The next morning at the inn, Tsunade woke up with a pounding hangover. As the memories of her behavior from the night before flooded back specifically her attempts to provoke the Jiraiya, a deep flush crept across her face.A soft knock came at the door. "Tsunade-sama? Are you awake?" Shizune asked."Yeah, Shizune. Come in," Tsunade groaned, rubbing her temples.Shizune entered carrying a steaming bowl. "Tsunade-sama I made some soup, eat this to help you recover from last night's drinking.""Hmm... thanks," Tsunade muttered. She ate quickly, took a cold shower to clear her head, and headed out with Shizune toward the casino district, determined to win back the Ryo she had lost the previous day.However, as they turned into a secluded alleyway, the air suddenly grew heavy. The birds stopped chirping. Tsunade halted, her eyes narrowing. "Whoever is lurking there... show yourself now, or you'll regret it!""hehehe... It has been a long time, Tsunade."From the shadows, two figures emerged: Orochimaru, his skin pale and sickly, and Kabuto Yakushi, his glasses glinting in the dim light. Shizune instinctively recoiled, a cold shiver running down her spine. "O-Orochimaru!" Tsunade spat, her voice laced with venom. "State your business. If you don't have a good explanation for showing your face today, you won't be walking away."Her eyes dropped to Orochimaru's arms bruised, blackened, and hanging lifelessly at his sides. She understood the situation instantly."Kukuku... Tsunade, I've come to offer you a deal," Orochimaru hissed, his long tongue flickering over his lips. "Heal these hands of mine, and in exchange... I shall bring Dan and Nawaki back to life. You know well that I have mastered the Edo Tensei."Tsunade froze. The world seemed to stop. Her breath hitched, and a visible tremor took hold of her hands."What do you say, Tsunade?" Orochimaru pushed, leaning in like a predator.Shizune grabbed Tsunade's sleeve, tears pricking her eyes. "Tsunade-sama, don't listen to him! I miss my uncle just as much as you do, but you cannot trust a monster like Orochimaru!"Tsunade snapped back to reality, her jaw tightening as she clenched her fists.
"Tch."Orochimaru's gaze shifted to Shizune, radiating a suffocating Killing Intent. "You bastard!" Tsunade roared. "How dare you try to defile their memories with your twisted games!"She lunged forward to strike, but Kabuto stepped in front of the weakened Sannin, his hand glowing with a medical chakra scalpel.Orochimaru began to laugh—that signature, skin-crawling cackle. "Hehehe!" He slowly raised a hand to his mouth and bit down hard on his thumb. Dark red blood splattered onto the pavement.The sight of the crimson liquid hit Tsunade like a physical blow. Her eyes dilated, her breath became shallow, and she fell to her knees, paralyzed by her hemophobia."Tsunade-sama! Snap out of it!" Shizune cried, stepping in front of her with a kunai, her own body shaking with fear.Orochimaru smiled thinly. "I'll give you time to consider this deal, Tsunade. Meet us here at this same time tomorrow with your decision."With a swirl of wind and leaves, Orochimaru and Kabuto vanished.High above on a nearby rooftop, Jiraiya or rather, Kaito Sato stood watching the scene. His tailored coat caught the wind, and his expression was unreadable.'The antagonist has made his move,' Kaito thought, his mind already calculating the variables. 'A classic emotional manipulation tactic.'Underneath his cold CEO exterior, however, he felt a strange, lingering weight in his chest as he looked at the trembling woman below.
Tsunade took a deep breath and, leaning on Shizune for support, forced herself to stand. "Let's go to a bar. I need a drink," she muttered, her voice thick with exhaustion. The gambling halls held no appeal now; the weight of Orochimaru's offer felt like an anchor in her chest.
Shizune looked at her, eyes brimming with concern. "Tsunade-sama... are you truly alright?"
Tsunade flashed a jagged, forced smile. "Baka, Shizune. What's with that look? You really think I'd fall for Orochimaru's lies?" She grabbed Shizune's hand, pulling her along. "Let's just move." Shizune let out a soft sigh, following silently. She could see the storm behind Tsunade's eyes—no one could tell what she was thinking.
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From the shadows, Jiraiya watched their retreating figures before vanishing with a Body Flicker. Back at the inn, he stepped into Naruto's room and shook the boy awake.
