That was right. Tianqi had given Tsunade the method for training in the Strength of a Hundred Technique. With his last 14,000 Points, he had spent 10,000 to exchange for it.
"Th-this, this is..." Tsunade stared at the scroll Tianqi had given her, her eyes wide with shock.
"Tsunade, I know you have a real talent for Medical Ninjutsu, but Medical Ninjas can't fight on the front lines. With this technique, in just a few years, you'll be able to stand at the forefront of the battlefield and protect yourself, too." Tianqi affectionately patted her head.
"Th-thank you, Tianqi." Tsunade blushed as she thanked him.
Then Tianqi turned to Orochimaru, who was standing nearby.
"Orochimaru, we've been together for a long time, but I still don't know what kind of ninjutsu to teach you. It seems like you could learn just about any technique. This scroll records the training methods for all Five Elements Ninjutsu and combination techniques. Take it and study it at your own pace." Tianqi handed him the scroll.
Tianqi spent his remaining 4,000 Points on a set of training methods. Although it recorded many techniques, they weren't granted directly and had to be learned through practice, so it only cost 4,000 Points. At that point, his Points had all been used up.
"Th-thank you, Big Brother Tianqi." When he'd first heard Tianqi say he didn't know what ninjutsu to teach him, Orochimaru had felt disappointed. But he hadn't expected Tianqi to immediately hand him a scroll filled with countless techniques. He looked at Tianqi with gratitude as he spoke.
They studied ninjutsu as they traveled, and at last they reached the outskirts of Konoha. The journey should have taken only a few days, but they had spent half a month on the road. Jiraiya had also taken a week to finally master the Rasengan.
The other two had grown stronger as well. Jiraiya and Tsunade had both reached Chunin level, while Orochimaru had advanced to Elite Chunin.
"Ah, after all this time, we're finally almost back in Konoha. I miss home!" Jiraiya said excitedly as he watched the Konoha Gate draw closer.
"Yeah, I didn't expect this trip to take so long. I'm starting to miss Konoha, too." Orochimaru smiled as he looked at the gate.
"Tianqi, do you miss Konoha?" Tsunade asked him gently. Over the past half month, she and Tianqi had grown closer.
"To be honest, if I had the choice, I really wouldn't want to come back." Tianqi looked helpless.
"Why would you say that? Who wouldn't want to go home?" Tsunade asked in confusion when she heard that he didn't want to return to Konoha.
"You'll see soon enough." Tianqi walked toward the gate without looking back. Why had he said that? Because he'd already spotted two Anbu wearing cat masks standing there. If he wasn't mistaken, they were there to take him away.
And so, the group drew closer to the gate, step by step.
"Hey, we're ba—" Jiraiya had just started to greet the guards when the two Anbu Ninja at the entrance suddenly flung out chains.
The chains shot straight toward Tianqi and bound him. He didn't resist as they flew at him, but simply surrendered. He knew why they had come to arrest him.
"Uchiha Tianqi, come with us," the two Anbu Ninja said coldly.
"Mm." Tianqi said nothing and let the Anbu take him away.
The Anbu hadn't expected the arrest to go so smoothly or for Tianqi to cooperate so readily. Still, they didn't think much of it. His cooperation only saved them some trouble.
Tsunade and the others had no idea what was going on. Seeing Tianqi being arrested and about to be taken away, they panicked.
"Wait! What right do you have to arrest someone for no reason?" Tsunade stepped in front of the Anbu. Jiraiya and Orochimaru joined her.
"That's right! You owe us an explanation." Tianqi had taught Jiraiya and Orochimaru, so they supported him without hesitation.
The Anbu Ninja looked coldly at the three blocking their way. "We only follow orders. We're not responsible for explaining them. If you want to know why we arrested him, you can ask Lord Hokage."
"Hmph! We completed our mission and even exceeded expectations. What right do you have to arrest him? And now you tell us to ask the Hokage? Even the Hokage can't act this tyrannically. To hell with asking him! Anyway, none of you are taking Tianqi today!" Tsunade stubbornly spread her arms to block the Anbu.
Jiraiya and Orochimaru drew their Kunai and assumed fighting stances, ready to attack anyone who tried to take Tianqi away.
"Are you obstructing us from carrying out our orders? I suggest you move aside at once. If you continue to interfere, we have the right to arrest you for obstructing the execution of our orders. Think carefully." Seeing that the three seemed ready to fight, the Anbu warned them.
"I don't care about that. You're not taking him!" Tsunade continued to block their way, her expression just as stubborn.
"In that case, don't blame us for being rough." When the three still refused to move, the Anbu Ninja prepared to act.
"That's enough. Stop!" Just as they were about to fight, Tianqi finally spoke. "Tsunade, move aside. Don't cause trouble in the village."
"No, Tianqi. If we move aside, it'll mean the village is unjustly arresting people. I won't let them take you away like this!" Tsunade glared furiously at the two Anbu. She would never allow something like this to happen in the village her grandfather had founded.
"All right, this really is my fault. The village hasn't done anything wrong. Move aside, Tsunade." Tianqi continued trying to talk her down.
"Your fault? What did you do wrong? We completed the mission together. We did nothing wrong. They're the ones at fault!" Tsunade pointed at the two Anbu. She clearly didn't realize that she and Tianqi were talking about completely different things.
Seeing that there was no getting through to her, Tianqi activated his Sharingan and cast a genjutsu on Tsunade. She had been speaking just a moment earlier, but now she stood frozen in place.
Jiraiya and Orochimaru realized something was wrong and were about to help Tsunade break the genjutsu when Tianqi's voice reached them. "Don't break it. Take her to the side and stop getting in the way. Otherwise, I'll use genjutsu on you, too."
Since Tianqi had said as much, the two sensibly took Tsunade off to one side.
"Tsunade, don't be so impulsive next time." After saying that, Tianqi left with the two Anbu. This time, the Anbu didn't restrain him. They let him walk in front while following behind. Even with his hands bound, he could cast genjutsu without forming Hand Seals. They'd better not mess with someone that formidable.
The Anbu only knew that they were carrying out orders. They had no idea what Tianqi had done. If they'd known he'd attacked and defeated a major ninja village, they probably would have been scared out of their wits.
Tianqi never saw Sarutobi Hiruzen. Instead, he was taken, still bound, straight into Konoha's dark, gloomy prison. As soon as he entered, the guard had wanted to blindfold him, but Tianqi refused with an imposing aura. "Forget the blindfold. If I really wanted to escape, I wouldn't have come back. Besides, you wouldn't be able to stop me."
The guards knew how strong Tianqi was and didn't insist on blindfolding him. And so, still bound, Tianqi sat in the prison.
He sat there in silence, quietly waiting for Sarutobi Hiruzen to arrive. He knew Sarutobi Hiruzen would come.
Before you continue