Jiraiya's glare sharpened as he snapped at Tsunade. "I choose this kid. You can't just snatch him away, Tsunade!"
Tsunade narrowed her eyes, her voice cutting like steel. "Give him to me, Jiraiya. He'll thrive under my teaching. And unlike you, I don't play favorites."
Hearing that, Indra gave the faintest nod.
'Being Jiraiya's student? Besides Sage Mode, there's nothing there. Tsunade, though… she's a whole different story.'
Indra's gaze dropped to his fists, clenching tight.
'Five natures. Yin and Yang. A natural Yang affinity. Medical ninjutsu should come easily to me—and on the battlefield, a healer is everything.'
Tsunade's voice rose suddenly, sharp and final. "Then so be it, Jiraiya! I am not afraid to fight for this!"
"And you already have a 'Child of prophecy' of yours!"
Jiraiya flinched slightly, swallowing hard at her intensity. He forced a grin. "H-Hey now, Tsunade, maybe we can… y'know, share? Both of us train him?"
Tsunade froze at the suggestion. Indra arched a brow, hiding his smirk.
'Looks like this is going better than I thought.'
"No!" Tsunade rejected outright, her tone brooking no argument.
Indra finally stepped forward, his voice calm but firm. "May I have a say in who I want as my sensei?"
The clearing fell quiet. Tsunade's shoulders relaxed, her lips curving faintly. 'He knows me. He'll choose me.'
Jiraiya exhaled slowly, already bracing himself.
Indra spoke evenly, though his eyes gleamed with calculation. "I see the value in training under Sister Tsunade—medical ninjutsu, a discipline that decides life or death on the battlefield. But…" His gaze cut toward Jiraiya. "…what exactly would I learn under you?"
Jiraiya stiffened, pausing. His pride prickled, and he forced the words out. "I'll teach you… Sage Arts—"
"Rejected." Indra's voice sliced across him without hesitation. "Anything else?"
Jiraiya's jaw fell open. "Kid! You don't even understand how rare and incredible Sage Arts are!" His voice thundered louder, indignant.
Indra simply lifted a finger, pointing at his eye. "Uchiha's Sharingan. Next question."
Tsunade burst out laughing, one hand clutching her stomach as Jiraiya's lips pressed thin, his bravado crumbling.
Grinding his teeth, Jiraiya barked, "Tch… then—then maybe we can work something out, huh? Okay, how about this!" He jabbed a finger toward Indra, his tone desperate but scheming.
Indra tilted his head, intrigued but skeptical. 'Let's see what you've got, Jiraiya-sensei…'
Jiraiya's grin widened, chest puffing with pride as he leaned forward, eyes bright. "I'll promise you will become a jonin in 5-6 years!"
Hearing that, Indra deadpanned at Jiraiya, expression flat as stone.
"Five or six years? That's too long!" Hearing Indra's remark even Tsunade raised a brow, watching the exchange with an amused frown. "whats your age Indra?"
"I just became nine years old." Indra answered evenly. Tsunade nodded slowly. "Nine years..." She tasted the words, letting their weight sink in as she spoke. "which means he promises you that you'll become a jonin at the age of fifteen...isn't that amazing?" Her tone carried a mix of astonishment and approval.
Indra paused as if considering then shook his head lightly. "nope, I am good. Sensei tsunade" He acknowledged Tsunade with a curt nod; she returned it with a small, pleased smile.
Tsunade's face brightened and she shot Jiraiya a teasing look. "Looks like your child of prophecy is mine, jiraiya!"
Jiraiyas face grew solmen as he glared at indra, his intention unknown.
...
A few hours later, inside the Hokage's office, Jiraiya stood before Hiruzen. Hiruzen inclined his head once. "speak"
"Sensei, Tsunade has taken Indra from me." Jiraiya's voice held a note of disbelief. Hiruzen waved a hand dismissively. "let her do what she wants."
"But that kid...he has all five nature release! Plus Yin and Yang release!" Hearing this, Hiruzen froze, turning his full attention to Jiraiya.
"He? As an Uchiha has a natural Yang release?" Hiruzen asked sharply. Jiraiya affirmed. "yes sensei, he also boldly accepted tsunade as his sensei right Infront of me!"
Hiruzen folded his hands, eyes distant as he considered the implications. "we gotta do something about this...you go, I need to think"
Hearing this, Jiraiya bowed and headed for the door, leaving the Hokage alone with the heavy hush of the office. Hiruzen sat back, fingers tapping the desktop in a hollow, restless rhythm. A while later, Danzo entered without flourish and took a seat on the sofa, his single visible eye glinting in the dim light.
