Tanzaku Castle has been destroyed! Naruto and Jiraiya soon find out the reason why - Orochimaru's large serpent.
Meanwhile, Tsunade is lost in her memories. Shi*une tries to snap her out of her daze but can't seem to break through. Orochimaru senses Tsunade won't give him an answer today and extends the deadline a week. If she agrees, she must prepare two sacrifices. He then bites his finger as a warning, and Tsunade cowers in fear at the sight of his blood. He and Kabuto then leave.
Jiraiya and Naruto arrive too late to catch Tsunade and continue to look for her. She has made her way to one of the local taverns. Jiraiya just so happens to stop inside to ask for information when he spots the Sannin drinking heavily. Tsunade is shocked to see another of her former teammates, but Jiraiya soon gets down to business. He asks why she met with Orochimaru, but she avoids the question and takes out a deck of cards. Jiraiya cuts the deck and then asks her to become the Fifth Hokage. She deals out the cards.
Jiraiya converses with Tsunade over their game of cards. He asks if she's heard about the Third. Yes, Orochimaru told her. She then asks about Naruto, who can barely contain his shock that Jiraiya actually asked this drunk to become Hokage, and realizes he's the legendary Nine Tails. Jiraiya looks down at his cards - three Kings and two Aces. He asks again - will she accept the Hokage position? She looks at her cards - nothing. Orochimaru's words ring though her head. By healing him, Konoha will be in grave danger.
Tsunade folds and refuses the position, much to Naruto's disbelief. Jiraiya shrugs it off with a joke, while Shi*une suspects Tsunade is actually contemplating Orochimaru's offer. He then tries to calm down Naruto, who is frantically questioning why in the world he'd have chosen this ungrateful drunk to become the next Hokage. Jiraiya explains that Tsudane is the only one with the qualifications. Her grandfather was the First and her medical skills are unsurpassed. She replies that Jiraiya's latest apprentice is even more stupid and ugly than his last. Naruto starts to get fired up again, but Jiraiya defends him. It would be hard to beat the Fourth in those characteristics. Tsunade then tells him that the previous Hokages all wasted their lives for the sake of the village. Only an idiot becomes Hokage.
Furious, Naruto immediately gets up in her face and praises the Third and Fourth. He tells her that he doesn't care if she's a girl. She still deserves a punch in the face. She retorts that he's got guts to say that to her - step outside.
Outside, Tsunade declares she will beat Naruto with one finger. Naruto charges towards her, throwing kunai, but she easily dodges and disarms him. She then flicks his forehead with her finger and sends him flying backwards, knocking off his forehead protector. She asks him why he cares so much about the title, Hokage. He vows that one day, he will hold that title. He then prepares Rasengen and rushes at her.