Wisdom That Reached Heaven and Earth

Naruto didn't care whether Tsunade became Hokage.

To him, that mattered far less than whether Tsunade accepted Jiraiya.

Konoha was merely the starting point of his journey through the world, while Jiraiya was someone important to him.

Feelings were the most complicated things in the world. Anything could be conquered with force—anything except feelings.

But Naruto was incredibly perceptive. He could draw conclusions from a single example, and he came up with a method.

Overwhelm feelings with even stronger feelings!

For example, if someone hated his neighbor because the neighbor had killed his pet, then you went and killed his entire family, he would definitely hate you even more!

If hate could work, then there was no reason love couldn't work in reverse.

If someone couldn't let go of an old love, it was because the impact of the new one wasn't strong enough!

That was the core idea. Naruto's plans revolved around it, and his wisdom reached heaven and earth.

At that moment, Shizune, the only bystander, nearly rolled her eyes in fright. After all, she knew all too well how terrifying Tsunade's temper could be.

Quiet and reserved, she spoke up to ease the tension. "Naruto, don't say that. Lord Tsunade isn't the way you think."

"Shizune!" Tsunade's lips curled. "Let them think whatever they want. I'm not going back to be Hokage."

With that, she stood up straight, tilted her head back, and lifted the bottle to her mouth. Her low-cut dress gaped, revealing the deep cleavage between her breasts.

Naruto thought Tsunade's personality was just awful—worse than Haruno Sakura had been back then.

"Perfect timing. My student and I are tired of staying in Konoha, too. We were planning to travel. Why don't you come with us?"

Jiraiya folded his arms and nodded with his eyes closed, deeply agreeing. "With two of the legendary Sannin protecting a Jinchuriki, our safety will improve considerably."

"Protecting him?" Tsunade's eyes were bleary. "Isn't having you enough? Are you trying to stick by my side?"

"Not enough. The enemy is strong. And, well, I want to be with you."

"Do you have enough money to live on?" Tsunade laughed. "Shizune! Open the case!"

Shizune set the leather case by her feet on the table, inserted the key, unlocked it, and flipped it open.

Inside were three rows of neatly stacked IOUs, packed to the brim.

"Enough." Jiraiya didn't even look. His tone was firm. "If it isn't, I'll earn more."

Tsunade's face was flushed from drink, her gaze hazy. She stared at the tall, white-haired old man beside her, then paused for several seconds.

"Think you're so great just because you have money?"

"I don't think I'm great." Jiraiya shook his head. "But I could be."

Tsunade draped her snow-white left arm over Jiraiya's shoulder and smiled. "You seem a little different."

"I, Jiraiya, have always been a renowned hero of the Shinobi World. I've always been like this. It's only with you that I'm different."

Tsunade stared at him for a long while, then suddenly sprang out of her seat. "I'm done drinking. Shizune! Let's go!"

Quick as a flash, Naruto snapped the leather case shut. "Shizune, let me carry it for you."

"Thanks."

Tsunade had already walked out of the shop.

Shizune hurried after her, with Naruto right behind.

Jiraiya remained motionless. Once they were all outside, he let out a long breath, then took several deep breaths. "Boss! The bill!"

The four of them checked into the same inn, in opposite rooms.

Jiraiya sprawled across the bed and asked, "How did I do today?"

Naruto gave him a thumbs-up. "Great. I think Tsunade's already fallen for you."

Jiraiya knew it wasn't realistic, but he still couldn't help beaming at Naruto's answer.

Naruto asked, "By the way, who's been watching us?"

"Watching us?" Jiraiya sat cross-legged on one leg. "I didn't notice. I was too busy looking at Tsunade."

"Is she really that good-looking? She's just a woman."

"She is."

Naruto couldn't understand.

Not long after Naruto and the others entered the inn, a man and a woman came in.

Though they hadn't looked their way once, Naruto felt a distinct, icy sensation clinging to his skin. He was sure they were there for them.

Still, Jiraiya had been so brazen in Tanzaku Street that it was only natural someone would come to watch them.

