Chapter 285: Meeting Tsunade

After dinner, Obito and the other disciples went home. Jiraiya, still not satisfied, bought some sake, and the three of them ate, drank, and chatted together.

Mostly, Jiraiya did the talking, while Mutsuki and Minato listened, occasionally bringing up small topics.

"Imitating the Tailed Beast Bomb is even harder than I imagined," Minato mentioned as he talked about developing his Ninjutsu, hoping to get some inspiration from Mutsuki and Jiraiya.

"Trying to develop a Ninjutsu similar to the Tailed Beast Bomb, huh? That's not a simple task," Jiraiya said, downing his cup of sake and rubbing his chin.

A large part of the deterrent power of a Jinchuriki comes from the Tailed Beast Bomb. The destructive power of the Tailed Beast Bomb is so great that even Jiraiya can't take it head-on and can only think of ways to dodge it.

"I tried developing the Tailed Beast Bomb by mimicking its shape in the form of a Chakra ball, but the Chakra ball is currently very unstable, and its power can't even penetrate a big tree," Minato continued, discussing the difficulties he encountered during development.

"If it's unstable, I think you could use a solid round object to assist your practice, like a ball or something," Mutsuki suggested after some thought.

Minato's eyes lit up, feeling that Mutsuki's suggestion was very good. He smiled and thanked Mutsuki, "Using a solid object to assist practice is indeed a good idea."

After discussing the Rasengan, Mutsuki also took the opportunity to share his previous idea.

"Setting a seal to store Chakra on a single Chakra point is indeed a bit problematic. After careful consideration, if the range could be expanded to include more Chakra meridian points, it might work."

"You haven't given up on this bold idea, huh? In theory, it might work, but it requires extremely precise Chakra control and a strong foundation in Medical Ninjutsu," Jiraiya remarked with admiration.

He still wasn't very optimistic about this approach, as developing techniques on the Chakra meridian points carried significant risks and could easily result in self-harm.

Of course, with high risks came high rewards. If it could be achieved, it would greatly enhance one's strength, almost like gaining a substantial amount of Chakra out of thin air.

"Well, I'm somewhat confident in my Chakra control, but I really don't know much about Medical Ninjutsu. I haven't spent much time studying it and have only just mastered the basics of the Mystical Palm Jutsu, so everything is still in the theoretical stage," Mutsuki continued, following Jiraiya's words.

Hearing that Mutsuki had started learning Medical Ninjutsu, Jiraiya swallowed back his words of caution.

Fortunately, Mutsuki was someone who knew his limits and wouldn't recklessly proceed without being certain.

Minato was filled with respect after hearing Mutsuki's words. Mutsuki had put so much effort into developing a technique to store Chakra—not only deeply researching Sealing Jutsu but also studying Medical Ninjutsu. This made Minato realize that he had been slacking off lately and hadn't dedicated enough time to developing his Ninjutsu.

"Jiraiya-sama, since you and Tsunade-sama are both part of the Sannin, could you help introduce me to her? I'd like to consult Tsunade-sama about some Medical Ninjutsu issues," Mutsuki said, revealing his true purpose after laying the groundwork.

He had previously considered seeking out Tsunade, but at that time, he wasn't fully prepared. Now, he has gained some recognition in the Konoha Ninja circles, and his Medical Ninjutsu skills are also from the Ninjutsu Academy, so there shouldn't be any major issues.

"Tsunade, huh? Her Medical Ninjutsu is indeed impressive and should be very helpful for your studies, but she isn't an easy person to deal with," Jiraiya mused.

He knew Tsunade very well—they were not only teammates but also close friends, having gone through countless life-and-death situations together.

To be fair, Jiraiya believed that Tsunade was a kind-hearted person. She once proposed that every team should have a medical ninja to reduce the death and injury rates among ninjas. Although the idea wasn't adopted, it showed her efforts.

However, it would be a stretch to say that Tsunade has a good temper. Having been teammates for so many years, Jiraiya was well aware of her temper.

"I don't mind taking you to see her, but I can't guarantee she'll help you with your issues," Jiraiya said, pouring himself a cup of sake before responding.

If Mutsuki were seriously injured or ill, Jiraiya was confident that Tsunade would treat him, as she upheld her medical ethics as a ninja. But when it came to teaching something, Jiraiya couldn't guarantee it. Teaching is a personal decision, and Tsunade has the right to choose whether or not to teach.

"Yes, Jiraiya-sama, just introducing me would be enough. I'll handle the rest of the communication with Tsunade-sama myself," Mutsuki said with a smile, offering a toast in thanks. Having Jiraiya make the introduction was certainly better than approaching her suddenly on his own.

Jiraiya laughed heartily, patting Mutsuki on the shoulder, and said, "You should be fine. You're only slightly less handsome than I am, and with your exceptional cooking skills, she might agree if you offer to cook for her."

"If I remember correctly, she likes to drink while eating tender chicken."

Mutsuki quietly noted that Tsunade liked eating tender chicken.

After they were full and satisfied, Minato helped the slightly tipsy Jiraiya outside. Mutsuki continued studying Sealing Jutsu until 11:30 PM, then washed up and went to bed.

