Dan Katō stared blankly at them: "Did you just use Flying Thunder God Technique to teleport somewhere else?"
Flying Thunder God Technique?
Nawaki explained: "I saw you suddenly vanish just now. I was about to call my sister over to see what happened when you reappeared."
Everyone recalled that for any A-rank mission scroll, no matter how long one spent in another world, returning to this world felt like only an instant had passed.
Seeing Dan Katō and Nawaki still in their Edo Tensei forms in this world, the group—who had just risked everything to save their counterparts in the other world—felt a wave of anxiety and uncertainty wash over them.
A deafening roar, like an explosion.
Thinking they were under attack, they immediately charged toward the source of the sound.
As they approached, thick, billowing black smoke rolled toward them.
Accompanied by Tsunade's violent coughing...
"Tsunade!!"
"Sis!!"
The two Edo Tensei plunged into the thick smoke, groping their way to rescue her.
When they saw Tsunade, disheveled and covered in soot, wearing an adorable pink apron…
Adult Kakashi realized his kitchen might need some serious remodeling.
The stunningly beautiful 52-year-old woman pouted in exasperation, claiming she'd only wanted to cook for her little brother.
Sensing the unpleasant smell of burnt food, Sasuke urged, "Kakashi, hurry up and use Wind Release to blow all this smoke out first."
Adult Kakashi spread his hands helplessly.
"I only excel at Lightning Release, Earth Release, and Water Release."
Upon reflection, among their group, some specialized in Fire Release, others in Water Release, and still others in Lightning Release and Earth Release. The remaining member, Minato Namikaze, excelled in Space-Time Ninjutsu. It seemed no one truly mastered Wind Release.
This left them no choice but to open the windows and resort to the old-fashioned method of physical ventilation.
Suddenly, Minato Namikaze recalled that when he had traveled to the future for the bounty of a certain C-rank mission, he learned Naruto had perfected the Rasengan into an S-rank technique named Wind Release: Rasenshuriken.
So Naruto's proficient chakra attributes must include at least Wind Release, right?!
"Wind Release? I'm quite skilled at it~" Mitsuki, who had returned with them, smiled before facing the open window and unleashed his signature technique: "Wind Release: Great Breakthrough!"
Thick smoke instantly billowed out the window, carried by the gust.
Tsunade looked at the boy said to be Orochimaru's future child.
"That Orochimaru guy was really good at Wind Release, especially Wind Release: Great Breakthrough—it was one of his favorite techniques."
"Yes," said Mitsuki. "I specialize in Wind Release and Lightning Release attacks, as well as ninja techniques like Hidden Shadow Snake Hands. While I have a natural aptitude for Senjutsu, I haven't fully mastered its power yet."
At that moment, Captain Yamato, enveloped in thick smoke outside the window, coughed as he stood by the glass. He looked at Kakashi-senpai with a helpless expression: "Senpai, were you ambushed here? The commotion was significant—it even alerted the Missing-nin lodging on our side. But it seems no one was injured, thankfully."
Tsunade: Well...
Seeing the legendary Slug Princess—one of the Sannin—with a darkened complexion and looking thoroughly disheveled.
Yamato asked with concern: "Are you all right? Tsunade-sama was ambushed?!!" To successfully ambush this lady... just how powerful is the opponent...?
It must be said, sometimes Yamato takes things too seriously.
Katō Dan couldn't help but chuckle, while Nawaki burst out laughing outright.
Tsunade's face darkened. "You, Yamato, come here."
"Come on, Tsunade," Dan Katō interceded for his junior, telling Yamato, "It's fine. Tsunade just wanted to test if her cooking skills had deteriorated. She probably hasn't cooked in ages, so she made a tiny, tiny mistake."
"Bro, you're way too soft on Sis," Nawaki cut in without mercy. "From my perspective, Sis's cooking hasn't regressed—it's just... not improved at all, right?"
Over the past couple days, Nawaki had reluctantly come to accept Dan Katō, upgrading his address to "Bro Dan" or simply "Brother."
Tsunade was so angry she wanted to pinch Nawaki's cheeks like she used to, but the Edo Tensei body lacked the elasticity and vitality of a human's, being both inhuman and without spirit.
Still, Tsunade felt content. At least she could live with them for a while longer.
Dan Katō smiled as he apologized to the Adult Kakashi on his girlfriend's behalf, helped clean up the kitchen, and then prepared to cook for Tsunade. Everything seemed perfectly natural—except for their skin and expressions, which still looked somewhat strange compared to normal people. Beyond that, they appeared no different from the living.
Nawaki brought up the matter of Naruto and the others suddenly vanishing and then reappearing.
The group exchanged glances, agreeing there was nothing to hide.
They recounted the events of traveling to the same parallel world at two different points in time.
Tsunade, Shizune, and Dan Katō fell into a long silence, their eyes reflecting a mix of regret and resignation.
"Is that so..." Tsunade suddenly said, "So that Orochimaru once wanted to find a Medical-nin for Nawaki too." Her voice carried a hint of sadness. In their world, when she rushed back to Konoha, she only found Nawaki's body. And when Orochimaru returned the necklace, he had only spoken harsh, stinging words. She hadn't fully grasped the meaning behind Orochimaru's remark, "After all, there are no Medical-nin on the battlefield." Now, hearing about another parallel world from Naruto and the others, it seemed Orochimaru had once tried to find Medical-nin at other bases but failed...
And during the Dan Katō incident, Orochimaru had actually rushed toward their location, attempting to support their squad and minimize casualties. Time and again, they were powerless, missing opportunities. It wasn't just her who was altered by fate, developing hemophobia afterward—Orochimaru had been too.