"Kid, get up. It's time for training," Jiraiya commanded.
"Hmm... Ero-Sennin... five more minutes... mmm, ramen he he he..." Naruto mumbled, half-dreaming of pork broth. Without a word, Jiraiya grabbed him by the leg and dumped him unceremoniously onto the floor.
"OW! Ero-Sennin, what was that for?!" Naruto yelled, rubbing a fresh knot on his head.
Jiraiya looked at him seriously.coldness. "Brat, did you forget your bet with Tsunade yesterday? You only have seven days. Let's go."
Jiraya knew that in the original timeline, Naruto's grit eventually led him to the Rasengan. But as a CEO, Kaito didn't believe in 'eventually.' He believed in accelerated results. If his arrival had triggered a "butterfly effect," he needed to ensure Naruto's success with a more efficient methodology.
"Fine, fine! I'm up!" Naruto smacked his cheeks with both palms, his eyes igniting with determination. "Let's do this!"
Jiraiya led Naruto deep into the woods outside Tanzaku Town. "Naruto, I have an optimization strategy for your training. Perform one Shadow Clone Jutsu."
Naruto looked confused. "Clones? For the Rasengan?" But he obeyed, summoning one clone.
"The Rasengan requires three simultaneous variables: Rotation, Power, and Containment," Jiraiya explained, his voice sounding like a professor. "Instead of struggling to master all three at once, we will delegate the tasks. Use one clone to focus solely on the high-speed rotation, while you, focus on the containment and the infusion of raw power."
Jiraiya summoned one clone to demonstrate the metod. Naruto's eyes widened. He threw himself into the task with frantic energy. The first few dozen attempts were chaotic explosions of blue light, but after two hours of intensive training, a perfect, swirling sphere of chakra stabilized in Naruto's palm.
"Ero-Sennin! I did it! You're a freaking genius!" Naruto shouted, his eyes sparkling like stars as he held the finished jutsu.
"Good job, kid!" Jiraiya smiled proudly at his dim-witted student.
After a moment, he added,
"Don't show the Rasengan to Tsunade today. Wait one more day before you show her."
Naruto didn't even hear him. In his excitement, he slammed the Rasengan into a nearby tree, watching as the trunk spiraled and snapped under the pressure. "HAHA! Ero sanin Did you see that?!"
"Brat... did you hear a word I said?"
"Huh? Did you say something, Ero-Sennin?"
Jiraiya sighed and repeated himself.. "Go back to the inn. I have other matters to attend to. I'll return later."
As Naruto ran off cheering, Jiraiya turned back toward the town.
Jiraiya headed to the bar to find Tsunade and Shizune.
When he walked in, he saw Tsunade drunk, making a scene similar to the one at the casino, arguing with a waiter.
"You bastard! Bring me more sake! Are you afraid I won't pay you?!" she roared, her face flushed with alcohol and anger. The waiter stood there, trembling, sweat beading on his forehead.
"Tsunade-sama, please! Let's just go, please calm down!" Shizune pleaded, tugging at her sleeve.
"Give her the drink. I'm paying," Jiraiya's cold, authoritative voice cut through the tension. Tsunade released the waiter's collar and slumped into her seat. Jiraiya sat across from her, his posture impeccably straight. Both Tsunade and Shizune wore complicated expressions, it was clear they were hiding something. Jiraiya, already aware of the situation, chose not to say anything about Orochimaru.
"Waiter, bring her whatever she wants. For me and the young lady here, bring two juices," he said, gesturing toward Shizune. Shizune bowed her head slightly in thanks.
"Tsunade, what's with that look?" Jiraiya teased "why aren't you as wild as you were yesterday? Did something happen?"
Recalling her behavior from the previous night and her failed attempts to provoke him, Tsunade's face reddened. "Hmph. What do you want, you bastard? Why did you come here? I'll tell you one more time: I will never become the Hokage!"
Jiraiya reached for a bottle of sake and calmly poured her a cup. "Tsunade, sometimes it's good to confess your burdens to someone. It doesn't have to be me I'm well aware we aren't that close. But as a former comrade, I'll give you one piece of advice: do not suffer alone."
Tsunade stared at the sake, her hand trembling slightly as she reached for the cup.