"This place… it's so peaceful!"
Anko observed the scenery along the way, taking in the sights of this country's people. She couldn't help but blurt out her thoughts.
The people here lived similarly to those in other nations, but there was a noticeable sense of ease in their demeanor.
This feeling was something Anko had only sensed in the villagers of Konoha during peaceful times. But when war loomed, the village atmosphere would turn tense and oppressive.
Upon closer observation, this country was still different from Konoha during its peaceful era. The people here seemed more resigned, living day by day.
The country's abundant resources and remote location gave its people a sense of being forgotten by the shinobi world, abandoned by war.
They were very welcoming to outsiders.
After telling Kagetsu and the others the designated meeting spot, Jiraiya disappeared into the crowd, claiming he was gathering intelligence on Tsunade.
Kagetsu, accompanied by Shisui and Anko, arrived at the agreed-upon location—a lodging house for travelers.
They booked four rooms, and after finishing their dinner, Jiraiya finally returned to the inn, reeking of alcohol, clearly intoxicated after being gone for half a day.
"Jiraiya-san, were you really gathering information?"
Anko sniffed the air, catching the strong scent of alcohol mixed with the lingering fragrance of women's perfume. She looked at Jiraiya skeptically, suspecting he had been up to no good.
"Of course! Don't look at me like that, little Anko!" Jiraiya, meeting Anko's doubtful gaze, stood up from his chair in irritation.
"Then what did you find out?" Anko crossed her arms, her suspicion unshaken. Kagetsu and Shisui sat quietly on the side, watching the usual back-and-forth between Anko and Jiraiya.
"I found information about a big fat sheep!" Jiraiya declared proudly.
"Aren't we looking for Tsunade-san? Who's this 'big fat sheep'?" Anko glared at him, her trust in Jiraiya dropping even further.
She couldn't help but pity Minato Namikaze. A handsome, kind, and incredibly powerful shinobi—was he really trained by someone as unreliable as Jiraiya?
She had heard that Jiraiya had disappeared for three years to train Nagato and his friends in the Land of Rain, barely guiding Minato at all. If Minato had reached his current level, it had to be because of his extraordinary talent.
Throughout the journey, Anko couldn't help but think inwardly, as the image of Jiraiya as Legendary Sannin completely shattered.
"Your gaze and tone are really offensive! Also," Jiraiya slammed his hand on the table, "The big fat sheep is Tsunade! We can confirm that she was definitely here! At least a few days ago, she was active at the casino here!"
"So, that means we'll get to see Tsunade-san soon?" Kagetsu was also happy to hear the news. At least they wouldn't have to keep running.
"As long as she hasn't left! Tomorrow, I'll find out where she's staying, and then we can go straight to her!" Jiraiya slapped his chest, making a promise.
The night passed without incident.
The next day, Jiraiya disappeared early in the morning and didn't return until evening. This time, he wasn't drunk, but the strong scent on him made Anko frown.
"Get ready, I'll take you to Tsunade right now! We need to be fast! If we're too slow, she might escape!"
Jiraiya urged Kagetsu and the others.
The four of them turned left and right through the streets.
"Did Tsunade-san spot you? Why is she hiding from us?" Anko, following Jiraiya through the streets and alleys, was somewhat confused.
"She's not hiding from us, she's just avoiding her creditors." Jiraiya spoke with a somewhat regretful tone.
"Creditors?" Anko looked puzzled, clearly still seeing Tsunade through a perfect lens.
"Wait!"
The four arrived at a secluded alley, where they saw two shady female figures—one tall, one short—trying to jump over a wall to escape. Jiraiya's eyes lit up, and he immediately shouted.
Jiraiya's shout seemed to have triggered those two figures, and in the blink of an eye, they vanished as if they had used the Body Flicker Technique, disappearing to the other side of the wall.
Jiraiya quickly chased after them.
"Tsunade-sama, I think it's Jiraiya-sama!"
Suddenly, the tall woman in front said, and both she and the short, blonde woman stopped in their tracks, staring at Jiraiya who had caught up with them.
"Jiraiya?" The short, blonde girl turned around, crossing her arms and looking at Jiraiya as he stopped in front of her. She tilted her head arrogantly and said, "It's wartime, Jiraiya. What are you doing here?"
"Of course, I'm here to find you." Jiraiya crouched down, instinctively reaching out to pat Tsunade's head, but upon seeing her death glare as she clenched her small fists, he awkwardly withdrew his hand.
"You didn't come here with some kind of trouble, did you?" Tsunade thought for a moment, relieved that her luck was fine.
"Sensei wants you to return to the village."
"Impossible!"
Before Jiraiya could finish his sentence, Tsunade immediately refused.
"Give it up. I'm not going back to the village!" Tsunade added.
"Is this Tsunade-sama?" Anko looked at the short, blonde girl who didn't resemble the graceful Tsunade she remembered and was a bit surprised. "Is this a transformation technique?"
"Anko and Kagetsu?" Tsunade's gaze shifted to the three of them, and after thinking for a moment, she asked cautiously.
"It really is Tsunade-sama!" Anko said, stepping forward, her eyes sparkling.
"This isn't the place to talk. Let's find somewhere else to talk." Jiraiya glanced around and suggested.
Neither Tsunade nor Shizune disagreed with his suggestion. The group then headed to the place where Jiraiya and the others were staying.
In the room, after listening to Jiraiya's intentions, Tsunade silently approached and examined Shisui's eyes before shaking her head under everyone's watch.
"As for Shisui's eyes, I'm powerless! This is the backlash of the jutsu, not something that medical ninjutsu can easily solve."
"Then..."
"I won't go back to the village with you!" Tsunade shook her head, cutting off Jiraiya's words.
In the silence that followed, Kagetsu stood up and said to Jiraiya, "Orochimaru-sensei wanted me to convey a message to Tsunade-sama. Can I speak with her privately?"
****
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