Tsunade Returns to the Village

Orochimaru was taken aback by Taiichi's abrupt question, but then he chuckled and showed an expression of interest.

"What? Taiichi, you've become a lobbyist now, or did you receive some orders to come and gather information from me?"

Taiichi walked ahead, completely unconcerned about the sarcasm in Orochimaru's words.

"I'm not that bored. I just saw you go straight into the lab as soon as you got back, and even dragged me along, so I just asked out of curiosity."

Orochimaru didn't care whether Taiichi was telling the truth or not, and resumed his steps after stopping.

"I haven't been interested in that for a long time. Now I just want to focus on my research. As for the Hokage Position, let whoever wants it do it!"

Orochimaru spoke with nonchalance, but who knows what kind of mental journey he went through? After all, he was the most popular candidate back then.

"The Fourth Hokage should be Minato Namikaze, Jiraiya? Jiraiya's going to be showing off again."

"Jiraiya- sensei!"

Taiichi smiled, recalling how he used to laugh with his hands on his hips in front of Orochimaru —something he was truly capable of doing.

"I'll have to ask Lord Orochimaru to be understanding then!"

Taiichi suppressed a laugh and said things against his will.

Orochimaru wasn't annoyed; he was always easy to talk to, especially towards people like Taiichi who could help his research.

"It's good that Minato has taken over. I've spent some time with him, and I think he'll be very supportive of my research."

"Scientific research should be supported as long as it is reasonable and compliant with regulations."

Taiichi expressed his approval and also made a patch.

He had no idea that Orochimaru, when he went berserk, truly didn't care about his experimental subjects.

Fortunately, as the two worked together more, Orochimaru began to accept Taiichi's ideas.

Otherwise, Taiichi really couldn't guarantee that Orochimaru wouldn't, like in the original story, prey on his own villager and ultimately be labeled Rogue Ninja.

The two then discussed tomorrow's research for a while before parting ways and going home.

June of Konoha 48.

The candidates for the Fourth Hokage in the village can now be openly discussed.

By this time, everyone realized that the Third Hokage was indeed determined to step down; otherwise, continuing this commotion would have dealt a huge blow to his reputation.

Interestingly, no matter how heated the discussions were among the lower-ups, the true high-ranking officials of Konoha remained silent.

Even at the routine Jonin Council, no topic concerning the Fourth Hokage was raised.

It was under these circumstances that Taiichi arrived at the village entrance alone one afternoon.

"Lord Taiichi."

The gatekeeper ninjas greeted Taiichi warmly upon seeing him. Due to their duties, they had many opportunities to see Taiichi and were aware of his Daimyo.

Taiichi smiled and nodded to everyone in a friendly manner. Then he went to an open space not far from the village entrance and looked into the distance.

The guards looked at each other, then tacitly returned to their posts, choosing to ignore Taiichi's slightly overstepping behavior.

After the war ended, the flow of people at the gates of Konoha was endless.

People passing by would see a handsome young man of about fifteen or sixteen standing not far away, motionless like a "waiting-for-husband stone," and no one knew who he was waiting for.

The crowd's probing gazes fell upon him, but Taiichi remained unmoved. As the Sun Barrier directly overhead began to slant, he couldn't help but inwardly grumble.

This intelligence is so unreliable; it's already so late, and there's not a soul in sight.

It wasn't until the Sun Barrier reached a 45-degree angle in the west, around 3 PM, that the three of them slowly emerged at the end of the road.

Taiichi finally broke into a bright smile, excitedly raising his right hand and waving it vigorously at the newcomer.

Upon seeing the shorter of the three wave in response, he Body Flicker vanished from his spot and rushed towards their location.

At the gate, the ninja guarding the gate shielded his eyes from the Sun Barrier's rays, looked in the direction Taiichi had run, and couldn't help but ask his companion a question.

"Who is Lord Taiichi welcoming? Why are you so excited?"

His companion, however, paid no attention, and Ziguang simply scanned the people coming and going, looking for anything suspicious.

"The affairs of those important figures are none of our business. You should focus on your own job and not wait until Taiichi eldest master returns to find you slacking off."

"Ah, yes, yes! You really are something else, you have no sense of fun at all. Such a boring job, if you don't find something interesting to spice things up, you'll be bored to death—"

The three people in this group were, of course, Tsunade, Jiraiya, Shizune from the Eastern Front.

In order to better pave the way for Minato, Tsunade and Jiraiya were willing to cooperate with the village's command during this time of least intensity of war, and voluntarily left the front line, leaving the entire Eastern Front to Minato alone.

They packed their belongings and headed towards Konoha together.

Perhaps it was a sense of trepidation as she approached Konoha, but Tsunade's steps became increasingly leisurely as she got closer, which is why Taiichi had been waiting since noon.

Now, even seeing the gates of Konoha from afar, Tsunade feels an urge to flee. She has been away from Konoha for four years, and she wonders what a changed Konoha it is now.

But when she saw the figure waving at them from the Konoha Gate, all her anxiety vanished in that instant.

