Tycoon's Haki

"I'm not dead?"

Opening his eyes, Jiraiya muttered softly. Although he had taken quite a few of Tsunade's Monster Strength punches before, this time had brought him closest to death.

"Senior Jiraiya, you are out of danger now. I have also sent someone to invite Senior Tsunade to treat you. You should be able to leave the hospital around tomorrow."

Seeing that Jiraiya had finally awakened, Shimura Kentei hurried forward to reassure him, saying that someone had already been sent to fetch her.

"Tsunade? Are you trying to kill me?"

Jiraiya's eyes widened. If not for the anesthetic running through his entire body and making it difficult for him to move, he would have definitely jumped up.

Tsunade had injured him with a single punch this time, and that violent woman was still furious. Asking that woman to treat his injuries—wasn't that just asking for a medical accident?

"Don't worry, Senior. I had someone bring ten million ryō as payment. For that reward, Senior Tsunade will definitely put aside past grievances and treat your injuries."

Displaying his Tycoon's Haki, Shimura Kentei made it clear that the young master had money.

"That'll do. You've really gone to great expense, kid!"

Hearing that there was a reward of ten million ryō, Jiraiya finally relaxed.

He knew that teammate's weakness very well. She had been addicted to gambling since childhood, yet her luck was abysmal—she lost every bet she made. He had even heard that she had earned the nickname Fat Sheep.

Although the Senju Clan was wealthy and powerful, her parents and Mito still kept an eye on her. Tsunade could not use the clan's money to gamble, and could only use the rewards she earned from missions.

With a reward of ten million ryō, Tsunade definitely would not miss it.

Now it was settled!

"Senior Jiraiya, I actually sought you out on purpose earlier because I wanted to ask you to be my squad leader teacher."

Shimura Kentei honestly confessed from... ahem, confessed that their earlier encounter had not been a coincidence, but deliberate.

"You want me to be your squad leader teacher?"

Jiraiya was stunned. It was his first time encountering something like this.

"Among the younger generation, only Senior Jiraiya, Senior Orochimaru, and Senior Tsunade have never taken students. You three are the most suitable candidates to teach the younger generation."

"Why didn't you choose Orochimaru or Tsunade? They should be more suitable for you."

Jiraiya asked in confusion. He knew himself well enough to understand that he was somewhat inferior to Orochimaru and Tsunade.

"Although Senior Orochimaru has outstanding talent in ninjutsu and knows many techniques, I believe ninjutsu training values mastery over quantity. We ninja only use a few techniques most often in battle, so learning too many is useless and instead scatters one's focus.

"As for Senior Tsunade, she did not seem to have any intention of taking disciples before. Therefore, you are the teacher best suited for me!"

His heroic face was filled with sincerity as Shimura Kentei solemnly spun his nonsense.

Honestly speaking, if he ranked the Sannin in his heart, Jiraiya was the one he least wanted to take as a teacher. It was not because of Jiraiya himself, but because he was deeply wary of the Sage of the Toads at Mount Myōboku, who possessed the ability to foresee the future.

After all, he was a transmigrator. The future would inevitably change because of his butterfly wings, and he did not know whether that Sage of the Toads would foresee such changes.

It would be a disaster if the old toad decided to kill him in order to prevent those changes.

So it was best not to get involved with Jiraiya or Mount Myōboku, lest he get himself killed.

"You've got good taste, kid. As long as you perform well tomorrow, this sage will accept you as a disciple!"

With a pleased smile, Jiraiya was extremely satisfied with this newly acquired disciple.

"Teacher Jiraiya, this is my gift for becoming your disciple. Please accept it!"

Seeing that Jiraiya had finally agreed, Shimura Kentei took out a Sealed Item Scroll he had prepared long ago from the ninja tool pouch behind him. This was the gift most likely to move Jiraiya.

"What is this?"

Jiraiya looked at the Sealed Item Scroll before him in confusion.

"I know that Senior Jiraiya is a loyal reader of Master Yunzhongniao, Ichikabe Tōkō Yunzhong Niao. I specially bought you all of Master Yunzhongniao's works, and they are all first editions, including Ninpō Sōkyū, which was released today.

