Jiraiya crossed his arms and spoke casually.
"Hyūga Hinata from Team 7."
Tsunade, who had been reviewing documents, paused and frowned slightly.
"That little girl from the Hyūga Clan?"
She glanced up at him suspiciously.
"It's rare for you to come here just to recommend someone. Since when did you start caring about other people's students?"
Jiraiya fell silent for a moment. Then his usually playful expression softened.
"Rather than that… I saw a reflection of myself in her."
Tsunade stared at him blankly.
"Huh?"
Then her face twisted in disbelief.
"You shameless old pervert! How dare you compare yourself to such a delicate and gentle young girl!"
Jiraiya nearly choked.
"That's not what I meant!"
He rubbed his forehead helplessly.
"I'm talking about determination. Potential. The feeling of wanting to change your fate."
Tsunade coughed awkwardly as she realized she had misunderstood him. A faint blush appeared on her cheeks, though she quickly turned away.
"Ahem…"
"Even if that's true," she said coldly, "I'm the Hokage now. Do you think I have time to casually take on students?"
She leaned back in her chair.
"And I don't just accept anyone."
Jiraiya grinned.
"Even the busiest person has spare time."
He began counting on his fingers.
"The Second Hokage trained disciples. Old Man Hiruzen trained disciples. Minato was Hokage and still guided students."
He stepped forward dramatically.
"And most importantly…"
"This girl absolutely deserves to become Tsunade's student."
Tsunade's expression shifted slightly.
"Really?"
Shizune, standing nearby, nodded immediately.
"Team 7 is already recognized as the strongest team in Konoha. That title isn't exaggerated."
She began listing Hinata's achievements one by one.
"Hyūga Hinata graduated near the top of the Ninja Academy. She later joined Team 7 under Kakashi Hatake."
"She participated in the Land of Waves mission and fought alongside Naruto and Sasuke, helping defeat Haku and Zabuza Momochi."
"During the Chūnin Exams, she survived the Forest of Death, defeated Tenten in the preliminaries, and later fought Gaara in the finals. Though she lost, everyone acknowledged her courage and strength."
"During the Konoha invasion, she fought beside Sasuke against Temari and Kankurō."
"She later helped protect Naruto during the search for Jiraiya, and even fought Orochimaru together with the Third Hokage."
"She also helped rescue Gaara after he was taken hostage and contributed greatly to ending the conflict early."
Shizune looked toward Tsunade.
"Not only has she mastered the Hyūga Clan's Gentle Fist style, but her Byakugan instincts are exceptional."
"And most impressive of all… she created her own technique—the Protective Eight Trigrams Gentle Palm, a defensive art unlike anything seen before."
Tsunade listened carefully, nodding more and more as the report continued.
"She really does sound like an outstanding child…"
Jiraiya smirked.
"Exactly."
However, Tsunade folded her arms.
"Even so, I still don't have a compelling reason to accept her."
Jiraiya scratched his nose.
"Then how about this?"
He lowered his voice dramatically.
"I've been thinking of something interesting."
"The Hyūga Clan's Gentle Fist is famous for precision—destroying chakra pathways, shutting down internal systems, striking from within."
He pointed at Tsunade.
"And your monstrous strength represents the ultimate Strong Fist—pure overwhelming destruction."
He grinned.
"Which is stronger?"
Tsunade's eyes narrowed.
Shizune quickly interrupted.
"They each have their strengths! It's not a matter of superiority."
Jiraiya ignored her.
"But what if…"
He spread his hands wide.
"What if someone combined Strong Fist and Gentle Fist into a single style?"
The room fell silent.
Shizune's eyes widened.
"That would be unprecedented…"
Jiraiya continued.
"Gentle Fist destroys pressure points and chakra flow. Strong Fist crushes anything head-on."
"If someone mastered both hardness and softness…"
He whistled.
"That person would be terrifying."
Even Tsunade could not help imagining it.
A shinobi with Hyūga precision and Tsunade's raw power.
It was a frighteningly brilliant concept.
She clicked her tongue.
"Jiraiya… you're trying to tempt me with that idea."
He shrugged innocently.
"I'm only speaking casually."
"After all, the ninja world is full of fantasies. Everyone can dream. Only one in ten thousand can make it real."
Then he added with a sly smile:
"Perhaps even you couldn't do it, Tsunade."
Shizune immediately realized what he was doing.
He was provoking her.
And Tsunade knew it too.
But knowing and resisting were two different things.
She slammed both hands onto the desk and stood up.
"Fine!"
"I accept!"
She pointed directly at him.
"Three years—no, one year!"
"I'll definitely find a way to merge Strong Fist and Gentle Fist, and I'll teach it to that girl, Hyūga Hinata!"
