บท 31: Fear Of Blood
"Just as I figured..." Gai thought aloud as Naruto laid everything out for him, from the beginning to the end.
Gai also filled them in on the Konoha incidents and how Itachi and Kisame had targeted Naruto, leading to a confrontation in Konoha.
"So, what's the deal with Kakashi-sensei? Is he okay?" Naruto questioned, his casual tone belying his concern, after hearing the full story from Gai.
"Well, he's catching some Z's at the moment. The technique that Itachi used on him was a doozy, so he needs some time to bounce back..." Gai responded.
"But hey, if we find Tsunade, she can patch him up along with Sasuke, who's also seen better days. Since we're off to find Tsunade, you should bring him along..." Jiraiya suggested, his tone serious but not without a hint of his usual light-heartedness.
Might Gai gave an affirmative nod and hoisted Sasuke onto his back. "Alright, then. Here's to a successful journey." Gai remarked before departing with Sasuke.
From the following day onward, Naruto and Jiraiya continued their quest to find Tsunade. They visited numerous bars in town, hoping to locate her.
Meanwhile, Orochimaru managed to find Tsunade before anyone else. He approached her and requested her assistance in fixing his arms. Initially, Tsunade declined his offer, but Orochimaru enticed her with grand promises of fulfilling her desires if she healed him.
Now, let's return to Naruto and Jiraiya...
After an extensive search for Tsunade, Naruto and Jiraiya arrived at a bar.
"We've been going to so many bars. Do you really think we'll find her in one?" Naruto asked, feeling exhausted from their long journey.
"I'm positive. Let's check out this bar first, and then we'll move on to the others," Jiraiya replied.
"Yeah, it's easy for you. You get to enjoy drinks and admire beautiful women. But this isn't fun for me," Naruto grumbled.
"Don't be so picky, Naruto. We're on an important mission here, and we need to see it through no matter what. Stop complaining," Jiraiya scolded, leading the way into the bar.
"Yeah, yeah. Anyway, we won't find her here," Naruto muttered as he stood at the entrance.
"Naruto, come here," Jiraiya called out from inside.
Curious, Naruto entered the bar. Jiraiya's gaze landed on two women sitting at the back.
"Tsunade!" Jiraiya shouted.
"Jiraiya!" One of the women stood up and shouted back.
"What... the... why are you here?" the woman asked.
"Finally, I've been searching for you everywhere. I should have guessed you'd be here," Jiraiya replied, making his way to their table.
Naruto remained puzzled. "So, that's Lady Tsunade?" he thought. "But isn't she supposed to be friends with Jiraiya-sensei? She looks so young. How can she be friends with someone as old as Jiraiya sensei?" Naruto couldn't make sense of it.
After a while, all four of them sat down at the table.
"I can't believe I'm meeting two of the legendary Sannin in one day," thought the other woman named Shizune.
[A.N: Well, you already know the characters and everything about them, their appearances and such. So, for now, I'll refrain from describing them further.]
Let's continue with the story as their orders arrived, and they all dined together.
As Tsunade took a sip of Sake "It's like reunion... All the old faces coming back at the same time..." She murmured...
Jiraiya poured some sake at her cup as he also took a sip from his cup, "You mean Orochimaru..?"
Jiraiya said.
As Shizune was surprised that Jiraiya already knew about it.
"So what happened...?" Jiraiya asked.
Naurto wanted to speak but felt that he shouldn't speak in between the elders.. and continued with eating..
"Uh...Nothing much , we sat and talked and that's it.." Tsunade replied as she bring out cards in her hands and put them at the table..
Jiraiya gave a serious expression as he took the cards , "I'll cut right to the chase....Tsunade , The elders of the leaf village have come to a decision to make you the 5th Hokage..." Jiraiya said with a expression.
Tsunade and Shizune both looked astonished hearing Jiraiya... But Tsunade quickly gathered her composure as she Continued with her card game.
"You heard about the 3rd Hokage right ?" Jiraiya asked continued playing the card game with her.
"3rd Hokage ... So it's true..." Shizune thought...
"It was Orochimaru right , I heard about it.. in fact he told me himself..." Tsunade said.
"Shouldn't you supposed to do something when he told you that he killed the 3rd Hokage of the leaf ?" Naruto finally decided to speak.
"Who's this brat with you anyway ?" Tsunade asked with an annoyed look.
"This is Naruto Uzumaki, The son of The 4th Hokage Minato Namikaze...." Jiraiya said with a smile.
"He's the son of The 4th ?" Tsunade said with a surprised look.
"I will say it once again , The leaf village has made it's decision, they've chosen you as the 5th Hokage... " Jiraiya said.
But Tsunade didn't respond "So what's you answer ?" Jiraiya asked again. "Do you accept it Tsunade...?"
As Tsunade remembered about the things Orochimaru said and promised her that he will bring back her brother and her beloved back to life in exchange of her treating his hands.
"So, what's it going to be?" Jiraiya prompted again, receiving no response.
"Lady Tsunade..." Shizune mused internally...
Tsunade let the cards in her hand fall, "Not a chance... I refuse..." she declared sternly.
"Interesting, it's like déjà vu. I recall you saying the exact same thing when I proposed to you once..." Jiraiya retorted with a teasing grin.
"Could it be... Is she considering Orochimaru's offer?" Shizune wondered, observing Tsunade's reaction.
"Tsunade, consider it once more. No one contributed more to the Leaf's victory in the great war than you... With your unparalleled abilities and healing skills, along with being the granddaughter of the first Hokage, you're the obvious choice for the 5th Hokage, both by lineage and capability. So, ponder it thoroughly..." Jiraiya advised.
