The potion slid down her throat with a sticky, slimy texture that made Sasuke want to vomit.
But the thought of gaining power forced her to suppress the nausea.
Tilting her head back, she downed every last drop of the potion without leaving a single trace.
In a haze, she felt as if she were thrown into a vast ocean—waves crashing with terrifying force, tearing her body apart inch by inch.
Her consciousness was dragged down by unseen whirlpools, sinking deeper into a dark, freezing abyss.
She had no idea how long she kept falling. Her thoughts grew muddled, drifting.
Then suddenly, in the depths of that cold, pitch-black sea, she saw it—an invisible shadow, terrifying in its form. Lightning crackled and coiled around it, and it let out a dreadful sound.
The sound roared like thunder, nearly tearing her consciousness apart.
Fortunately, that horrifying presence—and the sound—vanished in just a second.
Her mind snapped back into her body, and the vast sea faded from view.
"What... just happened?"
Still shaken, Sasuke was about to ask what was going on.
But then something truly shocking happened—the stall, the old man who had been right in front of her, even the narrow alley she had just stood in—were gone.
Completely gone, as if they had never existed.
The noise of the crowd returned to her ears.
The lively and bustling Tanzaku Town teemed with people. Sasuke stood among them, dazed. What had just happened felt like a fleeting dream.
The cup in her hand reminded her that everything she had just experienced wasn't a dream—it had truly happened.
"Acting Method? The Three Major Laws of the Beyonders? Sequence?"
Suddenly, Sasuke realized there was new information in her mind.
It felt like thoughts had been implanted into her, giving her a deeper understanding of the potion she dSequence and the power she had just obtained.
"Tyrant Pathway, Sequence 9 — Sailor."
Sasuke quietly focused on the new strength flowing through her body.
Her sense of balance had drastically improved, as if her mind had suddenly been filled with countless experiences of standing steadily on stormy seas.
Hidden beneath her skin were shimmering illusory scales, granting her a layer of defense.
These scales allowed her to move underwater with the grace and speed of a fish.
And even more astonishing—she could now breathe underwater!
"Naruto... I'll catch up to you no matter what!"
Sasuke clenched her small fists tightly, eyes filled with hope.
It wasn't until late at night that Jiraiya finally stumbled back, completely drunk.
His entire body reeked of strong perfume, his face covered in lipstick marks. It was obvious he had just come back from a night at the tavern.
With a "master" like this, Sasuke didn't know whether to laugh or cry.
But at least Jiraiya did bring back some useful intel.
The "big fish" who had been lingering in Tanzaku Town was staying at an inn nearby and often visited a tavern next door.
According to Jiraiya, the woman looked to be in her thirties, had long light-blond hair, and a distinct rhombus-shaped mark on her forehead.
Putting all the clues together, it was almost certain—the woman dubbed the "big sucker" by the gamblers of Tanzaku Town was indeed their target:
Senju Tsunade.
"Phew~ Gathering intel nearly wore me out."
Jiraiya wiped the alcohol out of his system using chakra, patting his cheeks as if he'd been through great hardship.
"Next time you say something like that, maybe clean the lipstick off your face first," Sasuke said dryly, completely exposing him without mercy.
Tired?
The extra wrinkles from smiling gave you away. He was clearly enjoying himself.
"Ahem, this is the kind of suffering only adult shinobi understand. You're still too young to get it," Jiraiya brushed her off with a few vague words, then staggered toward the tavern mentioned in the intel.
"Are you sure you're okay like this?" Sasuke twitched slightly at the corner of her eye. She seriously doubted Jiraiya wouldn't start acting drunk again. "We can always come back tomorrow—once you've sobered up."
"Don't underestimate the drinking skills of the Toad Sage from Mount Myōboku, little lady!"
Jiraiya thumped his chest proudly. "Even if you doubled the amount, I'd still handle it. I'm the Toad Sage, after all. I could drink an entire river dry in one go!"
"Impressive, impressive… truly impressive," Sasuke replied flatly, offering hollow praise as she followed behind.
Soon, the two arrived at a cozy izakaya. Jiraiya lifted the curtain and stepped inside. Sasuke trailed closely after him.
In a quiet corner sat a stunning woman in her thirties. She had a curvy figure, tied her pale blonde hair into a ponytail, and radiated an aura of strength and elegance.
She was downing one cup after another, clearly in a foul mood. Across from her, a much younger girl kept trying to comfort her.
