Once More by ItsHardToFindAPenName

Chapter 21: A New Old Mission?

"So, our target is Tsunade-sama, one of the Legendary Sannin, just like you?"

Jiraiya nodded to answer Sasuke's question. "Yes."

"Wow, that's incredible," Sakura said in awe. "To think a kunoichi can match the power of someone like you..."

"You will be surprised, little girl," Jiraiya smirked. "Tsunade is one of the most powerful kunoichi in the entire world. Her power must be on par with, if not exceed, the power of the Mizukage. During battle, she usually doesn't bother using flashy ninjutsu or genjutsu, although I assure you she is perfectly capable of utilizing both; just a punch of hers is enough to reduce the whole battlefield into debris. She is also the best medical ninja across the whole Elemental Continent; healing people who were cut in half is just a child's game to her. Some people even rumored that she had reached immortality herself."

"Wew," Naruto whistled, feigning impressed. "A legendary medic with power to shatter enemies in a single punch... Sounds really like your style, Sakura. Maybe you should ask to be her apprentice when we meet her..."

Sakura blushed slightly, but smiled nonetheless. Because she herself was thinking that too.

"Good luck with that," Jiraiya snorted. "Strong as she might be, she is still incredibly stubborn. Since the day she was promoted to jonin, she has only taken one kunoichi as her apprentice, who is now traveling together with her. Not to mention that the apprentice is someone very close to her too."

"But the reason for us to bring her back is not simply to cure Hinata. There must be something else behind the Hokage's decision to so easily assign us this mission right upon Naruto's request, am I right?" Sasuke asked sharply, and Naruto had to refrain himself from rolling his eyes.

Just leave it to Sasuke to figure out the true meaning behind everything.

"Sometimes you are just too sharp for your own good, Sasuke," Jiraiya shook his head. "Yes, Hiruzen-sensei and the council also want Tsunade to go back to the village to act as the Head of Konoha Medical Corp. After the invasion, Konoha, while winning decisively, still suffered from a drastic decrease in political position. Tsunade is too great of an asset to Konohagakure; bringing her back to the village will improve the power of the village a lot."

Then suddenly he giggled. "And she is incredibly hot, too..."

"So that's the main reason you want to bring her back, huh," Sasuke scoffed in disgust. Jiraiya raised his hands in defense.

"Hey, hey, brat. You will soon need to learn about the beauty of the female body if you want to revive the Uchiha clan someday. Why not trying it now?"

"Don't poison Sasuke-kun's mind with your filthy thoughts!" Sakura yelled, and kicked Jiraiya in the balls. The two other males winced.

This girl is too brutal for her own good...

"Anyway... Where are we going to go to find her?" Naruto questioned. The last time, they had found Tsunade in Tanzaku, a small town not far from Konohagakure.

Jiraiya, now having managed to stand back up, answered. "Well, according to my source, right now she is in Tanzaku Town, but she is going to leave there this morning to Takigakure."

Naruto blinked. That was new.

"Takigakure?" Sakura pondered. "Isn't that the village almost no one knows exactly its whereabout? Why is she going there?"

Jiraiya nodded. "It is true. However, I don't think her destination is Takigakure itself. There is a small town near the village named Takayama, which is famous for the greatest sake brewery in the whole Elemental Continent. And the first brew of the year is coming in a few days. I don't think Tsunade wants to miss that."