Naruto: Starting with Tsunade

Chapter 168 Travel

As soon as Aokiji took a step, several familiar figures caught his eye.

It was Tsunade, with Jiraiya and Orochimaru beside her. It seemed their injuries had healed and they could move around freely.

Just as Aokiji was about to choose his words, a figure flashed before his eyes.

A delicate fragrance wafted through me, bringing a warm feeling to my heart.

That was Tsunade's embrace.

Aokiji looked apologetic: "I'm sorry for causing you trouble."

"There won't be a next time, understand?"

Aokiji laughed and said, "Sorry, but speaking of which, how long are you going to carry me?"

Tsunade was startled, realizing that people were watching her. Her ears turned red, and she quickly looked away.

Jiraiya, standing to the side, was puzzled. When did the two of them become so close that they could hug and cuddle? Had he done something wrong during his hospitalization?

"When did you two become so close?"

Tsunade, feeling guilty, explained, "Don't misunderstand, I just felt he'd been in jail for too long, so I gave him a hug as a way of comforting him."

Jiraiya expressed his understanding and drew inferences from it: "That's true, but I was in the hospital for so long and finally recovered. Why didn't you give me a hug to comfort me?"

Tsunade gave him a look, telling him to think it over carefully and see if he had any self-awareness.

Jiraiya sighed. The road to pursuing Tsunade was long and arduous, but he would not give up.

Aokiji congratulated his two friends: "Congratulations to you both, it looks like you've recovered."

Orochimaru remarked with some emotion, "A lot has really happened during my hospital stay."

Aokiji tried to find humor in his misery: "Orochimaru's team has been having a run of bad luck since its formation. Two of the four are hospitalized and one is in jail."

Tsunade, in a good mood after her boyfriend was released from prison, even joked, "Isn't this karma for all you guys who were always so irresponsible?"

Aokiji snorted, glanced at Tsunade who was still unharmed, and teased, "That's hard to say, it's just not the right time yet. Maybe you'll be in even worse shape than the three of us when things get tough."

Tsunade clenched her little pink fist, putting on a fierce look: "Are you cursing me?"

Aokiji readily agreed and chose to back down.

..............................

Upon returning to Konoha, Aokiji immediately paid a visit to Elder Itachi to express his deep gratitude. If it weren't for Itachi's mediation, Aokiji would probably have spent his life in prison.

"How did you manage to convince the daimyo to release me? Those guys are incredibly stubborn and arrogant."

Elder Itachi smiled slightly: "I gave them a reason they couldn't refuse."

Aokiji: "???"

Judging from his tone, it seemed that he had done something to threaten the other party before the daimyo was willing to let it go.

hiss~~

Is Elder Itachi really that fierce?

Because Aokiji wasn't a native, he held a contemptuous attitude towards daimyo, a carbon-based creature. He never expected that Elder Itachi, a native, would be so fierce.

Suddenly, his image in his mind became even more magnificent.

Seeing that Aokiji was determined to get to the bottom of things, Elder Itachi was reluctant to engage: "It's best if you don't pry into the specifics of what happened. You only need to know one thing: in this world, strength is the most powerful language."

Aokiji nodded in agreement, indicating his full approval. If he had absolute strength, he wouldn't have gotten to this point in the crisis; he could have simply overturned the table.

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

Aokiji quickly replied, "Something's wrong, something's wrong."

Elder Itachi's eyes showed a questioning look.

After a moment of contemplation, Aokiji told his elders about his desire to travel.

"travel?"

"Given what happened, some of the village's ninjas will probably dislike me, a troublemaker like me. I plan to use a trip as an excuse to avoid trouble and get the cold shoulder."

"A troublemaker?" Elder Itachi taunted, "You do have some self-awareness, don't you?"

Aokiji scratched his cheek like a monkey and chuckled sheepishly, "We're all ninjas from the same village, so we'll inevitably have to go on missions together in the future. I'd better not stay in the village for a while and annoy them."

Elder Itachi's smile deepened, his face crinkling with even more wrinkles: "After this ordeal in prison, you've certainly matured quite a bit."

