As soon as Naruto stepped out of the room, only Jiraiya and Tsunade remained inside.
Tsunade's expression was complex, as if she were still caught in a state of anger over Jiraiya's supposed visit to a brothel. She walked up to him with twisting steps and stretched out her hand.
Jiraiya thought Tsunade was going to hit him again. He shrank back instinctively and loudly admitted fault. "Tsunade, don't! I was wrong!"
Seeing Jiraiya's acknowledgment, Tsunade glared at him. "Why weren't you afraid when you supposedly went to that brothel? But now you're afraid of being beaten? You deserve it."
"Come here. I need to check your injuries." Tsunade's voice turned cold and clinical.
Jiraiya felt relieved. She can beat me all she wants as long as she treats my wounds. He allowed Tsunade to examine his injuries while muttering revenge under his breath—though in a very low voice. "I really didn't go to any brothel. This is all Naruto's fault... You won't believe me if I tell you..."
Tsunade stood so close to Jiraiya that she heard his murmurs clearly. In truth, when she'd met her new student Sakura earlier, Tsunade had realized the perfume scent on Jiraiya came from Sakura.
While Tsunade treated Jiraiya's trauma, Sakura found Naruto in the hallway.
"Hey, Sakura. Why didn't you go find Sasuke? Why come to me?" Regarding today's hero, Sakura, Naruto naturally wore a pleasant expression.
"Naruto, did you do it on purpose?" Sakura looked at Naruto with frustration. She couldn't beat him in a fight, so she could only speak angrily.
"Do what on purpose? Can you explain clearly?" Naruto looked at Sakura with a puzzled expression. Could it be that Sakura figured out my plan to have her use new perfume today? Well, it doesn't matter if she knows.
Sakura gave Naruto a wounded look. "At first, I thought you took me on this long journey to find Tsunade-sensei for my benefit—to increase my chances of spending time with Sasuke."
"However, you asked me to study under Tsunade-sensei and learn from her in the future. That means when you return to Konoha, I'll be wandering around with Tsunade-sensei. I'll get farther and farther away from Sasuke."
"In that case, wouldn't it be easier for that wild boar Ino to steal him?"
Though in her conversation with Sasuke earlier, he'd explained that Naruto must bring Tsunade back to Konoha—which would mean Sakura, as Tsunade's student, would also return to Konoha—Naruto had just told Tsunade they'd return to Konoha after she finished treating Jiraiya-senpai. He hadn't forced Tsunade to return.
So Sakura had started panicking.
After listening to Sakura's explanation, Naruto immediately understood. She's afraid of being separated from Sasuke.
Naruto smiled reassuringly. "You don't have to worry about this. Tsunade will return to Konoha. Otherwise, my next journey will be affected."
"But you just told Tsunade-sensei that you won't force her to return to Konoha?" Sakura's worry remained evident in her voice.
"Sakura, don't worry. Do you still not believe what I say?" Naruto's brow furrowed. Looking at Sakura's lack of trust, he suddenly felt it was necessary to enhance their friendship.
Distrust was the beginning of cracks in any friendship.
Seeing Naruto frown, Sakura's heart skipped a beat. She sensed a bad premonition developing. She quickly backtracked. "I believe in Naruto! Then, Naruto, you go handle your business first. I'm going to practice too."
After finishing her hasty retreat, Sakura immediately moved away from Naruto. She'd already gotten her answer anyway.
After Sakura left, Naruto shook his head. He found the hotel staff and began ordering food, preparing lunch for their group.
When dinnertime arrived, Tsunade had finished treating Jiraiya's injuries. She hadn't realized how hard she'd hit him until examining the damage thoroughly. Jiraiya wouldn't recover for at least two more days.
While feeling guilty in her heart, Tsunade simultaneously thought, He deserves it.
Though she now knew this incident wasn't actually Jiraiya's fault, if he hadn't been so promiscuous in temperament before, how could she have misunderstood? This was still his own fault.
The group gathered around the table to eat.
Because of his serious injuries, Jiraiya could only wait in his hotel room for someone to bring him food after everyone else finished.
"I'm full. You all eat slowly. I'll go deliver food to Jiraiya-senpai first." After eating, Sakura stood up.
Because she'd been taking care of Jiraiya previously, she habitually wanted to deliver food to him after finishing her own meal.
Naruto glanced at Sakura. "Sakura, you're full after eating just that little bit? You don't need to deliver it. Sister Tsunade will change the medicine for Jiraiya-sensei later. She can deliver it then."
"Is that okay, Sister Tsunade?" After speaking, Naruto looked at Tsunade, who was still eating heartily.
"Hic..." Hearing Naruto's words, Tsunade hiccupped. When she opened her mouth to refuse, she reconsidered. She wanted to find Naruto later to borrow more money. Rejecting the big benefactor now wouldn't be wise.