Jiraiya smiled in satisfaction and extended his hand.
"Deal."
"A promise is a promise."
Smack!
Their palms met sharply.
Tsunade's eyes burned with fighting spirit. Whenever a wager was involved, she refused to lose.
Jiraiya chuckled.
"Actually… there's one more bet."
She narrowed her eyes.
"What now?"
"We each train our students."
He pointed first at himself, then at her.
"And we'll see whose disciples surpass the others."
Tsunade's aura flared instantly.
"Hah! As if I'd lose to someone like you!"
"Just wait and see!"
Jiraiya laughed and withdrew his hand.
"Then it's settled."
With that, he turned and left the office.
Shizune sighed internally.
Lady Tsunade… he was obviously provoking you.
Tsunade snorted.
"I know."
Then she clenched her fists.
"But I still refuse to lose."
News Spreads Through Konoha
Not long after, news of Team 7 successfully bringing Sasuke back spread throughout Konoha.
Naruto's reputation soared once again.
Rumors even began circulating that he might soon be promoted to jōnin.
But an even more shocking announcement soon followed.
Two of the legendary Sannin—the Fifth Hokage Tsunade and Lord Jiraiya—had officially decided to take new disciples.
Jiraiya's chosen students were none other than Naruto Uzumaki and Sasuke Uchiha.
And Tsunade's chosen disciple was the only female member of Team 7…
Hyūga Hinata.
The village erupted.
Many ninja were shocked.
Many were jealous.
Many could only stare in envy.
But no one could deny Team 7's strength.
Those opportunities had not been handed to them.
They had earned them through repeated life-and-death battles.
Their talent, courage, and achievements spoke for themselves.
The Ceremony
The apprenticeship ceremony was held in front of many respected figures of Konoha.
Presiding over the event was none other than the retired Hokage advisor, Hiruzen Sarutobi.
Under his guidance, and witnessed by elite jōnin and the heads of the great clans, Team 7 officially stepped forward.
Naruto.
Sasuke.
Hinata.
They knelt respectfully before their new masters.
Naruto and Sasuke bowed to Jiraiya.
Hinata bowed to Tsunade.
Then the three teammates looked at one another and smiled sincerely.
From this moment onward, their destinies changed again.
Team 7 had entered a brand-new era.
Reflections of the Old Generation
Watching the scene, Hiruzen's wrinkled face softened with a smile.
"Jiraiya… Tsunade…"
"You both have new disciples again."
"That is what inheritance means."
Jiraiya laughed.
"Old man, are you becoming senile?"
"It's not like this is our first time taking students."
Tsunade nodded.
"That's right."
"I already had Shizune. Jiraiya had Minato and others."
Hiruzen chuckled quietly.
"That is true."
"But the more students, the better."
He looked at the three young ninja standing proudly ahead.
"A famous teacher is rare."
"And an excellent student is equally rare."
Jiraiya's heart stirred at those words.
For many years, he had searched for the Child of Prophecy spoken of by the Great Toad Sage of Mount Myōboku.
He once believed it was Nagato.
Then Nagato was lost.
He once believed it might be Minato.
But Minato had died protecting the village.
Now…
Looking at Naruto and Sasuke, new hope rose within him.
Alongside it came deep anxiety.
Would one of them become the savior?
Or something far more dangerous?
Tsunade suddenly glanced at Hiruzen.
"When you speak of perfect students…"
She smirked.
"Are you referring to me and Jiraiya?"
"Or that disgusting Orochimaru?"
Hiruzen's smile stiffened.
"What kind of question is that?"
Then he sighed.
"But honestly…"
"In my heart, it was always the three of you."
He said no more.
The legendary Sannin were known across the entire ninja world.
Each had reached extraordinary heights.
And Hiruzen's accomplishments as a teacher were beyond dispute.
Naruto's Brilliant Logic
At that moment, Naruto scratched his head and began muttering to himself.
"Wait…"
"The Fourth Hokage was trained by Pervy Sage…"
"Kakashi-sensei was trained by the Fourth Hokage…"
"We were trained by Kakashi-sensei…"
"But now we're also being trained by Pervy Sage…"
He gasped dramatically.
"Aha!"
He slammed his fist into his palm.
"Kakashi-sensei!"
"You are both our teacher… and our fellow student!"
Silence.
Then—
Bang!
Jiraiya punched Naruto on the back of the head.
"Can you even calculate something like that properly, idiot?"
Naruto grabbed his head.
"Ow!"
Kakashi, however, closed his book and gave an amused eye-smile.
"He's not entirely wrong."
Everyone burst into laughter.
And beneath the bright skies of Konoha, the next generation quietly took its first step forward.
Advance Chapters avilable on patreon (Obito_uchiha)