"People just grow up."

"Okay, go ahead and travel if you want. Be careful on the road and take care of yourself."

Aokiji was overjoyed. With the old man's approval and endorsement, he could now roam around outside without any worries.

Next, on the Hokage's side, Aokiji went straight to the Hokage's office, found Hiruzen Sarutobi, and bluntly stated that he wanted to travel and didn't plan to stay in the village anymore.

Given the negative impact of Aokiji's actions, Hiruzen Sarutobi thought it would be good to lay low for a while, so he agreed.

"If I leave the team, who will fill in?" Even after leaving the team, Aokiji still cares about his teammates.

"It's going to be demolished."

"open?"

"Yes, Tsunade is currently applying to become a Jonin."

"How did it go?"

"Being a Jonin isn't feasible yet, but becoming a Special Jonin as a stepping stone is something we can consider."

Special Jonin are a level between Chunin and Jonin. They may not be as strong as Jonin, but they all have a special skill.

Tsunade's medical skills are superb, so she's a good fit. If she were promoted, the team wouldn't be able to maintain its strength.

Aokiji sincerely praised him a few times.

"Aokiji, you should work harder too. Have you considered participating in the Chunin Exams?"

Aokiji shook his head: "I think being a genin is fine."

Genin are the strongest ninjas.

"That's a real shame." Yuan Fei Ri Zhan didn't insist.

After leaving the Hokage's office, Aokiji did not leave Konoha immediately, but planned to stay for two days before departing.

Walking down the street, Aokiji bumped into Jiraiya, who saw that Aokiji had a "just in time" expression on his face: "Aokiji, I have something for you."

"Are you giving me something?"

"Yes, this is your gift upon your release from prison."

Aokiji gratefully accepted the bag, his expression curious: "If you don't mind, I'll open it now."

"It's alright, this was originally a gift from me to you."

Aokiji nodded, opened it, and inside was a dark, square object that seemed quite soft in texture.

If I'm not mistaken, this thing should be called konjac, the kind of thing you can eat.

Jiraiya asked, "How is it?"

"What do you mean, 'what'? This thing is konjac, isn't it?"

Aokiji wondered why he would give him this.

Should I give him some to eat?

Jiraiya chuckled and said, "Take a closer look."

Aokiji looked puzzled, but did as he was told and picked it up. Upon closer inspection, he discovered that it contained konjac.

"Let me tell you, using this... well, it's practically lifelike."

what?

By the time Aokiji realized what was happening, the wheel had already run over his face.

"You don't have a girlfriend, huh?" Jiraiya patted Aokiji on the shoulder, giving him a "you're welcome" look.

Aokiji: ...

After a long silence, he finally managed to say, "Jiraiya, if you put this much effort into developing ninjutsu, I bet you could have even developed an S-rank ninjutsu by now."

Jiraiya felt good about himself: "Haha, actually I think so too..."

Aokiji said, speechless, "I wasn't praising you."

Jiraiya grunted, finally realizing what was happening.

"Seriously, what are you thinking about all day long... Please, go find a girlfriend."

"What can I do? Tsunade just won't agree to it..."

"There are plenty of fish in the sea, why be hung up on just one? Besides, with your fickle attitude, you don't look like someone who's pursuing a girl at all. And besides, she already has a boyfriend, how could you possibly win her over?"

Jiraiya was startled: "What?! You know who Tsunade's sweetheart is?"

Aokiji nodded.

"Which bastard is it?"

Aokiji looked left and right, then crept up to him quietly: "I'm telling you something, but you absolutely mustn't tell anyone else."

Jiraiya nodded and said, "Go ahead."

Aokiji poked his cheek with his finger.

Jiraiya blinked, not understanding.

"Me?"

Aokiji's smile reveals eight teeth, a smile that hints at Yida's danger.

Jiraiya exclaimed "Ah!" and burst into laughter: "Aokiji, you really love to joke. Even if you want to persuade me, you don't have to come up with such a lame reason."

Aokiji said very seriously, "I'm not lying."

