Hearing Hanzou’s name, Jiraiya’s expression wasn’t the only one to stiffen.
Konan, Yahiko, and Nagato all looked surprised.
At this time, Hanzou was not only the leader of Hidden Rain Village.
He was also known as the Demigod by Ninja from various countries!
His strength was so immense that even Jiraiya felt fear at the mere mention of it.
“Why do you need to investigate him?” Jiraiya asked, his expression serious.
“Recently, during two battles between Konoha Ninja and Amegakure Ninja, strategic plans were leaked in advance, leading to many Konoha Ninja casualties.
Teacher Hiruzen suspects that someone in the village’s high command is colluding with Hanzou, so he sent me to investigate.”
Natsuki was telling the truth.
The mission was indeed personally assigned to him by Hiruzen Sarutobi.
Before he left, Hiruzen Sarutobi specifically instructed him to investigate discreetly and, above all, not to engage Hanzou in combat, as preserving his life was paramount.
However, Hiruzen Sarutobi’s suspicion that someone in Konoha’s high command was secretly colluding with Hanzou was actually induced by Natsuki.
Investigating Hanzou was merely a pretense.
Natsuki’s main goal was to look after Konan, Yahiko, and Nagato for Jiraiya.
Even if he didn’t have this reason to come to Hidden Rain Village today, Natsuki could have found many other excuses.
“Natsuki, is this mission an S-rank?” Jiraiya asked, his expression serious.
“Yes.”
“Three years ago, Tsunade, Orochimaru, and I fought Hanzou on the battlefield…
the three of us lost.”
Jiraiya poured sake into a bowl, causing ripples: “Hanzou is called the Demigod, and his strength truly lives up to the name.
The title of Three Legendary Sannin of Konoha for Orochimaru, Tsunade, and me was bestowed upon us by him.
If Hanzou hadn’t spared our lives in that battle, I might have died on the battlefield three years ago.”
Jiraiya was always arrogant, conceited, and unwilling to admit defeat.
But at this moment, speaking of Hanzou, his expression could not hide his apprehension: “Natsuki, no matter what, please do not engage Hanzou in combat.”
“Of course.
I don’t want to die.
I want to live to see you finish make-out paradise.”
Natsuki said lightly, “Teacher Hiruzen only asked me to discreetly observe Hanzou’s movements.”
“That’s good.”
Jiraiya breathed a sigh of relief.
“Nagato, Yahiko, Konan, I have something I want to ask you three,” Natsuki said, looking at Jiraiya’s three disciples.
The three of them had slightly immature faces.
But their eyes were resolute.
Nagato, who possessed the Rinnegan, was given special attention by Natsuki.
In the original plot, it was these very eyes that killed Jiraiya.
Natsuki’s expression suddenly turned serious.
If he were to be ruthless and take Nagato’s life while he was still young, would that directly rewrite Jiraiya’s fate years later?
This thought flashed through Natsuki’s mind and quickly vanished.
If he were to kill Nagato now, it would likely cause Jiraiya new regrets.
“Senior Natsuki…
, what is it?” Nagato was a little intimidated by Natsuki’s gaze.
Yahiko and Konan still treated Natsuki with great respect.
“Would you like to read this novel Jiraiya wrote?”
Natsuki smiled: “Although it’s only half-finished, the content inside is quite exciting.”
“Wow!
Yes, yes!” Yahiko immediately perked up.
He took make-out paradise, which Natsuki had placed on the table, and eagerly flipped through it.
Konan and Nagato also looked over with interest, tilting their heads.
But the next second, Jiraiya quickly snatched the book away, then, with a silly smile, said to his three disciples, “You’re still young.
After he finished speaking.
Jiraiya glared at Natsuki, and while talking, poured him a glass of high-proof alcohol: “This Great One’s book is forbidden, it’s meant to be read secretly under the covers at night.
My three disciples are so young, how could you bear to corrupt them!
Drink up!”
Natsuki also poured Jiraiya a drink: “When will the second half of make-out paradise be finished?”
“I’ll brainstorm after the war ends.”
The group chatted.
Outside, the rain was accompanied by thunder.
The firewood in the small cabin crackled and popped.
After a sip of hot sake, Jiraiya’s face was a bit flushed.
He pulled out a newly written book and handed it to Natsuki: “Take a look at this one, I just finished writing it.”
The title of the book was The Tale of the Utterly Gutsy Ninja.
Natsuki knew the story of this book; its writing style was completely different from make-out paradise.
Opening the book, Natsuki read the protagonist’s name aloud: “Naruto?”
“Does it sound good, the name of This Great One’s protagonist?”
“It sounds good.
That name has the potential to be a Hokage.”
“Hahaha, This Great One loves chatting with you.
This book is for you to read!”
“Have you written any other books?”
“I also wrote Jiraiya’s Ninja Scrolls, but alas, I can’t let you see that one.
