"Anyway, you don't need to worry about your personal safety. You've made a great contribution and you're Konoha's hero. The village won't let a hero bleed and cry."
Tsunade lifted the teacup beside her, giving a gesture that implied Hayashi could leave if there was nothing else.
"Uh, is that all?" Hayashi thought, feeling a bit helpless. 'Couldn't there at least be a few forbidden jutsu, especially sealing techniques?'
He ultimately kept the thought to himself.
"Okay, if there's nothing else, I'll take my leave, Teacher," Hayashi said, bowing slightly before turning toward the door.
"Wait a moment."
Hayashi froze, hoping that perhaps Tsunade had decided to reward him. His eyes brightened with expectation.
"Did you meet three orphans in the Land of Rain?" Tsunade asked, ignoring his hopeful gaze.
"Yes, we encountered them in a cave while recovering with Nawaki and the others," Hayashi replied, trying not to show disappointment.
"They asked about you," Tsunade continued, a faint irritation in her tone. "Jiraiya felt sorry for them and decided to stay and look after them for a while."
Hayashi nodded. That made sense.
"Why are you telling me this?" he asked.
"Before he left, Jiraiya was concerned about his young apprentice, Minato Namikaze, and asked you… to look after him a bit," Tsunade said, a sheepish smile tugging at her lips.
Hayashi's mouth twitched. Jiraiya had passed the responsibility along, and this elder sister had delegated it to him. Teachers these days were truly more irresponsible than the last generation. Orochimaru, oddly enough, was the most dedicated among the Sannin.
Minato was unlucky, losing his teammates while his teacher absconded with apprentices from another land. Only Kakashi could rival him in sheer misfortune.
Pushing aside the tent flap, Hayashi felt a headache coming on. How should he explain this to Minato?
"Minato, don't be sad. Jiraiya leaving you is because he found a child of prophecy. He'll return in three years," he mused silently. If spoken aloud, Minato might have reacted with outrage, seeking revenge on Konoha.
From Tsunade's earlier words, it was clear she held some fondness for Jiraiya. Two years of shared missions had built a bond of life and death, and his growing responsibility only added to her feelings. But as the romance blossomed, Jiraiya remained in the Land of Rain for three years. Distance slowly dissipated what might have been, compounded later by the deaths of Nawaki and Dan Kato's timely interventions. By the time Jiraiya returned, Tsunade's affections had moved elsewhere—a sad tale of youth, love, and missed timing, all foretold by prophecy.
Exiting the bustling camp, Hayashi pondered how to approach Minato. The air shifted subtly—the temperature dropped slightly, and the scent of wet earth and greenery filled the atmosphere. Even in the rain, birds chirped cheerfully. The change lifted his mood.
After passing through a forest of sugi and oak, he spotted Minato perched on a tree, practicing the wind-style chakra transformation.
"You're here, Hayashi," Minato said, not noticing Mikoto or others nearby.
"Yes, I came to see you," Hayashi replied, patting him on the shoulder.
"When do we go back to Konoha?" Minato asked.
"Soon, in the next few days. We need to escort supplies, and there are genin and chunin with us. Sunagakure might attempt a sneak attack, so Teacher Tsunade and the others are probably worrying over the route right now," Hayashi explained with a small smile.
Konoha's priority was preserving supplies, not engaging in further conflict. A sneak attack would require a long-distance raid, limiting the enemy's numbers. Even so, the two carefully analyzed the village's strategy, critiquing its flaws as if they were seasoned commanders while the elders observed from afar.
Minato's expression darkened. "If I had been stronger back then, my teammates might not have died." His voice carried a trace of guilt and sorrow.
Hayashi noticed the sadness. "Minato, no one can prevent that. War… always comes with death, injury, and suffering."
"But it's unbearable," Minato said softly. "The death of companions feels like a betrayal of hope. You believe they'll be safe, and yet…"
He fell silent, contemplating his own words. "Then what was the point of this war, if so many people died?"
Hugging his knees, the ten-year-old grappled with helplessness. Too many deaths, too much pain—it had forced him to grow, to see the world with his own eyes.
Propaganda proclaimed Konoha as the side of justice, protecting the village and comrades, fighting for peace. Yet reality was more complex. The Land of Fire had instigated the conflict; in essence, Konoha was the invader. Innocent lives were lost on both sides, including his own companions.
Minato's young mind struggled to reconcile justice with the suffering he had witnessed. If war wasn't for peace, then what was its purpose?
....