Itachi's Arrival

Meanwhile (at the same time)

Itachi and Kisame arrived at the Hidden Leaf Village.

Kakashi, Might Guy, and Kurenai stood together, watching the two of them.

The grueling battle just now had left both Asuma and Kurenai seriously injured.

Kakashi spoke coldly.

"You two seem to have come to the wrong place."

Itachi replied evenly.

"We have naturally come to capture the Nine-Tails..."

"Pervy Sage!! What's our mission?"

Naruto followed Jiraiya and Josuke on their mission to find Tsunade and bring her back to the village, asking in confusion.

Jiraiya put on a mysterious air.

"Our mission is to find the legendary fat sheep!!!"

"Fat sheep?"

Naruto scratched his head. Was it something they could eat??

Jiraiya did not explain. He simply smiled and continued walking until they reached a town in the Land of Fire, where casinos stood everywhere amid lavish excess.

They casually found an inn. Jiraiya rented two rooms, then went out to buy daily necessities.

Not long after he left, Josuke and Naruto, who were inside, were stopped at the inn entrance by two mysterious figures.

Josuke looked up. Who else could they be but Itachi and Kisame?

How long had it been since he had last seen his brother? Many years, probably.

And who could possibly understand the pain he had suffered over all those years...

Naruto naturally saw the two newcomers as well, especially the slash across Itachi's Hidden Leaf forehead protector.

Just as the situation reached a stalemate.

"Chidori!!"

Sasuke had arrived. Josuke knew it.

Outside, Sasuke charged at Itachi with Chidori, but an attack of that level was easily blocked by Itachi.

At that moment, Naruto also gathered the Nine-Tails' chakra.

Kisame absorbed it directly.

"Fire Style: Great Fireball Technique!!"

Josuke used Fire Style to force Kisame back.

Itachi glanced at Josuke.

He said flatly.

"You're much better than that piece of trash, but you're still trash."

Itachi shook his head.

Hearing himself called trash, the flames in Sasuke's heart rose, and he attacked Itachi again.

Jiraiya also rushed over on horseback.

He shouted for Sasuke to stop, but Sasuke did not comply.

The result was that Itachi kicked him flying. The Tsukuyomi unleashed by the Mangekyo tortured him until he was half dead, and he passed out on the spot.

Itachi then turned his gaze toward Josuke, preparing to attack him.

Fortunately, Jiraiya stepped between them and summoned the Toad Esophagus.

It trapped Itachi and Kisame.

After that, just like in the original story, Itachi used Amaterasu to escape.

Josuke knew that his dear brother had held back tremendously. Otherwise, how could he and Sasuke possibly have escaped?

Everything returned to calm.

Jiraiya handed Sasuke over to the people of the Hidden Leaf Village.

After getting themselves sorted out, the three of them once again set off on their journey to find Tsunade.

After Itachi and Kisame left, they made inquiries in many places and finally spotted a drunken Tsunade somewhere.

Josuke could not help but exclaim, They're huge.

Worthy of being the legendary fat sheep.

But I'm devoted to one person, you know. Don't underestimate the real me... cough cough.

Thus, Jiraiya, Naruto, and Josuke went into a tavern with Tsunade and Shizune.

Tsunade looked very impatient at Jiraiya's arrival.

"Hey, what are you doing here?"

Jiraiya took a small sip of wine.

"The old man is dead."

Upon hearing that, a slight ripple stirred in Tsunade's heart. She replied flatly.

"Oh."

Jiraiya was not surprised by her reaction. He spoke earnestly.

"The village wants you to return and become Hokage. Also, there are a few children... who need your treatment."

Tsunade looked at Jiraiya.

"What does the old man's death have to do with me? Why should I become Hokage? I'm not going back. And!!

You know it too. As I am now, I probably can't even stand the sight of blood, right?"

Hearing that, Jiraiya had nothing to say. That was indeed the truth. Tsunade now suffered from hemophobia...

Josuke stood off to the side like he was invisible. It had nothing to do with him anyway, so he could just enjoy the show.

But Naruto could not sit still.

She could say anything she wanted, but she could not talk about the Third Hokage Grandpa like that!!! (Josuke: This kid is going to be like this for the rest of his life.)

He stood up and said to Tsunade.

"You're not allowed to talk about the Third Hokage Grandpa like that!!"

The alcohol had gotten to Tsunade too.

She said to Naruto.

"What are you talking about, brat? So what if I talk about the old man?"

Jiraiya waved his hand and tried to smooth things over.

"Alright, alright. Tsunade, why get angry with a kid??"

Naruto did not care about any of that. He said to Tsunade.

"I challenge you!!!"

...(In a flash, they arrived outside.)

The match began under Jiraiya's witness.

Naruto formed a Rasengan and charged at Tsunade, but Tsunade defeated him with nothing more than a single monstrous-strength punch.

The two of them then made a one-week wager.

Meanwhile, while Naruto was competing with Tsunade, Josuke used the excuse of going to the bathroom and followed the scroll's guidance to find Orochimaru!!

After scaling several walls.

Josuke arrived at a courtyard.

There, he saw Kabuto and Orochimaru in the courtyard.

Josuke's arrival truly startled the two of them.

Kabuto immediately drew a kunai and stood in front of Orochimaru.

Josuke looked at Orochimaru's limp, powerless arms and knew that his hands had been sealed, exactly as in the original story.

Josuke said teasingly.

"Orochimaru, long time no see."

Orochimaru smiled at Josuke and gestured for Kabuto to lower the kunai in his hand.

"Cough, cough, what a coincidence, Josuke-kun. What wind blew you here?"

Josuke replied.

"I was carrying out a mission nearby. The scroll showed that you were close, so I came over."

After pausing, he added.

"I came this time to make a deal with you—or rather, a promise."

Josuke said.

"Oh?"

Orochimaru was intrigued. He did not know what Josuke could possibly have to trade with him.

"I'm all ears, Josuke-kun."

With that, Josuke pulled out the Scroll of Seals from behind him and pointed at Orochimaru's hands.

"I heard your hands were sealed, is that right?"

Hearing that, Orochimaru's expression grew somewhat helpless. He said resignedly.

"Yes. It seems the Hidden Leaf Village knows about it too. Forgive my embarrassment, Josuke-kun. I've tried every method, but I haven't found any way to restore my arms to normal."

Josuke nodded. That was just how the Reaper Death Seal was.

Then he said.

"This is the Hidden Leaf Village's Scroll of Seals. There may be a way inside to solve the problem with your hands, though I don't know whether there is."

Upon hearing that, Orochimaru immediately felt that there might still be hope for his hands.

"Oh? And the condition?"

Josuke pointed at Kabuto.

"It's a very simple condition. It doesn't even need to be fulfilled now. I only want Kabuto to agree to one condition of mine in the future. Consider it owing me a favor."

"Huh?"

Kabuto wore a baffled expression. What a strange person.

It might have made more sense if he had asked Orochimaru to agree to a condition, but what could he possibly offer Josuke?

Kabuto did not know.