Naruto: I'm in Konoha, my name is Uzumaki Menma

Chapter 264 Tsunade and Jiraiya
As night falls in the capital of the Grass Kingdom, the city lights begin to twinkle.

As a buffer state sandwiched between several major powers, its capital city exhibits an abnormal prosperity, especially the entertainment district at night, which is bustling with people and brightly lit.

Inside a rather grandly decorated casino, the air was thick with smoke and filled with the noise of people.

The largest gambling table was surrounded by onlookers, and gasps of surprise or regret occasionally erupted from the crowd.

"Open! Open! Open!"

"big big big!"

"Small! Small! Give me a small one!!"

"Hahaha! I'll take them all!"

"Ugh! I lost again!"

Inside the largest casino, "Golden House," the place was bustling with noise and filled with smoke.

The crisp sound of dice clashing, the clatter of chips being knocked over, and the gamblers' ecstatic cheers or desperate curses intertwined to create a symphony of desire.

At the busiest gambling table, surrounded by layers of people, stood a mature female ninja with long blonde hair and a stunning figure.

She was wearing a tea-green jacket, her chest heaving, with the word "gambling" on the back. At this moment, she was pressing her hands on the gambling table, her almond eyes wide open, staring intently at the dice cup that was flying up and down in the dealer's hand.

It was Tsunade, one of the Legendary Sannin.

However, her expression was not good at the moment, as she had very few chips left.

"Open! Four, five, six, fifteen points big!"

The dealer uncovered the dice cup and announced loudly.

Tsunade slammed her hand on the table in frustration, causing the few remaining chips to jump.

"We lost again!" she muttered in dissatisfaction.

Holding the pink and white piglet Ton-Ton, Shizune struggled through the excited crowd to reach Tsunade's side and whispered, "Lady Tsunade..."

"Quiet! Mute, I feel it! This hand is definitely going to be a 'big'!" Tsunade didn't even turn her head, and casually pushed a large stack of chips in front of her into the "big" area.

The value of those chips made the surrounding gamblers gasp in astonishment.

The dealer stopped what he was doing, expressionless, and slammed the dice cup down on the table.

"Place your bet and you're done—"

Instantly, all eyes were focused on the small dice cup. Tsunade held her breath.

The lid of the bowl is lifted.

"One, two, three, six o'clock!"

A deathly silence spread around Tsunade, only to be broken by the sighs or gloating of the other gamblers.

Tsunade stood frozen in place, watching as the dealer expressionlessly swept away all her valuable chips.

"How is this possible... I felt it was so accurate..." she muttered to herself, her face filled with disbelief.

Shizune sighed helplessly and gently tugged at Tsunade's sleeve: "Lady Tsunade, we already... owe her so much more."

As if to confirm her words, the casino owner, a middle-aged man in a silk robe with a shrewd face, immediately approached with a humble yet smiling smile, followed by a clerk carrying an account book.

"Lady Tsunade, look..." The shop owner rubbed his hands together, gesturing for his assistant to hand over the ledger: "This is your account for tonight... um, account. Please take a look."

Tsunade glanced at the long number, confirmed the amount, and then waved her hand impatiently: "Alright, alright, I got it."

She took the pen and signed her name in the debtor's column with a flourish, her movements swift and decisive, as if she were writing a trivial note rather than a huge IOU.

"Is the number correct? Can I leave now?" She tossed the pen back to the waiter, her tone slightly impatient.

"That's right! Absolutely right!" The shop owner bowed repeatedly, his face beaming with joy. "Please take care, and welcome back next time!"

He personally escorted Tsunade and Shizune out of the casino.

Watching the two disappear into the crowds of the night market, a burly, samurai-dressed thug behind the shop owner couldn't help but mutter a complaint: "Shop owner, this woman owes us so much, why are you still being so polite to her? Perhaps we should..."

"Shut up!" The shopkeeper whirled around, his voice sharp, "If you want to die, don't drag us down with you! Do you know who she is? She's a Konoha ninja! A true ninja who kills without blinking an eye! She's not someone you samurai who can only wield a few swords can compare to!"

He lowered his voice, a flicker of fear in his eyes, which was then replaced by a greedy glint. "Besides, she's the legendary 'fat sheep'! The debts she owes will naturally be repaid by Konoha Village, the sucker! What do you know!"

The thug leader shrank back, and upon hearing "Konoha Village" and "ninjas," he could only sullenly purse his lips, not daring to say anything more.

……

Leaving the suffocating noise of the casino, a gentle evening breeze seemed to sober Tsunade slightly from the gambler's frenzy.