"Also, I am a VIP member of Xinhua Bookstore. From now on, I can get a first-edition set of every new book by Master Yunzhongniao as soon as it comes out!"

After saying that, he gave Jiraiya a knowing look. Jiraiya's expression became increasingly gentle, even affectionate.

He was definitely taking this disciple!

Although he was a loyal fan of Master Yunzhongniao, he had been short on money two years ago and failed to buy the first editions of several earlier sets. That had always been a regret of his.

He had not expected this disciple to be so capable. Not only had he made up for his former regret, but he would have no regrets in the future either.

This was simply a disciple Heaven had bestowed upon Jiraiya!

"Teacher Jiraiya, Senior Tsunade should be arriving soon. It would not be convenient for me to stay any longer. Rest well. We will meet at the Ninja Academy tomorrow!"

Shimura Kentei placed the Sealed Item Scroll beneath Jiraiya's pillow, gave him a few instructions, and hurried out.

He had to run away as soon as possible. Otherwise, if he ran into Tsunade, that violent woman, he would definitely be beaten into a scallion pancake.

"Mm, see you tomorrow!"

Jiraiya nodded slightly, then grew puzzled.

"How did that kid come out without a scratch?"

Tsunade had beaten him into a half-crippled state, so why did that kid look like he had not even lost a hair?

Meanwhile, Tsunade Hime had returned to her room in the clan residence. Looking at the ten crimson finger marks on her chest in the full-length mirror before her, she smiled—a particularly savage smile.

"Little brat, you're dead!"

"Young Lady, Shimura Genma of the Shimura Clan has arrived with a suitcase. He says he came on Shimura Kentei's orders to hire you to treat Lord Jiraiya's injuries!"

At that moment, a maid came outside the room and respectfully reported.

"Hire me?"

"Bring him in!"

Her pale, delicate hand clenched into a fist, slender veins pulsing on the back of it. Tsunade spoke coldly as she took a new set of clothes from the wardrobe and changed.

Not long after, led by the maid, Shimura Genma entered the hall of Tsunade's residence carrying a suitcase. Under Tsunade's icy gaze, he stepped forward trembling.

"That kid wants me to treat Jiraiya?"

Having changed clothes, Tsunade gritted her teeth, and a ferocious expression gradually surfaced on her flawless face.

Did that little pervert really think she had no temper?

"These ten million ryō are the reward the young master has prepared for you. Please make sure Lord Jiraiya meets the standard for discharge tomorrow."

Without wasting words, Shimura Genma hurriedly opened the suitcase, revealing a case packed full of banknotes.

Although he was also puzzled as to why his young mistress, Shimura Keiko, had so much money and had told him to bring it over without even blinking, that was not something he should be thinking about.

He was merely a runner. It was enough to do his job well, and Senior Tsunade's expression was clearly off. He had better keep his mouth shut.

The suitcase full of money made Tsunade Hime's body stiffen, and the fury in her heart instantly faded by more than half.

Heavens have mercy—despite being the eldest daughter of the Senju Clan, she had never seen this much money before!

The largest reward she had ever received from a mission had been less than one million ryō. Yet ten million ryō now lay before her, and she only needed to treat someone's injuries to get it.

She truly could not resist such an almost free temptation of money!

"That kid is rich?"

Her eyes shifted, and Tsunade Hime began to get some ideas.

"The young master certainly isn't short on money!"

After giving it some thought, Shimura Genma offered a vague reply.

His young mistress Shimura Keiko's extravagant spending earlier certainly had not looked like the behavior of someone lacking money.

Bang!

"I'll take the job. I'll go treat Jiraiya right now!"

Tsunade Hime snapped the suitcase shut, stuffed it beneath the sofa, and raced toward the hospital.

She had to take this job, and she had to finish it.

She knew exactly how powerful her punch had been. Even with her Medical Ninjutsu attainments, making Jiraiya fit for discharge by tomorrow would not be easy. It seemed she would have to pull an all-nighter.

"Teacher Sarutobi!"

Tsunade hurried to the hospital and found that her teacher, Sarutobi Hiruzen, was there as well, along with her teammate Orochimaru.