At least, in Konoha, there was still a disciple who cared about her all the time.

However, who is Tsunade? She is one of the Sannin, the Princess of Konoha, Princess Tsunade.

How could she act like a demure young girl?

She whirled around, glancing at Jiraiya was grinning to the side, her tone filled with murderous intent.

"Did you reveal my whereabouts to Taiichi?"

Jiraiya's Jiraiya smiling face immediately turned serious.

"How could it be me? We've been together the whole time, I wouldn't have time to do something like that."

Tsunade looked at Jiraiya with suspicion, recalling the journey. She couldn't find any problems; the three of them had been traveling the whole time and hadn't had time to exchange information.

Shizune, who was standing nearby, didn't care what Tsunade and Jiraiya arguing about. She saw Taiichi waving in their direction from a distance and immediately waved back.

"Ah! Taiichi is coming!"

Shizune's exclamation interrupted Tsunade's thoughts. She turned around and saw Taiichi running towards her, the black streak of light flashing through the air, clearly at full speed.

Jiraiya secretly wiped away a cold sweat, thankfully escaping unscathed. Although he wasn't the one who tipped off Tsunade, he had still played a part in it, with the aim of keeping Tsunade in Konoha.

If Tsunade put in a little more effort, he might just give himself away.

At this moment, Taiichi arrived in front of the three of them. Seeing that they hadn't seen each other for some time, he smiled sincerely.

"Teacher Tsunade, Jiraiya- sensei, Shizune, welcome home."

The simple phrase "Welcome home" evoked three different feelings in the three individuals.

For Tsunade, it had been four years since she had returned. She thought she would never return to this place of sorrow in her life, but unexpectedly, there were still people she cared about here.

For Shizune, she was very young when she left Konoha. Konoha was just a place she had once lived in. Four years of wandering had left her with little attachment to it.

As for Jiraiya, it truly felt like returning home after completing a mission; he felt relaxed and nostalgic for the wonderful Bathhouse he hadn't visited in so long.

"You brat, what are you saying? Get out of here!"

Tsunade's eyes were slightly red. She patted Taichi on Taiichi back and walked to the front to avoid others noticing her loss of composure.

Taiichi made an exaggeratedly pained face and repeatedly agreed, but as he walked, he didn't forget to wink at Jiraiya and give him a knowing smile.

As Taiichi passed by Shizune, he didn't forget to help Shizune pick up her package and casually complimented her.

"You look beautiful again, Shizune!"

This made Shizune's cheeks flush slightly, but she could only obediently follow behind.

The four walked in two lines toward the Konoha Gate, with Tsunade and Taiichi in front, Jiraiya and Shizune behind.

Taiichi walked beside Tsunade, noticing that her hands were empty and she didn't seem to be staying long, and casually asked.

"Teacher, your old house has been empty for four years. The dust must be several feet thick by now. Cleaning it up won't be a quick task. Why don't you stay at my place for a while?"

He pointed towards the center of the village. "Anyway, you were the one who let me stay in that courtyard back then. It's spacious enough, with plenty of rooms, and even with the Shizune, it's still quite roomy. Once the old house is cleaned up, it'll be convenient for you to move back."

Taiichi spoke naturally, with the natural concern one would show to a teacher, without a hint of deliberate flattery.

Tsunade paused slightly, glancing at Taiichi. This kid is quite thoughtful.

Returning to that ancestral home, which holds so many joys and sorrows, requires immense courage to face the room full of memories and dust.

Going to Taiichi while can be a good buffer.

"Hmph, at least you have some conscience." Tsunade snorted, tacitly agreeing. "Then we'll be in your care for now. Shizune, we'll stay Taiichi Taiichi's place."

"Yes, Lady Tsunade." Shizune nodded quickly, feeling relieved. She was also a little afraid to face Tsunade's empty and desolate house immediately.

"Wow! Taiichi, you're being way too biased!"

Jiraiya immediately exclaimed exaggeratedly, his face filled with envy and jealousy.

"I want to stay here too! Your yard is big enough, could you spare me a room? I promise I won't disturb your deep bond as master and disciple!"

He rubbed his hands together, staring longingly at Taiichi and Tsunade.

"Dream on!" Tsunade retorted without hesitation.

"Don't you know your own character? Taiichi's side is taking in former Mist Village prisoners, right? Is it appropriate for you to move in?"

Get back to your own home right now!

She waved her hand dismissively, as if shooing away flies.

Taiichi laugh and gave Jiraiya a helpless look.

"Jiraiya- sensei, your hobby of 'gathering material'—well—is indeed quite inconvenient. You'd be more comfortable going back to your old place."

Amidst their laughter and conversation, they passed through the towering Konoha Gate. The gatekeeper ninja recognized Tsunade and Jiraiya and excitedly straightened his back to bow.

"Lady Tsunade! Lord Jiraiya! Welcome back!"

His voice was loud and clear, filled with heartfelt reverence.

