The Perverted Sage Makes His Entrance!

Sasuke could neither laugh nor cry at the netizen's sudden breakdown.

At the same time, the system notification arrived right on schedule:

You have received a new suggestion: Find Jiraiya as soon as possible and take him as your master. Accept and complete this suggestion to receive a C-Rank Scroll.

C-Rank?

Sasuke's spirits rose. Setting aside that absurd suggestion to "kill Sakura," this was the highest scroll reward he had seen so far.

Previously, Sasuke had tried to deduce the pattern behind the scroll rewards. At first, he thought that the more difficult a suggestion was to complete, the higher the corresponding reward would be.

But he had quickly dismissed that idea.

For example, regarding the suggestion about Orochimaru, confronting him head-on awarded a D-Rank Scroll, while hiding earned the higher C-Rank Scroll.

No matter how he looked at it, hiding was far easier than facing him head-on.

And this time, all he had to do was find a master, yet he could receive a C-Rank Scroll. The self-respect and reserve Sasuke had just developed vanished without a trace.

What social anxiety? As long as the reward was good enough, his feelings would immediately become pure!

Master, your beloved disciple is here!—

A good night's sleep washed away most of Sasuke's fatigue.

The stamina boost awarded by the system showed its effects at that moment.

The moment he jumped out of bed, Sasuke began his search for a master.

Konoha in the early morning already brimmed with life. Diligent vendors had set up their stalls and begun another busy, ordinary day.

Sasuke bought a bonito rice ball, his favorite, from a roadside stall and wandered around while eating it.

What he did not know was that Kakashi had been following him from not far behind, holding a copy of "Make-Out Paradise."

As time passed, the streets grew increasingly crowded with an endless stream of ninja, merchants, and farmers.

Especially during the Chunin Exams, the village had many unfamiliar faces, making it exceptionally lively.

"Yo! Sasuke!"

A ninja with a horizontal scar across his face approached from the opposite side and greeted Sasuke warmly.

"Ah, Iruka-sensei. Good morning," Sasuke said.

The man was his former Ninja Academy teacher.

They had not seen each other for some time since Sasuke's graduation.

"Aren't you taking the Chunin Exams? Why do you have time to wander the streets? Where's Naruto? Why isn't he with you?" Iruka asked casually.

"Well, there are still people who haven't finished the second round, so we have to wait another two days." Sasuke was too embarrassed to say that he had left early. "That guy Naruto is probably still sleeping in."

Wanting to move past the topic of the exam as quickly as possible, Sasuke hurriedly shifted the conversation to Naruto.

"Is that so? Hahaha, that guy." Iruka indeed burst out laughing.

"Come to think of it, have you seen a ninja named Jiraiya?" After searching for half a day without success, Sasuke could not help asking around.

"Jiraiya? Has that man returned to the village as well?" Iruka's thoughts stirred. Thinking of the recent rumors about Orochimaru and the principal's notice to strengthen security, he could not help thinking, The Storm Is Coming.

Sasuke had no idea what Iruka was thinking. Seeing him remain silent for so long, he asked again, "Iruka-sensei?"

"Ah! How rude of me," Iruka said with an awkward laugh. "As for that man, I haven't seen him. I've only heard that he travels everywhere and hasn't returned to Konoha in a very long time. Why are you looking for Lord Jiraiya?"

"Ah, it's nothing." Learning that Iruka did not know either, Sasuke could not hide his disappointment. He brushed him off with a few words and hurried away.

After wandering around for half the day without results, Sasuke was no longer as relaxed as he had been that morning. Sitting on a stone step, he could not help opening the system forum again.

"Can't find him. There's no such person at all."

Sasuke left a comment beneath Hunshui Moyu's reply.

A moment later, Hunshui Moyu replied, "Thanks! Thanks for choosing my route!"

"You're really getting immersed in this."

Sasuke was completely baffled by those words. After thinking for a moment, he commented again, "I've been all over the village for most of the day and still can't find him."

Hunshui Moyu replied, "Got it. You need a clue, right? Easy. Hot Springs Street, beneath the waterfall, the women's bathhouse. In short, anywhere women might not be wearing clothes, you'll definitely find him!"

Sasuke blushed at the blunt wording. Steeling himself, he got up and headed toward the place the netizen had indicated.

Finally, at dusk, Sasuke spotted the suspicious figure in the grass beside an open-air hot spring.

The man was bent over with his rear in the air, peeping while muttering to himself, "So beautiful, so beautiful. It's like being in paradise. Heh heh, hehehe."

Watching this scene, Sasuke was utterly speechless.

What were those lines again? After reviewing them in the system, Sasuke cleared his throat.

"Lord Jiraiya, I wish to become your disciple! My dream is to bring unprecedented peace to the ninja world! I hope to receive your guidance!"

The other man showed no reaction.

Sasuke thought for a moment, then finally made up his mind. He dropped to one knee, lowered his head, and recited the lines again.

The other man still gave no response.

This time, Sasuke finally lost his patience and shouted, "Lord Jiraiya! I want to become your disciple!!"

His voice was so loud that cries of alarm immediately rose from the women in the hot spring, clearly startled by the sudden shout.

"You bastard!!" Jiraiya's eyes blazed, his nostrils flared, and he spun around, swinging a palm at Sasuke.

Sasuke was startled and hurriedly leaped backward. Once Jiraiya saw that the intruder was merely a brat, he quickly stopped his hand.

Even so, Jiraiya could not hide his anger. "Whose little brat are you, coming here and disrupting my artistic research?"

Sasuke hurriedly bowed again. "Lord Jiraiya, I wish to become your disciple."

"Oh?" Jiraiya found it amusing, but then he noticed the Fan Crest on Sasuke's back.

This kid... could he be from the Uchiha clan? But five years ago, wasn't that clan already...

At that thought, Jiraiya's gaze darkened. "What is Uchiha Itachi to you?"

Hearing that name, Sasuke's heart fell into turmoil. A flash of viciousness passed through his eyes, but with the help of the Will of Steel, he quickly regained his composure and answered, "He is my elder brother."

"He is also the man I dream of killing!"

After hesitating for a moment, Sasuke decided to reveal his true thoughts.

"Mm, another child swept up in hatred." Jiraiya lowered his eyes. Over the years, he had seen too many children like this, too many eyes like those.

However, Jiraiya quickly turned and walked away. "I don't want to get involved in the Uchiha clan's affairs."

"Alright, next I'll go check out a tavern! Konoha's nightlife is wonderful too, you know."

"W-Wait a moment!"

Sasuke immediately panicked. "I-I want to bring unprecedented peace to the ninja world! Please, you must guide me!"

Hearing that, Jiraiya turned around. "Who taught you to say that?"