Tsunade's return to Konohagakure was undoubtedly one of the most significant events the village had experienced in recent months. Her arrival represented not only the end of the political uncertainty that had plagued the Hidden Leaf since the Third Hokage's death, but also the beginning of a new era under fresh leadership.
When Shihouin Naraku arrived at the main gates of Konoha, he discovered that word of Tsunade's imminent arrival had not yet spread throughout the village. Most of the residents and even many of the ninja were still unaware that their new Hokage was about to make her triumphant return.
Three of Konoha's most prominent leaders had gathered at the village entrance to provide an appropriate welcome for the legendary Sannin. Shihouin Naraku stood alongside Tenzo and Nara Shikaku, all three maintaining dignified postures as they waited patiently for Tsunade's arrival.
Hagane Kotetsu and Kamizuki Izumo, the two chunin who were responsible for manning the village gates during this shift, observed the gathering of high-ranking officials with obvious confusion and curiosity. They exchanged bewildered glances as they tried to understand what could possibly warrant such an impressive reception committee.
Who exactly was coming to visit their village? What kind of person could command such respect that three of Konoha's top leaders would personally come to the gates to greet them?
Of course, Tenzo was wearing his standard ANBU mask, which concealed his identity from the gate guards. However, the very fact that he was standing as an equal alongside Shihouin Naraku and Nara Shikaku clearly indicated that regardless of his specific title or position, he held considerable authority within the village hierarchy.
Kotetsu and Izumo looked at each other once more and immediately straightened their postures, determined to present their best professional appearance. Although they had no idea who was approaching the village, they understood that it would be wise to perform their duties with exceptional diligence and attention to detail.
Time passed slowly as the small group maintained their vigil at the gates. Eventually, four distinct figures appeared on the main road leading to Konohagakure, gradually growing larger as they approached the village entrance.
As the travelers drew closer, their identities became clearly visible to the waiting reception committee.
Tsunade, Jiraiya, Uzumaki Naruto, and Shizune were walking steadily toward the gates of their home village. The group appeared to be in good spirits, chatting casually among themselves as they completed the final leg of their journey.
"Hey there! You're finally back!" Shihouin Naraku called out with a warm smile as the four travelers came within speaking distance.
The returning group looked up at the small welcoming committee that had gathered to greet them, and their faces lit up with genuine pleasure at seeing familiar faces and the bustling activity of their beloved village.
Tsunade's gaze swept across the village that spread out before her - a place that was both intimately familiar and somehow strange after her years of absence. She found herself thinking about the enormous responsibility she was about to accept. Starting today, she would officially become the Fifth Hokage of Konohagakure, following in the footsteps of her grandfather, the First Hokage, and her great-uncle, the Second Hokage.
Could she really live up to their legacy? Did she possess the strength, wisdom, and dedication necessary to protect Konoha Village and guide it through the challenges that lay ahead?
"Naraku, I successfully brought Tsunade back home, just as I promised," Jiraiya said quietly as he approached Shihouin Naraku. "Now please don't send me on any more troublesome missions like this one, okay?"
The white-haired Sannin's tone was joking, but there was an underlying note of genuine exhaustion that suggested the journey had not been entirely without its difficulties and complications.
Shihouin Naraku responded with a thumbs-up gesture, indicating his understanding and appreciation for Jiraiya's successful completion of the mission.
"Naraku, look how handsome and mature you've become," Tsunade observed with obvious approval as she unceremoniously pushed Jiraiya aside and stepped forward to examine her former student more closely. "Very impressive. I'm quite pleased with how you've developed."
Although Tsunade had always given Shihouin Naraku considerable freedom to make his own choices and follow his own path, it was clear that her hands-off approach had produced excellent results. Naraku had grown into exactly the kind of capable, confident leader she had hoped he would become.
The thought filled her with immense pride in her student's accomplishments.
"Tsunade-sensei!" Shihouin Naraku responded with a respectful bow and a warm smile, while Nara Shikaku and Tenzo also stepped forward to offer their own welcomes to the returning legend.
"It looks like everyone has been doing quite well during my absence," Tsunade remarked with satisfaction as she observed the obvious health and competence of the people around her.
"Hey, you troublemaker..." she continued with mock sternness.
Without any warning or hesitation, Tsunade suddenly moved forward and grabbed Shihouin Naraku, pulling the high-ranking Konoha official against her side in what could only be described as a sideways embrace. She lowered her voice to a whisper, though her tone carried clear notes of playful accusation.
