Chapter 64: Tsunade Changes Her Mind
For the next few days, Jiraiya persistently tried to persuade Tsunade in various ways.
And Tsunade, in turn, perfectly demonstrated what it meant to be completely stubborn.
She accepted all of Jiraiya's invitations.
After all, she wasn't the one paying for the drinks.
She faced Jiraiya with the attitude of an old friend reuniting and turned a deaf ear to his repeated persuasions.
All of Jiraiya's efforts seemed to be in vain.
But, people are not plants; how can they be emotionless?
Konoha had left Tsunade with too many sad memories, which was why she was unwilling to return, fearing that returning to her old home would stir up old feelings and bring back painful past events.
Women are always very sentimental.
In the few days of drinking and chatting with Jiraiya, the two of them inevitably talked about the past again, remembering her gentle and reliable lover, Dan Katō, and her always energetic younger brother, Nawaki, and the glorious years when Team Sannin fought alongside the Third Hokage.
The warmer those past memories were, the sadder Tsunade became as she recalled them.
The grief of Nawaki and Dan's successive deaths had crushed one of the Sannin, Tsunade. She chose to escape, leaving Konoha, never to return.
That was why Jiraiya's proposal for her to return and take over from the aging Third Hokage, to become the Fifth Hokage, was flatly rejected by Tsunade.
Hokage?
It was nothing more than a joke.
Tsunade had seen too many people—her grandfather and granduncle, and the brilliant Namikaze Minato—who, after becoming Hokage, had sacrificed themselves to protect the village before their ambitions were fulfilled.
Her lovely younger brother, Nawaki, and her beloved, Dan, had both fallen on the path of chasing this dream of becoming Hokage.
To sacrifice one's life so easily... was an act that only a fool would do.
The Hokage... was fundamentally a good-for-nothing. Only an idiot would want to become one!
In front of Jiraiya and Naruto, Tsunade said this without holding back at all.
For the past week, the things Jiraiya had said to her had brought back too many past events that she usually dared not recall.
Tsunade was no longer willing to get entangled with Jiraiya. Before leaving, she spoke her mind without reservation.
But was this really what Tsunade thought in her heart?
Hokage...
That was the dream of the two most important people in Tsunade's life, Nawaki and Dan.
How could Tsunade possibly belittle their dream?
She just couldn't get over their deaths. It was a pain that was unbearable for her. To escape this feeling, she chose to blame everything on the position of Hokage.
The two people she loved had died because they were chasing the dream of becoming Hokage, so she resented the Hokage.
It was as simple as that.
So when she saw another person, Naruto, striving and fighting with all his might, with the dream of becoming Hokage, a soft spot in Tsunade's heart seemed to be touched.
When she saw the exhausted Naruto, who had collapsed from his training, trembling as he stubbornly stood up to refute her.
"Becoming Hokage is my dream!"
The image of Naruto stubbornly saying this sentence was reflected in Tsunade's eyes.
It was full of the youthful shadows of the people she had loved.
Tsunade was stunned.
In that moment, she dismissed the thought of leaving quietly.
She made a bet with Naruto.
A bet on whether the foolish Naruto, who had made no progress in his training, could master the Summoning Jutsu within a week and summon a powerful toad.
And the stakes were Tsunade returning to Konoha to protect the village, and even becoming the Fifth Hokage.
As well as Tsunade's treasured memento of Nawaki and Dan, the precious necklace that held their dream of becoming Hokage.
Conversely, if Naruto couldn't do it, Tsunade would take all the money in his wallet.
A completely asymmetrical bet.
Because she didn't want to win.
For the first time in her life, Tsunade hoped that she would lose a bet.
She wanted to see a miracle happen.
Naruto was really too much like the deceased Nawaki. The same cocky attitude and daring to defy her, the same silly, brilliant smile, the same dream.
Even his age was the same as when Nawaki had died...
Every time she saw Naruto, Tsunade felt as if she were seeing her dead younger brother.
Perhaps, if Naruto succeeded, that encouragement could awaken her courage to face her grief?
However, for a whole week, although Naruto had trained desperately, his training had made no progress at all. Could he master the Summoning Jutsu within the week of the bet?
Tsunade knew very well in her heart that hard-working people are not always rewarded. Sometimes they even fall on the path towards their dreams, just like Nawaki and Dan. This bet, her chances of winning were very, very high.
