"This sword is named Ryuma. It's the sword given by my previous teacher at the brink of his death."
Away from the battlefield, I explained truthfully to the group of four that sat in front of me. With me being the cause of this disastrous battle against the Iwa ninjas, I couldn't dare to hide it any longer.
"I was given extensive training in Kenjutsu by my teacher. Along with the heavy physical training, as well as my own development of chakra manipulation, I managed to survive up until now."
Hanami and Saru looked down while sitting on fallen tree bark; they seemed to have been in self-loathe for their underperformance today.
Minato listened calmly as he leaned behind a tree bark from the back.
Jiraiya, who sat in front of me, nodded with his hand on his chin.
"After my teacher's death, I ended up in that burned forest in the north. I trained and studied the synergistic effect of fire and wind, and... yep, ended up burning away the entire forest."
Minato nodded, "It's true, Jiraiya-sensei. Akashi's mastery over the Fire Release was remarkable already, enough to burn the huge chunk of forest."
He's seen my technique himself, after all.
I sighed, "So, I technically am the reason why you've gotten this trouble."
"Hm, I see." Jiraiya said, unknown of what he's thinking right now.
Trust. I still didn't know if Jiraiya was someone that I could trust. But one thing was for sure: if I were to lie, and earn Jiraiya's hostility, I am as well as dead.
"…I'm sorry, Jiraiya-sensei."
So I apologized. There is only one life for each, and I nearly cost their's. I am not sure how sincere I will come off as, but there was no other option for me.
"…Heh," Jiraiya then reacted with a light chuckle, "You really are a troublesome kid, you know that?"
He raised his hand up and ruffled my hair warmly, much to my surprise.
"It's natural for a ninja to hide one's information. You've done well not to lower your guard down; that's the key to the survival." Jiraiya said with a gentle smile.
"I…"
"I was worried, Akashi," Jiraiya continued, "That you would end up getting yourself killed after I leave you. 2 weeks, though you've learned quite an amount, is far from enough to properly prepare."
I was at a loss for words. I expected a cold statement. The demand for Ryuma perhaps, or an interrogation to acquire additional information out of me.
However, it seemed that I underestimated Jiraiya's kindness.
"But I am glad now. You have more than enough to protect yourself now, unlike back when I found you in the land of rains."
I found a smile on my face. I couldn't control my facial expression, "Yeah."
"Then that's enough for me." Jiraiya lifted his hand off my head.
I looked around and saw that Minato had a grin on his face. Hanami and Saru had their eyes averted from me with a slight frown, but didn't retort to Jiraiya's words.
"…Thank you." In the end, that's all I could say. I felt the warmth in my heart—something that I haven't felt for a while, since Gin's death.
"And with that said," Jiraiya stood up and placed his hands on his waist, as we sat in this silent forest with a campfire in the middle, "Team Jiraiya's mission has been completed."
__________
The storm momentarily subsided. Within the calm forest, away from the battlefield, we stood as another day has begun.
"So this is where we separate." Facing me, Minato said with a sigh, "It's going to be a drag without you."
"You can go see your Kushina." I replied jokingly, causing Minato to stiffen up.
"Kushina?" Minato muttered, "...Hm."
...At this point, I can't help but wonder if he's acting. I still remember back then, when Minato feigned exhaustion against the enemies—
—I found goosebumps on my arms. This blonde is akin to a fox, I swear.
"Akashi," Then, Jiraiya, who stood next to Minato, motioned me to come closer. With intrigue, I complied.
Now, as I stood in front of Jiraiya, he handed me a piece of paper with complex-looking combination of kanjis and symbols,
"Fuinjutsu," I said in realization.
Jiraiya nodded and explained with his arms crossed, "An exquisite seal designed by none other than your favourite Toad Sage. It's placed on a special paper, so no need to worry about getting wet."
Staring at the paper in my hand, I asked, "Communication?"
"Exactly," Jiraiya's eyes gleamed, as if surprised that I managed to figure out in one go, "I want you to work as one of my informants—at least until the war is over."
I let out a chuckle. A simple job as the informant... I don't mind doing that much.
'Yahiko, Konan, and Nagato too have this probably.'
"Of course."
Perhaps I was brainwashed. Maybe the situation yesterday was deliberately set up to intensify my feeling of thanks for Jiraiya. But it didn't matter. I owed him big, and being able to pay back to some extent, brought me joy.
The only question I have for this is,
'Is this paper able to trace my location?'
"You are wondering if I can track you down with that, aren't you?" Jiraiya spoke just when I thought, causing me to jolt my head back up and stare at him.
"Tracking by the seal is impossible, Akashi. At some point, the distance between us will be far too wide, and unless there is a strand of chakra to connect the entire distance, I won't know where you are. Unless I do a freaky thing like Juinjutsu, the cursed seal techniques, no tracking works."
I nodded understandingly.
'What can Jiraiya do even if he knows my location, anyway?'
Track me down and kill me? For what? Those swords? If so, he would've killed me the moment I revealed Ryuma in front of him.
If so, a bounty perhaps? What's the point of doing that? He already is rich beyond belief, and judging by my perspective, Jiraiya doesn't seem to be a greedy individual necessarily. There really is no merit in tracking me down.
"And..." Jiraiya scratched the back of his head with a troubled expression, before eyeing Minato briefly.
Minato immediately understood and turned back.
"Hanami, Saru," Minato signaled the two teens. Surprisingly, they complied unlike the disdains they previously held for Minato—probably because they finally came to realize that Minato's strength was far above theirs.
"Akashi," Minato, as he was walking away with Hanami and Saru on his left and right, raised his right hand up with his head turned back to face me, "I'll see you again in the futuree, at the top."
I too raised my hand up and waved, "Of course, future Hokage."
"...Tch," Then, Hanami clicked his tongue, before looking at me with awkwardness,
"...Bye."
Saru looked back and forth between Minato and Hanami, before muttering, "Bye."
And before I could reply, they were gone, with only Jiraiya and me now remaining in the forest.
All of a sudden, the scenery seemed to have darkened. I couldn't help but feel that the atmosphere took a shift to a heavy one, and I wondered why Jiraiya asked the three of them to leave.
"Ha..." Jiraiya took a deep breath. He grabbed me by my shoulders, and looked me in the eye seriously.
"Listen, Akashi. What you are about to hear now, may be shocking to you."
What is it that Jiraiya's so reluctant to tell me?
"I've been thinking for a while, if I should tell you or not. But I've come to a conclusion that you will eventually find it out anyway; better take the grain of salt early."
"What truth can there be to surprise me?" I raised my eyebrow, warily. Seeing Jiraiya like this made me feel nervous to some extent.
"Well... here we go." Jiraiya then stated,
"Hanzo."
...Hanzo? As in Hanzo of the Salamander, the biggest cause of Ame's misery? The one that has to be riddened of, in order to change Ame for better?
"...What about Hanzo?"
My hands shook. I felt my lips quivering. Something wasn't right. Why would his name come out all of a sudden—
"I've... come to discover that Hanzo is none other than your grandfather."
"...What?" I was genuinely dumbfounded. My mind went blank, and I froze.