Chương 214: Chapter 214
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"Nawaki, I can't believe it's really you."
When Orochimaru was brought to the Senju compound by Jiraiya and saw that familiar face, he couldn't help but feel nostalgic.
Orochimaru had always valued this student highly. When Tsunade asked him to mentor Nawaki, he agreed without hesitation.
But Nawaki's untimely death had made him acutely aware of life's fragility.
Seeing Nawaki revived now made Orochimaru feel that anything was possible. If he could fully understand the underlying principles, he believed he could grasp both truth and eternal life.
"Orochimaru-sensei, it's great to see you again," Nawaki said with a smile. In his memory, it had only been a little over a year since he had seen Orochimaru, though for Orochimaru, it had been over a decade.
"Nawaki, what are your plans now? Would you like to continue being my student?"
"Hold on, hold on," Jiraiya interrupted, "Orochimaru, aren't you shocked? Nawaki has been revived!"
"What's so surprising?" Orochimaru glanced at Jiraiya. "The Second Hokage studied resurrection techniques, but he didn't succeed. Instead, he developed the Edo Tensei, which summons the dead to fight."
With that, Orochimaru walked into the house with Nawaki. Shizune was already preparing dinner, having bought various well-known delicacies from the village, mostly ready-to-eat.
After Tsunade had taken a bath, she came down to help. Tonight, it was just the five of them: the Sannin, Shizune, and Nawaki.
Seeing Jiraiya, Orochimaru, and Nawaki arrive, Tsunade said, "You're here. Everything's ready. Let's have a good drink tonight."
Jiraiya had a lot of questions, but seeing Tsunade's demeanor, he held back, deciding to wait until the drinking loosened everyone's tongues.
Soon, Shizune brought the last of the food to the table, and the group, led by Tsunade, began drinking. Tsunade had worked up quite a thirst after her activities in Yoichi's office and subsequent chores.
After a couple of drinks, Orochimaru revisited the topic Jiraiya had interrupted earlier, asking Nawaki if he wanted to continue being his student.
Nawaki enthusiastically agreed, giving a thumbs up, which irritated Tsunade. Though she didn't oppose Nawaki continuing under Orochimaru, she disapproved of his overly enthusiastic attitude.
Tsunade knocked Nawaki on the head and said, "Orochimaru, you see his impulsive nature. Please help him change that."
Orochimaru understood the implication. Nawaki's impulsiveness could get him hurt on missions, but Orochimaru had ways to temper that.
"Tsunade," Jiraiya began after a few drinks, unable to hold back, "how did Nawaki come back? Is there a way to... bring Minato back too?"
Tsunade's expression tightened. She hadn't expected Jiraiya to be so direct. She recalled the last time Yoichi had resurrected someone, it had cost him greatly. She hadn't forgotten the sight of his bleeding Sharingan and the toll it took on him.
"It was Yoichi who revived Nawaki, and it came at a great cost. I haven't seen his Sharingan for over a year. Resurrecting the dead takes a heavy toll, and I don't want him to pay an irreparable price for my sake," Tsunade explained, thinking of Yoichi's well-being.
Jiraiya felt a mix of emotions but held his tongue. Orochimaru interrupted, "Eat something, Jiraiya," placing a piece of grilled lamb on his plate to defuse the tension.
"I'm sorry, I got carried away," Jiraiya apologized, realizing he had overstepped.
The dinner continued, with most of the conversation led by Orochimaru, Tsunade, and Nawaki, with Shizune occasionally joining in. Jiraiya mostly drank silently, pondering his thoughts. After they finished, Tsunade, exhausted from her journey and the day's activities, quickly fell asleep.
As Jiraiya and Orochimaru walked outside, the cold wind sobered them up.
"Orochimaru, why would Tsunade choose him? A man with two wives and children?" Jiraiya finally voiced his lingering question.
Orochimaru sighed, "Jiraiya, what have you ever done for Tsunade?"
"I... I've..." Jiraiya began, but the words died in his throat. He couldn't think of anything significant he had done for her.
"Yoichi revived Nawaki for Tsunade, and that's just what we know. There's likely more they've been through together that they haven't shared with us. Think about it, Jiraiya," Orochimaru advised before leaving.
Jiraiya stood there for a moment, then slowly walked home, deep in thought.
The next day, Yoichi, after having breakfast at home and training in the courtyard, summoned his clones back to gather energy. Though progress had slowed, he still felt his body gradually strengthening.
After his morning training, he headed to the Hokage building and entered his office, seeing the pile of unfinished documents from the previous day.
"Too much work," Yoichi muttered. Splitting into two wood clones, he had them help with the paperwork.
As he processed the documents, he came across an application that made him pause. "What are these two thinking? They're already jonin, and they want to switch to administrative positions?"
Yoichi called an ANBU member to summon Kurenai and Rumi.
When the two arrived, Kurenai greeted sweetly, "Yoichi-sensei, we're here."
Rumi asked calmly, "Yoichi-sensei, is there a mission?"
"No mission. I just want to know why you want to be my assistants. I planned for you to gain field experience and eventually become jonin team leaders. Administrative roles are a step back," Yoichi explained.
Rumi spoke first, "Yoichi-sensei, I want to stay by your side. Otherwise, the main family will force me back, maybe even use the Caged Bird Seal to marry me off. I don't want that."
"They still dare to do that? I already spoke with Hiashi about this," Yoichi frowned. "I'll talk to him again. While it's an internal Hyuga matter, you're my student, so I have a say."
Ancient clan rules hold little weight against power and authority.
(End of Chapter)
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