Hot Spring Town

"Ninja Art: Summoning Jutsu!"

Just as Kushina Uzumaki was still agonizing over how to get the three injured people out of the valley, they heard a familiar voice.

Then, a gigantic red toad suddenly dropped into the valley.

The giant toad was none other than Gamabunta of Mount Myōboku, and Jiraiya was the one who had summoned him.

It turned out Jiraiya had been following Soji's team all along. He simply had not shown himself, instead hiding atop the cliffs on either side of the valley.

"Jiraiya-sensei!"

Seeing the pale figure on Gamabunta's back, they shouted excitedly.

"Yo, you little brats did pretty well. You actually took down a Kekkei Genkai ninja who possessed Steel Release. As expected of students raised by yours truly, Jiraiya! Hahahaha." Jiraiya praised them first, then naturally did not forget to brag about himself.

"Jiraiya-sensei, stop talking nonsense and hurry over to help move the three of them!" Seeing Jiraiya still striking a pose, Kushina Uzumaki shouted in dissatisfaction.

"Hey, hey, little Kushina, don't be so impatient. Didn't I find you some help? Bunta, I'm counting on you." After placating Kushina Uzumaki, Jiraiya spoke to Gamabunta beneath him, who was puffing away at his pipe.

After exhaling a cloud of smoke, Gamabunta lowered his eyes toward the little ones below.

"So these are the students you brought up, Jiraiya? They all look like pretty capable kids. Hey, Jiraiya, you're not teaching them worse and worse, are you?" With one glance at the scene, Gamabunta had roughly judged Soji and the others' strength.

At the same time, he did not forget to take a jab at Jiraiya.

Gamabunta genuinely doubted whether Jiraiya, with his usual unreliable personality, could truly be a good Mentor Teacher.

"Bunta, don't ruin my good image in front of my students! I've been conscientious and responsible!" Hearing Gamabunta say that, Jiraiya hurriedly defended himself anxiously.

"Tch. Image?"

Gamabunta did not continue.

But that half-finished sentence and disdainful tone dealt a far greater blow to Jiraiya than a complete sentence ever could have.

Jiraiya was about to say something else, but Gamabunta had already extended his tongue, gently swept up Soji and the other two, and placed them on his back.

Kushina Uzumaki also lightly leaped onto Gamabunta's back.

"Then let's find an inn in a nearby town first. We can also get a doctor to treat you three little guys." Seeing Soji and the other two lying on Gamabunta's back, panting and covered in blood, Jiraiya made the decision immediately.

"Jiraiya-sensei, what about the ninjas down there?" Kushina Uzumaki asked what Soji and the others also wanted to know.

"Don't worry. Half an hour ago, I already sent a signal informing the nearby Anbu to come handle the rest." Jiraiya spoke as if it were nothing.

Hearing that, they were startled, and a swell of emotion rose within them.

Half an hour ago? There was a lot to unpack there.

There was no need to think about it. When their team had come to wipe out those ninjas—

Although Jiraiya had told them to handle it themselves, he had secretly followed them after all.

Otherwise, how could Jiraiya have appeared at precisely the moment their battle ended?

And how could he have notified the nearby Anbu to clean up the battlefield half an hour before the fight was even over?

"Ahem. Anyway, you don't need to worry. You won't be taking missions for the next few days, so just focus on recovering and get well soon." Jiraiya suddenly realized he seemed to have let something slip and quickly changed the subject.

"Yes, Jiraiya-sensei!" they answered in unison.

Only Kushina Uzumaki looked helplessly at the three excited injured boys.

"You're injured, so keep your voices down. You'll pull your wounds open." As she gave the three of them some simple bandaging, Kushina Uzumaki advised them aloud.

"Alright, Bunta. Let's go."

After Jiraiya said that, Gamabunta leaped straight out of the valley and landed on the cliffside.

Then, after several more jumps, he left Wuyang Valley behind entirely.

Once they left the valley, they all unconsciously narrowed their eyes. The darkness within the valley contrasted sharply with the brightness outside.

"The air outside the valley really is fresher," Minato Namikaze sighed.

"Yeah. That dark, damp valley was no place for people. I really don't know how those Rogue Ninjas managed to stay there for so long," Uchiha Homura said in wholehearted agreement.

"Maybe it's precisely because they're Rogue Ninjas," Soji explained.

After hearing Soji's words, they all understood.

Thinking about it, Rogue Ninjas could not possibly live year-round in such good conditions as ninja village shinobi. Most of them lived exposed to the elements.

That was also why Soji had never considered becoming a missing-nin. He did not have the nerves for it and truly could not stand that kind of life.

"Now, now, don't be so pessimistic, you little guys. You're Konoha's outstanding next generation. That kind of life basically has nothing to do with you. Besides, it was the path they chose, so they should have prepared themselves mentally long ago." Jiraiya's cheerful voice rang out.

"Mm, we understand." Kushina Uzumaki answered for them.

Kushina Uzumaki felt this more deeply than anyone. After all, her family and her village had only just been destroyed.

If Konoha had not taken her in, she would likely have become a Rogue Ninja as well.

