afraid of? Haven't you met the Fourth Raikage before? He owes us a favor. Be bold, it's just Hidden Cloud Village, there's nothing to be afraid of."
The more she said that, the more uneasy Ino felt.
This worry reached its peak when she saw the Fourth Raikage, who looked like a black man, jump onto the boat.
The Fourth Raikage began to bring up old grievances with Tsunade.
"I saved your subordinate last time."
"You entered the sphere of influence of our Ninja Village without cause!"
"You cheated during the arm wrestling last time."
"...But you still can't enter the sphere of influence of our Ninja Village without cause!"
"No cheating, arm wrestle, let's have another match! If I lose, I'll leave immediately, I promise. How about it? Do you dare to compete?"
Tsunade said decisively, and the Fourth Raikage's expression was a bit awkward. In terms of pure strength, he was indeed a little weaker than Tsunade, just that little bit.
As the dignified Raikage, if he cheated twice in a row, it would be unacceptable.
Jiraiya had recently reduced his habit of peeking into bathrooms and instead picked up the Third's crystal ball to study the Telescope Technique, all to maintain the dignity of a Village's Kage.
The Fourth Raikage cared even more about his reputation. In Hidden Cloud Village, the militant faction was rampant, and if he lost to Tsunade in terms of strength, there would surely be unrest in the Village. They were all people, all large organizations. Konoha Village had various intrigues, and Hidden Cloud Village also had them, but they were just further away, and the outside world didn't know.
If they were to compete again, he absolutely couldn't cheat.
But if he arm-wrestled fair and square, he really couldn't beat Tsunade, and it would be even more embarrassing to lose then.
"What exactly do you want to do?" As a Village's Kage, the Fourth Raikage, putting aside his crude speech and manners, also possessed sufficient political acumen.
Tsunade pointed to Ino on the side: "My disciple is preparing to cultivate a Secret Technique, and she needs to use your Turtle Island's Waterfall of Truth."
The Fourth Raikage's first reaction was no. Konoha Ninja were all cunning old foxes, every single one of them rotten. He was a straightforward person, and there must be some conspiracy he didn't know about. He absolutely couldn't let them set foot on Turtle Island.
But seeing Tsunade swinging her arms and shaking her wrists there, he hesitated a bit.
He was indeed in the wrong, and it was also true that Tsunade had helped him treat his subordinate. He even knew Ino; he was present when she became a disciple.
The Fourth Raikage looked at Ino: "Is that her? The recently rumored Konoha Village's genius rookie, who defeated Chōjūrō of Hidden Mist Village and the Jinchuriki of Hidden Sand Village?"
Tsunade knew it was time for the other party to state his conditions and nodded gently: "Yes."
The Fourth Raikage said in a booming voice: "Not just anyone is qualified to set foot on Turtle Island. Let her fight Nii Yugito. If she wins, I'll agree to her coming to the island and training with the Waterfall of Truth."
Tsunade first froze, then became a little annoyed: "Yugito? The Two-Tails Jinchuriki? Isn't that Female Ninja almost thirty this year?"
The Fourth Raikage shook his head repeatedly: "No, no, Nii Yugito is still young, unlike us old folks."
Tsunade pressed: "How old is Nii Yugito?"
"Still young."
"Stop talking nonsense, I'm asking you, how old is Nii Yugito this year?"
"...Twenty-five."
Tsunade laughed in anger: "Don't you have any young Ninja in your Village?"
There certainly were, but there were no Ninja of the same age who could currently beat Ino.
This was obvious at a glance.
The Fourth Raikage remained silent, meaning this was the condition. If she agreed, they would continue; if not, they could go back home.
Tsunade was unsure and could only ask Ino for her own opinion.
"To cultivate Spirit Transformation Technique, I think we need to use Turtle Island's Waterfall of Truth to further purify your spirit body. According to my idea, this place is very crucial. Now the Fourth Raikage has set a condition, requiring you to defeat the Two-Tails Jinchuriki. Do you think you have a chance?"
Only then did Ino understand Tsunade's intention. Cultivate Spirit Transformation Technique with the Waterfall of Truth? Naruto seemed to have used this waterfall.
The Two-Tails Jinchuriki, could she beat her? She honestly had no confidence, not a bit.
If possible, she would rather fight Choji's future wife, Karui, or Karui Duck, or whatever.
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