Jiraiya and Orochimaru (Bonus chapter for Brother Lin Yu De Pang Da Long)

Yusuke closed his eyes and focused, carefully sensing the brand-new energy within his body as the small Sage Slug atop his head radiated a soft, gentle glow.

"Can you feel it, child?"

"The core of the Sage Art of Shikkotsu Forest lies in 'equilibrium'."

"It is never static; rather, it lingers at the critical threshold between 'creation' and 'decay'."

"In the blink of an eye, it can slide from a healing force brimming with vitality to the edge of destruction that causes all things to crumble."

"It is precisely this characteristic that allows it to easily interfere with or even dissolve other forms of energy, such as ordinary ninjutsu."

"At the same time, it grants the user powerful restorative abilities."

The gentle voice of Sage Slug resonated directly within his heart, explaining the Sage Art of Shikkotsu Forest to him once more.

Yusuke was lost in thought. He extended his index finger, condensing a sliver of sage chakra at the tip, and tapped lightly against a small pebble before him.

There was no explosion, no sound.

Yet, the pebble turned gray and withered at a speed visible to the naked eye, eventually crumbling into a pile of unremarkable dust, as if it had endured thousands of years of erosion.

"This is the side of 'decay'."

Yusuke attempted to reverse the nature of the energy, pressing his fingertip gently against the broken stem of a deep-sea plant beside him.

A faint light flashed, and new, vibrant green shoots slowly sprouted from the broken edge, filled with life.

"And this side is 'creation' and 'revival'."

The epiphany brought by the experiment gave him a deeper understanding of this power, but a massive consumption followed.

Mental exhaustion and a deep-seated hunger surged like a tidal wave, leaving him dizzy.

Sage Slug sensed his condition and flicked its antennae gently: "The cultivation of Sage Art is like nurturing a tree; it cannot be rushed."

"Your gains today are already immense, and you need time to settle and digest them."

"Return for now, child. When you are ready to practice again, simply contact me through the contract."

Yusuke took a deep breath, suppressing the intense hunger, and bowed respectfully to Sage Slug: "Thank you for your guidance, Sage."

"Boom!"

The white smoke dissipated, and Yusuke's figure vanished from Shikkotsu Forest.

Sage Slug let out a sound akin to a sigh: "In such a short time, not only has he mastered the initial balance of natural energy, but he has also suppressed that violent will within his body."

"This potential is perhaps even more astonishing than that of Hashirama Senju during his time."

Konoha, Yusuke's home.

The spatial fluctuations subsided, and Yusuke stood firmly on the ground. The intense hunger amplified instantly, and his stomach felt as if it were being scorched.

"It seems Sage Art training consumes more energy than a major battle."

"I must go to the Akimichi BBQ Restaurant and have a feast to reward myself."

He rubbed his growling stomach, deciding not to bother with the kitchen.

At the entrance of the Akimichi BBQ Restaurant, an enticing aroma wafted out, and Yusuke pushed the door open.

Almost the moment he stepped inside, Tsunade, sitting at a table near the back, noticed him directly.

She, who had been listlessly poking at her meal with chopsticks, suddenly looked up as if by telepathy.

When she saw that familiar figure, the worry and gloom that had lingered between her brows vanished instantly.

Tsunade practically sprang from her seat and walked quickly toward the entrance.

She arrived before Yusuke, her amber eyes scanning him carefully from head to toe.

Seeing that although he still looked somewhat exhausted, his aura was stable, she finally let out a true sigh of relief.

However, she still couldn't help but ask: "How did it go? Are you alright?"

"Mm, it's temporarily resolved, it's just..." Yusuke smiled.

Before he could finish, his stomach protested: Stop the mushy talk, I can't take it anymore.

Seeing him like this, the last stone in Tsunade's heart fell into place.

She naturally reached out to hook her arm through Yusuke's, her tone returning to its usual briskness: "You're just starving, right? Come on, we happen to be eating too."

She pulled Yusuke toward her table.

This scene fell entirely into the eyes of Jiraiya and Orochimaru at the same table.

Jiraiya's mouth hung slightly open, and the chopsticks in his hand clattered onto his plate.

He widened his eyes, watching Tsunade affectionately hook her arm through Yusuke's as they walked over, his face filled with disbelief.

"Who... who is this kid? Tsunade, she?"

Beside him, Orochimaru's golden snake-like pupils flashed with a hint of realization. He extended a pale hand and patted his friend's shoulder lightly.

His hoarse voice carried a hint of teasing: "It seems quite a lot has happened while we were away on our mission."

After all, he had participated in Jiraiya's plan to pursue Tsunade back in the day, and had nearly been sent flying by a single punch from her.

A flash of bitterness crossed Jiraiya's face, but it was quickly masked by his usual boisterous demeanor.

He chewed the meat in his mouth vigorously and chuckled, "So this is the type Tsunade likes."

Tsunade had already pulled Yusuke over to sit down.

"Let me introduce you. These two are my teammates, Jiraiya and Orochimaru."

Tsunade was in a great mood as she spoke to Yusuke.

Then she introduced them to the others: "This is Yusuke, my... um..."

She paused, a faint blush appearing on her face: "My boyfriend."

"Oh!" Jiraiya drew out the sound, winking and nudging Yusuke.

"To be able to capture the heart of our Princess Tsunade, you must be quite something."

He picked up the bottle and poured a glass for Yusuke: "Come, come, let's have a drink first."

Yusuke was no stranger to the Sannin; he took the glass and nodded to Jiraiya and Orochimaru: "I am Yusuke. I have long admired both of you."

Yusuke held no ill will toward these two.

Jiraiya went without saying; he was a chivalrous hero who had spent half his life searching for the one who would lead the ninja world to change and end its wars.

However, the one thing Yusuke couldn't accept was the guy's habit of peeping into women's bathhouses.

As for Orochimaru, he had not yet fallen into the paranoia and madness of exploring the "true meaning of life."

For now, he was simply a genius ninja with the dream of "learning all the ninjutsu in the world."

Orochimaru gave a slight nod, his golden snake-like pupils lingering on Yusuke for a moment.

A curve formed at the corner of his mouth: "Yusuke-kun, is it? To be held in such high regard by Tsunade, you must have your own merits."

Yusuke felt Orochimaru's probing gaze, but he had no mind to dwell on it right now.

Hunger drove him to pick up the menu and order several more plates of meat.

"Waiter, five more plates of premium beef tenderloin, three plates of pork belly, and also..."

The speed at which Yusuke ordered left even Jiraiya clicking his tongue in surprise.

Tsunade smiled and handed the menu to the waiter: "Just bring whatever he ordered; this guy burned through too much energy today."

As she spoke, she took the initiative to start grilling meat for Yusuke, her movements practiced and skilled.

The meat slices sizzled on the grill, fat dripping down as the aroma filled the air.

Yusuke said nothing, simply burying his head in his meal.

Jiraiya watched the way Tsunade tenderly grilled the meat, his eyes dimming for a moment, but he immediately raised his glass.

"To celebrate Tsunade finding a boyfriend, and to celebrate our team's reunion—cheers!"

After a few drinks, the atmosphere warmed up.

From Yusuke's words and actions, Jiraiya could tell that this guy was also someone who didn't stand on ceremony.

He leaned in close to Yusuke and asked curiously in a low voice.

"Hey, Yusuke, how exactly did you manage to win over our Konoha princess?"

Tsunade's sharp ears caught Jiraiya's teasing words, and her face flushed slightly; she immediately landed a sharp rap on Jiraiya's head.

"Less talk, more eating!"