Chapter 268: Tsunade's Worries
Konoha Village was the strongest, with a plethora of masters. It currently possessed the military might to simultaneously wage war against any two major ninja villages and achieve victory.
Jiraiya remained calm, continuously sending envoys to liaise with the other four great ninja villages. No matter how those Daimyo and lords fought, they absolutely must not participate in the war.
Kakashi, Asuma, and Shikaku went to various places and achieved some success. Only Iwagakure (Hidden Stone Village) posed a problem. They were unyielding; the envoys couldn't even get an audience with the Third Tsuchikage, let alone inquire about his views on the current war between nations.
Jiraiya mulled it over and formally assigned Tsunade a mission, having the so-called "Tsunade Squad" represent him on a trip to Iwagakure to personally meet the Third Tsuchikage and explain the severity of the current situation.
Although Tsunade didn't become Hokage, her "status in the martial world" was undeniable; no one could ignore her.
The Third Tsuchikage was more than twenty years older than Tsunade, almost two full cycles, but if reckoned from the First Hokage and First Tsuchikage, he and Tsunade were definitely peers.
Your grandfather was the First Tsuchikage? What a coincidence, my grandfather was the First Hokage.
You're older? That doesn't matter!
"Let's go! We're going to the Land of Earth! I hear the Third Tsuchikage's granddaughter is also a powerhouse among the younger generation. Ino, get ready!" Tsunade's tone, like someone about to kick down a dojo's door, left Ino and Shizune speechless.
The little pig, Tonton, squealed "Puyo puyo" a couple of times, seemingly very happy about the prospect of visiting another country.
Konoha Village was great in every way, except the villagers' gazes towards it weren't very friendly, especially those Akimichi fatties. Just thinking about them was terrifying!
The four-"person" squad left the village, ostensibly heading for the Land of Earth. As they walked, they ended up in the Land of Hot Water, a hub for leisure and entertainment.
Gambling! Drinking! Gambling!
Tsunade was about to burst. When they left the village in the morning, they were heading northwest towards the Land of Earth; by the afternoon, they had veered northeast to the Land of Hot Water.
The Land of Hot Water, as its name suggested, was a land of hot springs.
Konoha also had hot springs, but there was a peeping Tom there, so it ultimately wasn't as relaxing as this place.
The three of them and the pig sipped on sake while soaking in the hot spring; it couldn't have been more delightful.
The "big white-legged" senior apprentice (Shizune) was quite responsible, constantly asking about the mission. Tsunade, annoyed by her persistence, waved her hand: "You don't understand Ohnoki! Even if we go to Iwagakure now, he won't see us. That guy is just too stubborn. I've sent a letter to Kitsuchi, asking him to persuade his father. We'll set off when we hear back!"
After soaking in the hot spring, Tsunade went back to her room to rest first.
Ino, Shizune, and Tonton looked at each other in the pool.
"Lady Tsunade doesn't seem very happy," Shizune whispered.
"Really?" Ino hadn't really noticed; she seemed quite happy when gambling earlier.
"Puyo puyo." Tonton looked at Ino with a reproachful gaze, as if to say, Are you a pig? So dense, even I noticed.
Ino thought carefully. Tsunade did seem a bit down, but she didn't quite understand the thoughts of a fifty-year-old auntie and couldn't pinpoint the exact reason.
Shizune lowered her voice: "Last night, I heard Lady Tsunade talking in her sleep, seeming to call out her uncle's and her younger brother Nawaki's names."
Ino knew the "uncle" Shizune referred to was Tsunade's fated lover, Dan Kato. If it weren't for Dan Kato's involvement, she and Jiraiya might have had grandchildren by now.
"Then... then what can we do to help? Senior apprentice, you're not thinking of Edo Tensei, are you?"
Shizune shot her a look. Can't you think of a more worldly solution?
She lowered her voice: "I heard that deep within the Land of Hot Water, there's a Revival Hot Spring where one can see the deceased..."
Tonton shivered, as if hearing something terrifying.
Ino narrowed her eyes and said nothing. Senior apprentice, your idea sounds like something born from the ramblings of ignorant fools. Chakra is omnipotent; we should believe in ninjutsu. How can we believe in such things?
"We must help Lady Tsunade resolve her worries!" Shizune said with great determination.
What else could Ino say? She nodded vigorously: "Alright, alright, sure, Revival Hot Spring, right? For Lady Tsunade, hmm, let's find it..."
Worried that Tonton might be mistaken for mobile rations by outsiders, they left the pet pig at the inn. Ino and Shizune split up to search for clues related to the Revival Hot Spring.
Shizune was truly serious about Tsunade's matter. Despite her low chakra reserves, she used Multiple Shadow Clones as soon as she left the inn. Ino never expected that this senior apprentice, whose chakra levels rivaled Kakashi's, would be so persistent. Left with no choice, she also had to create fifty shadow clones to gather information.
By evening, the two rendezvoused.
They had inquired in several surrounding towns and villages.
Ino said with a serious expression: "There indeed is such a Revival Hot Spring. Many people say they've seen their deceased relatives there, and it seems they can even talk to the dead."
Shizune frowned: "But I heard there's an age limit for the Revival Hot Spring, seemingly only for girls under eighteen..."
There was a hint of dissatisfaction in her voice. How am I not a young girl? At most, I'm just eighteen years and one hundred and twenty months old.
The two were skilled and bold, mainly because Ino wasn't afraid of trouble now. True or false, they would find out by going to see.
They couldn't use force for now. What if the "eighteen-year-old girl" was a mandatory condition? Only Ino could go and check.
If it didn't work, she'd come back. If it did work, she'd also come back, and they would discuss it together.
"Alright, I'll go take a look. Tonton, come on, with me." Ino kept smiling. Giving me things to do, you pig, don't you idle around either.
Tonton: "???"
Why do I have to go on such a dangerous mission? I'm a pig, not a ninja!
Ino said her temperament didn't resemble that of a village girl. Shizune thought it made sense.
"Alright, for Lady Tsunade's sake, Tonton, be good."
Before Tonton could object, she stuffed the pet pig into Ino's arms.
Because it involved the issue of "sincerity brings results," Ino didn't use a transformation jutsu. She just changed into a linen dress, undid her ponytail, and removed the Ino-Shika-Cho earrings and Reaper Death Seal beads. Then, with a plain face, she carried Tonton and walked to the town closest to the Revival Hot Spring.
These people gathering a large group of defenseless eighteen-year-old girls in the middle of the night, no matter how you look at it, something is fishy.
When a middle-aged woman who looked very much like a shady tour guide asked for her name, Ino started to spin a tale.
"Where are you from, what's your name? Who do you want to see?"
Ino held Tonton in her arms and said with feigned trepidation, "My name is Emma, I'm from the Land of Ashina, and I want to see my older brother, Genichiro."
The middle-aged woman glanced at her, wrote a few words on a small wooden plaque, and then handed it to her: "Take this. Someone will take you to the Revival Hot Spring later."
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