She pulled a reddish-brown gourd from her bosom, uncorked it, tilted her head back, and took a big gulp. The spicy liquid slid down her throat, making her frown slightly, yet she also felt a sense of pleasure.

"Jingyin, why did you come to see me today?" She walked along, shaking her wine gourd, her eyes scanning the dazzling array of snack stalls and general stores on both sides of the street.

"Don't you usually wait until I lose all my money before going home?" Her gambling luck was well-known; usually, she would lose everything by dawn and then return home dejectedly.

As for the money owed, she was never worried about being extorted. After all, ninjas were not to be trifled with, and if they acted recklessly, the Konoha Anbu would be happy to give them a good beating.

Shizune, holding Tonton, quickly caught up with Tsunade, her voice filled with worry: "It's Jiraiya-sama. He brought some news from the village."

"Jiraiya?" Tsunade paused, a hint of surprise flashing in her eyes.

Isn't that guy chasing after his "materials" and the prophetic child all over the world?

What brings you here to see her?
Soon, they returned to the rather quiet hotel where they were staying.

Lanterns hung at the entrance of the inn, casting a dim, yellowish light.

Right next to the inn, in front of the ornately decorated brothel, filled with the sounds of stringed instruments and giggles, a familiar white-haired figure was surrounded by several brightly dressed geishas.

Jiraiya, dressed in a red jacket and wooden clogs, was gesturing wildly as he spoke, making the geishas giggle and tremble.

Several veins bulged on Tsunade's forehead instantly. She clenched her fist, and her knuckles made a soft cracking sound.

"You idiot!!!"

A roar shattered the tranquility of the night.

Tsunade flashed and instantly appeared behind Jiraiya, her fist, imbued with superhuman strength, slamming mercilessly into the back of Jiraiya's head!
"Agh—!" Jiraiya let out a shrill scream, lunging forward and nearly falling face-first into the mud.

He clutched the back of his head, where a large bump had instantly swelled up, and turned back with tears in his eyes: "Tsunade! What are you doing! It hurts!"

The geishas were initially startled, but upon realizing it was a woman with a voluptuous figure, they couldn't help but giggle and quickly dispersed, laughing all the while.

"What are you doing?" Tsunade tossed the sake gourd over her shoulder, crossed her arms, and looked down at the grimacing Jiraiya.

"I haven't even asked you what you're doing here, you old lecher! Why aren't you 'gathering inspiration' in your Land of Hot Springs? What are you doing here looking for me?" She emphasized the words "gathering inspiration," her tone full of sarcasm.

Jiraiya rubbed his head, grimaced as he stood up, but the playful smile on his face gradually faded, replaced by an unusual seriousness.

He looked at Tsunade with a complicated expression.

Seeing his expression, Tsunade's heart skipped a beat.

She knew Jiraiya well; no matter how unserious he was usually, once he showed this expression, it meant there was something truly important, possibly even bad news.

"Let's go inside and talk," Jiraiya sighed, pointing to the inn behind him.

Behind the hotel, there is a guest room with a private courtyard, which has a rather elegant environment.

Outside the veranda is a small courtyard. A bamboo deer scarecrow, filled with water, makes a soft "click" sound when it taps on a stone, which is particularly clear in the quiet night.

The pond reflected the moonlight, its surface shimmering.

Tsunade and Jiraiya sat side by side on the veranda, looking at the night view of the courtyard.

Shizune knelt quietly behind her, brewing Tsunade a strong cup of tea to help her sober up, while the little pig Tonton lay obediently beside her legs.

Jiraiya recounted in detail the recent upheavals in Konoha: the Uchiha clan's rebellion plot, Itachi Uchiha's collusion with the mysterious organization "Akatsuki," the tragic massacre of the clan, and how the leader of the Star Ninja who called himself "Shura" took the opportunity to attack Konoha and take away the last survivor of the Uchiha clan.

Next came the rebellion launched by Hyuga Hizashi and his son, members of the Hyuga branch family. A group of branch family members broke free from the "Caged Bird Separation" and defected to join the newly emerging "Land of Stars"...

Tsunade held her teacup but didn't drink; she simply listened quietly.

The moonlight shone on her still beautiful profile, revealing little about her expression, but her fingers tightened slightly as she held the teacup.

The Uchiha clan... that had been entangled with the Senju clan for decades, was nearly wiped out in this way.

As a descendant of the Senju clan, she felt a complex mix of emotions that were hard to describe, including sighs, reflections, and a sense of loss for her kind.

"I never imagined... that the Uchiha would come to this." She finally said only softly, her voice carrying a hint of weariness and vicissitude.

