48: You Always Have to Meet the Parents

Tsunade absolutely did not want to encounter the friends she had just made, nor a medical peer who shared her ideals, on the battlefield.

"That won't happen, you can rest assured of that."

Sakuya comforted her: "Sunagakure doesn't dare start a war with Konoha. They were among the first nations to be fiercely assaulted by Amegakure and the Small Nations Alliance; their national strength was depleted significantly in those initial clashes. After dealing with the Small Nations Alliance, the Land of Wind will inevitably need to recuperate. At a time like this, they won't allow Chiyo to act recklessly."

He looked at Tsunade and said: "Besides, knowing full well that the Land of Pupil is a friendly nation to Konoha, yet still sending people to infiltrate it with malicious intent—they are already in the wrong. What does it matter if they killed the son and daughter-in-law of a jonin? Not only do we see this clearly, but the Third Kazekage of Sunagakure and the deputy commander, Pakura of the Scorch Release, see it just as clearly."

Is that precisely why Pakura of the Scorch Release lost the selection for the Fourth Kazekage to Rasa, because she didn't support her desire for revenge?

Sakuya thought to himself.

Or, to think about it more complexly, was Sasori of the Red Sands' assassination of the Third Kazekage also because he didn't support Chiyo's quest for vengeance?

Two major figures who opposed retaliation, and years later, one is dead and the other was sold out by the village to others. Thinking about it now, it is truly tragic.

"I understand."

Tsunade nodded sullenly.

Seeing her like this, Sakuya felt a desire to tease her and cheer her up, so he spoke.

"Come to think of it, Tsunade."

"Hm?"

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

Watching Tsunade's face suddenly flush red, Sakuya said: "I know you have a younger brother, but what about the rest of your family? You should tell me about them first, right? Otherwise, if I visit in the future and don't know how to address them, wouldn't that be very awkward?"

"I... I..."

Hearing Sakuya's words, Tsunade became tongue-tied. Seeing her like this, Sakuya chuckled inwardly, though his expression remained very serious.

"You really should introduce them, don't you think?"

"Ugh..."

Tsunade remained silent for a moment, then looked at Sakuya's face, eventually letting out a sigh of relief.

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

She introduced them to Sakuya: "Ever since my granduncle had the Senju Clan integrate into Konoha, most of our clansmen either changed their surnames or married into other families. To this day, I am the only one left in the entire village who is of the Senju Clan."

"I've heard of that."

Sakuya nodded.

"My parents died early. Aside from Nawaki and me, there are two others at home."

Tsunade said: "One is my grandmother, Mito Uzumaki, and the other is a little sister who was fostered in our home back when the Uzumaki Clan still existed, named Kushina Uzumaki."

"A grandmother and a little sister..."

Sakuya blinked.

"When the war ends, I'll take you back to meet them."

Tsunade said: "But you must remember, you aren't allowed to bully Kushina."

"Hm?"

"That child... perhaps because she is the only one left of her own, she is very insecure."

Tsunade explained: "Especially about her hair color."

Red hair, is it?

Sakuya was lost in thought.

He remembered that Naruto's mother was indeed very sensitive about that. Later, when Minato Namikaze saved her, he won her heart by complimenting her hair.

But has Kushina come to Konoha this early?

Sakuya thought for a moment and realized.

Although the original work didn't specify when Kushina arrived in Konoha, it was certainly before the destruction of Uzushio Village.

We are currently in the Second Shinobi World War, and Uzushio Village has long since been destroyed, so Kushina Uzumaki must have arrived in Konoha a long time ago.

She should be a little younger than Nawaki, still at the age of attending the Ninja Academy.

Minato Namikaze should be around that age as well.

For them to become famous, it will take at least a few more years for them to graduate from the Ninja Academy and formally enter the realm of adults.

And the current era.

It is the era of the Sannin, of Hatake Sakumo, and of Uchiha Sakuya.

The only pity is that I won't be able to see those two in this simulation.

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

Well, of course, it was the Flying Thunder God technique, definitely not his wife.

"Jiraiya, let's have another drink."

"That's right, let's have another drink."

The teasing laughter of courtesans drifted into his ears, and the sage from Mount Myoboku once again wore a lecherous grin.

He reached out to roam his hands over the courtesans, his lips parted to accept a cup of fine wine fed to him by another.

Just as he intended to take things a step further, a cloud of smoke billowed around him, and he vanished instantly, landing hard on the ground the very next moment.

"Ouch, ouch, ouch..."

He rubbed his backside, looking up in distress at the purple toad and green toad before him: "I say, Boss, and Big Sis, why on earth did you summon me to Mount Myoboku at a time like this?"

He hadn't had a taste of pleasure in ages, and just when he had finally managed to enjoy himself at the brothel, he'd barely even gotten started before...

"You idiot boy!"

The green toad with purple spots and purple lips leaped up, landing a heavy blow on Jiraiya's head with its palm.

"We called you here because something of great importance has happened, obviously!"

"Now, now, Mother, little Jiraiya was never exactly a genius, so don't go hitting him."

Beside her, the green toad with white hair offered a word of advice.

"Father, you keep your mouth shut! Don't you dare interrupt when I'm disciplining little Jiraiya!"

"Yes, yes..."

The two toads were known as Sage Shima and Sage Fukasaku; they were the high-ranking elders of Mount Myoboku and Jiraiya's mentors.

It was thanks to the immense support of these two toads that Jiraiya was able to master Sage Mode.

Once Jiraiya realized his mistake and settled down, Sage Shima finally retracted her tongue and hopped off his head: "We only called you here because something wonderful has happened, you foolish brat."

"What is it? Something wonderful?"

Jiraiya's face twitched, and he began to lament inwardly.

Surely they weren't calling him over to eat some kind of special insect cuisine, were they?

"It is a joyous occasion worth celebrating, little Jiraiya."

Sage Fukasaku, standing to the side, nodded: "The Great Toad Sage has awakened."

"...Eh?"

Hearing this, Jiraiya was startled: "Didn't the Great Toad Sage suffer grave injuries from that man a few years ago? When you brought him back, didn't you say he would need to sleep for decades just to barely stabilize his wounds... How is he awake so soon?"

"He has only awakened; he remains severely injured."

Sage Shima shook her head and sighed: "A flame fused from the chakra of four Tailed Beasts and the black fire of Amaterasu is no ordinary thing. Even though the Great Toad Sage was only grazed by it, he was nearly at death's door. It is a miracle he survived at all."

"...Indeed."

Hearing this, Jiraiya lowered his head.

During the Third Shinobi World War several years ago, the new demigod of Amegakure, the Azure Dragon of the Akatsuki, a man named Sakuya Yamanashi, had gathered all the black flames of Amaterasu scattered across the borders of the Land of Rain and, single-handedly, challenged the five nations of Fire, Water, Lightning, Earth, and Wind.

Later, he even captured the jinchuriki of all five nations and brought them to Amegakure, turning them into his personal playthings.

Even Kushina had...

If it hadn't been for his student, the late Fourth Hokage Minato Namikaze, who turned the tide by infiltrating the rear of Amegakure to slay the jinchuriki of the Three-Tails and Five-Tails, thereby ruining Sakuya Yamanashi's plans, the entire shinobi world would have already fallen into that man's hands.

The reason the Great Toad Sage had fallen into a deep slumber was that, during the Third Shinobi World War, he had been gravely wounded by Sakuya Yamanashi while trying to save him, nearly being killed on the spot.