The initiation ceremony—now that was a fine tradition.
Kazuyama Gekkō would, without a doubt, have his children carry it on.
Just look at Tsunade's dumbfounded expression now. It made Kazuyama Gekkō feel so damn satisfied.
Wasn't this the same look Orochimaru had back then?
"Damn it, brat! I'm Princess Tsunade—the strongest Medical-nin in the entire shinobi world! Your daughter's becoming my student…"
"And I still have to give you a master's gift???"
Kazuyama Gekkō raised his cup and shook his head. Just when Tsunade thought he might crack a joke, what came out of his mouth left her completely speechless.
"Tsunade, that's no way to put it."
"Who was my sensei? Orochimaru! Same level as you two. When I became his disciple, he wasn't stingy at all—he gave me gifts. Thinking back, I should've asked for more."
"This master's gift has nothing to do with status. As long as there's an apprenticeship, there must be a gift. That's a fine tradition—and we mustn't forget it!"
Tsunade and Jiraiya exchanged baffled looks. A fine tradition?
How come they didn't know about it? When they became Sarutobi Hiruzen's disciples, that old man hadn't given them anything!
Could it be they'd actually been ignorant of the tradition?
Did that mean they'd missed out on loads of gifts?
No way. Absolutely not. Once the drinks were done, they were going to get answers.
"Hmph. We'll talk about it on the day of the apprenticeship."
"Drink up!"
Tsunade cut off the topic right there.
The three kept drinking, and before long, it was already midnight.
Whether it was because Jiraiya had no new students, or Tsunade couldn't stop thinking about the master's gift, both of them started drinking heavily.
Kazuyama Gekkō took them both on, one against two, and by the end, they were out cold. He sat beside their slumped forms, smirking wickedly.
"You two are hopeless, huh? Tsk tsk. With that kind of tolerance, you still drink? Go home and sip tea."
His taunts carried plenty of bite, but the two were already fast asleep and couldn't hear a word.
But just because they couldn't hear didn't mean no one did.
"Kazuyama, you really are shameless. Can you even handle your liquor?"
"If I hadn't been canceling the effects with Scale Powder and chakra, you'd have been flat on the floor long ago. And now you're mocking them?"
Chōmei's teasing voice echoed in his head.
Kazuyama Gekkō just laughed. Of course he'd cheated—come on, those two were both heavy drinkers. He wasn't stupid enough to fight them straight-up.
But hey, a Jinchūriki and their beast are one. Borrowing Chōmei's strength didn't really count as cheating.
[Ding! Detected host shamelessly using Seven-Tails Chōmei's power in drinking contest with Tsunade and Jiraiya, successfully getting them drunk enough to doubt their own existence. Special reward: Taijutsu +5.]
See? The rewards came rolling in.
As for Tsunade and Jiraiya, they could just sleep it off.
Kazuyama Gekkō, freshly rewarded, left the yakiniku shop and headed toward another part of the village.
Soon, a large compound came into view—the same place where Tōkaku of Kumogakure had stayed during his visit. Now, however, it housed Yahiko, Konan, and the others.
He didn't bother knocking, just vaulted the wall. Inside, he found Yahiko and Konan eating a late-night snack.
"Well now, eating without calling me over?"
"Kazuyama, we knew you'd show up. Sit, have some."
"Already ate."
He plopped down beside them and exhaled. Even with Chōmei's help, the stench of alcohol still clung to him.
Yahiko and Konan quickly shifted a little further away—his reek was unbearable.
"After today, Amegakure and Takigakure should both be steady."
"But there's something about what comes next I need to tell you."
Before entering, Kazuyama Gekkō had placed snakes around the perimeter to ensure no one was spying. Only then did he speak his mind.
"This about Nagato?"
"Yeah. You both know about his attack on Konoha."
At Nagato's name, Yahiko and Konan's faces grew grave. The three had grown up together, and now Nagato had strayed down the wrong path.
They wouldn't stand by. No—they'd take any chance to bring him back.
"I'm planning a trip to Kirigakure soon."
"When? We'll come with you."
Kazuyama Gekkō shook his head. This trip, he'd go alone.
"I'm only gathering intel. Right now, the Land of Water is a complete unknown."
"It was always a mysterious country. With Nagato and Madara Uchiha involved, it's even more tangled."
"If we're going to move, we first need to know what we're walking into."
At Nagato's name, Yahiko and Konan couldn't stay calm. They'd seen him taken away right in front of them. The wound was still raw.
That was why, when Kazuyama mentioned Kirigakure, they immediately wanted to go along.
"This war is far from over."
"At least, not for us."
"Yahiko, Konan, once Konoha's matters are settled, you need to focus on sharpening your strength."
"When I uncover their true hand, that's when we move."
Kazuyama knew—until Madara Uchiha was eliminated, the danger wasn't over.
Nagato, Uchiha Madara, and the Akatsuki Organization—this was the last fortress standing before him, and it had to fall.
Think hiding in Kirigakure will save them? Too naïve. As long as he had enough cards to play, even there, he'd break them.
And as for Kirigakure itself... heh, he already had one of their geniuses under his banner.
...
Land of Water, outside Kirigakure.
"Tsk tsk... So this is the pinnacle of Puppet Technique?"
"To turn a man into a puppet... Sasori of the Red Sand really is something else."
Muren Uchiha looked at the human puppet before him—Suikazan Fuguki—and couldn't help but sigh in admiration.
Beside him, the puppet's maker, Kabuto, was carefully carrying out the final adjustments.
"The greatest advantage of a human puppet is that it preserves the ninja's abilities."
"Take Fuguki's hair, for example. Once you channel chakra into the puppet, it can still be used as a weapon."
"Too bad this member of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen didn't have a Kekkei Genkai. Otherwise, he'd have been the next Third Kazekage puppet."
Kabuto shook his head with feigned regret, though his eyes gleamed with growing madness.