He was a tall man in a red coat, wearing a headband with the kanji for "oil," two red marks under his eyes.
Though his face showed age, his features were unmistakable.
The two gate guards recognized him instantly.
Jiraiya, one of Konoha's legendary Sannin.
"Hey!" Jiraiya called out before reaching the gate, grinning mischievously. "Izumo, Zitetsu, after all these years, you two are still guarding?"
His silly yet approachable demeanor erased any sense of distance despite his age and attire.
Izumo and Zitetsu blushed slightly.
By their age, they were still only chūnin.
"Lord Jiraiya's back—fantastic!" Izumo said excitedly. "When Lady Tsunade returned, the village was thrilled. If only Lord Orochimaru…"
"Izumo!" Zitetsu snapped.
Izumo's expression froze.
With two Sannin back, thoughts naturally drifted to the third.
"Orochimaru, huh," Jiraiya's smile held, but his eyes grew complex. "A traitor to the village shouldn't be called 'Lord' even if he returned."
Orochimaru's betrayal deeply wounded Jiraiya.
Unlike Tsunade, who left to escape pain, Jiraiya had spent years abroad tracking Orochimaru.
"By the way," Zitetsu, shifting topics, glanced around and whispered to Jiraiya, "Lady Tsunade brought a man back this time."
"Σ(っ°Д°;)っ"
Jiraiya's shock surpassed hearing Orochimaru's name.
"He's mysterious," Zitetsu said gravely, then sighed. "It's common knowledge in the village. We don't know when he entered, his name, his identity, or where he stays. Honestly, it's worrying."
It wasn't a secret.
Ninjas unaware of the cans were uneasy about this unknown figure.
But the Hokage had ordered no disrespect toward him.
So, seeing Jiraiya, Zitetsu shared the concern.
"Got it."
Jiraiya forced a smile, but his disappointment was clear.
He trudged slowly into the village.
Zitetsu watched Jiraiya's lonely figure.
"Should I have kept quiet, Izumo?" he asked.
"He'd find out eventually," Izumo shook his head, sighing.
Though only chūnin and younger than Jiraiya, both were married with kids.
"Such a great man, one of the Sannin…" Zitetsu sighed.
But their "great man"…
Was now quickening his pace toward his most cherished village spot.
—The bathhouse.
His earlier gloom seemed forgotten.
Pulling out paper and pen, he muttered, "Research, research, heh heh."
For a man over fifty, his expression was downright sleazy.
Meanwhile…
Shen Mo, strolling with Ikaros under Tsunade's escort, suddenly turned, sensing something.
"You're not leaving for another customer, are you?" Tsunade, holding a cotton candy, flushed with irritation, veins popping on her forehead.
They'd passed a cotton candy stall.
Ikaros glanced at it, so Shen Mo bought one—and, inexplicably, one for Tsunade too!
She still recalled the vendor's look.
It nearly made her bolt.
"No, just spotted someone interesting," Shen Mo shook his head, then teased Tsunade. "Still mad? It's just cotton candy. You're younger than a fraction of Ikaros's age, and she's enjoying hers."
Ikaros was indeed focused on her cotton candy.
Round and fluffy.
She licked it delicately, reluctant to eat it.
"Is she… really that old?" Tsunade eyed Ikaros, skeptical.
In Shen Mo's presence, Ikaros seemed childlike.
Almost airheaded.
Gone was the regal air from her first appearance.
"Over such long years, caring about few things keeps you young at heart," Shen Mo said, deadpan. "Other stuff, like why you're mad, doesn't matter. If you don't want it, toss it."
He'd never admit buying her cotton candy was pure mischief.
Tsunade glanced at Ikaros, then her cotton candy.
Was it… really her issue?
"…Fine, it's bought."
After hesitating, Tsunade mimicked Ikaros, taking a small lick.
Her eyes lit up.
A kid's treat, but surprisingly good.
Shen Mo, watching Tsunade earnestly eat, stifled a laugh, then pointed toward the bathhouse. "Let's check it out."
"There?" Tsunade licked her cotton candy, glancing over. "That's the women's bathhouse. Your 'interesting person' isn't some female ninja from our village or another, is it?"
"One of Konoha's, but not female," Shen Mo said casually.
"Not female?" Tsunade frowned.
But that was the women's bathhouse.
Thanks to a certain someone, the men's and women's bathhouses were long separated.
Men rarely went there.
Wait.
Tsunade's eyes narrowed.
Could it be…
She sped up.
Then she saw a white-haired man in a red coat, crouched at the door, peeking through a crack.
Who else but Jiraiya?
Fury surged. Tsunade roared, "What are you doing, Jiraiya?!"