"You three little guys may have had it rough this time, but this achievement will definitely earn you recognition from the village." Along the way, Jiraiya recalled the scenes he had witnessed while hiding in the shadows. Even now, thinking back on them still shocked him.

The moment Steel Bone had made his move, Jiraiya had originally planned to intervene personally.

Facing an Elite Jonin with Steel Release, he could not finish the opponent off easily, but with some effort, he could still kill him. That was Jiraiya's confidence.

In Jiraiya's view, it was still too early for Soji and the others to successfully kill an Elite Jonin from one of the Five Great Nations who possessed a Kekkei Genkai. It would have been impressive enough if they could preserve their lives against him.

But as he watched, the result exceeded his expectations.

Soji and the other two had actually fought the Steel Release ninja from Iwagakure on even terms, even causing him to suffer several hidden losses.

Just when Jiraiya thought this was already the limit of his students, they did something else that left him dumbfounded.

The little brats had actually devised a meticulous plan, trusted one another, and, at the cost of all three being severely injured, counter-killed that Steel Release ninja.

Seriously, Jiraiya would not even dare write something like this in his own novels, yet it had happened in real life—right before his eyes!

Jiraiya believed that if he wrote a plot where three ten-year-old genin joined forces to kill an Elite Jonin with Steel Release, that novel would flop beyond saving.

It was enough to shock Jiraiya for an entire year!

Even when the leader of those Rogue Ninjas came out at the end hoping to pick up the spoils, Kushina Uzumaki, who had long been hiding nearby, casually took him out.

It could be said that even if Jiraiya himself had planned and carried out this operation, he might not have been able to do it so perfectly.

Strength was only one aspect. The most important thing was the gap in experience!

If Jiraiya had to grade Soji and the others' performance on this mission, he would definitely give them an eighty-two.

Don't ask why. The remaining eighteen points would be sent to them in the form of 666.

Two words: perfect!

"Looks like I can give the old man a proper account of what happened on this mission. I can also apply for a benefit for them."

This mission gave rise to an idea in Jiraiya's heart.

But since nothing had truly been finalized yet, and although his proposal would most likely be approved, Jiraiya still planned to tell them after some time had passed.

Better safe than sorry.

Soji and the other three did not care much about Jiraiya saying the village would commend them. Through this battle, they had gained a great deal of combat experience.

Once their injuries healed, they would likely all experience a major leap in strength!

And so, Jiraiya kept thinking about applying for benefits for Soji and the others.

Kushina Uzumaki quietly bandaged their wounds.

Soji, Minato, and Uchiha Homura lay on Gamabunta's back and rested.

Before long, with Gamabunta's speed, they found a nearby town.

No, it should have been called a large town, because it was clearly different from the other towns and villages Soji's group had passed along the way.

Logically, even though it was within the Land of Fire, a town this lively should not have existed during the outbreak of the Second Ninja World War. Yet this place was exceptionally prosperous!

"We're here. Let's get down." Upon reaching the entrance of this bustling town, Jiraiya immediately dispelled the Summoning Jutsu and landed on the ground.

After all, Gamabunta's enormous presence had already caused a wave of unease among the townspeople before they even reached the entrance.

A whole group of ninjas, samurai, and bounty hunters had even rushed to the town entrance, prepared to stop Gamabunta from advancing any farther.

Soji and the other two injured boys also jumped down. After roughly an hour of travel on Gamabunta, they could now barely stand.

"Ow, this travel speed was fast, but it was way too bumpy. It feels like every bone in my body is about to fall apart," Uchiha Homura muttered as he gently rolled his shoulders.

Of course, that was only because Jiraiya had already dispelled the Summoning Jutsu. If Gamabunta were still there and heard Uchiha Homura's words, he would have tossed him off immediately.

He wanted Gamabunta to jump fast without any bumps? Why not hire sedan bearers to carry him around? What a ridiculous fantasy.

"Alright, stop complaining. We should hurry into town and find a doctor. If we delay any longer, be careful your injuries don't get worse." Soji was also uncomfortable from the ride, but he did not have as many complaints as Uchiha Homura. Having a toad carry them was already good enough. He did not ask for more.

Jiraiya then led Soji and the other four into town, while the people who had gathered at the entrance because of Gamabunta gradually dispersed.

They had only been worried that Gamabunta's massive body would damage the town or injure people. They had no obligation to concern themselves with who had come here.

"Hot Spring Town."

Those were the three words they saw on the plaque above the town entrance.

Once they learned that this was the famous Hot Spring Town within the Land of Fire, they roughly understood why the place was so bustling and prosperous.

After all, soaking in hot springs had many benefits.

Not only could it eliminate fatigue, but it could also loosen muscles and joints, ease soreness, dilate blood vessels, promote blood circulation, and speed up metabolism—in other words, aid recovery.

Its other effects, such as whitening the skin and beauty treatments, were even more numerous.

In short, aside from Konoha, this was the most suitable place for Soji and the other two patients to rest and recover for a while.

That also explained why the town remained so crowded even during wartime. Many injured people liked coming here to recover while also enjoying life.

"Alright, this is where you'll be eating, sleeping, and recovering for the next while. Come on, little guys, let's go in."

At that moment, Jiraiya took the lead into Hot Spring Town, with Soji and the other four following close behind.