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…
Normal POV
The Hokage Rock loomed over konoha, carved with the faces of its previous leaders. Hashirama Senju and Tobirama Senju.
The hospital and administrative buildings were set closer to the Hokage Tower while clan compounds spread along the outer edges of the village, each built in their own style.
The Senju Clan lived on the northeastern side of the village. Their compound was quiet, spacious, and well-kept, surrounded by high wooden walls and shaded by tall maple trees.
It was peaceful.
Unlike some of the other clans, the Senju didn't display wealth or pride through large banners or ornate gates.
Their strength came from history, not show.
At the heart of the compound stood the main residence, once the home of Hashirama Senju. The building was large, made from dark wood with sloped roofs and wide porches.
Inside were long hallways with tatami floors and sliding paper doors. The air always smelled faintly of sandalwood. Behind the main building was a small courtyard with a pond, a few trees, and a raised platform for meditation or tea.
This was where Mito Uzumaki now lived.
The sun had risen, and cast its soft light through the paper screens. Mito Uzumaki moved through her home in practiced silence. She wore a deep red kimono tied with a pale sash.
Her long hair was neatly brushed, held in place with a simple pin. The house was quiet except for the gentle sound of the breeze through the trees and the rustle of her sleeves as she moved.
She stepped into the kitchen area, pouring hot water into a clay teapot filled with dried herbs. The scent of green tea drifted up.
With the tray in hand, she walked out onto the back veranda and sat down cross-legged on the raised platform. The koi pond was calm, the surface glassy. She took a sip of tea, letting the warmth settle.
It was peaceful, until the quiet was broken by loud footsteps and the sudden slam of a door.
Mito didn't turn. She knew that walk.
Moments later, Tsunade burst into view, her face scrunched in anger, her fists clenched.
"There you are!" she shouted.
Mito remained still, placing her teacup down. "Good morning, Tsunade."
Tsunade marched across the veranda, her sandals hitting the wood like drumbeats. Her brows were knit tight, lips pressed into a thin scowl.
"That idiot!" she burst out, fists clenched at her sides. "You won't believe what he just did!"
Mito didn't flinch. She took another calm sip of tea, her gaze still on the koi pond. "Jiraiya, I presume."
Tsunade threw her arms into the air, exasperated. "Of course it's Jiraiya! We were just watching Sensei demonstrate a summoning and summoned the Monkey King right in front of us!"
Mito's eyes flicked to the side, mildly curious now. "A powerful technique for Genin to witness."
"Exactly! It was supposed to be a demonstration! Hiruzen-sensei explicitly said not to try it. He told us our chakra control wasn't refined enough yet, and that if we wanted to learn it, it would take months of preparation!"
Mito set her teacup down. "And?"
"And that idiot bit his finger and slammed his hand into the ground and reverse summoned himself!" Tsunade shouted, nearly knocking over the tea tray as she flung her arms out again. "Just—poof! Gone! Right in front of Sensei!"
The older woman finally turned fully toward her, one brow lifting. "…He succeeded?"
"Oh, he succeeded all right," Tsunade muttered, slumping down onto the veranda beside her. "Sensei looked like he aged ten years old at that exact moment. Just stood there with this expression like, 'What have I done?'"
Mito suppressed a smile, folding her hands in her lap. "A reckless gamble. But perhaps he'll return with something useful."
"He better not return at all," Tsunade grumbled, snatching a cup of tea for herself. "And if he does, I'm punching him straight back to wherever he came back from."
Mito gently stirred the tea with a slow hand, letting the silence settle again. The pond rippled faintly in the breeze, as if even the koi were used to this sort of drama by now.
But her mind was not as still.
'Reverse summoning,' she thought. 'Unusual for one so young to succeed… even if by accident.'
She had seen the Monkey King herself before. Enma was no mere trick.
Still… to be spirited away without contract, preparation, or guidance?
Her fingers paused on the rim of the cup.
'That boy Jiraiya… To brush with other realms so early…' She wondered, for just a moment.
Tsunade grumbled beside her, but Mito was only half-listening now.
This world doesn't move without reason. And those who stumble into its deeper workings often find themselves tied to them forever.
