When the three of them finally woke, fragments of the previous night's chaos slowly came back.
Ben, besides feeling embarrassed, was mostly simmering with resentment toward Tsunade. Even though she was one of the Legendary Sannin, how could she make a move on her student? Granted, it seemed Ben had been the one who had encouraged the situation… but still.
Tsunade, for her part, was grappling with a deep, gnawing fear about her own feelings. Had she… already forgotten Dan? And yet yesterday, her target had been Orochimaru's student. Technically, Ran should still be calling her "sensei."
As for Ran? He didn't care about propriety. He only wished the "good times" would continue.
For some reason, after that night, Ben came by often to play, and Tsunade had shown up at his home several times for drinks.
Sometimes, Ran had no idea what to make of Tsunade. After being seen naked and enduring that intense kiss, she still casually visited his house? This woman had no regard for the Senju-Uchiha grudges, and neither Mikoto, Fugaku, nor even the Third Hokage seemed willing to intervene.
Damn it—this was the perk of being the granddaughter of the First Hokage, a princess of the Land of Fire. In Konoha, she could get away with absolutely anything.
As the Chūnin Exams approached, Konoha's streets grew bustling with life. Merchants set up colorful stalls, calling out their wares, and tourists wandered through the busy avenues, marveling at the village's prosperity.
Ogura, a young ninja from Sunagakure, had never left his homeland until now. This was his first time in the Land of Fire, the legendary, powerful, and flourishing ninja village of Konoha.
Like Ogura, many other visiting genin and merchants were struck by Konoha's energy. Compared to their villages, this place was practically paradise. Sunlight filtered through the trees, scattering dappled patterns across the streets.
Although the Chūnin Exams had grand fanfare, each village sent a combination of mid-level and low-level ninja. The usual explanation was that no village wanted to risk sending top-tier forces into unknown territory.
Hiruzen Sarutobi reassured them: Konoha has always welcomed guests. There would be no underhanded tricks here.
Ogura inwardly marveled at the confidence of a great nation.
He still wondered why his peer, Komaki, hadn't come with him. Her skills were superior, her mission experience far greater. Yet, here he was, attending alongside a few average classmates.
Regardless, the Chūnin Exams were imminent. As one of Sunagakure's few younger genin selected to participate, Ogura had to stay sharp and fully focused.
"Come on, Ogura. Show them your best," he silently urged himself.
What Ogura and the other visiting genin didn't know was that their villages' leaders had already deemed them expendable. Oblivious, they trained, studied, and crammed ninja theory until the last moment.
A mere two weeks prior, Sunagakure, Iwagakure, and Kumogakure had secretly convened. Out of those meetings, a terrifying conspiracy had been born: the three villages had formed a hidden alliance. Their plan? Exploit the Chūnin Exams to strike Konoha's borders while its forces were thinned.
Once Konoha was invaded, these low-level genin—Ogura and his peers—were likely to die, serving as expendable casualties for the village's defense.
Meanwhile, Tsunade stormed back into Konoha, scowling.
"What is the Third Hokage thinking? The exams haven't even started yet, and he's already calling us back!" she grumbled to Shizune and Ran.
Her anger was justified. She had been enjoying a carefree time outside the village—gambling, drinking, living freely—only to be summoned to contribute to the village's image and administration.
She was convinced Hiruzen had done it on purpose. He wanted her back to help rebuild Konoha, whether she liked it or not.
"Tsunade-sensei…" Shizune's voice wavered as she glanced nervously at Tsunade's stormy expression.
Jiraiya, too, felt uneasy. He had been searching for the "child of fate" and preparing intelligence missions, only to be recalled by the Third Hokage—and now Ran had leverage over him too.
"Hey, you little brat, you're joining the Chūnin Exams too? That's… unfair to the other participants. You're annoying, yes, but your skills are undeniable," Tsunade added, tone softening slightly.
In truth, she had begun to appreciate Ran. Aside from that one incident, he was different from what she expected.
Young, yet exceptionally talented. Capable of rallying friends like her grandfather. Gentle, considerate, and at just fourteen, remarkably mature—more like Dan in temperament than his age suggested.
Tsunade remembered a few nights visiting Ran's house for drinks. Wait… why had she been going to Ran's house to drink?
At first, it was revenge—she wanted to humiliate him after the naked encounter. But over time, Ran had become a trustworthy confidant, someone who listened to her struggles she could never share with Jiraiya. Fourteen years old, yet he could understand her pain…
Tsunade glanced at him now.
"Little brat, take it easy… don't overdo it, especially considering you're an Uchiha."
Ran hesitated. "Well… is there anything else you need me to do?"
Tsunade instinctively wondered if he had some other difficulty she should help with.
"Wait… are you… worried about me, Tsunade-nee?"
She had been ready to scold this cheeky little brat. But looking at Ran's earnest eyes, she lowered her fist. Instead, a shadow of concern fell over her face.
"Becoming a Chūnin means facing far more dangerous missions."
"Anyone I care about tends to end up unlucky… even a simple task, even a simple trap," she admitted, her voice heavy with melancholy. Her mind drifted to Shigure, though oddly, Dan's image seemed more and more blurred.
Jiraiya sat nearby, uncertain how to comfort her. Nothing from his usual flirtatious repertoire seemed applicable.
But Ran, observing her despondency, moved closer. Wrapping an arm around her shoulder, he said gently, while Jiraiya gawked in disbelief:
"Tsunade-nee… life moves forward. Dwelling on the past won't help anyone. Shigure and Dan are gone. But now you have Shizune and me. If you need anything at all, just tell me, Tsunade-nee."