The night sky was dark. Jiraiya vaulted onto the windowsill. "Knowing Tsunade, she'll definitely run away tonight to get rid of us. I'll go keep an eye on her."

Naruto murmured an acknowledgment, then fell back asleep.

At the same time, in the opposite room.

Tsunade had taken off all her clothes and was showering, without a trace of drunkenness on her face. She recalled what Naruto and Jiraiya had said earlier.

It was true that Jiraiya had never wronged her.

She had a princess's temper herself.

Dan Katō had been the perfect lover, the one she'd liked most of all, and he had died on the battlefield.

His belly and innards had been left as a bloody hole. Before he died, he had kept saying he couldn't die and had to keep fighting, begging Tsunade to heal him.

But she had been powerless to save him. She had watched Dan Katō's life fade away, and as a result, she developed a severe phobia of blood—a death sentence for a medical ninja.

Jiraiya wasn't her ideal lover. In fact, he was the opposite, so she had rejected him again and again, never giving him the slightest chance.

But today, the way he and that child had looked at her was like a painting in different colors. She didn't want to think about it, yet she kept doing so.

Tsunade emerged from the bath, her fair skin glistening. She studied her reflection in the mirror. "I'm beautiful. No wonder Jiraiya can't forget me."

After getting dressed and tying up her hair, she left the bathroom and saw that Shizune had already packed her bags.

Tsunade walked onto the balcony. The breeze brushed her long hair and cooled her freshly washed body, making her feel wonderfully refreshed. "Let's go."

"Okay."

The two moved lightly, leaping across the rooftops beneath the moonlight. In just a few minutes, they had left Tanzaku Street and crossed into the wilderness, heading away from the main road.

The wilderness was uneven, strewn with rocks and overgrown with wild grass. Piles of boulders, several meters high, were everywhere.

As soon as Tsunade and Shizune entered, a figure in a black hooded cloak jumped out from behind a pile of rocks and blocked their path.

"Lord Tsunade, please wait."

Shizune gripped a Kunai and stepped in front of Tsunade like a bodyguard. "Who are you?"

The cloaked figure lowered his hood. It was Yakushi Kabuto.

"I serve Lord Orochimaru. He's on the main road and will be here shortly. He'd like to see you."

Tsunade had just heard that Orochimaru had murdered his teacher. She replied coldly, "There's nothing to discuss."

She continued walking without another word. She had no way to kill Orochimaru, and she had no energy for it either.

Yakushi Kabuto didn't attack. He smiled warmly. "Lord Orochimaru only wants you to help him with something. In return, he'll help bring your boyfriend and younger brother back to life."

The words struck Tsunade like a thunderclap, and her expression changed instantly.

At that moment, a cold voice came from behind her.

"That's right, Tsunade. I can help you."

Tsunade turned around. Two figures stood on a giant boulder beneath the full moon.

One was a round-faced woman wearing a kimono and a decorative cord tied in a bow. The other was a white-haired boy dressed the same way, with red eyeshadow and two red marks between his brows.

The woman had spoken, but Tsunade had heard that voice countless times before. It belonged to Orochimaru.

Tsunade knew Orochimaru longed for immortality and had been conducting human experiments. Appearing before her in this body was a deliberate display of the results of his research.

Shizune's gentle face took on a steely expression. She shouted, "Lord Tsunade! Don't trust them! We have to go back and find Lord Jiraiya!"

"Shizune, don't say anything yet." Tsunade clenched her teeth, struggling with herself. "Orochimaru... tell me how you'll save them first. What do you want me to do?"

Orochimaru smiled wickedly and held up a small glass vial between two fingers. "Danzo ordered me to kill you, but I don't want to do that. You're the last person I want to kill. I want you to take this Sleeping Heart Pill and help me fake my death."

"Lord Tsunade! Don't trust—"

"Don't trust them, Tsunade!"

"You're as good as dead, you snake!" A Great Toad dropped from the sky, with an old man and a young man atop its head, one brandishing a sword and the other clenching his fists as they struck a pose beneath the moonlight.