Naruto, my father's name is Uchiha Madara.

Page 187

They swirled and danced in the valley breeze, then slowly drifted away and merged into the sunlight.

Return to the space between heaven and earth.

Where they were, only two nameless shells remained, devoid of any soul support, composed of dust and scraps of paper, their faces blurred.

They lay there quietly, like two abandoned clay figures.

The chakra fluctuations belonging to Kato Dan and Nawaki completely disappeared without a trace.

The valley fell into a brief silence.

The only sounds were the rustling of leaves in the wind and the occasional crackling of embers.

Tsunade stood there, staring at the two empty shells for a long time, her eyes no longer filled with fear.

There was only deep peace and a faint trace of sadness.

She crouched down and carefully scooped up the surrounding soil with her hands, covering the two bodies with it.

Sasuke walked over at some point and watched silently.

Naruto is still unconscious.

"Do me a favor, kid." Tsunade didn't turn around, her voice low.

Sasuke nodded without saying a word.

Working together, the two quickly found a relatively flat spot on the edge of the valley where they could bask in the sunlight.

They used earth magic to dig a simple grave and placed the two nameless bodies side by side inside.

There was no tombstone, no name, only handfuls of fresh soil covering it, forming a small, inconspicuous mound.

"rest in peace……"

Tsunade stood before the small grave, whispering softly, as if bidding farewell to her past.

Sasuke stared at the small mound, his dark eyes revealing no emotion.

Deep within his consciousness, the phantom of Hashirama's soul floated silently.

He watched the scene outside where Tsunade buried the two bodies, his eyes filled with complex emotions.

There was a sense of pride in the younger generation, but also a touch of indescribable melancholy.

He remained silent, simply watching.

After doing all this, Tsunade turned around, her eyes regaining their usual sharpness, but with a deeper, more determined look.

She walked over to Naruto and checked on his condition.

After confirming that he was just severely exhausted, he said to Sasuke, "Carry him on your back, we should go. Let's go find that idiot."

Sasuke didn't ask any questions. He silently bent down and carefully carried the unconscious Naruto on his back.

Naruto was heavier than he had imagined, but Sasuke carried him steadily.

Tsunade determined the direction and took the first step.

Her steps were no longer hesitant; each step was steady and powerful, guiding Sasuke.

We left the valley that had just experienced a great battle and a spiritual cleansing.

Tanbata Street remained bustling and noisy, with the shouts of gambling dens, the noise of taverns, and the cries of vendors all blending together.

It was as if the life-or-death battle in the valley was just a distant dream.

This down-to-earth, everyday atmosphere, ironically made Tsunade and Sasuke, who had just emerged from a desolate battlefield, feel a strange sense of alienation.

According to Tsunade's memory, they soon arrived near the inn where they had stayed before.

From afar, a conspicuous figure came into view.

Jiraiya lay casually in the corner where miscellaneous items were piled up at the back door of the hotel.

His signature red coat was covered in dust and grass clippings, and his long white hair was spread messily on the ground.

He was snoring loudly, and there was even a suspicious, shiny drool hanging from the corner of his mouth; he was sleeping soundly.

Several hotel staff members stood with their hands on their hips, pointing and whispering at him with disgust, clearly having been kicked out.

"Tsk, this guy..." Tsunade sighed and walked forward with a helpless expression.

"Hey! Wake up! Jiraiya!" Tsunade kicked Jiraiya's leg without any politeness.

"Hmm...hmm? Fine wine...beautiful woman..." Jiraiya mumbled sleepily, turned over, and continued to sleep.

Tsunade raised her voice and kicked him harder.

Jiraiya, in pain, finally opened his eyes groggily.

She stared at Tsunade, who was standing with her hands on her hips, with a dazed look in her eyes.

Then he glanced at Sasuke, who was carrying Naruto on his back and had a cold expression, and at Naruto, who was clearly acting strangely on Sasuke's back.

"Huh? Tsunade? Sasuke? What happened to Naruto?"

