Ling said she didn't know Jiraiya, which immediately silenced him. To think that he, Jiraiya, a forty-year-old man in his prime, the dream lover of countless Konoha maidens, was actually unknown to someone so ignorant.
"Hahaha!!! Jiraiya! They don't even know you! I'm going to die laughing."
Tsunade let out a boisterous laugh, her chest heaving violently, creating waves that made Jiraiya forget his sadness. He was now staring intently.
"Hehe!" Orochimaru found Jiraiya's lecherous gaze amusing, noting how he never learned.
"Jiraiya!! What are you looking at!!" Tsunade felt the gaze on her chest and, realizing it was Jiraiya, immediately stood up and punched him on the head.
A visible wave of air rippled outwards, and Jiraiya instantly rolled his Byakugan, his soul practically escaping his mouth.
The once-prominent Jiraiya slowly crawled out from under the table, his eyes glazed over and his body swaying.
"Yo~, Tsunade, why did you turn into two? But two is even better! Hehe!"
Seeing that Jiraiya was about to get hit again, Orochimaru ultimately couldn't bear to see the already idiotic Jiraiya be beaten into a complete fool. So, he directly splashed wine on the wound on his backside, which immediately jolted Jiraiya awake.
"Tsunade, can you please stop hitting my head every time? So many of my inspirations get knocked out of me."
Jiraiya poked the large lump on his head, speaking nonchalantly, because while peeking at Tsunade just now, he had thought of another delightful plot.
"Tch! The trashy books you write, and you dare call yourself a writer, even talking about inspiration to me."
Tsunade crossed her arms, making her chest appear even more formidable and dangerous, and turned her face away, looking quite disdainful.
"Um, excuse me, do the three seniors need something from me?"
Ling raised her hand, indicating that the main person was here and they should stop talking.
"Oh, it's Ling? We heard from Orochimaru that your talent is good, so we came to see you."
Tsunade only then noticed the small girl beside her, sized her up, and casually made up an excuse.
"Well, now that you've seen me, can I go eat?" Ling's stomach rumbled loudly, like an engine.
"Hehe, Ling, why don't you eat with us? We just arrived, and Jiraiya will pay."
Orochimaru was somewhat surprised by Ling's talent; it hadn't been long since they last met, and her strength had already made noticeable progress.
"Eh~? Why me? Why isn't it you, you stinky snake, paying?"
Jiraiya was quite indignant. He was already unlucky today, having been beaten for peeping, and now he had to pay for a big grilled meat meal. He was truly furious.
"Didn't a certain idiot boast about being a best-selling author? Are you really short on such a small amount of money? Could it be that no one reads your books, and you have no sales, so you have no money?"
It must be said that Orochimaru was at least a master of passive-aggressive remarks, and a treasure against Jiraiya.
"Hmph! Stinky snake! How could this great me be without money? I am the Ninja World's best-selling author! The Tale of the Utterly Gutsy Ninja is this great me's book! This great me will treat, so this great me will treat!"
In terms of intelligence, Jiraiya never disappointed Ling. Perhaps only later, when the Sannin went their separate ways, did he truly become a perfect Ninja.
Hearing Jiraiya agree to treat them to a meal, Ling and Tsunade couldn't help but exchange glances, both revealing a sly smile.
Ling was smiling because she currently had no source of income, and with someone offering to pay for a meal, she naturally intended to unleash her full eating power.
Although she considered eating a little less to ensure a steady stream of meals in the future, the thought of the rare opportunity to fleece Jiraiya made her decide to go all out.
Tsunade was smiling because she had lost all her money gambling again today. As Princess Tsunade, in a quantum superposition of being a rich woman and a pauper, getting a free meal when broke was undoubtedly delightful.
As a master of Taijutsu and Yang Release, how could Tsunade's appetite be small? Jiraiya still didn't know what kind of misfortune awaited him.
"Tsunade-jie jie, may I ask how to precisely distribute Chakra to your fist to explode without injuring yourself?"
Ling recalled that when she was punching the mountain today, she couldn't accurately grasp the precise distribution ratio of Chakra, which caused her to injure herself. So, with such a great creator of monstrous strength like Tsunade here, how could she not ask for guidance?
"Oh? You're exploring Monstrous Strength? Is your Chakra control up to par?" Tsunade took a sip of sake, a charming blush spreading across her face, and then replied after some thought.
Ling smiled mysteriously, opened her palm, and five Chakra threads emerged from each of her five fingertips. She then began to weave them into a piece of fabric, and then unwove it.
"Gah, not bad. Your Chakra control is up to standard. It seems your talent is indeed impressive."
Tsunade watched Ling's actions with some astonishment, mainly because a five-year-old girl having such terrifying Chakra control was quite unexpected.
"This is my experience and insights from practicing Monstrous Strength. Take it back and study it yourself. Everyone's Monstrous Strength Chakra ratio is different; what suits you best is the most effective."
Tsunade summoned a scroll and tossed it to Ling, completely unconcerned that it was an S-rank secret scroll.
"Thank you, Tsunade-jie jie. If I can ever be of assistance in the future, Ling will certainly do her best." Ling didn't stand on ceremony; this was not the time for it. With the Third Shinobi World War approaching, an extra bit of strength meant an extra bit of security.
Regarding Monstrous Strength, Ling mainly wanted to combine it with Gale Sword Technique to form a style of fast, heavy slashes, which would undoubtedly have explosive expressive power.
Any enemy who dared to engage Ling in Taijutsu combat would experience what it meant to be as fast as a gale, as heavy as a thousand tons, and a single sword strike that would make even a Sage kneel.
Coupled with the incredibly tough Ame no Habakiri, it was estimated that ordinary Kunai and Ninjato would be cut off by Ling with one sword strike, and the second strike would directly claim a life.
Soon after, grilled meat was served. Ling and Tsunade ate with great enthusiasm, while Jiraiya was miserable, seemingly understanding something.
He secretly peeked at his money pouch. This was his manuscript fee that had just been paid this month. It seemed he would have to bid it farewell tonight.
After a long while, Ling finally patted her slightly bulging belly and looked up at the Sannin, whose expressions varied.
Tsunade was full of admiration, thinking that Ling was indeed worthy of having Senju Clan blood; she could really eat, even more than her.
Orochimaru's mouth twitched slightly. He had a new understanding of Ling's appetite. Fortunately, she hadn't become his subordinate, otherwise, he estimated that after paying her monthly food expenses, his research funds wouldn't be enough.
Jiraiya's face was pale. He was calculating whether the money in his frog wallet was enough, or if he would have to stay and work to earn money.
"Hehe, is someone perhaps short on money? A best-selling author with no money?"
Orochimaru instantly saw Jiraiya's situation and asked with a chuckle.
"Hmph, it's just that I didn't bring enough this time. Tsunade, lend me a little, won't you?"
Jiraiya rubbed his palms, speaking rather fawningly.
"Get lost! I don't have any money!"
Tsunade had just lost money today, so she had no money to lend out. And even if she did have money, she wouldn't lend it. Wouldn't it be better to use it for gambling herself?
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