Tatsuma's words struck a chord with Kincho, evoking a subtle sense of emotion. His once awkward movements began to ease, prompting a quizzical expression on Shigeru's face.
The memory of saving Kincho eluded Shigeru. It all started when Kincho approached him with a keen interest in learning the art of fishing. In a surprising turn of events, within a mere couple of days, Kincho outshone Shigeru in the skill of catching fish.
Recognizing Kincho's prowess, a suggestion surfaced - Kincho would focus on catching fish, while Shigeru would handle the selling aspect. The results of this two-day experiment were promising, leading Shigeru to agree, and as a consequence, their collaborative business thrived.
Shigeru had even contemplated the idea of passing on his boat to Kincho in the future. With no wife or children to inherit his legacy, designating Kincho as his successor appeared to be a sensible decision.
Before Jiraiya and Tatsuma interjected, Shigeru remained blissfully unaware of any impending trouble.
In this particular moment, Shigeru regarded Kincho with a deep sense of bewilderment. Kincho stood rooted, nervously fidgeting for a considerable duration before confessing, "Shigeru-san, my appearance might startle you."
Jiraiya, at this juncture, slightly loosened his grip on Shigeru's throat. In truth, he hadn't exerted much force; his intention was simply to render Shigeru unable to speak.
Feeling the tension around his neck ease, Shigeru paused for a moment before speaking, "Kincho, appearances aside, I believe in you. You'll always be a good-hearted soul."
"Shigeru-san."
In Kincho's eyes, tears sparkled. He nodded, and suddenly, his body contorted. The towering height, initially surpassing even Minato and Tatsuma, swiftly compressed.
Before long, a creature emerged, barely knee-high for an adult. It sported a black-and-white coat, merging the traits of a raccoon and a tanuki. Topping it all off, the creature wore a straw hat, though that wasn't the most attention-grabbing detail.
What captured everyone's attention, even prompting a surprised reaction from Jiraiya, a seasoned Jonin, nearly causing his eyes to pop out, was the colossal magnum trailing on the ground.
"Ehehe."
Observing the varied expressions of those around, Kincho's body trembled once more, and hints of his fur standing on end were evident. However, precisely at that moment, Shigeru spoke up, "Kincho... You're the one from the Land of Whirlpools."
Upon hearing this, Kincho's small black eyes welled up with tears. The trembling ceased, and his two petite hands cupped in front of his chest, fixedly gazing at Shigeru.
In this moment, Jiraiya and the others redirected their curious stares. It had to be acknowledged that, disregarding Kincho's massive penis trailing on the ground, he was undeniably adorable, but it was a detail impossible to overlook!
Shigeru now shifted his gaze, attempting to glance at Jiraiya. Simultaneously, he implored, "This Ninja-sama, please pardon Kincho. He hasn't committed any wrongdoing. He simply requested everyone not to engage in fishing to bolster my business. He won't repeat it. I beseech you."
In Kincho's eyes, a flicker of hope emerged. However, Jiraiya shook his head and remarked, "Shigeru, things are far more complex. Its request for everyone to refrain from fishing wasn't mere persuasion; it was Genjutsu. In fact, I'd go as far as to call it a natural talent. It doesn't even realize it's in the wrong."
"Including the fish you sell, those fish people buy to eat aren't truly fish, Kincho. Why don't you let Shigeru witness it for himself?"
Kincho nodded, and with a delicate lift of his small claws, Shigeru witnessed the lively fat fish in the basket instantly transform into neatly stacked stones.
Shigeru's face displayed a mix of surprise and guilt, yet Kincho's expression remained unchanged. It was oblivious to any wrongdoing.
Jiraiya pressed on, "Just today, a child accidentally ingested these stones and nearly choked to death. But Kincho doesn't comprehend, as all it desires is for you, who saved it, to live well. To its eyes, other humans are not companions but akin to the fish in the sea. Would you concern yourself with disrupting a fish's family?"
Shigeru wore a somewhat incredulous look. He turned to Kincho and inquired, "Kincho, is everything he said true?"
Kincho nodded, prompting Shigeru to fall into silence. After a brief pause, he spoke once more, "Ninja-sama, please grant him another chance. I will ensure he learns the right way. Please trust me."
