The desolation of Konoha was left behind as Naruto and Gojo set out on their journey. Gojo, in a rare moment of pragmatism, had obtained some general information about Tsunade's known whereabouts through Konoha's intelligence network, though the information was old and unreliable.
The Sannin was famous for her wanderings and her love of casinos.
"Well, Blondie," Gojo said as they left the village, "our mission is to find Tsunade. She's an avid gambler, so logic dictates she'll be near... well, casinos. And I don't mean the slot machines at the corner store."
Naruto nodded, though the image of a casino was rather vague in his mind. His determination to become stronger and honor the Third Hokage was the driving force behind him, easing, just a little, the heavy ache in his heart.
"Gojo-sensei, why don't we split up to look for her? We'll find her faster that way, right, dattebayo?" Naruto suggested, already growing impatient.
Gojo raised an eyebrow. "That's not a bad idea. You have that... magnet for loud and flashy things. I have my... methods. I'll take care of the high-level rumors and the more exclusive hangouts. You take care of the low-level gambling dens. And if you see a pervert writing in a book, let me know. It's probably Jiraiya, and if Tsunade's around, he will be too."
And so, Gojo and Naruto split up. Gojo teleported away, leaving a trail of energy that only a trained observer could detect. Naruto, for his part, headed in the general direction Gojo had indicated as "areas with a high probability of illegal gambling."
Naruto walked for hours, following back roads and asking around in small villages about "strong women who gamble a lot." His search led him to a bustling city, where the lights of gambling establishments glittered even in broad daylight.
Inside a noisy, smoky gambling hall, he found him. It wasn't Tsunade. It was a man with long white hair tied in a ponytail, a forehead protector that read "Oil," and an open green kimono that revealed a muscular chest.
He was at a poker table, and his gaze... well, his gaze wasn't exactly on the cards. Naruto spotted him, crouching down, discreetly spying on a voluptuous woman at another table.
"¡"Hey, you pervert!" Naruto shouted without a second thought, remembering Gojo's words.
Jiraiya jumped, almost falling off his chair. He turned to see a blond kid wearing a Konoha shield.
"What the hell?! I'm the great Jiraiya, the Toad Sannin, not some random pervert! And who are you, brat?"
Naruto looked at him suspiciously. "I'm Naruto Uzumaki, and Gojo-sensei told me to look for you. He said if a pervert was around, Tsunade might be too."
Jiraiya laughed, his face still slightly red. "So Gojo sent you! Heh, that guy has a good eye for 'information,' even if his methods are... unorthodox. And why would they want to find Tsunade? If it's because of the Hokage, I'm telling you it's a lost cause." She doesn't want any part of that."
Naruto frowned. "The Third Hokage died! We have to get someone to take his place! And if she's one of the Sannin, she should be helping Konoha!"
The mention of Hiruzen's death made Jiraiya's face scrunch up.
"Hiruzen... I see. So the old man finally left. What a waste... And that idiot Orochimaru... Ah, yes, of course. It's only natural they'd look for her. But Tsunade is very stubborn."
He looked Naruto up and down. "So you're the vessel for the Nine-Tails, huh? And Gojo's training you... now this is interesting. All right, brat. I'll take you to where I know it might be." But I warn you, she'll be hard to convince."
Meanwhile, Gojo Satoru moved with disturbing efficiency through the underground world of high-stakes gambling.
Using his Infinity to scan people and the flow of information, ignoring odd glances and the occasional attempt by a security guard to stop him.
He was too fast, too... nothing. He found his prey at an elite casino in a different city, with a reputation for handling astronomical bets.
Tsunade Senju was unmistakable. Sitting at a blackjack table, her gaze as intensely focused as any she might use on the battlefield, though in this case, she was losing. Badly. Her blonde hair was tied back in two pigtails, and though her attire was elegant, her facial expression was one of deep frustration.
Shizune, his assistant, stood beside him, visibly stressed.
"Excuse me, Miss Tsunade, "I suppose?" Gojo said in his casual voice, appearing out of nowhere next to her chair. His blindfold covered his eyes, but she felt a strange energy around him.
Tsunade looked up, her hazel eyes fixed on him. "And you, who the hell are you? Another one who wants to lecture me about my losses?"
"Not at all. I'm Gojo Satoru," he introduced himself, ignoring the murmur of onlookers. "And I come from Konoha. The village needs you."
Tsunade laughed, a harsh laugh. "Konoha can wait. I've left that life behind. Besides, I'm not fit to be Hokage. And you, who are you supposed to be coming looking for me? You don't look like a Leaf ninja."
Gojo shrugged. "I'm the guy who's been dealing with your problems recently, even if you didn't know it. And yes, the village needs you." The Third Hokage has passed away. Orochimaru launched a massive attack. Konoha is in mourning and leaderless. The position of Fifth Hokage awaits you."
Orochimaru's name made Tsunade's smile fade. The mention of Hiruzen hit her with the force of a physical blow. Her expression hardened.
"Hiruzen... dead? And Orochimaru...? I can't. I'm not going back."
"Look, I understand you have your woes," Gojo said, his tone turning slightly more serious, though still with a tinge of impatience. "But the fate of an entire village is at stake. And to be honest, I don't have all day to persuade you." The system has given me a mission, and if you're not the solution, I'll have to find another."
Tsunade looked at him, puzzled by his directness and the strange way he spoke. She felt a presence, an overwhelming pressure behind his dark glasses, that wasn't chakra, but something deeper, an energy she'd never felt before.
It was a power that made her feel insignificant.
"Also," Gojo continued, taking a small object from his pocket and tossing it onto the table. It was an old, time-blushed photo of the Third Hokage smiling with her and Jiraiya when they were young.
"Naruto Uzumaki is with that pervert Jiraiya, looking for you. He's a loudmouth brat, but with a big heart. He was very close to the Third. I think you'd like to meet him." And if I don't convince you, maybe he will."
Tsunade looked at the photo, her eyes lingering on Hiruzen's smiling figure. A wave of memories and a pang of pain coursed through her. This Gojo was strange, but his words had touched her. The return of Konoha, the death of her teacher, and now a young man... and that "pervert" Jiraiya. Maybe, just maybe, she couldn't keep running away.