Tsunade could already picture it—Rosinante using his chakra-infused staff to "treat" the wounded by wildly smashing them. Yeah, that was way too harmonious.
"Ross, what I've taught you should be enough to handle most injuries. That's it—you've learned well. Don't bother learning any more." Tsunade sighed, clearly not wanting Rosinante running around claiming to be her student. She couldn't bear the thought.
"Oh, alright. We've been here long enough anyway. It's time to head to Konoha." Rosinante finally remembered his actual purpose. He had been slacking off here long enough, and any more would be pushing it.
Tsunade nodded. Ever since she healed that little boy the other night, her so-called debt had been settled. The man in black barely even thanked her. Not that it mattered—she never helped people expecting something in return.
"Alright, safe travels, Ross." Tsunade waved casually. She had no intention of returning to Konoha anytime soon. Her old teacher wouldn't allow it—not when she was one of the Legendary Sannin and the granddaughter of the First Hokage.
But then, fate decided to mess with her plans.
At that moment, Uchiha Sasuke and Yamato arrived in the village, holding a small map and looking around. Coincidentally, they ran into Tsunade and Rosinante just as they were about to part ways.
Sasuke rubbed his eyes and pulled out the portrait Jiraiya had given him from his pack. After a few moments of comparison, he confirmed it—the woman in front of him was definitely Tsunade.
Yamato, standing beside him, also noticed. He quickly grabbed Sasuke's arm and led him straight to her.
"Lady Tsunade, we're from Konoha..." Yamato introduced himself and explained their purpose. However, something felt off. He kept glancing at the man beside Tsunade, feeling an odd sense of familiarity.
"Have we met before?" Yamato asked cautiously. There was something strangely familiar about him.
"You must be mistaken." Rosinante's expression darkened slightly. Of all the people to run into, Yamato was probably the worst. If Yamato started digging, it would be a hassle. Still, this was also an opportunity to gather intel on Konoha.
Shizune, holding her little pig Tonton, simply observed quietly, while Tsunade frowned, clearly uninterested in going back to the village.
"What's been happening in Konoha lately?" Since she had to refuse them anyway, Tsunade figured she might as well get some information for Rosinante. She was a little curious herself.
Yamato hesitated, glancing at Rosinante, unsure whether he should speak with an outsider present.
"Just tell us what you can. Leave out the classified stuff." Tsunade rolled her eyes and gestured for him to hurry up.
"Alright then…" Yamato had no choice but to summarize what was happening in Konoha.
Tsunade initially seemed uninterested, but when she heard that the Third Hokage had died in battle and Jiraiya was set to take over, she couldn't hold back—she burst into laughter.
"Wait, no… I should be acting sad now…" Tsunade quickly realized her mistake, but it was too late. She was already cracking up.
Sasuke and Yamato exchanged awkward glances. They weren't sure how to react—especially since they were here to ask for help.
"So, you want her to heal your teammate and train you, right?" Rosinante stepped in to shift the topic, his gaze landing directly on Sasuke.
Sasuke stiffened, feeling uncomfortable under Rosinante's stare. He quickly turned his head away and nodded. Still, something about this man reminded him of someone—he just couldn't put his finger on it.
By now, Tsunade had finished laughing and was seriously considering returning to Konoha.
The main reason she had stayed away was simple—she didn't want to be dragged into politics. She knew exactly what would happen if she returned. She had been disappointed in Hiruzen Sarutobi's leadership and preferred to stay away.
But now that he was dead, things in Konoha would definitely shift. And the thought of Jiraiya—a guy who absolutely despised paperwork—becoming Hokage was just too funny. She had no idea how he would handle it.
More importantly, if Jiraiya became Hokage, she could borrow money from him. She made good money treating those clueless daimyos, but spending someone else's money was always better.
"Alright, I'll go back with you," Tsunade finally agreed with a grin. Her attitude had completely shifted—her usual impatience and hemophobia gone.
"What about my training?" Sasuke asked hesitantly.
"Hmm… I've never heard of the Uchiha specializing in medical ninjutsu or taijutsu. I'll take a look at your potential once we're back in the village." Tsunade wasn't going to agree so easily. She already had one chakra-staff-wielding weirdo; she wasn't about to train another.
"Ross, come with me to Konoha. You were heading there anyway, so you might as well join us." Tsunade wrapped an arm around Rosinante's shoulder.
She had a good reason for keeping him close.
She might've been famous for losing every gambling match, but she did win sometimes—just enough to keep playing. But Rosinante? That guy never won. Not once.
After noticing his terrible luck, she started secretly betting against him every time. Thanks to that strategy, she had won the biggest jackpot of her life. Ever since, she made sure he was always at her side in the casino.
"Perfect! I've been meaning to go for a while. This makes things easier." Rosinante was relieved—he had been worried about getting lost again, but now he had a guide.
"Zixu?" Yamato suddenly called out, staring at Rosinante.
Rosinante didn't react, his expression completely blank. He turned his head, looking genuinely confused.
"Zixu? Who's that? A friend of yours?" He scratched his head, looking like he had no idea what Yamato was talking about.
"It's nothing… just a passing thought. Never mind, let's go." Yamato frowned but kept his doubts to himself.
Sasuke had the same question in mind but was more focused on something else—Sakura's survival. That was all that mattered.
Meanwhile, in a dimly lit research lab, Orochimaru set down his tools. A completely black firearm, about a meter long with a stock, rested on his workbench.
"The basic structure is there… Now I need to figure out the ammunition and the firing mechanism."
He rubbed his eyes, exhaustion setting in. Putting away the casing of the first-generation sniper rifle, he let himself drift off into sleep at the research table.
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