As the New Year approached, everything became more expensive, so Shinki had to prepare in advance.
During this period, Jiraiya had been following Nawaki around every day. Despite Nawaki's obvious annoyance, Jiraiya showed no intention of leaving. He was attentive and persistent to the point of being overbearing.
The little yellow-haired boy, Minato Namikaze, cringed daily from the awkwardness of it all.
With just one day left before the New Year, Shinki decided to take a break from work. Even Tsunade had paused her relentless money-making overtime efforts as the festive season approached.
However, trouble seemed to find Shinki even on this day, courtesy of Jiraiya.
"Alright, spill it. What kind of trouble have you three idiots caused this time?" Shinki asked, arms crossed, glaring at the three figures squirming awkwardly on the sofa.
It was New Year's Eve, and these three came back looking as if they'd been caught red-handed. Sitting in silence with guilty expressions, they were practically begging for suspicion.
Shinki naturally assumed that Jiraiya had led Nawaki and Minato into some big mess. Meanwhile, Tsunade sat nearby with an expressionless face, clearly content to let Shinki handle the matter. If things got out of hand, though, she wouldn't hesitate to step in—with her fists.
From the side, Kushina watched the scene curiously, peeking at the group with wide eyes.
"No, no! Absolutely not!" Jiraiya stammered, panicking when he noticed Tsunade's clenched fists. She looked like she was ready to pummel him at the slightest provocation.
In a rush, he explained, "We didn't cause trouble! I was just trying to take them out on a mission!"
Jiraiya had been working hard to get back into Nawaki's good graces. His latest attempt involved offering to take Nawaki on missions for practical experience. At first, it seemed Nawaki's resentment toward him lessened slightly. But the idea, though well-intentioned, was doomed from the start.
According to Shinki's plan, both Nawaki and Minato were to avoid field missions for the time being, especially ones involving Jiraiya. The missions assigned to Jiraiya were notoriously dangerous, often bordering on S-rank. Injuries and even death were common occurrences.
The guilt-ridden trio's visit only confirmed Shinki's suspicions.
"So, you two want to tag along?" Shinki asked, turning his attention to Nawaki and Minato.
Both nodded enthusiastically. They had been training hard, but cabin fever was setting in. The two were eager for real-life experience, despite the risks.
Shinki narrowed his eyes. "Do you even know what kind of missions Jiraiya takes on?"
There was no need to spell it out. Any mission that the Third Hokage personally assigned to Jiraiya was bound to be A-rank at minimum, or more likely S-rank. The casualty rate for such missions was alarmingly high.
"I know," Nawaki said, his jaw tight with determination. "But I still want to go."
If he couldn't convince Shinki, there was no way Tsunade would ever allow it. His resolve hardened.
Minato, however, was another story. The boy kept his head down, avoiding eye contact with his teacher like a scolded puppy.
"What about you? Why are you looking at the floor? Speak up!" Shinki barked, kicking Minato lightly to snap him out of it.
Minato looked up with a nervous laugh. "Teacher, I want to go too... but if you don't agree, I'll stay behind."
Nawaki glared at Minato, furious that his friend was wavering. But Minato avoided his gaze, clearly unwilling to put up a fight.
Jiraiya sighed, realizing this wasn't going well.
Shinki, however, shifted his focus to Tsunade. "What do you think?"
Tsunade yawned, feigning indifference. "If they want to go, let them. Sooner or later, they'll have to face this as ninjas. They've avoided missions so far only because Jiraiya wasn't in the village. Just make sure they don't regret it."
As much as Tsunade wanted to protect Nawaki, she knew he needed experience. Shielding him forever would only hinder his growth.
"Alright then," Shinki relented, "but remember this: your safety is the priority. The mission comes second."
Both Nawaki and Minato beamed with excitement.
Shinki crouched down, leveling a stern gaze at them. "Listen carefully. Jiraiya may be reckless, but he's still experienced. However, you two—don't try to play the hero. Don't try to save everyone or act selflessly, because it might get you killed."
He continued, his voice firm. "Failing a mission isn't the end of the world. Even the strongest ninja fails sometimes. But if you die out there, there won't be any more missions for you to undertake. Stay alive—especially you, Nawaki."
Shinki's tone turned sharper. "If I hear from Minato or Jiraiya that you've been reckless, I'll pull you from missions permanently. Don't think for a second I won't."
Jiraiya, trying to stay out of the crossfire, suddenly found himself targeted. "And you, Jiraiya—if you take them on a mission, their safety comes first. No more of your impulsive acts of kindness. If you screw up, I'll make sure you're guarding the prison for the rest of your life."
Jiraiya's eyes widened in horror. "Prison?! You're kidding, right?"
Shinki ignored his protest and turned to Minato. "Minato, do you understand your role here? These two aren't reliable. It'll be up to you to supervise them. Don't hesitate to call them out—it could save their lives. Can you handle that?"
"Yes, Teacher. I can do it," Minato replied seriously.
Shinki nodded, satisfied. Whether this mission would end in success or disaster, only time would tell.
>>>>>
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