Jiraiya patted Aokiji on the shoulder, looking like he knew everything: "Alright, alright, I know you two better than anyone. Saying you're confiding in each other is less accurate than saying Orochimaru and I are gay."

"What am I saying?"

The sudden, sinister voice startled Jiraiya. After recognizing the person, he said with a resentful look, "Orochimaru, how come you always appear and disappear like a snake?"

"I am a snake," Orochimaru laughed.

Aokiji smiled.

At this time, Orochimaru is not as cold and sinister as in the original story. When he's in a good mood, he can even crack a joke occasionally.

Jiraiya scoffed.

Orochimaru laughed and asked, "What were you all talking about just now?"

Just as Jiraiya was about to say something, Aokiji interrupted him: "By the way, since you two are both here, I have something to tell you."

He had intended to tell Jiraiya the truth in a half-joking way, so that he wouldn't have to admit that he had kept it from him later.

He knew Jiraiya's personality and would definitely laugh it off as a joke.

But Orochimaru is different; he might actually believe it, and he might even secretly investigate out of curiosity.

Upon hearing that Aokiji had something to say, Jiraiya and Orochimaru both turned their heads.

Aokiji coughed twice: "To put it simply, I won't be in the village from now on; I'll be going on a trip for a while."

………………

………………

The day before leaving the village.

Below the cliff, near a secluded river.

Aokiji, who was cultivating, sensed someone nearby, stopped cultivating, and called out.

"Looks like you found out."

As a sound echoed, a slender figure emerged from behind the tree.

"You didn't conceal your chakra and aura, so it would be strange if I didn't notice. In other words, you deliberately let me discover you."

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

Tsunade didn't deny it, changing the subject: "I heard from Jiraiya and Orochimaru that you're leaving the village for some kind of trip?"

"Yes."

"Why not stay in the village a little longer?" Tsunade was still a little reluctant to see Aokiji leave as soon as he returned to the village.

"Maybe it's because I was locked up in that small space for too long, so after I came out, I had an urge to go out and see the world, which is so big."

"Really? It seems your time in jail has had a significant impact on you."

"If you put it that way, that period was like an eternity for me..." Aokiji wore a helpless, bitter smile; his time in prison was no joke.

"How pitiful, would you like me to be petted?"

"Huh???"

Tsunade's cheeks flushed, and she said shyly, "Because... it seems like this will make you happy."

A fleeting look of disbelief crossed Aokiji's face before he scurried over.

Tsunade punches in the face, a love-themed face-breaking punch.

With a "bang," Aokiji leaned back, clutching his bleeding nose.

Tsunade breathed a sigh of relief: "Good, you seem to be in good spirits. I was just overthinking it."

Aokiji looked at Tsunade with a "mmp" expression: "Tsunade, you've changed. You weren't like this in the future."

Tsunade, her wicked scheme succeeding, curled her lips into a crescent-shaped smile: "That's called changing times. And don't you know the proverb that a woman's heart is as unpredictable as autumn weather?"

Aokiji sighed, somewhat missing the gentle Tsunade from their first date.

He's such a despicable person.

He liked Tsunade's rebellious nature, but the problem was that she could be unpredictable at times.

"Hey~ Do you travel alone?" she suddenly asked. "Do you meet any girls on the road?"

"Girls, huh..." Aokiji rubbed his chin, seemingly deep in thought about the question.

"Feed—!"

Tsunade, realizing what they were thinking about, became extremely jealous.

"If I had to choose someone to keep me company, I would only wish for one person, and that would be you, Tsunade."

Tsunade, feeling a bit charmed, beckoned, "Come here for a second."

"What?" Aokiji grinned mischievously. "Were you moved by what I just said, so you're willing to give it to me, hehe..."

"Your mind is filled with nothing but..."

At this point, Tsunade seemed to sigh, having known Aokiji for quite some time.

As she walked towards the mountain, she quickened her pace, approached Aokiji, and with a quick step, gently touched Aokiji's lips with her own.

After that, he crossed his arms behind his back, took a few steps back, and smiled broadly: "This is compensation for hitting you earlier."