So she stopped her words of refusal and nodded. "Okay. Sakura, you don't have to go. I'll go. It's on my way anyway."
"Okay, sensei." Sakura sat back down.
After Tsunade finished eating, she picked up Jiraiya's lunch box and headed to his room.
When Jiraiya saw Tsunade, he showed visible surprise. "Why didn't Sakura come bring my food?"
Hearing this, Tsunade immediately snorted twice. "What? Are you unhappy that I'm delivering food to you?"
"No, no!" Jiraiya shook his head vigorously like a rattle drum, his survival instincts strong. "Of course I'm happy you came! But you usually don't want to come at all."
"Naruto asked me to come." After Tsunade spoke, she placed the lunch box in Jiraiya's hands. "Eat it yourself."
Hearing that Naruto had asked Tsunade to come, Jiraiya's heart warmed considerably. He now understood that Naruto was truly acting for his benefit. Having Tsunade misunderstand and beat him was also to create more opportunities for him to be alone with her.
He thanked Naruto in his heart. Then he looked at the lunch box, glanced at Tsunade standing by the bed, and said, "Tsunade, I look like this. I can't eat by myself."
"Hmph..." Tsunade snorted coldly. Though her face remained cold, she still pulled up a stool and sat by the bed. She took the lunch box, opened it, and fed Jiraiya spoonful by spoonful.
Jiraiya felt Tsunade's breath, ate the food she fed him, and his heart overflowed with happiness. He felt extremely grateful to Naruto.
After Jiraiya finished his meal and Tsunade changed his medicine again, she couldn't wait to find Naruto.
"Naruto, can you lend me some more money?" Tsunade looked at Naruto pitifully, like a begging puppy.
Seeing Tsunade like this, Naruto felt speechless. Lending money to Tsunade, given her gambling luck, was completely throwing funds into a bottomless pit. But Naruto was willing to lend money to Tsunade. Moreover, unlike before, he wouldn't be stingy.
Glancing at the pleading Tsunade, Naruto said, "No problem. It's just money. Sister Tsunade, I'll lend you fifty thousand ryō. Is that enough?"
Hearing the amount, Tsunade's eyes lit up immediately. "Really? Thank you so much, Naruto!"
"You're welcome. But you do have to pay it back." Naruto smiled as he gave Tsunade the money.
With fifty thousand ryō in hand, Tsunade immediately forgot everything else and ran toward the casino. That amount was enough for her to gamble extensively.
Watching Tsunade leave happily, Naruto smiled immediately. The reason he was willing to lend money to Tsunade was simple: eventually, Tsunade would owe him so much that if she couldn't pay it back, she could only work for him to settle the debt.
Serving as Konoha's acting Hokage was also a form of employment.
Over the next two days, Tsunade borrowed money from Naruto several times daily. Within those two days, Tsunade already owed Naruto several million ryō.
Mainly, Naruto was extraordinarily generous.
Also because of Naruto's generosity, Tsunade took exceptional care of Jiraiya. This made Jiraiya feel tremendously happy over the past two days.
However, after two days, Jiraiya's injuries had healed.
Now they faced a choice: Naruto and his party would return to Konoha. Tsunade was unwilling to go back. So they could only part ways.
For the last meal together, Tsunade brought food to Jiraiya as usual. But at this point, Jiraiya had recovered almost completely. He could walk around on his own and didn't need others to feed him.
While eating, Jiraiya suddenly sighed. "Tsunade, are you really not going back to Konoha?"
"No. Why would I go back?" Tsunade asked in return.
"Hiruzen is dead. You don't have to avoid Konoha anymore." Jiraiya's voice carried gentle persuasion.
"If he's dead, he's dead. It's none of my business." Tsunade showed no interest. What would I do back in Konoha? The Senju clan is down to just me. I have nothing to worry about there. It's better to stay out here and live freely.
As their parting approached, Shizune's mood grew noticeably low. For the past several days with Hokage-sama and the others, they'd had food and shelter without worrying about anything—even her sensei had been manageable.
This feeling had made Shizune very relaxed.
However, once Hokage-sama and the others returned to Konoha, she would follow Tsunade again, wandering around, gambling everywhere, and evading debts constantly. Such a life was truly exhausting.
This situation was thanks to Shizune's good nature. If it were anyone else, they would have left Tsunade long ago.
Sensing Shizune's depression, Sakura suddenly smiled and asked, "Sister Shizune, do you not want to say goodbye to us?"
"Yes." Shizune nodded seriously. But in the next second, her eyes widened. She looked at Sakura in confusion. "Sakura, aren't you supposed to study under your sensei? Why did you say 'us'? Don't tell me you're not staying to study? You want to go back to Konoha with Hokage-sama?"
