Do You Have a Mental Problem?

"You're staying here!"

"Hey, Kusagakure ninja! I'm a Konoha ninja! One of Konoha's Sannin! Konoha and Kusagakure are allies! Believe me! What happened just now wasn't intentional!"

"I know! But you did obstruct the spring plowing! Let me tell you, this is currently the most important matter in the Land of Grass! Until the leader hands down a verdict, you can only stay here. After all, the Land of Grass was only recently rebuilt, and this is the first time we've encountered something like this, so we don't know how to handle it. But after Minister Oyakamon's investigation, I know you really didn't mean it! So you probably won't be staying long! I hope you don't disgrace Konoha!"

"..."

I'd obediently come here precisely because I was worried about causing trouble between the two countries!

Jiraiya sighed with emotion.

After all, this matter could be considered serious, but then again... not that serious.

No matter what, he had interrupted a nation's most important task and interfered in another ninja village's affairs. He now represented Konoha's ninja, and if the matter were pursued, the village would likely be put in a difficult position.

Although his status meant they would not truly execute him, it would still have some impact on the village.

Especially since Kusagakure was currently Konoha's ally.

And, when it came down to it, this was his own fault!

Peace had not come easily. He did not want his own problems to cause too much trouble.

Still.

Looking at the familiar scene before him, Jiraiya felt a wave of melancholy.

He had just walked out of here, yet before long... he was back again!

Just then.

"Yo, little brother... why did you get thrown in too?!"

A familiar voice came from beside him.

"Don't tell me the leader sent you in here too!"

Mujie stared at Jiraiya in shock.

After all, both he and the leader knew this guy's identity.

He was the Third Hokage's disciple, a powerhouse granted the title of Konoha's Sannin by the Half-God of the Ninja World!

What had he done?

The leader had actually arrested him too?!

And he had not resisted?

"Don't mention it!" Jiraiya sighed when he saw the familiar fellow, recalling the furious old farmer's face. "I had no idea the ninja customs here in the Land of Grass were so different!"

Ninja actually did this kind of work?!

"Forget it! You probably won't be locked up for long. You might even get out before me!"

Mujie recalled how, despite his eager thirst for knowledge these past few days, he still could not leave.

How could he not realize... the leader was making things difficult for him again?

Still.

Had he said anything wrong that night?

No!

He had only wanted to capture Teacher Ooki and make him write a hundred thousand words and draw ten chapters every day!

It was all for the prosperity and development of the Land of Grass!

So why had they locked him up?

But what could he do now?

He could only accept it properly!

As if remembering something, Mujie looked at Jiraiya in the cell next to his, walked up to the iron bars, and lowered his voice. "Books! Want any?"

As soon as he spoke.

Jiraiya, who had been wearing a melancholy expression, immediately lit up. Suddenly, he felt that staying here for a few days would not be so bad after all!

Now the plan he had devised could be carried out!

He glanced at the Kusagakure ninja guarding the entrance, hurriedly leaned closer, and whispered, "Yes! Yes!"

"You understand how this works!" Mujie blinked and rubbed his fingers together, saying meaningfully, "The inspections have been strict lately! So the price..."

"I understand! I understand!"

And so...

The two men began conspiring in Kusagakure's prison over a... trivial yet necessarily secret smuggling operation!

Elsewhere.

After hearing Oyakamon's report, Kusana fell silent. In the end, he sighed and shook his head.

"Icha Icha Paradise" had not even been published yet.

The current Jiraiya... was merely a Traveling Toad with little money, wandering around on a budget!

What use was he?

He had absolutely no value!

"Since it wasn't intentional, then let him..."

Before he could finish.

He suddenly seemed to remember something and narrowed his eyes.

"This is a very serious matter!"

"???"

Oyakamon could not make heads or tails of the sudden change in the leader's tone.

What did the leader mean by this?

Did he want to declare war on Konoha?

