Chapter 154: "Arrived...!!

" – Kabuto confesses to being a medical

specialist like Tsunade, knowing of her past. Naruto finally cracks the
second stage of training with help from an old lesson of Iruka’s. The
Konoha head protector symbol comes from an old training method of
holding a leaf on the forehead with chakra by focusing it into one spot.
Naruto picks up on the idea and modifies the mark Jiraiya painted to
look like the Konoha symbol. An explosion of energy signals that
Naruto has passed the second stage! Jiraiya tells him he will explain
the basics of the third stage on the way into the town as they go to
find Tsunade. The lady in question is nervously admiring a castle with
her aide, when the walls crumble… and atop a giant snake ride Kabuto
and Orochimaru.

Chapter 155: "The Third Step" – Jiraiya blows up a regular balloon

and declares it to be the third part of the training. Naruto gazes at the
unmoving balloon unimpressed, until Jiraiya shows him what’s
happening inside it. The object is now to NOT pop the balloon. The first
exercise was for speed, the second for power, the third for control.
Naruto realises the difference between the third and second steps is
titanic. Meanwhile, Kabuto and Orochimaru ask Tsunade to heal the
wounds created by the sealing of Orochimaru’s arms. Already off-
guard by the appearance of her old “friend”, Orochimaru applies
pressure to Tsunade’s emotions...

Chapter 156: "Business" – Introduces Shizune. Kabuto and Shizune

overreact to Orochimaru’s words, with Tsunade herself displaying
monstrous strength threatening Orochimaru. Tsunade counts down 5
seconds before she kills him, but at zero, he offers to resurrect
Tsunade’s boyfriend and her younger brother from the grave. Naruto
and Jiraiya get closer and closer to Tsunade by checking gambling
establishments, with Naruto shifting their luck in exchange for
information as well as a hefty win. Tsunade is overcome by
Orochimaru’s offer, asking him what he plans to do once his arms are
cured. Unable to lie, he reveals his plan to finish what he started with
Konoha.

Chapter 157: "And the Answer is...!?" – Horrified, Shizune begs

Tsunade not to comply. Orochimaru departs, leaving Tsunade shaken
up, offering them one week to decide. Jiraiya and Naruto arrive to find
everyone already gone, but catch up to Tsunade and Shizune later in a
pub. Confusion and surprise follows as Tsunade confirms she met
Orochimaru, that Konoha wants her to bear the title of Godaime
Hokage after Orochimaru killed Sandaime. Naruto takes the news in
the worst manner, unhappy with Tsunade becoming the next Hokage
and even more so learning that Orochimaru was the murderer of
Sandaime. Jiraiya becomes the second of Tsunade’s old comrades to
give her a tough choice… and one that contradicts Orochimaru’s.

Chapter 158: "I Won't Forgive You...!!" – Tsunade declines to be

the new Hokage, even though she is actually Shodai’s granddaughter.
As Tsunade continues to voice her opinion on the Hokage title, Naruto
becomes enraged. The two step outside for a fight. With one finger,
she sends Naruto flying back. Naruto’s face gives her a flashback to
her brother and boyfriend’s words. As she becomes distracted thinking
about them, Naruto gets back up and begins to spin chakra in his
hand. Tsunade is too distracted and unprepared as Naruto leaps at
her!

Chapter 159: "The Wager...!!" – Tsunade has no time to evade, but

splits the ground beneath Naruto to make him lose balance. However,
she recognises the technique he used as the Rasengan, specifically
Yondaime’s trademark. After mocking both Jiraiya and Naruto, the two
decide on a bet. If Naruto can master the Rasengan in a week,
Tsunade will hand over her necklace, a keepsake of Shodai and
expensive enough to buy three entire mountains. If not, Tsunade will
take every penny Naruto has. The two groups split, with Jiraiya trying
to discourage Tsunade from taking Orochimaru’s offer over sake while
Shizune accompanies Naruto back to a hotel with a request...

Chapter 160: "The Necklace of Death...!!" – Introduces Nawaki

and Dan. Shizune attempts to discourage Naruto, saying the necklace
is cursed. Tsunade strolls down memory lane, remembering the death
of her younger brother, Nawaki, after she gave it to him on his 12th
birthday. Her proposal for each team to carry a medic was agreed
upon by a man called Dan, who would later become her boyfriend and
receive the necklace. Shortly after, Dan was injured and died even
while Tsunade tried to heal him with hands saturated in his blood.
Shizune explains Tsunade’s past to Naruto at the same time, but
Naruto simply leaves to train.

Chapter 161: "Tsunade's Decision!!" – Naruto still has difficulty

creating the self-sustaining ball of whirling chakra Jiraiya used, only
managing to produce a crude spiral that vanishes seconds later.
Tsunade is still in a state of confusion over which of her comrades to
accept, especially with Orochimaru needing two living people as
sacrifices for Edo Tensei... Time passes and with one day to go, Naruto
still can’t use Rasengan correctly. Shizune sees the area where Naruto
had been training and gasps at the demolished trees. Jiraiya has
another drink with Tsunade, however, he doesn’t notice Tsunade
slipping a powder into his sake, taking another gulp...

Chapter 162: "The Heart That Can't Resist...!!" – Jiraiya is

discovered in a bad state the next morning. Shizune’s pleading
for Tsunade to not meet Orochimaru are answered with violence.
As Shizune wakes Naruto, Jiraiya stumbles in on them, feeling
awful thanks to Tsunade’s drug. As the three leave to stop
Tsunade, Shizune tells them of Orochimaru’s plan. Jiraiya
decides that if she tries to heal Orochimaru, he may have to
stop her with lethal force. As Tsunade reaches the rendezvous
point, she tells Orochimaru that she will only heal him if he does
not attack Konoha. He agrees with her condition and slowly
stretches his right hand out towards her...