The middle-aged man, completely drenched, stood dripping before Tsunade.
"Tsunade, are you… jealous? I…"
Bang!
Whoosh!
The man was sent flying backwards even faster than he had appeared, landing squarely in the hot spring with a tremendous splash. Chaos erupted in the bath once again.
Meanwhile, in the nearby teahouse, Okamoto Dousuke sat quietly, occasionally picking up the teapot to refill Tsunade's cup.
Tsunade picked up the freshly filled teacup and took small, delicate sips.
Jiraiya, sitting opposite Tsunade, was lying on his side, thoroughly soaked, propping himself up with one arm. He looked at Tsunade and said, "Hey, Tsunade, even if you need a favor, you don't have to resort to such… forceful methods."
"Oh? And what exactly is wrong with my method?" Bang! Tsunade slammed her teacup down on the table, the sound echoing through the small teahouse.
Tsunade's temper flared at Jiraiya's typically lazy demeanor.
"Alright, alright," Jiraiya said, raising his hands in mock surrender. He looked at Tsunade with a more serious expression. "Just tell me what you want from me."
"Oh, right! This is Dousuke, my disciple. You remember him, don't you?" Tsunade gestured towards Okamoto Dousuke, who was diligently pouring tea.
"Of course, of course. He's that impressive kid who almost defeated Kakashi."
Jiraiya then pointed at Okamoto Dousuke and added, "Hey, kid, when you fainted during that little spar, I was the one who caught you, you know."
"Thank you, Lord Jiraiya. Please, have some tea," Okamoto Dousuke replied politely, picking up the teapot and refilling Jiraiya's cup.
"Not bad, kid. Very polite, even says thank you. Hard to believe Tsunade taught you. You're certainly different from your teacher," Jiraiya said with a smile, looking at the teacup in front of him.
"Oh? So then, Jiraiya, what kind of person should I be teaching?" Tsunade asked, flexing her knuckles, the sound of cracking joints filling the air.
Tsunade's pointed question momentarily rendered Jiraiya speechless.
"Didn't you say you wanted to talk to me about something important? Spill it," Jiraiya said quickly, changing the subject under Tsunade's intense gaze. He definitely wasn't eager for another unexpected flight.
"It's like this," Tsunade began, leaning forward slightly. "This kid wants to learn the Flying Thunder God Jutsu! As you well know, I'm not exactly an expert in the intricacies of such advanced ninjutsu. So, I was hoping you could lend a hand."
Jiraiya tilted his head, a confused look on his face. "Flying Thunder God… what exactly did you say?"
"There isn't anyone else in the village who knows it! As far as I can recall, apart from the jutsu's creator, the Second Hokage, it seems only Minato ever mastered it," Tsunade explained.
At this, Jiraiya slapped his forehead, his eyes widening in sudden realization. He opened his mouth and stared at Tsunade. "Wait a minute… you don't want Minato to teach this kid, but you're too embarrassed to ask Minato yourself, so you're coming to me!"
"What are you talking about, you idiot! I just… feel like we have a good rapport. My disciple is practically your disciple too, right?" Tsunade said, not entirely denying Jiraiya's deduction, but her words still held a hint of her characteristic stubbornness.
"Heh, heh, heh, Tsunade! You finally admitted that we have a good rapport!" Jiraiya chuckled lewdly, looking at Tsunade with a mischievous grin.
Bang!
The snacks and tea on the table jumped with the force.
"If you laugh again, I'll knock those teeth of yours so far down your throat you'll taste your dinner from last week."
Looking at the livid expression on Tsunade's face, Jiraiya immediately straightened up, a newfound sobriety washing over him. He cleared his throat twice, attempting to regain his composure. "Don't worry, Tsunade. I'll take this kid and ask Minato for some pointers."
"Thank you for your hard work!" Tsunade leaned forward slightly, offering Jiraiya a sincere bow of gratitude.
"Yeah, yeah, I'll help keep an eye on the little guy, don't worry," Jiraiya replied hastily.
Tsunade remained bowed for a moment longer, and Jiraiya suddenly felt a shadow fall over him. He had expected Tsunade to stand up, but she remained in her bowed position.
Tilting his head down slightly, Jiraiya's gaze fell upon Tsunade's exposed cleavage, the fabric of her top having shifted due to her bending posture.
"Jiraiya!!!!" Tsunade roared, instantly straightening up. With a swift, brutal punch, her fist connected squarely with Jiraiya's head, sending him crashing into the tea table.
"Dousuke. Let's go." Tsunade grabbed a cloak from a nearby hanger and gestured towards Okamoto Dousuke.
"Lord Jiraiya, are you alright?" Okamoto Dousuke asked blankly, still seated at the table with the teapot in his hand, utterly bewildered by Tsunade's sudden and violent outburst.
"I won't die… just yet. I underestimated just how potent Tsunade's fist still is after all these years. Kid, meet me at the village gates tomorrow morning," Jiraiya mumbled, before finally losing consciousness.
"Dousuke, hurry up!" Tsunade called out again, impatiently waiting at the teahouse door.
Push, push, push!
"I'm coming, Teacher!" Okamoto Dousuke replied, setting the teapot down and quickly following Tsunade out of the room.
Walking towards the exit, Tsunade addressed the shop owner, "When that idiot wakes up, he's responsible for all the damages in your store." With that, she left without a backward glance.
Okamoto Dousuke offered the flustered shop owner an apologetic bow before hurrying after Tsunade.
"Dousuke, you'll need to train diligently with that pervert for a while. I can't really help you with the intricacies of the Flying Thunder God Jutsu, and I've recently become engrossed in developing a new sealing technique, so my focus will be elsewhere."
"Since that idiot told you to meet him at the village gates tomorrow morning, you should pack your things and be ready to go," Tsunade said, leaving him standing there as she strode off towards Konoha Hospital.
Watching Tsunade disappear into the distance, Okamoto Dousuke felt a warmth spread through his chest. Tsunade's deliberate orchestration of his training, using Jiraiya as an intermediary to ask Minato, didn't go unnoticed.
After all, the Flying Thunder God Jutsu was Minato Namikaze's signature technique. While Tsunade could have likely asked Minato directly, there might have been some hesitation. But a request coming from Jiraiya, Minato's own sensei, carried a different weight.
Looking in the direction Tsunade had gone, Okamoto Dousuke felt an unexpected sense of comfort and gratitude. He hadn't anticipated finding someone in this dangerous world who genuinely cared about his progress.
A small smile touched his lips as Okamoto Dousuke turned and ran towards his home.
As soon as he reached his front door, he could hear faint music drifting from inside.
Okamoto Dousuke paused, a flicker of suspicion crossing his face. Had he left the door unlocked when he went out?
He gently pushed the door open. The sound of rhythmic chopping could be heard from within, accompanied by a lively humming.
From the direction of his kitchen, however, thick clouds of smoke were billowing out, quickly spreading across the living room ceiling, a hazy gray-blue.
The acrid smell of burning mingled with the faint aroma of… something attempting to be cooked? What in the world was going on? Was someone in his apartment? It didn't make sense.
He patted his head, deciding the best course of action was to investigate.
Okamoto Dousuke tiptoed to the kitchen door and cautiously peeked his head around the corner.