Chapter 52
At this gathering, Kizaru didn't indulge himself the way he had when he messed with Sarutobi Shinnosuke last time.
He only sipped his drink, picked at a few small dishes, and chatted with his senpai.
Over the past two years, gatherings with the four of them had become increasingly rare.
Tsunade was busy with hospital work and training medical ninja, so her schedule was always full.
Orochimaru was obsessed with developing ninjutsu and pursuing biological research, rarely showing his face outside.
Jiraiya used "collecting material for his novel" as an excuse to travel everywhere.
But in truth, he was searching across the shinobi world for the Child of Prophecy.
Thinking of that, Kizaru suddenly grew curious.
He wondered whether the Great Toad Sage had foreseen his appearance, and whether Jiraiya had ever mentioned him to Mount Myōboku.
As for the Great Toad Sage, what interested Kizaru most wasn't the prophecy.
It was senjutsu.
Not because he wanted to use it directly, but because he wanted to study it, dissect its principles, and use it as a reference.
Kizaru had his own thoughts and ambitions when it came to Sage Mode and sage chakra. He wanted to create a form of senjutsu that belonged to him alone.
Back when he had watched Naruto before reincarnating, Kizaru had noticed that the holy lands behind the Sannin seemed to hold the true core of senjutsu.
The clearest example was this:
The senjutsu practiced at Mount Myōboku by Jiraiya and Naruto only allowed them to temporarily absorb natural energy and balance it inside the body. They were not truly digesting or assimilating natural energy as part of themselves.
The sages of the three great holy lands, however, were clearly different.
If they couldn't directly absorb and refine natural energy, they would never have lived for so long.
There was a world of difference between temporarily storing energy and truly digesting it.
That was why the kind of senjutsu Kizaru wanted was one that could absorb natural energy, adapt to the human body, and suit him perfectly.
As his thoughts drifted toward the idea of creating a new form of senjutsu, Kizaru's gaze shifted to Orochimaru.
When it came to scientific talent and the development of ninjutsu, there was probably no one in the entire shinobi world who could compare to Orochimaru, a man who had already grasped the essence of countless techniques.
It looks like after the Second Shinobi War ends, I'll need to have a proper talk with this senpai.
Sensing Kizaru's gaze, Orochimaru, who had spent most of the night silently listening to Jiraiya and Tsunade talk, turned slightly and gave his kohai a faint smile.
Kizaru smiled back, pushed those thoughts aside, picked up the glass in front of him, and rejoined the conversation.
The four of them chatted for a long time.
It wasn't until nearly midnight, around eleven or twelve, that they finally stepped out of the izakaya, all carrying the scent of alcohol.
Jiraiya, already dead drunk, was being supported by Orochimaru, who wore an openly disgusted expression as he walked in front.
Tsunade, her cheeks flushed from drinking, walked beside Kizaru.
The cold night wind sweeping through the street cleared some of the haze from her eyes.
Then Tsunade reached into her clothes, took out the scroll she had prepared beforehand, and handed it to Kizaru.
"This is the method for learning my chakra-enhanced strength," Tsunade said in a low voice when she saw the curiosity in his eyes. "I'm giving it to you."
"What a generous gift, Tsunade-nee-san." Kizaru smiled as he took the scroll without the slightest bit of ceremony.
"You brat, at least act a little polite," Tsunade snapped, raising an arm and jabbing him hard in the side.
Rubbing the sore spot at his waist, Kizaru grinned and sighed dramatically.
"Oooh… that hurt. Tsunade-nee-san, you've got such a scary temper."
Tsunade shot him a fierce glare before continuing, "I heard from the old man that your physical condition and chakra control are both excellent. It shouldn't be too hard for you to learn this technique."
She paused, then added, "I don't have much going on lately. Starting tomorrow, come to the hospital every afternoon. I'll guide your training myself."
"Then I'll be in your care," Kizaru replied as he slipped the scroll into his pocket.
"I watched your spar with the old man," Tsunade said. "This technique suits your taijutsu very well. It should be useful to you."
She hadn't given Kizaru this technique on a whim. She had thought it through carefully.
Kizaru nodded.
