Chapter 125: Goals

~Right after the Battle of The Rain~

Tsunade led her troops to a remote area that was not far from the previous battle she had just had.

The healers of the camp led by Tsunade made sure to treat everyone and give them aid, showcasing her skill in Medical Ninjutsu once more as she minimized the damage to her troops again.

After ensuring that all those who could be saved were and the dead were preserved for a proper burial, the remaining shinobi celebrated as they knew they were one step closer to ending this war.

And with them no longer having to directly fight the Rain, that meant the Rain would focus their full attention on defending themselves from the Stone, making the Stone no longer be able to easily come at Konoha.

Tsunade, Jiraiya, and Orochimaru sat in a cave that overlooked the troops, with them all sitting in silence as they understood the implications of their previous battle.

The prestige they gained from this battle would be immense, with it outclassing even Tsunade's battle against the Honored Siblings.

Each of them wished to use this prestige they would gain to further their own goals, with each of them understanding that they all had their own individual wants and dreams.

Orochimaru wished to use this as a launching pad for his career into the higher echelons of Konoha, with his ultimate dream being that he wished to become the Hokage.

Jiraiya, on the other hand, wished to venture through the world and find the Child of Prophecy, as well as learn the other cultures in the world. When he had spoke to Tsunade regarding his dream, her words were for him to not let the Prophecy drive his life, with him instead choosing to allow the Child of Prophecy to find him and not the other way around.

And Tsunade, the person with the most complicated goal currently, also had the simplest goal. She simply wanted to bring back Tobirama so that he can once again rejoin her family. The one thing that mattered most to her was family, and upon learning that Tobirama was still alive, she knew she would have to leave the Village to find him.

The only issue was that she wouldn't be allowed to leave the Village if she didn't gather enough merit to gain the right to leave with no questions asked.

It was why she was trying so strongly to finish the war, with her wanting to immediately leave and find Tobirama at all costs.

And now, seeing that her dream was almost about to come true due to the war winding down on her front, she could not be more overjoyed.

The three best friends who had fought together throughout her life all felt that they would soon be going their separate ways, with them all feeling that it may be the end of the first chapter of their lives and the beginning of a new one.

However, just as all three looked up and were about to speak, they heard a small sound come from deeper into the cave, sending them all into a higher state of alert.

They looked closer into the cave and saw three famished children standing there, causing them to release their guard.

"Show yourselves!!" Tsunade yelled, making the three come out.

"Can you give us some food?" The boy with orange hair came out and spoke.

Jiraiya reacted first as he gave the three some of the food they had with them.

After the three ate, they didn't leave and instead kept their distance from the Sannin while they prepared to leave.

Just as Orochimaru, Jiraiya, and Tsunade were about to leave, the blue haired girl led the trio as they presented them with an origami flower to show their thanks.

Orochimaru looked at the three before he looked over at Tsunade and Jiraiya and asked

"These children, shall we bring them back to Konoha with us?"

Jiraiya seemed a bit taken aback by the idea, though Tsunade then chimed in.

"They seem to be respectful young children, and the boy with red hair seems to share some Uzumaki heritage in his blood."

Jiraiya seemed to ponder it before he turned to the children and asked

"Would you three like to come with us? I promise you will be fed and given proper homes."

The three turned and spoke with each other, with them then turning back to the Sannin and nodded in agreement.

"Take them back to the Village." Tsunade said, making the necks of Jiraiya and Orochimaru snap towards her as they didn't expect her to not be returning with them.

Tsunade, feeling their stare, added on

"Don't worry, I won't be gone too long, I'll be back before Jiraiya's birthday. Let my family know that I'll be bringing them a gift when I return as well." Tsunade said, with her giving her friends a hug before she set off, though a strange glint flashed in Orochimaru's eyes as he whispered something in Jiraiya's ear.

And so, the commander who defeated three Ninja Villages in this war, and helped make a new title of the Sannin world renown, left on an adventure of her own, while a Vice-Commander of that front returned to the Village and experienced a Heroic Welcoming.

The only question on the mind of many was quite obvious: Where was Tsunade heading?

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