“What’s that smell?”
“Alcohol.”
Hearing Hyuga Hizashi’s words,
Natsuki, Jiraiya, and Sakumo Hatake exchanged glances, then guiltily shook their heads in unison: “We didn’t smell anything at all.”
“Perhaps my sensory abilities are naturally stronger than yours; I smelled alcohol.”
Hyuga Hizashi sighed, “It seems the Ninja World War has already driven the Sandaime to drink his sorrows away.
I truly hope the war ends soon.”
After speaking, Hizashi quickly leaped up, returning to his post.
“Shall we stroll around a bit more?” Jiraiya suggested.
“Next time,” Sakumo Hatake waved his hand.
“I need to go back and teach my son Ninjutsu knowledge.”
“Don’t be like that, it’s rare for us to meet.
Is This Great One more important or is your son more important!” Jiraiya slung his arm over Sakumo Hatake’s shoulder.
“Nonsense!
Ten of you aren’t as important as my son!” Sakumo Hatake glared at Jiraiya and left directly.
“What a jerk…”
Jiraiya sighed helplessly and asked Natsuki, “Do married men really become more family-oriented, like konohas white fang?”
“I wouldn’t know, I’ve never been married,” Natsuki said with a smile.
“I can only stay in Konoha for one day; tomorrow morning, I have to leave…” Jiraiya sighed.
Sakumo Hatake, who had already walked some distance, stopped and turned back, saying to Jiraiya with some impatience, “I’ll come out again tonight, though it might be a bit late.
Jiraiya, Natsuki, if you have time, let’s meet on Hokage Rock and chat about our experiences over the years.”
“Alright!
Now that’s more like it, hahaha!” Jiraiya burst into laughter.
The last rays of the setting sun shone freely.
The sunset stretched the shadows of Jiraiya, Natsuki, and Sakumo Hatake long.
Jiraiya and Natsuki strolled leisurely.
Natsuki recounted to Jiraiya the changes in Konoha during the years he traveled various countries collecting intelligence.
Before them,
Konoha presented a scene of peace and prosperity.
Under the protection of Konoha’s Ninja, it had not been affected by the Ninja World War at all.
“I really hope Konoha can continue to develop peacefully like this.”
Jiraiya sighed, “That way, every time I go out, I’ll have beautiful women to look at, hahaha!”
“Brother Natsuki, you’re back from your mission!”
As they passed an intersection, a little boy with a backpack ran over.
After reaching Natsuki, he took off his backpack and happily pounced on Natsuki.
“Is this child from the Uchiha Clan?” Jiraiya recognized him by his clothes.
“Yes, his name is Shisui, and he’s five years old.”
“He looks very well-behaved.”
Natsuki picked up Shisui and introduced Jiraiya to him: “This is my companion, Jiraiya.
He just returned from a mission too.”
“Hello, Uncle Jiraiya,” Shisui said politely.
“Mm-hmm, hello…” Jiraiya patted Shisui’s head.
Then,
He suddenly froze.
He glared at Natsuki: “Why does he call you ‘Brother’ and me ‘Uncle’?
We’re clearly the same age.
Does my white hair make me look that old?!”
Natsuki chuckled, “Yes.”
“Bastard!”
Jiraiya angrily balled his fist and punched Natsuki on the head.
Natsuki couldn’t dodge in time.
A bump swelled on his head.
“Kid, why are you running?
I won’t hit you, I’m giving you back your backpack!” Jiraiya picked up Shisui’s backpack and chased after Shisui.
“Ah ah ah, help, the white-haired monster uncle not only hit Brother Natsuki, but he’s going to hit me too!” Shisui ran even faster.
Jiraiya continued to chase.
Hearing this little brat call him ‘Uncle’ made him furious.
After returning the backpack to Shisui, he would definitely beat Natsuki up again!
Natsuki touched his head, watching the scene, feeling quite content.
He ordered a plate of dango by the roadside, eating it while waiting for Jiraiya to return.
He also checked his mission progress.
The mission progress for [Let Jiraiya’s life have no regrets] had reached 69%.
It seemed that, so far, the mission was progressing very smoothly.
Accompanying Jiraiya in his childhood, giving Jiraiya encouragement.
Saving Nawaki, keeping Orochimaru’s original intentions, preventing him from having thoughts of defecting from Konoha, and certainly not killing his mentor Hiruzen Sarutobi with his own hands later.
Saving Kato Dan, preventing Tsunade from falling into despair due to Kato Dan’s death, which would have led her to leave Konoha for over twenty years.
These regrets of Jiraiya from the original storyline had already been mended by Natsuki.
Were there any other regrets left to mend?
Yes.
These were Yahiko’s death, Minato Namikaze’s death, and Nagato’s descent into darkness in the original storyline.
Natsuki had always been working to prevent these situations from happening.
The main reason he explained his plan to Hiruzen Sarutobi upon his return this time was to let Konan, Yahiko, and Nagato feel the goodwill of this world.