"You seem to be getting bolder and bolder. You were so shy at the beginning."

Aokiji touched the lingering taste on his lips.

Tsunade said quietly, "This is all thanks to someone..."

"Okay, it's my fault."

"After that, I sometimes carry out missions alone, if there is still time, so..." Tsunade gritted her teeth, as if she was preparing something.

Aokiji was taken aback: "So...?"

Tsunade went all out: "Come on a date with me."

"what?"

Tsunade's eyes were watery, and she looked pitiful: "You don't want to?"

"Of course not." Aokiji isn't a melon rind.

"Okay."

Tsunade jumped up and down, as happy as if she had won a game.

But she quickly realized something and, with a touch of modesty, covered her mouth.

Aokiji smiled, his voice tinged with amusement: "You seem quite happy about going on a date with me."

"It's not because of that. It's just that you asked me out last time, so this time I want to ask you out..."

He seemed to lack confidence, and his voice grew softer and softer towards the end.

"Tsunade?"

Aokiji seemed to be teasing her, calling her name.

Tsunade, who had been silent, took a deep breath, a bright smile appearing on her face, and readily admitted, "That's right~ I'm really looking forward to my date with Aokiji right now."

Aokiji was completely disoriented by the direct attack, and instead of playing by the rules, he said, "Eh? Why don't you keep rubbing against me?"

Tsunade mustered her courage and said frankly, "Because I think we might be going to stay like this forever, I need to get used to it quickly."

Aokiji hesitated, "What if someone sees you being so forward?"

"What are you afraid of? I'm not afraid at all. Can you stop acting like a woman in this situation?!" Tsunade firmly pulled Aokiji into her arms. "Besides, so what if he sees it? Grandma has already agreed."

At that moment, Aokiji seemed like a little wife being embraced by Tsunade: "Oh, that's good. Um, wait, what did you say?"

Tsunade told Aokiji about what happened with Mito last time.

Aokiji was taken aback; Mito's perception was just too abnormal.

Fortunately, the other party was reasonable and did not interfere.

"So...should we announce it?"

Tsunade met Aokiji's gaze. If possible, she still hoped that they wouldn't have to be so secretive and could be open and aboveboard.

Faced with those expectant eyes, Aokiji was somewhat hesitant to look at them, his gaze darting away. He decided to make an exception and said, "Let's wait a year and see."

Tsunade:……

"What's wrong with you looking at me like that?"

"I don't know why you said that, but it makes me think that year after year, in the end, I might end up with you..."

The rest of the vocabulary was too embarrassing to say, so Tsunade skipped it: "You still won't reveal it."

You're overthinking it.

"No, you really would do something like that. Because this is a matter of caution."

Aokiji: ...

While the two were enjoying their love, they did not notice a crow perched on a treetop, tilting its head and watching them with its bright, darting eyes.

..............................

The next day, Aokiji bid farewell to Tsunade and the others, left Konoha, and headed to the address given to him by Kakuzu.

There was a door deep in the alley, and outside the door stood a burly man carrying a samurai sword.

This is a pawn shop, and the boss behind it all is Kakuzu.

Regarding the matter of kidnapping the daimyo's son in the future, Aokiji must be extremely cautious and leave no trace whatsoever. The fewer outsiders who know his true face, the better.

Overwhelmed with longing, Aokiji formed hand seals and used a transformation technique, transforming into a handsome young man with cascading black hair.

After doing all this, Aokiji entered the pawnshop.

When the gatekeeper saw the black-haired boy in the cloak approaching, he became alert out of professional instinct and reached out to stop him.

Aokiji glanced at the gatekeeper. He was tall and had an unsteady gait. He was the typical type who was all bark and no bite. He could only bully ordinary people. Otherwise, he wouldn't be in the position of a gatekeeper.

He was too lazy to explain, so he raised his hand and killed them instantly, thinking to himself, "What kind of trash are these?"

He vaguely 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 extremely greedy, the security of their money is surprisingly weak.

Aokiji shook his head, opened the door, and went straight in.

