In the crowded classroom of the ninja academy, all the students from three different classes were crammed together, making the room feel even more packed.
Gin walked in, looking exhausted.
"Over here!" Kushina waved.
Minato and Sei were already seated, with an empty seat saved for him. Thanks to Kushina's fiery temper, no one dared to take their spots.
Gin flopped into his seat, burying his head in his arms.
"Why do you always look so tired when you're at school?" Kushina didn't understand.
Gin rarely attended classes, but whenever he did, he looked worn out.
Gin lifted his head, revealing dark circles under his eyes.
"I sparred with someone the other day, and I haven't fully recovered."
Might Duy's Fifth Gate was something he truly couldn't withstand. But this time, he lasted a few more seconds than before. Small victories.
Of course, his body had taken significant damage, and he hadn't fully recovered in two days. His shadow clones' continuous training and studying new jutsu didn't help his condition either.
"Who?" Kushina asked, her curiosity piqued.
"None of your business." Gin rolled his eyes. He could tell she had no good intentions from the way she looked at him.
"Tch, like I care." Kushina pouted. If he didn't want to say, she wouldn't ask.
Just as Gin was about to fall asleep, he felt someone tugging at his sleeve. He looked up to see Minato smiling wryly, and Kushina turning her head away.
Gin lay back down. If she didn't want to know, he wouldn't tell her. Let her be curious.
Minato shrugged at Kushina, indicating he couldn't help.
Kushina clenched her fists silently, gritting her teeth.
Caught between the two, Minato glanced at Sei for help, but Sei also turned away.
Minato sighed.
Gin ignored the complicated feelings of the others. The noisy classroom gradually lulled him into a light sleep, perhaps because he always slept so well in class.
Vaguely, he heard students being called out of the classroom one by one.
Until he heard a familiar voice.
"Namikaze Minato... Uzumaki Kushina... Uchiha Gin! I'm your team leader."
"Huh?" Gin snapped awake, looking at the man standing in the doorway.
Jiraiya!!
He looked around and realized the classroom was now empty except for the three of them.
Jiraiya smiled at the startled Gin.
"Surprised?"
Gin wiped his forehead, forcing a smile.
"Terrified, more like."
It seemed the timeline of the Naruto world had significantly changed. He always knew his actions would eventually alter the course of history but didn't expect it to happen so soon.
Especially surprising was Kushina becoming Jiraiya's student. In the original timeline, Kushina's strength wasn't particularly high, relying mainly on her clan's sealing techniques and the Nine-Tails' power. This was largely because she didn't have a good teacher after graduating from the academy.
If she trained under Jiraiya, everything would change.
But why?
"You all should know who I am," Jiraiya said, proudly standing at the front of the classroom.
Kushina: "Pervert."
Minato: "Unreliable Jonin."
Gin: "Heh."
Jiraiya stumbled and fell.
His image was already ruined in the students' eyes.
He stood up and dusted himself off.
"I think you have a big misunderstanding about me. To clear it up, I'll reintroduce myself."
Before anyone could respond, Jiraiya began.
"I'm Jiraiya, a Jonin... I like to write, dislike... not much... my dream is world peace."
Minato scratched his head and followed suit: "... I like reading... don't particularly dislike anything... my dream is to become Hokage."
"I'll be Hokage!" Kushina protested, then introduced herself.
When she finished, everyone looked at Gin.
Gin, lost in thought about the changing future of the ninja world, was brought back to reality by Minato.
"Gin, it's your turn."
"Oh, right." Gin rubbed his chin. "I'm Uchiha Gin. I like tsundere blondes, gentle black-haired onee-sans..."
"Hold on!" Jiraiya rushed forward to cover Gin's mouth. This wasn't the place to reveal strange fetishes!
Didn't he notice Kushina's hair was already floating?
"Introduce yourself properly." Jiraiya punched Gin on the head.
That hurt.
"Fine, fine." Gin rubbed his head, continuing his introduction.
"I like jutsu, all kinds of jutsu. I hate things I can't control. My dream... is to live a long life."
