The next morning, sunlight streamed down over the village. It was peaceful and quiet—until a loud bang! shattered the silence.
Tsunade and Shizune barged into Jiraiya and Menma's room without the slightest regard for privacy.
The crashing door jolted both men awake.
Menma blinked groggily toward the entrance.
Wait… why is the door on the floor?
Jiraiya let out a resigned sigh. "You handle it," he said to Menma, patting his shoulder like he was passing on a curse.
Handle what?!
Half an hour later, the four of them walked out of the village.
"Don't give me that look," Tsunade said awkwardly, glancing at Menma, who was glaring at her. "I didn't mean to break the door… and worst case, I'll pay you back."
"Can you quit gambling?" Menma asked dryly.
Tsunade paused for a moment. "...Probably not."
"Then how are you going to pay me back? You lose every time."
Menma rubbed his temples. This woman's a disaster. I'm just a kid. Why am I the one footing the bill?! No wonder Jiraiya dumped this on me!
Tsunade puffed her chest. "Once I become Hokage, this little expense is nothing."
She'd thought long and hard last night.
It was time she stepped up—to protect the Konoha her grandfather had founded and to reform the system that had failed too many, including the White Fang… and the Uzumaki brothers.
She couldn't let these tragedies keep repeating.
Shizune, meanwhile, was in silent despair.
Tsunade-sama as Hokage?
...Is this really okay?
Menma turned to Jiraiya. "You should've taken the role of Hokage. I'm afraid Sister Tsunade will gamble away Konoha's entire budget…"
He sighed. Though in fairness, once she sits on the Hokage seat, she's actually pretty competent… maybe even the best at running the village after Tobirama.
Jiraiya frantically shook his head. "No, no, no! This heavy burden is hers to bear. Besides, I'll be there to watch her. I won't let her mess up."
Yeah, right. The moment you smell a bathhouse, you'll vanish.
"Oh, by the way," Menma added casually, "Sister Tsunade broke the inn's door this morning, so you'll be covering the cost."
"Hah?! That's on her! I'm not paying for that!" Jiraiya refused instantly. "One person breaks it, one person pays. That's basic logic."
"Jiraiya," Tsunade said coolly, "Don't think I forgot. I've seen your savings account."
Menma's ears perked up. Wait… savings?
Two glowing Rasengans spun to life in his hands.
Jiraiya paled.
Oh no.
He bolted. "RUNNING NO JUTSU!"
"Jiraiya! Get back here!" Menma shouted, preparing to chase—his chakra coat erupting in orange flames.
Tsunade grabbed him by the shoulder just in time.
She froze, eyes wide.
"…Is that the Nine Tails cloak?! A real one?!"
"Let go, Sister Tsunade. I'm chasing that freeloader!" Menma struggled to break free.
But Tsunade was still in awe. "How did you master the Nine Tails cloak at this age?!"
"Oh, you mean Nine Trumpets?" Menma said nonchalantly. "We're basically friends."
Though that friendship needs some... bribing.
"Nine Trumpets?" Tsunade echoed.
"Yeah. That's what I call the Nine Tails sealed in me. Back then, my father split Kurama in two—half in me, half in my brother Naruto. Mine is called Nine Trumpets, and Naruto's is Kurama. You know, for distinction."
Inside his mindscape, Nine Trumpets growled. Stop forcing weird names on me!
"…Two books," Nine Trumpets bargained, holding up two claws. "You want chakra support? I want two new novels."
Menma sighed.
"Fine, fine. Two books it is. Gotta keep the power bank happy."
Far away, in Konoha, three shadow clones of Menma suddenly shivered.
Two of them were deep in training in the back mountains. The third was living with Naruto, who still had no idea that the big brother by his side wasn't the real one.
Tsunade stared at Menma in amazement. "So not only are you twins… even your tailed beasts are twins?! Minato, you really left behind something incredible."
Her face darkened.
Then why… why were they treated this way?
Two Nine Tails Jinchūriki in Konoha, yet they'd been treated like monsters.
She clenched her fists.
Sarutobi-sensei… what the hell were you thinking?!
If either brother truly turned against the village…
No.
Tsunade was determined to fix it—starting now.
"And Naruto?" she asked.
"He hasn't mastered the Nine Tails yet," Menma said. "Kurama's pretty hostile. Unlike my Nine Trumpets, he's full of hatred toward humans."
"But Naruto visits him every day. Talks to him. Shares his day. Sometimes even pantomimes entire stories to entertain him."
Tsunade: "…"
"At first, I went with him to mediate," Menma said, chuckling. "But after a few sessions, I realized he didn't need me at all. Naruto's personality… it's his real strength."
He leaned in, whispering, "Oh, and I gave him some novels as a secret weapon. Told him to read them to Kurama."
Later, Menma even had Nine Trumpets meet Kurama face-to-face.
The first thing Kurama said?
"Traitor!"
Still, it helped. Kurama was thawing. Slowly.
Just not enough to risk breaking the seal—yet.
Maybe… soon.
Suddenly, Tsunade's whole demeanor changed. Fire lit up in her eyes.
She beamed at Menma, stepped forward, and—before he could react—pressed his face straight into her chest.
Menma: "…"
Am I going to be the first person in history… to be choked to death by boobs?!
(End Of Chapter)
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