Naruto: Starting By Saving Mikoto

"And he's with someone."

"Someone?"

"Yeah, I think he's called Naruto. The Jinchūriki of the Nine-Tails. He might be around 11 or 13 years old," Hiro replied.

Tsunade blinked, her mind racing to process Hiro's words. "Naruto? The Jinchūriki of the Nine-Tails? What in the world is he doing here?"

Hiro shrugged, a hint of confusion crossing his face. "Well, I think Jiraiya brought him here to train."

"But how did those old foxes allow a Jinchūriki to leave the village?" Tsunade exclaimed, her disbelief evident.

Hiro raised an eyebrow, intrigued by her reaction. "You seem pretty invested in this."

"I am! Naruto is still just a kid, carrying the burden of the Nine-Tails," she said, her voice tightening. "Jiraiya might not realize the risks involved in bringing him out like this."

"Isn't Jiraiya supposed to be a legendary Sannin?" Hiro asked. "Shouldn't he know what he's doing?"

"Even legends can make mistakes," Tsunade replied, crossing her arms. "This could endanger Naruto and put the village at risk. I just can't believe he'd do this without considering the consequences."

Hiro watched her, recognizing the protective instinct she had for the boy she had yet to meet. "If he's with Jiraiya, there's a good chance Jiraiya has a plan to help him control his powers."

Tsunade sighed, running a hand through her hair. "I just hope Jiraiya is prepared for the challenges that come with training a Jinchūriki. It's not just about strength; it's about understanding the burden he carries."

"He's the son of Minato, the Fourth Hokage," Tsunade muttered under her breath.

Hiro feigned surprise. "The son of the Fourth?" Although he already knew this, acting surprised was easy—especially since she expected it.

"Yes," Tsunade replied quietly. "That makes things even more complicated. He's not just a Jinchūriki, he's the legacy of the Fourth Hokage. And if those old foxes in the village get their hands on him, it'll be a problem."

Naruto intrigued her. He was more than just a Jinchūriki—he was the son of the Fourth Hokage. She couldn't ignore the significance of that lineage.

"Well, I guess I'll just have to wait for Jiraiya to show up," Tsunade muttered, her lips curving into a slight smile. "Let's see how he's doing... and this Naruto kid too."

Hiro observed her closely, sensing the deeper layers of her interest in Naruto. It wasn't just about the Nine-Tails or the Fourth Hokage.

He suspected it had something to do with Kushina. From what he could recall, Kushina had lived with Mito, Tsunade's grandmother, until she became the Jinchūriki around the age of six or eight.

 It wasn't hard to guess that Tsunade knew Kushina very well.

"That's it," Hiro thought to himself. Tsunade's interest wasn't purely professional—it was personal.

She had likely seen Kushina grow up, perhaps even watched her take on the same burden that now rested on Naruto's shoulders.

After the conversation with Hiro, Tsunade found herself back in her usual routine, sitting at a dimly lit bar with Hiro and Shizune by her side.

 The sounds of clinking glasses and murmured conversations filled the room, but her thoughts were elsewhere, particularly on Naruto and Jiraiya's impending arrival.

She lazily rolled a dice between her fingers, half-heartedly gambling away another losing streak, her mind preoccupied.

As they sat in silence, the bar doors creaked open, and a familiar, boisterous laugh echoed through the room. Jiraiya had arrived, with Naruto following closely behind him, looking around curiously.

Tsunade's eyes narrowed as she glanced at Jiraiya. "Speak of the devil…"

Jiraiya sauntered over, grinning broadly. "Tsunade, it's been too long." His gaze then fell on Hiro and Shizune, but quickly returned to Tsunade. "I've got a proposition for you."

Tsunade's fingers paused on the dice as she listened to Jiraiya, her eyes narrowing slightly.

"The village wants me to be Hokage?" she asked, her voice dripping with disbelief.

Jiraiya nodded. "In its wisdom, yes. They've decided you should be the Fifth Hokage."

Naruto looked at Tsunade, confusion written all over his face. "Fifth Hokage? Where did that come from? What's going on here?" he thought, trying to piece together what he had just heard.

"You heard about the Third Hokage, right?" Jiraiya replied gravely.

Her expression darkened. "So it's true then. It was Orochimaru's doing, wasn't it?".

Before Jiraiya could respond, Naruto suddenly interrupted, bursting with indignation. "Hold on a second! You're saying Orochimaru's the one who killed the old man? Who is this Orochimaru guy anyway?"

Jiraiya sighed. "Orochimaru is one of the Sannin, like Tsunade here... and me."

Naruto's eyes widened in confusion. "Wait, so if he's from the village too, why did he do it? Why haven't you caught him yet?!"

Tsunade cast a sharp glance at Naruto, clearly irritated by the boy's brashness. "Who's this brat you've got with you?" she asked though she alredy knew but she still asked.

Jiraiya grinned a bit. "This is Naruto Uzumaki My Apprentice."

But before he could continue, Naruto cut in again, his voice rising. "So you're just letting this guy run free after he killed the Hokage?! Why haven't you done anything about it? He's one of you guys, right?"

"Naruto, sit down and shut up," Jiraiya ordered.

Naruto stubbornly crossed his arms. "Absolutely not!"

Tsunade sighed, her patience wearing thin as she gave Naruto a cold once-over. "You're slippin', Jiraiya. This apprentice isn't anything like your last one. He's a loud-mouthed fool, and he looks ridiculous."

Naruto bristled at the insult. "What did you just say?!"

Jiraiya chuckled. "Well, to be fair, it would be hard for anyone to measure up to my last apprentice.

 The Fourth Hokage showed signs of becoming the greatest ninja of his generation—brilliant, popular, and nearly as handsome as his teacher." He winked.

Tsunade's expression darkened even further. "Yeah, and what good did all that do him? He still died young, throwing his life away for the village."

Her words hit hard, cutting through the air like a knife. "Money's one thing, but risking your life like that... it's a fool's bet."