Naruto: Wooing Tsunade from Day One!

Three days later, Kawakaze and Tsunade's wedding was held as scheduled, and the entire village of Konoha buzzed with excitement. The wedding of Lady Hokage was a celebration shared by everyone.

"I've finally made it back," a man with long white hair said, standing outside the gates of Konohagakure. He looked at the gates with a mixture of emotion and nostalgia.

Jiraiya had been away for over a year, and during his absence, Tsunade had officially solidified her relationship with Kawakaze. Though he had yet to encounter the child of destiny the Toad Sage had foretold, he had found his own love during his travels.

"Is this the village you grew up in?" asked the woman beside him. She had short brown hair, carried a long sword on her back, and held his arm affectionately as her gaze shifted to his face.

"Yes," Jiraiya replied. "I told you—she's getting married."

He spoke openly. The love he once held for Tsunade had faded over time, especially after Kawakaze's arrival in her life. Now that she had found happiness, Jiraiya had also moved forward, finding someone to share his life with.

"Is that man stronger than you?"

Maki Nadeshiko, the woman beside him, asked without hesitation. She didn't mind Jiraiya's past feelings for Tsunade. In her village, it was a tradition to challenge and defeat a strong man before marrying him. She had lost to Jiraiya in combat and, as per their wager, left her village to follow him. Over time, her admiration for his strength turned into deep affection.

"He's very strong," Jiraiya admitted, his mind briefly flashing to the scene of Kawakaze beheading Hanzō. The memory left him momentarily lost in thought.

"Let's go. I want to see this for myself," Maki said, tugging Jiraiya forward. They approached the gate, and Maki knocked.

After a moment, the gate opened.

"Lord Jiraiya, you're back?" The ninja guard at the gate recognized Jiraiya, his expression lighting up with surprise.

"Yes, I'm back for the wedding," Jiraiya replied with a smile, leading Maki into the village.

"Lady Hokage will be very happy," the guard said, knowing the history between Jiraiya and Tsunade. It was a natural sentiment to express.

"Haha, I made a special trip back," Jiraiya said, waving goodbye to the guarding ninja as he pulled Maki toward the Senju mansion.

"What a lively place. It's much better than our Nadeshiko Village," Maki remarked, her gaze sweeping over the bustling streets of Konoha. The prosperity of the Five Great Nations was indeed remarkable.

"From now on, this will also be your home," Jiraiya said, patting the hand she had wrapped around his.

"Mm," Maki responded without hesitation. She was not the type to shy away, and as someone who had chosen her path decisively, she carried herself with confidence.

As they approached the Senju mansion, the crowd grew denser. Many villagers had come voluntarily to offer their congratulations.

"Long time no see."

Jiraiya felt a tap on his shoulder and turned to hear a familiar voice.

"Long time no see," Jiraiya replied as he faced Orochimaru.

"I thought you weren't coming back. And who is this?" Orochimaru asked, his curious gaze falling on Maki. It seemed his old friend had moved on and found happiness.

"Haha, this is my fiancée, Maki Nadeshiko," Jiraiya said with a smile. Then he gestured to Orochimaru, continuing, "This is Orochimaru, my fellow disciple and best friend."

Orochimaru introduced himself with equal generosity, his gaze briefly flicking to the woman beside him. "This is Pakura, my future wife." He took her hand as he spoke.

"Hello, I'm Pakura," she greeted warmly.

"Hello, I'm Maki Nadeshiko," Maki responded politely.

"Let's go. We'll head in together," Orochimaru suggested, and he and Jiraiya shared a knowing smile.

The four of them, now a group, continued toward the Senju mansion.

Red lanterns adorned the mansion, glowing brightly to mark the joyous occasion. Servants bustled in and out, most of them transferred from the Hatake Clan. Mito had always preferred a quiet household, so the Senju mansion had lacked sufficient staff for such an event.

"Big Brother Jiraiya!"

