I founded the "Bragging Cult" in Naruto.

Chapter 68: I'm afraid my friend is suffering, even more afraid he's driving a Land Rover.

"Let me be frank with you. After all, you trained Tatsuma and Minato. You can choose one first."

A few days later, Jiraiya returned from his mission and was summoned by Tsunade. Upon hearing Tsunade's question, Jiraiya pondered for a moment before replying:

"I'll take Tatsuma. Minato will be easier to manage and more suitable for you, what do you think?"

"I don't need you to give way to me. Whoever you truly want to take as your disciple, then take that disciple."

Looking at Jiraiya's troubled expression and self-righteous sense of sacrifice, Tsunade said with dissatisfaction, "Jiraiya's words make it sound like she's definitely not good enough to be a teacher."

Upon hearing this, Jiraiya looked at Tsunade with some suspicion, wondering if she had dug a pit for him to fall into.

But seeing Tsunade's serious expression, Jiraiya couldn't help but start thinking. Tatsuma and Minato were both very smart and learned things very quickly.

But if he had to name a true disciple, Jiraiya's answer wasn't Tatsuma, who shared his interests, but Minato.

Because the relationship between teacher and student should be one of mutual support and mutual achievement. Tatsuma is too similar to him. If he were to mentor Tatsuma, he might just be creating another Jiraiya.

Jiraiya felt that even without his guidance, Tatsuma's talent and temperament would allow him to achieve a level no less than his own. In other words, whether he trained him or not, Tatsuma would become someone no less than Jiraiya.

However, if Tsunade were to train Tatsuma, she might be able to correct the flaws in Tatsuma that resembled her own. Perhaps such a Tatsuma might not even be as good as Jiraiya, but perhaps Tatsuma would be able to improve and grow further.

Minato is similar. He is too soft-hearted. If he encounters Tsunade, he will gradually lose the sharpness that a ninja should have if he does not receive constant guidance.

If Tatsuma's task is to polish away all the sharp thorns on his body, then Minato's task is to transform from a smooth pebble back into a sharp, piercing stone blade. The risk is that the two of them might shatter during the process of rebuilding.

But if a teacher doesn't aim to train his students to surpass him, then what's the point of taking on students?

Having made up his mind, Jiraiya looked at Tsunade again and said, "Minato Namikaze, I'll take care of him. Tatsuma Sakamoto is in your care, Tsunade. Don't waste his talent."

Seeing that Jiraiya had finally given his answer, Tsunade nodded and said, "Then let's leave it at that. Go and talk to those two children, and that's settled."

Orochimaru has already told me about what happened outside the village, so there's no need to drag this out any longer.

Jiraiya nodded and then said, "I just came back from my teacher's place and I've confirmed some news: Sakumo-senpai's mission will definitely move forward, perhaps after the new year."

"I understand, and I'm ready to leave anytime."

Tsunade stood up, waved, and left, while Jiraiya remained seated, drinking the sake Tsunade had just bought.

The next day, on the way to the Senju clan's territory, Tatsuma and Minato met. Seeing Minato's somewhat hesitant expression, Tatsuma said, "Did Jiraiya-sensei also talk to you?"

Minato nodded and said, "Yeah, but I didn't expect that we would disband after less than a year as a team."

Hearing Minato's melancholy words, Tatsuma smiled and patted him on the shoulder, saying, "We'll always be comrades, just not in the same squad anymore, or..."

"You've hitched a ride with Jiraiya-sensei, so you're going to abandon your old teammate?"

"I didn't," Minato retorted, then laughed and said, "Let's train together whenever we have time. It would be even better if we could go on missions together."

"This is the real you, Minato. You're not suited to pretending to be a thinker."

Their steps quickened again, and Minato said with a smile, "By the way, Jiraiya-sensei said that he will hold a simple apprenticeship ceremony before the end of the year and invite some friends."

You can talk to Tsunade-sensei and ask her to make sure the timing doesn't conflict with your apprenticeship ceremony.

"Yes, I'll let you know once it's decided."

And so, a month later, the New Year quietly approached, and many ninjas returned to Konoha. Tatsuma also received an invitation from Minato, inviting him to attend his apprenticeship ceremony.

A few days ago, after Jiraiya returned from another mission, Minato began training with Jiraiya alone, while Tatsuma continued to stay in the Senju clan's territory to study with Tsunade.

After another day of training, Tatsuma, dragging his aching body, played cards with Tsunade. After winning two rounds and gaining some talent points, Tatsuma noticed that Tsunade's complexion was starting to look off again.

To distract his teacher, Chenma volunteered to shuffle and deal the cards, while changing the subject by saying, "By the way, teacher, would you like to hold an apprenticeship ceremony as well?"

I heard that Jiraiya invited a lot of Jonin and he might receive a lot of gifts. After the New Year, when those Jonin go out on missions, they won't have such a good opportunity to receive gifts.

You're a genius ninja on par with Jiraiya, so you wouldn't just randomly accept disciples, would you? Hmm, I've got a good hand; I can win."

Tsunade was initially somewhat uninterested when she heard about the apprenticeship ceremony, but her eyes lit up when she heard about receiving gifts. She hadn't been on a mission for a whole year and was quite short of money.

Otherwise, she wouldn't still have Tatsuma playing cards with her after her confinement was lifted; if she had money, she would have gone to the gambling den long ago.

Tsunade took the cards, but before she could even look at them, Tatsuma had already flipped over his Blackjack card.

"Ding~ [Strength +3], [Spirit +2], pick up?"

"Pick it up".

Tatsuma silently recited the instructions, then began shuffling the cards again. Tsunade then asked, "When will Jiraiya officially accept disciples?"

"I heard they've booked a barbecue restaurant for Q all afternoon tomorrow."

While shuffling the cards, Tatsuma told Tsunade the information he had obtained from Minato. Tsunade gritted her teeth and muttered to herself, "He's really rich, that Jiraiya."

Tatsuma flipped the card again. Although he received no praise or reward, he wasn't in a hurry for the next round or two. He asked, "I've prepared a new set of ninja tools. Starting tonight, I won't eat. I'll try to get my money's worth by tomorrow."

"Why are you preparing ninja tools?"

Tsunade's question startled Tatsuma for a moment, then he said, "Uh, a gift? For Minato."

"Return it; you don't need to send a gift tomorrow."

As if remembering something, Tsunade, despite losing two more games, wasn't angry at all; instead, she smiled. Tatsuma, somewhat puzzled, said:

"Minato and I are friends, after all. It wouldn't be right for me not to give him a gift when he becomes my disciple, would it?"

"It's cancelled. As for why, you'll find out tomorrow."

Tsunade waved her hand, then straightened her posture, rubbed her hands together, and said, "I feel like my luck has turned around, stop talking nonsense!"

"As expected of you, teacher. You can even sense something as elusive as luck in cards. But Blackjack."

"Ding~"

"Are you cheating?!"

As for why gifts weren't needed, Tatsuma understood the next day when he arrived at BBQ Q. It was because Tsunade looked at the "Jiraiya's Apprenticeship Ceremony" posted at the entrance of BBQ Q and took out a pen.

Then Tatsuma's mouth dropped open, because Tsunade leaped forward, swung her pen, and the banner transformed...

"Tsunade and Jiraiya's Apprenticeship Ceremony!"

"As expected of you, teacher."

(End of this chapter)