After all, his goal was immortality.
A small goal of living for a thousand years.
"Interesting." Jiraiya scrutinized Gin.
Though their personalities and appearances differed, Gin's essence was remarkably similar to Orochimaru's.
But Gin wasn't supposed to be able to use jutsu. Was he a research-type ninja?
Jiraiya knew the Four Techniques they practiced were likely Gin's creation.
No wonder Orochimaru had requested Jiraiya take Gin as a disciple.
"You haven't developed any strange hobbies, have you?" Gin stepped back, covering his chest under Jiraiya's intense gaze.
"Stop making things weird, kid!"
Jiraiya rubbed Gin's head.
"Alright, that's enough for today. Meet at the training ground tomorrow morning at five. Don't eat breakfast, or you'll regret it."
Jiraiya's malicious smile was unconvincing.
Gin looked up at the ceiling.
Kakashi had pulled this trick on Naruto in the future.
...
Leaving the academy, Gin parted ways with Minato and Kushina.
On his way home, he encountered an unexpected person.
In a dark alley, the wind howled eerily.
A man, like a snake, wearing a kimono, blocked his path.
The cold face, not yet as twisted as it would become, still held a hint of righteousness.
Time was a cruel artist.
"I chose your teacher. How is he?" Orochimaru spoke first.
Gin sighed. Orochimaru had indeed arranged for him to be part of Jiraiya's team.
"He's alright."
"You seem dissatisfied."
Orochimaru was curious. Jiraiya, a highly esteemed Jonin, was someone many would be thrilled to train under.
"I wouldn't say dissatisfied." Gin blew his bangs. "But I feel we don't get along."
He didn't want to get involved with the Toad Sage. Who knew if the Toads of Mount Myōboku would one day label him the "Child of Darkness"?
Jiraiya might try to eliminate him.
After all, to the Great Toad Sage, Gin was a significant variable.
"Is that so?" Orochimaru didn't comment further.
In the past, Jiraiya had been his close friend, both bound by a shared purpose to protect the village.
But now, he felt their paths were diverging.
Orochimaru spoke again, his voice low.
"Gin-kun, how much do you know about the village's darkness?"
Gin looked at Orochimaru in surprise. Was this a topic they could discuss openly?
He scratched his head, putting on an innocent smile.
"The village is all light; there's no darkness."
Orochimaru stared unblinkingly at Gin, then laughed.
"It seems you know quite a bit."
"Orochimaru-sama, enough joking. What's your purpose for being here?"
Gin asked directly, not wanting to play guessing games.
"I hope you'll continue training under me after tomorrow."
"And Jiraiya?"
"He's agreed."
Gin looked up at Orochimaru's smiling face, his pale visage somewhat handsome.
So this was his plan all along? Gin was baffled but impressed.
...
Jiraiya was hiding in a tree, watching two figures strolling nearby.
A blonde kunoichi and a blue-haired ninja.
Tsunade and her boyfriend, Dan.
"Just missed my chance."
Feeling dejected, Jiraiya scribbled in a notebook, sketching Tsunade's portrait.
He quickly blackened it out.
"Tsunade, I'm glad you're moving on." Jiraiya's smile was bitter.
He looked up at the starry sky, thinking of the three students assigned to him that afternoon.
And the Great Toad Sage's new prophecy.
"Little Jiraiya, I had a dream. I saw light and darkness intertwined and two paths for the ninja world."
"I don't understand."
"The Child of Prophecy is gone. Only the Child of Light and the Child of Darkness remain. They will bring new changes to the ninja world."
"And the outcome will be determined by their victory."
"If the Child of Light wins, the ninja world will have lasting peace."
"What if the Child of Darkness wins?"
"The world will plunge into endless conflict and infinite evolution. Ninjas will become gods, the stars will be battlefields, but the fighting will be unending."
"The Child of Light and the Child of Darkness will be your students. You need to guide them, teach them, help them grow."
"Then make a choice."
(End of Chapter)