Chapter 167: Journey

Tōshirō had just taken a step forward when several familiar figures caught his eye.

It was Tsunade, accompanied by Jiraiya and Orochimaru. It seemed their injuries had healed, and they were free to move around as they pleased.

Tōshirō was about to choose his words carefully when the figure in front of him suddenly moved.

A faint fragrance accompanied a warm embrace.

It was Tsunade hugging him.

Tōshirō wore an apologetic expression. "I caused you trouble."

"Don't let it happen again, understand?"

Tōshirō smiled. "Sorry, but how long are you planning to hold me?"

Tsunade was startled, realizing that others were watching. Her ears turned red, and she quickly let go.

Jiraiya, standing nearby, was puzzled. When had the two become so close that they could hug so freely? Had he missed something during his time in the hospital?

"Since when did you two become so close?" Jiraiya asked.

Tsunade, feeling guilty, explained, "Don't misunderstand. I just thought he'd been in prison for too long, so I gave him a hug as comfort."

Jiraiya nodded in understanding, then added, "That makes sense. But when I was lying in bed for so long, barely recovering, why didn't you give me a hug for comfort?"

Tsunade shot him a look, as if to say, "Do you really need to ask?"

Jiraiya sighed. The road to winning Tsunade's heart was long and arduous, but he wasn't about to give up.

Tōshirō congratulated his two friends. "Congratulations, it seems you've both recovered."

Orochimaru sighed. "A lot has happened during our time in the hospital."

Tōshirō tried to lighten the mood. "The Orochimaru team has had a rough start. Out of the four of us, two were hospitalized, and one was imprisoned."

Tsunade, in a good mood now that her boyfriend was out of prison, even joked, "Isn't it because you guys are always so irresponsible that you brought this on yourselves?"

Tōshirō snorted and looked at Tsunade, who had remained unharmed. Teasingly, he said, "Who knows? Maybe your time hasn't come yet. Maybe you'll end up worse off than the three of us."

Tsunade clenched her small fist, pretending to be fierce. "Are you cursing me?"

Tōshirō quickly backed down, choosing to play it safe.

...

Upon returning to the village, Tōshirō immediately went to pay his respects to Elder Itachi, who had played a crucial role in securing his release.

Without his mediation, Tōshirō might have rotted in prison.

"How did you convince the daimyo to let me go? Those guys are notoriously stubborn and arrogant."

Elder Itachi smiled faintly. "I gave them an offer they couldn't refuse."

Tōshirō: "???"

From the tone, it sounded like Elder Itachi had done something to threaten them, forcing the daimyo to back down.

Damn...

Was Elder Itachi really that fierce?

Tōshirō, not being a native, had always held a disdainful attitude toward the daimyo, those carbon-based life forms. He never expected Elder Itachi, a native, to be just as fierce.

Instantly, Elder Itachi's image in Tōshirō's mind grew even more imposing.

Seeing that Tōshirō was about to dig deeper, Elder Itachi waved him off. "It's better if you don't ask too many questions about what happened. Just remember one thing: in this world, strength is the most powerful language."

Tōshirō nodded in agreement. If he had absolute strength, he wouldn't have ended up in this mess in the first place. He could have just overturned the table.

Elder Itachi waved his hand dismissively. "I'm tired. If there's nothing else, you may leave."

Tōshirō quickly said, "There is something."

Elder Itachi looked at him questioningly.

After a moment of hesitation, Tōshirō told the elder about his desire to travel.

"Travel?"

"After what happened, some ninjas in the village might not be too fond of me. I plan to use this trip to lay low for a while, to avoid their disdain."

"A troublemaker?" Elder Itachi mocked. "At least you're self-aware."

Tōshirō scratched his cheek sheepishly. "We're all ninjas from the same village. We'll have to work together on missions in the future. It's better if I don't stay in the village and irritate them for now."

Elder Itachi's smile deepened, the wrinkles on his face becoming more pronounced. "It seems this prison experience has matured you."

"People grow, after all."

"Alright, if you want to travel, then go. Just be careful and protect yourself."

Tōshirō's face lit up with joy. With the elder's approval, he could now wander outside without any worries.

Next, Tōshirō headed straight to the Hokage's office. He found Sarutobi Hiruzen and straightforwardly expressed his desire to travel and leave the village for a while.

Given the negative impact Tōshirō had caused, Hiruzen thought it was a good idea for him to lay low and agreed.

"Who will replace me in the team?" Even though he was leaving, Tōshirō still cared about his teammates.

"The team will be disbanded."

"Disbanded?"

"Yes, Tsunade has been applying to become a jonin."

"How's that going?"

"She's not quite ready for jonin, but she could be considered for a special jonin position as a transition."

Special jonin were between chunin and jonin in rank. They might not be as strong as jonin, but they had unique skills.

