"The times had changed!"
Walking down the street with several books tucked under his arm, Jiraiya could not help but sigh with emotion.
Of course.
He had not bought every last one of Teacher Ooki's books for any other reason.
He simply wanted to take them home, study them carefully, and learn Teacher Ooki's advanced writing techniques.
It was all for the sake of learning!
He just had not expected that after being away at war for only a few years, a new literary giant had emerged in the ninja world—and he was only finding out now!
How utterly shameful!
And he had originally come to sell books to raise travel money.
Yet...
He had ended up buying books instead!
His own books had even been returned!
But Teacher Ooki truly was a genius!
He could actually write stories that made people blush, set their blood racing, and send their imaginations running wild.
Worth every penny!
They were good books!
Impressive! Truly impressive!
"Too bad I have no idea where Teacher Ooki actually lives!"
Just then.
"Jiraiya~"
Hearing a familiar call, Jiraiya hurriedly hid his books.
Then.
He braced his right hand against the wall beside him, lightly flicked his hair, and curled his lips into what he believed was a handsome smile. "Yo, Tsunade! Long time no see!"
"...Didn't we just come back together the day before yesterday?" Tsunade looked at him strangely, suspicion in her eyes. "What are you doing, sneaking around like that? Don't tell me you were peeping on someone bathing again!"
"Hahaha! How could that be? I've been studying seriously lately! Reading books to enrich myself!"
As soon as he said that.
Tsunade: (￢_￢)
"Anyway, forget that!" Jiraiya quickly changed the subject and curiously looked at the cute little girl with short black hair standing beside Tsunade. "Who's this? Your daughter? Why isn't she blond? What an adorable little girl!"
"What nonsense are you spouting? Stay away from Shizune, you perverted toad!" Tsunade punched him straight away, then said calmly, "She's Dan Katō's niece. She has no family left in Konoha, so after thinking it over, I decided to keep her with me."
"Dan's niece?" Hearing Tsunade's words, Jiraiya froze slightly. After a brief silence, he looked at the shy Shizune hiding behind Tsunade, then at Tsunade's composed face. He sighed wistfully, his expression turning serious. "You've decided?" He paused again. "When are you leaving?"
"The day after tomorrow."
"So soon?"
"It's already late. If there hadn't been matters in the clan that needed handling, I would have left long ago!" Tsunade sighed. A flicker of confusion passed through her eyes before she smiled at Jiraiya again. "By the way! Are you buying a house?"
"???"
"Forget it! A washed-up writer like you, how could you afford a house? Pretend I never asked!" Tsunade shot Jiraiya a disdainful glance, then fell silent again. "You're leaving too, aren't you? When?"
"This is my training! You know how it is! I go out to train every so often! Probably the day after tomorrow too!" Jiraiya touched the books tucked against his chest, a confident smile on his face. "The next time you see me, I'll definitely be a bestselling literary giant!"
"Are you going off to look for some Child of Destiny again? I think Orochimaru was right about one thing—you really do go looking for trouble when you have nothing better to do! Whatever, why am I even bothering to lecture you?" Tsunade complained. "Where are you planning to go this time?"
"Fate will guide me to where I need to go!" Jiraiya said mysteriously. But when he saw Tsunade raise her fist, he hurriedly added, "If possible, I'll probably make a trip to the Land of Grass!"
"The Land of Grass? That small country that was only recently rebuilt?" Tsunade recalled the Grass ninja she had seen in the Land of Rain that day. "What are you going there for?"
"What for? Of course, to pursue my dreams!" Jiraiya raised his head, the corners of his mouth lifting slightly. Hope shone in his eyes as though he were gazing into the distance. "The war has kept me from writing for years, so this time I'm going to settle down and properly study writing techniques. Read more, think more! Tsunade, let me tell you, this time I met a great litera—"
However.
Before he could finish.
"Forget it! I don't want to hear it! Who knows how long it'll be until we meet again!" Tsunade waved her hand, cutting Jiraiya off. Then she continued walking forward with Shizune. "It's not like I particularly want to see you anyway. Whenever you come looking for me, it's always because you have some terribly troublesome matter! So it's better if we don't meet!"
With that.
Her figure gradually receded into the distance, leaving behind Jiraiya, who had been eagerly planning to share the discovery of a new literary giant with Tsunade, standing stiffly where he was.
Watching Tsunade's retreating figure, Jiraiya still wore a faint smile as he stood there in silence.
Only after she disappeared from sight.
Did he softly say, "I hope you find someone who can give you the strength to keep going again, Tsunade!"
After saying that.
He stretched lazily and muttered to himself, "Teacher Ooki... what kind of life experience does one need to write books that make one's blood boil like this?"
Although he had not managed to find out who Teacher Ooki was, the bookstore owner had implied that their books were contracted from the Land of Grass. Therefore, based on Lord Jiraiya's analysis.
"Teacher Ooki must be in the Land of Grass!"
"Achoo!"
Kusana rubbed his nose, feeling as though someone had been talking about him.
But after thinking about it, he did not pay it any mind.
After all, there were simply too many people in the Land of Grass who missed him!
He lowered his head and continued reviewing the affairs of the Land of Grass.
The war had only ended recently, and the Land of Grass had merely taken advantage of the tense period during the Second Great Ninja War to rebuild. Thus, everything in the Land of Grass was still only just beginning.
Two meetings had confirmed the Land of Grass's development plan for the next five years: construction, stealing people... recruiting talent, developing the population, economy, livestock farming, public welfare, and military, all on the road to becoming a powerful nation.
Everything was progressing steadily.
As for the school... it had already been completed, and he had finished compiling the textbooks.
Although the weather was cold... it was about time for classes to begin.
Only...
Kusana looked at the document in his hand and immediately fell silent.
A haunting incident at the academy!
According to the investigation, several workers reported that while working, they seemed to hear strange sounds coming from underground. They had even heard something like "poop, poop," followed by what seemed to be chilling laughter.
The strange nature of the sounds was beyond description, and many workers claimed to have heard them.
It had caused considerable panic!
The situation was currently unknown and suspected to be a haunting. No casualties had occurred, and those strange sounds had not appeared again afterward.
Kusana: "..."
Could it be that a White Zetsu had happened to pass by the construction site, made some curious noises, and was coincidentally heard by the workers?
Come to think of it, Kannabi Bridge was within the Land of Grass, a vital route connecting the Land of Earth and the Land of Fire!
Later, during the Battle of Kannabi Bridge, Obito had been crushed by rocks and then taken away by White Zetsu.
And at that time, the White Zetsu... had just happened to be digging tunnels nearby!
A tunnel that could reach the Five Great Nations!
Honestly, with that ability, why not do something useful? Why dig tunnels?
If they had gone into logistics, they would have become the number one logistics company in the ninja world long ago!
Of course, he did not care about that. He had even dared to bring back Nagato, Mrs. Fusang's... son. Would he be worried about a group of White Zetsu?
Besides, these White Zetsu were still hiding away for their thousand-year plan. They would never expose themselves over a tiny country like the Land of Grass.
Looking at Black Zetsu's mission, "See Mother Again!", Kusana said calmly, "No one can stop the children of the Land of Grass from going to school!"
After saying that.
He wrote on the document.
School begins!
Two large words!
Before you continue