"Yahiko, your dad's here."
"Yahiko, your dad charged in!"
"Yahiko, your dad is seriously fierce!"
"Yahiko, your dad—"
Listening to his two companions cry out one after another beside him, Yahiko, who was holding his face, instantly had a huge throbbing vein pop out on his forehead.
"Shut up."
Nagato and Konan tore their gazes away from Jiraiya, who was currently taking on several times his number of enemies, and their faces were full of teasing smiles. Yahiko felt uncomfortable all over under their stares.
"He's not my dad! I don't acknowledge it!"
"But when I went to your family's shop last time, Auntie seemed pretty happy."
Hearing Konan's words, Yahiko completely broke down. The scene of his mom flirting with Jiraiya was still vivid in his mind, and it seemed he could not stop the reality that he was about to joyfully acquire a stepfather.
However...
Yahiko lifted his head and looked at Jiraiya, who was fighting Shinno and a group of "leaf ninja" all by himself. A faint trace of admiration surfaced in his eyes, and a hint of pride even he had not noticed appeared on his young face.
"That guy usually looks so unserious, but I didn't expect him to be pretty reliable when it really matters."
Clang!
Jiraiya, Kunai in hand, casually knocked away a Shuriken thrown from a tricky angle. His gaze was grave as he sized up the unfamiliar ninja surrounding him on all sides.
"Who are you people?"
"Hmph! A nobody has no right to ask for This Lord's great name."
After briefly exchanging blows with Jiraiya, Shinno thought he had figured out his level. His deeply lined face was full of disdain.
He was merely an Amegakure jonin with a bit of strength. He was probably that orange-haired brat's father. In