Itachi's Arrival

Meanwhile (at the same time).

Itachi and Kisame Hoshigaki arrived in Konoha.

Kakashi, Might Guy, and Kurenai Yuhi stood together, watching the two of them.

The hard battle just now had left both Asuma and Kurenai Yuhi with considerable injuries.

Kakashi spoke coldly.

"You two seem to have come to the wrong place."

Itachi replied calmly.

"We came here, naturally, to capture the Nine-Tails..."

"Pervy Sage!! What exactly is our mission?"

Naruto followed Jiraiya and Josuke on a mission to bring Tsunade back to the village, asking in confusion.

Jiraiya put on a mysterious air.

"Our mission is to find the legendary fat sheep!!!"

"A fat sheep?"

Naruto scratched his head. Was it something you could eat??

Jiraiya offered no explanation, merely smiling as he continued onward. They arrived at a town in the Land of Fire, where casinos lined the streets and luxury and decadence filled the air.

They casually found an inn, and Jiraiya rented two rooms before heading out to buy supplies.

Not long after he left, Josuke and Naruto, who were inside, were stopped at the inn's entrance by two mysterious figures.

Josuke looked up. Who else could they be but Itachi and Kisame Hoshigaki?

How long had it been since he had last seen his own brother? Many years, perhaps.

And after all those years, who could understand the pain he had endured...

Naruto naturally noticed the two arrivals as well, especially the slash across Itachi's Konoha forehead protector.

Just as the standoff reached a deadlock—

"Chidori!!"

Sasuke had arrived. Josuke knew it.

Outside, Sasuke charged at Itachi with Chidori. Unfortunately, an attack of that level was easily blocked by Itachi.

Naruto also gathered Nine-Tails Chakra at that moment.

It was directly absorbed by Kisame Hoshigaki.

"Fire Style: Great Fireball Technique!!"

Josuke used Fire Style to force Kisame Hoshigaki back.

Itachi glanced at Josuke.

He spoke indifferently.

"You're much better than that piece of trash, but you're still trash."

Itachi shook his head.

Hearing himself called trash, the flames in Sasuke's heart surged up, and he attacked Itachi again.

Jiraiya also rushed over.

He shouted for Sasuke to stop, but Sasuke did not comply.

The result was that Itachi kicked him flying. The Tsukuyomi unleashed by the Mangekyo tortured him until he was half dead, and he passed out on the spot.

Itachi then turned his gaze to Josuke, preparing to attack him.

Fortunately, Jiraiya stepped between them and summoned the Toad Gullet.

It trapped Itachi and Kisame Hoshigaki.

Afterward, just like in the original story, Itachi used Amaterasu to escape.

Josuke knew that his dear brother had gone easy on them. Otherwise, how could he and Sasuke possibly have escaped?

Everything returned to calm.

Jiraiya handed Sasuke over to the people of Konoha.

After tidying up, the three of them set off once again on their journey to find Tsunade.

After Itachi and Kisame Hoshigaki left, they asked around in many places and finally spotted a drunken Tsunade somewhere.

Josuke could not help but exclaim, "Damn, they're huge."

Worthy of being the legendary fat sheep.

But I was very devoted, you know. Don't underestimate the real... ahem.

Thus, Jiraiya and the other two, along with Tsunade and Shizune, arrived at a tavern.

Tsunade seemed rather impatient with Jiraiya's arrival.

"Hey, what are you doing here?"

Jiraiya took a small sip of wine.

"The old man died."

Upon hearing this, a faint ripple stirred in Tsunade's heart, but she replied flatly.

"Oh."

Jiraiya was not surprised by her reaction. He spoke earnestly.

"The village wants you to go back and become Hokage. Also, there are a few children... who need your treatment."

Tsunade looked at Jiraiya.

"What does the old man's death have to do with me? Why should I become Hokage? I'm not going back. And besides!!

You know it too, don't you? Right now, I'm probably not even capable of looking at blood."

Hearing that, Jiraiya had nothing to say. It was indeed true—Tsunade now suffered from hemophobia...

Josuke stood off to the side like he was invisible. It had nothing to do with him anyway, so he could just sit back and watch the show.

But Naruto could not stay seated.

She could say anything she wanted, but she could not talk about Third Grandpa like that!!! (Josuke: This kid was just going to be like this for the rest of his life.)

He stood up and said to Tsunade.

"You're not allowed to talk about Third Grandpa like that!!"

The alcohol had gotten to Tsunade as well.

She said to Naruto.

"What are you saying, brat? So what if I talk about the old man?"

Jiraiya waved his hand, trying to smooth things over.

"Alright, alright. Tsunade, why get angry with a kid??"

Naruto did not care about any of that. He said to Tsunade.

"I challenge you!!!"

(He instantly flashed outside.)

The match began under Jiraiya's witness.

Naruto formed a Rasengan and charged at Tsunade, but Tsunade defeated him with nothing more than a single monstrous-strength punch.

Because of this, the two made a one-week wager.

Meanwhile, while Naruto was competing with Tsunade, Josuke used the chance to go to the bathroom and followed the scroll's guidance to find Orochimaru!!

After climbing over several walls.

Josuke arrived at a courtyard.

There, he saw Kabuto and Orochimaru in the yard.

Josuke's arrival truly startled the two of them.

Kabuto immediately drew a kunai and stood in front of Orochimaru.

Josuke looked at Orochimaru's limp, powerless arms and knew they had definitely been sealed, just like in the original story.

Josuke said teasingly.

"Orochimaru, long time no see."

Orochimaru smiled at Josuke and gestured for Kabuto to lower the kunai in his hand.

"Cough, cough, cough. What a coincidence, Josuke. What wind blew you here?"

Josuke replied.

"I was carrying out a mission nearby. The scroll showed that you were in the area, so I came over."

After pausing, he added.

"I came this time to make a deal with you—or rather, a promise."

Josuke said.

"Oh?"

Orochimaru was intrigued. He did not know what Josuke could possibly have to trade with him.

"I'm all ears, Josuke."

With that, Josuke pulled out the Scroll of Seals from behind his back and pointed at Orochimaru's hands.

"I heard your hands were sealed, is that right?"

Hearing this, Orochimaru felt somewhat helpless and replied resignedly, "Yes. It seems Konoha knows about it as well. Please don't laugh, Josuke. I've tried all sorts of methods, but I haven't found any way to restore my arms to how they were."

Josuke nodded. That was the Reaper Death Seal for you.

Then he said, "This is Konoha's Scroll of Seals. There might be a way inside to solve the problem with your hands, though I don't know for sure."

Upon hearing that, Orochimaru immediately felt there might still be hope for his hands.

"Oh? And what are the conditions?"

Josuke pointed at Kabuto.

"One very simple condition. It doesn't even need to be fulfilled right now. I only want Kabuto to agree to one condition of mine in the future. Consider it owing me a favor."

"Huh?"

Kabuto looked utterly confused. What a strange person.

It would have been more normal if he had asked Orochimaru to agree to a condition, but what could Kabuto possibly offer Josuke?

Kabuto didn't know.