I Brought You an IOU!

Tsunade sat up straight and adjusted her clothes.

She still didn't want to seem too unrestrained in front of unfamiliar children.

Then her gaze swept around, pausing briefly when it passed Kyohiko.

Next—

"I didn't expect you to bring another team. Looks like you've grown fond of being a teacher."

"Haha, well, there's nothing wrong with being a teacher. They're all excellent kids."

Jiraiya came in and sat down.

Then he introduced them one by one.

Everyone returned the greetings.

Kyohiko glanced at Shizune beside him and quietly greeted her too—

Shizune, who had dared to argue with Tsunade earlier, now stood stiffly to one side, her gaze occasionally drifting toward the three of them.

However—

She was clearly startled when she saw Kyohiko.

Kyohiko hadn't stood out at the Academy, whether in academic or practical work. Yet after two years apart, he had graduated early and become one of Lord Jiraiya's subordinates.

Shizune was full of questions.

But with Tsunade and Jiraiya there, she didn't dare ask.

Tsunade's gaze swept over them.

Sakumo's son.

Then she remembered the rumors about Sakumo from a few days ago, and her gaze dimmed as it moved to the second person.

Kurenai Yuhi.

Shinku's daughter. She must have some talent for genjutsu. As for anything else...

Her gaze turned to Jiraiya, and she couldn't help feeling puzzled.

Kurenai didn't seem suited to Jiraiya's abilities. Could this guy have taken her on because of her looks?

Tsunade's expression shifted from puzzled to stern, then angry.

Jiraiya knew his companion all too well. He immediately waved both hands, his face paling as he whispered, "It's not what you think! Don't get the wrong idea!"

Then he cleared his throat.

"Kyohiko, take everyone outside for a bit. Tsunade and I need to talk alone."

"Yes!"

Kyohiko nodded and led everyone out of the private room. They didn't go far, just wandering around nearby on the ground floor, mainly to give Tsunade and Jiraiya some privacy.

Tsunade rested her hand on the window frame and peered down.

"So that boy's the one in charge of your team? Yoshimine Kyohiko... I think I've heard the name, but I don't remember much about him."

"His grandmother was Tokah Senju."

Jiraiya explained.

Tsunade paused, then looked down.

"He's Great-Aunt Toka's descendant?"

"Yeah. His parents were pretty ordinary, but the boy seems to have inherited the Senju bloodline's strength. More remarkable still, he's always been mature in his thinking and awareness, even as a child."

Jiraiya's tone turned serious. "I think he has the potential to become another Second Hokage."

"That's high praise, coming from you."

Tsunade leaned against the window and watched the boy leading the others below.

A descendant of Toka...

Tokah Senju had been Hashirama Senju's trusted aide. Tsunade had called her Great-Aunt back then.

Before she knew it—

She had a grandson of her own.

Too bad Great-Aunt Toka had died, too.

Tsunade's gaze darkened.

She sat back down, her spirits low. "You're not planning to have him convince me to return to Konoha, are you?"

"I'm not going to ask you to return to Konoha."

Jiraiya shook his head.

He knew Tsunade's situation. Forcing her to go back would only make things harder for her, and it wouldn't help the bigger picture.

As her friend, he didn't want to pressure her.

Jiraiya paused for a moment, then brought up the real reason he'd come. "What do you think of Kurenai Yuhi?"

"Huh?"

Tsunade blinked, then laughed. "Are you thinking of making her my student?"

"She has top-tier talent for chakra control. She's a little frail, but she can make up for that with hard work. It doesn't mean she's unsuited for the role."

Jiraiya replied.

Tsunade fell silent.

He wasn't wrong.

Those skilled in genjutsu often had very precise chakra control.

As for her physique, she could improve it to some extent through training, but there would still be limits. So Kurenai would have a hard time inheriting all of Tsunade's skills...

But—

If Tsunade taught her well, the village could at least gain a new leading figure in Medical Ninjutsu.

She thought it over.

"I'll teach her for now and see how it goes."

"I'll take that as a yes."

Jiraiya smiled.

Tsunade didn't object. Instead, she yawned.

Just then, Jiraiya said, "There's one last thing. It concerns you more than anything else."

"There's more?"

"Yeah. Koji Matsuyama from the Blue Flower Pavilion asked me to bring you an IOU."

Jiraiya grinned from ear to ear.

He pushed a slip of paper in front of Tsunade.

Tsunade's face instantly darkened. The drowsiness from her yawn vanished, and she glared fiercely at Jiraiya. "You little...!"

"Ahem. You have a reputation to uphold. How can you keep skipping out on the bill?"

Jiraiya pushed the paper closer.

Tsunade snorted and took out a pen. Just as she was about to sign the IOU, her eyes suddenly shifted. "You're asking for favors for your student, so you should have to give something in return. Why don't you pay the bill for me?"

"Huh?"

"Anyway, you've got a lot more money than I do."

Tsunade smiled.

Jiraiya's expression stiffened.

That was true, but hadn't he just been delivering the IOU?

How had he gotten himself dragged into paying it?!

The two girls walked ahead.

Kyohiko and Kakashi followed behind.

"I never expected you to graduate early and become Lord Jiraiya's student, Kyohiko."

Shizune spoke softly.

Kurenai Yuhi couldn't help smiling. "Graduating at seven is nothing, Shizune. Kakashi graduated at five."

"That's different."

Shizune shook her head.

She sighed. "Kakashi's been a genius since he was little. Our whole generation practically grew up hearing stories about him. But Kyohiko..."

There were very few like Guy, after all.

Everyone had always admired Kakashi, knowing it would be hard to catch up with him.

Kyohiko was different.

Who had ever heard of him before?

Even though Shizune's memories of her classmates only went back to when she was five, she never could have imagined that the next time they met, he'd already become a genius.

Whenever she thought about it, she felt as though everything had changed.

Kurenai Yuhi was about to ask her something when, all of a sudden, the surroundings gradually fell silent.

Tanzaku Castle lay ahead.

But—

At that very moment...

Birds took to the sky, chirping as they flew.

Something was wrong!

Kyohiko's gaze sharpened.

"Everyone, be careful!"

In the next instant, strands of wire suddenly appeared all around them, followed by Kunai and Shuriken flying rapidly toward them.

Kyohiko immediately used the Body Flicker Technique to move forward.

In midair, he had already extracted chakra and formed Hand Seals.

Water Style: Water Wall!

With a rush of water, a towering barrier rose up, shielding everyone within.

The Kunai and Shuriken struck the wall and were immediately swept away by the current, unable to advance another inch.

At the same time—

Cherry blossoms drifted down.

Falling Cherry Blossom Illusion Technique!

Kakashi vanished from where he stood in an instant.

Behind the wall, masked ninja surged out—more than a dozen of them.

"Capture them and use them to exchange for the young master!"

Someone shouted amid the chaos.

As the water wall came down, Kyohiko had already removed his leg weights and tossed them aside.

"Be careful!"

Then, in the blink of an eye, he vanished from where he stood.

Squelch!

Holding a Kunai, Kyohiko pierced a ninja's throat. Blood sprayed all over him.