"What's wrong, hiruzen?" Danzo asked softly. Hiruzen met his gaze, expression unreadable. "I want to get rid of tsunade...from this village."
Hiruzen's eyes narrowed at Danzo's face. "what's wrong with your eyes?" he asked, voice low.
Danzo's smile was a small, dangerous thing. "I think, we shouldn't think more about my eye and think more about tsunade...how we'll make her leave this village?" His tone was clinical, as if planning a casual maneuver.
"Or leave the world." Danzo added without hesitation. Hiruzen's jaw tightened; the words landed like a thrown kunai.
"You tell me..." Danzo challenged, settling the question into the room like a shadow.
---
Indra arrived home to find a Uchiha shinobi waiting at his door. The man's face was sharp and official in the dawn light. "who are you?" Indra asked, leveling a cautious look at him.
As the shinobi's face came into focus, Indra noticed the telltale glint—three tomoe spun slowly in his eyes. "clan head has called for you, follow me," the shinobi said in a clipped voice.
Indra nodded and fell into step behind him. The path led to a large Uchiha estate, lanterns swaying softly beside the gate. The civilian guard announced with a formal tone, "Uchiha ryoma has bought over Uchiha Indra!" The guard bowed and the heavy doors parted.
"Come inside, Uchiha Indra." The house's interior was cool and reserved, tatami soft beneath Indra's sandals. He pushed the door a little further and entered.
Creak… thud. The door closed behind him gently. In the main room, Shinkuro sat poised in a high-backed chair, a cup of steaming tea in hand.
Indra stepped forward and stood before him. "Indra Uchiha?" Shinkuro's voice was calm but his gaze measured. Indra inclined his head. "May I ask the reason for my summon?" he asked, eyes narrowing slightly at Shinkuro's expression.
"Sit down, Indra." Shinkuro's tone left no room for refusal. Indra obliged and took the chair opposite him, sitting with controlled composure.
Shinkuro set his cup down and fixed Indra with a cold look. "how did you save...the nine tails Jinchuriki?" His question landed like a challenge, and Indra's face only briefly registered confusion. 'hmm?'
"What nine tails what?" Indra adopted an innocent, naive expression and lied smoothly. Shinkuro made a slow sip of his tea, the silence stretching between them like a taut wire.
"Nine tails jinchuriki...Kushina Uzumaki," Shinkuro said plainly. Indra's eyes widened at the name and he nodded, words tumbling out quickly. "I know kushina...but I didn't know her tittle was nine tails jinchurik—"
Shinkuro's expression hardened. "Don't go around saying that, now answer my questions obediently if you wanna live." The threat hung in the air, stark and unmistakable. Indra's brow rose at the brazenness of it.
'i wouldn't mind getting my brother's Mangekyo to fuck you up' Indra thought coldly, though he kept his face composed. Shinkuro leaned forward. "how did you save her?"
"I was just training and saw a few people carrying kushina." The answer was casual, but Shinkuro's gaze sharpened as if trying to cut through the lie.
"You saw her figure from 250 meters away? Are you saying your senses are good?" Shinkuro pressed, skeptical. Indra held his silence for a moment before answering in a steady tone, "it didn't seem that far for me."
Shinkuro set his cup down again and narrowed his eyes. "and...how did you survive a siege of jonins who appeared stealthily in konoha?"
Indra hesitated, then replied after a pause, "I truly don't know what happened to me...all I know was I caught the dropping kushina from the shinobi and was about to fall down..." He swallowed and continued, "But red something leaked from kushinas body and I fainted. when I woke up, I was at the senju clan."
Shinkuro listened with a stone face, then asked bluntly, "what relation do you have with the senju?" His tone was cold, edged like a blade. 'what relation do you have with me? To ask that question, mf' Indra bristled inwardly but kept his tone level.
"Nawaki senju is my brother's teammate." Indra answered. Shinkuro inclined his head slightly and gave the single instruction: "go to your house."
Indra rose and began to leave. As he reached the doorway, Shinkuro's voice followed him, low and deliberate: "you know...when your leaving you have to greet your elder's first."
The words hit Indra like a slap. Heat flared up his spine and, for a moment, the simmering anger threatened to surface. The house felt colder.
'i hate this guy!'
——
We're back on the journey with newer motivation and energy! Because now I know what I am trying to do!