"You've already learned the Rasengan for a few days now, and you're quite proficient with Water Release. By the way, do you have any special feeling about it?"
"Oh, so that's what you meant."
Although Jiraiya did not explain it clearly, Furina instantly understood what he was getting at. Adding nature transformation to the Rasengan, huh? She was familiar with that. Naruto's future Rasenshuriken was the Rasengan infused with Wind-nature chakra transformation, and naturally she had tried it too.
"I roughly understand what you mean, Lord Jiraiya, but right now I only have some initial ideas. More will require further practice."
As she spoke, another Rasengan appeared in Furina's hand, and she gestured toward Jiraiya. After seeing that Furina's Rasengan was not much different from his own, Jiraiya did not pay it any more attention.
"Oh~ Then you'll need to keep working hard. Alright, let's go find Tsunade."
Hearing Jiraiya's call, Naruto and Karin quickly caught up. Looking at the backs of the three people ahead, the Rasengan in Furina's hand gained an extra deep blue hue, and it seemed the shape was about to start changing as well.
However, before the change could occur, Furina closed her palm, and the "Rasengan" in her hand dispersed. She then quickly caught up with the others ahead.
She was not as she had just told Jiraiya. She had actually already succeeded in adding nature transformation to the Rasengan. But having just learned the Rasengan and then immediately being able to add nature transformation would be a bit too astonishing. It was better to keep a low profile.
.....
Three days later
In a small izakaya, six people sat around a round table. Besides Jiraiya's group of four, the other two were naturally Tsunade and her follower Shizune, who had just been gambling.
"How many times do I have to tell you, Jiraiya? And the people who came looking for me before too. I've already said I won't go back to become Hokage. Are you all annoying or what?
A fool who dies to protect the village like a Hokage - whoever wants to be that can go be it. Stop coming to bother me all the time."
"You... how dare you say that about the Third Grandpa..."
For Naruto, you could insult him all you wanted, but insulting the Hokage was like dancing on his landmine. After Tsunade made such disrespectful remarks about the Hokage, the two naturally started arguing as expected.
As anticipated, the argument moved from inside the izakaya to the street outside, and they had already started fighting. Although the current Naruto was indeed courageous, the scene that followed was a bit hard to watch.
Watching Naruto charge over while rubbing a half-finished Rasengan, a flash of reminiscence passed through Tsunade's eyes, but she would not go easy on him because of it.
She then delivered a headbutt straight to Naruto's forehead, sending him flying several meters back. The Rasengan also scattered into smoke.
"Heh, that kind of ninjutsu isn't something a brat like you can learn. Just like how I won't become some idiot Hokage who sacrifices herself for the village."
"Whether I can learn it or not isn't up to you to decide. And even if you don't want to be Hokage, it doesn't matter. One day I'll become Hokage and protect everyone."
"Heh."
Although she subconsciously scoffed at Naruto's words, when he mentioned becoming Hokage, Tsunade seemed to see the shadows of several old acquaintances in him. This really brought back some bad memories for her.
"How about this? Let's make a bet. If you can learn this ninjutsu within one week, I'll go back to the village with you and take over as Hokage. And I'll even give you this as part of the wager.
If you can't, then please all of you hurry back home and don't come bother me again. How about it?"
As she spoke, Tsunade lifted the large necklace hanging around her neck to show that this was the wager she mentioned.
"Couldn't ask for more. Then get ready to lose."
With things said to this point, Naruto naturally could not refuse the bet. Not only because he did not want to back down from this person who insulted the Hokage, but also because with Furina's method, he was confident he could completely master this ninjutsu in that time.
"Completing the Rasengan in one week? Easy peasy, Naruto. Looks like Lady Tsunade actually wants to return to Konoha deep down."
"Who are you, you little brat?" Hearing her arrogant words, Tsunade finally noticed Furina who had been watching from the side. "You're not that blond kid. How can you be so sure he'll succeed?"
"I'm his teammate. This time I heard Lord Jiraiya and the others were coming to find you, and since I also wanted to meet one of the legendary Sannin, I came along."
'Now it's like all three Sannin are gathered together, ^_^.' After explaining her reason for being here, Furina silently added one more sentence in her heart.
"Oh~ So that's how it is. Since you're my admirer, I'll let what happened just now slide. Believing in your teammate is normal after all. But letting it slide is one thing - if you really want to make me happy, you'll still have to."
As she spoke, Tsunade raised her hand and rubbed her fingers toward Furina. Although she did not say it outright, the meaning was obvious. In Tsunade's eyes, Furina's demeanor did not look ordinary at all - she did not seem like someone short on money.
And she just happened to be someone who admired her. In that case, not making her pay a little "admiration fee" would be doing herself a disservice, right?
"I've often heard that Lady Tsunade loves gambling. Looks like it's true. Although I haven't gambled before, if Lady Tsunade invites me, I can play along with you."
Furina naturally understood the hidden meaning in Tsunade's words, but she was not here to be a sucker. At the very least there had to be some process. Since the other party liked gambling, they might as well play. Winning or losing did not matter - the important thing was to build a good relationship in the process.
"Hm?" Tsunade had not expected Furina to miss her meaning. But gambling was fine too. Winning properly from her would sound much better than just asking for money directly.
Since she had delivered herself right to the door, Tsunade would not be polite about accepting it. Hahaha.
"I didn't expect you to see through it. That's right, exactly. Don't underestimate gambling - you can learn a lot from it. Today I'll teach you properly."
"Uh, Pervy Sage, is Furina really okay?"
Seeing the topic shift to gambling and that Furina and Tsunade were actually going to bet, Naruto could not help but worry a little. Even though he did not understand many things, he still knew gambling was not a good thing.
"It should be fine. Tsunade should know her limits. She wouldn't bully a little girl too harshly."
"That's good." Hearing Jiraiya's assurance, both Naruto and the listening Karin breathed a sigh of relief. Tsunade looked very strong - they were really afraid Furina would lose too badly.