The Storm Approaches

In Konoha Village, Senju Genma teamed up with the two little girls, Uzumaki Kushina and Uchiha Mikoto, to drag a red-faced, gambling-addicted Tsunade out of the casino.

Because Senju Genma had completed his training in Sage Mode, Tsunade and Kushina had dragged him out of the clan grounds to go have some fun.

For the three of them, this was a form of spice in their daily lives.

Ninjas were passionate about training for the sake of strength, but training was also dull and tedious.

Since the Ninja Academy was currently on break, at Senju Genma's suggestion, the trio had also brought along Uchiha Mikoto.

Senju Genma stood at the entrance of the casino, holding a stack of 100,000-ryo banknotes in his hand.

"It seems the casino isn't such a scary place after all! I won millions in just one visit; it's faster than robbery."

Don't misunderstand; this money wasn't won by Tsunade, nor could it have been.

"Genma-niisan is truly amazing!" Uzumaki Kushina said, hopping and skipping.

"Indeed, I almost thought my allowance was gone just now. It's a good thing Genma was there."

Uchiha Mikoto let out a long sigh of relief. Thinking back to the scene where her allowance was almost lost by Tsunade, she still felt a lingering fear.

Tsunade was already squatting on the ground, hugging Senju Genma tightly, and said with a sobbing tone, "It's so unfair! We were at the same table, yet I kept losing while you kept winning."

Under Senju Genma's look of disdain, Tsunade rubbed against him incessantly and even took the opportunity to lick his face.

Senju Genma wiped the saliva off his face, pinched Tsunade's cheeks with his fair, small hands, and said, "You have the nerve to say that? When have you ever not lost money gambling? The nickname 'Sucker' wasn't earned for nothing. If you hadn't lost millions earlier, I could have easily made ten million."

Facing Senju Genma's cheek-pinching attack, Tsunade instead looked like she was enjoying it, and she feigned cuteness, saying, "Genma-sensei, please teach me your gambling techniques."

"I can't teach you. I don't know any techniques; winning is all down to luck," Senju Genma said, shrugging.

He really didn't know any gambling techniques, and he hadn't used any cheating methods at the casino. He had simply sat there in Tsunade's place, and for some inexplicable reason, he had started winning.

The four of them bickered and played along the way, wandering aimlessly through the streets, when they suddenly discovered something quite interesting.

They saw a young man with white hair lying outside the bathhouse, sneakily stretching his neck as if he were peeking inside.

"Is it a good view?" Senju Genma stood beside Jiraiya, asking in a cold tone.

Senju Genma didn't deny that Jiraiya was a good person, but he really couldn't bring himself to like this hobby of peeking into bathhouses.

As the saying goes, a gentleman may appreciate beauty, but he does not act lewdly.

If you like someone, go and woo them properly!

Peeking like a pervert—no matter how you look at it, it's just too vulgar and sleazy.

"It's great," Jiraiya answered foolishly.

However, he quickly came to his senses, looked at Senju Genma beside him, and said with an awkward expression:

"Oh, it's you, Genma! When did you get here? Why don't we watch together?"

Jiraiya knew Senju Genma.

After all, Tsunade was very fond of Senju Genma and was always talking about him.

Moreover, the Yellow-Gambling-Poison Trio would sometimes get together for a meal when they were free, and Tsunade loved to keep Genma by her side.

Therefore, both Orochimaru and Jiraiya knew Senju Genma well.

"You truly live up to being the 'Yellow' in the Yellow-Gambling-Poison Trio. You'd better start worrying about yourself!" Senju Genma laughed.

Because Jiraiya, Tsunade, and Orochimaru didn't yet hold the title of Sannin, Senju Genma referred to them as the Yellow-Gambling-Poison Trio for convenience, and they had grown accustomed to the nickname.

"Worry about what..."

Before Jiraiya could finish his sentence, he felt a chill rise up his back.

He turned his head and saw that Tsunade had already raised her fist.

"Tsunade, listen to me, let me explain~~"

Tsunade didn't want to hear his nonsense and punched him square in the chest.

He flew sideways, his chest caved in, and he didn't stop until he had smashed through a large tree and a wall.

Senju Genma opened his watery, wide eyes and looked at Tsunade with concern.

"Tsunade-nee, no matter what, Jiraiya is the Hokage-sama's disciple. If you hurt him this badly, won't Hokage-sama be angry? Won't he punish you? Hokage-sama is so scary! Unlike me, I only feel bad for you!"

Tsunade felt her heart melting and hurriedly picked up Senju Genma.

"Don't be afraid, Genma. Since this guy did such a shameful thing, Teacher won't have the face to stand up for him."

Senju Genma leaned into Tsunade's arms and whispered, "Why don't you heal his injuries? It might save you some trouble."

Tsunade couldn't help but take a deep breath of Senju Genma's hair, revealing a look of pure bliss.

He really is the child I raised; not only is he cute and handsome, but he also knows how to care for me.

"He deserves to be in this state. I controlled my strength; it just looks scary, it won't be fatal. Besides, I don't want to heal him—just send him to the hospital."

"An unfamiliar ceiling."

In Konoha Hospital, Jiraiya, with his chest wrapped in bandages, slowly regained consciousness. Looking at the ceiling, his eyes revealed a sense of confusion.

Beside the hospital bed, a woman dressed as a nurse asked, "Lord Jiraiya, you're awake?!"

Jiraiya asked in a hoarse voice, "Where am I?"

"This is Konoha Hospital. You have been unconscious for three days," the nurse said, pouring a glass of water and handing it to Jiraiya.

Jiraiya moved his arm to take the water, but the pain made him wince and bare his teeth.

"Hiss!! Three days?! Tsunade really didn't hold back!"

"Tsunade already showed mercy; otherwise, it wouldn't just be six broken ribs!"

A familiar voice drifted in from the doorway of the ward.

Jiraiya saw who it was and grinned, "Orochimaru, why are you here?"

Orochimaru replied with a smile, "I heard you embarrassed our teacher on your very first day back in the village and even got your ribs broken by Tsunade, so the teacher sent me to check on you."

"Tell me, weren't you out traveling? Why did you come back?"

Jiraiya raised an eyebrow, puzzled, "The teacher didn't tell you?"

Orochimaru shook his head, "No."

Jiraiya looked at the nurse and said in a low voice, "You should leave first."

The nurse nodded, turned, and left the ward.

"The teacher ordered me back. Things haven't been peaceful lately; the Land of Rain and the Land of Wind are both restless. A war is about to begin."

Orochimaru sighed, his tone heavy as he said, "So it is as I thought."

He had already guessed as much.

Ever since the First Shinobi World War, the economic development of various nations had become extremely unbalanced, widening the economic gap.

According to intelligence, under the pretext of "increasing fair rights," the militant factions in various countries were on the rise, and the ideology of military expansion to plunder resources had become the mainstream in every nation.

Looking at the history of the shinobi world, one could see that, aside from the Fourth Shinobi World War which was fought against a common enemy, all other Shinobi World Wars ultimately broke out due to the unequal distribution of resources.