Naruto 154

Title: Arrival
Caption: Popping out of nowhereXSorting out the mess in no time=The ironclad rule of every popular ninja, fer cryin' out loud!!

Caption: Tanzaku-gai (Tanzaku district)... Where Tsunade forfeits her title of Legendary Sucker!!
But is that lingering expression on her face... anxiety?

Shizune: What is it, Tsunade-sama?/You've won so much it's almost a miracle... So what's with the long face?
Tsunade: This town... (I'm getting a bad vibe from it...) We get the sightseeing over with quick then we get out ASAP.
Shizune: Uuuuuh? But this is a touristic region. I thought we could take our time visiting the castle, or...
Tsunade: We go there right away and we leave, then!

Kabuto: I know a thing or two about Tsunade-sama./ I was part of a medical team, after all.
Orochimaru: ....... Hmph.....
Kabuto: She was the first to come up with the idea of adding a medical specialist to four-units squads...//Historically speaking, that was a real milestone. Nowadays, this is obvious, standard procedure...// What happens to an offense-only combat squad that has no access to emergency treatment on the battlefield.../ It doesn't take a genius to figure that out.

Oro: Hmph.../This is the result of a long, extensive experience of war. Knowledge that wouldn't have been acquired otherwise...//... This procedure is merely something created out of God knows how many deaths.
Kabuto: .........
Oro: It takes loss for people to start seeing things clearly.//That's what made her one of the Legendary Sannin.// A medical specialist, as they call her...

Oro: Death. And loss.

*pant* *pant* *pant*
Naruto: ... Uh... Gh.../ Owww./(...That's as far as I can go... It hurts so much I'm in no condition to knead chakra...)*VLAM*//(Gotta get some rest...)*CLANG**slip*
*SWOOOOOSSHHHH*

*pant* *pant* *pant*
*plip*
Naruto: ! *pant* *pant*
*slip*
*pant* *pant*
Naruto: .......

[Flashback]Iruka: Hey there! We're in the middle of a class!!*step*
*munch* *munch*
zzzzzzz

Iruka: You guys don't know how to concentrate at all!!/ This is not how you'll grow into upstanding shinobi.
Kiba: It's not like we can stay still over that desk. Right, Akamaru?
Akamaru: YAP!!
Naruto: Sensei, if you're gonna lecture us, make it fast, 'kay?
Shikamaru: Yaaaaawn.

Iruka: You're gonna remain in detention and get some concentration practice done.
Naruto, Kiba, Chouji, Shikamaru: Wuuuuuuut!!!!!!
Naruto: What's this?
Iruka: The concentration method you're going to use/ is something your Konoha predecessors used to do every day.
Naruto: ?
Iruka: You will practice building up chakra and focusing all your energy into the leaves on the top of your heads./ Concentrating on the leaf and not letting your attention drift away from that point is a piece of old wisdom.
Naruto: Huuuuuum.

Iruka: Great ninja are people who hone their concentration skills!/ That's what the leaf mark on your forehead protectors is about.
Naruto: Heheeee! Who cares, fer cryin' out loud?!/ Great ninjas are just fellas who kick a lot of ass, anyway!
One of the other kids: Yeah! I hear ya!
Iruka: Haaaaa...[Flashback]
Naruto: ......// This is the same here...//Aaah. Wish I'd listened a bit more closely to Iruka-sensei... *tilt* Silly me...// ........

Naruto: ... Well, chewing things over won't get the job done! *lick*
*scribble* *scribble*
Naruto: Aaaaalright! Let's get cracking!! (Focus. Focus...// Focus)

*grab*
Naruto: Ggh...
*FWOSSHH*

Naruto: (Noow!!) OOOOOOOOOH
*PATAN*
Naruto: Uwaah!! *WHAM*
*GAH* *GAH* *GAH*
Naruto: OOOOOOOOOOOOOH
*gagagaga*
Naruto: Aaah.
*Paf*

Naruto: Uh..... I've popped it open...
Jiraiya: Hmph. Looks like you're cleared the second step.
*ragged* ragged* *fshhhh*
Jiraiya: ....... (Some guy, he is... The chakra density was high enough in density to burn the palm of his hand.../ He's a surprising guy indeed.)
Naruto: Uuh./ Quick... What's the third s...
Jiraiya: That can wait, for now... We're going after Tsunade./ I'll explain the third step on the way.

Shizune: Wooow. There's nothing like admiring Tanzaku castle from below. Small wonder it's considered a cultural legacy.
Tsunade: Spare me the careless comments. Let's leave that town.
Shizune: We don't pay anything to watch. So let's take our time some more!

*WHABAM*
Shizune: !
Tsunade: !
*CRUMBLE* *CRUMBLE*
*Woosh*

Shizune: ... That's...
Tsunade: (Orochimaru.)
Oro: There you are.