The Running Is Over

Orochimaru had taken the lead and left Tsunade and Jiraiya far behind.

Jiraiya and Tsunade kept a short distance between them, with Jiraiya in front and Tsunade behind.

Suddenly, Tsunade wasn't watching where she was going and caught her foot on a small stone. Just as she was about to fall, Tianqi used the Body Flicker Technique and caught her.

"Are you all right, Tsunade?" Tianqi asked softly.

"I-I'm fine." In Tianqi's arms, Tsunade blushed.

"I'm sure you can handle this distance. Keep it up!" Tianqi encouraged her.

Blushing, Tsunade took off running and drew even with Jiraiya. Tianqi joined them, too.

"Huh? Tianqi, are you going to run with us?" Jiraiya asked as Tianqi came alongside them.

"Watching you run made me want to join in. Think of it as a warm-up. That way, I can eat more tonight." Thinking of Sarutobi treating them, Tianqi grinned. After all these years, he'd get to teach Sarutobi Hiruzen a lesson again.

Jiraiya looked utterly confused. Wasn't he the one who'd invited them? And now he wanted to work out so he could eat more? What was that supposed to mean? What a weirdo.

"You all look exhausted. How about I tell you something interesting? It'll take your minds off the run," Tianqi said to them, thinking of Sarutobi.

Neither of them answered. They just stared at him.

"Your Teacher Sarutobi was practically a mentor to me. I was the first genin on his first team, and he arranged all my training." Tianqi's thoughts drifted back several years, to the time he and Sarutobi had trained together and completed missions.

"Huh? I had no idea you were on Teacher Sarutobi's team, Tianqi. But why was he only half your mentor?" Tsunade asked, puzzled. Jiraiya looked at Tianqi, too.

"You'll have to ask your granduncle, Tobirama Senju." Thinking of Tobirama, Tianqi shook his head.

"My granduncle? What about him?" Tsunade perked up at the mention of him.

At the mention of the Second Hokage, Jiraiya's ears practically stood on end.

"Because I was an Uchiha, your granduncle never liked me. He assigned a Jonin to lead my team, but he wouldn't let that Jonin take me on as a student. So Sarutobi could only be half a mentor to me." Tianqi shrugged, unconcerned.

"Mm, Granduncle really didn't like the Uchiha," Tsunade said with a nod, remembering him.

"Then, Tianqi, how did you get so strong?" Jiraiya asked eagerly. He really wanted to know how Tianqi had become so powerful. Maybe he could use the same method. He was sick of being the weakest one.

"Hmm... How should I put it? Thirty percent luck, seventy percent hard work. Everyone has their own opportunities. When yours comes, if you've put in the effort, you can soar to the top." Hearing Jiraiya's question made Tianqi think of the system. He had gotten where he was through the system and by working hard to complete its missions. Still, that thirty percent luck mattered more than the seventy percent effort.

"Oh." When Jiraiya heard it came down to luck and hard work, his face fell. It seemed he couldn't use Tianqi's method.

"Don't be too discouraged, Jiraiya. I'm sure your opportunity will come soon. When it does, you'll soar to the top, too." Seeing Jiraiya's disappointment, Tianqi reassured him. He wasn't just trying to cheer him up; it was true. As far as Tianqi knew, in the original story, Jiraiya had entered Mount Myoboku through the Summoning Technique at around this age, learned Sage Jutsu, and soared to the top.

"Thanks, Tianqi," Jiraiya said. He clearly didn't believe Tianqi's encouragement, but thanked him anyway.

"I have great faith in your future, Jiraiya. I believe you'll become one of Konoha's pillars. And you, too, Tsunade—"

At Tianqi's praise, Tsunade looked embarrassed.

"Come on, let's catch up with Orochimaru."

The two somehow found a burst of energy and sped up, chasing after Orochimaru. Five minutes later, they caught up with him.

"Oh? How did you catch up?" Orochimaru asked curiously as the two came level with him.

"And I'm here, too." Tianqi appeared in front of Orochimaru as well.

"Captain Tianqi, you joined the run, too?" Orochimaru asked. Wasn't he supposed to be hiding in some corner, napping? Why was he running with them? What a strange guy.

The three of them all stared at Tianqi with puzzled expressions.

"Don't look at me like that. Your Teacher Sarutobi trained me the same way back then. If you want to blame someone, blame Sarutobi. This was his idea." Tianqi immediately shifted the blame to Sarutobi.

"Captain Tianqi, were you one of Teacher Sarutobi's students?" Orochimaru understood at once.

"No, I was just on his team. And you can just call me Tianqi."

"All right, handsome boys and pretty girls, let's race for the finish line! The barbecue's waiting!" With that, Tianqi dashed ahead.

The three had no idea what "handsome boys and pretty girls" meant, but when they saw how excitedly Tianqi took off, they followed.

At last, they completed thirty laps at 9:20 p.m. At the finish line, all three were panting heavily.

Tianqi checked the time and said, "You didn't finish within the time limit, so there's no barbecue."

At the news that the barbecue was off, all three looked disappointed, especially Jiraiya. He'd only managed to keep going because he'd planned to eat Tianqi out of house and home.

"But your Teacher Sarutobi is paying tonight, so the barbecue's still on." Seeing their disappointed faces, Tianqi turned things around completely.

"Yay!" Jiraiya jumped up in delight, and Tsunade and Orochimaru smiled, too.

"Let's not keep Sarutobi waiting. To the barbecue restaurant!" As soon as Tianqi finished speaking, the three turned into gusts of wind and vanished.

"What a bunch of characters." Tianqi shook his head as he watched them disappear, then used the Body Flicker Technique to reach the restaurant.

A little later, the three rushed to the barbecue restaurant. When they arrived, they saw Tianqi smiling at them.

"Wow, you're fast. I thought I'd have to wait a while longer." Tianqi teased them with a grin.

"How did you get here so fast? Weren't you behind us?" Tsunade and Jiraiya blurted out.

Orochimaru wasn't surprised. With Tianqi's skills, of course he would get there before them.

"Why are we standing around talking? Sarutobi's waiting inside. Let's go in first."

With that, they hurried inside, and Tianqi followed.

Inside the barbecue restaurant, they saw Sarutobi sitting at a table with the meat already grilling. They went straight over. Orochimaru and Jiraiya sat together, Tianqi and Tsunade sat together, and Sarutobi took the seat of honor.

"Tianqi, why are you in such a hurry, just like the others?" Sarutobi teased him as they all rushed to their seats.

"You don't treat us very often, so I have to make the most of it," Tianqi said casually.