Vaccination (Part 1)

In the Military Police Force detention room, the Third Hokage stared at Jiraiya through the bars, fury rising in his chest.

He had called Jiraiya back to keep the Uchiha in check.

Yet before Jiraiya could even be put to use, his reputation had already gone down the drain.

"Jiraiya, what the hell are you doing?! How are you supposed to remain in Konoha now!?"

Jiraiya was equally frustrated. "How was I supposed to know I'd run into Uchiha Shamu this time? No one ever managed to catch me outside."

The Third Hokage slapped the bars with a dull clang. "I don't care what you do outside. But in Konoha, you'd better put away those damn habits of yours."

Jiraiya muttered, "Didn't you use the Telescope Technique to peep too..."

"Cough, cough!" The Third Hokage coughed twice with great solemnity, cutting Jiraiya off.

He turned and saw Anbu standing far away on guard.

The Third Hokage picked up his pipe and said with feigned seriousness, "In any case, stay in here for fifteen days first. We'll talk after the fuss dies down."

"If you break out early, it'll be troublesome. Bear with it."

Jiraiya had heard Shamu's sarcastic remarks earlier as well, and knew he could not escape this stint in prison.

"Then get me some alcohol, old man..."

"Got it..."

The Third Hokage answered as he walked outside.

After the Third Hokage left, Shamu arrived at the Military Police Force. However, he did not go see Jiraiya. He had come to find Hizashi.

When Fugaku had been Captain of the Konoha Security Team, he would sometimes patrol the field himself. Hizashi, on the other hand, stayed at the Military Police Force every day and handled all manner of affairs.

Just as Shamu arrived, Hyuga Yuto had finished giving his report and was leaving.

Shamu patted Hyuga Yuto on the shoulder when he saw him. "Not bad, kid."

Hyuga Yuto scratched his head somewhat sheepishly.

"Lord Shamu, I'll be going now."

Shamu's eyes shifted.

"Wait a moment."

Then he leaned over and whispered something into Hyuga Yuto's ear.

Hyuga Yuto nodded repeatedly. "Don't worry, Lord Shamu. Leave it to me."

Shamu waved him away, then entered without even knocking.

He found Hizashi intently reading the report documents in his hands.

"Hizashi, you're doing a pretty good job."

Hizashi looked up. Seeing that it was Shamu, he smiled as well.

When they had first met, Shamu had called him "Lord Hizashi" every other sentence, his tone so respectful it was almost excessive. But after they became familiar, Shamu's unserious nature emerged. He never acted properly around anyone.

Hizashi did not mind, though. Besides, the Hyuga and Uchiha were currently in their honeymoon period.

During the previous Cloud Village incident, it was thanks to Shamu stepping in. Otherwise, Hiashi would have beaten the other man to death. The Hyuga Clan would truly have been in serious trouble.

They might even have had to pay with his brother's life, or his own.

"Shamu, you certainly made quite a splash today."

Shamu waved a hand. "It was all an accident. Who knew Jiraiya would come back and pull something like this? I was just standing up for the civilians."

Like hell I believe that. Shamu, you scheming Uchiha. You came specifically to ask me for an assignment scroll today—wasn't it just to cause trouble for Jiraiya?

Jiraiya had no shortage of scandalous gossip surrounding him. When he traveled outside the village, he truly indulged in women and drink.

Whenever he arrived somewhere, visiting courtesans and drinking were necessities.

And wherever he went, the local bathhouses would blacklist him.

Jiraiya had also written novels and manga.

The novels were proper enough. As for the manga, whether it was proper was anyone's guess.

But one's position determined one's perspective. Hizashi had once treated Jiraiya's romantic escapades as a joke.

Now, as Captain of the Konoha Security Team, Hizashi had to intervene in behavior like Jiraiya's.

It would have been one thing if such an important figure messed around outside the village. But he came back to the village and still behaved this way. That was going too far. Even rabbits did not eat grass near their own burrows.

Moreover, some of the victims this time were from the Hyuga Clan.

If Hizashi had stepped in, it would have been difficult to handle.

After all, Jiraiya's status was what it was.

But it was different when Shamu made a move. He had probably traumatized Jiraiya for life.

Jiraiya, disciple of the Third Hokage, one of the Three Sannin, the Toad Sage, had been caught peeping into the women's bathhouse and publicly humiliated.

As he pondered this, Hizashi spoke. "Shamu, why did you do this?"

Shamu shook his head. "No reason. I simply can't stand that kind of behavior. Even if it's Jiraiya, it won't do."

Hizashi gave Shamu a long look, then responded with an indifferent "Oh."

"Also, I caught Nakamura Kazuya from Root today. He actually tried to obstruct my law enforcement. You can use that as an excuse to dismiss him. With the rest of Root leaderless, they won't be able to stir up much trouble."

Hizashi nodded in agreement. Nakamura Kazuya had been jumping around before, trying to rope in members of the Military Police Force.

But the structure of the Hyuga Main Family and branch families meant the branch families were as solid as a steel plate. Outsiders simply could not win them over or turn them.

Still, it was not good to let someone like that keep jumping around. Now that they had something on him, they might as well dismiss him.

Shamu took out the assignment scroll. "Captain Hizashi, I think the Military Police Force is pretty fun, but I'm rather busy, so I'll resign for now."

Hizashi did not know whether to laugh or cry. Who did not know that Shamu had only come here to play around?

"Fine. Leave it there."

Many people probably guessed that Shamu had done this to damage the Hokage faction's reputation.

But only Shamu himself knew that he simply did not want Naruto to be led astray.

To Shamu, all those acts of treating vulgarity as entertainment were utterly foolish.

Shamu headed toward the Konoha Ninja Academy, hearing many people along the way talking about Jiraiya's arrest.

By the time Shamu reached the academy, school had been out for some time.

A nearby member of the Military Police Force happened to be from the Hyuga Clan. "Where did Sasuke go?"

The Hyuga clansman hurriedly bowed. "Reporting to Lord Shamu, Sasuke and Naruto just headed toward Yachi."

"Fine, get back to work."

Shamu headed toward Yachi and soon found the two boys.

They were each holding a skewer of takoyaki. Naruto had more living expenses now, so he no longer felt inferior. He looked much more spirited.

"Naruto, Sasuke, there you are." Naruto heard the familiar voice.

He looked up in delight. "Senior Shamu!"

Sasuke, meanwhile, greeted him properly. "Teacher."

Shamu tapped Sasuke on the forehead with a finger. "I heard you came in first again on this week's test. As expected of a child of my Uchiha Clan. Sasuke, you're amazing."

Hearing such direct praise, Sasuke felt both proud and embarrassed. Keeping a straight face, he said haughtily, "As Teacher's disciple, naturally I cannot bring shame upon Teacher."

Naruto looked at Sasuke with some envy. Sasuke had told him earlier that he had become Senior Shamu's disciple.

Naruto used to be all alone. Though he had more friends now, he still had very few elders close to him.