As he imagined Tsunade's chakra-enhanced strength combined with Armament Haki, his taijutsu, the power of the Glint-Glint Fruit, and the physical abilities he had inherited from Admiral Kizaru in his prime, he suddenly had a strange realization.
His fighting style was becoming more and more violent.
And in the future, once he fully fused with Admiral Kizaru's peak physical abilities and mastered his Haki at its highest level...
In the entire shinobi world… how many people could truly withstand a single kick from him?
"You brat, what are you daydreaming about?"
Tsunade's voice pulled Kizaru back to reality.
"Something pleasant," Kizaru replied with a smile.
"Tch." Tsunade snorted, then looked at him seriously. "Be careful these days. Don't leave the village unless you have to. The bounty on your head in the black market has already risen to seven hundred million ryō."
"That really is a scary number," Kizaru said with an easy smile.
"You brat, I'm serious." Tsunade frowned, clearly worried that he would underestimate the danger and ignore his own safety.
Faced with the concern of his senpai, Kizaru let his usual teasing smile fade and answered in a calmer tone.
"Don't worry. My head is worth more than that."
Seeing the rare seriousness on his face, Tsunade finally relaxed a little. She lifted her hand and patted his arm.
"Take care of yourself," she said. "I don't want to see you lying in a hospital bed."
"Instead of worrying about me, shouldn't you be more worried about Jiraiya-aniki?" Kizaru said. "He's the one who loves running all over the place."
As he spoke, he looked at Tsunade, and on a sudden whim, raised his right hand.
At one hundred ninety centimeters tall, Kizaru had no trouble placing his palm on the head of Tsunade, who stood at one hundred sixty-three.
Then, just like he often did with Namikaze Minato, he casually ruffled her soft golden hair.
Mm. Nice to the touch.
He praised it silently in his heart.
And before Tsunade could fully react, Kizaru took advantage of her momentary daze and vanished with the Body Flicker Technique.
The instant he disappeared, Tsunade snapped back to herself.
Her beautiful face flushed red, not from embarrassment, but from rage.
"Kizaru! I'm going to kill you!"
With an angry shout, Tsunade shot off in the direction he had fled.
Jiraiya and Orochimaru, who had been walking ahead, noticed the disturbance behind them just as Kizaru escaped.
They hadn't seen him pat Tsunade's head. When they turned around, all they saw was Tsunade roaring in fury.
In the next instant, Tsunade's figure disappeared from their sight as well.
The two exchanged confused looks.
"What just happened?" Jiraiya asked, his drunken eyes half-open as he turned to Orochimaru.
Looking at him with a trace of pity, Orochimaru said flatly, "I'll take you home."
"Aren't we going to worry about Kizaru? Tsunade, that female tyran—hic—tyrannosaurus can really kill people." Jiraiya slurred mockingly, then let out a loud hiccup.
For a brief moment, Orochimaru felt an overwhelming urge to kill this idiot first.
Boom!
A figure crashed heavily back to the ground.
Tsunade had failed to catch up to Kizaru's speed and had no choice but to return.
"Orochimaru, look! The female tyrannosaurus is back! Hahaha!" Jiraiya pointed at Tsunade, laughing foolishly.
Without a second of hesitation, Orochimaru released the hand that had been supporting Jiraiya and used the Body Flicker Technique to instantly put distance between himself and this suicidal fool.
"Jiraiya!"
Already furious, Tsunade exploded the moment she heard him say it.
At that moment, under the pressure of Tsunade's murderous aura, Jiraiya sobered up just a little.
It's over. I'm dead.
Cold sweat instantly broke out across his back.
"Tsunade, I was wrong!" Jiraiya shouted, throwing himself into a defensive stance as he loudly admitted defeat.
"Go to hell!"
The only thing he got in return was Tsunade's furious roar—
and an iron fist flying straight at him.
--------------------------------------
Support me at patreon.com/Arthorain and read upto 50 Advanced Chapters and R-18 Content!
--------------------------------------
Update schedule: 7 chapters/week
Every 200 power stones = 1 Extra Chapter
By voting with [power stones], you can easily get double the number of chapters.