Chapter 21. How Could This Be Considered Plagiarism?
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Jiraiya hadn't had it easy recently either.
Who were those old men and women dancing? Most of them weren't ordinary people; they had several children and grandchildren. So, when they casually mentioned something during dinner to their kids and grandkids... well, you could imagine!
The village wasn't that big!
As a result, by the next day, almost the entire village knew.
Rumors spread about things like, "My mom and my grandma, although she was a beauty back in the day, is old now. Who would've thought Lord Jiraiya would..."
Of course, Jiraiya didn't care about these rumors at all. Peeking? What could they do to him for that?
It was "research" after all!
But this time, the subject of his research...
It had truly tarnished the great name of the Toad Sage!
A student of the Third Hokage, one of the Legendary Sannin, one of the strongest in the current ninja world... caught peeking at old ladies dancing.
It was enough to make him want to die!
Jiraiya let out a long sigh, looking at Yuto, who was trying to hold back his laughter. Jiraiya's eyes narrowed. "If you want to laugh, just laugh!"
"Don't worry, I'm a professional," Uchiha Yuto said with a smile. "In most cases, I won't laugh."
He hadn't seen Jiraiya-sensei in a while, and now Jiraiya was acting so bold? Impressive!
As for why he called Jiraiya "sensei"?
That goes back to when he, with his unwavering dedication to the ideals of the First Hokage, practiced the theories of the Second while studying hard under the leadership of the Third for the prosperity of Konoha...
Handsome, with steadfast ideals, decent talent, and excellent writing on the "Will of Fire"—Konoha had never seen someone like him before. Naturally, he caught the eye of the creator of the Theory of the Will of Fire—none other than the Third Hokage.
Originally, he had wanted to take Tsunade as his mentor and with Kushina's help, he could have learned excellent medical ninjutsu. And no, it wasn't because Tsunade was bold, beautiful, and well-endowed!
Unfortunately...
The Uchiha clan had inherited Indra's power, excelling in Yin Release. As for Yang Release... while he had a trace of it, it wasn't enough to meet Tsunade's requirements for accepting disciples. Plus, he didn't have the patience to study medical ninjutsu anyway.
Because of his natural limitations, he had to give up the idea.
After all, becoming a student was a mutual decision.
His clan had hoped he would become Orochimaru's disciple since Orochimaru was gaining fame and was a strong candidate for the position of Hokage. If Orochimaru were chosen, the Uchiha clan could rise to power with him.
However...
Yuto worried that one day he might end up on Orochimaru's operating table. Plus, a few years later, Orochimaru would betray the village, and the Uchiha clan would only have more to answer for in the eyes of the higher-ups. It wasn't worth the risk.
So, in the end, he figured Jiraiya was the best bet for a solid backing. But who knew that after graduating, he would abandon ninja life for the business world?
Fate works in mysterious ways!
In the end, the idea of apprenticeship fell through, though Jiraiya didn't mind. So, like Minato, Yuto still called him "Jiraiya-sensei."
Of course, Jiraiya didn't know that Yuto's dream mentor had always been Tsunade. If it weren't for his shift to business, he might have become a medical ninja.
"Rumors stop with the wise, Jiraiya-sensei. You don't need to worry. Maybe after a while, everyone will understand that you're not that kind of person."
"Let's hope so." Jiraiya sighed, taking a cup of tea that Suzune had poured for him. "In a few days, I'm planning to lay low for a while. With tensions rising in the ninja world, it's better to head out early and make some preparations."
This Konoha!
It's better not to stay here!
If the old man hadn't summoned him back after three years, he wouldn't have returned at all.
"So, Jiraiya-sensei, why did you come looking for me today?" Yuto didn't say much else since Jiraiya would eventually join the four-way battle that Konoha would face. Whether he left sooner or later didn't really matter.
Before Yuto could finish speaking, Jiraiya burst out laughing. With a confident smile, he said, "I saw you return to the village and came over specially." With that, he pulled out a thick stack of papers, almost like a manuscript, and handed it over with a smirk. "This is my most confident work yet! Minato read it and said it was great! Here, take a look and give me some feedback!"
"….."
A New Work?
Was this the soon-to-be famous Icha Icha Paradise?
Uchiha Yuto was stunned as he accepted the manuscript from Jiraiya.
Under Jiraiya's expectant gaze, he carefully flipped through the pages.
The room fell into silence as time ticked by.
After who knows how long, Yuto's mouth twitched as he closed the manuscript.
This story... seemed a bit familiar!
It told the tale of a genius boy from a remote ninja village called Karagakure. One day, for some unknown reason, the boy couldn't perform ninjutsu anymore, his chakra slowed, and it diminished each time he tried. He became a failure, and his fiancée left him. After uttering the line, "Thirty years in the east, thirty years in the west," he resolved to pursue the ninja path again. He discovered that his chakra was being drained by a legendary ninja from the Warring States period, and soon after, the village was destroyed by enemies. To seek revenge, he embarked on a journey and, under the legendary ninja's guidance, became a powerful warrior.
Uchiha Yuto quietly took a sip of tea while eyeing the confident Jiraiya. After a moment of hesitation, he spoke, "Jiraiya-sensei, plagiarism... isn't good!"
He had once introduced Jiraiya to this kind of popular online story.
"How can an author's work be called plagiarism? This is a reference, a reference!"
"That's a good point..."
Jiraiya was merely writing in the same genre with a somewhat similar plot. How could that be considered plagiarism? The characters weren't even the same!
His protagonist was named Uzumaki En.
Yuto glanced at the title: The Tale of Ninja Perseverance.
To have altered the story this much and still tie it to this title—impressive, truly impressive.
After a moment of thought, Yuto suggested, "How about calling it Ninja Breaks Through the Heavens?"
"That's too much!" Jiraiya rubbed his hands awkwardly.
Changing the title like that would make it feel more like outright plagiarism.
"Never mind, let's call it The Tale of Ninja Perseverance! So, what do you think of the book?"
"It's great! Definitely worthy of legendary status. But about the female lead..."
"Of course, I'm going to have all of them! This book is all about fun, none of that shy, back-and-forth nonsense!"
"Jiraiya-sensei, I didn't realize your writing skills had improved so much since we last met!"
"Not bad, huh! Hahaha!" Jiraiya laughed heartily, a little embarrassed. "So, about this book..."
"I'll handle the publishing! I know all the publishers in the Land of Fire," Yuto nodded with a smile. "Don't worry, I won't let you down!"
"Thank you so much!"
With that, Jiraiya handed over his proud creation, The Tale of Ninja Perseverance, to Yuto. He left with a big grin, practically floating as he walked out the door.
Suddenly, Yuto remembered something. "By the way, the new barbecue place opens in a few days. Will you come, Jiraiya-sensei?"
"No problem!"
With Jiraiya's enthusiastic reply, Yuto shook his head with a smile.
Having one of the Legendary Sannin at the opening could definitely boost business.
Stretching, he took a sip of the tea that Hyuga Suzune handed him. "Anything going on with the Uchiha clan?"
At that, Suzune's hands paused for a moment. Then she smiled softly and shook her head. "Nothing! The Chief Elder has been very supportive of me."
"The... Chief Elder?" Yuto was stunned. "That old stick-in-the-mud??"