Nighttime. Jiraiya, returning from the red-light district, experienced the same heartbreak as Danzo.
He, the gallant wanderer who roamed the pleasure streets of the Land of Fire, Jiraiya.
-Had been cuckolded!
'Was there no justice? No law?'
'Didn't I just go out for a drink? How come my disciple's Summoning Contract was signed with the Shikkotsu Forest?!'
'Tsunade! Didn't we agree you'd only teach Medical Ninjutsu?!'
He felt Tsunade was just like those scumbags who clearly promised not to record anything, yet the video spread all over the internet!
Overwhelmed with grief and indignation, Jiraiya naturally chose to-
-Forgive her!
It can't be helped… One was the woman he had a crush on, the other his newly accepted disciple. What could Jiraiya do to them?
"Wahhh, Sakura-chan, how could you do this?"
Frustrated, the drunken Jiraiya hiccupped and complained to his disciple.
Holding the man with one hand, Sakura carried Jiraiya to his hotel room, a mischievous smile on her face.
Lowering her voice, she whispered in Jiraiya's ear:
"Jiraiya-sensei, Tsunade-shishou's skills are really amazing!"
"Wahhhhhh!"
The mournful wail from the hotel room was enough to move listeners to tears.
Sakura returned to her own room, plugged her ears, and entered a blissful sleep.
The days in Tanzaku Quarter could be said to be a rare busy time for Sakura.
Tsunade brought her various notes every day to teach Sakura.
While instructing Sakura in the basics of medicine, pharmacology, and human anatomy, she also continued to teach her other types of Medical Ninjutsu.
On the other hand, Jiraiya, feeling his disciple drifting away, refused to be outdone.
He brought out his signature Sealing Techniques, Barrier Techniques, and Earth and Water Release Ninjutsu, imparting everything to Sakura. Every day after Tsunade's lessons ended, he would drag her to the riverbank for training.
Two of the Sannin serving Sakura alone packed her schedule, making her days painfully joyful.
Grind, and grind some more!
Time passed in this daily switching between Medical Ninjutsu, Sealing Techniques, and Ninjutsu Training.
Unknowingly, three months had passed since Jiraiya brought Sakura to the town in the southwest of the Land of Fire.
"Ninja Art: Mystical Palm Technique!"
While her hands covering a fish with a cut, Sakura's palms glowed with green light.
The physical energy separated from her Chakra entered the wound, stimulating the surrounding cells to grow rapidly.
Soon, when Sakura dispersed the Yang Attribute Chakra from her hands, the wound on the fish had disappeared, and it was able to twitch and jump, searching for water.
"Hmm, with this, you've mastered all the Medical Ninjutsu!"
Tsunade nodded in satisfaction, giving a passing evaluation.
"Thank you for your guidance, Tsunade-shishou."
Sensing Tsunade's genuine happiness for her through Observation Haki, Sakura bowed deeply to her.
"Call me 'neesan'! 'Shishou' makes me sound so old!"
Tsunade wrapped an arm around Sakura boisterously, her ample bosom pressing against Sakura's face.
"Mmph, I... mmph mmph!"
Watching Sakura and Tsunade's interaction, Jiraiya on the side wished he could trade places.
But Tsunade noticed, casually grabbed the fish from earlier, and threw it at him, knocking him to the ground.
After some horseplay, Jiraiya and Sakura packed their luggage and arrived at the edge of the town.
"Jiraiya-sama, Sakura, are you leaving already?"
Shizune, who had come to see them off, was somewhat reluctant, especially towards Sakura.
After spending time together, she genuinely liked this pretty, sweet-talking, and highly capable junior sister.
Most importantly, with her around, a large portion of Tsunade's gambling debts could be recouped.
Shizune hadn't experienced a life free from debt collectors hunting them down for a long time.
"Sigh, what can I do? Is the Great Sage's charm making little Shizune reluctant to let go?"
Jiraiya crossed his arms, smugly flicking the stray hairs on his forehead.
"Hmph, not you Jiraiya-sama. Leave Sakura behind and you can leave!"
Shizune hugged Tonton tightly, puffing her cheeks in retort.
"Ah?!"
Jiraiya fell to the ground with a cry, unable to get up.
"Tch, you idiot Jiraiya."
Tsunade didn't even glance at him, stepping directly over Jiraiya to approach Sakura.
Her fair fingers carefully adjusted Sakura's appearance, finally smoothing her messy hair.
"Wandering around with this fool will bring you a lot of hardship. Do you want to stay with your nee-san?"
A breeze brushed past Tsunade's face, carrying her gentle voice into Sakura's ears.
The girl was unconsciously touched by this emotion, and when she spoke again, it was her true feelings.
"No need, Tsunade-neesan!"
"Traveling the world, broadening my horizons, tempering my spirit… this is my path to becoming stronger!"
"I want to become very, very strong, to face those peak powerhouses in the world. This is... my Ninja Way~"
Watching Sakura raise her hands and proclaim her dreams, Tsunade gazed at her eager little face and laughed:
"What Ninja Way does a little brat have!"
Then, she slowly raised her hand and gently tapped Sakura's forehead.
"Fly, fly to your heart's content. If one day you get tired of flying, don't forget your nee-san is still here."
"Mm!"
Sakura nodded heavily, adjusted the backpack on her shoulders, and ran towards Jiraiya.
The two once again headed in the direction of the setting sun, disappearing into the depths of the forest.
…
One week later, at the border of the Land of Rain.
Heavy rain enveloped the entire nation. Stars flickered in the gaps between the gloomy clouds, telling the people living under this sky the current time.
"The Land of Rain."
Revisiting this place made Jiraiya sigh. It was here he had fought Hanzo and earned the shameful title of Sannin.
Who would have thought that after all these years, this title would become his most famous one.
Just as Jiraiya was about to step into the Land of Rain, a red light flashed in Sakura's eyes behind him.
She directly reached out and grabbed Jiraiya, pulling him off balance.
"Sakura?"
"Jiraiya-sensei, use a Sensory Jutsu to touch the rainwater around us."
At Sakura's reminder, Jiraiya summoned a toad and placed his hand on it.
The toad opened its mouth and croaked loudly. The emitted sound waves, carrying Jiraiya's Chakra vibrations, spread his sensory field.
"This is-!"
In the darkness of Jiraiya's tightly shut eyes, Chakra light points the size of raindrops emerged. They moved with the falling rain, forming a massive net throughout the entire Land of Rain.
"It seems someone has cast a large-scale Sensory Jutsu over the whole Land of Rain. Good thing you warned me, Sakura."
Jiraiya instinctively stepped back, avoiding the rainwater.
"So, Jiraiya-sensei, what is the 'specific' purpose of bringing me here? Can you tell me now?"
Sakura crossed her arms, looking at Jiraiya with a scrutinizing gaze.
"Sigh."
Jiraiya sighed lightly and pulled a mission scroll from his pocket.
"This is a commission the old man sent. Decide whether to accept it after hearing the intel!"
"A few days ago, around the time you finished your Medical Ninjutsu's training."
"Someone... saw an Uchiha in the Land of Rain!"