Kawaragi

The little girl with light yellow long hair pointed to a room in the distance: "That pretty big sister seems to be staying in that room over there."

The three of them rushed in the direction she pointed, exasperated. The little girl took three steps at a time, "clattering" down the stairs, and ran straight into Ino, who was coming up.

Ino: "..."

She didn't know what to say. Should she greet her?

As a fifty-year-old woman, you're really something! Tsunade was also taken aback. She didn't know Ino, but the Leaf Village Headband on Ino's forehead was impossible to miss.

For a moment, both of them felt awkward.

Fortunately, Tsunade was older, and as one of the Three Legendary Sannin, she had thick skin. She quickly waved her hand: "Don't just stand there, hurry up and follow!"

Ino followed her out of the inn, bewildered, and then they met up with Tsunade's assistant, Shizune, at a house on the other side of the town. Shizune was a Jonin who had been in the same class as Kakashi and Asuma.

Shizune was holding a pet pig named "Tonton."

When the pet pig saw Ino, it was startled. After a moment of eye contact, it let out a series of "puyo puyo" sounds and then burrowed into Shizune's arms.

Back in her own territory, Tsunade dispelled the Transformation Technique. She glanced outside—no creditors had followed her—and then, with her hands on her hips, she laughed triumphantly.

"Those idiots, trying to corner me? Hahaha—"

After laughing, she turned to Ino and spoke bluntly, almost frighteningly so: "I know you. You're from the Yamanaka Clan, right? Want to become my disciple? Well, I require a disciple's gift. Do you... have money?"

Shizune was extremely embarrassed and anxiously tried to intervene: "Lady Tsunade, that's really inappropriate."

The pet pig Tonton also let out a couple of "puyo puyo" sounds, but when it met Ino's gaze, it quickly retreated back into Shizune's arms.

Ino scratched her head. To be honest, she didn't have much money at the moment, and with Tsunade, it was crucial not to give the impression that she was wealthy. Once that impression was made, the requests for loans would never end.

It was a bottomless pit—no amount of money would ever be enough.

Ino hesitated and said, "I'm just a Genin... I just graduated, and my family has cut off my allowance. The money I earn from missions isn't much..."

Shizune chimed in with a fair tone: "Yes, yes, Lady Tsunade, it's really not appropriate for you to say such things."

Tsunade picked at her ear, showing that she didn't care at all.

"So, no money?"

"None at all..."

"Not even a little? Just five million ryo, and I'll break even!"

This time, Ino answered more sincerely: "I really don't have it. The village hasn't paid me for this month's missions yet."

Tsunade nodded sympathetically: "That old man, the Third Hokage, is really slow with things. Hmm, what to do? I've got it!"

She snapped her fingers loudly and then whispered something into Shizune's ear.

Shizune glanced back and forth between Ino and Tsunade, then started shaking her head vigorously. Under Tsunade's glare, she hesitated but eventually had no choice but to go next door and bring back a young man who looked quite pleased.

The young man also wore a ninja headband. He was a ninja from the Hidden Waterfall Village and appeared to be around sixteen or seventeen years old.

Tsunade smiled at Ino, signaling her to wait a moment, then pulled the young man aside to whisper in the distance. Ino could only catch snippets of their conversation, like "five hundred thousand," "five million," "six hundred thousand," and "four million." She was utterly baffled. Are they haggling? It didn't take long before Tsunade, with the young man looking somewhat defeated, led him back into the house.

She straightforwardly asked Ino, "You want to follow me and become my disciple, right? Do you know what that entails?"

"Yes, Lady Tsunade, I wish to become your disciple. I've already prepared myself for the hardships," Ino replied firmly, even though the interview was nothing like she had imagined.

Tsunade pointed to the young man beside her. "His name is Kawaragi. His father has some connections with me. Now, I'll give you a task. Safely escort him to the Hidden Leaf Village, and I'll agree to take you as my disciple. How does that sound?"

Escort a ninja from Takigakure to the Hidden Leaf Village? If it were anyone else, Ino would suspect ulterior motives. But this was Tsunade. Who was she? The granddaughter of the First Hokage. Anyone else might betray their village, but never her.

Ino pondered the relationship between the two villages. The Hidden Leaf and Takigakure were allies, but such alliances were fragile among ninja villages.

The young man named Kawaragi seemed nervous, even more timid than Chojuro, whom Ino had met before.

Though young, Ino had repeatedly defeated strong opponents, and her confidence had grown.

She glanced at the young man, who took two steps back and smiled ingratiatingly.

Ino turned and asked, "Lady Tsunade, is it just escorting him back to the village? Will there be any complications during the mission?"

Tsunade immediately understood her concern. "That's for you to judge. He's definitely got some trouble, or he wouldn't have come to me. You'll have to figure it out yourself."

Ino thought about it and decided that even if there were trouble, she could handle it. The trouble from Takigakure couldn't possibly involve Kakuzu, right? Kakuzu was busy making money for the Akatsuki at this time. He wouldn't bother with Takigakure, and Takigakure wouldn't dare provoke him, a rogue ninja. Kakuzu would only return to Takigakure when it was time to capture a Tailed Beast, and that clearly wasn't the case yet.

"Shall we set off now?"

Tsunade waved her hand. "You two can decide. No need to ask me. Once the mission is complete, come back to me. If I'm not in this town, then... well, your Yamanaka Clan will surely find me."

"Understood, Lady Tsunade. Shizune, I'll take my leave now."

Ino left the town with Kawaragi, heading for the Hidden Leaf Village.

Along the way, she asked Kawaragi about his intentions. Though unlikely, what if he planned to cause trouble in the Hidden Leaf? She had to be sure.

"Why are you going to the Hidden Leaf?"

Kawaragi spoke softly, "Well, I have a mission to entrust to the Hidden Leaf Village."

Ino suddenly understood. "So, you're saying you need to issue a mission to the Hidden Leaf, and that's why I'm escorting you there?"

"Yes, exactly!"

Ino considered for a moment. "Then, for this journey to the Hidden Leaf, are you planning to pay me?"

He was stunned. "I've already paid Lady Tsunade."

Ino's expression turned grim. "Are you saying that after I traveled all this way, risking my life to escort you to the Hidden Leaf Village, possibly facing ambushes from other ninjas along the way, I won't even get a single penny for my efforts? Look me in the eyes and say that again."

Kawaragi counted on his fingers for a while. "Wait! Let me think. That, that could be considered a separate mission. I'll pay!"

Ino was pleased. "Young man, you're quite sensible. You've got a bright future ahead of you!"