"Once you embrace your fate, which I'm confident you will, you'll return to Konoha with plenty of tasks awaiting you, like healing Kakashi and his comrade, Sasuke Uchiha..." Jiraiya added.
"Let's not forget Rock Lee too..." Naruto interjected.
"Right..." Jiraiya concurred.
"I refuse... Once more..." Tsunade stated, her gaze fixed on the cards in her hand.
"Why not? If your Grandfather served as a Hokage, why can't you carry on his legacy?" Naruto queried.
"Man, the kid of the Fourth sure does have a chatterbox, huh? Listen here... that Fourth guy, he checked out way too early... he gave up his own life for the sake of the village. Even my old gramps and the second hokage, they were so obsessed with finding peace for our home, but they got taken out before they could see their dreams come true. It's just not worth it to throw everything away like that... anyone who does that is just plain dumb".
Naruto, munching on his meat skewers, shot back at Tsunade, "Well, your ego's as big as your fear, ain't it? If you had something you cherished more than your own life, like the 4th Hokage did, you'd do the same. And dying while trying to achieve your dreams? Still better than not having the guts to chase them."
Tsunade, feeling challenged by Naruto's words, abruptly stood up, her foot landing on the table, "You're pretty audacious, brat... Let's continue this outside."
Naruto, skewers still in hand, responded casually, "Sure. Waiter! Here's a bit extra for you."
"Thank you. We hope to see you again!" The waiter grinned, thrilled with Naruto's generous tip.
Then they all headed outside, where Naruto and Tsunade squared off, with Shizune and Jiraiya on the sidelines.
"You ever take off those glasses? Why even wear them at night?" Shizune questioned Naruto, her tone perplexed.
"Well, some mysteries are better left unsolved. Too much knowledge isn't always a good thing." Naruto replied.
"That's my student..." Jiraiya mused, smiling.
"Begin..." Jiraiya instructed, signaling the start of the fight.
They held their positions for a moment. "What's the matter? You're just gonna stand there because you're a Sannin?" Naruto taunted.
"Why would a legendary Sannin like myself attack a kid like you?" Tsunade retorted.
"Well, if that's the case, I'll make the first move. I was just giving you a chance to lengthen the fight and make it more fun. But anyway..." Naruto said with a smirk.
"Isn't that a lot of talk for a kid, don't you think, Jiraiya?" Tsunade asked, looking at Jiraiya.
"If I were you, I wouldn't underestimate him. That's all I'm gonna say..." Jiraiya warned.
"Well, don't worry, I'll go easy on you..." Naruto said, grinning as he brandished two kunai and charged at Tsunade. As he ran, he hurled one of his kunai past Tsunade.
"You need to work on your aim, kid, if you..." Tsunade began to say, but was interrupted by a sound from behind her. "Yeah, what were you saying, granny?" Naruto asked, grinning as he held his other kunai at Tsunade.
"You... How? That's impossible..." Tsunade stammered.
"Do you surrender...?" Naruto asked.
As Tsunade heard Naruto's mocking words, she spun around in anger. But Naruto, who had his kunai pointed at her, pulled it back, and it grazed Tsunade's face, leaving a small cut from which blood began to trickle down.
Naruto took 2 steps backwards, Her face went white as she gently touched the cut from the kunai. It was a red liquid... Blood!
Naruto looked at her with a teasing glint in his eyes and taunted, "What's this? You're scared of blood or what ?"
Naruto couldn't help but chuckle at Tsunade's frightened expression, "I may not crave the title 'Hokage,' but I won't ridicule those who do. Let them dream and strive for it, so even if they fall, they'll have no regrets about not trying."
Tsunade's heart ached as she remembered the passionate declarations of her past lover and brother, "Being Hokage is my dream!"
Her own words felt like a mockery to their memories. Who was she to call them losers for dying in pursuit of their dreams? The real loser was her.
A single tear trickled down her cheek as she thought of them.
"Did I... make her cry?" Naruto blinked, surprised.
Jiraiya, however, burst into laughter before comforting Tsunade, "See where you went wrong? And don't worry kid, you weren't out of line. You just caught her off guard."
Naruto shrugged it off and took both the kunai and put them in his Ninja pouch.
Tsunade, still sniffling, glared at a grinning Jiraiya and snapped, "Shut up."
Jiraiya only chuckled before asking again, "So, are you up for being the 5th Hokage?"
"I... I want to but... I can't stand the sight of blood..." Tsunade stuttered, her body shaking.
But Naruto, casually looked at her with a huge grin and said, "Isn't the solution simple? Just overcome it."
Tsunade was taken aback. It was a simple solution, yet not so simple at all.
"I ain't got a clue on how to beat this, but man, ain't it funny? You all are supposed to be these big shot Legendary Sannin, and here I am, schooling you guys!" Naruto said, his grin wide and cheeky.
Jiraiya and Shizune chuckled at the jest, with Shizune assisting Tsunade to rise. Though Tsunade's wounds were minor, the sight of blood unnerved her.
Post the confrontation, Jiraiya and Tsunade engaged in a conversation while Naruto returned to his hotel for an overnight stay...
The following sunrise...
Shizune visited their hotel in search of Tsunade, but she was nowhere to be found. Additionally, Jiraiya was missing too...
[A.N: Drop Powerstones and mistake is human nature so if you find any just don't be rude and drop them in the comment section...]
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