"Tsundade, long time no see," Jiraiya greeted with a smile.
"Long time no see," Tsunade replied with a slight wave, smiling as well.
Naruto clenched his jaw in anger, glaring at her intensely.
This unfriendly gaze prompted both Tsunade and Shizune to glare at him involuntarily.
"Tsunade, why are you in the Country of Hot Springs?" Jiraiya asked.
"I needed a place to stay for a while," Tsunade said casually.
"Tsunade, let's have a drink together," Jiraiya suggested after some small talk.
"Sure," Tsunade happily accepted.
Nine-Tails couldn't help but grumble, "Hmph, drinking again? Are you trying to kill yourself?"
Unfortunately, Jiraiya was now completely immersed in the joy of reunion and failed to notice the tension on Naruto's face.
He took Tsunade and the others into an izakaya.
Naruto dragged his hand over his face and followed reluctantly.
After downing dozens of bottles of strong liquor, Tsunade and Jiraiya were both tipsy, swaying unsteadily.
Naruto looked at the pile of empty glass bottles and made an excuse. "We've run out of drinks. I'll go with Master Jiraiya to buy a few more bottles."
Shizune, sitting at another table, looked puzzled. "We're already at an izakaya. Where else do we need to go buy alcohol?"
"Master Jiraiya said there's a shop outside that has better sake, and he's the only one who knows where it is."
With that, Naruto helped Jiraiya up and walked him outside.
"Hurry back!" Tsunade shouted excitedly, pounding the table and pumping her fist in the air.
Jiraiya leaned heavily on Naruto, his face glowing with color.
Finding a secluded spot, Naruto helped him sit down and stood aside, gazing solemnly at him.
A cool breeze blew past, cutting through the smell of sake. Jiraiya looked up, meeting Naruto's profound gaze.
"Naruto, why did you bring me out here?"
Naruto didn't answer this question directly. Instead, he asked, "Master Jiraiya, just now... that golden-haired woman, exactly who is she?"
"Master Jiraiya laughed heartily. "Naruto, you should show respect when speaking. Perhaps she might become your future mistress."
"Master Jiraiya, are you serious? Every time you meet a beautiful woman, you say similar things. Are you saying that about her too? Right, Master Jiraiya..."
Naruto felt complicated, as if trying to confirm something, continuing to press.
"She's different from all the others. She's always been the one I loved deeply. Back then..." Jiraiya smiled foolishly, lost in memories of the past.
As Naruto listened, instead of feeling envious, he felt only deep sadness.
"What if she becomes our enemy?"
"Hmm?" For a moment, Jiraiya didn't catch the meaning right away.
"She's the same kind of person as Hinata Hyuga," Naruto said darkly.
Upon hearing these words, Jiraiya seemed to be drenched by a bucket of cold water, his whole body stiffening.
"Do you mean she's one too?" Jiraiya asked, shocked.
Naruto nodded gravely.
Jiraiya stood frozen.
Night had grown deep, inside the izakaya.
"This customer, we're closing up..." A waitress approached Tsunade and whispered.
"Huh? Is it already that late?" Tsunade finally noticed and tilted her head. "Jiraiya and the others went out to buy some sake, and they've been gone this long? Haven't they come back yet?"
Shizune, holding Tonton, muttered wordlessly: "Tsunade-sama, those two clearly skipped out."
"What? That bastard Jiraiya actually dared to ditch us? He promised to pay! Is he even a man anymore?" Tsunade exploded angrily.
The waitress coughed, glancing between Tsunade and Shizune, meaningfully: So who's picking up the tab?
Still fuming, Tsunade grumbled, "Where exactly did that guy Jiraiya run off to? How dare he pull a fast one on me?"
Shizune helplessly shook her head and paid the bill.
Walking out of the izakaya, Tsunade looked at the bill, still feeling rather annoyed.
Speaking of money, she suddenly thought of someone.
All large funds from the Country of Hot Springs and the Country of Frost had flowed into Hiroki Hyuga's account.
"Where did that brat Hiroki go? He hasn't shown his face in nearly half a year since last time. I'm still waiting for him to pay us. Did he skip town too?" Tsunade mumbled grumpily.
["By the way, currently the best app for audiobook listening is Yeguo Reading. Download the latest version at yeguoyuedu."]
"He's injured, in Kirigakure village in the Land of Water," Kaguya suddenly said succinctly, her voice devoid of emotion.
"Why would he go to Kirigakure to recover? What good medical resources could that dump possibly have?" Tsunade sneered with disdain.
I'm right here—the legendary medic! Pay me enough, and I'll have him back on his feet in no time.
Kaguya: "He shouldn't be moved around right now."
"So you mean his injuries are really serious?"
"..."
"Just what kind of injuries did he sustain?"
"Stop asking," Kaguya's tone turned even colder.
Tsunade fell silent but inwardly grumbled: What crawled up your ass? Suddenly getting angry like that?
Returning to the palace, Tsunade rummaged through every corner.
"Money, where's the money, money, money? How can such a huge palace be so broke? Could it be that all valuable stuff has already been taken away by Hiroki Hyuga?"
"Don't ask us, we're all broke," the White Zetsus passed her by.
"Wait a second, you guys must know something about Hiroki, right?"
Hidenaga White Zetsu stopped, thinking for a moment, then relayed to her the information he'd received from other White Zetsus: "He was hit by a Tailed Beast Ball and remains unconscious in a hospital in Kiri."
Upon hearing this, Tsunade stood frozen, completely puzzled inside.
What kind of situation required facing a Tailed Beast Ball?
Even if Hiroki couldn't dodge it, wouldn't Lady Kaguya be able to?
For her, it should be effortless.
Why didn't she help? Why just stand by and let him die?
That woman—could she really be that heartless?
Thinking about Kaguya's personality, Tsunade felt again that this might indeed be something she'd do.
Her character's simply too hard-headed!
Once ignited, it would probably erupt like a volcanic explosion.
I wonder if she even cares or regrets what happened.
Tsunade sighed inexplicably.
Although Tsunade had returned, the remaining White Zetsu in the Country of Hot Springs were still monitoring Jiraiya's movements.
In a room at an inn, Naruto pushed open the door and walked in. "Master Jiraiya, I've found out everything already. That woman—no, Tsunade—stays in this village for two or three days every month, freely healing those who are sick or injured."
Inside the room, Jiraiya stood with his back facing Naruto, holding a wine cup without moving for a long time. His expression was complex and hard to describe.
After a long pause, he finally lifted the cup and drank it all in one gulp. Turning around, he asked, "Naruto, what do you think we should do?"
Naruto simply shrugged and continued what he was saying.
"Maybe, in the eyes of these villagers, she's just a kind-hearted master healer who helps those in need."
"She always was," Jiraiya couldn't help but say.
Must've had too much to drink—Jiraiya suddenly felt a headache coming on. He sighed and said, "Let's just hang low for a few days."
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