Since it was a meeting, Jiraiya brought his Konoha forehead protector and wore a green ninja vest.
His long white hair, tied casually behind his head, reached his waist, and the red mark under his eye had not yet extended to his mouth.
"Hello, Kawakaze," Jiraiya greeted with a warm smile. Even as a young man, he was undeniably handsome.
Easygoing by nature, Jiraiya was happy as long as Tsunade was content, willing to send his heartfelt blessings.
"Don't be polite; you'll get to know each other better soon," Tsunade said with a cheerful grin as she led the group to the Hatake Clan.
The reason was simple—the Hatake Clan had excellent food.
"Then I'll trouble you," Jiraiya replied, eager to learn more about Kawakaze, the man who had even managed to win over his goddess.
"No trouble at all. We'll be fighting together soon, so it's good to familiarize ourselves," Kawakaze said as the group gradually grew more comfortable with one another. Most of the conversation, however, was between Kawakaze, Tsunade, and Jiraiya, with Orochimaru, Sakumo, and Duy only occasionally joining in. This dynamic highlighted the different personalities in the group.
The food and sake from the Hatake Clan earned high praise from Jiraiya, who had a particular fondness for sake. Inevitably, the conversation during the meal turned to the war. Kawakaze confidently declared that if the six of them couldn't defeat Hanzō of the Salamander, they might as well go home and become farmers.
Over sake, Jiraiya found himself forming mixed impressions of Kawakaze but ultimately thought him agreeable enough to work with. Orochimaru, meanwhile, discussed the lack of qualified medical ninja with Tsunade in earnest. It was evident that Tsunade would have her hands full, as medical-nin were scarce.
As the sake flowed and the atmosphere grew livelier, the younger members of the group diligently poured sake. No one at the table was easy to provoke.
Jiraiya glanced at Minato, rubbing his short blonde hair affectionately. "It seems Kawakaze has a good disciple."
Kawakaze felt a twinge of guilt at the remark. Tsunade's situation wasn't quite poaching, but with Minato, it undoubtedly was.
"Haha, no, he's just an unpromising kid," Kawakaze replied with false modesty. Minato, unfazed, seemed to know exactly what his teacher meant and didn't take it to heart.
"Nawaki, I have a gift for you," Jiraiya called, pulling out a magazine featuring bikini-clad women from his jacket and discreetly handing it to Nawaki.
"This… doesn't seem like a good idea," Nawaki murmured, hesitating as he felt the intense gaze of someone behind him.
"Jiraiya!"
Tsunade roared, storming over and delivering a crushing blow to Jiraiya's head. A noticeable lump instantly formed.
"It's just a magazine," Jiraiya muttered, rubbing his head with an unimpressed expression.
"It wasn't my idea! Jiraiya insisted on giving it to me!" Nawaki exclaimed, dropping the magazine back at Jiraiya's feet before bolting away without a second glance. A dead friend is better than a poor one—time to sneak away.
"It's a collector's edition. If you don't want it, forget it," Jiraiya grumbled, casually retrieving the magazine, entirely unbothered by Tsunade's looming presence.
Kawakaze, witnessing the scene, was stunned. How many times does someone need to be hit to stay this calm?
Instead of toning down, Jiraiya became even more unrestrained in his drinking. Tsunade, clearly frustrated, gave up and returned to her seat, shooting a sharp glare at Nawaki. This kid isn't much better.
"It's not a bad thing to learn about sooner," Kawakaze mumbled, likely emboldened by the alcohol.
Tsunade's hand clamped around his waist, making him gasp sharply as he sobered up halfway.
Three hours later, everyone had eaten and drunk their fill, moving with visible difficulty. As Tsunade predicted, the shared meal brought them closer together.
Kawakaze and Jiraiya, both the life of the party, leaned on each other as they staggered along, occasionally bracing against a wall. They insisted on arguing with Orochimaru, claiming the wall had shifted.
Orochimaru, ever a man of science, refused to entertain such nonsense, as it defied all logic. This childish argument threatened to escalate until Nawaki intervened, arranging for servants to guide everyone to their rooms to rest.
The remaining members dispersed to sober up in their own quarters, each finding a place within the Hatake Clan's hospitality.
In the following days, the group continued to gather periodically, growing closer with each meeting.
Three days later, news arrived that supplies from the Daimyō had reached the border of the Land of Rain. That evening, the group packed their gear, and the next morning, they assembled at Konoha's gates.
This mission saw Konoha deploying a substantial number of elite troops, including Shinku Yūhi, a famed Genjutsu master and instructor.
"Shinku, you're here too," Kawakaze greeted, standing next to Tsunade.
"Yes, I'm also part of Konoha," Shinku Yūhi replied with a sincere smile. When the village needed him, he never hesitated to step forward—just as he had in the face of the Nine-Tails, despite knowing he stood no chance.
"We're leaving," Tsunade reminded the group, gathering everyone's attention.
"Let's go," she commanded, and with that, the large contingent began their march to the Land of Rain.
Perhaps due to their previous defeat, Orochimaru maintained a low profile, entrusting all leadership duties to Tsunade. Kawakaze and his team led the vanguard, with the strength of the ninjas decreasing the further back in the formation they went. The younger members stayed in the middle of the group, protected from immediate danger.
The intelligence officers had already arrived in the Land of Rain, gathering critical information for the operation.
"Orochimaru, what do you think is the best strategy for this mission?" Kawakaze asked, lacking a clear plan himself. Tsunade, equally unsure, listened closely, her attention fully on Orochimaru.
Orochimaru considered the question carefully, his expression sharp and calculated.
"First, we set up camp. Our primary goal is to eliminate the ninja of the Land of Rain, but we will avoid large-scale operations. If we encounter Hanzō, we retreat. Once he is unwilling to send reinforcements, we'll find ways to deal with him."
This approach reflected the lesson Orochimaru had learned from the prior encounter: Hanzō's lethal capabilities on a large battlefield demanded a more cautious, indirect strategy.
"That's a solid idea," Tsunade agreed, though her voice carried a note of apprehension. She had witnessed the devastating effects of Hanzō's poison firsthand and had yet to develop a complete antidote.
"Then we'll follow Orochimaru's plan," Kawakaze affirmed. "If the situation changes, we'll adjust accordingly."
Privately, Kawakaze entertained the thought of facing Hanzō himself. Testing the limits of his Sage Mode against the legendary ninja was tempting.
"Just in case, Tsunade should distribute the antidote pills she prepared," Orochimaru added. "While they won't fully neutralize Ibuse's poison, they could save lives in critical moments."
Tsunade nodded. She had brought a large supply of antidote pills specifically to counter the threat of Hanzō's poisonous fog and minimize casualties among the Konoha forces.
After half a month of travel, the Konoha forces reached the border of the Land of Rain. As they crossed into the country, the ominous sound of war began to echo once more, signaling the start of their next battle.