When it came to filing a complaint, Minato Namikaze knew exactly what to do. It didn't get any simpler—just take out the puppet scroll given by Shinki and make a long-distance call to report any issues.
"I'm not as clueless as you think," thought Nawaki, covering his face in embarrassment as Jiraiya accused him of being too naive. Jiraiya, on the other hand, felt utterly defeated and chose to stay silent.
With Minato promising to act as a responsible team monitor and Nawaki determined to prove himself, Shinki finally agreed to let them go on the mission.
"Alright, stop looking so glum. Go pack your things quickly. The sooner you leave, the quieter the house will be," Shinki said with a smirk.
"I'll help," Tsunade offered. It was Nawaki's first dangerous mission outside the village, and as his older sister, she couldn't help but worry about his lack of experience.
Before they left, Tsunade grabbed Jiraiya by the collar and growled, "Be careful. If you cause any trouble, I'll beat you to death."
Jiraiya yelped, bolted out the door, and was quickly followed by Nawaki and Minato. Watching their retreating figures, Tsunade sighed. Her little brother had grown up and was beginning to venture out on his own.
"Shinki, aren't you worried about them? I stopped by the Hokage's office, and the old man gave Jiraiya an S-rank mission," Tsunade said with concern.
Shinki put an arm around her shoulder and chuckled. "Relax. Jiraiya might be reckless, but his strength is nothing to scoff at. As long as he doesn't make stupid mistakes or get ambushed by powerful enemies, they'll be fine. Besides, I gave Minato a scroll. It has puppets that can summon me for backup if needed."
"Oh? How many puppets are we talking about?" Tsunade asked, her worry easing slightly.
"Not much," Shinki replied with a grin. "Just one or two hundred."
Tsunade's eye twitched. "Not much?! One or two hundred puppets is enough to launch an invasion! Are you serious?"
Shinki chuckled but didn't respond directly. He wasn't about to take risks with his own people. Jiraiya could be left to his own devices, but Nawaki was his brother-in-law, and Minato was his prized apprentice with limitless potential. He couldn't afford to lose either of them.
Once out of the village, Jiraiya breathed a sigh of relief and began sharing his experience with the two rookies. However, he quickly noticed something was off—both Nawaki and Minato seemed unimpressed.
"Did I say something wrong?" Jiraiya asked, puzzled.
"It's not that," Nawaki replied with a sigh. "It's just that we already know all this. Teacher Shinki drilled it into us a long time ago."
Minato nodded. "He makes us memorize it by heart. There are random tests, and if we fail, well... let's just say we learn to pass."
Jiraiya was stunned. "What else did Shinki teach you?"
"Basic ninja common sense, geography, combat strategies, and information on the villages of each country," Nawaki said. "Oh, and he makes us carry essential reference materials."
"There's more," Minato added. "When selecting missions, he taught us how to identify traps and avoid unnecessary risks. He always says missions are endless, but we only have one life."
Jiraiya was speechless. It felt like there was nothing left for him to teach. During the journey, Nawaki and Minato handled everything—from surveying routes and patrolling the surroundings to setting traps and dismantling them when they left.
Jiraiya, who had planned to impress his students with his expertise, was left feeling utterly redundant.
"Shinki, you devil," he muttered to himself. "You've taken all the fun out of being a teacher!"
By the time they left the Land of Fire and entered another country, Jiraiya was so deflated he didn't even bother offering advice. Nawaki and Minato had already taken the initiative to gather intelligence and handle logistics.
"Tired of this. Do whatever you want," Jiraiya finally said, waving them off.
Meanwhile, back at Shinki's home, New Year's Eve was a quiet affair. The table in the living room was laden with food, and Kushina was happily stuffing her face.
"It's delicious! This too... and this!" she exclaimed, her mouth full.
Tsunade was similarly focused on eating and barely said a word.
With a satisfied sigh, Kushina leaned back in her chair. "Sister Mikoto and Meihui are going to be so jealous! Their New Year's Eve food is way simpler than this."
"Don't just sit there," Shinki said. "Clear the table. We've got guests coming."
"Guests? On New Year's Eve?" Tsunade and Kushina grumbled but quickly got up to tidy the dishes.
As they finished, a knock came at the door. Shinki opened it to find Uchiha Fugaku and another young Uchiha.
"You two should be spending New Year's Eve with your families," Shinki said, raising an eyebrow.
"My father passed away," Fugaku replied calmly.
"And my father went to the Land of Water to visit relatives," the other Uchiha said.
Shinki blinked. "Your father is visiting relatives in the Land of Water during New Year's? That's... unconventional."
The young Uchiha shrugged. "He said his health is failing, and this might be his last chance."
Shinki let them in, shaking his head. "Your father is something else, traveling to the Land of Water in the dead of winter."
Between the bitter sea winds and treacherous conditions, it was a trip few would attempt. Yet, here they were, spending their New Year's Eve with Shinki instead of their families. Unconventional indeed.
>>>>>
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