What Is Most Important for a Ninja? Bonds? No! It's Mind Games!

"Ahahahaha! You were all so stunned by my magnificent entrance that you couldn't say a word, weren't you?"

Basking in the countless gazes fixed on him, the high-spirited Jiraiya flicked his hair and flashed what he believed was a handsome smile.

"Don't fall for me. I'm just a legend!"

"..."

"Uh..."

However, the enthusiastic reaction he had imagined never came. Feeling a hint of awkwardness, Jiraiya secretly kicked the giant toad beneath his feet.

Having known him for years, Toad Zhong immediately got the hint. Opening his huge mouth, he transformed into a qualified hype man.

"Croak~ Croak~ Croak~ Croak croak croak!"

But after only a few croaks, the terrifying aura emanating from the countless Clones around them frightened him so badly that his limbs trembled. He directly threw Jiraiya off his back.

"Aaaaah~"

Thud!

"This idiot..."

Watching Jiraiya land face-first, Tsunade covered her face and quietly stepped back several paces, wishing she could crawl into a crack in the ground.

"Tsunade! I came to save you! Tell me, are you moved? Surprised?"

Jiraiya climbed back up, ignoring his disheveled state as he winked and gave Tsunade a thumbs-up.

After sending the trembling Toad Zhong back home with a wave of his hand, he briefly fixed his appearance. The playful expression on his face from a moment ago was now filled with gravity.

Frowning as he looked around at the densely packed Tailed Beast Knights, Jiraiya spoke in an odd tone.

"Tsunade, you actually queued for a high-level match behind our backs."

"Huff... It was my mistake. I didn't expect things to turn out like this, but thankfully only one idiot came."

Tsunade nodded with a guilty expression. She had called in the teammates who had come to support her, and she bore inescapable responsibility for putting Jiraiya in danger.