Chapter 237: Dream
"So this is Konoha! Senpai! These architectural styles have quite an artistic flair! Yeah!"
On a hilltop not far from Konoha Village, three figures dressed in identical black robes with hats obscuring their faces overlooked the prosperous village below.
The one with a younger build, his tone full of novelty and appreciation, was Deidara.
"Konoha..."
The masked Uchiha Shisui murmured with complex emotions in his voice, his gaze piercing through the mask's holes to stare at that homeland he once protected but could no longer belong to. Who would have thought he'd return here with this identity.
Kakuzu's low, slightly hoarse voice rang out with a trace of warning. "Deidara, don't forget the mission the leader assigned. Before the plan begins, we need to remain completely hidden. Control your mouth—don't let your blabbering draw unnecessary attention."
However, Kakuzu's own gaze was firmly drawn to Konoha's most prominent feature—the Hokage Monument. His eyes locked onto the first carved face—the First Hokage, Senju Hashirama.
That man who had completely changed his life's trajectory, who had made him experience for the first and only time how insignificant and vulnerable his power was, that god-like existence... Kakuzu's green eyes churned with indescribably complex emotions.
This time, Leader Menma's orders were crystal clear: Sunagakure and Otogakure intended to launch an attack on Konoha during the Chunin Exams, provoking war.
Their mission was to secretly infiltrate and hide in Konoha before the exams concluded. Should war truly erupt, the leader himself would personally arrive, and they would join forces to completely suppress the flames of war with absolute power.
Kakuzu had volunteered for this operation. After all, as a core combat member of the organization, he'd been stuck at headquarters handling tedious fund transfers and business negotiations—this truly violated his primary duties. Moreover, last time thanks to the leader, he'd witnessed that scale of wealth beyond imagination in the Land of Waves... Kakuzu had always remembered this favor.
"Everyone, you all remember our current identities, right?" Shisui gathered his thoughts and reminded them.
The two nodded, each retrieving entry permit documents from their robes. These weren't forged fakes, but genuine credentials obtained through legitimate merchant company channels operated by Hizashi under the organization.
At this moment, the three—Shisui, Kakuzu, and Deidara—were playing the roles of merchant company representatives here to observe the Chunin Exam finals.
After confirming the documents were in order and quickly applying simple disguises, the three lowered their hats and descended the mountain path toward Konoha's gates.
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"Jiraiya-san... are you alright?"
Naruto looked somewhat helplessly at Jiraiya, who had rapidly ducked into roadside bushes for the Nth time. Just now it was merely an ordinary Konoha ninja passing by, yet this legendary Sannin had immediately hidden like a startled rabbit.
"Shh—keep it down, Naruto."
Only after confirming it was safe did Jiraiya poke his head from the bushes, patting grass bits from his body. His face carried some embarrassment yet he explained with feigned profundity: "Though you may find it hard to understand, I'm doing this... for deep reasons."
He was actually quite troubled inside. Who could have anticipated that upon returning to the village and meeting the old man once, he'd suddenly propose that Jiraiya immediately assume the position of Fifth Hokage after the Chunin Exams concluded.
Though Jiraiya was pleased to see the old man step down from the Hokage's burden to enjoy his later years, the premise was that the successor wasn't himself.
For Jiraiya, who loved freedom and was accustomed to wandering the world seeking "material" and the Child of Prophecy, being bound to the Hokage's office handling endless documents was practically torture.
'Could it be because I failed to bring back concrete intelligence about the Ember organization, so the old man thinks I accomplished nothing wandering outside, and thus is using the Hokage position to trap me?'
Jiraiya silently grumbled, feeling somewhat wronged. Last time he left Konoha, he had indeed promised the Third he'd do his best investigating that mysterious and powerful Ember organization.
However, just as he was aimlessly investigating, the Great Toad Sage of Mount Myoboku suddenly summoned him and revealed a reassuring prophecy.
According to what the Great Toad Sage saw in his dreams, that unfathomably powerful Ember organization using military force to intimidate nations wasn't as threatening as it appeared on the surface, and would become an indispensable key force on the future path to peace.