Considering this possibility, Shizune felt even more uncomfortable. Originally, she'd thought that with life being so difficult, it would be better to have Sakura share the burden. But it seemed Sakura wouldn't stay either.
Looks like we're going back to the old days. Shizune's internal sigh was heavy.
For her honest and friendly senior sister, Sakura didn't want to tease her. She took Shizune's arm warmly. "No, you and Tsunade-sensei—we'll all go back to Konoha together."
"What? Naruto said that when we go back to Konoha together, he'll bring Tsunade-sensei back too!" Sakura spoke with complete confidence.
"If Hokage-sama said it, that's really wonderful!" Shizune's depression swept away instantly. Her face filled with joy. But soon, Shizune asked again with concern, "Will Hokage-sama just knock sensei unconscious again and carry her directly back to Konoha?"
After Jiraiya recovered, Naruto asked Sasuke and Kakashi to pack their bags and prepare to return to Konoha.
Afterward, Naruto came to Jiraiya's room. Jiraiya was eating while Tsunade sat beside him, looking very bored.
As soon as Naruto entered, he addressed Jiraiya directly. "Jiraiya-sensei, are you done eating? Clean up after you finish. Let's go back to Konoha."
"Mm." Jiraiya nodded in agreement.
Naruto cast his eyes on Tsunade. He smiled suddenly. "Sister Tsunade, you've borrowed 3.4 million ryō from me over the past few days. Shouldn't you pay it back?"
Hearing debt collection mentioned, Tsunade trembled visibly. She looked at Naruto and shook her head. "I have no money now. I lost it all. Or, Naruto, you could lend me some more? After I go back and win, I'll pay you back."
"No." Naruto's face turned cold abruptly. "Sister Tsunade, you should pay back the money. Otherwise, we'll go back to Konoha while you gamble everywhere. Where would I find you to collect repayment?"
Pay back money? You have to have money first. Besides, when had she ever paid back money she borrowed? Thinking this, Tsunade crossed her palms defensively. "I borrowed money with my own ability. Why should I pay it back?"
"Oh? So Sister Tsunade is planning to default on her debt?" Naruto clenched his fists. He sneered and walked toward Tsunade step by step.
Seeing Naruto approach, Tsunade felt genuine apprehension. First, she couldn't beat Naruto. Being hit with that vibration technique was simultaneously very uncomfortable and strangely comfortable. She both liked and disliked the feeling—a very contradictory sensation.
Second, Naruto was genuinely a good person. He treated her very well. He treated Shizune very well too.
Therefore, not paying back money was indeed her fault.
Seeing this scene, Jiraiya quickly positioned himself between the two, wanting to be a peacemaker. "Hey, Naruto, don't start anything! I'll pay back the money Tsunade owes you."
"No." Naruto refused immediately, his attitude firm. "Whoever owes me will pay me back."
"I really have no money!" Tsunade's voice rang out loudly, still carrying considerable momentum despite her situation.
"If you don't have money, that's fine." Naruto's tone shifted to something more reasonable. "Help me with part-time work to pay off the debt. When the debt is settled, you'll be free at any time."
"So that's it! Let me tell you, Naruto, why you suddenly became so generous. It was all for this moment! You still want me to return to Konoha!" Tsunade finally understood the entire scheme.
"That's right. Back to Konoha. During the period of my travels, you can act as Hokage and handle Konoha's affairs." Naruto had already given up on making Tsunade the Sixth Hokage permanently. With Tsunade's personality, she would never agree to that.
Just as Tsunade was about to speak, Naruto released his ultimate move. "If Sister Tsunade agrees, I can help you resurrect Dan and Nawaki."
This was Naruto's ultimate killer technique. Debt collection was merely an addition.
Hearing that Naruto said he could resurrect her lover Dan and her younger brother Nawaki, Tsunade's eyes widened instantly. Her emotions surged with sudden intensity. "Can you really revive Dan and Nawaki?"
"Of course. I'm absolutely certain." Naruto nodded with complete confidence.
"Okay! As long as you help me revive Dan and Nawaki, I can go back to Konoha with you and temporarily act as Hokage!" Tsunade spoke immediately with decision. Even if there was only a one percent chance, Tsunade would gamble on it.
With Tsunade's agreement, Naruto breathed a sigh of relief. "Then, Sister Tsunade, go back and pack your things. We'll return to Konoha shortly."
"Yes." Tsunade turned around and left. She now had hope blossoming in her heart. Her movements became more energetic.
After Tsunade departed, Jiraiya looked at Naruto. His expression turned helpless. "If you resurrect Dan, is there still any possibility for Tsunade and me?"
"Jiraiya-sensei, don't worry." Naruto spread his hands, expressing his helplessness. "The resurrection won't happen in just a year or two. Hurry up and make your move. If you can't succeed within this period, then you'll just have to compete fairly."