"Naraku, you've been causing me quite a bit of trouble, you know. While your teacher has been living as a wanderer in the outside world, you've been creating all sorts of problems for me. Do you have any idea how this has affected my lifestyle?"
The familiar scent of Tsunade's perfume filled Naraku's nostrils as he found himself pressed against her side, experiencing the legendary Sannin's affectionate but slightly overwhelming greeting after so many years apart.
While this physical contact was admittedly quite pleasant, Shihouin Naraku still felt the need to defend himself against her accusations. "Sensei, what are you talking about? I haven't seen you for so many years - how could I possibly have been causing you trouble?"
"Hmph!" Tsunade snorted in response, though her tone remained more amused than truly annoyed.
She released her hold on Naraku and continued her explanation. "You've developed Konoha's medical facilities and services so effectively that people no longer need to seek me out for treatment when they're traveling outside the village. Do you realize that this has seriously reduced my ability to earn extra money? I've had to significantly cut back on my gambling activities because of the decreased income!"
Tsunade delivered this complaint without the slightest trace of embarrassment or shame, as though she genuinely believed that maintaining her gambling habits was a perfectly reasonable justification for criticizing improvements to the village's healthcare system.
Everyone within hearing distance of this conversation developed visible sweat drops on their foreheads as they processed the absurdity of her logic.
"Ahaha... well, you know how these things go," Tsunade continued with a hearty laugh, placing her hands on her hips in a confident pose. Meanwhile, Shizune stood nearby holding her pet pig Tonton, wearing an expression of profound embarrassment at her mentor's shameless admission.
"Hey, hey, Naraku-sama!" Uzumaki Naruto suddenly interjected, jumping up and down to attract the attention of the group. "How is Sasuke doing right now? Has he been released from the hospital yet?"
When Naruto and Jiraiya had originally left the village to search for Tsunade, Sasuke had still been confined to the hospital, recovering from the injuries he had sustained during his confrontation with his brother Itachi.
"Ah, you're asking about Uchiha Sasuke," Naraku replied thoughtfully. "He was discharged from the hospital quite some time ago. I believe he's currently spending most of his time engaged in intensive training. You'd better make sure he doesn't leave you too far behind in terms of strength and skill."
"Hahaha!" Uzumaki Naruto responded by copying Tsunade's confident pose, placing his hands on his hips and laughing loudly. "That doesn't matter at all! I learned some incredibly powerful new techniques during this trip. Sasuke is definitely going to look at me with completely different eyes when he sees what I can do now!"
"Haha... yes, he'll certainly look at you differently," Shihouin Naraku agreed, though his thoughts had taken a more somber turn.
The mention of Sasuke's reaction to Naruto's new abilities reminded him of a potentially serious concern. In the original timeline, it had been partially due to Naruto's dramatic improvement in strength that Sasuke had felt compelled to leave Konoha in search of greater power. If Orochimaru was indeed still alive and actively recruiting, this could indirectly contribute to pushing Sasuke toward making that fateful decision to abandon the village.
This realization caused Naraku to pause in sudden contemplation. Had Orochimaru actually managed to resurrect himself from the spiritual wounds inflicted by the Zanpakuto? If the legendary Sannin had not been successfully revived, would that mean Uchiha Sasuke might remain in Konoha for the time being, rather than seeking out the rogue ninja for training?
The group continued their casual conversation as they made their way through the village streets toward the Hokage building. By the time they reached their destination, both Uzumaki Naruto and Jiraiya had already departed to attend to their own business, while Tenzo and Shikaku had also offered their farewells and left to return to their respective duties.
This left only Shihouin Naraku accompanying Tsunade and Shizune as they entered the Hokage building for the first time since Tsunade's return.
The building had been thoroughly cleaned and renovated in preparation for the new Hokage's arrival. Every surface gleamed with fresh polish, and the entire structure had been restored to pristine condition, ready to serve as the seat of power for Konoha's new leader.
"Ahh, it's been so many years since I last set foot in this place," Tsunade remarked with a mixture of nostalgia and apprehension as Naraku guided her through a brief tour of the building.
"Tsk, it seems like nothing has really changed," she observed as they walked through the familiar corridors. "That old man always was sentimental about maintaining traditions and preserving the past."
