In the camp on the front lines of the Land of Grass, within the main tent, Jiraiya, uncharacteristically shedding his usual frivolous demeanor, studied a map of the Land of Grass with a grave expression.
Minato Namikaze had lost contact with him. A group of Rock shinobi had suddenly appeared at their rendezvous point, using their sheer numbers to separate them. He had barely managed to escape pursuit by the main Rock ninja force and had tried to send a message to Minato, but had received no response, which worried him greatly.
Jiraiya had witnessed Minato's immense talent over the past two years. His combat awareness, tactical analysis, and physical acuity were growing at an incredible rate. He had even managed to grasp the Flying Thunder God Technique, created by the Second Hokage, in a short period. Most importantly, Minato Namikaze possessed a heart that loved Konoha. This was what Jiraiya valued most, and perhaps the old man had realized this as well, which was why he had made me take him as a disciple.
The heavens had truly been kind to me, Jiraiya. First Nagato, possibly the "Child of Prophecy," and then Minato Namikaze, a potential Fourth Hokage. Ah, if the heavens could send me one more... that would be perfect! Bah! Bah! Bah! Now is not the time to think about these things! Minato, where are you!? Why can't even the communication toads reach you?
"Ew~ Lin Yu, this toad is so disgusting, hurry up and kill it! I want to eat roasted rabbit heads!"
Jiraiya: ...Toad? Lin Yu?
Tap.
The tent flap was pulled open, and five handsome men and beautiful women walked in, all of whom were very good-looking, at least two and a half times the appearance of Jiraiya. Since the guards recognized Minato Namikaze as a disciple of Jiraiya, one of the Sannin, they did not come to report.
"Jiraiya-sensei, I'm back. I also met Senior Lin Yu, he saved me."
Minato Namikaze bowed to Jiraiya. Although Jiraiya didn't care for such formalities, Minato Namikaze was a polite child and still wanted to save his teacher some face in front of others.
Lin Yu, carrying a red toad with a bump on its head, said with a smile, "Long time no see, Jiraiya. Have you missed Orochimaru?"
"What the hell?" Jiraiya was a bit confused. Shouldn't he ask if he missed Jiraiya? However, he hadn't seen Orochimaru in over four years. When he returned to the village two years ago, Orochimaru had already gone to the Land of the Rice Paddies battlefield, and he hadn't stayed long in Konoha after taking Minato as a disciple. Thinking about it now, it had indeed been a long time since he had seen an old friend. He smiled and said, "It has truly been a long..."
"Ew! Are you the 'jerked too much' bald uncle!"
As soon as Kushina finished speaking, she covered her mouth. She had grown up now! She couldn't be like this anymore! But... she couldn't help it!
Jiraiya's smiling face froze instantly. Without any external force, veins gradually appeared on his forehead, and Jiraiya then glared at Lin Yu as if he wanted to kill him! There was no need to guess! The words "jerked too much" must have been said by Lin Yu! He remembered Lin Yu saying the same thing to Nagato and the others in the Land of Rain. To think! Lin Yu was slandering his reputation everywhere!
"Ah ha... isn't that so?" Lin Yu tossed the orange toad he was holding to Jiraiya. He had caught it on his way to the camp, thinking it was a mutated rabbit at first.
Jiraiya's head immediately grew large, and he roared, "I, the Toad Sage Jiraiya, will say it again! It's natural! Natural! You brats, remember this clearly!" Jiraiya took a scroll out of the toad and sent it back to Mount Myōboku. What a bunch of detestable kids!
Minato Namikaze chuckled on the side. He didn't know how to intervene. One was his teacher, and the other was a senior who was very kind to him. What could he do?! When they finally stopped, Minato Namikaze pulled Uzumaki Kōko and said, "Jiraiya-sensei, this is a woman I rescued from a town in the Land of Grass. Can she live in Konoha from now on?"
Jiraiya frowned. "Refugees from the Land of Grass? It's wartime now, and the village will not allow citizens of other countries to enter. You should know this, Minato."
"But..." Minato Namikaze still wanted to argue, but he was pulled back by Uzumaki Kōko behind him. She gently shook her head at him. Being able to escape that hellhole was already a great fortune for her, and she no longer dared to wish for anything more.
"Hey, Jiraiya, look at her hair. She's from our Uzumaki clan. Our Land of the Vortex is an ally of Konoha. I believe that old man Sarutobi will also agree." Lin Yu shrugged and walked to Jiraiya's side, whispering something to him. Jiraiya's eyes grew brighter as he listened, and he clapped his hands, "No problem with this matter. After the war ends, Minato, you will bring her back to the village!" Then Jiraiya pulled Lin Yu aside and said very solemnly, "Is what you said true?!" Lin Yu made a gesture of approval, and Jiraiya's face immediately turned into that of a fanboy, giggling. "Good! To hurry back to Konoha, let's fight seriously!"
Everyone: It turns out you were just slacking off before.
The war situation in the Land of Grass was much better than in the Land of Rice Paddies. Ōnoki, that old man, was very cowardly and would not personally go to the battlefield like the Third Raikage, unless the chances of winning were very high. For example, during the Second Shinobi World War, they had joined forces with Hanzō of the Salamander and the Third Kazekage to attack Konoha. It was just a pity that a person in a black robe had interfered midway, otherwise, Konoha might have been destroyed by them! If it weren't for the arrival of the Ay-Killer Bee combination in the Land of Grass, Hiruzen Sarutobi wouldn't have wanted to send Lin Yu. If the Nine-Tails and the Eight-Tails had erupted in a major battle, the casualties might have been even greater.
"Lin Yu, what are you whispering about?" Kushina finally couldn't help but speak. She was afraid that this "jerked too much" uncle would corrupt her Lin Yu. She didn't believe Jiraiya's explanation that it was natural at all! Do you think your last name is Hatake? I, Kushina, have also read books!
"It's nothing, nothing! Jiraiya and I are discussing tactics!"
"Oh, yes, yes, yes!" Jiraiya nodded vigorously. Kushina walked over with her small steps and pulled Lin Yu away. She always felt that Lin Yu would be corrupted if he was with this white-haired uncle! She had to keep Lin Yu far away from him!
Jiraiya looked at Kushina inexplicably as she pulled Lin Yu away, and then she and another beautiful girl leaned beside him, one on each side. Damn it! Isn't Lin Yu being too inhuman?! Bullying me because I'm single, or my disciple Minato... Jiraiya glanced at Minato Namikaze. Behind him, Uzumaki Kōko's small hand was holding Minato's sleeve, looking frail. Jiraiya: ...So the clown was me all along! At this moment, Jiraiya suddenly missed Orochimaru. When he was by Orochimaru's side before, he never had to worry about such a situation. His good buddy Orochimaru would never have any girls around him! Sob sob sob! I suddenly miss Orochimaru!