Don't Be Ignorant

Under the cover of night, the thugs wailed, begging for mercy.

Though Tsunade was separated from him by the street, shop walls, and the clamor of people, the voice calling his name was faint.

Yet Jiraiya heard it with exceptional clarity, as if it were right beside his ear, the tone of her voice beautiful, intelligent, and tinged with confusion.

Naruto's gaze was unwavering, giving Jiraiya the feeling that a great show was about to begin, full of potential.

"Naruto."

"Go!"

Jiraiya entered the arcade, passing rows of game machines, his target clear: Tsunade.

An aura of power gathered around him, causing people to instinctively move aside.

Tsunade's confusion deepened.

When the two faced each other, Jiraiya was like an iron wall, imposing and awe-inspiring.

Even though Tsunade and Jiraiya had known each other since childhood and she usually held the dominant position, she now felt a sense of oppressive awkwardness, spurred by the atmosphere.

Jiraiya clasped his hands behind his back, his head still, only his eyes looking down. "Long time no see, woman."

"Huh?" Tsunade frowned, her fists instinctively tightening on the slot machine.

The mechanical spinning symbols stopped at three "7"s. The jackpot lights flashed, and coins poured into the slot like splashing water.

Naruto grabbed the metal tray to catch them, his actions mirroring those of the demure and pure-looking black-haired woman standing beside Tsunade.

"Hello, my name is Uzumaki Naruto, Jiraiya's disciple."

"Hello, I am Shizune, Lady Tsunade's student."

Tsunade pushed herself up from the machine, her chest prominent. She had always lost every bet, so when she won money, it meant something unlucky was about to happen.

"What do you want, Jiraiya?"

"Mm." Jiraiya's whole body tensed. "Business and personal matters."

Tsunade's delicate eyebrows knitted together as she flatly refused, "Didn't I tell you? No matter how long you wait, I won't give you a chance. I don't want to hear about business either, don't bother me."

Just as the world called her "Princess Tsunade," her every word and action carried the arrogance and pride of a princess.

Jiraiya had never held the initiative in their relationship. The courage he had painstakingly mustered was about to break, and he was about to habitually deflect with a joke.

"Hey!" Naruto shook the tray in his hand and stood to Jiraiya's right, facing Tsunade with him.

Naruto knew that sometimes people needed an external force to break through their fixed ways of thinking, and that force was him.

Jiraiya took a deep breath, as if standing on the brink of a cliff, and took a step forward. "I advise you to be polite to me, don't be ignorant. I haven't owed you anything all these years."

"Ah?!" Tsunade's already large and bright eyes widened even further. She threw an uppercut towards Jiraiya's left ribs.

Bang!

Jiraiya's palm met Tsunade's right fist, neither dodging nor evading.

Tsunade immediately grew angry and swung her left fist, but before it could reach her chest, Jiraiya blocked it horizontally.

Jiraiya: "If anyone owes anyone, it's you who owes me money, not to mention I never expected you to pay it back. I'm sorry for your misfortune, but I didn't cause it. I put up with your anger because I love you."

Shizune, the niece of Tsunade's deceased boyfriend, Dan Katō, had accompanied Tsunade through many encounters and had seen many people. This was the first time she had seen Jiraiya so assertive.

Not to mention Tsunade herself, shock was evident on her face, leaving her speechless for a moment.

Jiraiya looked at Naruto. "I did my best. Let's find a bar to discuss business."

With that, he turned and left the arcade, his retreating figure filled with loneliness.

Because he knew from the beginning that no matter what he said, Tsunade would not accept him.

Naruto's thoughts were pure and direct.

In his eyes, both of them were escapists.

Tsunade was lost in an unrecoverable past, squandering her time on gambling amidst her psychological struggles.

Jiraiya clearly wanted to be with Tsunade, yet he always let her wallow, doing nothing but waiting.

Things needed to change for there to be hope; if both of them avoided it, it would only lead to tragedy.