When they reached the memorial wall displaying portraits of all the previous Hokages, Tsunade stopped in front of the image of the Third Hokage, Sarutobi Hiruzen. She stood in silent contemplation for several long minutes, her expression unreadable as various thoughts and emotions played across her features.
"Ugh, I'm already feeling irritated just thinking about all the work I'm going to have to do," Tsunade finally said as she settled into a cross-legged sitting position, her voice carrying clear notes of reluctance and boredom.
At that moment, Utatane Koharu and Mitokado Homura arrived at the building and positioned themselves in front of Tsunade alongside Shihouin Naraku. The two elderly advisors studied the legendary Sannin with expressions of cautious evaluation.
"Tsunade," Koharu began in a stern, authoritative tone, "now that you're about to become the Hokage, you need to abandon your previous irresponsible behaviors and conduct yourself with appropriate dignity."
Tsunade waved her hands dismissively in response to this lecture. "Yeah, yeah, yeah... I understand," she replied without much enthusiasm.
Ignoring Tsunade's obvious lack of interest in ceremonial matters, Shihouin Naraku proceeded with his official report. "The news of sensei's return has already been communicated to the Daimyo of the Land of Fire, and the village has completed all preparations for the official inauguration ceremony."
"Really? I haven't even officially become Hokage yet, and I'm already feeling overwhelmed by all the responsibilities," Tsunade complained, pressing her pale hands against her forehead in a gesture of mock despair.
Naraku continued with his briefing. "Information about Tsunade-sensei's return to assume the position of Fifth Hokage has been posted throughout the village. Within the next few days, this news will spread to every corner of Konoha Village and the broader Land of Fire."
This widespread publicity campaign was absolutely necessary under the current circumstances. Tsunade had been away from the village for many years, traveling as a wandering medical ninja. While most people were familiar with her reputation as one of the legendary Sannin, there were many citizens, particularly among the younger generation, who had never actually seen her or knew very little about her specific accomplishments and qualifications.
Recognizing this potential problem, Konoha Village had begun promoting Tsunade's past achievements and establishing her credentials as soon as the decision had been made to offer her the position of Fifth Hokage. This advance preparation ensured that when her appointment was officially announced, the people would understand exactly who she was and why she had been chosen for this crucial leadership role.
After spending some time discussing the specific details and logistics of the upcoming inauguration ceremony, Utatane Koharu and Mitokado Homura excused themselves and departed together, leaving Tsunade and Naraku alone to continue their conversation.
"Hey, Naraku," Tsunade said with renewed interest as she nudged him playfully with her elbow. "That was quite impressive! Even when the old man was in charge, he often had to defer to those two elders and accommodate their wishes. But somehow you've managed to seize power away from them and establish your own authority. How did you pull that off?"
"Maybe it's because I've always believed in respecting the elderly and caring for the young," Shihouin Naraku replied with obvious amusement at his own diplomatic answer. "But let's set that topic aside for now. Sensei, did you happen to encounter Orochimaru during your travels?"
"Ah, yes, we did meet him!" Tsunade responded casually, as though discussing an encounter with any ordinary acquaintance. "We ended up fighting, but he managed to escape in the end."
Tsunade's casual tone suggested that the confrontation had been relatively straightforward, but the reality of the situation had been far more complex and dangerous than her simple summary indicated.
Although Orochimaru was indeed hampered by his inability to use one of his hands due to the spiritual injury inflicted by the Zanpakuto, his condition was still significantly better than it had been in the original timeline, where both of his arms had been completely sealed and rendered useless.
Therefore, during the three-way battle between the legendary Sannin, Orochimaru had actually maintained a clear advantage over his former teammates for most of the encounter.
Of course, this advantage had been facilitated by several factors that worked in his favor. Tsunade was still suffering from her hemophobia, which severely limited her combat effectiveness whenever she was exposed to blood. Additionally, she had not engaged in serious combat for many years, making her somewhat rusty in terms of fighting skills and tactical awareness. Meanwhile, Jiraiya had been drugged by Tsunade prior to the battle, which had significantly reduced his ability to perform at his usual level of strength and capability.
Despite these complications, the final outcome had still been reasonably positive from Konoha's perspective. Orochimaru had been forced to retreat after sustaining considerable damage, and he had failed to achieve whatever objectives had motivated him to seek out the confrontation in the first place.
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