After receiving this prophecy, Jiraiya immediately felt relieved and no longer devoted his primary energy to deeply investigating the Ember organization...
'But when the old man heard my report, he only sighed without saying much? Could that sigh have contained such profound disappointment and anger?'
At this moment, after that less-than-perfect "peeping" first meeting, Naruto had proactively expressed he was quite curious about one of the legendary Sannin, and if you don't mind, let me treat you to a meal.
And Jiraiya, looking at Naruto before him—clearly his deceased disciple Namikaze Minato's only child, yet he himself, due to inner avoidance and pursuing the so-called "Child of Prophecy," had never shouldered even the slightest responsibility for teaching or protecting him over the years.
This child appeared so polite, gentle, understanding... This appearance was exactly like Minato as a child.
Thinking of that disciple as warm as sunshine, Jiraiya's gaze toward Naruto unconsciously softened.
Eventually, the two arrived at Naruto's highly recommended dining location—Ichiraku Ramen. Looking at the small shop before him, Jiraiya had actually prepared himself thinking 'Really now, no matter what, I'm an adult—how can I let a kid treat me?' But unexpectedly, the treat was much more modest than he'd imagined.
"Here we are! It's Ichiraku Ramen! Jiraiya-san, don't let the small storefront fool you—the ramen here is Konoha's best!"
Naruto's face beamed with pure joy as he familiarly lifted the curtain and entered. Jiraiya smiled helplessly and followed inside.
The moment he stepped in, a vague memory surfaced. Ichiraku... this shop... didn't Minato often bring Kushina here?
"Teuchi-san! Two pork miso ramen please!"
"Oh! It's Naruto! Welcome, welcome! And this is... your friend? Just a moment, the ramen will be ready soon!" Behind the counter, Teuchi greeted Naruto warmly, his hands skillfully beginning preparations.
Watching this warm interaction, then recalling those occasionally unfriendly looks from villagers on the way here, Jiraiya's heart stirred. Could it be... this child's particular fondness for ramen, beyond the taste, also has that reason?
The two sat at the counter. Jiraiya habitually cleared his throat, preparing to enliven the atmosphere with adventure stories "adapted" from his travels according to his usual way of dealing with children, while enjoying their admiring gazes.
However, before he could speak, Naruto spoke first: "Um... Jiraiya-san, may I ask... would you take me as your disciple?"
"What? That won't work—I'm quite busy."
Jiraiya responded almost instinctively with his habitually casual, perfunctory tone. Years of traveling made him most afraid of long-term commitments and constraints.
"I see... that's true. Sorry for asking such a strange question."
Naruto nodded, his expression calmly accepting this answer. He didn't seem particularly bothered, instead turning his gaze toward the noodle pot, quietly waiting.
However, Jiraiya now froze in his seat. 'Not good!' he cried internally. That was a completely instinctive refusal—actually, he wasn't opposed to teaching Naruto a few things... he was just accustomed to being carefree, his mouth moving faster than his brain...
Watching Naruto show no disappointment or persistence, simply accepting it calmly and beginning to anticipate the ramen, Jiraiya actually felt somewhat guilty.
He coughed awkwardly, trying to ease the atmosphere. "Ahem... though, no need to be so absolute. But you're quite impulsive, kid—asking a stranger to be your master at first meeting."
Naruto scratched his cheek somewhat embarrassedly, laughing. "Haha, it does sound strange, right? This might sound funny, but the reason I asked is because things I've encountered recently have been so strange, so I thought... why not give it a try?"
"Things you encountered?" Jiraiya asked curiously. This sounded almost like someone had told Naruto beforehand that he should apprentice himself to Jiraiya.
"Um... first, please don't take this seriously. Because... it was in a dream. An especially huge and especially old-looking giant toad told me in a dream to find someone called Jiraiya, saying this was my destined teacher or something... sounds like just a bizarre dream, right?"
Thus, Naruto spoke in a tone mixing jest and uncertainty, saying words that shocked Jiraiya so much his jaw nearly dropped onto the counter.
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