"Why do you think the Ninja of the Land of Whirlpools sealed it? It's because it committed even graver mistakes in the past, and despite years of confinement, it still fails to grasp its own errors."
Jiraiya shook his head in denial, and Shigeru muttered, "How could this be?"
However, just a moment later, Shigeru abruptly looked up and shouted, "Kincho! Run, don't worry about me!"
"Tatsuma! Minato!"
Hearing Shigeru's urgent call, Kincho swiftly turned to flee, while Jiraiya raised his voice. Tatsuma and Minato had already unleashed the jutsu they had prepared.
"String Light Formation!" *2
Simultaneously, the two executed this fundamental Sealing Jutsu. The technique unfurled from beneath them, weaving as it traversed beneath Kincho. Despite attempting to escape initially, Kincho's speed was abruptly decelerated, as if caught in slow motion.
Jiraiya released his grip on Shigeru, swung his right hand, and four kunai with inscribed seals were hurled, embedding into the surrounding walls. This created a sealing formation as Jiraiya swiftly formed hand seals.
"Ninja Art! Sealed Binding Formation!"
In an instant, Kincho, already moving in slow motion, appeared to be frozen in place.
Observing Kincho immobilized, Jiraiya retrieved a sealing scroll crafted by Uzumaki Mito. Just as he was on the verge of initiating the final sealing barrier, Kincho, who had been motionless, suddenly erupted.
The four binding seals on the wall seemed to be torn by an invisible force. Tatsuma and Minato, maintaining the seals, found their hands trembling continuously.
"Gugu~"
A faint, muffled engine sound resonated from Kincho's body.
"No other choice."
Surveying the dire situation, Jiraiya had to retract the sealing scroll. Swiftly forming hand seals, he bit his own thumb with his teeth, causing blood to flow.
"Summoning: Toad Mouth Bind Jutsu!"
"Boom!"
A cloud of smoke billowed, instantly shrouding everyone in red fleshy walls. At this juncture, Kincho finally broke free from the constraints of the Sealing Jutsu. The force threw Tatsuma and Minato, causing them to crash into the fleshy walls.
However, Kincho, now free, looked around in confusion, uncertain of where to escape. Jiraiya locked eyes with him and sternly stated, "Kincho, I've placed a seal here. If you dare to use Genjutsu again, then..."
He turned to observe the bewildered Shigeru and added, "It will consume Shigeru here. You have a choice – accept being sealed again or insist on escaping, even if it means letting Shigeru, who once saved you, die."
Upon hearing this, Kincho mirrored Shigeru's bewildered expression, repeatedly muttering, "I don't want to, I don't want to."
In this moment, Shigeru regained a bit of composure. He clutched Jiraiya's sleeve and pleaded, "Ninja-sama, you're incredibly powerful. Can you... can you just seal Kincho's abilities and not seal him again? If he loses his abilities, he won't pose a threat to others anymore, right?"
"You better worry about yourself," Jiraiya stated, but Shigeru shook his head, resolutely declaring, "No, I brought him out of the Land of Whirlpools. The mistakes he made are essentially my mistakes. If there's truly punishment, please punish me!"
"Sorry, this is not something you can decide, nor can I," Jiraiya responded, averting his gaze. He retrieved the scroll again and said, "Kincho, what's your decision?"
"I..." Kincho glanced at Shigeru, who still sought to plead with Jiraiya, and uttered, "Seal me."
"Kincho!"
"Shigeru-san, actually, sealing isn't that frightening. I recall the last time I was sealed, I just slept, and then I met you. Sealing isn't scary."
A smile graced Kincho's small raccoon-like face. Jiraiya had already unfurled the scroll, yet he refrained from immediately performing the jutsu. Instead, he patiently waited for the two to exchange their final words.
"Shigeru-san, in the future, you must fish well. As you mentioned, save money to marry a wife. Though I'm not sure what that entails, you must fish well, save money, and marry a wife."
"All right, I promise you."
Tears streamed down Shigeru's face, etched with the markings of years gone by. Jiraiya spread the scroll on the ground, formed hand seals with both hands, then placed his right hand on the center of the seal on the scroll and uttered in a low voice:
"Drunk World Sealing Jutsu!"
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