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"Kakashi! Let's have a passionate duel!" Under the warm sunlight outside the Konoha Bookstore, Kakashi stood motionless before a shelf of bo
"Kakashi! Let's have a passionate duel!"
Under the warm sunlight outside the Konoha Bookstore, Kakashi stood motionless before a shelf of books. His slouched shoulders, vacant expression, and lackluster aura made it clear—he was in the depths of despair.
"…What?"
The long-awaited sequel to his favorite novel was nowhere in sight. Kakashi looked like a fish gasping on land, struggling to breathe.
He slowly turned to face his energetic friend.
"Did you say something just now?"
Bang!
Guy dramatically slammed his forehead against the nearby bookshelf, physically and emotionally crushed.
"Ever since Master Jiraiya went missing, there hasn't been a single update to Icha Icha Paradise! This is devastating!"
"Don't tell me… Jiraiya-sama is done writing for good?"
A wave of panic surged through Kakashi. He silently prayed that his favorite author hadn't truly abandoned the series. It was his only source of joy. He even hoped the Hokage wouldn't overwork Jiraiya so he could go out, gather inspiration, and continue the story.
As for Guy… Kakashi had already forgotten his outburst.
"By the way, congratulations on becoming a sensei!"
Unfazed by Kakashi's indifference, Guy continued trying to lift his friend's spirits.
"I heard your new students are really promising. You shouldn't be so unmotivated!"
"Believe me, once you start guiding them—watching them grow stronger day by day—you'll feel something amazing…"
Guy scratched his head, searching for the right words.
"…It's a feeling unlike any you've had before. It'll give you a whole new perspective on life!"
He leaned in closer, voice lowering like he was sharing a secret.
Still, Kakashi didn't react.
Guy had no choice but to use his trump card.
"And I heard the Fourth Hokage's own son is graduating this year. There's talk of assigning him to your team. Isn't that… kind of a legacy in itself?"
"Minato-sensei…"
Kakashi froze. He repeated the name under his breath, his mind drifting to a time long gone.
Minato-sensei's child… already about to become a ninja?
The academy's new graduates—including Naruto—were preparing to take their first steps into the world.
Since the incident with Jiraiya, Kakashi had stepped away from the Anbu. Partly because of a mistake… but also because the growing international trade required more shinobi to protect commerce routes.
"Time really flies…"
Like a gentle river, time flows quietly—slipping past when you're not paying attention.
Just then, a voice called out.
"Sensei! There you are!"
A girl with twin buns in her hair and dressed in a pink top and cropped ninja pants sprinted over, stopping in front of Guy with both hands on her knees, catching her breath.
"Sensei, did you forget today's team dinner?" she asked, exasperated. "We've been waiting forever, and you didn't show up!"
As she scolded her teacher, she caught sight of Kakashi, gave a polite nod, then turned back to Guy with a flat expression.
"Ah—sorry, sorry!"
Guy scratched his head sheepishly, clearly embarrassed.
"I got a little carried away thinking about challenging Kakashi to another match…"
"Honestly! What are we going to do with you?"
Tenten sighed and grabbed her teacher by the arm, dragging him away toward the restaurant. She looked back and gave Kakashi a quick wave.
"See you later, Kakashi-sensei!"
And with that, they disappeared into the bustling street, leaving Kakashi alone.
"Sensei… huh?"
Watching Guy's retreating figure and hearing the word sensei, Kakashi's thoughts drifted to the upcoming graduation season once more.
It was time to meet them.
—
Elsewhere in the village…
Tsunade, finally enjoying a rare day off, held a pair of dice in her hand as she headed toward the local gambling house, her eyes gleaming with anticipation.
Just before entering, she was intercepted by a familiar figure.
"Old man? Shouldn't you be resting at home?"
Tsunade scowled, unimpressed.
Since retiring, Hiruzen Sarutobi's health had been declining. Old injuries flared up more often, yet here he was, wandering about instead of taking care of himself.
Cough, cough!
He took a puff of his tobacco pipe and immediately broke into a fit of coughing.
"I told you to stop smoking! You're not young anymore. One wrong move and you could keel over!"
Hiruzen gave a small chuckle.
"Too late to quit now…" he said quietly, offering no real defense.
He then turned his gaze to Tsunade, observing her in silence.
"…What are you staring at?"