"Try not to worry," she said after a moment. "Jiraiya has a way of landing on his feet… even when he dives headfirst."
Tsunade scowled into her tea. "Yeah, well, one day he's going to dive straight into my fist."
Mito chuckled and then changed the topic. "I heard that kid, Murakami was discharged yesterday. Have you thought of paying him a visit?"
Tsunade paused and gave her grandmother a weird look. "And why would I do that?"
"Why wouldn't you? I think you two would hit it off."
"Grandma, I think you're becoming muddle-headed."
Mito smiled behind her cup, a faint glimmer in her eyes. "Muddle-headed, am I? Perhaps. But it never hurts to be kind to those who've fought hard."
'Especially one who nearly died for the village,' she thought. And for someone so young to carry that much weight... It reminded her too much of days long past.
Tsunade leaned back on her palms and clicked her tongue.
"He's just another overhyped Genin. Everyone keeps whispering about him like he's the second coming of the Sage of Six Paths."
Her tone was dismissive, but the irritation behind it was genuine.
Mito watched her silently.
Tsunade frowned. "What?"
"Nothing."
That answer only irritated her further.
Tsunade looked away, folding her arms across her chest. Ever since she'd graduated, Orochimaru had been the one everyone talked about.
The genius. The prodigy. The shinobi with talent far beyond his age.
She had liked that about him.
Not enough to say it aloud, obviously, but she did.
Now there was another name being passed around Konoha.
Murakami.
A Genin.
Three years older than her, yet still just another boy who had somehow managed to steal a portion of the attention Orochimaru used to command.
And after meeting him in the hospital, Tsunade found herself even more annoyed.
The idiot hadn't even reacted properly.
He knew who she was.
At least, he had to.
Hashirama Senju's granddaughter. Uzumaki Mito's granddaughter. The Senju clan's princess.
Yet when he'd looked at her, there had been no surprise. No curiosity. No awkward attempt to impress her.
Nothing.
He had looked at her like she was… Tsunade's expression darkened… just another kunoichi.
"I'm still not going to visit him," she muttered.
Mito's lips curved slightly. "You were thinking about it."
"I was not."
"Mm."
Tsunade shot her a glare.
Mito remained entirely unmoved.
"What am I supposed to do anyway?" Tsunade continued. "Walk in there and let him look at me like I'm some Academy brat again?"
"He is three years older than you," Mito pointed out mildly.
"That isn't the point!"
Mito's smile widened.
Tsunade scowled and looked away.
The worst part was that Murakami hadn't even seemed particularly interested in her. Not because he was pretending not to be. Tsunade knew the difference.
He genuinely didn't care.
Her grandfather's name didn't matter to him.
Her grandmother's reputation didn't matter to him.
As far as Murakami was concerned, she was simply Tsunade Senju.
And for some reason, that bothered her far more than it should have.
"…He's still overhyped," she muttered.
"Perhaps."
"And just because he fought in the war doesn't suddenly make him special."
"No," Mito agreed calmly. "It doesn't."
Tsunade hesitated.
"…I might go," Tsunade finally said.
Mito said nothing.
Tsunade immediately pointed a finger at her. "Don't make that face."
"I haven't said anything."
"You're thinking something."
"I am always thinking something."
Tsunade clicked her tongue.
Mito finally smiled. "If you do go, bring something with you."
"Like what?"
"Oranges, perhaps."
Tsunade stared at her.
"Why oranges?"
"Because arriving empty-handed would be rude."
Tsunade considered that for a moment before scoffing.
"He'd probably just look at them and say thank you with a bland tone."
Mito's eyes glinted.
Tsunade paused. "…What?"
"Nothing, Tsunade."
Her grandmother's smile was far too knowing.
Tsunade immediately stood. "I'm going to train."
"Of course you are."
And as she walked away, Tsunade refused to acknowledge the small, irritating thought that had already settled at the back of her mind.
Maybe I should see for myself whether he's actually as impressive as everyone says.
…
Elsewhere…
A pop echoed against a distant stone surface as a figure appeared on a rocky plain.
The air was thick and warm, and the distant croaking of amphibians echoed in all directions.
Jiraiya groaned, face planted in mud and moss.
"…I did it?" he muttered, pushing himself up.
