Chapter 181: Retrieving Two of the Sannin — Jiraiya and Tsunade! The Hidden Sound's Tech Factory!
Land of Fire, a certain hot spring town.
Kakashi Hatake, Jonin of Konoha.
He was currently on a "special mission." Though, calling it a mission was a bit of a stretch; it felt more like a leisurely manhunt.
Kakashi still wore his signature lazy, dead-fish expression. In his hand, as always, was a copy of Icha Icha Paradise. He claimed he was "researching the author's latest work to deeply understand his mental journey." In reality, it was mostly personal preference.
He wasn't in a hurry. His figure drifted slowly between hot spring inns and certain "special" tea houses.
"That white-haired gentleman—"
"I saw him again this morning, sneaking around outside the women's bathhouse wall, taking notes!"
"The bar tab he owes is enough to buy this whole street! No more credit next time, absolutely not!"
Listening to these "glorious deeds," Kakashi just scratched his head helplessly. Still the same as ever, Jiraiya-sama.
Finally, Kakashi found his target outside a high wall that offered an excellent view, very "suitable for research."
Jiraiya, one of the legendary Sannin, the Toad Sage. Right now, he was sprawled on top of the wall, gesticulating wildly towards something inside, inspiration clearly striking.
"Oh! Oh! This angle! This misty steam! The opening for Icha Icha Paradise: Hot Spring Passion Limited Edition is decided!" He muttered to himself, his expression excited.
Kakashi appeared silently behind him. In his characteristic drawl, he said, "Jiraiya-sama, it's been a long time. I didn't expect you to still be so diligent in your creation of Icha Icha Paradise."
"Gaaah—!!!"
Jiraiya was scared out of his wits, nearly tumbling off the wall. His notebook and pen clattered to the ground. He turned around in a panic and saw who it was.
"Ka—Kakashi?!"
Jiraiya composed himself, trying to put on a senior's air. "Ahem! I am conducting important ninja training! Understanding the myriad forms of life, observing true human emotions!"
Kakashi's expression didn't change. "Jiraiya-sama, there are some very important matters I think you must know immediately."
"Minato-sensei… he's back."
Jiraiya froze for a moment, then burst out laughing. "Minato? Kakashi, are you still asleep? Or have you been reading too many weird fanfictions lately? That kid, didn't he already—"
Kakashi's gaze was more serious than ever before. "He and Kushina-senpai, they resurrected together. They are in the village right now."
Jiraiya's laughter cut off abruptly. The expression on his face shifted rapidly from playful to shocked, then to disbelief. "You… are you telling the truth?! Don't joke about things like this, kid!"
Kakashi nodded slightly. "I guarantee it on the name of Kakashi Hatake. Not a word is false." He then added some details that only Minato and Jiraiya would know.
Jiraiya's expression changed completely. The playful look vanished without a trace, his eyes becoming deep and complex.
Kakashi continued. "Naruto… he also knows about his parentage and has met them. Minato-sensei is very worried about him. Not just because of the Nine-Tails, but also some… more complicated matters."
"Also, Minato-sensei's current situation in the village isn't easy. He needs your help, Jiraiya-sama. For Naruto, and for Konoha."
"Minato-sensei also said that the current Konoha urgently needs Lady Tsunade's strength as well. What do you think—"
Jiraiya was silent for a moment, taking a deep breath. Then, he slapped his thigh. "That brat… really knows how to cause trouble! Tsunade, that violent gambler… she's probably even harder to deal with than me!"
He quickly scooped up his scattered "research tools" and stuffed them into his robe, grumbling, "Looks like my royalties are going down the drain again… Let's go! Kakashi! Let's go drag that hopeless woman back first!"
…
Land of Fire, Tanzaku Quarters.
Filled with desire and noise, this was a paradise for gamblers and a hell for losers. Jiraiya and Kakashi appeared on this prosperous yet chaotic street. It took almost no effort to find the whereabouts of their other target.
"Oh, you mean the woman with the huge chest?" A street thug pointed to a casino nearby. "Her? She lost all her money again and is surrounded by debt collectors right now!"
The two exchanged a glance and strode toward the casino.
Inside, it was a mess. Tables and chairs were overturned, bottles smashed. Tsunade, one of the legendary Sannin, was currently surrounded by a group of fierce-looking creditors. Her beautiful face was flushed red, whether from anger or alcohol was unclear, and she was clutching an empty sake bottle.
"Bastards! This princess just had bad luck today! Give me another million ryo! I'll win it all back for sure!"
