You were just secretly watching. Anyway, it's your first time here.
But this time, after passing by, you squatted directly on the wall, watching from a high position. Who can bear this kind of behavior?
It's too much.
Oh my God!
Jiraiya, you're such an idiot!
You've only just returned and already caused me so much trouble.
The Third Hokage must want to bury his head in shame.
The owners of the hot spring hotels jointly filed complaints and demanded compensation for their losses. This will definitely cost a fortune. Now, just the mention of money makes the Third Hokage's head ache—after all, the village's finances are already stretched thin.
"Find Jiraiya immediately!"
"Wait—bring the owners of the hot spring hotels here. I'll personally discuss the compensation."
"Yes, Hokage-sama," replied the ANBU guards, swiftly leaving to carry out their orders.
Not long after, a group of hot spring hotel owners walked into the Hokage's office. After some discussion, they left looking satisfied.
But sitting on the Hokage's desk was an added bill.
A small but sharp reminder.
Jiraiya scratched his head in frustration. The old man must be furious.
He probably wants to see me right now. But where should I go?
Should I find Shinki?
Thinking about it, Jiraiya suspected Shinki was behind all this. Who else could manipulate events so precisely and remain hidden from Jiraiya's perception?
Forget it. I'll go apologize to Nawaki first. I'll deal with the Hokage later.
By a small river in Konoha, Namikaze Minato sat on the grass, sweating after an intense training session. Nearby, a fire crackled, roasting marinated fish over its flames.
This had become Minato's routine: train hard, rest briefly to replenish energy with grilled fish, then continue training.
From a distance, the branches rustled, and Minato sprang to attention. "Someone's coming," he said cautiously.
"Is it Shinki?" Nawaki asked.
Minato sighed. "Are you serious? If it were the teacher, would the puppet barrier even react?"
"Who's there?" the two of them demanded, drawing their weapons.
From the woods, Jiraiya awkwardly emerged, coughing to announce himself.
"Ahem... It's just me."
He braced himself for Nawaki's anger, but to his surprise, Nawaki simply glanced at him, sheathed his weapon, and sat down without a word.
Tsk.
The silence was deafening.
Minato, ever observant, gave Jiraiya space, retreating a few steps to focus on his grilled fish. He wondered: Will there be a fight?
But Nawaki didn't act as expected. For a child, shouting or venting frustration would've been normal. Yet Nawaki chose calmness—a maturity that left Jiraiya unsettled.
This composure made it impossible for Jiraiya to gauge how to approach him.
"Sorry, Nawaki. I've been a terrible teacher," Jiraiya finally said, scratching his head awkwardly.
Nawaki didn't shout or accuse. Instead, he calmly responded, "You've been a good teacher, just not for me. Your kindness is spent elsewhere. But don't worry—I'll manage. Even without you, I've grown just fine."
"It seems my progress is the same with or without you."
Jiraiya's guilt reached new heights. He slapped himself twice in frustration.
"Let's eat," Minato interjected, holding up some grilled fish to lighten the tension.
The three sat by the fire, eating in silence. Jiraiya felt too ashamed to join but reluctantly accepted Minato's offering. After eating and resting, Nawaki and Minato resumed their training.
Jiraiya, meanwhile, stood by awkwardly, unsure if he should offer guidance.
"If only I could get Shinki's help," Jiraiya muttered.
But before he could leave to find Shinki, the man himself appeared.
"Training hard, I see," Shinki remarked as he approached.
"Shinki!" Jiraiya exclaimed.
"Teacher!" Nawaki and Minato panted, dropping to the ground after finishing their drills.
Jiraiya narrowed his eyes. "Was it you who threw that kunai outside the hot spring hotel?"
Shinki grinned. "It was."
"You—" Jiraiya clenched his fists, exasperated.
"Don't look at me like that," Shinki said calmly. "If anything, I went easy on you. Instead of dragging you straight to the ANBU, I let you off with a public embarrassment. Honestly, your peeping skills are top-notch, even if you've learned nothing else."
"Peeping?" Minato and Nawaki exchanged glances, suddenly intrigued.
Jiraiya's face turned red. "It wasn't peeping! It was research! Material collection!"
Nawaki's expression darkened. Research? Really?
"Did you apologize to me first, or did you go straight to the hot spring hotel to peek at women bathing?" Nawaki asked coldly.
Minato suppressed a laugh. Good grief, Jiraiya-sensei.
"Ahem! It's not what you think—"
Jiraiya was so flustered he looked ready to crawl into a hole. Shinki just shook his head, smiling mischievously as Nawaki and Minato continued their training.
Some lessons, it seemed, even Jiraiya needed to learn the hard way.
>>>>>
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[Naruto: Maelstrom Of the Uzumaki]