"So, you really think they'll attack soon?" Jiraiya asked, his voice low.
The Ichiraku Ramen shop buzzed softly with the aroma of fresh broth and the sound of sizzling noodles. Jiraiya sat on one of the stools, his elbows on the counter. Beside him, Minato was finishing his own ramen with grim expression.
Minato nodded, setting his chopsticks down. "There's no doubt about it. The information we received lines up too perfectly. Two fronts—east and west."
Jiraiya sighed, scratching the back of his head. "I still can't believe how quickly they're moving. It's like they were just waiting for the Nine-Tails incident to happen. Damn vultures."
Minato leaned back, his face a mix of determination and weariness. "We'll manage. The clans are prepared, and the village is rallying. We just have to hold them off long enough to turn the tide."
The tense atmosphere was cut by the sound of soft footsteps behind them. Jiraiya turned slightly, catching a glimpse of a boy in the corner of his eye—a familiar face trying very hard to go unnoticed.
It was Hiroshi,
…
Hiroshi walked into the shop after completing his work in root, his hood pulled low over his head as if that would somehow make him invisible. His steps were calculated, his eyes darting around the room, tried to assess how quickly he could eat and escape before anyone recognized him.
He slid onto a stool at the far end of the counter, as far from Minato and Jiraiya as possible, and ordered a bowl of ramen. When it arrived, he hunched over it like a squirrel guarding a nut, eating in swift, precise movements.
Jiraiya smirked, nudging Minato with his elbow. "You see who just walked in?"
Minato glanced up, his blue eyes softening as they landed on the boy. "Hiroshi. Looks like he's trying to keep a low profile."
Jiraiya said with grin. "Let's ruin it."
Jiraiya stood up with bowl in hand, and set on the stool right next to Hiroshi. The boy froze mid-bite, his chopsticks hovering in the air as he slowly turned to see the grinning face of Jiraiya.
"Fancy seeing you here, kid," Jiraiya said cheerfully.
Hiroshi swallowed hard, his mind racing. "Uh... just grabbing a quick bite."
"Sure, sure," Jiraiya said, leaning closer. "You wouldn't happen to be sneaking out of the Hyuga compound, would you?"
Hiroshi's eyes darted nervously. "No! Why would you think that?"
Before Jiraiya could respond, Minato approached, standing behind Hiroshi with an amused smile. "Hiroshi, I wanted to thank you."
Hiroshi blinked, startled. "For what?"
Minato's expression turned earnest. "For freeing the Nine-Tails from that Genjutsu. Without that, we would've lost even more lives."
Hiroshi waved it off, "It wasn't a big deal. Anyone could've done it."
Jiraiya snorted. "Sure, kid. Because there's a line of people out there capable of deflecting a Nine-Tail's claw with Gentle Fist. Totally normal stuff."
Hiroshi's face flushed slightly. "I just got …lucky."
"Luck, huh?" Jiraiya leaned in even closer, his grin widening. "So, tell me, Hiroshi. How'd you come up with those fancy moves? I don't remember Gentle Fist ever summoning black dragon heads."
Hiroshi tensed, his mind racing for an answer. "Uh... training?"
"Training," Jiraiya repeated, with disbelief.
Minato chuckled, "Jiraiya-sensei, give the boy some space. He's probably just hungry."
But Jiraiya wasn't done. "One more question, Hiroshi. Who taught you that move where you... what was it? Completely absorbed a Tailed Beast Bomb?"
"Self-study," Hiroshi said quickly, shoving another mouthful of ramen into his mouth.
Jiraiya stared at him for a long moment before bursting into laughter. "Self-study! Kid, you're either the bed liar I've ever met or the most terrifying child in the Leaf Village."
Hiroshi muttered something, clearly regretting his decision to come to the ramen shop.
However, the awkward conversation was interrupted as a masked Anbu, "Hokage-sama, the Third Hokage has requested your presence immediately. It's urgent."
Minato sighed, standing up and leaving some money on the counter. "Thank you, I'll head there now."
He turned to Jiraiya and Hiroshi, giving them a small smile. "Try to stay out of trouble, …both of you." he said, before leaving using the Flying Thunder God,
"Jiraiya-sama," Kakashi said, his tone polite but eager, "I don't usually do this, but could I trouble you for an autograph?"
No sooner had Minato left than Kakashi strolled into the shop. He spotted Jiraiya almost immediately and walked over, holding a well-worn copy of 'Icha Icha Paradise' in his hand.
Hiroshi choked on his ramen, "You're serious? ….He's serious!?"
Jiraiya grinned, taking the book. "Ah, a true man of culture! I knew you had good taste, Kakashi."
Hiroshi groaned, "This village is doomed."
"Hey!" Jiraiya protested, scribbling his name with dramatic flair. "A little culture never hurt anyone."
"Depends on the culture," Hiroshi muttered.
Kakashi took his signed book, clearly pleased. "Thank you, Jiraiya-sama. You've made my day."
As Kakashi left, Hiroshi shook his head, finishing his ramen quickly. "I'm leaving before this gets any weirder."