By evening, Jiraiya finally returned to the inn looking refreshed and invigorated.
"What a strong scent of perfume. Jiraiya-sensei, didn't you go gather intelligence? It doesn't look like it." After finishing her hot spring bath, Kushina Uzumaki, dressed in a loose yukata, immediately caught a heavy scent on Jiraiya when he entered the room.
"Ahem, little Kushina, your teacher went to a special place to gather intelligence, so it was inevitable that I picked up some unusual smells. Don't worry about it, hahaha."
Seeing Kushina Uzumaki continuously circle him while wrinkling her nose and sniffing hard, Jiraiya gave an awkward laugh.
Sure enough, his guilty appearance earned him a look from Kushina Uzumaki that plainly said, As if I'd believe that.
"Alright, alright. You haven't eaten yet, right? I already had the owner prepare a feast. Let's fill our stomachs first."
Fortunately, Jiraiya still remembered that Soji and the other three were starving.
Dinner was lavish, with abalone, lobster, and all sorts of delicacies. It was probably Jiraiya's way of making up for neglecting his students while he was off enjoying himself.
Watching the students wolf down their food, Jiraiya could not help smiling in satisfaction.
Nothing made Jiraiya happier than seeing the students he had taught grow successful and powerful.
Although Minato Namikaze was the only one who could truly be considered Jiraiya's direct disciple, the other three were still under Jiraiya's name. Strictly speaking, they counted as his subordinates.
With that connection, even if they all became jonin in the future, they would still have to obediently call him Jiraiya-sensei.
"Looks like I need to get the old man to make a decision soon," Jiraiya muttered after dinner.
"Jiraiya-sensei, what did you say?" Soji was closest to him, so he immediately heard Jiraiya quietly talking to himself.
Soji's