The Three Sannin Reunite

It was rare for the Three Sannin to reunite, so naturally they gathered for a meal.

After nightfall, they arrived at the food street not far from the Hokage Building.

Laughter and cheerful voices filled the streets. With the Fifth Hokage taking office, the sorrowful atmosphere brought about by Nine-Tails' Rampage seemed to have been washed away. In life, people had to learn to cast aside the burdens of the past and embrace a more hopeful tomorrow.

"It's great. The village is lively again." Jiraiya looked at the scene before him and could not help sighing.

He had returned to the village earlier than Tsunade and had seen what the atmosphere had been like before.

After Orochimaru officially became Hokage, the village's atmosphere had clearly improved considerably.

Tsunade quietly watched everything before her, lost in memories.

Suddenly, several children ran past them.

As they ran, the children shouted loudly.

"I'm going to become Hokage!"

"No! I'll be the Hokage!"

"Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh! Watch my Shuriken!"

"Watch my Water Style! Water-Spraying Jutsu!"

Clearly, the children of the village were playing ninja games and competing to be Hokage.

The sight left Tsunade somewhat dazed.

She thought of Nawaki, and she thought of Dan.

They had both dreamed of becoming Hokage. Yet while chasing that dream, their lives had also ended in that pursuit.

Tsunade's body trembled slightly for a moment before she drew a deep breath.

Jiraiya, beside her, wanted to raise his hand and place it on Tsunade's shoulder to comfort her. But his hand soon paused and fell again.

"Tsunade, now that you're back, you won't leave again, will you?" he asked.

Tsunade folded her arms and let out a breath.

"I don't have anything to do here anyway. At most, I'll stay a few days before leaving."

"Won't you consider staying?"

"You think I'm like you? Orochimaru fed you a few lines, and you already want to stay and help him." Tsunade shot Orochimaru a sidelong glance.

Orochimaru curled his lips in a smile.

"Forget it."

She waved a hand.

"Let's eat. I want some tender chicken, and preferably some alcohol too."

"Then I'll drink with you! It's been so long since we drank together. Orochimaru, do you want some?"

"I won't drink too much."

Still, that meant he was willing to join them. Tsunade and Jiraiya both knew that Orochimaru liked to keep a clear head.

The fact that he was willing to drink with them at all showed that he valued their friendship.

"Then let's do it together!" Jiraiya shouted, raising a hand high.

Just like in the past, he was the one in the team who took the initiative to liven up the mood.

They soon arrived at a restaurant. Since Orochimaru liked eggs and disliked cold food, they ordered steaming hot oden, a pot of simmered ingredients.

To accommodate Orochimaru, they specifically ordered extra eggs.

Besides that, they ordered tender chicken and several bottles of alcohol.

"Cheers!"

The three clinked cups once more.

Tsunade and Jiraiya drained theirs in one gulp, while Orochimaru merely took a small sip.

Perhaps feeling that it was not satisfying enough, Tsunade lifted the bottle and began drinking straight from it.

"Tsunade, don't drink so quickly. Eat some food slowly." Jiraiya urged her worriedly.

Of course, Tsunade did not really listen. She nearly emptied the entire bottle in one go before setting it down.

Her face was slightly flushed. As a Medical Ninja, she seemed to be deliberately allowing the alcohol's effects to take hold, letting herself become pleasantly drunk.

Jiraiya watched her with some concern. He clearly wanted to show more tender concern, yet hesitated to speak, as though he were holding back a breath that he could not bring himself to release.

Orochimaru watched his friend act timidly yet again at a critical moment.

It was not only Orochimaru. Tsunade, slightly drunk, also cast Jiraiya a sidelong glance.

What a coward.

He really was a coward, Orochimaru thought in complete agreement. A woman like Tsunade, who appeared carefree on the surface but was actually very sensitive, was giving him an opportunity to comfort her by showing weakness in front of him. This was also Jiraiya's chance to take a step forward and build a relationship with Tsunade.

Yet in the end, Jiraiya still hesitated.

Maybe I'm just a failure.

That was what Jiraiya thought to himself.

"Jiraiya." Tsunade took another large gulp of alcohol and called his name.

"Tsunade?"

"Do you think you're someone who can settle down?"

"...Probably not."

"That's right. You're not someone who can settle down." Tsunade pointed at Jiraiya, her face rosy and intoxicated.

"What I like now is someone who can settle down. That person can't be you."

So he had been rejected again? He had not even said anything.

Jiraiya gave a bitter smile.

Orochimaru sighed silently beside him, unable to bear watching Jiraiya's clumsiness.

Of course, perhaps it was not merely clumsiness. Jiraiya had his own knot in his heart, and Tsunade had hers.

Their knots swayed toward each other, wanting to touch, yet each was held tight by their own knot. They could only sway, seeming to draw close, but never truly able to get closer.

Orochimaru decided to give Jiraiya a hand.

Well, he would also be helping himself.

Because he hoped Tsunade could stay as well.

"Jiraiya."

Orochimaru said, "If what we do brings about an unprecedented era of peace for this world, would you be willing to settle down and stop chasing an unreachable prophecy?"

"If we really can bring about an unprecedented era of peace..." Jiraiya looked out at Konoha's peaceful night streets with a trace of longing and smiled brightly. "Then I would definitely settle down. After all, my true dream would have already come true, and the prophecy would no longer be so important."

"So, Tsunade." This time, Orochimaru addressed Tsunade. "To stop this fool from being led around by some vague and intangible prophecy, stay and help us too. Look, this fool wants a settled life as well. We can work together toward that."

"Heh." Tsunade gave an indifferent chuckle.

With her arms folded and cheeks flushed, she let out a drunken belch.

"What an idiot."

"Haha."

Jiraiya scratched his head with an awkward laugh.

Just when he thought Tsunade was rejecting the invitation once again, she turned her head away.

"I'll go along with it for now."

Jiraiya's eyes widened, stunned by the sudden surprise.

"After all, if we leave an idiot like Jiraiya alone, who knows what kind of trouble he'll stir up."

Jiraiya sharply drew in a breath, then suddenly turned his gaze aside, his face slightly red as well.

He felt that Tsunade truly cared about him.

Thump, thump.

"Then let us celebrate the reunion of the Three Sannin."

Orochimaru raised his cup in a toast.

"Cheers!"

The three clinked cups once more.

This chapter was written to explain why Tsunade stayed. I hope no one thinks I'm padding things out. Tsunade was such an important character in the original work that I definitely could not just brush her past in a few words, so I devoted quite a bit of writing to it. This also truly laid the foundation for the Three Sannin's reunion.