This greeting was like a pebble thrown into a calm lake. Pedestrians and ninjas coming and going from the nearby village all stopped and focused their attention on it.

"Lady Tsunade? Is it that Princess Tsunade?"

"Lady Sannin, one of the Lady Tsunade, is back?"

"And there's Lord Jiraiya! It's Lord Jiraiya!"

"My God! It really is them! The war heroes are back! How could this happen so suddenly!"

"Lady Tsunade! The medical genius, Lady Tsunade!"

Exclamations and whispers erupted instantly, merging into a buzzing sound wave.

People's faces were filled with excitement, admiration, and disbelief.

After the Third Shinobi World War, the prestige of the Sannin reached its peak in the hearts of the Konoha.

Especially Tsunade, the "Medical Master" who pioneered the Medical Ninja system and saved countless lives.

She was appointed Commander of the East Front in a time of crisis, which had a certain significance in saving the day.

Now that they have returned to Konoha, it is of great significance to Konoha, which has just emerged from the shadow of war.

The crowd began to surge forward spontaneously, all wanting to get a closer look at the legendary figure.

The road instantly became congested, with countless eager eyes fixed on the scene, and it looked like things were about to get out of control.

"Damn it!" Jiraiya exclaimed under his breath. He knew all too well the enthusiasm of the Konoha for the Sannin, especially in this post-war period.

"Tsk, what a hassle." Tsunade frowned as well; she hated being stared at like a rare animal.

Shizune instinctively hugged the luggage in her arms tighter and nervously moved closer to Tsunade.

Taiichi reacted the fastest, making a decisive statement. "Teacher, let's go!"

He gave a low shout, and his figure instantly accelerated, speeding towards the Hokage Building.

Tsunade and Jiraiya understood each other perfectly and set off almost simultaneously. Tsunade grabbed Shizune's wrist, and Chakra erupted from her feet, transforming the three of them into three swift afterimages, closely following Taiichi.

They left behind a chorus of gasps and regretful sighs. The crowd only saw a few shadows flash by, and when they looked again, the four had already disappeared around the street corner.

Four figures darted swiftly through the rooftops and alleyways of Konoha.

A few minutes later, the familiar outline of the Hokage Building came into view.

They landed lightly on the open ground in front of the building, without disturbing too many people, and headed straight for the gate.

The guards on the road recognized the newcomers and stared in shock. They quickly bowed respectfully and let them pass, even forgetting to announce their arrival. The four of them passed without hindrance and soon arrived at the Hokage's Office.

Taiichi raised his hand and knocked on the door.

"Come in." A slightly aged but still steady voice came from inside the door.

Taiichi First Gate and stepped aside to let Tsunade and Jiraiya go first. Tsunade a deep breath, stepped inside, and immediately looked at the large desk behind her.

Sunlight streamed in through the large windows, illuminating the fine dust particles floating in the air. Behind his desk, Hiruzen Sarutobi put down his pipe and looked up.

In an instant, Tsunade stopped in her tracks, her pupils contracting slightly.

Sitting there was still the familiar Third Hokage.

However, the hair that I remember was once meticulously combed and still had a lot of black in it, has now turned into snow-white strands, which look somewhat dazzling in the sunlight.

Deep wrinkles etched themselves onto his once resolute face, especially the lines around his eyes, which spoke volumes of his weariness.

Four years—only four years, yet the war and the burdens of the village have worn down this once-renowned "Ninjutsu professor" to this state!

The teacher who was so powerful in her childhood memories, as if she could hold up the whole sky, has really grown old.

The "Shinobi Hero" who struck fear into the hearts of his enemies on the battlefield now resembles an exhausted old man who is eager to lay down his burdens.

When Hiruzen Sarutobi saw Tsunade walk in, his eyes lit up with surprise, but this was quickly replaced by a deep sense of relief and guilt.

He slowly stood up, a genuinely relaxed smile appearing on his face, a smile that seemed to dispel much of the weariness he had shown.

"Tsunade —you're finally back."

His voice was gentle, with a barely perceptible hoarseness and a sense of relief.

"It's good that you're back, it's good that you're back."

He walked around the desk and toward his disciple, whom he hadn't seen for many years.

Looking Tsunade her teacher's full head of white hair and kind smile, and hearing his words "It's good that you're back," Tsunade was filled with mixed emotions.

But then she remembered his past actions, and the deaths of her brother and lover were like a thorn in her heart, constantly reminding her of how inactive her teacher had been.

She left Konoha precisely because she couldn't face the complex emotions of gratitude and hatred she felt.

Recalling the rumors about his impending abdication, and looking at the aged yet serene Third Hokage before him, he knew it was all coming to an end.

The heavy cost of war must ultimately be borne by someone.

He chose to shoulder this responsibility and then prepared to hand over the future to a new successor to the Will of Fire.

"Old man—" Tsunade's voice was low and slightly nasal as she took two steps forward.

"We're back. On the Eastern Front, Minato Namikaze has taken full control, and the situation is stable. We're back to report."