Satoru watched as Naruto and Sasuke's retreating figures disappeared into the distance. He stood still for a moment, the pale blue of his eyes glinting with a mix of amusement and shock.
Did they really just use food to distract me? he thought, scratching his head. Terrifying. Absolutely terrifying.
He shook his head, firming his resolve. But no way am I falling for that again. Not even if they dangle dango in front of me.
With a determined nod, Satoru leapt into action, disappearing in a flash to track them down.
Not long after, Satoru succeeded in cornering Naruto and Sasuke as they fled through the streets of Konoha. Both boys struggled in his grasp as he hauled them toward the entrance of the women's hot spring.
"Mr. Bandage, you're not serious, right?!" Naruto shouted, thrashing in Satoru's grip.
"Let go, you idiot!" Sasuke growled, equally indignant.
Satoru, however, was unfazed. He looked down at them with a playful grin. "Of course I'm serious. We made a deal, remember?"
"No, we didn't!" they yelled in unison.
Satoru tilted his head in mock confusion. "Hmm, you're saying you didn't agree? Strange. My memory says otherwise."
The commotion quickly drew the attention of bystanders.
"What's going on over there?"
"Are they fighting or something?"
"No, look at them. This seems... different."
At that moment, Jiraiya, freshly returned to Konoha, noticed the crowd gathering. His eyes lit up with curiosity. What's this? A commotion near the hot springs?
When he got close enough to see the sign for the women's hot spring, his mind raced. Could it be... someone was caught peeping?
Grinning slyly, he thought, Looks like someone's got guts. Maybe I'll step in, play the hero, and earn some favors from a lovely lady.
But his amusement quickly faded as his sharp eyes caught sight of the trio at the center of the ruckus. His gaze zeroed in on the loud, blond boy. Wait a minute... that's Naruto!
Standing next to Naruto was a boy with Uchiha features. And next to both was a mysterious, bandaged teen in a black robe. Jiraiya's expression darkened as suspicion crept in.
That robe... it reminds me of them. Could this be a coincidence, or something more sinister?
He approached the group, his demeanor shifting from jovial to serious.
"What's going on here?" Jiraiya asked, his tone authoritative. "Don't tell me you kids are trying to sneak a peek at the women's hot spring."
Naruto froze. "What?! No way! We'd never do that!"
"Exactly," Sasuke chimed in, glaring at Jiraiya. "Who even are you?"
Jiraiya cleared his throat, his face softening into a proud smile. "Me? I'm just a wandering novelist. I happened to notice some suspicious activity here, so I thought I'd intervene."
Naruto tilted his head. "A novelist? You look more like a creepy old man to me."
Satoru, meanwhile, had been quiet, his eyes flicking between the hot spring signs. His lips twitched as an idea formed in his mind. He pointed dramatically toward the men's hot spring and, with a mischievous grin, shouted, "Hey, don't get the wrong idea! We're not the ones trying to peek at men's hot springs—he is!"
The crowd fell silent.
Jiraiya's jaw dropped, and his face went pale. The accusation echoed loudly, catching the attention of everyone nearby. Even the ninjas relaxing in the men's hot spring perked up, their expressions turning sour.
"What did he say?"
"Peeping at men? That's disgusting!"
"Who would do such a thing?"
Passersby started murmuring as their eyes turned to Jiraiya.
"Is it that old guy? How perverted!"
"Unbelievable. And I thought he was just a novelist."
The ninjas in the hot spring weren't any more forgiving. They quickly began arming themselves with towels and buckets, preparing for an assault.
Naruto and Sasuke, meanwhile, stood frozen in disbelief.
"Mr. Bandage, what are you doing?!" Naruto hissed, grabbing Satoru by the arm. "You're making things worse!"
Sasuke's face darkened, his voice filled with barely suppressed rage. "You're insane. Do you have any idea what you've done?"
Satoru, however, remained utterly calm. With an innocent smile, he said, "What? I just told them the truth."
Jiraiya finally snapped out of his shock, glaring at Satoru. "What are you saying, you little brat?! You're making it sound like I'm some kind of... of..."
"Pervert?" Satoru offered helpfully.
The crowd gasped audibly.
Jiraiya's face turned red as he stammered, "You... you... this is slander!"
Satoru tilted his head, his smile widening. "Oh? Then why don't you explain what you're doing here near the hot springs, hmm?"
The scene was pure chaos.
The crowd's murmurs grew louder, their judgmental stares weighing heavily on Jiraiya. Even Naruto and Sasuke looked at him with suspicion.
Jiraiya clenched his fists, taking a deep breath to calm himself. I can't let this brat get the better of me.
Finally, he muttered under his breath, "Alright, kid. You've got my attention now." His gaze sharpened. "Let's see if you're as tough as you are annoying."
Satoru grinned, his pale eyes gleaming. "Oh, are you challenging me, Jiraiya of the Sannin?"
Naruto and Sasuke stepped back, sensing the tension rise.
"Wait, you know this guy?" Naruto asked, looking between Jiraiya and Satoru.
"Not personally," Satoru said with a shrug. "But I've read enough to know about him."
"Read?" Sasuke repeated, narrowing his eyes. "What kind of nonsense is that?"
Satoru ignored him, locking eyes with Jiraiya. "So, what's it gonna be, old man? A fight to clear your name? Or are you just going to stand there while the crowd labels you a voyeur?"
Jiraiya's eye twitched. "You've got guts, kid. I'll give you that."
As the tension thickened, the crowd eagerly awaited what would happen next.