After the war, he stayed behind to care for three orphans. Only Jiraiya could do such a thing. His compassionate nature was so unwavering that even a herd of oxen couldn't pull him away.
For Jiraiya, village responsibilities and apprentices could wait.
"Forget it, let him be. When all the teams return, we'll start our journey back to the village," Shinki said, shaking his head.
Shinki had to admit, Jiraiya's actions, while unconventional, were true to his character. With the war over, there was no reason to linger in the Land of Rain—a bleak and treacherous place. As for Jiraiya, they would have to let him stay behind.
Once Jiraiya made up his mind, nothing could change it, especially since he firmly believed Nagato was the savior of the world.
It was laughable, in a way. The toads of Mount Myoboku were legendary for their influence, capable of convincing even the most strong-willed people of their "prophecies."
What was ironic was that this so-called savior would one day challenge the village he was meant to protect.
It was like a real-life version of the fable of the farmer and the snake.
"Orochimaru, can you take over managing the bodies in the morgue?" Shinki asked.
"Of course," Orochimaru replied with a sly smile.
Thankfully, Nara Shikashin had only asked him to manage enemy corpses and not those of their own. With Orochimaru's known temperament, it was not hard to imagine he might conduct some kind of experiment otherwise. If word got out that Orochimaru used Konoha's fallen for his own research, it would be catastrophic—not just for Orochimaru, but for Shikashin, who authorized it.
Back in the medical tent, Shinki turned to Nawaki.
"I have good news and bad news. Which one do you want to hear?"
Nawaki pondered for a moment before replying, "I'll take the good news."
Shinki snapped his fingers and tapped Nawaki's forehead. "The good news is, we're going back to the village soon. No more suffering in this place."
"And the bad news?"
"Are you sure you want to hear it?"
"Uh... yes, tell me."
Nawaki glanced at the little blonde boy next to him, sensing the news was about to be personal.
"The bad news is that your teacher won't be returning to the camp or the village. He rescued three orphans during the battle and plans to stay and take care of them for at least the next two or three years."
"???"
He was stunned.
Saved three orphans and decided to stay behind for two or three years? What kind of logic was that?
Nawaki stood there, dumbfounded.
"Want to change mentors already?" Shinki teased with a grin.
The little blonde boy looked at Nawaki with sympathy, thinking:
At least my teacher is reliable. If it were Jiraiya-sama... how miserable would that be?
He imagined: graduate from the academy, go to war before training with your mentor, then finally survive the war only to find your mentor adopting children and teaching them instead.
"Damn it! Jiraiya, you bastard!" Nawaki cursed, frustrated.
A teacher like this...
So infuriating!
"Hahaha..."
Nawaki stomped in frustration, while Shinki laughed heartily. The blonde boy chuckled quietly but tried to hide it, scratching his head.
No matter how angry Nawaki was, it didn't change the reality—Jiraiya was staying behind.
In a cave in the Land of Rain, Jiraiya stood at the entrance, gazing out toward the camp.
"Sensei, what are you looking at?" Konan, small and curious, ran to his side and peered out.
Yahiko followed her gaze, while Nagato kept his head down, silent.
"Ahaha, nothing important. Just wondering if my other student is cursing me right now," Jiraiya said, rubbing the back of his head with a sheepish smile.
He could already imagine Nawaki's furious reaction. It made him feel a pang of guilt, but leaving Konan, Yahiko, and Nagato behind wasn't an option.
He had considered taking them back to Konoha, but the children's deep-seated resentment toward the village had changed his mind.
"We're fine, Sensei," Konan said, smiling as she patted her full stomach. Since meeting Jiraiya, life had improved—food, clothes, and safety from enemies.
"Good girl. Go rest now."
Jiraiya ruffled Konan's hair affectionately before looking back at Yahiko and Nagato, who sat further inside. He sighed.
"I wonder if Nawaki will still recognize me as his teacher when we finally return to the village."
Yahiko chuckled, while Nagato's lips curled into a slight smile.
Looking at them, Jiraiya's doubts faded. He had made his choice, and time would reveal its worth. As for Nawaki... he would make it up to him.
Meanwhile, back in Konoha, the Third Hokage was in a foul mood. The chaos after the Rain Country battle was relentless.
The Sand Village sent elite teams to wreak havoc in the Land of Fire, and soon after, they launched a full-scale invasion of the River Country, sparking another war.
Even the Fire Daimyo was furious over the state of affairs.
The Third Hokage had hoped for a triumphant victory that would bring glory, but Shinki's defeat of Hanzo disrupted those plans. The victory belonged to Konoha, but the glory went to Shinki.
When the news reached the village, the Third Hokage was stunned.
This wasn't the outcome he wanted.
Why couldn't Hanzo have just held out a little longer before conceding?
Attacking the camp was reckless, costing him not only his life but also turning him into a mere stepping stone for Shinki's rise.
As the stories of Shinki's legendary defeat of Hanzo circulated, the Third Hokage felt the sting. The credit for the war's end belonged to Shinki, while he, the Hokage, bore the weight of criticism for Konoha's initial struggles.
The end of the Rain Country War was a morale boost for the village, but it was Shinki's name that everyone celebrated.
His reputation soared—a meteoric rise that could only be described as legendary.
>>>>>
Up to Chapter 270 available on Patreon.com/c/GGFanfiction :)
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