"Hey there, beautiful. Mind pouring me a drink?"
Out of nowhere, a voice cut in.
Already irritated, Tsunade didn't even look up as she snapped, "If you don't want to be thrown out the window, I suggest you scram."
But when the man sat down across from her and snatched the cup from her hand, she finally looked up—and realized it was Jiraiya.
"It's been a while, Tsunade."
Jiraiya finished the drink in his cup and looked at the familiar face before him. He smiled and said, "After all these years, you're still as beautiful as ever."
"Cut the nonsense. I don't have time to reminisce with you."
Tsunade coldly snatched the cup away, glancing at it with disdain before tossing it aside. "Just say it. Why did you come to find me?"
"No reason. Can't I just come to see an old friend?" Jiraiya asked with a smile.
"You've seen me. Now leave."
Tsunade snorted but still didn't give Jiraiya a friendly look.
"Ahem, alright, there is something."
Jiraiya hadn't expected Tsunade to be so cold. All the things he had prepared to say got swallowed back.
"Is this about the Third Hokage?"
Tsunade showed no expression and poured herself another drink. "If it's about me returning to be Hokage, I can clearly tell you I refuse."
"Well, actually this matter is complicated. Much more complicated than you think," Jiraiya scratched his nose awkwardly. "How about we talk in private?"
"What do you mean?"
Tsunade frowned, sensing something unusual in Jiraiya's words.
"Just talk in private."
Jiraiya sighed and looked at the person sitting beside Tsunade. Then his gaze settled on Sasuke. "You go outside for a moment, Sasuke."
"Shizune is my student," Tsunade said without moving.
"Sasuke is also my student," Jiraiya's tone darkened. "No one can know about this except you."
Seeing her old teammate so serious, Tsunade hesitated for a moment. Then she turned to Shizune, "Take Ton-Ton and go outside for a bit."
"Alright, Lady Tsunade."
Shizune obediently picked up the little pink pig and walked out of the izakaya.
"You must be Jiraiya's student, right?" She looked at the obviously young Sasuke with a smile. "Hello, I'm Shizune. I have been traveling with Lady Tsunade since I was very young."
"Hello, my name is Uchiha Sasuke."
Sasuke was polite too, bowing slightly. "I haven't been following Jiraiya for long. Are you Tsunade's only disciple?"
"Only? No, I'm not."
Shizune smiled gently. "I have another companion. She is much stronger than me."
"Is she not with you?" Sasuke asked, curious.
"No, she left a long time ago." Shizune shook her head. "I'm not really sure where she went. It seems she went to find someone."
While they were chatting, a loud crash came from inside the izakaya.
Immediately after, Jiraiya flew out like a cannonball, smashing through the wall and landing heavily on the ground.
"Wait, wait, wait, Tsunade!" Jiraiya covered his bleeding nose, his face full of panic. "This has nothing to do with me. I only found out after it happened!"
"Well, explain it in the next life!"
Tsunade suddenly leapt forward, her fist filled with chakra, smashing directly into Jiraiya's face.
"Master!"
At that moment, Sasuke suddenly felt as if her whole body's blood was burning like fire, an endless surge of power flowing out.
She unexpectedly stepped past Shizune and stood directly in front of an enraged Tsunade!
"Stop!"
Jiraiya raised his hand to intervene but was half a step too slow.
Sasuke's seemingly slender and weak body suddenly exploded with incredible strength. With one step forward, the entire street seemed to shake.
Her skin was coated with a bronze hue, like hardened steel.
Her five fingers clenched tightly, and the air around her erupted with a terrifying blast of energy.
Boom!!!
The clash of fists was like thunder rolling across the long street.
Visible shockwaves roared and churned, turning into fierce winds that furrowed deep trenches into the ground.
The deafening sound ripped through the night.
The ground around Sasuke collapsed violently, while Tsunade was thrown back by the force, landing inside a nearby izakaya.
Jiraiya gaped at Sasuke, as if seeing her for the first time.
"Lady Tsunade!"
Shizune's face was full of panic. She was about to go inside to check but saw Tsunade come out.
"Young girl, are you really a genin?"
Though she didn't appear injured, only somewhat disheveled, Tsunade still found it unbelievable.
After all these years, the people who could overpower her in strength were rare enough to count on one hand.
Even though Tsunade hadn't fought seriously just now—only teaching Jiraiya a lesson—there was no way a genin could stand against her.
*******
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