"Naruto: Ice God"Chapter 143: Favoritism
After the meeting ended, Feng Bai bid farewell to Chōza and the others, then immediately began searching for Tsunade.
He quickly spotted Tsunade at the doorway, with Jiraiya trailing behind her.
Tsunade looked thoroughly displeased.
Perhaps due to the alcohol, she was loudly complaining to Jiraiya about Orochimaru's rude behavior from earlier.
"That Orochimaru! He actually dared ignore me—damn it, he's still the same as always!"
She threw a punch to vent her frustration, startling Jiraiya and triggering some unpleasant memories.
"Well, that's normal, isn't it? Orochimaru's been incredibly busy lately. The old man just approved his request to establish a Research Bureau—"
Jiraiya instinctively tried to smooth things over, but Tsunade shot him such a fierce glare that he shrank his entire neck.
"Re-search Bu-reau?"
Tsunade's tone was demonic, and combined with her sour expression, Jiraiya couldn't help but think of the legendary Hannya.
"Y-yes."
Steeling himself to explain, Jiraiya wanted nothing more than to escape.
[Seriously, if I'd known this would happen, I wouldn't have come to invite Tsunade out.]
Jiraiya regretted his original plan to ask Tsunade for drinks.
Witnessing their less-than-friendly interaction, Feng Bai wisely stopped in his tracks, observing from a distance.
Only after Tsunade stormed off angrily did Feng Bai approach Jiraiya, asking curiously: "What did you do to upset Lady Tsunade this time, Jiraiya-san?"
"Whoa, you scared me!" Still jumpy from Tsunade's outburst, Jiraiya was startled by Feng Bai suddenly appearing beside him. He patted his chest to steady his breathing.
"You little brat, what do you mean 'this time'?!"
Jiraiya crouched down, placed his hand on Feng Bai's head, and began roughly tousling his hair.
But before he could get in more than a couple rubs, Feng Bai vanished instantly, leaving Jiraiya speechless: "Flying Thunder God Technique, huh? What a boring kid."
Unable to spot Feng Bai anywhere, Jiraiya sighed and headed for the tavern as originally planned.
In the Hokage's office.
Having concluded the meeting, Hiruzen Sarutobi sat in his office, gazing nostalgically at the room where he'd spent countless years.
As he looked around, his hand unconsciously drifted toward where his crystal ball was kept.
Thinking about how he'd soon be spending his days at home with Biwako, with no opportunity to use the crystal ball, Hiruzen blushed slightly, preparing for one final survey of Konoha's daily life.
However, having been interrupted so many times before, Hiruzen didn't act immediately. He listened carefully for sounds outside the door, and only after confirming he wouldn't be disturbed did he eagerly lift the red cloth covering the crystal ball.
Hurried footsteps echoed at that very moment, and before Hiruzen could channel chakra into the crystal ball, the door was rudely shoved open.
"Yo, old man, studying your crystal ball again?"
Hand pressed against the door to prevent it from bouncing back, Tsunade looked at Hiruzen Sarutobi with distinctly unfriendly eyes.
"Tsunade, have you been drinking?"
Seeing his student's condition, Hiruzen—long accustomed to their behavior—rubbed his forehead in exasperation.
Why do these kids never knock?
Especially Jiraiya—after being scolded several times, he'd actually developed the skill of climbing through windows, bypassing the door entirely.
Feng Bai really is much more well-behaved and adorable.
Though Hiruzen thought this, feeling somewhat guilty toward Tsunade, he still tolerated her behavior, asking: "Did you come here for something?"
Hearing Hiruzen's question, Tsunade narrowed her eyes, studying her teacher carefully.
After a long moment, she spoke with a touch of melancholy: "Nothing much. It's just—you really haven't changed. Back then, you rejected my proposal citing insufficient funds, but when it comes to your most beloved student, you approved his Research Bureau without hesitation."
"You're far too biased toward Orochimaru."
Tsunade had never forgotten that jōnin meeting—it was there she'd met Dan Katō.
"Tsunade, I won't deny it. I am biased toward Orochimaru. In every era, teachers tend to favor geniuses more." Hiruzen Sarutobi didn't deny Tsunade's accusation, instead pulling out his pipe and placing it between his lips.
"Of course, it wasn't because I disliked you that I rejected your proposal then. If Orochimaru had made his request during that period, I would have rejected it equally."
"Konoha truly lacked the resources to train dedicated medical ninja at that time."
Hearing Hiruzen Sarutobi's explanation, Tsunade's expression softened slightly.
The scene fell into momentary silence.
After a long while, Tsunade spoke quietly: "You really have changed, old man. You never used to explain so much to us before."
"I'm old now, Tsunade."
Touching the wrinkles on his face, Hiruzen Sarutobi gave a self-deprecating smile: "Besides, when I spoke with you before, I was speaking as the Hokage. Now I'm just your teacher."
"You're only in your fifties."
"In my era, living alongside the First Hokage, being in your fifties was indeed considered elderly." Hiruzen's words rang true—in that war-torn age, ninja life expectancy was genuinely low.
"That's why Grandfather wanted to establish Konoha Village..." Having vented her frustrations, Tsunade had sobered considerably, her tone less harsh than before: "Old man, the war is over. I want to go out and see the world."
"Go ahead. It would be good for you to see what's beyond these walls." Knowing his student's inner turmoil wouldn't resolve easily, Hiruzen readily agreed to Tsunade's request.
"Um..."
A timid voice sounded, drawing both their attention.
Feng Bai peeked his head around the door frame, wearing an awkward smile: "Could I come along too?"
...
"You want to train at Shikkotsu Forest?"
Tsunade sat on Hiruzen's desk—such disrespectful behavior surprisingly went unreprimanded by the old man.
Glancing at Hiruzen, who had already moved to stand before the previous Hokages' portraits, pretending not to notice, Feng Bai nodded sensibly: "Yes, Tsunade-senpai."
"Hey, old man, if I take the Three-Tails jinchūriki with me, that doesn't violate any village rules, does it?" Tsunade turned toward Hiruzen's direction.
"Do as you please. Feng Bai's identity is currently top secret—few people know he's a jinchūriki." Hiruzen didn't turn around.
Just as he'd said moments ago, every teacher favors talented students. For their sake, he could even sacrifice certain principles.
"Well, since you put it that way." Tsunade rolled her shoulders, stepping down from Hiruzen's desk.
"Then I'll take my little junior brother with me!" She reached out directly, grabbed Feng Bai by the back of his collar, lifted him up, and dragged him straight out.
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