As soon as Jiraiya entered, he was spotted by the sharp-eyed Nawaki.

"Nawaki, you've grown so tall," Jiraiya said with a grin. Feeling a bit embarrassed to ruffle Nawaki's hair now, he settled for patting him on the shoulder.

"Sensei, Sensei's wife," Nawaki greeted, having long been accustomed to addressing people formally, even though Orochimaru and Pakura weren't married yet.

Pakura acknowledged Nawaki with a polite nod. Though not officially married, she was effectively regarded as Orochimaru's wife.

"Big Brother Jiraiya, is this your wife?" Nawaki asked, his curious gaze shifting to Maki Nadeshiko. She was undeniably beautiful.

"Yes, isn't she pretty?" Jiraiya said, reverting to his usual playful self, giving Nawaki a cheeky wink.

Maki, unimpressed, pinched Jiraiya in annoyance, prompting a pained expression from him.

"Haha, hello. My name is Nawaki," Nawaki said warmly, suppressing a laugh at Jiraiya's plight as he greeted Maki.

"Hello," Maki replied, offering a polite smile.

"I'll take you to sit down. My brother-in-law will be here soon," Nawaki said, leading the group toward the inner hall.

"You can sit here. I still have to receive other guests," Nawaki added, arranging seats for them before hurrying off. With his sister getting married, he had no shortage of responsibilities.

Orochimaru and Jiraiya settled into their seats and resumed their conversation, discussing their training and the events they had encountered.

The two women sat quietly beside them, occasionally joining the discussion with a few remarks.

"Tsunade and Kawakaze have waited a long time, and now they're finally married," Orochimaru said, sipping his tea calmly. "We have to work hard too."

"Yes, we can't fall too far behind," Jiraiya agreed, taking a large gulp from his teacup, his casual demeanor contrasting sharply with Orochimaru's composed manner.

"Why don't you ask Tsunade to assign you a mission? She's the Hokage now," Orochimaru joked lightly. Their close relationship allowed for such remarks without any need for formality.

"Haha, I was planning to wait until after her wedding to ask for a high-ranking position," Jiraiya replied, matching Orochimaru's lighthearted tone.

Jiraiya wasn't surprised to learn about the reasons behind Hiruzen's abdication. Though he frequently left the village, he had always been aware that there might be more to Hiruzen's decision than what was openly stated. Still, he chose not to dwell on it.

At this time, Tsunade was waiting in her bridal chamber for Kawakaze to arrive.

She wore a heavy white kimono, giving her a dignified air that contrasted with her usual carefree demeanor. Even so, her beauty remained striking.

"Tsunade, I'm going to miss you, my dear," Mito teased as she adjusted Tsunade's hair, her amusement clear.

"Haha," Mito laughed softly, unable to hide her relief.

"Can you stop laughing? That would make it more realistic," Tsunade said, rolling her eyes.

Traditionally, a bride's family would cry on her wedding day, but her grandmother couldn't stop chuckling, happy as ever.

"Sorry, I just couldn't help it. I'll stop laughing," Mito said, rubbing her face and attempting a sad expression.

Misaki and Kushina stood off to the side, tears of suppressed laughter threatening to spill. If they weren't afraid of getting scolded, they would have laughed outright.

"Grandma, how long until the wedding starts?" Tsunade asked, sitting still but clearly growing impatient.

"It's almost time, don't worry," Mito replied as she retouched Tsunade's makeup, feeling her lips weren't symmetrical enough.

"Sister Tsunade, you look so pretty today," Kushina said, looking at Tsunade's radiant appearance with a hint of envy.

"Really? I think so too," Tsunade replied, glancing in the mirror and agreeing with a hint of self-admiration.

"Sister! My brother-in-law is on his way. Oh, and I forgot to mention, Big Brother Jiraiya has already arrived," Nawaki called from the doorway before hurrying off, having stopped by just to deliver the news.

"That's great," Tsunade said, her face lighting up with a smile as radiant as a blooming peony.