"Summoning Jutsu..."
At the border of the Land of Cedar, Kakashi shouted softly, and with a puff of smoke, a brown ninja dog wearing a Konoha forehead protector appeared at his feet.
"Hey~ Kakashi, long time no see!" As soon as the ninja dog appeared, it casually raised a paw and greeted.
These sudden, spoken words left Taro and Jiro completely stunned!
"Brother... did that dog just talk?"
"Did we hear that right?"
"Stupid kids, don't lump a ninja dog in with your average mutts!" Almost the instant the brothers opened their mouths, the dog bared his teeth and snapped in annoyance.
Then, scratching his head, Pakkun's gaze shifted, drawn to Tsunade, who was resting nearby. "I didn't expect to meet the legendary Konoha Sannin here. Kakashi, why did you call me? Are you in deep trouble again? I'll say this up front, I'm only good at tracking, not combat!"
"Kakashi's Ninja Dogs… So they're a bunch of cowards?" Tsunade teased with a smirk, causing Kakashi's eye to twitch slightly behind his mask, clearly a little embarrassed.
"Ahem…" Kakashi cleared his throat dryly and walked up with a darkened face. "Pakkun, I need you to check whether we're being followed!"
"Oh, just recon? You scared me!" Pakkun visibly relaxed, wiping imaginary sweat from his furry forehead in an all-too-human fashion.
Kakashi was speechless again, while Ishikawa, standing nearby, had a glint in his eyes.
Ninja Dog Pakkun, Kakashi's personal summoning beast, was famed for his unparalleled sense of smell. He could not only sniff out enemies but also estimate their numbers and strength. To a degree, his sense of smell was comparable to actual perception-type ninjutsu.
Since the slug contract was out of reach for now, maybe a ninja dog would be a better goal? Without the Byakugan or innate chakra sensory ability, this would be the best tool for battlefield awareness.
"I don't detect any enemy chakra within a two-kilometer radius," Pakkun sniffed the air and activated his tracking skill. "You're clear for now, Kakashi."
The moment those words fell, Ishikawa and his two younger brothers held their breath in awe. Their eyes were filled with undisguised admiration and desire.
"It seems no one is pursuing us, Lady Tsunade," Kakashi nodded and reported calmly.
"Looks like everything went perfectly." Tsunade's spirit lifted. She stood up, clenched her fists, and grinned. "Well then, Kakashi, we'll take our leave!"
Thinking of the unprecedented 500 million ryo, Tsunade felt her hands itching; it was finally time to gamble again!
"Lady Tsunade, even if you're not returning to the village, please at least leave a way to contact you," Kakashi quickly stepped forward.
After finally encountering Tsunade, if he didn't obtain a means of communication, she would definitely vanish again. How would he even explain this to the Third Hokage?
As for not reporting it? Impossible. The Third Hokage would surely learn about the 500 million ryo 'donation' from Kumogakure. If the Cloud Village used it as leverage, Kakashi wouldn't be able to stop it alone.
Not to mention, Tsunade's Hemophobia had to be reported—it directly affected the evaluation of their A-rank mission. The Seventh Team deserved full credit.
"Tsk, what a pain." Tsunade paused, then flicked a small red potion bottle to Kakashi. "This has my blood. If you ever need to reach me, use it with a summoning. But Kakashi, don't you dare give this to the old man."
"I understand, Lady Tsunade." Kakashi was momentarily stunned. A flash of emotion passed through his visible eye, and he silently pocketed the bottle with a nod.
"Oh, right." Suddenly, Tsunade turned around after just a few steps and fixed her beautiful brown eyes on Ishikawa. "Brat, if you really want to contract a slug, then train hard. If your strength impresses me next time, I'll give you a chance."
"Really?!" Ishikawa blurted out without thinking, his face lighting up with joy.
He had originally planned to track down Tsunade's contracted slug when he had strength, but he didn't expect things to take such a sudden turn here.
As for failing in training? What a joke. With the help of the door handle plug-in, even if he were a total slacker, he still wouldn't fail to master the Chakra Enhanced Strength Technique.
"Of course I meant it. I am one of the Legendary Three Ninjas of Konoha." Seeing Ishikawa's look of shock and excitement, Tsunade huffed in dissatisfaction, gave Kakashi a nod, and turned to leave with the still-stunned Shizune.
'Next time we meet, it'll probably be in two years… the Fifth Hokage.' Watching Tsunade's golden ponytail disappear into the distance, Ishikawa's eyes gleamed with ambition and pride.
With the Lightning Release: Lightning Chakra Mode and the immense strength granted by the Chakra Enhanced Strength, Ishikawa was confident he could surpass most elite shinobi and become the strongest beneath Naruto and Sasuke.
"Let's go, Kakashi-sensei."
"Sensei?" Hearing how Ishikawa addressed Kakashi, Pakkun raised an eyebrow and glanced over with a strange look.
Kakashi… actually babysitting a team again?
"Let's return to the village. Pakkun, you're in charge of scouting and safety." Kakashi shot the ninja dog a warning glance before leaping ahead, dashing out of the border of the Land of Cedar.
Meanwhile, on the other side—
"Lady Tsunade, are you seriously going to give Ishikawa a chance to contract a slug? Why did you reject him before then?" Shizune asked with some concern as they walked down a quiet, scenic dirt path.
Contracting a slug meant much more than summoning; it symbolized a master-disciple bond and inheritance of the Sannin legacy! Did Ishikawa really have that kind of potential? Tsunade's legacy included not just unmatched strength but also her world-renowned medical ninjutsu.
"Relax, I was just teasing him," Tsunade replied breezily, flashing a cunning smile as if everything had gone according to plan.
That brat took so many liberties with her, and now he wanted to contract a slug? Keep dreaming...
"But what if he really does master the Chakra Enhanced Strength technique?" Shizune asked again, already feeling a little sympathy for Ishikawa.
"Didn't I already say it? He has to satisfy me."
"Wait—are you saying no matter how powerful he becomes, he'll never meet your standards? That's so cunning and underhanded, Lady Tsunade…"
"Hahaha! Don't say it like that, Shizune. I'm just giving him some motivation to improve himself. It's for his own good!"
"No! This is clearly just payback for what he did to you earlier…"
"Ahahaha, how could I be that petty? Anyway, forget that. I think there's a town nearby and now that we've got capital to burn, let's stop and play a few rounds!"
"No! We're paying off your debt first—your debt!"
"Shizune-chan~~"
"Don't act cute, Lady Tsunade! We have to pay the debt first and stick to the plan!"
"Huh? Where's the fun in that? Nope, we're doing it my way."
"No, we're doing it my way…"
On the flower-lined dirt road, flanked by green grass and the gentle buzzing of insects, their voices echoed across the fields, blending with the chirping birds and whispering wind, painting a light-hearted and picturesque scene.
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P@atreon/Arvinstorm (30+ Advanced Chapters)