Fu was still munching away, feeling that the things Natsuki and Jiraiya were talking about were way too deep.
Sothing about saviors, sothing about saving the ninja world… way too complicated.
Forget it, she decided—better to just eat her grilled at.
At this mont, Tsunade stord in with Shizune and Tonton, making a huge racket.
Her loud voice bood:
"So you two are here enjoying yourselves, eating at and drinking sake, while I'm slaving away in the office?! And you didn't even call —do you even have a conscience?!"
Natsuki quietly raised his hand:
"Tsunade-sama, I'm protecting Fu. Besides, Jiraiya-sama said he'd pay."
Tsunade's eyes lit up imdiately:
"Jiraiya's treating? Perfect! Boss, ten bottles of sake and five deluxe beef platters, now!"
Shizune chuckled awkwardly:
"Jiraiya-sama, you're being generous."
Jiraiya, uncharacteristically cheerful, waved it off:
"No problem, no problem, I'm in a good mood today. Eat and drink as much as you like! Shizune-chan, sit down and order whatever you want."
As Tsunade sat, she couldn't help but look at Jiraiya strangely.
Was this pervy old man… different sohow?
But this wasn't the ti to ask. Better to eat and drink first.
Just then, a paper slip appeared.
Natsuki took it, glanced at the ssage, and let out a breath of relief. Smiling, he said:
"Tsunade-sama, it's from TenTen. They succeeded in rescuing Gaara—and they even eliminated Deidara and Sasori of the Red Sand!"
"Oh? Let see."
Tsunade snatched the note, but as she read it, goosebumps rose on her arms.
"Ugh! You two talk so mushy—'dear husband, kiss kiss'—aren't you embarrassed?!"
Activating his Byakugan, Natsuki groaned:
"I didn't tell you to read that. Didn't I already summarize the results?"
Tsunade tossed the slip back and laughed boldly:
"Still, this is great news! Gaara's safe, no casualties, a perfect success. That calls for a celebration! Jiraiya, dice ga tonight—no leaving until we're drunk!"
Jiraiya grinned:
"Fine! No leaving until drunk—I'm in!"
The two old shaless ones really went at it, playing dice and drinking, though Tsunade kept losing and was forced to drink again and again.
Jiraiya barely got to drink at all.
Finally, the pervy sage grabbed Natsuki into it:
"Natsuki, help Tsunade win once. Otherwise, I'll never get a chance to drink!"
Natsuki looked exasperated:
"I heard that whenever Tsunade-sama wins, bad things happen. If she really wins, next thing you know, soone's head will end up shoved in a toilet!"
"Bwahaha! Well said!"
Tsunade, already a little tipsy, slapped Natsuki's shoulder and roared with laughter.
"Let's try it then! I'd love to see Jiraiya's head dunked in a toilet!"
Since they insisted, Natsuki had no choice but to agree.
Tsunade shook the dice cup, slamd it down, and waited for him to guess.
But Natsuki broke all expectations:
"Tsunade-sama, I bet… there are no dice under your cup!"
…
Tsunade and Jiraiya froze.
Fu and Shizune burst into uncontrollable laughter. Betting that there were no dice at all? That ant Tsunade would win by default!
Yet, when Tsunade lifted the cup, there really were no dice beneath it.
Everyone's eyes widened.
She… actually won like that?!
Tsunade gave a sheepish smile:
"Well, uh, I wanted to surprise everyone, so I hid all the dice… but I didn't expect Natsuki to guess that."
"Why would you pull a stunt like that now?!"
Natsuki smacked his forehead and sighed, turning to Jiraiya.
"I tried, Jiraiya-sama."
Jiraiya burst into laughter:
"Ha! You really did. I almost thought Tsunade would win for real. Clever brat—but it still couldn't break Tsunade's losing curse! No wonder they call her the Big Fat Sheep!"
The feast stretched late into the night.
At last, Shizune carried Tsunade ho, while Natsuki left Jiraiya behind at the restaurant.
The old man hadn't paid yet, so he was stuck as collateral. Surely, one of the Legendary Sannin wouldn't actually try to skip the bill.
Natsuki escorted Fu back to her quarters but then found a spot outside to watch the stars.
After all, he was still tasked with protecting the Seven-Tails' Jinchūriki—he couldn't just go ho and sleep.
Still, he happily traded paper notes with TenTen.
Their squad had rescued Gaara, cured Kankurō's poisoning, and truly completed their mission.
Sakura had grown rapidly—just two years of training, and her dical ninjutsu was already outstanding, though her combat strength still needed work.
Sasuke and Neji perford well, while Naruto still had much growing to do.
The chaos was near. Everyone needed to get stronger, fast.
Akatsuki had failed to capture a Jinchūriki, and had lost two mbers. Already few in number, they would be stretched even thinner.
It was only a matter of ti before Rikudō Pain himself acted.
And when that day ca, it would be the true war.
The next day, the rescue squad returned—and surprisingly, Gaara and Temari ca along too.
Natsuki and Fu were summoned over.
And so, three Jinchūriki stood together in one place.
Fu instantly leapt in front of Gaara, eyes shining:
"Gaara, you're here too! I heard you were captured—are you okay? Did it hurt?"
Gaara blinked.
"You too, Fu? You were captured as well?"
Fu nodded:
"Yeah! A guy with a spiral mask suddenly attacked our village and killed a lot of people. I had no choice but to go with him. Luckily, Natsuki ca just in ti to rescue . Now I don't dare stay in my village, afraid Akatsuki will wipe it out, so I have to rely on Konoha's protection. You ca for the sa reason, right?"
"Well…"
Gaara hesitated, a little embarrassed.
"To be honest, it's shaful. I wasn't Akatsuki's match, and my village isn't strong enough. I had no choice but to ask Konoha for help."
Fu puffed her chest and laughed:
"Exactly! Konoha's amazing! Especially Natsuki—whoosh, he appeared in a flash, and bam! He knocked that masked guy back. Not even a minute! With Konoha, we're safe. And besides, we can fight alongside everyone—we're not just asking for protection!"
Gaara stared at Fu in surprise.
He hadn't expected her to be so carefree—so bright and open-hearted.
Unlike her, he felt awkward. After all, as Kazekage, supposedly Sunagakure's strongest, he now needed another village's protection. It made his village seem weak.
But what choice did he have?
Sunagakure truly wasn't Akatsuki's match.
He'd already been captured once. If he stayed, it would only happen again—and next ti, Konoha's rescue might not make it in ti.
Better to co here from the start.
In the end, his situation was the sa as Fu's.
(End of Chapter)
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