Seeing this familiar scene, Jiraiya instinctively shrank back, whispering to Kakashi, "See, I told you she's trouble."
He cleared his throat, adopted what he thought was a dashing pose, and stepped forward. "Yo! Tsunade! Still having such 'good' luck today? Making another huge contribution to the economic prosperity of Tanzaku Quarters?"
Hearing this familiar, infuriating voice, veins popped on Tsunade's forehead. "Hm? JIRAIYA—!!!"
She roared, and the sake bottle in her hand flew straight at Jiraiya's head with a whistling sound!
Jiraiya yelped and scrambled backward. The bottle smashed onto the floor where he had just been standing, shattering into countless pieces.
Kakashi stood by, calm as ever, as if he were used to this. He even had time to comment, "Jiraiya-sama, it seems your opening lines are as 'popular' as ever."
Tsunade sent a few encroaching creditors flying, her chest heaving. She pointed at Jiraiya furiously. "You bastard! You dare show your face in front of me! Are you itching for a beating again?!"
Amidst the chaos and before Tsunade could explode again, Kakashi seized the opportunity. Calmly, he dropped a bombshell.
"Lady Tsunade, we came because there is a very important matter we must inform you of immediately."
"Minato-sensei and Kushina-senpai… they have been resurrected. They are in Konoha right now."
The anger and drunkenness on Tsunade's face froze instantly. She looked like someone had pressed the pause button.
"Hah?" She scoffed, her eyes darting suspiciously between Jiraiya and Kakashi. "Jiraiya, did you drink too much and start talking nonsense again? Or did you, Kakashi, get corrupted by this idiot too?"
Jiraiya dropped his playful act, his expression becoming exceptionally serious. "Tsunade, we're not joking."
"Not just Minato and Kushina," Kakashi added calmly. "The Uchiha clan as well. Most of the Uchiha clansmen have already been resurrected."
Clang! The last sake bottle Tsunade was gripping fell to the floor and shattered.
Her look went from "you're kidding me" to extreme shock and disbelief. Then, came the frantic questioning.
"What… what are you talking about?! What method did they use?!" She rushed forward, grabbing Jiraiya by the collar with enough force to make him grimace. "Speak clearly! What is going on!"
Jiraiya looked into Tsunade's eyes, which were almost spitting fire, and sighed. He detailed the current complex situation in Konoha, Minato's predicament, and… the urgent need for her strength.
"Tsunade, how long are you going to run away?" Jiraiya's voice deepened. "Do you want to hide in this place full of alcohol and gambling debts for the rest of your life, ignoring everything about the village?"
"If… if there really is a way to bring back the dead… don't you want… don't you want to see it for yourself?!"
"Nawaki… Dan…" Tsunade's body began to tremble slightly. Those two names, buried deep in her heart, pricked her soul again. The endless longing and regret for her brother and lover, and that sliver of hope—the "what if" she dared not even dream of—burned and intertwined wildly in her heart.
A long time passed. Tsunade stared intently at the two men before her. Finally, she slammed her hand down on the only gambling table still intact next to her! The table collapsed with a crash.
"Fine! I'll go back to Konoha with you! I'm going to see with my own eyes what the hell is going on!"
She took a deep breath, then flashed a "friendly" smile. "But, let's get one thing straight first!" She pointed to the glaring creditors around them. "You two figure out a way to settle these gambling debts I owe!"
She then announced loudly to the creditors, "What are you looking at! This princess is about to go back to Konoha to be a big shot! The Hokage will reimburse you double for this pocket change later!"
The creditors looked at each other, skeptical. Jiraiya and Kakashi exchanged a wry smile that said "I knew it."
Tsunade cracked her knuckles. "If you dare lie to me… or if this is all just a cruel joke… Hmph!"
…
Meanwhile.
Hidden Sound Village.
One of the central factories of the Scientific Ninja Tools Department. It was filled with cold metallic lusters and an eerie sense of biotechnology.
Two figures bustled tirelessly among the precision instruments, which flashed with unknown lights and were connected by complex tubes. One of them kept sighing about something, the other kept nagging the person next to them, while the third just wore a long face. But despite their chatter about non-work related things, their hands didn't slow down a bit.
Scrolls containing ninjutsu of different natures were rapidly produced under strange devices. These even included Wood Style, Genjutsu: Bringer-of-Darkness, and various Water Style jutsu. The jutsu energy was forcibly extracted, compressed, and sealed.
Finally, rows of completed scientific ninja tools sat quietly on the shelves.