There were two people inside, one sitting and smoking, and the other standing; they looked to be the boss and his employee.

Being able to become Kakuzu's subordinate naturally requires some discernment. From the very first glance at this black-haired boy in a cloak, he had a premonition that the other party was definitely not there to be taken advantage of.

"Don't be nervous, I'm here to see someone." Aokiji found a chair and sat down casually, just like at home.

"Excuse me, who are you looking for?" The boss realized that the security guard might have been killed, so he adopted a friendly demeanor and made a stopgap measure.

Aokiji cut to the chase: "Kakuzu..."

The shopkeeper was taken aback, then feigned ignorance: "This customer certainly loves to joke."

Kakuzu is a bounty hunter, and due to the nature of his profession, he has offended quite a few people on a daily basis.

"Don't want to say?" Aokiji shrugged. "Fine, just say someone is looking for him. If he comes, please tell him that I'll be there every day at 2 PM sharp." With that, he turned and left without saying another word.

Ah, they just left like that... The pawnshop owner was clearly not expecting them to leave so easily, and asked for information.

"Just say someone is looking for you, and he'll remember."

After watching Aokiji leave, the pawnshop owner was completely baffled. Several days later, Kakuzu finished his work and returned to the pawnshop.

"When the pawnshop owner saw the big boss return, he immediately went up to him and told Kakuzu everything that had happened in the past few days."

Kakuzu was taken aback.

Which kid could it be?

But then he thought about it again and realized that the appearance didn't match. The black-haired boy in his memory shouldn't have had such long hair. With these doubts, he waited until 2 p.m.

Aokiji arrived as promised.

Kakuzu was surprised when he saw him. He had never seen this black-haired boy before, so how could he say that he knew him?

"Let's talk in private, Brother Kakuzu."

As Aokiji spoke, Kakuzu turned around, stared intently, and realized that it was actually a transformation jutsu.

"Come with me..."

Kakuzu led Aokiji to a soundproof room, so there was no need to worry about him overhearing what was happening inside.

Kakuzu sat on the soft sofa, looked at the unfamiliar boy, and said, "You can undo the transformation jutsu now, right?"

Aokiji shook his head; "The fewer people who know my true identity, the better."

Kakuzu narrowed his eyes, scrutinizing Aokiji: "You're quite a cautious fellow. So, does that mean you've given your current identity a new name?"

Kakuzu's words reminded Aokiji, who quickly came up with a common name: "Well, you can call me Asakura Hao now. Asakura is the surname, and Hao is the given name."

Hao Asakura?

What a casual name.

Kakuzu will make a note of this name.

Then, he suddenly asked a question: "You betrayed the village?"

Aokiji didn't rush to refute; "Why do you think that?"

"You haven't forgotten how incredibly wealthy and powerful the person you escorted last time was. As a ninja who survived, you should be facing severe punishment. Unless you defected, how could you possibly be here unscathed?"

"How could I possibly be unharmed? I spent a long time in prison." Aokiji gave a wry smile. "I was only just released after a lot of hardship."

jail?

Kakuzu was taken aback by what he heard, recalling his own experiences.

He was a man who had served time in prison back then.

In an instant, he felt an even stronger sense of identification with Aokiji.

"Hozuki Castle. This is where I spent my time in prison," Aokiji continued, his face grim, hoping to evoke a sense of empathy from Kakuzu.

Kakuzu pondered the name. He had almost been transferred to Hozuki's company, but before the official transfer, he killed all the high-ranking officials and then betrayed them.

"How did you get out of prison?" he asked curiously.

My impression of it is that it's like the Ghost Lantern Castle, very strict. Once you go in, you can't come out.

Aokiji gave a brief explanation and informed Kakuzu.

Kakuzu understood after hearing this. If it were his own village, he wouldn't have saved him; he would have let him rot in jail.

The starting points are the same, but the results are different. Kakuzu instantly lost his sense of immersion.

Kakuzu returned to his initial question: "Then why did you come to see me?"

Aokiji said, "To make money."

Kakuzu likes this word.

(End of this chapter)