Jiraiya returned the backpack to Shisui and was about to go back to find Natsuki to go out and look at beautiful women together.
But Natsuki’s figure sped over: “Jiraiya, Teacher Hiruzen has given me a temporary mission.
I’ll be busy now.”
“Go ahead.”
Jiraiya was slightly stunned, and his expression couldn’t help but show disappointment.
He patted Natsuki’s shoulder and said with a very solemn tone, “Be careful, Natsuki…
you must come back alive!”
“Mm.” Natsuki nodded, his figure leaping away.
Jiraiya watched Natsuki’s departing figure, feeling a bit flustered.
He went into a tavern and ordered a bottle of sake by himself.
He drank half the bottle in one gulp.
His throat was burning.
“War…
when will it end?”
Jiraiya exhaled.
He thought of many of his companions.
Sakumo Hatake, Tsunade, Orochimaru, Natsuki, Kato Dan, Might Dai…
He and these companions had attended the Ninja Academy together as children.
After graduation, they were assigned to different classes to learn Ninjutsu.
Jiraiya had almost all had conflicts with them, argued, fought, made up, and laughed together.
Thinking back now, they were all memories.
When he thought of Kato Dan, Jiraiya couldn’t help but feel a little annoyed.
This was his rival in love!
He had stolen Tsunade, whom he liked!
However, just a short while ago, when Natsuki mentioned that Kato Dan had almost died, Jiraiya couldn’t help but feel a bit emotional.
Given that Kato Dan almost died, he would give Tsunade to Kato Dan.
After all…
Kato Dan was his companion too.
Once life was gone, the traces of having lived would gradually dissipate like the wind with time.
Every companion was a precious memory in his heart.
Jiraiya poured the remaining half bottle of sake down his throat, exhaled, and murmured, “My companions, I don’t want to see your corpses at all…
Please, no matter what, live well.
Konoha will always need us to protect it with our hearts.”
After a moment of reflection, Jiraiya stood up and called the tavern owner to pay the bill.
“Mr.
Jiraiya, you don’t need to pay.
This round is on me!” The tavern owner said with a wide smile and great generosity.
“Why?”
“Because you are Mr.
Jiraiya, one of the ‘Three Legendary Sannin of Konoha’!
Now that great nations are at war, the peace Konoha currently enjoys is bought by you Ninja risking your lives.”
The tavern owner looked at Jiraiya with a solemn expression: “Let alone treating you to one bottle, even if I let you drink another for free, I can still afford that much money.”
Jiraiya laughed heartily: “Such good fortune?
Boss, you’re generous!
Then I won’t be polite, I’ll take another bottle!”
“Take whatever you want!”
Jiraiya’s figure flickered.
He left.
“As expected of Konoha’s Elite Jonin, he leaves with such flair,” the tavern owner chuckled.
“Boss!
Jiraiya just took the prized sake from the liquor cabinet!” A staff member suddenly shouted.
“What?”
The tavern owner’s eyes widened.
Staring at the liquor cabinet, he was greatly alarmed.
“Bastard!
Go chase Jiraiya down and make him pay!
I regret it!”
The tavern owner stomped his feet in exasperation, running outside to look around, but Jiraiya was nowhere to be seen: “That bastard runs faster than a rabbit!
He’s infuriating me, I’ll keep this tab for him!”
…At this moment.
In a quiet, dark underground room in Konoha, Danzo Shimura stood with his hands behind his back, his expression stern, facing Natsuki.
He stared at Natsuki: “Fei, did you not kill Kato Dan?”
“No.”
Natsuki wore a Root mask belonging to Danzo on his face.
His attire was the same as that of Uchiha Fei, whom he had killed.
His voice was also the same.
He slightly lowered his head, standing before Danzo, every movement perfectly mimicked, not arousing Danzo’s suspicion: “I originally took advantage of Kato Dan performing the Spiritualization Technique to attack his main body with arrows.
Yamanaka Shio, who was protecting Kato Dan, couldn’t stop me.
I was about to kill Kato Dan, but Natsuki arrived in time to rescue him, forming hand signs to summon a ghost gate to block my arrows.”
Natsuki recounted the events slowly: “Soon, Tsunade and Katon arrived.
I was no match for them and, fearing exposure of my identity, I dared not continue the attack and fled.”
“I see.”
Danzo was somewhat disappointed, but he did not blame Natsuki.
He said in a deep voice, “Fei, I know you did your best.
You don’t need to blame yourself for not completing the mission I gave you.
Not exposing your identity already makes me very satisfied.”
“Thank you, Lord Danzo.” Natsuki lowered his head with a sincere attitude: “Next, do you need me to carry out any other missions?”
After speaking,
Natsuki paused, then looked up at Danzo: “Lord Danzo, do you need me to go and kill Natsuki, who is hindering you?”
It really helps the fic grow!