"Can't you go a little easier on her? Jiraiya may be a bastard, but he is still your teammate. Don't actually beat him to death one day!"

Sarutobi Hiruzen glared at the arriving Tsunade and lightly rebuked her.

After all, he had borrowed four hundred thousand ryō from Jiraiya that morning. Naturally, he had to take Jiraiya's side now.

"It was already merciful that I didn't beat him to death!"

Tsunade's expression was cold. She would not go easy on that pervert Jiraiya.

She then stepped forward and placed her hand on Jiraiya's chest to conduct a brief examination. Green Yang Release Chakra surged forth, accelerating his recovery.

The attending physician had already stitched up Jiraiya's damaged internal organs and reset his shattered breastbone. All that remained was for them to heal.

Tsunade's inherited Yang Release power from the Senju Clan was most effective for this.

The rapid healing of his chest injuries brought pain and itching that woke the unconscious Jiraiya. Upon seeing Tsunade's cold face, he instinctively shuddered.

Only after seeing that his teacher and teammate were also present did he relax.

With those two here, they definitely would not let Tsunade, that violent woman, cause a medical accident.

Then his gaze could not help drifting toward Tsunade's number-one deadly weapon in the ninja world as he pondered what the seven weapons that his cheap disciple had mentioned earlier in the hot spring cottage actually were.

"If you can't control your eyeballs, I don't mind digging them out!"

Noticing where Jiraiya was looking, Tsunade Hime returned an icy glare.

That pervert truly could not change his filthy ways!

Jiraiya shuddered again and hurriedly looked away, changing the subject.

"Teacher, I want to become a jōnin instructor this year and lead a team of students!"

He had already accepted that disciple's gift, so naturally he had to make arrangements as quickly as possible.

"Who do you want to lead?"

Sarutobi Hiruzen was quite curious, and even Orochimaru, who had remained silent all along, turned to look over.

"That kid from the other day. Tomorrow, assign me two more brats so we can form a team."

"Little Kentei?"

Sarutobi Hiruzen was even more astonished. He could not understand what his disciple was trying to do. Even if Jiraiya wanted to take a disciple, he should not choose Shimura Kentei!

Shimura Kentei's performance that day had been impressive, but only to that extent. His future achievements would at best make him an elite Chunin.

Given Jiraiya's status and current Quasi-Kage Level strength, Shimura Kentei truly was not qualified to become his disciple.

Just as Jiraiya was about to say something, a pink fist suddenly struck his forehead, knocking him unconscious again.

"Teacher Sarutobi, I also want to take that kid as my disciple. Please make the arrangements tomorrow."

Tsunade withdrew her pale, jade-like fist and spoke with a smiling expression, indicating that she wanted to become a squad leader teacher as well.

How could beating that hateful brat once be enough? She had to beat him every day to vent the resentment in her heart.

Moreover, that brat seemed to want to become Jiraiya's disciple. How could she let him succeed?

Besides, that brat seemed to be rich—very rich. With a little maneuvering, he would make an excellent source of income. She would no longer have to worry about gambling money in the future.

Therefore, as long as she became that brat's squad leader teacher, none of that would be a problem. She could openly deal with and squeeze that little pervert.

I'm such a genius!

"Tsunade, I know you are interested in the Nintaijutsu Little Kentei used that day, but it is a result the Shimura Clan developed at tremendous cost. It is an exclusive inherited secret technique.

"This is one of the village's taboos. Do not get any improper ideas!"

Sarutobi Hiruzen's expression turned serious as he sternly warned her.

He did not believe Shimura Kentei had any qualifications that could attract Tsunade. Clearly, Tsunade had set her sights on something about that boy, most likely the Nintaijutsu similar to the Monster Strength Technique that he had used that day.

Secret techniques were the foundation of ninja clan inheritances, just like the Kekkei Genkai of bloodline clans. Anyone who coveted them would become the enemy of every ninja clan faction and might even be attacked by them all.

"Do you think I'm that thoughtless?"

Tsunade curled her lips in displeasure, dissatisfied with her teacher's lack of trust. At that, Sarutobi Hiruzen and Orochimaru could not help looking toward Jiraiya lying on the hospital bed.

Do you really have no idea whether you're thoughtless or not?