Tsunade's exceptional medical skills made her a good fit. However, if she were promoted, the team could no longer stay together.

Tōshirō sincerely praised her.

"Tōshirō, you should work hard too. How about considering taking the chunin exams?"

Tōshirō shook his head. "I think being a genin is just fine."

After all, genin were the strongest ninjas.

"That's a shame," Hiruzen said, not pushing the matter.

After leaving the Hokage's office, Tōshirō didn't leave the village immediately. He planned to stay for a couple more days.

While walking, Tōshirō ran into Jiraiya, who looked at him with a "perfect timing" expression. "Tōshirō, I have something for you."

"Something for me?"

"Yeah, consider it a gift for getting out of prison."

Tōshirō gratefully accepted the bag handed to him, curiosity evident on his face. "Do you mind if I open it now?"

"Go ahead, it's yours."

Tōshirō nodded and opened the bag. Inside was a black, square object that felt soft to the touch.

If he wasn't mistaken, it was konjac, something edible.

Jiraiya asked, "Well?"

"What do you mean? This is konjac, right?"

Tōshirō was puzzled. Why would Jiraiya give him this?

To eat?

Jiraiya chuckled. "Take a closer look."

Tōshirō, confused, picked it up and examined it more carefully.

"I'm telling you, using this... it's just like the real thing."

Huh?

By the time Tōshirō realized what Jiraiya meant, the metaphorical wheels had already rolled over his face.

"For someone without a girlfriend," Jiraiya patted Tōshirō's shoulder, looking like he didn't need to be thanked.

Tōshirō: ...

After a long pause, he finally managed to say, "Jiraiya, if you put this much effort into developing ninjutsu, I bet you could even create an S-rank technique."

Jiraiya laughed, feeling pleased with himself. "Haha, I think so too..."

Tōshirō said flatly, "I wasn't complimenting you."

Jiraiya froze, finally realizing.

"Seriously, what's going on in your head all day... Please, just go find a girlfriend."

"What can I do? Tsunade won't agree to be with me..."

"There are plenty of fish in the sea. Why focus on one? Besides, with your fickle nature, I don't see you as someone who could seriously pursue a girl. And besides, she already has a boyfriend. How could you possibly catch up?"

Jiraiya's spirits lifted. "Nani? Do you know who Tsunade's sweetheart is?"

Tōshirō nodded.

"Who is that bastard?"

Tōshirō looked around and whispered, "I'll tell you, but you can't tell anyone else."

Jiraiya nodded eagerly. "Go on."

Tōshirō pointed to his own cheek.

Jiraiya blinked, not understanding.

"Me."

Tōshirō grinned, showing his teeth, looking as dangerous as a predator.

Jiraiya let out an "Ah" and burst into laughter. "Tōshirō, you really love to joke. Even if you're trying to persuade me, you don't have to come up with such a lame excuse."

Tōshirō said seriously, "I'm not lying."

Jiraiya patted Tōshirō's shoulder, looking like he understood. "Alright, alright. I know you two too well. Saying you're confiding in each other is less believable than saying I'm having an affair with Orochimaru."

"What did you say?"

A gloomy voice suddenly interrupted, startling Jiraiya. When he saw who it was, he complained, "Orochimaru, why do you always sneak up like a snake?"

"I am a snake," Orochimaru said with a smile.

Tōshirō chuckled.

At this point in time, Orochimaru wasn't as cold as he was in the original story. When in a good mood, he could even crack a joke.

Jiraiya snorted.

Orochimaru asked, "What were you two talking about?"

Jiraiya was about to say something, but Tōshirō cut him off. "By the way, since both of you are here, I have something to tell you."

He had originally planned to half-jokingly come clean with Jiraiya to avoid any future misunderstandings.

He knew Jiraiya's personality well enough to know that he would just laugh it off.

But Orochimaru was different. He might actually believe it and, out of curiosity, start investigating.

Hearing that Tōshirō had something to say, both Jiraiya and Orochimaru turned their attention to him.

Tōshirō coughed twice. "In short, I won't be in the village for a while. I'm going on a journey."

....

The day before leaving the village.

At the base of a cliff, near a quiet river.

While training, Tōshirō sensed someone nearby and stopped, calling out.

"Looks like you found me."

A voice echoed as a slender figure emerged from behind a tree.

"You didn't hide your chakra or presence. It would be strange if I didn't notice you. In other words, you wanted me to find you."

Tōshirō gave this confident explanation to Tsunade, who had appeared before him.

Tsunade didn't deny it and changed the subject. "I heard from Jiraiya and Orochimaru that you're leaving the village to go on some journey?"

"Yes."

"Why not stay in the village a bit longer?" Tsunade was a bit reluctant to see Tōshirō leave so soon after returning.