It’s my autobiography, and I don’t show unfinished works to others.”
“Let me see it now.”
“You bastard, are you wishing me dead!”
Soon, Konan, Yahiko, and Nagato also started drinking and chatting with Jiraiya and Natsuki.
Jiraiya, emboldened by the rising alcohol, began recounting his proud past to his three disciples: “You three little ones, when it comes to This Great One’s romantic history, This Great One never exaggerates, Natsuki can vouch for it.
I used to be very popular in Konoha.
Any girl I confessed to would immediately happily get together with me, making many people envious…”
As he spoke, he tugged at Natsuki’s clothes, swaying him back and forth: “Right, Natsuki, you can vouch for it, can’t you.”
“Yes, yes.” Natsuki was almost dizzy from the swaying, and reluctantly gave false testimony.
Yahiko’s eyes lit up: “When I grow up, I also want to be an excellent man like Teacher Jiraiya, so that no woman will ever refuse my confession!”
He got excited and turned to try confessing to Konan: “Konan, I…”
“Shut up!
I refuse!” Konan casually flicked out a piece of paper and covered Yahiko’s mouth.
Jiraiya continued to boast proudly.
After several rounds of drinks.
Jiraiya’s face was finally flushed, reeking of alcohol, and he continued, dizzy, to recount his childhood hardships: “Why did all the girls I confessed to reject me…
I confessed to Tsunade many times before, and Tsunade always cruelly rejected me…
But I still like her so much…
especially when I returned from Mount Myōboku and found out she was no longer a flat-chested washboard…”
Yahiko, somewhat dejected, apologized to Konan: “I’m sorry, Konan, I seem to have been fooled by Teacher Jiraiya just now…”
Finally.
Jiraiya asked Natsuki, while discreetly investigating Hanzou in Hidden Rain Village, to also look after his three disciples.
Natsuki agreed.
At night, the rain stopped.
Nagato, Yahiko, and Konan were already asleep.
Jiraiya, who had sobered up, sat outside the small cabin with Natsuki.
“It’s been a long time since I’ve seen Tsunade.
I wonder how Tsunade is doing now, has she made any progress in these past few years?” Jiraiya lay comfortably on the grass, gazing at the starry sky.
“Princess Tsunade, she’s been in Konoha.
Her Ninjutsu has always been improving, and now she’s very skilled in Medical Ninjutsu and Taijutsu.”
“I wasn’t talking about Tsunade’s Ninjutsu, I was talking about…”
As Jiraiya spoke, he raised his hands and made gestures in the air: “Her chest, Tsunade’s chest, has it improved?”
“Uh, yes, it has also improved.”
Jiraiya was indeed still Jiraiya.
“It actually improved?
Then when I go back, I definitely have to see Tsunade and confess to her again!”
Jiraiya laughed loudly: “I never would have thought that the flat-chested washboard from childhood could develop to such an alluring extent.”
“Tsunade already has someone she likes,” Natsuki blurted out.
“Ah?!”
Jiraiya suddenly sat upright.
The subsequent conversation revolved entirely around Tsunade’s lover, Kato Dan.
Towards the end of the conversation, Jiraiya said, very unwillingly: “I’m really unwilling.
That guy named Kato Dan stole the woman I like while I was away from Konoha these past few years!
If he ever treats Tsunade badly, I won’t let him off!”
The summer breeze made them sleepy.
The two lay on the star-lit lawn and fell asleep.
When the first light of dawn appeared, Jiraiya woke up, but Natsuki was not beside him.
Jiraiya knew that Natsuki must have infiltrated Hidden Rain Village to investigate.
Jiraiya returned to the small cabin.
He took a deep look at Yahiko, Konan, and Nagato, who were sound asleep, then flipped the plaque belonging to him on the wall to the frog side.
After sitting for a while, he quietly closed the door and left.
“Are you leaving?” Natsuki happened to return.
“Mm.” Jiraiya nodded reluctantly.
“Have an ice pop before you go.”
Natsuki took out a double ice pop: “I just bought it, it hasn’t melted yet.”
“Haha, alright.”
The double ice pop was broken in half, and Natsuki and Jiraiya each took one.
“Natsuki, I remember the last time we ate this kind of double ice pop was when we first became Teacher Hiruzen’s disciples, right?
Do you remember?
We were training to maintain Chakra on our feet to climb trees then.”
“I remember.
That night, we also ran into Might Duy.
Speaking of which, you fell on your face multiple times when you were training to climb trees.”
“Damn it!
How do you remember This Great One’s embarrassing moments so clearly?
Did you remember This Great One’s dashing figure climbing to the top of the tree in the end?”
“Didn’t remember.”
“You bastard!”
After finishing the ice pop, Jiraiya stood up.
He gave Natsuki a deep look, his expression no longer joking, his tone low, and his gaze sharp: “Natsuki, you must promise me one thing!”
“What?” Natsuki was startled.
It really helps the fic grow!