Ch 20: Jiraiya sacrifice

At this moment, Tatsumi and Mikoto left Tsunade and returned to the earthen platform.

Back at the earthen platform used for combat, Tatsumi saw Minato, who had been sound asleep on the side, now awake.

"Awake, Minato?" Tatsumi asked.

"Hehe, yeah." The blonde-haired Namikaze Minato turned his head and smiled at Tatsumi, indicating that he was fine.

"Tatsumi, why does your face look so pale? Didn't Lady Tsunade heal you?" Minato asked with concern.

"That woman..." Tatsumi looked fearful.

"Have the second-year battles finished?" Tatsumi asked.

"The top three spots are decided. You, Mikoto, and me."

"Nawaki just forfeited his match. I don't know why, but he also had a terrible look on his face. Was he injured?" Minato asked.

"Uh, it's a long story. He probably has some serious mental trauma. He needs a psychologist," Tatsumi explained.

"But it doesn't matter. It's easy for him to seek guidance from Lady Tsunade and the others. Let's just be good Samaritans and let him give up his spot to us," Tatsumi continued to say to Minato.

Minato nodded and didn't ask any further questions.

Minato was still very happy to be able to get third place; after all, it was still difficult for him to stand out among his peers.

"What's next? Are the three of us going to fight again? Or are we going to start ranking... no, I mean, start fighting against other grades?"

"Yes, that's right. Now we're going to start a new round of competition in the form of squads by grade. The specific ranking is said to be judged by the Third Hokage's disciples based on performance."

Isn't this obvious behind-the-scenes manipulation…? Tatsumi complained in his heart. This thing, in the end, would just be decided by the Sannin. If they said you were good, you were good. If they said you weren't, you might not even be able to squeeze into the top three.

This is the so-called "appointment."

"It's still pretty fair," Minato said happily.

"Fair my ass," Tatsumi said.

"...?"

"It's nothing." Tatsumi shook his head, then said, "You have to work hard next, Minato."

"Okay, I will!"

"Mikoto, you have to work hard too."

"Definitely, I will work hard for Tatsumi~"

"That's great." After patting Mikoto's head, Tatsumi shifted his gaze toward where the Sannin were standing.

Sure enough, after all the students finished their battles, Jiraiya once again performed hand seals to remove the earthen platforms used for the students' battles, and Orochimaru also began to perform hand seals after that. Before long, an earthen platform much larger than the original one stood tall.

"Everyone rests for half an hour. After the afternoon starts, continue with the second round of battles. Students who have been eliminated can choose to return to the classroom for classes in the afternoon if they don't want to stay and watch."

After Orochimaru finished saying this in a hoarse, sexy voice, he chose to leave in a body flicker. Seeing this, Tsunade also left excitedly, looking like she was going to take some time to gamble.

The last one, Jiraiya, looked at Tatsumi below the stage, wiggled his eyebrows, and showed a mysteriously confident smile. After gesturing, he rushed toward where Tsunade had left, looking as anxious as if he had found a girlfriend.

The three of them really have ulterior motives.

Tsunade, who was already very annoyed, shouldn't be in a particularly good mood right now. If Jiraiya suddenly attacked again at this time, she would probably explode.

Tatsumi looked at Jiraiya's hurried figure and smiled very excitedly. He looked like he was about to watch a good show.

"Tatsumi, what's wrong?"

Tatsumi and Mikoto did not choose to leave the school's training ground but instead found a shady place to sit down. Mikoto also took out a prepared bento from a sealing scroll.

"Nothing, I'm just wondering if Jiraiya-sama will encounter something good," Tatsumi smiled, not saying much.

"Really, that won't do. Tatsumi definitely doesn't have any good intentions." While handing chopsticks to Tatsumi, Mikoto complained very cutely.

Ever since Mikoto discovered that Tatsumi's bento was just some salt and water, she took it upon herself to make bento for him.

Tatsumi, of course, sternly refused. Seriously, wouldn't that feel like he was living off her? Even if Tatsumi starved to death, he would definitely... um... so delicious!

"Oh, is that meatball and mitten crab today?" Tatsumi unceremoniously used chopsticks to grab the mitten crab and put it in his mouth while inviting Minato next to him to come over and eat.

While the entrance was crispy, the juicy taste of the meat inside had not been destroyed in the slightest.

"Delicious! Mikoto's cooking skills are really amazing."

"Hehe, it's good that Tatsumi thinks it's good."

Seeing Tatsumi eating what she made so happily, Mikoto also smiled shyly, then sat down on Tatsumi's side and ate silently.

This warm scene was about to blind Minato's blue eyes next to him. He had no choice but to take a look at the bento box in Tatsumi's hand, then look at the hard steamed bun in his hand.

He had no choice but to run over and freeload.

Where is the dignity of a ninja?

...

Minato was also starting to consider whether he should find a girlfriend—at least one who could cook!

...

"Die, Jiraiya! Atone for your sins with death! Otherwise, I'll send you to hell!" Tsunade's rough, loud roar came from afar.

Even Tatsumi and the others here felt the anger mixed in the voice.

"What? Did Jiraiya-sama make Tsunade-sama angry again!?" Mikoto asked worriedly.

It seems that everyone in Konoha knew that Jiraiya's reputation in the ninja circle wasn't very good.

"Calm down, Tsunade! Orochimaru, come and help me stop this guy!" Jiraiya pleaded urgently, as if he was experiencing a life-or-death ordeal.

"Orochimaru, don't stop me! I'm going to send Jiraiya to the afterlife! Otherwise, I'll take you down too!" Tsunade's grim words came, and Tatsumi couldn't help but shudder.

As expected of the Yellow-Gambling-Drugs trio. The killing intent can even make the skin feel tingly—this is just Tsunade's killing intent alone.

A brief silence followed.

"Go to hell, Jiraiya! Heavenly Foot of Pain—"

Has she already used ninjutsu?

"Someone, Tsunade has gone crazy! Teacher Sarutobi, come and save me!" Jiraiya made his last struggle.

"Boom!!!"

A violent tremor came from the distance in Konoha Village, and even Tatsumi, who was far away at the Ninja School, felt the ground shake.

Jiraiya-sama, I will remember your tragic sacrifice.

Tatsumi, who had pitted Jiraiya, thought without any sense of responsibility. He showed a smug smile.

"Tatsumi, what's wrong? Why are you so happy?" After spending a long time with Tatsumi, Mikoto had basically figured out the meaning behind his every move. Seeing his excited expression, Mikoto knew that Tatsumi was definitely very happy.

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