She put down her teacup and looked at Jiraiya: "That 'Shura,' I seem to have heard of him a few times. A mysterious ninja who attacked Konoha and Kumogakure. The Land of Stars... is that the country in the western part of the ninja world?"

She often travels abroad, but she is not completely cut off from news. However, she spends most of her time in the prosperous Land of Fire or surrounding small countries, and does not have a deep understanding of what is happening in the distant western part of the ninja world.

Jiraiya nodded, crossed his arms, and said solemnly, "Yes. According to the intelligence I have, a few years ago, this Asura took control of the originally weak Star Ninja Village, overthrew the government of the Land of Bears with thunderous means, slaughtered the daimyo and nobles, and established the Land of Stars."

"In recent years, this country has continued to expand, annexing several small neighboring countries, and even wiping out the sizable Snow Ninja Clan. Now, the Star Country has become a powerful force in the west that cannot be underestimated, directly bordering the Land of Earth and the Land of Wind. Its territory and ninja scale are probably second only to the Five Great Nations."

Jiraiya paused for a moment, then continued, "Two months ago, I received intelligence from the village's ANBU, and also... orders from Sarutobi-sensei."

When the Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, was mentioned, Jiraiya's tone became more helpless: "My teacher asked me to find a way to infiltrate the Land of Stars and gather information about the country, especially about Shura."

Tsunade astutely grasped the key point: "The old man gave the order personally? Is this Shura that important?"

Jiraiya took a deep breath, his golden pupils appearing particularly solemn in the moonlight: "According to the information provided by Sarutobi-sensei, this Shura is extremely extraordinary. He was able to infiltrate Konoha multiple times, disregarding the village's protective barrier, and various intelligence indicates that even Kumogakure suffered a great loss at his hands."

"His Star Country seems to be consciously collecting ninjas with bloodline limits. It is said that he has a female ninja from the Uchiha clan under his command named Uchiha Hikari, who is suspected to be a descendant of the clan members who left Konoha with Uchiha Madara. In the team that attacked Konoha this time, there were also many rare bloodline limits, including Kirigakure's Shikotsumyaku, the Blood Dragon Eye of the Blood Pond clan, and even... a member of the Uzumaki clan."

"The Uzumaki clan?" Tsunade suddenly raised her head, a look of shock flashing in her eyes.

This surname stirred up her deep-seated memories, reminding her of her grandmother, Mito Uzumaki, the first Nine-Tails Jinchuriki from the Uzumaki clan who sealed the Nine-Tails.

Shizune, standing nearby, gasped in surprise, "The Uzumaki clan? Wasn't they wiped out many years ago due to war? And how could the Hyuga branch family possibly escape the 'Caged Bird'?"

Tsunade looked at Jiraiya with the same confusion. The Caged Bird Seal of the Hyuga main family was an almost unsolvable problem.

Jiraiya shook his head, his face also full of confusion: "That's the problem. This Shura seems to possess some unknown power, not only able to find these bloodline limit ninjas who should have been lost to history, but even able to break through powerful restraints like the Caged Bird Seal. I suspect..."

His voice lowered: "The 'Child of Darkness' that the Great Toad Sage prophesied might bring destruction to the world... perhaps, is this Shura."

The courtyard was silent, save for the occasional "click" of a startled deer.

The moonlight seemed to carry a hint of chill.

Tsunade was silent.

She finally understood why Jiraiya had come to see her so seriously.

It wasn't just to spread news of the changes in Konoha, but also because he was about to step into an extremely dangerous and unknown territory.

The prophesied "Child of Darkness" is a powerful ninja who rises rapidly, is shrouded in mystery, and seems capable of defying common sense.

Jiraiya looked at Tsunade, his tone becoming more relaxed, but his eyes remained serious: "So, before heading to that den of dragons and tigers, we have to see an old friend and see how much money you, this 'fat sheep,' owe us."

"However, before heading west, I need to go to the Land of Rain first, as there seems to be some unsettling activity there as well." Jiraiya recalled the 'Akatsuki' organization mentioned in the old man's intelligence report, and the images of Yahiko and the other two appeared in his mind.

'I wonder how the three of them are doing.' Jiraiya thought back to the last time they parted; it must have been sixteen or seventeen years.

"Heh." Tsunade rolled her eyes at him, which eased the tense atmosphere a bit.

She picked up the gourd, took another sip, and turned her gaze back to the deep night outside the window.

She had only been away from Konoha for a few years when such a huge upheaval occurred, with the Uchiha and Hyuga betraying Konoha, along with the mysterious Land of Stars and the Dark Child prophesied by the Toad Sage.

Tsunade muttered to herself, 'Old man, what have you done...?'

(End of this chapter)