My Real Job is Spying on Konoha, but I'm Also its Hokage

The four of them departed from the Konoha Memorial Stone.

Along the way, Jiraiya and Orochimaru bickered so intensely it felt like they could wear down the very road they walked on. Haneul noticed their dynamic was surprisingly similar to that of Kakashi Hatake and Obito Uchiha.

"You two head to the barbecue restaurant first," Tsunade said, cutting off their argument. "Haneul and I will be there shortly."

"Where are you two going? You're not taking my money to a casino, are you?" Jiraiya asked suspiciously, his verbal sparring with Orochimaru still not fully satisfied. He was always out searching for the Child of Prophecy, while Orochimaru was cooped up in his lab in Root. They hadn't seen each other in over a year, and he found he missed their verbal jabs.

"Am I that kind of person?" Tsunade shot back, annoyed.

Jiraiya looked like he was about to say something but held his tongue.

"It won't take long," Tsunade said, turning to leave. "Ten minutes."

"Well, it doesn't sound like gambling," Jiraiya mused, stroking his chin. "Has Tsunade actually given up gambling?"

"It's for Haneul," Orochimaru said, his gaze following their retreating figures.

Jiraiya paused, a thoughtful expression on his face. Not gambling, but taking Haneul with her... Orochimaru's guess was likely correct.

"What? Are you jealous of Haneul?" Orochimaru asked with a faint smirk.

"Jealous of a kid?" Jiraiya retorted, glaring at him.

"Tsunade treats Haneul far better than she treats you," Orochimaru delivered with his signature, poison-tipped words.

"You bastard!" Jiraiya roared. "Let's see if you've gotten any stronger this past year!"

"Resorting to fighting when you can't win with words? How childish," Orochimaru said with a shake of his head, turning and walking into the barbecue restaurant.

"You!" Jiraiya fumed, following him in defeat.

Haneul followed Tsunade for a few minutes until a pharmacy came into view. The sign bore the name of the Nara Clan. The Ino-Shika-Cho clans each had their specialties, and the Nara were famous for their medicinal herbs, especially deer antler.

"Are we here to buy medicine?" Haneul asked, confused. "Is someone injured?"

"It's for you," Tsunade said casually. "To strengthen your body."

Haneul was stunned. So the ninja world had its own version of an alchemy build?

Tsunade carefully selected a large pile of medicinal herbs and paid for them with the money Jiraiya had given her. Haneul watched with a complex expression. This was, in its own way, a form of... well, never mind.

With the herbs put away, the two of them returned to the barbecue restaurant.

"Lady Tsunade," the owner greeted them. "Lord Hokage and the others are in the first private room."

Tsunade's brow furrowed slightly. What was that old man doing here, joining their get-together?

She slid open the door to the room. Hiruzen Sarutobi sat at the head of the table, with Orochimaru and Jiraiya seated on either side of him.

"You're here. Sit, sit," Hiruzen said, waving them over.

Tsunade sat opposite him, pulling Haneul down to squeeze in beside her.

"Lord Hokage," Haneul said, taking the initiative to greet him as the youngest and lowest-ranking person present.

"You've been doing very well recently," Hiruzen remarked with a sigh of appreciation. "Asuma has changed a great deal."

Orochimaru watched the meat sizzling on the grill, then his long, slender tongue shot out and swept it all into his mouth.

"Orochimaru!" Jiraiya exclaimed, annoyed. "Use your chopsticks!"

Interrupted by his students' bickering, Hiruzen felt a wave of helplessness. He had wanted to talk more with Haneul about the Will of Fire. He didn't know how he had raised these three; not a single one of them showed respect for their teacher or had any manners.

If only they were all like Minato, he thought.

"Order whatever you want, don't be shy. It's Jiraiya's treat today," Tsunade said, patting Haneul's head.

"In that case... I'll have the beef!" Haneul didn't hold back, immediately ordering five plates of the most expensive beef.

"You really are Tsunade's student, kid," Jiraiya said, his lip twitching.

"You can learn anything else from her, but don't learn to gamble," Hiruzen couldn't help but add.

"He's just a child. I won't let him gamble," Tsunade said with a dismissive pout.

"Then why did you take him to a casino?" Hiruzen's expression darkened.

"We went to the casino, not to gamble," Tsunade replied casually, placing a piece of grilled meat in Haneul's bowl.

"..." Hiruzen's vision went black for a moment. What kind of twisted logic was that? This kid was probably a lost cause.

"Old man, why are you so nosy?" Jiraiya asked, flipping the meat on the grill.

"And what about you? When are you leaving again?" Hiruzen redirected his attention.

"..." Jiraiya was momentarily speechless.

Orochimaru's tongue shot out again, snatching the meat from the grill.

"Orochimaru!" Jiraiya demanded, exasperated. "Use your chopsticks! And can't you grill your own meat?!"

"It was about to burn. I was just helping you out," Orochimaru replied without a change in expression.

"Where was it burning? I've been grilling like this for years, I've never burned anything!" A vein pulsed on Jiraiya's forehead.

"Alright, that's enough! What's there to argue about over barbecue?" Hiruzen said, slapping the table.

"You grill it, then!" Jiraiya shoved the tongs into his hand.

"...?" Hiruzen's mustache bristled as he glared. "I am your teacher!" he roared.

Haneul quietly ate his barbecue. The Orochimaru of this time still had a surprising amount of humanity left in him. The others, however, acted much as they did in the original story—a group of powerful but disrespectful seniors. It was a shame that this scene of cheerful camaraderie would later devolve into a battlefield where they pointed blades at each other.

After the lively meal, Haneul went home with Tsunade.

"You go train. I'm going to brew the medicine," Tsunade said, kicking off her shoes and heading for the kitchen.

Haneul stood under a tree and plucked a leaf. He recalled the technique Asuma Sarutobi had described and infused his chakra into it. But instead of being sliced in two, the leaf exploded.

Haneul wasn't surprised. His aptitude for Wind Release had a 30% boost from his D-Rank Trait 'Gale Chronicles,' but he was still far from a top-tier genius. Succeeding on the first try was impossible.

Time passed, and soon it was dusk. Haneul looked at a leaf that had been cut into four pieces and let out a breath. According to Asuma, once he could skillfully slice a leaf in two, he could start learning simple Wind Release ninjutsu. He estimated it would take him about another week of training.

"Haneul, time to drink your medicine." Just then, Tsunade walked up to him, holding a bowl.

Haneul looked at the dark, murky liquid, pinched his nose, and drank it all in one gulp. A mask of agony immediately crossed his face. The taste was indescribable.

"Come with me." Tsunade turned and walked into the house, stopping at the bathroom door.

Haneul instinctively peeked inside. The bathtub wasn't filled with hot water, but with a medicinal bath.

"Take off your clothes," Tsunade said, her arms crossed.

"Huh?" Haneul looked at her. "Aren't you leaving?"

"What's there to be shy about?" Tsunade asked with a playful grin. "You're just a kid. There's nothing to see."

"Get out," Haneul said, his face darkening.

"Remember to soak for a full half-hour." Tsunade stopped teasing him, closed the door, and walked away.

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