"Maybe it's because I was locked up in that small space for too long. After getting out, I felt the urge to see the world."

"I see. It seems your time in prison had a big impact on you."

"If you put it that way, those days felt like years..." Tōshirō's face showed a bitter smile. His time in prison was no joke.

"That's so sad. Do you want me to comfort you?"

"Huh???"

Tsunade's cheeks turned red, and she looked embarrassed. "Because it seems like it would make you happy."

Tōshirō's face showed a moment of confusion, then he eagerly ran over.

Tsunade punched him in the face, a love-filled punch.

With a "thud," Tōshirō fell back, clutching his bleeding nose.

Tsunade exhaled. "Good, you seem lively. I was worried for nothing."

Tōshirō looked annoyed. "Tsunade, you've changed. You weren't like this in the future."

Tsunade, having succeeded in her scheme, smiled like a crescent moon. "This is called 'times change.' And don't you know the saying that a woman's heart is as unpredictable as autumn weather?"

Tōshirō sighed, somewhat nostalgic for the gentle Tsunade from their first date.

He was a bit of a masochist.

He liked Tsunade's unruly nature, but sometimes her mood swings were too much.

"Hey~ Are you traveling alone?" she suddenly asked. "Will there be girls along the way?"

"Girls, huh..." Tōshirō rubbed his chin, as if seriously considering the question.

"Hey—!"

Seeing him lost in thought, Tsunade grew jealous.

"If I had to choose a companion, I'd only want one person, and that's you, Tsunade."

Tsunade was touched and waved him over. "Come here."

"What?" Tōshirō grinned mischievously. "Are you moved by what I just said? Are you going to give me a little something..."

"Your mind is always in the gutter..."

At this point, Tsunade seemed to give up and sighed. She had known Tōshirō for a while now.

If the mountain wouldn't come to her, she would go to the mountain. She quickened her steps, approached Tōshirō, stood on her tiptoes, and lightly kissed his lips.

Afterward, she crossed her arms behind her back, took a few steps back, and smiled brightly. "That's compensation for hitting you earlier."

"You're getting bolder. You used to be so shy."

Tōshirō touched his lips, savoring the lingering taste.

Tsunade said softly, "It's all because of someone..."

"Alright, my bad."

"After this, I'll sometimes go on missions alone. If I have time to spare..." Tsunade bit her lip, as if gathering courage.

Tōshirō was puzzled. "So...?"

Tsunade blurted out, "Go on a date with me."

"Huh?"

Tsunade's eyes were watery, looking pitiful. "You don't want to?"

"Of course not." Tōshirō wasn't an idiot.

"Great."

Tsunade jumped slightly, as if she had won a competition.

But she quickly realized something and covered her mouth, trying to maintain her composure.

Tōshirō smiled playfully. "You seem really happy about dating me."

"It's not because of that. It's just that last time you asked me out, so this time it's my turn..."

Her voice trailed off, lacking confidence.

"Tsunade?"

Tōshirō teased her by calling her name.

After a moment of silence, Tsunade took a deep breath and smiled brightly, admitting openly, "That's right~ I'm really looking forward to dating Tōshirō."

Tōshirō was caught off guard by her directness. "Huh? Why aren't you being tsundere about it?"

Tsunade mustered her courage and said frankly, "Because I think we might be together for a long time. I need to get used to it."

Tōshirō hesitated. "What if someone sees us being so affectionate?"

"Who cares? I'm not afraid. Can't you be a man about it!?" Tsunade boldly pulled Tōshirō into her arms. "And if they see, so what? Grandma already agreed."

At this moment, Tōshirō looked like a little wife being held by Tsunade. "Oh, that's good. Wait, what did you say?"

Tsunade told Tōshirō about Mito's previous intervention.

Tōshirō was shocked. Mito's perception was terrifying.

But fortunately, she was reasonable and didn't interfere.

"So... should we make it public?"

Tsunade looked into Tōshirō's eyes. If possible, she hoped they wouldn't have to hide their relationship and could be open about it.

Faced with her longing gaze, Tōshirō couldn't meet her eyes and dodged the question. "Let's wait a year and see."

Tsunade: ...

"What's with that look?"

"Somehow, when you say that, I feel like it might be one year after another, and in the end, I might never be with you..."

The words were too embarrassing to say, so Tsunade skipped them. "You still don't want to go public."

"You're overthinking it."

"No, you would do something like this. Because you're cautious."

Tōshirō: ...

While the two were being affectionate, they didn't notice a crow on a branch, tilting its head and watching them with beady eyes.

...

The next day, Tōshirō bid farewell to Tsunade and the others and left the village, heading to the address Kakuzu had given him.

Deep in an alley, there was a door with a burly man carrying a katana standing guard.

