The next three days.
Jiraiya brought Yahiko, Nagato, and Konan along almost every day.
He no longer limited his teaching to just them, but included Shiroishi in the lessons as well.
"You're not from Konoha, but you're even more eager to learn than these three," Jiraiya said with a laugh, patting Shiroishi on the shoulder. "Might as well be an auditor."
The words were spoken casually, but it had been Jiraiya's intention all along, just phrased half-jokingly for Shiroishi's benefit.
Shiroishi didn't refuse.
He understood that the deeper his comprehension of this world's ninjutsu system grew, the clearer the connection between Chakra and World Tree energy would become.
For Jiraiya, having Shiroishi participate in the lessons served another purpose.
Over those few days, the Breeding House became exceptionally lively.
In the early mornings, Yahiko trained with Charmander in the garden, practicing Metal Hardening;
Nagato cultivated Chakra Sensing with Bulbasaur, attempting to stimulate plant growth through nature;
Konan practiced controlling Life Dew alongside Squirtle.
And Shiroishi quietly observed and recorded.
Their progress, Chakra fluctuations, compatibility with their Ninja Beasts.
His notebooks were nearly filled—two volumes worth—with neat handwriting and clear, organized thoughts.
Whenever Jiraiya saw him taking such meticulous notes, he would chuckle and sigh, "You're really diligent, kid.
If I'd had your drive back in my day, I'd probably be Hokage by now."
"Jiraiya-sensei, you were too busy gathering 'material' back then," Yahiko couldn't resist interjecting, making Charmander let out a few amused "Gwah!" sounds.
"Don't talk nonsense!"
Jiraiya waved a hand, feigning anger, and the scene quickly dissolved into laughter.
But on the morning of the fourth day, the atmosphere grew quiet.
Shiroishi had just returned from the back hills when he saw Jiraiya standing in front of the house, a scroll on his back and a Konoha forehead protector at his waist, his expression slightly more serious than usual.
"Going on a mission?"
Shiroishi recognized the signs at a glance.
Jiraiya nodded.
The Third Hokage, aware that Jiraiya had been staying in the Land of Rain recently, had assigned him a nearby intelligence-gathering mission.
The round trip would take about five days.
As for Konoha, Jiraiya truly had no interest in returning just yet.
"You're still not planning to go back to Konoha?" Shiroishi asked.
"Not for now," Jiraiya replied with a smile. "The kids in the Land of Rain still need me. Besides..."
He glanced at the three of them, his gaze softening, "At the very least, I need to stay until they can stand on their own—and that includes you."
As he said this, his eyes settled on Shiroishi.
"But for these five days, I'll have to trouble you to look after them."
Shiroishi gave a slight nod. "Don't worry, I'll take good care of them."
His tone was calm, but the sincerity in his words was unmistakable.
Though the four of them were about the same age, Shiroishi's steadiness and maturity were beyond expectation.
In their eyes, Shiroishi was more like a reliable older brother.
Jiraiya took a deep breath and patted Shiroishi's shoulder.
"With you here, I can set out with peace of mind."
He paused, then added with a smile, "Speaking of which, that egg of mine... seems like it's about to hatch."
Jiraiya scratched his head, a slightly helpless smile appearing. "Yeah, it looks like that little one picked a really tricky timing.
Just when I have to go on a mission—I'm worried it might be affected while I'm away."
Nagato glanced toward the egg resting quietly on the table.
That egg was different from the others, its surface pattern more intricate, faintly shimmering with a red-gold halo.
It seemed to be nurturing some powerful life within.
"It can be temporarily placed in the Breeding House, though that might affect its hatching and growth. I suggest you be nearby when it's born."
Jiraiya thought for a moment, then shook his head with a laugh. "I understand. This mission isn't far anyway—I'll be back in five days."
Then, carrying the egg on his back, Jiraiya laughed heartily, his bold spirit as bright as ever.
After Jiraiya left, the sky over the Land of Rain felt particularly oppressive.