Tsunade snapped out of her daze, forcing a laugh as if she couldn't comprehend it. "What is this! How strange! Naruto, is it? You're his student, right? Go tell him I'm leaving now and don't have time to talk to him."

Naruto smiled politely. "Please tell him yourself."

Tsunade's chest heaved with anger, and she was about to leave through the back door.

But when she turned around, she saw Shizune and Naruto, the two juniors, staring at her. She turned back, clenched her fists, bent her arms, and strode out with large steps.

Jiraiya stood in the street. There were no pedestrians, only the thugs still kneeling under Gantetsu's command, a dark, dense crowd.

Tsunade yelled, "Jiraiya!"

"Hm?"

"Let's go!"

A hearty, unrestrained laugh appeared on Jiraiya's face. "Let's go! Let's drink!"

Naruto and Shizune walked behind the two.

Shizune was tall, around 1.68 meters, two centimeters taller than Naruto, but they could converse at eye level.

The four arrived at a tavern together. Each table was separated by wooden boards and had booth seating.

Naruto gently held Shizune's wrist. "Shizune-nee, I want to sit with you."

"Uh... Okay."

Naruto led Shizune to sit down first in a row.

Jiraiya understood his intentions. "Tsunade, you sit on the inside."

Tsunade frowned, but seeing Naruto enthusiastically chatting with Shizune, she didn't hesitate and sat down.

Jiraiya sat down with a smile, thinking: Is this what it feels like to give orders?

The shopkeeper brought the food and drinks. Jiraiya picked up the wine bottle and poured wine for Tsunade, who was sitting beside him rather than across the table.

"Teacher is dead."

Tsunade's pupils dilated, and her whole body stiffened. Memories of Hiruzen Sarutobi teaching them in their childhood flooded her mind.

"How did he die?"

"Orochimaru invaded Konoha and used the Impure World Reincarnation Jutsu to summon the First and Second, who then attacked Teacher."

"What about the others?"

Jiraiya shook his head. "Only Naruto was present to assist at the time. You can ask him for the specifics."

Tsunade looked at Naruto in disbelief. "This child?"

"Yes, he was the one who carried Teacher's body back."

Tsunade's surprise deepened, and then she slowly began to ask questions from beginning to end.

Naruto answered each one, describing Hiruzen Sarutobi's every jutsu, and even the reactions of the First and Second, with perfect clarity, matching her memories exactly.

Such a story could not be fabricated by lies.

She said sincerely, "Jiraiya, you're lucky. You've taken on another good student."

Jiraiya laughed heartily, then his smile vanished, and he said calmly, "His name is Naruto, Uzumaki Naruto."

Tsunade, after the emphasis, thought about it and suddenly realized.

Minato's child? The Nine-Tails Jinchuriki?

"He already knows his background," Jiraiya said seriously. "I came to find you precisely because I want to invite you back to Konoha to become Hokage."

"I refuse." Tsunade tilted her head back and finished a cup of sake, her cheeks flushed. She squinted in disdain. "Hokage? It's nothing at all. Only idiots would want to be Hokage."

Jiraiya remained silent. Shizune looked down.

Only Naruto spoke up. "I'm not an idiot."

Naruto once wanted to be Hokage, and he still wanted to be Hokage.

Power was an appendage of responsibility. If he wanted to enjoy the escalating thrill of power, he needed to bear that responsibility.

One must have desires, and be able to enjoy them. Without desire, one becomes passive and unable to grow stronger.

"You want to be Hokage?" Tsunade was surprised and teased, "Haha, then you go be Hokage."

But Naruto's gaze was exceptionally sharp, piercing her Smiling Face and making her uncomfortable. "Brat! What do you know? Do you even know what a Hokage actually does?"

Naruto, however, smiled. "How arrogant."

Jiraiya interjected, saying earnestly, "Naruto knows very well, he knows everything, just as I told him."

Seeing the master and disciple in such accord, Tsunade felt at a loss.