"You must understand that the preparations for spring plowing are currently the most important matter in the Land of Grass! No one may obstruct them for any reason! What if something went wrong? That would severely affect spring planting! Do you know what problems affecting spring planting would cause?" Kusana slammed his hand on the table. "It would seriously affect the autumn harvest! Do you know what the autumn harvest is? It's food! Without food, the countless citizens of the Land of Grass would go hungry! Hunger means death! Death... means the Land of Grass would be destroyed! He nearly caused the destruction of the Land of Grass! How serious, how terrifying is that?!"

"..."

Was it really that serious?

Oyakamon fell silent, his eyes filled with complicated emotions. Countless words filled his heart, but in the end, they became a single sentence. "The leader... is right! What should we do now?"

"What should we do? Sigh, considering the relationship between the Land of Grass and Konoha, what else can we do? What kind of relationship do Konoha and Kusagakure have? We are close allies! Comrades who can entrust each other with our lives! You should know that Kusagakure guards Konoha's border and resists Iwagakure's invasions! Although Konoha's ninja has caused us a serious problem, we cannot let it worsen the relationship between our two villages!" Kusana sighed, wearing the expression of someone whose village had suffered a huge loss. "Therefore, in order to preserve the relationship between our villages, and to prevent the Land of Grass from being destroyed, we can only have that Konoha ninja help with the spring plowing! I heard his toads are quite large... Ahem!"

His tone turned stern. "This is to save the Land of Grass! There isn't much time left! We must complete the preparations as soon as possible!"

"...Yes! I understand!"

After the complicated-looking Oyakamon departed, Kusana sighed as well, sat down, and continued processing today's documents.

As for Jiraiya...

There was no helping it!

Kusagakure was short on manpower!

The Chinoike Clan and Uzumaki Clan each had their own tasks to handle, so they could only ask him to lend a hand.

"Come to think of it, toads... should be able to pull plows, right? Also..."

He looked at the documents submitted by the academy.

"It is time for school to begin!"

"So and so, this and that!" Jiraiya said with a solemn expression. "That way, neither of us will have met the other! Even if your leader wants to arrest you afterward, he won't be able to do anything! Just say you found money outside!"

As soon as he finished speaking.

"What an excellent idea!" After hearing Jiraiya's words, Mujie could not help but sigh. "I never expected you to come up with such a brilliant plan! You truly are one of Konoha's Sannin!"

"It can't be helped! I never thought the laws of the Land of Grass would be so strict! Otherwise, why would we need to do this?" Jiraiya sighed, looking at Mujie before him. "I never expected even a high-ranking Kusagakure official like you would be arrested for selling books!"

"..."

My arrest probably had nothing whatsoever to do with buying books!

But Mujie did not say it aloud. After all, if he said it... how would he raise the price?

And if the leader learned that he had said he was making things difficult for his subordinate, he would surely extend the sentence again!

His expression became serious as he said earnestly, "Next... let us refine the plan properly!"

As soon as he spoke.

Jiraiya nodded with a smile. "Indeed! This time, we must ensure nothing goes wrong."

However.

Before he could finish.

A Kusagakure ninja walked over, opened the cell door, and said helplessly, "You can come out now! I didn't expect them to release you in less than an hour! The leader has already decided on your punishment!" He took out a sheet of paper and handed it over. "One week of community service!"

"???"

Jiraiya froze, then curiously accepted the paper. When he saw that he would neither be fined nor have to remain locked up, but only needed to help prepare for the spring plowing, a smile involuntarily appeared on his face. "That is only proper..."

Still.

Before he could finish.

He suddenly seemed to remember something. He looked at Mujie, who was picking his nose beside him, then at the Kusagakure ninja before him. "Um... lock me up for one more day!" In a righteous tone, he said, "Here, this Toad Sage must criticize you people! I caused such a serious problem for the Land of Grass, yet you only locked me up for one hour? Is that reasonable? It isn't! At least one day is necessary! Keep me locked up! Come pick up this Toad Sage tomorrow morning!"

"???"

The Kusagakure ninja stared dumbfoundedly at the Konoha ninja, who had suddenly begun criticizing them. He opened his mouth, fumbled for a while, and had no idea what to say. In the end, after hesitating, he asked, "Sir... do you have a mental problem?"

Was that something a normal person would say?