Unnerved by his intense scrutiny, Tsunade tensed. Her fingers tightened around the dice.
A cold shiver ran down her spine.
She narrowed her eyes.
"Don't look at me like that. You're up to something."
A bad feeling crept over her.
Something was coming. She could feel it in her bones.
"Tsunade…"
Taking a long puff from his pipe, the Third Hokage looked at his disciple with a rare, almost unsettling warmth in his eyes.
"Stop—just stop right there."
Tsunade backed away instinctively, feeling a sudden chill from the way he was looking at her.
"If you've got something to say, just spit it out already!"
She narrowed her eyes, clearly uneasy. That look—equal parts scheming and sentimental—was a sure sign her old teacher was up to something.
And as far as she was concerned, he could smoke himself into the grave if it meant dropping the topic.
"Tsunade, you're not exactly young anymore."
The Sandaime's tone turned grave, and the purpose behind his strange demeanor became clear.
"If things keep going like this… how will I ever face the First and Second Hokage?"
Despite her youthful appearance, Tsunade was already in her fifties. At her age, Hiruzen was already a grandfather. But Tsunade? Still acting like a rebellious teenager.
He could feel his time running out, and if he didn't address this now, how could he explain it to his own teachers in the afterlife?
"Look, Jiraiya may be a fool, but even fools grow up. Under the pressure of his duties, he's matured a lot these past few years."
"He's not the same reckless idiot he used to be. Aren't you even a little tempted to reconsider?"
A hopeful glint appeared in the old Hokage's eyes.
Tsunade had no elders left. As her teacher, if he didn't look out for her, who would?
And if she truly never married… when the day came and he stood before the spirits of Hashirama and Tobirama, how could he explain that their last heir had let the Senju legacy fade into dust?
Because yes—he did believe there was an afterlife, and yes, he absolutely believed he'd be scolded from beyond the grave.
"Jiraiya has his flaws—he's lecherous, immature, annoyingly optimistic—but he's always been genuine with you."
"Besides that… you are the last direct descendant of the Senju. Do you really want to be the one who lets that bloodline disappear?"
He laid it all out, pulling every card—his teachers, the clan's legacy, even her personal happiness.
Because soon enough, no matter how advanced her medical ninjutsu was, age would catch up. If she wanted a child, her window was closing fast.
"Hmph."
Tsunade snorted coldly, clearly unimpressed.
"So this is what it's really about."
Her eyes narrowed, and her tone darkened. She knew exactly what he was up to.
It wasn't just about her happiness. It was about politics, about legacy, about balancing power in the village.
The Senju vs. the Uchiha. Still the same old fear.
"You're still trying to use the Senju name to counter the Uchiha. Afraid they'll one day take control of Konoha?"
Hiruzen sighed.
"Tsunade, I won't lie. You're right—I do think about these things. And yes, the Uchiha's influence is growing."
"But you—and maybe your child one day—could help restore that balance."
The Senju may have faded, but the roots were still there. With Tsunade's bloodline, with even one heir, those scattered descendants could rally again.
He knew they couldn't replicate the clan's former glory, but they could still serve as a stabilizing force.
Whether the child took the name Senju or not didn't matter. Knowing Jiraiya, he'd happily take her name if it came to that. He'd probably see it as a dream come true.
"And this isn't just about politics. I'm thinking of you too."
He gave her a softer look now.
"You don't want to grow old alone, do you?"
"Even if you don't care for yourself… think about Shizune. She's still young—barely in her twenties. Do you want her to grow old watching over you, never living her own life?"
Hiruzen had played almost every card in his deck. The only thing stopping him from bringing up Dan and Nawaki was the risk of reopening old wounds.
Tsunade was silent, her expression unreadable.
Her teacher's words had struck deeper than she cared to admit.
Shizune… Dan's only remaining relative. She had followed Tsunade through years of wandering and, even now, hadn't found a partner. Was that Tsunade's fault?
It wasn't just during their travels. Even after settling in Konoha again, Shizune had stayed single. It was starting to feel... strange.
Was being single contagious?
And Jiraiya.
That idiot.
Her mind drifted to the day she met him, to the years of bickering, battling, and laughing. Somewhere, buried beneath the chaos, was something real.
"…That idiot…"
For a moment, the world grew quiet.
She said nothing more.
But something inside her had started to stir.
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