Land of Tea.
Footsteps sounded along the inner corridor.
Pushing open the door, she found the room's owner sitting there, drinking alone in silence.
Her cheeks were slightly flushed as she stared, bored out of her mind, at the pond outside on the other side.
It was already morning; the warm sunlight shone in from outside, driving away the shadows in the room.
"Lady Tsunade, don't start drinking here so early in the morning."
Shizune, holding a little pink pig in her arms, walked into the room. Looking at Tsunade drinking alone, there was deep resentment in her eyes.
"What's the problem? I'm just making good use of the beautiful morning to enjoy some peace and quiet by myself. You really are no fun, Shizune."
Tsunade ignored Shizune's advice and continued to sip from her cup at her own pace. More than drinking, it looked like she was indulging in something.
Seeing this, Shizune could only let out a sigh.
Maybe she'd heard some unpleasant rumors, and that's why she was letting herself go like this.
Was it because of all the awful things happening recently in Konoha, or the situation in the Land of Demons? Perhaps both.
"What's past is past. Lady Tsunade, you have to look forward."
Shizune said anxiously.
"Relax. I haven't fallen so low that I need a little girl to comfort me."
Tsunade waved her hand, not taking Shizune's words to heart.
Only, the liquor that went down her throat seemed to carry a faint bitterness.
Shizune had no choice but to sit to the side, put the pink pig down from her arms, and start tidying up the things in the room.
Just as she was cleaning up, the door at the inner corridor opened again.
Tsunade and Shizune both subconsciously looked up; it was an older man with white hair.
"So you really were here, Tsunade. Long time no see."
Seeing Tsunade, he smiled and greeted her.
"Lord Jiraiya?"
Shizune was slightly stunned; she hadn't expected to run into Jiraiya at a time like this.
Tsunade snorted lightly. It wasn't strange at all that Jiraiya had found her. She could avoid Anbu's surveillance, but Jiraiya's information‑gathering ability was very strong; slipping past this guy's eyes and ears was no easy thing.
"Aren't you supposed to be traveling all over the Ninja Realm, writing your smutty novels along the way? What are you doing coming to see an over‑the‑hill woman like me?"
Tsunade asked in puzzlement.
"Can't we rekindle an old flame?"
Jiraiya stroked his chin, lecherously eyeing Tsunade's chest up and down.
"If you're looking to die, just say so sooner."
Tsunade narrowed her eyes, her mood decidedly foul.
Jiraiya choked for a moment. As far back as his memory went, it seemed he had never once been treated gently by Tsunade.
Just where was he inferior to that Katou Dan?
When it came to women, in this world there was no one who understood them better than Jiraiya.
"Let's put the book business aside for now. I came here because I want to ask you about something."
Jiraiya sat down across from Tsunade as if it were the most natural thing in the world, not treating himself as an outsider. He poured himself a cup and accompanied Tsunade in drinking.
"Something? What do you want to ask? If it's about the village, forget it. I've been away a long time; I can't answer much."
Tsunade's gaze was a bit hazy, her expression somewhat unfocused.
Jiraiya fell silent for a moment, then sighed and said to Tsunade, "Don't worry, it doesn't have much to do with the village."
"Then what's so important that you had to come in person? Or is this something Teacher Sarutobi arranged?"
Tsunade asked.
Jiraiya shook his head.
"This is my own decision. It has nothing to do with Teacher Sarutobi."
"Then go ahead."
Tsunade gently swirled the cup in her hand. Her cheeks were slightly red; she was a bit drunk.
"How much do you know about Chiba Hakushi?"
As soon as Jiraiya asked this question, the atmosphere in the room changed from what it had been a moment before.
It became a stifling sort of mood.
Shizune held her breath. The pink pig beside her was trembling, frightened by the pressure rolling off Tsunade.
Jiraiya ignored Tsunade's intimidation and stared straight into her eyes, without yielding an inch.
"He's no longer a ninja of Konoha, but an enemy of Konoha."
Jiraiya said this.
Tsunade thought for a moment, then looked deeply at Jiraiya.
"So, the village is secretly moving some kind of operation."
"That's because…"
"Forget it. It has nothing to do with me. Even if they informed me, I wouldn't be able to act with you. As for information on Chiba Hakushi, I reported it to Teacher Sarutobi a long time ago. Since Teacher Sarutobi has already made his decision… what, he won't even show you the intel?"
Tsunade asked.
Jiraiya said, "That's not it… I'm naturally aware of that part of the intel. I also know about him using Immortal Technique. I just want to figure out whether you can restrain the Katsuyu Sage of Shikkotsu Forest and keep it from taking part in the coming battle."
The Katsuyu Sage was the sole ruler of Shikkotsu Forest.
Like the Great Toad Sage of Mount Myoboku, it was an ancient being dating back a thousand years.
The Katsuyu Tsunade summoned in the past was only a part of the Katsuyu Sage. To fully summon the complete Katsuyu Sage was beyond Tsunade's power.
Even so, the Katsuyu Sage's abilities were tremendously powerful on the battlefield.
Healing‑type Summoning Beasts were exceedingly rare in the Ninja Realm.
"Mm… I can't."
Tsunade thought briefly, then directly shook her head, indicating she couldn't do it.
Her relationship with Katsuyu was very good, but Katsuyu was also a Summoning Beast that respected contracts.