"By the way, Naruto Uzumaki." Tsunade suddenly called out to Naruto.
Naruto froze. "Huh? What is it, Grandma Tsunade?"
"The wager..." Tsunade grasped the necklace at her throat. "I lost."
Minato: "Tsunade-sama, could it be you intend to..."
"A wager is a wager." Tsunade removed the necklace from her own neck and, under the others' astonished gazes, placed it around Naruto's.
Earlier, as she listened to the others recount how they had saved another world's Nawaki and Danji, Tsunade understood that beyond Rin and Sakura's direct use of Medical Ninjutsu, Naruto's heartfelt words had also given the two immense encouragement. As a Medical-nin, Tsunade understood better than anyone how crucial a patient's will to survive was to the success of treatment!
"This is the last time I'll stake my hopes on someone else. You must become Hokage and live a very, very long life. You absolutely cannot lose to that old man, the Third, in terms of age."
Though he couldn't imagine what he'd be like as an old Hokage, receiving the necklace and earning the sannin's approval made the young ninja flash a bright smile.
"Don't worry! I'm the future Seventh Hokage!! I won't die that easily! Besides, I have Kurama inside me!"
["Hmph."] The tail flicked dismissively.
Tsunade kissed Naruto's forehead in front of everyone. This scene stirred a complex mix of emotions within Nawaki and Dan. If they could go back in time, how they wished they could have been more careful, more cautious, and lived longer to stay by Tsunade's side.
But things weren't so bad now. The Edo Tensei body, aside from having no sense of taste and almost no feeling or pain, was otherwise no different from a normal person.
Naruto received the necklace, baring his teeth in an adorable yet goofy grin.
Tsunade ruffled his hair, feeling an inner certainty that this time, she would never make the wrong bet again.
"Um! Um! Hey, Grandma Tsunade! I have a favor to ask!" Naruto put on a flattering, adorable smile.
Tsunade froze.
"Hm?"
The others were equally puzzled by what request might come next.
"My dad said Rin and Sakura need a teacher, and they're both amazing Medical-nin!" Naruto chuckled. "I forgot to mention it last time, but could you take on the title of Fifth Hokage and also be their sensei? I mean, could you?"
After their last attempt to broach the subject ended in frustration, Sakura and Rin had nearly given up hope. But Naruto's suggestion suddenly reminded them, and they both turned to look at Tsunade with glimmers of hope in their eyes.
Tsunade certainly hadn't forgotten these two girls' contributions. Without them, all these events might never have unfolded in another world. They played an indispensable role in saving Nawaki and Duan, and in solidifying their inner dreams.
But...
Tsunade scratched her head in frustration.
"The Old Man Third isn't dead yet. There's no rush for a Fifth Hokage, right? Besides, if he's not up to the task, just let this Minato guy step up early as an intern Hokage!"
An intern Hokage...
Only Tsunade could come up with something like that.
Dan Katō shook his head with a helpless yet affectionate smile.
As for the Hokage position, Naruto couldn't say for sure either. He thought the old hag had a point—with his dad and the perverted sage around, and Grandpa Hokage still alive, there really was no rush.
"What about Rin and Sakura?" Naruto asked.
Tsunade rubbed the two girls' eager eyes and told Naruto, "Even without you mentioning it, I was already considering taking them on as students. After all, Jiraiya has so many students already—me taking on two more shouldn't be too much!"
Rin and Sakura were overjoyed.
Naruto, Obito, and the others were also thrilled for them.
Both girls felt incredibly lucky. They never would have imagined that someone like them—with neither exceptional family background nor extraordinary talent—could actually become students of Tsunade-sama!
"Talk about Naruto's incredible luck!" The young Obito Uchiha recalled how he'd only gotten his precious camera thanks to Naruto.
Rin: "Exactly. We all ended up with consolation prizes, but Naruto snagged a second prize and even a special prize. Wonder what kind of person won the grand prize."
"Probably nobody wants the first prize anyway," Sakura recalled. "I remember it was some ugly solid gold mask."
Young Kakashi: "Who in their right mind would want that thing, unless they have a weird fetish for masks?!"
Adult Obito, perpetually at odds with Kakashi: "Kakashi and I really are like oil and water."
"Indeed..." Adult Kakashi agreed. "No one would likely want it, but luck is unpredictable. Take you, for instance—you won the fourth prize: a personally signed copy of Icha Icha Paradise by Jiraiya-sensei."
Young Kakashi hurled a shuriken at his future self, "You still bring that up?!"
Adult Kakashi caught it effortlessly, refusing to stoop to childish levels.
Hearing the word "luck," Tsunade's gambling instincts stirred. In her mind, 'luck' was instantly replaced with "gambling luck."
"Is your luck really that good?"
"I don't know. Last time was my first time playing a lottery game."
"Next time we'll test it. If it's genuinely that good, I'll take you to crush Tanzaku Quarters!!"
Tsunade boasted boldly, while nearby, Minato Namikaze's face turned green.
"Ahem. My apologies, Tsunade-sama."
He interrupted, "Kushina said we absolutely must reject gambling, prostitution, and drugs in our future children's education."
Uh... prostitution, gambling, drugs—aren't those the very things represented by Jiraiya, Tsunade, and Orochimaru? The Sannin of Konoha?
"You're such a henpecked husband, Minato." Tsunade sighed helplessly, watching her precious treasure slip away.
They had just finished eating when Naruto glanced at Captain Yamato, who had dined with them, and suddenly remembered to ask.