Jiraiya rubbed his eyes and sat up, his hangover-like headache making him grimace. "How did I end up sleeping here? Was the alcohol from last night that strong?"

Tsunade snorted, took out a small porcelain bottle from her bosom, and poured out a fragrant pill.

He shoved it straight into Jiraiya's mouth: "You've slept for a whole day and night! Idiot!"

The pill melted instantly in his mouth, and a cool sensation immediately dispelled the confusion in Jiraiya's mind and the numbness in his body.

He shook his head, and his eyes quickly cleared.

When he was fully awake, he remembered that he had lost consciousness after drinking the wine that Tsunade had handed him in the hotel room.

A strong sense of loss instantly welled up in my heart.

Jiraiya jumped to his feet, his face contorted with hurt and disbelief: "You...you bastard! If you're going to keep your appointment, just keep yours! Why did you drug me?! Do you know how worried I was?! What if you..."

He didn't say what he was going to say, but the concern and lingering fear in his eyes were obvious.

He thought Tsunade was going to face Orochimaru's danger alone.

Tsunade felt a warmth in her heart as she looked at the undisguised worry in Jiraiya's eyes.

Chapter 211 Departure! Back to Konoha!

Tsunade felt a little embarrassed in front of Jiraiya.

He then put on a nonchalant expression and chuckled, "Haha, I was just thinking that you're strong and powerful, so I accidentally... released a little too much!"

"Who knew you had such a low alcohol tolerance, that you couldn't even handle this little bit of medicine?" She tried to cover up her guilt with a joke.

"Don't try to fool me!"

Jiraiya was so angry he jumped up and down, but then he frowned and moved his still sore and weak arms: "Wait... why do I feel a little numb all over? My bones feel sore and weak... what kind of medicine is this?"

He stared at Tsunade suspiciously.

Tsunade's eyes darted around for a moment, then she coughed lightly: "Cough... um... the side effects of this medicine will be fine in a couple of days."

"It's a minor issue, a minor issue! Don't worry about these details!"

She quickly changed the subject, pointing to Naruto on Sasuke's back: "Look at Naruto, this kid almost got himself killed trying to save the day."

When Naruto was mentioned, Jiraiya's attention was indeed diverted.

He immediately stepped forward and carefully checked Naruto's condition.

He breathed a sigh of relief when he sensed the still surging Nine-Tails chakra within him, though weak, and the rapidly recovering vitality.

But when he heard it from Sasuke, and from Tsunade's brief addition.

They learned everything that had happened while he was unconscious—

Orochimaru's conspiracy

Tsunade's struggle and determination

The Impure World Reincarnation of Broken and Rope Tree

Naruto's earth-shattering attack,

The crucial moment for Tsunade to overcome hemophobia...

Jiraiya's expression became extremely complicated.

The sense of loss intensified.

He missed the most important battle.

They missed the chance to protect Tsunade.

I missed witnessing the moment she broke free from her inner demons.

He was like an insignificant outsider.

"So... so much has happened..."

Jiraiya's voice lowered, filled with deep self-reproach and regret.

He looked at Tsunade, his eyes filled with complex emotions: "You...are you really alright? Hemophobia..."

Tsunade interrupted him, her amber eyes flashing with an undeniable light: "I'm perfectly fine! Better than ever!"

She took a deep breath, as if she had made up her mind, and suddenly turned around and pushed open the back door of the hotel.

They strode quickly toward the room where they had stayed before.

"Hey! Tsunade! Where are you going?"

Jiraiya paused for a moment, then quickly followed.

Without turning her head, Tsunade's voice rang out clearly: "Where to? Back to Konoha, of course!"

These words were like a thunderclap from a clear sky, instantly freezing Jiraiya in place!

He stopped abruptly, his eyes widening as he stared in disbelief at Tsunade's retreating figure.

His voice trembled with excitement: "You...you...what did you say?! Go back to Konoha?! You...you've thought it through?!"

Tsunade stopped and turned around.