The afternoon passed quickly as the sky gradually darkened.
Tsunade strode out of the gambling house with a joyful expression and a high spirit. Today, the "Salted Fish" had finally made a grand comeback; she had actually won so much money that the large pockets on both sides of her clothes were overflowing. In the past, she always hoped to make a fortune, but she unfortunately ended up losing every single penny every time.
'Has my luck finally turned? Is the misfortune of the past gone?'
Just then, she suddenly felt a wave of nausea. A dry heave caught her off guard, making her feel quite uncomfortable, though fortunately, the sensation vanished as quickly as it had come.
'That feeling again?' She couldn't help but touch her stomach.
She hadn't eaten anything bad today. Could she really be pregnant? Was she truly carrying that brat's bloodline? Thinking back on the events after her return to the village, they didn't seem so bad. A forty-year-old woman could still enjoy a vigorous young man of sixteen or seventeen, and now she even had a chance to bear a child.
Although she hadn't taken any protective measures this time, a woman's life only felt truly complete after having a child. Moreover, even her luck in gambling had started to change for the better.
'Could it be that everything I've encountered is actually a good thing?'
When she thought about it this way, she no longer felt the need to dwell on past grievances. If she was to give birth, then she would; it was her child, after all. She didn't know what the child of that guy would look like—as long as they didn't take after her father, it would be fine.
Having reached a conclusion, Tsunade's mood improved significantly. The sky was late, and it was time to head back. It wouldn't be good if she started retching again halfway home. It seemed she would need to keep some sour jujubes on hand from now on.
Inside the casino, the atmosphere was uncharacteristically quiet. The gamblers present stared with wide eyes, their expressions filled with disbelief and a touch of lifelessness. They had just lost a massive amount of money, and their minds were in a daze.
Wasn't the Big Fat Sheep, Tsunade, supposed to be the one delivering money to them? Instead, they were the ones who had gifted her their fortunes. Naturally, they didn't doubt Tsunade's gambling integrity. It was impossible for someone of her stature to use ninjutsu to cheat. Therefore, the only explanation was that her luck had truly changed. They all sighed deeply in their hearts.
For as long as they could remember, Tsunade had always lost. To be honest, even they found it hard to believe at times. But whenever they gambled with her, no matter what she chose, she was bound to lose. Her luck had been abysmal. As long as one bet against her, they were guaranteed to win. Now that Tsunade was no longer losing, it seemed they wouldn't be able to win money from her anymore. They felt a sense of regret, especially after losing so much today. How were they going to explain this to their wives when they got home?
A month later, a middle-aged man with long white hair and a forehead protector bearing the character for 'Oil' appeared at the main gate of the Leaf Village. Cloaked in a red coat, he stood outside the entrance, feeling a sense of deep emotion.
'It really has been a long time since I last returned. I wonder how the village is doing now.'
The reason he hadn't been willing to stay in the village before was that there was simply too much filth within the Leaf. Various factions were constantly fighting and bickering with one another. This wasn't something a lone ninja like him could stop. He didn't have his own power base and didn't want to be sucked into that kind of turmoil. But unfortunately, even his disciple, Namikaze Minato, had died under those circumstances.
He had naturally heard rumors regarding the Clan Head meetings. During the Nine-Tails Rampage, his student, the Fourth Hokage, had faced the Nine-Tails alone. Meanwhile, his teacher, the Third Hokage, was busy with internal strife against the Uchiha Clan, even going so far as to prevent them from reinforcing Namikaze Minato. This ultimately led to Minato's death.
Afterward, the Uchiha Clan was suspected and placed under surveillance by the village, and the subsequent internal power struggles became even more severe. It was truly ridiculous that his disciple had died for nothing.
'What a waste of such a good student.'
At the same time, he felt a sting of regret. If only he had returned back then, perhaps with his abilities, he could have prevented his disciple's death. He was his precious student, and the guilt weighed heavily on his heart. Fortunately, Minato and Kushina had left behind a child who could inherit their will. On this trip back to the village, he intended to take a good look at that child to see if he possessed ninja talent like Namikaze Minato. Perhaps he could even take him on as another disciple.
Of course, what surprised him most was that Tsunade had actually become the Fifth Hokage.
'How is that possible?'
The old man Sarutobi and Danzō had undoubtedly lost in the internal struggle against the Uchiha Clan. The Third Hokage and Danzō were clearly not good people, even going so far as to conduct human experiments—doing such things that went against all reason and morality. He was extremely disappointed in his teacher. Similarly, the Uchiha Clan weren't exactly saints either. In the village's power struggles, the concept of "good people" didn't exist; it was all just a conflict of interests.
However, Jiraiya found it hard to imagine that Tsunade had actually defeated that clan in the selection. To successfully snatch the position of Fifth Hokage from the hands of the dangerous Uchiha Clan was truly impressive. After all, the Uchiha Clan had produced an incredibly powerful figure. He had heard that this person was currently the strongest in the ninja world, someone who could stand alongside the First Hokage and the rogue ninja Uchiha Madara.
Jiraiya was quite convinced of this fact because that person's reputation wasn't just talk; it was backed by numerous battle achievements. While comparing him to the Ninja God might be a bit of an exaggeration, it was enough to prove the man's strength.
Meanwhile, Tsunade had no backing. The Senju Clan had long since declined. This version of Tsunade made him like her even more, despite her fiery temper and reckless personality. He had nearly died at her hands once, after all.
But Jiraiya knew very well that he probably didn't have a chance anymore. He originally thought he might have an opportunity after Dan Katō died, but to his disappointment, Tsunade's heart had seemingly died along with Dan Katō. He never had an opening.
His goal in returning to the village was naturally to see Tsunade. Perhaps he could also help her withstand the pressure from the Uchiha Clan. Even if Tsunade won the selection, the Uchiha Clan wouldn't be so willing to accept it. A new round of struggle was likely on the horizon.
Tsunade, like him, was someone who disliked conflict. Since she had stepped up, he naturally couldn't remain in hiding anymore.
At that moment, a Jōnin guard walked out from the inner side of the gate and stepped forward.
"Lord Jiraiya, welcome back to the village."
Jiraiya, like Tsunade, was a hero of the Second Great Ninja War who had made outstanding contributions. He had spread the fame of the Leaf Village and was able to retreat safely when facing the Demi-God Hanzō, earning himself the title of the Sannin.