Reunion with Old Friends

After leaving the gambling den, Jiraiya tracked the clues all the way until he finally cornered Tsunade and her apprentice at a small border town in the Land of Hot Water two days later.

"Jiraiya, why are you here?"

A drunk Tsunade wore a hazy gaze, her eyes narrowed into slits, and her face flushed like a ripe apple.

Shizuka helplessly stood up and bowed. "Lord Jiraiya, Lady Tsunade is drunk. How about we talk tomorrow?"

Jiraiya ignored Shizuka, instead carefully eyeing Tsunade. After a moment of silence, he said in a deep voice, "Tsunade, do you already know the news of the teacher's death?"

A flash of sharp light crossed the eyes of Tsunade, who had just looked utterly muddled and dazed.

Right, as one of the mighty Sannin and renowned as a medical saint, how could she possibly get drunk on mere alcohol? It all came down to whether she wanted to let herself get drunk or not.

And Jiraiya, who understood her, naturally saw that she was not truly 'drunk'.

Knowing Jiraiya's purpose, Tsunade sighed, straightened her posture, and asked, "What do you want to do?"

Without waiting for Jiraiya to speak, she retorted unpleasantly, "You want to avenge the teacher? You came to find me to ask me to go with you?"

A trace of desolation flashed in her eyes. "But I've contracted hemophobia; I can't even display ten percent of my full strength, so I can't help you."

Jiraiya opened his mouth, momentarily rendered speechless.

That was true. He had simply forgotten about Tsunade's hemophobia, rushing over with a hot head because he wanted to find both Tsunade and Orochimaru.

"Your hemophobia..."

Jiraiya felt a headache coming on. How many years had passed, and the knot in Tsunade's heart still remained unresolved?

This hemophobia really was...

Tsunade, one of the prestigious Sannin, was practically useless because of her hemophobia.

A dazed look flashed in Jiraiya's eyes. If Tsunade couldn't help him, should he go find Orochimaru instead?

Right, there was still Orochimaru.

Orochimaru certainly wouldn't refuse him.

Seeing the light in Jiraiya's eyes grow increasingly intense, Tsunade sighed. "Sit down and have a drink with me?"

Facing Tsunade's invitation, Jiraiya decisively shook his head. "I have to go."

With that, he vanished into the night without a single moment of delay.

Off to find Orochimaru!

Tsunade stood on the second-floor balcony of the inn, watching Jiraiya's figure disappear into the night, wondering what she was thinking.

Shizuka, who had just taken the initiative to go downstairs to buy a midnight snack, returned right on cue. Seeing that only Lady Tsunade was left in the room, she asked in confusion, "Eh, where is Lord Jiraiya?"

Tsunade sighed, sat down at the table, and tasted the midnight snack Shizuka had bought.

"He left."

For some reason, these midnight snacks that used to be so delicious tasted completely flavorless at this moment.

Seeing this expression on Lady Tsunade's face, Shizuka did not ask further, but silently poured wine for Lady Tsunade.

The next day, Tsunade and Shizuka continued on their journey.

Boarding the large ship for the return trip, Shizuka had words she wasn't sure whether to ask, but after holding back for a long time, she couldn't help asking anyway.

"Lady Tsunade, are we heading back to the Land of Fire?"

Leaning against the railing and letting the sea breeze blow, Tsunade narrowed her eyes as a flock of seagulls flew past with wings spread in the distance...

"Yeah, I haven't been back in a long time. Let's go back and take a look this time."

Tsunade murmured softly.

Konoha.

Yakushi Nonō, who had just stepped out of the Uchiha Compound, walked in a hurried pace toward the orphanage.

Pulling out the photograph she carried with her, she gazed at the young man in the picture, and a happy smile unconsciously appeared on Yakushi Nonō's face.

About to see Kabuto, whom she hadn't seen in years, her heart was filled with a mix of nervousness and anticipation.

Passing by a fragrant snack stall, Yakushi Nonō paused in her tracks to think. She hadn't seen Kabuto in a long time, and since she hadn't returned from her work outside for almost a week, she needed to bring some delicious treats back for the children...

"Boss, give me 30 skewers of three-color dango. Um, and 30 skewers of these as well."

A gentle smile hung on Yakushi Nonō's face. After speaking, she patted her pocket, and her expression suddenly stiffened.

Oh no, it seemed she didn't quite have enough money...

She hadn't brought much money out on her mission this time, and the funds Danzo had allocated to the orphanage before his death were left behind at the orphanage and not brought with her.

She had brought 100,000 ryo when she left, which had already been used up along the way to the Water Country.

Now, feeling around in her pockets, she only fished out two thousand-ryo bills and a few hundred-ryo coins...

"Wait, boss, I don't want them anymore."

Yakushi Nonō awkwardly stopped the boss from grabbing the three-color dango.

"What's this? Do you want them or not, in the end?"

The boss said with dissatisfaction.

"I don't want them," Yakushi Nonō hurriedly said, apologizing once more with embarrassment. "Sorry, sorry, I didn't bring any money with me today; I'll come back to buy them next time."

Yakushi Nonō hastily bowed twice, preparing to slip away, when someone suddenly called out to her.

"Yakushi Nonō?"

A tentative, pleasant voice came from behind.

Yakushi Nonō turned around in surprise, and saw a graceful figure.

"You are..."

Looking at this beautiful and gentle woman, Yakushi Nonō fell into momentary hesitation.

A fragment suddenly flashed through her mind.

That was back during her days at the Ninja Academy, her desk mate—a girl who had been gentle since childhood.

"You're Mikoto?"

Yakushi Nonō snapped back to reality.

Uchiha Mikoto smiled with pressed lips. "Long time no see, Nonō."

"Yeah, long time no see~"

Yakushi Nonō also wore a gentle smile. Back at the Ninja Academy, she had the closest relationship with her desk mate Mikoto. At that time, she was just the child of ordinary villagers, while Mikoto was the child of the prestigious Uchiha clan, yet Mikoto never showed the arrogance of those elite clan children and always treated her gently.

It was just that not long after, the Third Shinobi World War broke out, and because of her outstanding talent, she was chosen by Lord Danzo to enter Root.

Once you enter Root, it's as deep as the sea; from then on, the two of them became strangers.

Come to think of it, this was their first meeting after all these years.

Word had it that Mikoto was already the wife of the Hokage now.

Yakushi Nonō, who had just broken into a smile, suddenly became somewhat constrained.

The Hokage's wife...

Yakushi Nonō put away her smile and bowed constrainedly in greeting. "Greetings, Lady Mikoto."

Yet Uchiha Mikoto paid no mind to her estrangement.

Taking a light step forward, she arrived at her side and pointed at the three-color dango. "Boss, we'll take everything she just mentioned. I'll pay."

As she spoke, Uchiha Mikoto lowered her head and fished for money from her bag.

With her head lowered, Yakushi Nonō felt a wave of emotion in her heart. Sure enough, Mikoto was still that same gentle Mikoto; even now that she had become the Hokage's wife, she hadn't changed at all.

She raised her head and thanked her. "Thank you, Mikoto. When I get back, I'll pay you back the money."

Uchiha Mikoto waved her hand. "No need, why mention such things between us?"

Uchiha Mikoto asked the question that had plagued her with confusion for many years: "Back then, you dropped out of the Ninja Academy without saying a word. Where on earth did you go afterwards? There hasn't been any news of you anywhere."