The paper door was heavily yanked open. Tsunade and Jiraiya, still carrying the scent of gunpowder from their previous argument, rushed over to Takuno's small table.
"Takuno!" Jiraiya spoke first. His signature white hair was slightly messy under the light, but his eyes were exceptionally sharp. He stared intently at Takuno, his voice booming.
"Listen up, kid, don't you dare embarrass me!" His tone carried unquestionable expectation and a hint of suppressed tension. "Huh?" Takuno's brow subtly twitched, and a question instantly formed in his eyes.
Jiraiya's sudden declaration left him slightly confused. What exactly had happened?
What was the cause of that seemingly sudden argument, and why did it lead back to him?
Almost simultaneously, Tsunade's scrutiny fell upon him. Her cheeks were flushed red from alcohol, like fine rouge had been applied. Her usual arrogance was softened by a hint of intoxication, but deep within that haziness, her probing gaze remained sharp as a knife.
"Hmph!" A cold snort escaped her nose, carrying undeniable authority. "You want to be my disciple? Kid, it's not as simple as you think! Follow me!"
Her tone was decisive, like announcing the start of a trial, yet it also carried an irresistible pressure.
Becoming the disciple of Princess Tsunade? Was a test imminent?
Thoughts raced through Takuno's mind.
The answer was obvious: no matter what lay ahead, he could not, and would not, refuse.
This was not just a question of "wanting to," but a challenge he "must face."
Without the slightest hesitation, he put down his cup and followed them, along with Shizune.
Shizune's gaze flickered between Lady Tsunade's declaration and Takuno's calm reaction, her eyes filled with unprecedented surprise and curiosity.
The two followed the backs of the two "Sannin," figures of immense importance in the Shinobi World, stepping out into the deep night outside the izakaya.
The heavy scent of alcohol mixed with the cool night air. Guided erratically by two of the Sannin, Tsunade and Jiraiya, the group of four finally found a relatively open space.
With no one else around, it was the perfect place to verify certain matters.
Tsunade staggered straight toward Takuno. With the boldness of seven or eight parts drunkenness, she opened her mouth to speak, but first let out a loud, liquor-filled burp.
The strong smell of alcohol washed over the already sober Takuno, causing him to involuntarily furrow his brow.
"That bastard Jiraiya—" Tsunade swayed, drunkenly pointing at the equally unstable Jiraiya behind her, her voice loud yet slightly slurred.
"—has been buzzing in my ear eight hundred times! Saying how amazing your talent is, saying you can easily inherit my legacy—"
"..."
"Hmph! I don't believe it!"
Her words were blunt and challenging, her fiery gaze locked onto Takuno.
Takuno bowed slightly, his tone formal and steady: "Lord Jiraiya overpraised me. I merely have a slight grasp of the precise control of Chakra."
"Hmph! Stop with the pretentious modesty!" Tsunade impatiently waved her hand, the drunkenness seeming to dissipate slightly due to the conversation. "That guy spilled the beans about everything you did in the medical room. It really is a little interesting."
She paused, her eyes becoming sharp. "So, Jiraiya and I made a bet. One week! Kid, if you can learn my Chakra Enhanced Strength within a week, I'll admit you genuinely have the skill!"
"I will give it my all." Takuno's reply remained rigid and proper.
"Tsk—! You're not old, but you're certainly stiff." Tsunade snorted dismissively, then swiftly raised her hand.
Instantly, a blue Chakra glow precisely condensed and flowed in her palm. Every single pathway was clearly visible and controllable, a deliberate slow-motion teaching demonstration.
"Watch closely!" she commanded in a low voice.
Takuno's gaze instantly focused on Tsunade's palm, his mind highly concentrated, meticulously analyzing the path of the flowing Chakra.
He already understood the principle of Chakra Enhanced Strength.
Essentially, it is achieving a perfect unity between Chakra's destructive power and defensive power.
When a punch or kick is delivered with massive force, the resulting recoil is equally terrifying.
Therefore, the key lies in using extremely fine Chakra control to precisely cover the corresponding muscles, bones, and even joints the moment power is exerted, forming an invisible, tough shield to ensure the body's structure is not destroyed by its own terrifying strength.
Once this foundational step is secured, the next is mobilizing the surging Chakra within the body for an ultimate, explosive output, all while ensuring the body remains safe.
As the most fundamental energy in the Shinobi World, Chakra itself possesses the potential to shatter rocks and split mountains.
While explaining, Tsunade curled her index finger. The movement appeared casual, even tinged with lazy drunkenness, as she lightly tapped the solid ground below.
"Boom!"
A dull roar suddenly erupted, as if the earth dragon had turned over!