This was a pawnshop, and its owner was Kakuzu.

Since this involved the future kidnapping of the daimyo's son, Tōshirō couldn't afford to leave any traces. He had to be extremely careful, and the fewer people who knew his real face, the better.

With this in mind, Tōshirō formed hand seals and used a transformation jutsu to become a handsome young man with long, flowing black hair.

After completing this, Tōshirō entered the pawnshop.

The guard saw the cloaked black-haired youth approaching and, out of professional instinct, raised his guard and reached out to stop him.

Tōshirō glanced at the guard. He was tall but had an unsteady gait, the typical type who was all bark and no bite, only capable of bullying ordinary people. No wonder he was just a doorman.

Tōshirō didn't bother explaining and took him down with a single move, thinking to himself how useless this guy was.

He remembered that in the original story, after Kakuzu died, his accountant was first robbed by Suigetsu and then tricked by Shizune into paying off Tsunade's debts...

Despite being so greedy, the security around his money was so weak.

Tōshirō shook his head, opened the door, and walked in.

Inside, there were two people: one sitting and smoking, the other standing. They seemed to be the owner and an employee.

As someone working under Kakuzu, the owner naturally had some discernment. From the moment he saw the cloaked black-haired youth, he had a feeling this person wasn't here to pawn anything.

"Don't be nervous. I'm here to see someone." Tōshirō found a chair and sat down as if he owned the place.

"Who are you looking for?" The owner, realizing the guard might have been taken out, spoke politely, trying to buy time.

Tōshirō got straight to the point. "Kakuzu..."

The owner was stunned and played dumb. "You must be joking."

Kakuzu was a bounty hunter, and due to the nature of his work, he had made many enemies.

"Don't want to say?" Tōshirō shrugged. "Fine, just tell him someone is looking for him. If he comes, let him know I'll be here every day at 2 PM." With that, he turned and left.

Just like that... The pawnshop owner was clearly surprised that Tōshirō left so abruptly and called out for more information.

"Just say someone is looking for him. He'll know."

Watching Tōshirō leave, the pawnshop owner was utterly confused. A few days later, Kakuzu returned to the pawnshop after completing a job.

The owner immediately went up to him and relayed everything that had happened over the past few days.

Kakuzu was puzzled.

Who could it be?

But then he thought, the description didn't match. The black-haired youth he remembered didn't have such long hair. Still, he decided to wait until 2 PM.

Tōshirō arrived as promised.

When Kakuzu saw him, he was surprised. He had never seen this black-haired youth before, so why did he claim to know him?

"Let's talk somewhere else, Kakuzu."

As Tōshirō spoke, Kakuzu caught on and scrutinized him, realizing it was a transformation jutsu.

"Follow me..."

Kakuzu led Tōshirō to a soundproofed room where their conversation wouldn't be overheard.

Kakuzu sat on a soft sofa and looked at the unfamiliar youth. "You can drop the transformation now."

Tōshirō shook his head. "The fewer people who know my real identity, the better."

Kakuzu narrowed his eyes, studying Tōshirō. "You're a cautious one. So, did you come up with a new name for your current identity too?"

Kakuzu's words reminded Tōshirō, who quickly thought of a random name. "Yes, you can call me Asakura Hao. Asakura is the surname, Hao is the given name."

Asakura Hao?

What a casual name.

Kakuzu noted it down.

Then, he suddenly asked, "Did you defect from your village?"

Tōshirō wasn't in a hurry to deny it. "Why do you think that?"

"You haven't forgotten, have you? The target you escorted last time was an extremely wealthy and powerful person. As a surviving ninja, you should have faced severe punishment. Unless you defected, how could you appear here unscathed?"

"Unscathed? I was in prison for a long time." Tōshirō smiled bitterly. "I was only recently released."

Prison?

Kakuzu was taken aback, recalling his own experience.

He had also been imprisoned once.

Instantly, he felt a stronger connection with Tōshirō.

"Gōkakyū Prison. That's where I was held." Tōshirō continued, his expression darkening, hoping to evoke empathy from Kakuzu.

Kakuzu pondered the name. He had nearly been transferred there once, but before the official transfer, he killed the higher-ups and defected.

"How did you get out of prison?" Kakuzu was curious.

From what he remembered, Gōkakyū Prison was extremely strict. Once you were in, you didn't get out.

Tōshirō briefly explained the situation to Kakuzu.

After hearing it, Kakuzu understood. If it had been his village, they wouldn't have saved him. He would have rotted in prison.

They started in similar situations, but the outcomes were different. Kakuzu suddenly lost his sense of connection.

Kakuzu returned to the original question. "So, why are you looking for me?"

Tōshirō said, "To make money."

Kakuzu liked the sound of that.

(End of Chapter)

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