Naruto: The new beginning

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"I'm familiar with Jiraiya's disciples!" Naruto grinned. "But I can't just share details with strangers, can I?"

His teammates rolled their eyes. Familiar? More like overly familiar.

The older woman introduced herself. "I apologize for the sudden intrusion. My name is Sayaka, and this is Miss Shizuka. We're from Nadeshiko Village."

Nadeshiko Village is a land of kunoichi, where only women reside. To sustain the village's growth, women of age challenge strong outsiders, and those who defeat them are brought back to father children. It's a unique tradition.

Decades ago, during Jiraiya's travels, he stumbled upon Nadeshiko Village, naturally sneaking in to gather "research material," only to be caught.

Back then, Jiraiya was still a tall, charming young man. The village leader at the time, Shizuka's master, fell for him at first sight and challenged him to a duel, as per the village's customs.

If Jiraiya won, he could leave freely, but Jiraiya declared he already had someone in his heart, despite his wandering lifestyle.

Though the village leader was stunning, Jiraiya stayed true to his feelings and cleverly fought her to a draw, using his wit to postpone the match to the next generation of their apprentices.

True to his old-fashioned loyalty, Jiraiya's feelings for Tsunade ran deep, to the point of forsaking an entire forest for a single crooked tree.

Years later, after the original village leader passed away, Shizuka inherited her master's will and set out to fulfil the long-standing promise.

Despite her own struggles, including losing her first love, a non-shinobi ill-suited for this harsh world, Shizuka trained relentlessly to grow stronger.

After her master's death, Shizuka resolved to leave Nadeshiko Village with Sayaka to find Jiraiya's disciples and uphold her master's wishes.

After hearing Sayaka's explanation, Naruto nudged Kakashi with his elbow. "What do you think?"

Kakashi paused thoughtfully. "Nadeshiko Village, huh? I've heard of it. If there's such an agreement, we'll need to confirm it with Lord Jiraiya."

Naruto sighed, exasperated. "I'm not asking about the agreement! I'm asking if you'd consider extending the Hatake bloodline."

Sakura and Temari exchanged incredulous glances. "So this kind of village really exists..."

Sayaka, seemingly oblivious, asked, "It looks like you're headed back to Konoha. Could we accompany you?"

Kakashi shrugged. "I don't see why not. They need to speak with Jiraiya anyway."

The group spent the night at an inn, resuming their journey the next day with Sayaka and Shizuka in tow.

Sayaka was talkative, eagerly chatting with Kakashi. Shizuka, however, remained silent, her expression serene, as if indifferent to worldly concerns.

She didn't so much as glance at Sasuke, whose good looks often drew attention, much to Sakura's relief.

Still, Sakura couldn't let her guard down. After seeing Shizuka remove her cloak at the inn, revealing a mature and striking figure, she became wary, especially considering how protective she was of Sasuke.

When the group finally arrived in Konoha, Izumo and Kotetsu greeted them warmly. "Yo, Kakashi! Back already?"

Izumo leaned in conspiratorially and raised an eyebrow. "So, who are the beauties?"

Sayaka and Shizuka, catching the whispered exchange, hesitated. "Wait... isn't his name Sakata Gintoki?" They glanced at the group suspiciously, wondering if pseudonyms were in play.

Sasuke's expression didn't waver, even as the lie unravelled. Naruto and Sakura exchanged awkward glances, while Temari stayed silent, amused by the unfolding drama.

Kakashi chuckled. "It's common for shinobi to use codenames on missions, right?"

Sayaka reluctantly accepted the explanation, though she seemed surprised to learn this man was the infamous "Konoha Technician."

After explaining the situation to Izumo and Kotetsu, Kakashi arranged for Sayaka and Shizuka to wait at the village gate while he and the team reported their mission and consulted Jiraiya.

"I'll find Pervy Sage," Naruto announced before sprinting off.

Kakashi sighed. Somehow, he felt Naruto was up to something. He decided to discuss it with Minato-sensei later.

Naruto eventually tracked down Jiraiya, finding him in his office actually working, to his surprise.

"What's up, Naruto?" Jiraiya asked, looking up from his papers.

Naruto crossed his arms, feigning seriousness. "Pervy Sage, come with me!"

"Impossible!" Jiraiya slammed his pen on the desk. "I'm working on something important!"

Naruto raised an eyebrow. "Go on, what's so important?"

Jiraiya hesitated, realizing he might've revealed too much. "Cough, I mean... it's classified! Even you can't know about it."

Naruto rolled his eyes. "Sure, a 'classified' mission near the women's bathhouse. Anyway, your 'romantic debts' have come knocking."

Jiraiya frowned. "What nonsense? I have no romantic debts."

"Two women from Nadeshiko Village are waiting at the gate for you," Naruto said. "Ring any bells?"

Jiraiya froze. "Nadeshiko Village..." Nostalgia flickered across his face.

Just then, the office door slammed open. Tsunade leaned against the frame, arms crossed, her gaze sharp. "Go on, Jiraiya. What about Nadeshiko Village?"

Jiraiya: OvO

"Tsunade, let me explain!"

Tsunade raised an eyebrow. "I'm listening."

Scrambling to save himself, Jiraiya recounted the events from decades ago.

Tsunade's expression softened slightly. She glanced at Naruto. "Is that accurate?"

"Mostly," Naruto replied. "Except for the part where he bragged about being dashing and irresistible. Oh, and the original village leader passed away."

Relieved that the crisis had passed, Jiraiya's cheeky grin returned. "Naruto, what do you mean 'except that part'?"

Naruto smirked. "Haha."

Tsunade: "Haha."

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