You Have to Meet the Parents Eventually

Tsunade absolutely didn't want to meet a newly made friend and a fellow medical practitioner who shared her ideals on the battlefield.

"That won't happen. You can rest easy."

Sakuya reassured her. "Sunagakure wouldn't dare go to war with Konoha. They were the first country attacked by Amegakure and the Small Nations Alliance, and their strength was greatly diminished in that first wave of fighting. After dealing with the Small Nations Alliance, the Land of Wind would need time to recover. They won't let Chiyo act recklessly now."

He looked at Tsunade. "Besides, they knew the Land of Pupil was Konoha's ally, yet they still sent people to infiltrate it with malicious intent. They were in the wrong to begin with. So what if they killed the son and daughter-in-law of a jonin? We aren't the only ones who see that clearly. The Third Kazekage and Pakura, the deputy commander, understand it just as well."

Perhaps that was why Pakura, who opposed Chiyo's revenge, later lost to Rasa in the selection for Fourth Kazekage.

Sakuya thought to himself.

Or maybe there was more to it. Had Sasori of the Red Sands assassinated the Third Kazekage because he, too, opposed Chiyo's revenge?

Years later, the two leading opponents of retaliation were gone: one was dead, and the other had been sold off to another village by her own. Thinking about it now, it was truly tragic.

"I understand."

Tsunade nodded, looking glum.

Seeing her like this, Sakuya felt like cheering her up. He spoke up.

"By the way, Tsunade."

"Hm?"

"Shouldn't you introduce me to your family?"

Seeing Tsunade's face suddenly turn red, Sakuya said, "I know you have a younger brother, but who else is in your family? You should tell me first, shouldn't you? Otherwise, when I visit and don't know what to call anyone, won't it be awkward?"

"I... I..."

At his words, Tsunade began to stammer. Sakuya secretly laughed at her reaction, though he kept a serious expression.

"You should introduce them, shouldn't you? Don't you think?"

"Mm..."

Tsunade fell silent for a moment. Then she looked at Sakuya's face again and finally let go of her reservations.

"I don't really have any family left."

She explained, "Ever since Second Grandpa had the Senju Clan merge into Konoha, most of the clan either changed their surnames or married into other families. These days, I'm the only Senju left in the entire village."

"I've heard about that, too."

Sakuya nodded.

"My parents died when I was young. Aside from Nawaki and me, there are two others in the family."

Tsunade said, "One is my grandmother, Mito Uzumaki, and the other is a younger girl who was fostered in our home back when the Uzumaki Clan still existed. Her name is Kushina Uzumaki."

"Your grandmother, and a younger girl..."

Sakuya blinked.

"After the war, I'll take you home and introduce you to them."

Tsunade said, "But remember, you mustn't bully Kushina."

"Hm?"

"That child... Maybe it's because she's the only one left in her family, but she's very insecure."

Tsunade explained, "Especially about her hair color."

Red hair, huh?

Sakuya pondered.

He remembered that Naruto's mother really was sensitive about it. Later, when Minato Namikaze rescued her, he won her heart by complimenting her hair.

But Kushina had come to Konoha this early?

Sakuya thought about it briefly, then realized.

The original story never said when Kushina came to Konoha, but it had to be before Uzushio Village fell.

The Second Shinobi World War was underway now, and Uzushio Village had already been destroyed, so Kushina must have come to Konoha long ago.

She should be just a little younger than Nawaki, still at the age to attend the Ninja Academy.

Minato Namikaze should be around the same age.

They wouldn't become famous for at least a few more years, after graduating from the academy and officially entering adulthood.

And this era belonged to the Sannin, Hatake Sakumo, and Uchiha Sakuya.

The only shame was that this simulation wouldn't let him meet those two.

He was quite interested in Minato Namikaze, who had improved the Flying Thunder God Technique.

Well, of course he meant the Flying Thunder God Technique, definitely not his wife.

"Lord Jiraiya, have another drink."

"That's right, have another drink."

The courtesans' playful voices rang in his ears, and the Sage of Mount Myoboku once again wore a lecherous grin.

He ran his hands over the courtesans while one of them held a cup of wine to his lips.

Just as he was about to take things further, a cloud of smoke billowed around him and he abruptly vanished. The next moment, he landed on the ground.

"Ouch, ouch..."

Rubbing his rear, he looked gloomily at the purple toad and the green toad before him. "Come on, Boss, Big Sis. Why'd you summon me to Mount Myoboku at a time like this?"

It had been ages since he'd gotten any. He'd finally had a chance to enjoy himself at a brothel, and all he'd gotten was a little taste...

"You idiot!"

The green toad, with purple spots on his head and purple lips, leaped up and smacked Jiraiya hard on the head.

"Of course I summoned you because something important has happened!"

"Now, now, dear. Little Jiraiya isn't very bright to begin with. Don't hit him."

Beside her, the green toad with white hair tried to calm her down.

"Be quiet, dear! Don't butt in when I'm scolding Little Jiraiya!"

"Yes, yes..."

The two toads were Sage Shima and Sage Fukasaku, high-ranking members of Mount Myoboku and Jiraiya's mentors.

Jiraiya owed his ability to learn Senjutsu to the generous help of these two toads.

After Jiraiya finally realized his mistake and took things seriously, Sage Shima put away her frog club and hopped down from his head. "But something wonderful happened, you silly boy. That's why we called you here."

"What happened? Something wonderful?"

Jiraiya's face twitched, and his heart sank.

They weren't going to make him eat some kind of special insect dish, were they?

"It's something worth celebrating, Little Jiraiya."

Sage Fukasaku nodded. "The Great Toad Sage has awakened."

"...Huh?"

Jiraiya was startled. "Wasn't the Great Toad Sage gravely wounded by that man a few years ago? When you brought him back, didn't you say he'd need to sleep for decades just to keep his injuries under control... and now he's awake already?"

"He's only awake. He's still gravely wounded."

Sage Shima shook her head and sighed. "Flames made from the chakra of four Tailed Beasts fused with Black Flames are no ordinary thing. Even a slight brush with them nearly killed the Great Toad Sage. Just escaping with his life was lucky."

"...Yeah."

Hearing that, Jiraiya lowered his head.

During the Third Shinobi World War several years ago, the newly appointed demigod of Amegakure, the Akatsuki's Azure Dragon, a man named Sakuya Yamanashi, had gathered all the Amaterasu Black Flames scattered across the Land of Rain and challenged the Five Great Nations single-handedly.

Later, he even captured four Jinchuriki from the Five Nations and brought them to Amegakure, turning them into playthings in the palm of his hand.

Even Kushina...

If not for his student, the late Fourth Hokage Minato Namikaze, turning the tide by infiltrating the rear of Amegakure, killing the Three-Tails and Five-Tails Jinchuriki, and foiling Sakuya Yamanashi's plan, the entire Shinobi World would have already fallen into that man's hands.

The Great Toad Sage had fallen asleep because Sakuya Yamanashi had gravely wounded him during the Third Shinobi World War while he was trying to save Jiraiya, nearly killing him on the spot.