The next morning, Mutsuki created a Shadow Clone to handle school matters. The Academy was about to start, and there were some things he needed to take care of there. Then he prepared to head to the southern forest to teach his disciples.

But just as Mutsuki finished eating and was about to leave, a ninja knocked on his door.

"Please go to the Hokage Building. The Third-sama has something for you," the ninja said concisely.

Mutsuki nodded, left a Shadow Clone behind, and set off for the Hokage Building. After his original self departed, the Shadow Clone would head to the southern forest, where Shisui was waiting.

Knock!

Mutsuki knocked on the door of the Hokage's office.

"Come in," Sarutobi Hiruzen's voice came from inside the office.

Mutsuki pushed the door open and entered, noticing that besides Sarutobi Hiruzen, there was another ninja he didn't recognize.

"Third-sama," Mutsuki greeted Sarutobi Hiruzen with respect, also giving a polite smile to the unfamiliar ninja, and walked up to the desk.

"Is there a mission?" Mutsuki asked Sarutobi Hiruzen.

Sarutobi Hiruzen shook his head, then smiled and said, "No, you've been promoted."

"Due to your outstanding performance at the Academy, along with the merits you've earned on the battlefield, you are now eligible for promotion to Jonin," Sarutobi Hiruzen said as he handed Mutsuki a brand-new ninja certificate. It no longer read "Special Jonin," but simply "Jonin."

"Thank you, Third-sama," Mutsuki said, his face showing excitement and gratitude, as if he had accomplished something extremely important and Sarutobi Hiruzen was the benefactor who helped him along the way.

Of course, this was all an act. Inside, Mutsuki felt no emotion.

The promotion from Special Jonin to Jonin was something he had expected. Given the strength he had demonstrated, the considerable achievements on the battlefield, and his performance at the Academy, it was only natural for him to be promoted to Jonin, especially during wartime when promotion criteria were more lenient.

In fact, this promotion had come slightly later than Mutsuki anticipated. After all, some time had passed since he returned from the battlefield. Mutsuki speculated that Sarutobi Hiruzen had likely planned a collective promotion for several deserving ninjas, which caused a slight delay.

Mutsuki glanced at the file of the unfamiliar ninja out of the corner of his eye and noticed that this ninja was also being promoted to Jonin.

"You don't need to thank me; this is the reward you've earned through your own merits and strength. It's what you deserve for protecting Konoha," Sarutobi Hiruzen said with a satisfied smile.

Mutsuki didn't continue with any more flattery, but his expression remained one of excitement and gratitude. He knew that while Sarutobi Hiruzen might deny it verbally, he still appreciated the sentiment.

This promotion was solely in rank, with no changes to his other positions. The reason was simple—his position at the Academy couldn't be advanced any further in the short term. He had only two superiors: the Teacher Group Leader, Shimotsuke Hisanobu, and the principal, Sarutobi Hiruzen.

The Teacher Group Leader was an ordinary Jonin who had been working at the Academy for a long time, an experienced veteran in the position, so there was no reason to remove him without cause. As for Sarutobi Hiruzen's role as the principal, that was even more unchangeable, given its special nature.

However, since Mutsuki had been promoted to Jonin, a senior rank within Konoha, it wasn't without some tangible rewards. Mutsuki was granted two additional opportunities to select Ninjutsu from the Ninjutsu Library.

Before Mutsuki left, two more ninjas entered the Hokage's office, further confirming his suspicion that this was a group promotion. It was unusual for so many people to visit the Hokage Building at once.

After leaving the Hokage Building, Mutsuki headed straight to the southern forest to continue his training.

By noon, Mutsuki returned to his home in the main district because Jiraiya had mentioned yesterday that he would take him to meet Tsunade today at noon—something Mutsuki definitely couldn't leave to a Shadow Clone.

"No matter how many times I eat it, I never get tired of it," Jiraiya remarked with a satisfied expression after casually joining Mutsuki for lunch.

"Try to avoid bringing up topics like her younger brother or lovers in front of her," Jiraiya reminded him, having thought of something important.

"I will," Mutsuki nodded, indicating that he had taken note of these sensitive topics.

Jiraiya then led Mutsuki directly to Tsunade's home.

"At this time, she's probably just getting up. If she's not home, we might have to check the nearby gambling dens," Jiraiya said, not entirely confident that they would find Tsunade at home.

Although Tsunade wasn't searching for the Child of Prophecy like Jiraiya, the deaths of her brother and lover had left her disinterested in many ninja matters. If it weren't for the war, she probably wouldn't even be in Konoha right now.

Mutsuki and Jiraiya were in luck. As soon as they walked into Tsunade's yard, they saw her and Shizune sitting on the porch under the eaves.

"Jiraiya, what are you doing here? If you're here to spy, I'll beat you to death," Tsunade said, crossing her arms as she questioned Jiraiya.

"Haha, is that really the impression I give you? But I'm not here for inspiration today," Jiraiya replied with a hearty laugh, showing no embarrassment.

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