The Sannin's First Meeting in Konoha

The corner of Kumoi's mouth lifted slightly. (╭(╯ε╰)╮)

The Nara clan was renowned for its intelligence and strategic thinking. Handling complicated administrative affairs, coordinating various departments, and extracting key points from vast amounts of information were precisely its strengths.

Besides, they had only recently deepened their cooperative relationship with Ino-Shika-Cho.

Having the Nara Clan Leader take on this important post would not only fully utilize his talents, but also further strengthen ties with this core ally.

It would also show the outside world that he was unconventional in employing talent and valued ability above all else.

"It's him."

Nangō Kumoi pointed at the Nara Clan Leader's name.

"Notify the Nara Clan Leader. If he has no objections, he will take over as chief secretary of the Hokage Office starting today, assisting Hiruzen and me in handling daily government affairs.

Also, arrange for Mr. Fujiwara to conduct the handover with him for a period of time."

"Yes!" The Anbu answered and departed.

After dealing with this unexpected yet necessary personnel adjustment, Nangō Kumoi checked the time and rose to straighten his robes.

"Senior brother, it's about time. Let's go welcome Konoha's new sprouts."

He picked up the speech draft and smiled at Hiruzen Sarutobi.

"Yes, Lord Hokage."

Hiruzen nodded with a smile as well.

The two walked side by side out of the Hokage Building toward the Ninja Academy plaza, which was already bustling with voices and covered in colorful flags and congratulatory banners.

Morning light poured down, illuminating a brand-new beginning and the anticipation for the future in Nangō Kumoi's eyes.

A new day in Konoha was about to begin a new chapter amid the children's laughter and ringing vows.

The plaza before the Ninja Academy was filled with fluttering banners and a sea of voices.

The newly enrolled children wore all kinds of uniforms, nervous yet excited.

Accompanied by an attendant, Tsunade arrived at her designated area. She tried hard to straighten her back, displaying the distinctive bearing of the Senju clan, but her lively big eyes could not help wandering around curiously.

Just then, a voice that made her brows rise instinctively came from behind her.

"Yo! Isn't this Lady Tsunade? You're dressed pretty decently today!"

Jiraiya emerged from who knew where, sporting his signature white hedgehog-like hair and a broad, rather punchable grin. As usual, his ninja tool pouch hung crookedly at his side.

Tsunade turned around, and her pretty little face immediately took on an expression of You again? She gave a displeased snort.

"White-haired idiot, wasn't Uncle Hokage's scolding enough for you the other day? Don't go embarrassing yourself today."

Her words were merciless, but there was no real dislike in her eyes. It was more like the familiar disdain of people who knew each other inside and out.

"T-That was deep reconnaissance!"

Jiraiya flushed and stubbornly argued. Then his eyes darted around, and he gently pushed the little boy who had been quietly following half a step behind him forward.

"Never mind that! Let me introduce a new friend, Orochimaru! He's really smart and knows all kinds of strange things!"

The one pushed forward was Orochimaru.

He wore an immaculate, neatly pressed uniform. His long black hair was smoothly tied behind his head, and his complexion had the pallor of someone who rarely saw sunlight.

Faced with Tsunade's gaze, he did not grow shy or avert his eyes like an ordinary child.

Instead, he raised clear eyes filled with intense curiosity and calmly met her gaze. Then he gave a slight bow and spoke in a quiet but clear voice.

"Hello. I'm Orochimaru."

His manners were unexpectedly polished, revealing a fine early upbringing, though it might have come more from his family environment than from intimate affection.

Seeing his polite attitude, Tsunade put away the "little witch" manner she displayed around Jiraiya and showed the proper etiquette expected of a young lady from a great clan.

She nodded lightly, her voice crisp. "Hello, I'm Tsunade."

She looked Orochimaru over, particularly his overly calm eyes. She was somewhat curious, but as it was their first meeting, she kept an appropriate distance.

"I'm telling you, Orochimaru is amazing!"

Jiraiya puffed himself up at the side as though he were the one being praised.

"He can even use chakra to make leaves spin by themselves! Though I don't see what's so useful about it... Ow!"

Before he could finish, Tsunade secretly gave his calf a light kick with the tip of her foot.

"You're so noisy, White Hair."

Tsunade glared at him, but when she turned back to Orochimaru, her tone softened, carrying a hint of inquiry.

"Make leaves spin? How do you do that? Is it extremely precise control over chakra shape transformation?"

She was instinctively interested in anything related to ninjutsu.

Orochimaru seemed not to have expected Tsunade to ask directly about the technical details. A flicker of light passed through his eyes as his curiosity toward the unknown was ignited.

He nodded and explained seriously.

"You need to condense chakra into extremely fine threads, then release it at specific frequencies and angles to interfere with the airflow and the leaf's own tiny vibrations..."

It sounded somewhat abstract, but the logic was clear.

Jiraiya was utterly lost. Scratching his head, he said, "What threads, what vibrations... Why not just fan it with your hand?" His words earned another eye-roll from Tsunade.

"Idiot, those are completely different things!"

Tsunade retorted, but her eyes briefly met Orochimaru's. It was a shared interest in "interesting knowledge."

She felt that this quiet black-haired boy seemed different from the white-haired idiot who only knew how to peek at girls and fool around.

Orochimaru watched the completely unrestrained yet utterly natural interactions between Tsunade and Jiraiya.

Then, sensing Tsunade's sharp grasp of ninjutsu principles, the expression on his pale little face did not change much.

Yet the innocent curiosity in his eyes toward the people and things around him seemed to have found two concrete, vivid subjects to observe.

One was overflowing with energy and impossible to predict—Jiraiya. The other came from a distinguished background and possessed an instinctive desire to seek power—Tsunade.

To him, such a combination was new, a "sample" worth observing.

Three children with completely different personalities became connected in a strange way in one corner of that bustling plaza, bound together by Jiraiya's crude, thick-threaded "link."

As sunlight streamed down, the threads of friendship, rivalry, and fate that would entangle them for a lifetime quietly tied their first knot.

Their Konoha story, filled with clamor and color, had officially begun.