She couldn't see any possibility of Naruto learning the Summoning Jutsu in a week.
So if Naruto really did master the Summoning Jutsu, it must be a miracle!
That would prove that Nawaki and Dan's persistence and hard work were not meaningless!
That would prove that miracles can happen.
With my complete lack of gambling luck, even in a sure-win situation like this, a miracle will definitely happen to stop me from winning!
—Tsunade thought in her heart.
However, it did not happen.
The first day passed, and Naruto's training still had made no progress.
The second day, Naruto summoned a tadpole with legs.
The third day, the tadpole evolved into a small frog.
The fourth day, a small frog. The fifth day, a tadpole. The sixth day, a small frog.
There was no hope of winning the bet in sight.
Tsunade's face grew darker and darker. What good would it do her to win the bet and take all the money in Naruto's wallet? She was even more unhappy to have kept her treasured necklace!
People who want to become Hokage really are all idiots!
It's the last day. If I win the bet, I'll just leave! And never... return to Konoha.
Tsunade made up her mind.
On the seventh day, around noon.
Naruto, who had exhausted his chakra, had still achieved nothing besides summoning a few small tadpoles.
"Damn it!"
Naruto collapsed helplessly on the ground!
Is the bet over?
Tsunade pursed her lips and said nothing.
She called out to Shizune, already preparing to turn and leave.
"It seems there's no other way, Naruto!" Jiraiya, with his wild white hair, said with a sudden, unusual seriousness. "You can't learn the Summoning Jutsu with conventional methods, but I still have one more way..."
"Really? I want to learn it!" Naruto said expectantly!
"This method will give you a high probability of learning the Summoning Jutsu..."
Jiraiya paused, then said coldly!
"Because this method will awaken the huge energy hidden inside your body and help you learn the Summoning Jutsu."
"But if you don't learn it, you will die because of it! Whether you want to learn it or not is up to you!"
The expectant expression on Naruto's face instantly froze.
Tsunade's brows furrowed tightly. She stepped forward to block Jiraiya. "Jiraiya, it's just a ninjutsu. There's no need to joke with his life if he can't learn it. Forget it!"
But she was stopped by a scarred hand.
"No, I want to learn it, Granny Tsunade! Even if I might die, I can't run away!"
Tsunade turned her head to look. Naruto was looking at her with a solemn and serious expression.
In this moment, Tsunade felt as if she had returned to that summer afternoon decades ago.
When she was persuading Nawaki to be careful on the battlefield, to learn to run away when he encountered danger.
"Sister, I'm a man. Even if I encounter danger, I can't run away!"
The expression on Nawaki's face when he said that was exactly the same as Naruto's before her now!
And not long after Nawaki had said those words, he had sacrificed himself on the battlefield.
Tsunade's eyes widened!
And Naruto continued to speak—
"This ninjutsu is very important to me. I have to learn to awaken that power! So, please don't stop us. I've already made up my mind!"
Yes, I have to learn to master the power that slumbers in my body.
In Team 7, Sakura had already mastered so many powerful ninjutsu. Sasuke had also awakened his Sharingan and was walking his own path. How could Naruto tolerate being the only one standing still, always looking up at the backs of his teammates as they moved forward?
How could Naruto allow Sakura and Sasuke to stand in front and fight when they faced a strong enemy, while he had to accept their protection?
To become Hokage, he had to possess the strength to protect his comrades, to protect Konoha!
And Naruto's path was to awaken the huge chakra buried within his body, to obtain power from that beast that dwelled within him!
Even if it meant accepting training that gambled with his life, he would not hesitate!
"You'll die... Naruto!"
Tsunade's face was extremely ugly.
This choice between life and death reminded her of Nawaki and Dan's passing. She didn't want to see this boy, who always had a sunny smile and whose cocky personality and dream were so much like Nawaki's, die here...
But Naruto only responded with a brilliant smile.
Death... was certainly terrifying.
But loneliness was a hundred times more terrifying than death.
He, Naruto, had had enough of the feeling of loneliness.
He had finally, finally gained the recognition of his comrades. He had finally, finally taken the first step to becoming Hokage.
How could Naruto allow himself to stop here, to once again slip into the abyss called loneliness?
"Becoming Hokage... is my dream!"
"Before I become Hokage, I will absolutely not fall here!"
"Let's begin, Jiraiya-sensei!"
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