The Third led Ebara to the Anbu headquarters.
Buried deep beneath Konoha, its eerie structure and chilling winds gave off a creepy vibe.
"I was just about to come for you," Danzo said, eyeing Ebara.
"Well, here I am," Ebara replied with a cheeky grin.
Noticing the bandage on Danzo's head, he thought, No Sharingan in his eye yet.
After all, Shisui wasn't born, and getting a Sharingan from someone else wasn't easy.
Though a regular Sharingan wasn't impossible.
"Danzo, why'd you send for Ebara?" the Third demanded.
"Jiraiya said Ebara could vouch for his innocence," Danzo said. "So I sent for him. Didn't expect him to attack Anbu. Do you know the crime?"
Ebara scoffed. "Don't pull that high-and-mighty act. Those two didn't even state their purpose—just told me to come along. Not even the Third's orders. Only an idiot would follow."
He added, "Need I remind you, Danzo, you're not Hokage?"
His words stung Danzo.
Back when the Second Hokage, Tobirama, passed the mantle, he chose the Third over Danzo—a wound Danzo never healed.
Ebara's blunt jab was a slap to his face.
"Kid, seems your family never taught you manners," Danzo growled, chakra surging.
"Danzo!" the Third snapped.
Danzo glanced at the Third's grim face and backed off.
Clashing with the Third now was unwise.
"Take us to Jiraiya," the Third ordered.
Danzo glared at Ebara, then signaled an Anbu to lead.
Soon, they reached a dim cell guarded by four Anbu.
Jiraiya sprawled on the floor, snoring loudly, snot bubble massive, carefree despite his charges.
"Jiraiya!" the Third barked.
No brain, this guy—sleeping like that under such serious accusations.
Jiraiya didn't stir.
The Third's anger flared. None of his students ever spared him worry.
"This is your prized disciple, Konoha's top young talent? Wasting his days, clueless," Danzo sneered.
The Third's face darkened further.
About to scold again, Jiraiya sprang up with a dramatic carp flip.
"Where's the cute girl?!" he shouted, eyes wide.
The Third lost it, kicking him. "Shut up!"
"Haha!" Ebara doubled over laughing.
Jiraiya was too much.
He was about to mock when a chilling glare silenced him.
"Sensei, what's that for?" Jiraiya whined.
"What's it for? You broke the law, you idiot!" the Third snapped.
The fool still didn't grasp the gravity.
Jiraiya blinked, then blurted, "They found out I peeped on Koharu?"
"Pfft—haha!" Ebara howled.
Jiraiya, you dunce, spilling everything.
The Third and Danzo were stunned.
Jiraiya did what?
The Third trembled with rage. "What else have you done? Spill it!"
Danzo forgot to mock the Third's teaching—too shocked.
Jiraiya snapped out of his daze. "I was joking! Pretend I said nothing, heard nothing, okay?" he said, grinning shamelessly.
The Third couldn't take it.
"Fire Style: Majestic Flame!"
"Fire Style: Fire Dragon Bullet!"
"Earth Style: Earth Dragon Bullet!"
"Ninja Art: Earth Flame Flow!"
"Ninja Art: Five-Element Barrage!"
"Lightning Style…"
In under a minute, the Third unleashed a dozen jutsu on Jiraiya.
Jiraiya panicked. "Sensei, what're you doing?"
"Old man, you trying to kill me?"
"Time for my ultimate move!"
"Senpai, please spare me! I'm sorry!"
…
Half an hour later, the master-student bonding ended.
Jiraiya lay bruised, barely recognizable, dragged to an Anbu room.
"What happened?" Mito Men'en gaped.
Jiraiya, accused of killing Anbu and stealing from the lab, was big news.
Both advisors—Mito Men'en and Koharu Utatane—had to be present.
"Disobedient student. I disciplined him," the Third said, still fuming.
"Let's figure out what happened last night," Koharu said, expressionless.
"Fine," the Third said, glancing at her guiltily.
His idiot student peeped on Koharu?
The four sat, Jiraiya held up by two Anbu since he couldn't sit.
Ebara stood by, waiting.
"Jiraiya, you say you didn't attack the lab?" Koharu asked first.
"Nope."
"Any proof? Witnesses?"
"None."
"But a lab worker swore he saw a summoned toad."
"Bull! I was home all night. No way I killed anyone."
Danzo cut in. "Only you have ties to Mount Myoboku. If not you, who?"
"Go ask if that guy really saw a toad. I can summon Myoboku toads to vouch—I didn't call them yesterday."
"You were home all night? Didn't step out?" Koharu asked.
"Not one step."
"What were you doing?"
"Reading."
"What books?"
"Uh… books about pursuing a happy life."
"Can you share the contents? Or let Anbu fetch them?"
Jiraiya: "Fine, I admit—I killed them!"