Morning, Senju Ancestral Residence.
Mito Uzumaki wore a gentle smile as she softly said, “Kushina, eat slowly.”
Kushina nodded like a chick pecking at rice, her cheeks puffed out, then picked up her bowl of miso soup and took a sip.
“Why are you eating in such a hurry today?”
Nawaki was somewhat curious.
“Ryun-kun is challenging a classmate today.
I want to get to the academy early.”
“Ryun…
Oh, I remember him.
Who is he challenging?” Nawaki smiled, feeling quite fond of the boy who had once called him “senpai.”
“Minato Namikaze.”
“…
Never heard of him.
Is he strong?”
Kushina thought for a moment before stating with certainty, “I don’t know, but Ryun-kun should be stronger.”
Nawaki nodded.
Suddenly, an idea popped into his head.
“Can I go watch?”
Kushina didn’t react immediately.
“Don’t you have class?”
Mito Uzumaki watched quietly, a smile playing at the corners of her mouth.
Just then.
Tsunade walked out of the room, her hair tied casually in a ponytail, still looking a bit sleepy.
She pulled out a chair and sat down, casually picking up a rice ball from the table and taking a bite.
“I could hear you talking from inside.
What are you discussing?”
“Sis, Kushina says Ryun is challenging someone named Minato Namikaze.
Can I go watch?”
Tsunade was momentarily stunned.
Gekko Ryun?
If she remembered correctly, wasn’t he her student?
Just yesterday he was calling her “sensei” over and over, yet he didn’t even inform her about something as exciting as a challenge match.
What an un-cute brat.
Looking at Nawaki’s hopeful face, she said irritably, “You’re about to graduate.
Focus on your classes.”
“Huh?” Nawaki’s shoulders slumped.
“I’ve already learned all that stuff.
Sis, please?
I really want to go.”
Seeing that Tsunade remained unmoved, Nawaki could only cast a pleading look toward Mito Uzumaki.
Mito glanced at Tsunade, who was signaling with her eyes, and chuckled softly.
“You really want to go?”
Nawaki nodded vigorously.
Due to his unique background, he didn’t have any friends in his class.
“Then go ahead.
Just remember to ask your teacher for permission.”
“Thank you, Grandma!”
Nawaki was overjoyed and looked triumphantly at Tsunade, who was eating her rice ball.
Tsunade rolled her eyes, then seemed to think of something and revealed a dangerous smile.
“I’ll go with you.”
“Huh??”
…
Ninja Academy, training field stands.
Tsunade’s golden hair was particularly striking in the morning light, her fair skin seeming to glow.
“How long has it been since we last gathered like this?”
Orochimaru, wearing his Jonin vest with his hands in his pockets and long black hair falling over his shoulders, replied in a somewhat hoarse voice, “A long time.”
“The situation has been getting more chaotic lately.
Too many missions.
It’s rare to get a few days off.”
Jiraiya rubbed his messy white hair.
After a few seconds of silence.
“Let’s not talk about that,” Tsunade waved her hand.
“Jiraiya, why did you suddenly take on a student?”
Orochimaru also showed a look of interest.
Among their group, if one had to pick the person least likely to take on a student, it would probably be Jiraiya.
If nothing unexpected happened, he would take Nawaki as his student after graduation.
As for Tsunade, if there was a promising Medical Ninja candidate, she probably wouldn’t refuse either.
Only Jiraiya, who kept talking about the so-called Child of Prophecy every day, not only failed to train any disciples, but even the number of missions he completed fell far short compared to him and Tsunade.
“…It’s a long story.”
Tsunade and Orochimaru exchanged a glance but didn’t press further.
It was almost certainly related to Mount Myoboku.
“What about you two?
I came to watch my disciple fight.
Why are you here?”
Orochimaru’s narrow eyes fixed on Jiraiya.
“I came to see just how skilled your two disciples really are.”
Hearing this, Jiraiya was stunned.
“What two disciples?”
Tsunade also looked confused.
“Yeah, when did Jiraiya take on two disciples?”
Seeing that the two didn’t seem to be joking, Orochimaru asked doubtfully, “Jiraiya, didn’t you tell me that?”
“Uh, I was a bit drunk that day.
The old man didn’t agree…”
Orochimaru was speechless.
“Then who did you take as your disciple?”
“Minato.”
“What about Gekko Ryun?”
He recalled the young man he had seen at the ramen shop that day.
Was it all just a misunderstanding?
Jiraiya shrugged.
“The old man said he had arrangements for him.
I don’t know either.”
“Wait.” Tsunade interrupted their conversation.
“Gekko Ryun is my disciple.”
“Huh?” *2
A few minutes later.
After piecing together the whole story from beginning to end, the three of them stared at each other in disbelief.
Orochimaru’s expression turned odd.
“No wonder you’re here too, Tsunade.
So it’s a duel between your disciples.”
“Yeah, I didn’t expect it to happen so soon.
All three of us have disciples now.”
Jiraiya burst into laughter.
Tsunade and Orochimaru also smiled.
For a moment, the empty training ground echoed with the laughter of the three.
As the laughter gradually died down, Jiraiya asked eagerly, “Tsunade, who do you think will win?”
Orochimaru coughed lightly and shot Jiraiya a helpless glance.
As expected.
Tsunade snorted.
“Of course, my disciple will win!”
The air seemed to grow tense with rivalry.
Jiraiya shook his head.
“Although Ryun is strong too, I still think Minato will win.”
He recalled the day he went to Mount Myoboku to pick up Minato.
Minato was playing with a few small toads.
When he pressed Fukasaku about why Minato had been Reverse Summoned to Mount Myoboku, he only received an ambiguous response.
It was related to the Child of Prophecy.
It was precisely for this reason that he became even more determined to take on a disciple early.
He firmly believed that if Minato was the Child of Prophecy, he simply couldn’t lose.
“Not necessarily.”
Tsunade crossed her arms and glanced sideways.
Although she wasn’t entirely sure about Ryun’s strength, would Mito Uzumaki and Hiruzen Sarutobi really set her up?
Jiraiya raised an eyebrow and smiled mysteriously.
“Let me tell you a secret.
Minato has already learned the Summoning Technique.
Guess who he summoned?”
He could barely suppress the grin spreading across his face.
Orochimaru asked curiously, “Who?
It couldn’t be the Toad Sage, could it?”
Jiraiya made a “shh” gesture and quickly shook his head.
“How could that be!
Guess…”
He dragged out the last word, waiting until Tsunade showed an impatient expression before continuing, “It’s Gamabunta!
Minato summoned Gamabunta on his first try.”
Orochimaru asked curiously, “Gamabunta?
Does he have enough Chakra for that?”
Jiraiya nodded.
“Minato’s Chakra reserves are no worse than mine when I was young.”
“Interesting.
Another genius from a commoner background?” Orochimaru made a mental note of the name.
Listening to the conversation between the two, Tsunade’s brow slowly furrowed.
As companions, they were also very familiar with each other’s summoning creatures.
Given the size of Gamabunta…
if Minato summoned him during the battle, she truly couldn’t imagine how her own disciple could win.
Sigh, I forgot to have him sign a Summoning Contract with Shikkotsu Forest!
Tsunade felt a bit frustrated.
Jiraiya laughed and said, “Now you understand why I have confidence in Minato, right?
Unless Ryun is a Jinchuriki, there’s no way he could be a match for Minato!”