Tsunade scratched her head as she listened to the two men bicker.
"Hey, Kazuyama Gekkō, you called the both of us here just to talk about this?"
"Jiraiya's out on a mission, so fine, you can chat with him. But me? I've got nothing going on lately."
The Three Great Sage Regions: Mount Myōboku, Ryūchi Cave, and Shikkotsu Forest.
Among them, Shikkotsu Forest had only one living heir in the current era—Tsunade.
And Kazuyama Gekkō's reason for seeking her out was simple: to secure some benefits for his daughter.
"Tsunade, we've known each other a long time, right? I've always treated you with respect, haven't I?"
"I've chauffeured you around for free, given you good food and good wine. And now, I've got a little favor to ask of you."
He grinned. Kazuyama always grinned—it was his usual tactic. Nobody hits a smiling face. Whatever you do, smile first. That never goes wrong.
Tsunade set her sake cup down, already exasperated. How could this brat make it all sound so reasonable?
"Brat, are you even listening to yourself?"
"Free chauffeur??? I was out traveling with Shizune when you just swooped in and dragged me back to Konoha!"
"You didn't even let me bring my damn luggage! I had to replace everything back in the village!"
"Good food and good wine? Every time you call me, it's for medical treatment! If I wasn't a healer, would you even look at me twice?"
"You're nothing but an opportunist. Wipe that stupid grin off your face—it's disgusting!"
Tsunade grumbled as she kept eating her grilled meat, glaring at him in disdain.
Kazuyama just laughed heartily, enjoying himself.
Jiraiya couldn't hold it in either and burst out laughing, filling the table with lively energy.
"Well, you see," Kazuyama said, "my daughter's got incredible talent. I want her to apprentice under you."
"You're Princess Tsunade, and she's Fairy Senko. Princess and Fairy—don't you think that's a perfect combination?"
"What do you say?"
Both Tsunade and Jiraiya froze. So that was why he dragged them here? To find his daughter a teacher???
"What the hell, Kazuyama? How old is your daughter again?"
"Even if someone should be apprenticing, it should be your son, shouldn't it?"
"Speaking of which, how about that Michihito kid? Why not let him study under me?" Jiraiya suddenly perked up. He'd even sent a gift when the boy was born. Rumor had it Michihito was exceptionally gifted—definitely someone worth taking in.
"Idiot! Jiraiya, Kazuyama asked me, not you!"
"What are you butting in for?"
"But Kazuyama, Jiraiya has a point. If anyone should be taking a master, it should be Michihito."
Kazuyama's smile stiffened. He shook his head helplessly, took a sip of sake, and muttered, "Forget about that kid."
"What?"
"Why?"
Jiraiya and Tsunade both looked stunned. One had just returned to the village, the other spent all her time at the hospital—neither understood what he meant.
"That boy loves playing with swords. He's been trailing after Hatake Sakumo every day. People who know him call him my son. People who don't think he's from the Hatake clan."
"His talent's not bad. He inherited Pakura's Scorch Release and can already use it skillfully."
Sakumo Hatake?
Jiraiya and Tsunade's eyes widened. They never expected someone to beat them to it.
Kazuyama's talent was already obvious—after all, he was one of Konoha's Twin Stars. And Pakura was a Kekkei Genkai user herself, with an offensive nature release. Their child's potential was undeniable. And to think Michihito could already use Scorch Release at his age...
"Kazuyama, then let your daughter study under me," Jiraiya said. "My name carries weight, and you know my strength."
He puffed himself up, though it wasn't empty bragging. He was one of the Sannin, after all—his strength spoke for itself. More importantly, there was the prophecy. The one in that prophecy was without doubt Kazuyama himself. Taking his son as a student would only affirm it further.
"Get lost, Jiraiya!" Tsunade snapped. "You're a brute who can't teach properly. Just look at who Minato turned out to be under you."
"Besides, Senko is a girl. How could she possibly study under you?"
"Kazuyama, I'll take her. From now on, she's my student. When she's old enough, I'll start teaching her myself!"
Kazuyama broke into a broad smile and immediately poured her another cup of sake.
"Well now, Tsunade—or should I start calling you 'Sensei to my daughter'?"
"Come on, let's drink to it!"
Kazuyama's intentions had always been clear: to build a strong team around himself, and that included securing ties with all Three Great Sage Regions.
He was already heir to Ryūchi Cave, and the Three Snake Princesses were on good terms with him. Jiraiya had Mount Myōboku, and with Minato in the mix, that bond was solid as well. Once war broke out, Mount Myōboku's strength would be on his side too.
Yeah, that blond guy who claimed he wasn't good at Senjutsu but could instantly flip into Sage Mode.
Now all that was left was Shikkotsu Forest.
As its sole inheritor, Tsunade was someone he had to bring into his circle. In fact, he even wanted his daughter to learn Shikkotsu's Senjutsu—he'd always been curious about it.
"Hey, hey, hey! That's not fair!" Jiraiya protested. "Fine, I'll talk to Sakumo myself. Maybe I can convince him to hand Michihito over to me."
"That kind of talent can't be wasted."
It wasn't that he didn't respect Sakumo, but Sakumo was only a swordsman. Could such a prodigy with a Kekkei Genkai really be left to just play with blades? Impossible.
"Forget it," Kazuyama said with a wave of his hand. "It's not that Sakumo wants to teach him—it's that Michihito keeps chasing after him every day."
"Ah, whatever. Drink up, drink up. Tsunade, come by my place in a few days."
"We'll hold a master-apprentice banquet!"
"And don't forget to bring an initiation gift!"
Kazuyama downed another cup of sake, slipping back into his usual routine.
Initiation gifts—those were tradition.
Orochimaru: I know this one! I know it too well!
Tsunade, on the other hand, was dumbfounded. What the hell? Apprenticeship requires gifts???