"Jiraiya, you're actually taking on a disciple?"
Kyuushin, who had just walked over, looked shocked, as if he couldn't quite believe it.
"You brat, you call Orochimaru 'big brother,' but you call me by my name directly," Jiraiya said, playfully ruffling Kyuushin's hair.
"And what's so shocking about a great shinobi like me taking on a disciple?"
Kyuushin pushed Jiraiya's hand away and said with a hint of playful disdain, "Nothing, I just feel like you're unreliable. Minato is my friend, and I'm afraid you'll hold him back."
"Hey! You brat, I'm a Jonin of the village, you know," Jiraiya retorted. Seeing that Kyuushin remained unimpressed, he changed his tactic. "I see you guys are practicing chakra control, right? I can tell you a few tricks that will help you learn quickly and well. How about it, interested?"
Hearing this, Kyuushin's eyes lit up with excitement, though he maintained a calm expression.
"Alright, tell me about it."
Jiraiya immediately shared some of the tips he had discovered himself over the years and even demonstrated them.
Among the Third Hokage's three famous students, Tsunade came from a prominent background and Orochimaru possessed extraordinary talent. Only Jiraiya was considered the dead-last when the Third Hokage was their sensei. For him to grow into a renowned figure in the ninja world, even subtly surpassing the other two in strength, would have been impossible without some special talent of his own. The few tricks Jiraiya taught them now, though not profound, were extremely suitable for their current level.
This showed that while he didn't have Orochimaru's knack for immediately grasping ninjutsu, he was often able to learn from each failure and find the most suitable path for himself, eventually surpassing ordinary ninjas.
Soon, under Jiraiya's guidance, all three completed their tree-climbing training. The advanced training after tree climbing is water walking, which is much more difficult. Tree climbing only requires gathering a certain amount of chakra at the soles of the feet, but water walking requires the amount of chakra to constantly change according to the fluctuations of the water's surface. That constant adjustment is the biggest difference between the two exercises.
However, Jiraiya left after teaching them tree climbing, and Kyuushin had no intention of teaching them water walking at this time. The reason was simple: it was spring, and although the temperature had risen, falling into the water during training would still be very uncomfortable. Moreover, they had just finished learning tree climbing. Waiting until they adapted for a while longer before learning water walking would also yield much better results.
The group rested for a bit, and as dusk approached, they prepared to head home.
Meanwhile, Tsunade had returned to the Senju clan compound after leaving the Hokage's office at noon. Mito was resting in the pavilion, basking in the sun and drinking tea. She was surprised to see Tsunade return so early.
"Why are you back so early today? I thought it would be at least midnight."
Tsunade didn't answer immediately. Instead, she plopped down, picked up the tea from the table, and took a big gulp. Only after her thirst was somewhat quenched did she speak. "The Third just called us to his office."
Seeing that Mito had no intention of responding, she continued, "His target is Kyuushin."
Mito chuckled softly. "I guessed as much."
"What do you think, then?" Tsunade asked.
"First, tell me what the Third told you."
"He wants me to take Kyuushin on as a disciple after he graduates."
Mito laughed. "That old monkey is still so impatient."
The atmosphere became somewhat heavy. After a moment, Mito's faint voice was heard. "What do you think of that boy?"
"I don't know, but I feel he's different from other children. He's very mature, not at all impulsive."
Mito nodded. "Indeed. I've observed him several times using the Nine-Tails' power and found that every word he says seems to be held back. Do you know what he told me his dream was?" Mito spoke to herself, not waiting for Tsunade's answer.
"He said he wanted to become a great ninja like Grandfather Hashirama. But I can sense that this isn't the complete truth. What he said at the academy was, 'You wouldn't understand my dream, so I won't say it.' I believe that is his true statement."
"What does that signify?" Tsunade frowned, trying to follow Mito's line of thought.
"It means that what he wants to do is similar to Hashirama's goals, but also surpasses them. That is why he would say such a thing."
"Huh? He's just a child. Where would he get such a grand dream?"
Mito glanced at her and said irritably, "Didn't Hashirama also want to build a village when he was a child? Did anyone understand him back then?"
"But ultimately, aren't these all just your conjectures?" Tsunade couldn't help but retort. "Perhaps he just hadn't thought about how to say it, which is why he said that in front of his classmates. Later, when you asked, he might have just wanted to please you." Tsunade was inherently a straightforward person; she didn't enjoy pondering such complex issues.
Hearing Tsunade's response, Mito decided not to delve deeper. Besides, Tsunade was right; these were all just her own speculations.
So Tsunade returned to the topic of taking on a disciple.
"I originally intended to entrust the Nine-Tails to a male, as female jinchuriki ultimately have weaknesses," Mito said. "However, that boy's aptitude is indeed excellent. If given time, he might truly grow to Hashirama's level of strength. In that case, making him the Nine-Tails jinchuriki might be more trouble than it's worth and could even hinder his growth."
Although she could now control the Nine-Tails' power and unleash strength comparable to Hashirama's, she didn't believe a boy in his teens could reach her level of mastery. Moreover, the Nine-Tails itself is an external force and is inherently inferior to power gained through diligent training.
Mito was conflicted. She had originally planned to consider this issue after some time, as her current physical condition could easily last another seven or eight years.
"Then let's just wait a bit longer. Anyway, the old man hasn't asked me to take on a disciple right now. It's the same if they follow you for now, Grandma."
Mito sighed. "At an appropriate time, I will ask for the child's own opinion, and then I'll see what his character is like."
"Huh? You're going to be honest with them so soon? Aren't you going to wait for them to stay in Konoha for a few more days?" Tsunade asked, surprised.
Mito irritably tapped her granddaughter's head. "Do you think everyone is as dense as you? That boy, Kyuushin, has probably already guessed our intentions."
Tsunade rubbed the spot that had just been tapped and mumbled softly, "I'm not stupid, you know."
Mito was speechless and couldn't be bothered to talk to her anymore. If she had known this would happen, she should have insisted Tobirama have children. With Tobirama's shrewdness, his descendants surely wouldn't have been so dull.