The ground beneath their feet violently shook, trembled, and tore!
Amidst the swirling dust, a hideous, bottomless fissure several meters long instantly appeared out of nowhere beneath their feet!
Jiraiya hastily steadied his body, which was shaking left and right from the tremor, nodding with a hint of drunken admiration.
Even after so many years, enduring pain and depression, Tsunade's grasp of this core power showed no signs of decline.
Although her fighting spirit might not be what it once was, her foundation for "imparting knowledge" was absolutely more than sufficient.
"Did you understand?" Tsunade yawned, asking somewhat wearily, clearly expecting him to ask to see it again.
"I understood." Takuno's reply was calm and affirmative.
These three simple words plunged the other three present into momentary silence.
"You little brat, did you really understand?!" Jiraiya was the first to react, his voice laced with urgent warning.
He winked vigorously at Takuno, signaling him to quickly retract his statement and secure a few more precious learning opportunities.
"Your eyes are practically rolling into your head!" Tsunade glared at Jiraiya irritably, then turned to Takuno. A flicker of surprise crossed her eyes, quickly replaced by a sense of challenge. "Since you understood, you have seven days to prove it."
After a brief moment of contemplation, Takuno spoke, surprising everyone: "Seven days won't be necessary. I think I can try right now."
The air seemed to freeze at that moment.
The silence lasted only an instant before being broken by Jiraiya's forced laughter: "Hahahaha! Young people are so impulsive! He doesn't know how hard this is—"
"Heh, he's over thirty, not a reckless kid, is he?" Tsunade's drunkenness seemed to have been largely washed away by the young man's "arrogance."
Her sharp gaze scrutinized Takuno. His expression was steady, his eyes focused; he didn't look like he was talking nonsense. Could it be—that he truly saw through it in one glance?
"Fine," a playful smirk touched Tsunade's lips. "Since you're so confident, then now, right here, let me see what you understand."
Her tone carried a subtle challenge; if he failed, mocking him would be more satisfying.
"Ai!" Jiraiya sighed heavily, glaring at Takuno with a look of disappointment.
He had considerable faith in Takuno's Chakra control, but to say "understood" after only one viewing and immediately demand a demonstration was far too arrogant!
Takuno said nothing, directing his gaze toward the ground, as if recalling every detail of Tsunade's Chakra condensation moments ago.
Of course, this was just an act. He was already proficient in the principle and practice; he was merely deliberately suppressing his own skill level.
After a few breaths, he took a deep breath, clenched his right fist, and vast Chakra began surging and compressing madly towards his knuckles!
"Boom!!"
Takuno's heavy punch slammed down! The force this time was far more terrifying than Tsunade's "light tap" just moments before!
It was like a meteor strike!
The entire ground let out a desperate groan. A more violent tremor spread outward like a tidal wave, and the earth beneath their feet rolled and shattered like ocean waves!
Caught off guard, Jiraiya cried out, losing his footing and nearly tumbling over! He looked toward the center of the impact, utterly astonished. This kid, did he really create such a massive disturbance on his first try?!
Tsunade, who was prepared, had already swept over to Shizune like a phantom the moment the shaking began, shielding her.
Dust and shattered stones filled the air, blurring the view.
As the dust slowly settled, Takuno's figure was revealed.
He frowned slightly, looking down at his right arm. The clothing on his arm was torn, and his skin and muscle showed irregular abrasions and bruises, clearly having endured immense strain.
He seemed confused as to why he hadn't achieved perfection.
Tsunade stared at the ruins and Takuno's injured arm. She remained silent for several seconds, her expression incredibly complex.
Finally, she delivered the crucial diagnosis, low and clear: "The protective Chakra coverage and the point of force impact had a slight deviation the moment you exerted power, failing to achieve perfect dynamic balance. That is the most subtle part.
Reduce the power slightly, and familiarize yourself with the rhythm of the burst a few more times, and you will find that balance point."
"I see," Takuno realized, enduring the pain in his arm to immediately bow and salute. "I was too eager for success and rushed it. Thank you for your guidance, Lady Tsunade!"
Tsunade gazed deeply at Takuno, her eyes seeming to penetrate his calm exterior.
Without needing to personally investigate, merely based on his ability to accurately replicate the principle, achieve such power on the first attempt, and only sustain such minor injuries—this person's Chakra control was terrifyingly formidable! It likely approached her own peak level from back then!
Jiraiya's words were no exaggeration. Even without her guidance, as long as he put some effort into this Taijutsu path, mastering Chakra Enhanced Strength would only be a matter of time for him.
