Plot_Naruto_I
Pencarian Tsunade
The search for Tsunade led Naruto and Jiraiya to Tanzaku Town. At the same time, Orochimaru and Kabuto were also looking for Tsunade so that she could heal Orochimaru's arms. While Jiraiya prowled the town "looking for information" (or hitting on young ladies), Naruto practiced the three steps required for learning the move that was stronger than Chidori: the Rasengan. The first step emphasized rotation, practiced by trying to pop a water balloon. The second step was power, practiced by exploding a rubber ball. The third step emphasized control, and the power and rotation in the first two steps must be used at 100%, while maintaining the ball of chakra inside a regular balloon without popping the balloon. When Naruto finished the first two steps, Jiraiya finally found out that Tsunade was at Tanzaku Town, and they headed out, with Naruto working on the third step along the journey. When Jiraiya and Naruto finally arrived at Tanzaku Town, Orochimaru had already reached Tsunade first. Orochimaru offered Tsunade an exchange: if she healed Orochimaru's arms, Orochimaru would bring Tsunade's little brother and lover back to life using Summoning: Impure World Resurrection. However, Tsunade must provide two human sacrifices. Orochimaru extended his deadline for her decision to a week, and left her to ponder the decision. That night, Jiraiya and Naruto went to a bar to eat and find information about Tsunade, only to find Tsunade herself there, along with her assistant, Shizune. However, she declined Jiraiya's offer to become the Fifth Hokage, saying that only fools would want the title of Hokage. This irritated Naruto greatly, and Naruto and Tsunade headed outside to "fight". Tsunade easily handled Naruto using only one finger, but, when Naruto declared that it was his dream to become Hokage, Tsunade immediately saw the resemblance between Naruto and her brother and lover. Her reverie left Tsunade open, and Naruto took the opportunity to try to use Rasengan on her, although it was still incomplete. Upon seeing the Rasengan, Tsunade made a bet with him: if he could master Rasengan in a week, she would give him the necklace of the First Hokage. If he lost, she would confiscate his frog wallet and all its contents. Naruto accepted after learning the value of the necklace, and went away to train. Shizune was surprised that Tsunade had used the necklace in a bet, since the people that Tsunade had tried to give it to (her brother and her lover) had both died horribly the next day. Shizune explained this, and Naruto toughened his resolve to get it, not returning to the hotel at all for six days. On the sixth day, Shizune found Naruto unconscious and brought him back, and Naruto recovered after just a night's sleep because of the Nine-Tails' chakra. It was also during that night where Orochimaru dispatched Kabuto to assassinate Shizune to avoid any interference in his plan, and Shizune tried to stop Tsunade from going to meet Orochimaru, only to be knocked out by Tsunade. Naruto woke up the next day to find out from Shizune that Tsunade was going to meet with Orochimaru, then Jiraiya arrived revealing that Tsunade had drugged his sake the previous night. Unaware that Kabuto was observing them and was surprised to find both Naruto and Jiraiya there, he chose to retreat just as the three rushed off to find her. Tsunade arrived, and attempted to secretly kill Orochimaru with her medical jutsu, only to be stopped by Kabuto himself revealing her intentions, as he was also a medical ninja. As Tsunade begins the fight Kabuto suggests to Orochimaru that they need to look for another place to fight before Tsunade can receive further aid, revealing that Jiraiya was nearby, so the two lured Tsunade to an open grass field to buy some time to capture her. Although at first she was able to hold Kabuto off, Kabuto was able to get the upper hand by exploiting Tsunade's hemophobia (fear of blood). That was when Jiraiya, Naruto, and Shizune arrived in time to stop Kabuto from killing Tsunade. Naruto was surprised to find Kabuto there and fighting Tsunade, but is quickly informed by Jiraiya that his headband clearly represents that Kabuto works for Orochimaru. While Jiraiya tried his best to hold off Orochimaru, despite his handicap of being unable to fully control his chakra due to Tsunade's potion, Naruto and Shizune tried to protect Tsunade. Kabuto knocked out Shizune and proceeded to attack Tsunade, but Naruto intercepted him. Infuriated, Kabuto began to pummel Naruto, all the while telling Naruto that he was only a ninja by luck and that he could never dream of being on the same level as Sasuke. This only fuelled Naruto's resolve, and, when Kabuto charged at him with a kunai, Naruto allowed his hand to be impaled by the weapon, effectively holding Kabuto in position. He then used a shadow clone to mold chakra into his free hand, and hit Kabuto in the stomach with a fully formed Rasengan, which shocked both Tsunade and Orochimaru. The Rasengan was so powerful that, even with Kabuto's excellent regeneration ability, there was still too much damage for Kabuto to repair immediately. However, prior to getting hit by the Rasengan, Kabuto had severed Naruto's arteries leading to the heart, meaning that Naruto would soon die. Touched by Naruto's resolution, Tsunade vowed to heal Naruto, as he couldn't recover by himself as the Nine-Tails' chakra couldn't be used if the heart's arteries were cut. Tsunade was able to heal Naruto, but Orochimaru realized that Naruto had become too powerful, and that his only chance to kill Naruto would be right now. Orochimaru lunged at Naruto with the Kusanagi sword, but Tsunade used her body to shield Naruto. When Orochimaru questioned her actions, she told Orochimaru that it was because Naruto would be the future Hokage, after which she determinedly announced, "And from today onwards, I too will put my life on the line to protect the Leaf, because I am the Fifth Hokage!" Tsunade then finally overcame her hemophobia.