"Why go in there? I'm already back."
Jiraiya, who had already prepared himself for a noble sacrifice, stared blankly at Hoshiyomi emerging from the purple light curtain with an outstretched hand. His mouth hung open, but no words came out.
Because Hoshiyomi had returned, the Ryūmyaku's light curtain erupted in violent fluctuations, causing the entire chamber to tremble.
Tsunade snapped out of her shock from the vibration.
Like an arrow loosed from a bow, she shot forward and threw herself directly into Hoshiyomi's arms.
Clinging tightly to him, breathing in the familiar scent she had endured three long years without, Tsunade's tears—barely held back—burst forth again, soaking Hoshiyomi's shoulder.
"You bastard… taking this long to come back…
Do you know what these three years have been like for me?
Every day… every single day… I imagined you appearing in front of me and whispering, 'I'm back…'"
As she spoke, she kept hammering Hoshiyomi's back with her fists.
Hoshiyomi felt like he was going to fall apart from the beating, but he didn't dare complain.
He simply wrapped an arm around her waist and whispered gently in her ear:
"Alright, alright… I'm here now, aren't I?
I thought about you every day over there.
The moment the Ryūmyaku finished accumulating energy, I came back."
After crying for so long, all the misery and anxiety she had endured for three years finally found release.
Tsunade eventually stopped sobbing—but she clung to Hoshiyomi like an octopus, refusing to let go.
Jiraiya and Sara both clearly had many questions for Hoshiyomi, but seeing the emotional reunion of husband and wife, neither dared interrupt.
When Tsunade had mostly calmed down, Sara finally stepped forward:
"It's good that you've returned safely, Lord Hoshiyomi.
Please rest for now.
I will have the ministers prepare a grand feast to celebrate your safe return."
But Hoshiyomi waved his hand.
"No need, Sara.
There are still things I must deal with.
My return cannot be made public yet.
Don't prepare anything too extravagant."
At those words, Tsunade and Jiraiya stiffened.
Both were far from foolish—
they instantly understood his meaning.
These three years, they too had suspected many things.
Someone as strong as Hoshiyomi would not simply vanish for a ridiculous reason.
Hearing his tone now, Sara gave up on the celebration idea and quietly left to prepare food instead.
That night, Hoshiyomi told the three of them a rough version of what had happened to him—and together, they secretly formed a simple plan.
...
The next morning, Jiraiya left Roran with a heartbroken Tsunade.
At Roran's gates, Queen Sara made one last attempt to persuade them to stay:
"You're really not going to wait any longer?
Perhaps when the Ryūmyaku fluctuates again, Lord Hoshiyomi might send a message."
Hearing that, Tsunade could no longer hold back her sorrow, and tears streamed down her cheeks.
Jiraiya let out a heavy sigh.
"The Ryūmyaku only fluctuates like that once every three years…
Three years have passed, and there hasn't been a single sign of Hoshiyomi.
Even if we wait another three years, I fear…
And there are still many matters in Konoha that require our attention.
We can't stay here forever."
As the three spoke, on a distant sand dune, a strange white creature poked its head out, wearing a twisted smile—
then vanished instantly.
...
In the underground base in the Land of Rain.
"Lord Black Zetsu, I've returned."
Inside the underground secret base, Black Zetsu turned to the White Zetsu that had appeared.
"You're the one assigned to Roran, right?
What made you return so suddenly—did something happen there?"
"Lord Black Zetsu, Konoha's Tsunade and Jiraiya have left Roran.
It seems they've completely given up waiting for Gekko Hoshiyomi."
The name "Gekko Hoshiyomi," unheard for three years, made Black Zetsu's eyes flicker.
It was as if he was remembering that irritating face again.
A moment later, a thin smile crept across his features.
"I suppose there's no chance he'll ever return to the shinobi world again.
Alright, I understand the situation.
You don't need to monitor Roran anymore—go handle intel around Kumogakure instead."
...
"I never realized your acting skills were this good."
Tsunade and Jiraiya walked slowly through the endless sandstorms of the Land of Wind, their faces full of sorrow and anxiety.
Suddenly, a voice came from the empty space beside them.
Neither of them looked surprised.
Tsunade glanced around and whispered:
"So the one tailing us has already left?
I didn't sense anything at all."
From within the swirling sand—having been using Transparent Escape to hide right beside her—Hoshiyomi silently gave his wife a slap on the butt.
Tsunade turned around ready to punch him, and only then did he speak with a grin:
"Those guys are pretty hard to sense.
Without Sage Mode, it's basically impossible to detect them."
Jiraiya, walking nearby, finally couldn't hold back and asked:
"Since you were able to sense them, you probably know who they are, right?
Who are those people?
And why did they suddenly attack you three years ago?"
Hoshiyomi hesitated.
He wasn't sure whether revealing the truth about Black Zetsu this early would be good or bad.
After thinking for a long time, he decided to let things unfold naturally.
So he didn't reveal the truth and only said vaguely:
"I'm not completely sure.
I only know it's some mysterious group called 'Akatsuki.'
The details… I don't know much more than that."
Jiraiya shrugged, but eventually smiled:
"Doesn't matter.
As long as you came back safely, that's all that counts.
Leave the rest to me—
I'll investigate it."
He patted his chest proudly as he said it.
Hoshiyomi raised an eyebrow:
"Jiraiya, are you planning to continue wandering around?
If so, what about Nonō?"
At the mention of her name, Jiraiya's eyes softened:
"Of course I'll keep traveling.
I still care about the 'Child of Prophecy' the Great Toad Sage spoke of.
As for Nonō—
I'm taking her with me.
If it weren't for what happened to you, we would've already started our journey by now.
Don't worry.
Now that I'm with her, I won't disappear for years like before.
We agreed:
Half a year traveling, half a year back in Konoha.
Six months is short, but with proper planning, we can still see many, many places."
Hoshiyomi was surprised by the answer, but said nothing more—after all, love always changes people.
The three didn't linger on the subject.
Hoshiyomi changed the topic:
"Anyway, since we still have a long way to go before reaching Konoha,
why don't you tell me about the major events that happened in the shinobi world during the three years I was missing?"
...
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