"Hahahaha! What did I tell you, Tsunade!" Jiraiya forcefully suppressed the turmoil in his heart, letting out a hearty laugh, trying to dispel the silence brought by the shock.
"Isn't Takuno the kind of material naturally meant to inherit your legacy?!"
"This talent is indeed astonishing." Tsunade finally spoke, her voice carrying a rare hint of hesitation. "But—"
"Tsunade!" Jiraiya's smile instantly vanished, replaced by a trace of anger. "You're not thinking of backing out, are you?"
He knew Tsunade too well; the refusal hidden behind that "but" was practically written on her face.
Tsunade irritably rubbed her throbbing temples. The strong hangover and the old memories churning in her heart gave her a splitting headache.
Damn it! She shouldn't have made that drunken bet!
Although Takuno's talent was stunning, she, under no circumstances, wanted to take another disciple from Konoha right now, nor did she want this relationship to re-establish a deep bond with that land filled with complex memories.
"If Lady Tsunade has difficulties, then let's drop the matter." Takuno's voice sounded at the right time, calm yet fully "understanding."
"Takuno, you—!" Jiraiya grew more anxious. In his view, if they applied a little more pressure, Tsunade's resolve might weaken, and it might even become the catalyst for her return to Konoha.
"Hmph!" Tsunade suddenly raised her voice, cutting off Jiraiya with a sense of finality. "Who said I'm backing out? Who said I have to take him as a disciple just because I won?! Do I have to be his master to teach him Ninjutsu? I'll just teach him!"
Her gaze was sharp as a knife, challenging Jiraiya's question.
Jiraiya was completely stunned, frowning tightly as he stared at Tsunade: "Are you that resistant to having any form of involvement with Konoha again?"
Tsunade avoided Jiraiya's probing gaze, turning instead to Takuno, her tone quick and firm: "Listen, your accomplishment in Chakra control is so high that you barely need any more instruction from me.
Wait a few days for me. I will compile the insights from my life's research into Medical Ninjutsu, along with some of my unique secret techniques, and hand them all over to you.
Take them back yourself and study them slowly!"
This was practically giving him everything she had.
"Isn't this too reckless?" Takuno was inwardly quite pleased with this outcome, but outwardly he maintained sufficient hesitation and apprehension regarding this "generous gift," cautiously inquiring.
"Hmph! I said it's fine, and it's fine! Stop the nonsense, it's settled!" Tsunade made the decision almost violently, her words decisive and unquestionable.
With that, she unhesitatingly pulled Shizune, who was still somewhat dazed, and strode toward the town hotel without looking back, leaving the astonished Jiraiya and the respectful Takuno behind.
Jiraiya watched Tsunade's resolute, almost fleeing back, and let out a long, helpless sigh.
Her final arrangement made it perfectly clear to Jiraiya that persuading Tsunade to return to Konoha right now was a futile hope.
A trace of bitter irony rose in Jiraiya's heart.
How contradictory this woman was! She unhesitatingly entrusted the knowledge of Medical Ninjutsu—the culmination of her life's work, capable of changing the tide of war—to Takuno, who represented Konoha's future!
This action itself proved the deep attachment in her heart, her worry for Konoha's future.
Once this knowledge was popularized in Konoha, how many Shinobi lives could it save in future wars?
She never openly admitted to caring, but her "giving" was heavier and clearer than any oath in revealing where her heart lay.
She was simply stubbornly refusing to admit it.
"Lord Jiraiya, what about next—" Takuno's voice pulled Jiraiya back from his thoughts.
Frankly, he was quite satisfied with this result. While he wasn't opposed to taking a teacher weaker than himself, he didn't particularly like it either.
"Since Tsunade decided this, let's follow her wishes." Jiraiya sighed again, his gaze falling on Takuno with some complexity. "However, Takuno, you must remember.
Even if you don't have the title of disciple, I hope you will treat her as your de facto teacher and respect her. She is simply—
trapped in certain past events and unable to break free, not because she undervalues your talent or worth."
"You exaggerate." Takuno immediately stated solemnly, "I will surely engrave Lady Tsunade's generosity in imparting her art upon my heart! Regardless of the name of master and disciple, in my heart, she will always be the teacher who guided me!"
This statement was half genuine, half a performance of his "grateful" persona. Being required to adopt this posture was merely superficial respect and cost him nothing.
"Mhm, it's good that you understand." The wrinkles on Jiraiya's face seemed to smooth out slightly, revealing a rare look of relief for the day.
After a moment of silent mutual gaze, the two also turned around and quietly set off on the road back to the inn.
The night was deep, and the noisy lights of the tavern flickered in the distance, casting their tall and short, silent shadows.