Thick clouds shrouded the entire valley, the air heavy with dampness and chill.
The lanterns of the Breeding House swayed gently in the wind, their orange light blurring into the rain and mist.
Inside, only Shiroishi, Yahiko, Nagato, and Konan remained.
Yahiko was practicing controlling the intensity of flames with Charmander, Nagato sat quietly meditating while holding Bulbasaur, and Konan was wiping Squirtle's shell, the atmosphere warm and tranquil.
Yet, Shiroishi's expression was grave.
Sitting in the corner of the room, his movements paused, his brow slightly furrowed.
Something was off.
That chakra.
It was weak, scattered, yet everywhere, seeping through the air like mist.
Shiroishi slowly closed his eyes, his internal chakra flowing as he activated the perception power of his Ōtsutsuki Bloodline Trait.
Instantly, his consciousness seemed to pierce through the layers of rain, extending into the deeper darkness.
In the dense forest not far from the Breeding House, there was a strange life form...
It wasn't an ordinary human.
Its chakra distribution was unusually balanced, its fluctuations subtle, almost merging with the plants.
White Zetsu?
The vague name immediately surfaced in his mind.
One of the remnants born from the Ten-Tails, a living weapon carrying ancient chakra.
Since the Rinnegan was transplanted into Nagato by Uchiha Madara, he would inevitably keep an eye on the Land of Rain.
Judging by the timeline, Black Zetsu hadn't yet openly appeared before Uchiha Madara.
At this stage, only White Zetsu should be active for surveillance.
As for Black Zetsu, he should still be with Uchiha Madara, not here yet.
If it's just White Zetsu's surveillance, it's manageable...
Shiroishi sighed softly.
He lifted his head, his gaze calm as still water.
Since it's a living weapon born from the Ten-Tails, that means that being shares some origin with the World Tree.
If he could make contact, perhaps he could obtain some useful test data from it.
Just then, the wind outside the house suddenly stilled.
The next moment, a white figure almost blending into the night quietly appeared among the trees.
It was a bizarre existence, entirely snow-white, as if composed of a mixture of roots and flesh.
Half of its upper body exposed, its crimson eyes glimmered faintly in the darkness, fixed on the peaceful wooden house ahead.
"...Jiraiya has left."
A low voice murmured, sounding as if it emerged from deep within the soil.
Its body slowly sank, almost completely merging with the ground, only half of its face remaining visible in the air.
"Four people? A bit strange..."
White Zetsu frowned.
Jiraiya's presence over the past few days had prevented it from getting close.
But now that Jiraiya was gone, an opportunity had finally arisen.
At that moment...
The wooden door of the Breeding House slowly creaked open.
Gentle light spilled onto the doorstep, illuminating the quiet figure standing there.
Shiroishi stood at the entrance, his expression serene, his eyes as deep as a lake.
He gazed calmly toward the woods.
White Zetsu's heart tightened, instinctively pulling half his body back and swiftly disappearing into the shadows of the trees.
He simply raised his hand and gently patted the Eevee on his shoulder.
The little one immediately grew alert, ears perked up, eyes sharp as it stared into the dark forest.
It let out a low warning growl.
Hidden in the shadows, White Zetsu froze.
What was that?
Could it be related to the Ninja Beast that those three children had hatched some time ago?
White Zetsu hadn't paid much attention to that earlier report, assuming it was some bird-like Ninja Beast that needed an egg to hatch.
But now, it seemed that wasn't the case at all.
The sound of rain began to fall again, and the wind rustled through the leaves, stirring faint ripples.
Shiroishi stood beneath the light, serene and almost peaceful, yet that calm seemed to unsettle White Zetsu, who was observing from the shadows and had no intention of revealing himself.
The more he watched, the more unnerved he became.
A primal sense of being prey to a natural predator filled White Zetsu's senses.
At that moment, countless bubbles began to float up from the surrounding forest.
Shiroishi stood amidst the bubbles, slowly raising his hand.