After dealing with the pursuit unit from the Mist Village, Team 7's journey was finally peaceful. They soon arrived at their destination: the Land of Hot Water.
The Land of Hot Water had a warm climate and was rich in produce and minerals. The nation revered peace, so its ninja force was relatively weak. The Village Hidden in Hot Water was the base for the nation's ninja and its most prosperous town. Filled with hot spring bathhouses, it had become a famous tourist destination in the ninja world.
Haruno Sakura couldn't help but stretch. "Just hearing Kakashi-sensei describe it makes me feel relaxed already!"
"Not entirely," Kakashi said, raising a finger in a serious gesture. "There's still some danger. Some people who oppose peace established the Cult of Jashin here. In the past, there was a guy who called himself a follower of Jashin, killing innocent people everywhere."
Haruno Sakura asked in confusion, "Huh? That sounds really dangerous!"
"Well, he seems to have disappeared since then," Kakashi said, patting her head with a chuckle. "Asuma, the Jonin leader of Team 10, mentioned it before. He was planning to get rid of that guy for the village, but the man suddenly vanished. He was probably killed by some ninjas who uphold justice!"
"..." Sakura sighed in relief, looking at him with some dissatisfaction. "Why would you say that? You scared me!"
Uchiha Sasuke frowned. "Kakashi-sensei, are we detouring through the Village Hidden in Hot Water to return to Konoha? That will waste a lot of time."
"No, we need to find someone first," Kakashi said, shaking his head. He glanced at the distracted Naruto Uzumaki and continued, "After we find him, we will return to Konoha together."
Jiraiya... Naruto lowered his head, pulling his collar tighter.
He shouldn't know a ninja named Jiraiya, yet the name felt inexplicably familiar. Even when he endured the pain in his head to trace back his memories, he would only end up forgetting the name again. Now that Kakashi was taking them to find Jiraiya, he could use this chance to see what kind of person this ninja really was.
Kakashi glanced at everyone and said softly, "We'll stay in the Village Hidden in Hot Water tonight. If we can't find Jiraiya-senpai by tomorrow afternoon, we'll have to leave at night and hurry back to the village."
Because the Village Hidden in Hot Water had such a high flow of people, news of their whereabouts could easily reach any enemies trying to intercept them, so they could only stay for about a day.
This day was also meant for Team 7 to rest and recover. If they didn't meet Jiraiya, and if Kosuke hadn't reported back to the Third Hokage, they might have to face a tough battle on their way back to the village.
When Team 7 arrived at the Village Hidden in Hot Water, it was the village's lively season. The villagers were celebrating the Labor Thanksgiving Festival, marking the end of a fruitful autumn and the storage of the year's harvest.
Besides that, the transition from autumn to winter also meant one thing: the village's famous hot spring inns would enter their peak business season, welcoming wave after wave of guests.
"It's so lively here..." Sakura kept looking around at the bustling crowds: parents with their children, couples, and groups of friends all flowing toward the village square.
Kakashi nodded and sighed softly. "Most ninja villages don't pay much attention to Labor Thanksgiving Day, since ninjas aren't usually involved in farming. It's really only important to the daimyo. But the environment here is special, and its leader is also the daimyo of the Land of Hot Water, so I suppose this festival is more important to them."
After listening to Kakashi's explanation, Sakura narrowed her eyes and smiled. "It feels like the summer festival or New Year's celebration back in our village."
"Well, you can think of it that way," Kakashi paused for a moment. Konoha was a village where civilians and ninja clans lived together, but it didn't really have any characteristic festivals. The only things that could be called festivals were probably the Hokage succession ceremony or the Chunin Exams. It felt strange to call those festivals.
"Tch. Boring," Sasuke muttered, looking at the smiling villagers. His eyes gradually dimmed, and his face slowly turned cold, lost in his own thoughts.
Naruto dodged a group of laughing children and took a few steps to catch up with his teammate, putting a hand on his shoulder. "Hey, Sasuke, are you okay?"
"Hmm?" Sasuke warily grabbed the wrist of the person behind him. When he saw it was Naruto, he let go and shook his head. "The crowds are getting bigger. It's going to be a pain to find anyone here." The corner of Sasuke's eye happened to catch a few ninjas wearing headbands from other villages, and his expression suddenly tensed.
Kakashi patted his other shoulder, seeming to know what he was thinking. "Those are Cloud ninjas from the Land of Lightning. They're known for their Lightning Style ninjutsu. Even though the Village Hidden in Hot Water advocates for peace, we can't let our guard down."
"Naruto, Sasuke, Sakura!" Kakashi called to his students and said seriously, "I'll take you to an inn first. I'll go scout by myself tonight and see if I can find some information."
As a die-hard fan of the masterpiece Icha Icha Paradise, Kakashi could practically recite parts of the book. Based on the book's more interesting plots, he deduced that the author, Jiraiya, must have a rather rich nightlife. If he searched in those kinds of places, he might just find him tonight.
"Huh? Aren't we going to check out the festival?" Sakura put a hand to her forehead, focusing on the noisy village square. "A festival like this is so rare! Hey, everyone is gathered over there roasting rice stalks!"
Naruto glanced at Sasuke, feeling that his teammate was not in a good mood, and quietly suggested, "Kakashi-sensei, since we only have one day anyway, why don't we go and relax a bit?"
"There will be other opportunities," Kakashi said, shaking his head. He had just noticed a few people watching their team.
Apparently, his fledgling team had been targeted once again. Rookie ninjas weren't usually targeted during peacetime, but with someone like Naruto Uzumaki, there were always exceptions.
But seeing the curious faces of his three students, Kakashi smiled. "The hot spring inns here are very famous, and they aren't cheap. I can cover the cost for you today!"
"..." The three of them looked at each other. The temptation of a hot spring bath was also strong. They each nodded at Kakashi, as if doing him a great favor.
The Jonin gritted his teeth. "The price of a hot spring inn isn't low. You three could at least say thank you, right?"
"..."
-----
Bonus:
Late at night, the sky was already dark.
Staying at the hot spring inn, Kakashi Hatake was already up. He didn't wake his students, but instead went out alone. The village's dozens of pleasure districts were always a great test of resolve for a man like Kakashi, who was still in his prime.
When the moon rose, Kakashi hid in the mist and infiltrated a brightly lit tavern. Tonight, he was here to try his luck, looking for a legendary super-author: Jiraiya of Konoha.