His hair was soaked, and he was definitely not in the village anymore.
As he was contemplating where he was, a massive shadow loomed behind him.
He turned slowly. Very slowly, feeling the heavy presence bearing down on him. His breath caught as he saw what loomed above him, a creature whose sheer size made the landscape feel tiny in comparison.
A giant toad stood behind him, its golden eyes glowing faintly. Its skin was leathery, covered in moss and streaks of old, battle-worn scars.
"Who dares intrude into Mount Myōboku?" boomed a voice like thunder on water.
Jiraiya's eyes widened.
"…This is not what I expected."
…
Tsunade grumbled under her breath as she tied the cloth bag shut. Inside were a handful of neatly picked fruits, mostly oranges and a few persimmons, gathered from the trees behind the Senju compound.
It felt stupid even as she did it.
"This is ridiculous," she muttered, slinging the bag over her shoulder. "I'm not his babysitter."
Still, she stepped into her sandals and headed off toward the hospital, moving with the same frustrated energy she always did when she didn't want to admit she cared.
The front desk nurse looked up as she walked in. "Tsunade-hime?"
She waved off the greeting. "Murakami. The Genin that got discharged yesterday. Where is he?"
The nurse blinked. "Oh, he's not here. Some friends picked him up yesterday afternoon. If I remember correctly… they said something about taking him to the orphanage in the eastern district."
Tsunade stared at her. "The orphanage?" Ah. That's right. He is an orphan. She thought to herself.
"Yes, Tsunade-hime. That's where he grew up, isn't it?"
She groaned, rubbing her temples. "Of course it is…"
She muttered a few words under her breath, turned on her heel, and walked out of the hospital.
"Mito-baa-chan and her ideas," she grumbled. "Oranges. Hah."
Still, she didn't turn back.
The walk to the eastern part of the village wasn't long, but it felt like it stretched on forever.
'Orphanage… huh.'.She hadn't really thought about it. On their last..or rather, first encounter, Murakami spoke like he had his life together, sharp, composed, like he was older than his age allowed.
But hearing he grew up in the orphanage added a strange weight to that image. It made too much sense.
And for some reason, that annoyed her.
Tch. Another orphan with something to prove, she thought, grimacing. They all push too hard, trying to stand on their own too fast.
Her thoughts flickered, unbidden, to Jiraiya.
Same age bracket. Same ridiculous, stubborn energy. Same annoying habit of saying things that got under her skin when they were just supposed to spar or train or whatever.
She frowned.
"No," she muttered aloud, shaking her head. "Don't compare him to Jiraiya. That's stupid."
Murakami didn't have Jiraiya's swagger. Or his dumb jokes. Or his talent for being a walking disaster.
But still…
She glanced down at the fruit in her hand, sighed and picked up her pace. "Stupid brat," she muttered, as if that would stop her from going.
The orphanage came into view around the bend, nestled between rows of cleanly paved stone and well-kept greenery.
There were colorful paper wind chimes strung along the awning, and a small garden bed blooming along the outer path.
Tsunade blinked. This isn't what I pictured at all.
She had expected peeling paint and broken fences, a place patched together with charity and luck like the one Jiraiya was from.
But this… this looked better than some of the houses she'd seen.
It was clean, quiet, and cared for.
Her eyes narrowed slightly as a strange thought took root in her mind. This place has money. Consistent money.
Tsunade wasn't just a spoiled brat; she was a Senju spoiled brat, raised around the bureaucracy of the village and the unspoken language of upkeep and funding.
She could tell the difference between a building that got a fresh coat of paint once a year and one maintained by someone with pride…and deep pockets.
She paused in front of the entrance, the bag of fruit shifting slightly on her shoulder.
Interesting. She thought. "Better be worth it."
Then she stepped inside.
...
A/N. Hope y'all liked the touch I gave in regards to Jiraiya. Had to include a bit of canon so as not to make the book seem weird.
Also, our Low-key is about to to meet someone who could disrupt his carefully planned life and I hope you're all thinking what I'm thinking... Fate's a bitch.
Enjoy.
PS: If you all can go to Webnovel and leave a 5 star review... it'll be very much appreciated. Feel free to even drop a spoiler or two there.
Thanks.