There Is No Such Thing as a Child of Destiny in This World!

With ample funds, the Land of Grass once again plunged into construction.

Academy funding?

Approved!

Research Institute funding?

Approved!

Military Police Force funding?

Approved!

Medical Department funding?

Approved!

Approved!

Approve them all!

Now that he had money, Kusana approved every reasonable funding request.

Because they had truly been unable to spare any money some time ago—after all, they could not possibly spend everything and still needed to retain some to keep the country and village running—quite a few construction projects and facilities had been halted or slowed down.

Now that they had money, of course they had to pick up the pace of construction again!

After approving the funds and waiting for the grinning crowd to leave, Kusana finally stretched comfortably, just as he was about to rest for a while.

"Knock, knock~"

There came a knock on the door.

Kusana immediately sat upright. Stacks of documents lay piled across his desk, and he folded his hands on its surface as he said solemnly, "Come in!"

The moment he finished speaking.

Oyakamon walked in. Before Kusana could ask what was going on.

"Leader!" Oyakamon gave a slight bow and said seriously, "Lord Jiraiya requests an audience!"

"Jiraiya?" Kusana looked puzzled. "What does that guy want with me?"

By his reckoning, shouldn't Jiraiya have been preparing to set off and resume his search for the Child of Destiny?

Why did he suddenly have the time to visit the Grass Ninja Village Leader?

After pondering for a moment, he looked up at Oyakamon, who was still waiting before him, and said, "Forget it. Let him in!"

As soon as he said that.

"Yes!!!"

Oyakamon left at once.

Not long after.

Jiraiya entered with a cheerful smile. When he saw the documents piled high before the leader of the Land of Grass, he was briefly surprised, then sighed with emotion. It seemed that... the reconstruction of the Land of Grass had indeed brought forth an extraordinary leader!

Although he had not found any trace of Teacher Ooki during this time, he had nevertheless witnessed the changes in the Land of Grass.

The entire Land of Grass radiated astonishing vitality!

Every commoner and ninja in the Land of Grass was immersed in construction.

He had stayed here for nearly three months, and he could already feel the tremendous changes that had taken place.

Rows upon rows of neat houses had appeared, while the dirt roads were gradually becoming broad thoroughfares.

There was also the Land of Grass Academy... one had to know that, outside the Five Great Ninja Villages, the other small ninja villages would never waste so much money and manpower building an academy. Their countries were small, their populations limited, and as for ninja... there were even fewer of them. There was simply no need to waste money on an academy.

Yet this tiny Grass Ninja Village Leader was different from the leaders of other small countries. He had resolutely chosen to establish a Ninja Academy.

Through his subtle, discreet investigations, Jiraiya had heard that when the Land of Grass had first begun rebuilding, its leader immediately proposed constructing an academy, only to face opposition from many people.

After all, for a small country like the Land of Grass, it truly seemed unnecessary.

However.

This young leader of the Land of Grass had brushed aside all objections and resolutely chosen to build an academy of his own. At the same time, he demanded that it be built quickly and well, and he had also declared...

Children were a nation's future.

No matter how poor one was, one could never impoverish education! To make a nation strong, education had to be valued!

Such thought-provoking words!

One had to know that the First Hokage and the Second Hokage had also advocated valuing and protecting the new generation, while that old man, the Third Hokage, had put forth the Will of Fire, allowing the older generation to become flames that illuminated the younger ninja.

He had never expected to find a ninja with such broad-mindedness in a tiny country like the Land of Grass.

Moreover, he had taken in the Uzumaki Clan, feared by the entire ninja world, as well as the Chinoike Clan, exiled by the daimyo of the Land of Lightning!

He was a ninja worthy of admiration!

Just as he had said back then...

"You're a good person!"

"???"

What the hell was that supposed to mean?

The moment he entered, he had looked at him with alternating expressions of sentiment and melancholy, then suddenly told him with a complicated face that he was a good person!

What was that supposed to mean?

What did he mean?

If he did not know this guy was a total pervert, he might have had to say, "I'm not that kind of person!"

Kusana came back to his senses and said with a serious face, "This is all for peace in the ninja world!" Then he looked at Jiraiya and got straight to the point. "What do you want with me?"

As soon as he said that.

Jiraiya's expression also turned serious. Sitting across from him, he said, "Nagato..."

"Yes."

Kusana offered no explanation. He had long known that Jiraiya would discover Nagato's eyes.

When he had visited Nagato's home a few days ago, Nagato had complained that Jiraiya was so annoying or something.

Every day, he kept talking to him about the Child of Destiny, the Sage of Six Paths' eyes, and all that.

If Nagato had not known Jiraiya was one of Konoha's famous Sannin, he would have thought the guy was running some kind of pyramid scheme.

"No wonder you stole him out of the Land of Rain back then!" Jiraiya sighed. "Of course... don't worry, I'll keep it secret!" Then he waggled his eyebrows and said, "At first, I thought you were after his eyes, but now I understand! You're not that kind of person!"

"..."

You don't understand shit!

The reason he had brought those three kids back then was really... because the Land of Grass had no talent among its younger generation!

Kusana rolled his eyes and said flatly, "Is there anything else?"

"Oh, oh~! Right. Aside from asking about Nagato before leaving, I actually..." Jiraiya scratched his head and laughed awkwardly. "I have one other insignificant matter I'd like to ask of you!"

"Speak!"

"If possible..." Jiraiya looked somewhat embarrassed, then said seriously, "I came to the Land of Grass to visit the great literary master Teacher Ooki. However..." He sighed. "For some reason, I have been unable to find any news of Teacher Ooki. Even the manager of the Land of Grass bookstore does not know where Teacher Ooki lives. Unfortunately, I have delayed here for too long and must leave. Could I trouble you to help me find Teacher Ooki?"

As he spoke, he took out a letter from his robes.

"If you find him, please give this to Teacher Ooki. And tell him that if he has time, I will definitely visit him in person. I am also a writer! A man who will become a great literary master of the ninja world!"

"...Fine!"

After all this time, he still had not given up?!

The corner of Kusana's mouth twitched slightly, but he quickly regained his composure. He accepted the envelope expressionlessly and nodded. "If I find him, I'll deliver it."

"I'm counting on you!"

"If there's nothing else..."

Before he could finish.

Jiraiya suddenly began acting coy. He scratched his head again and laughed awkwardly. "Actually, there's one more thing..."

"...Speak!"

"Because of a tiny accident, my travel funds..."

"..."

Kusana silently pointed at the door.

"Wait! I'm borrowing it! Borrowing!" Jiraiya hurriedly said. "Believe me! I'm Jiraiya, the Toad Sage! The dream of countless girls in the ninja world! Believe me! Don't worry, I have collateral too! Collateral!" Gritting his teeth, he took several... familiar figurines from his robes.

The Three Great Sage Princesses, swimsuit edition!

Then, with a look of deep reluctance, he said, "I'll trade these for it! Don't worry, this sage always keeps his word. The next time I come to the Land of Grass, I will definitely redeem them!" His eyes reddened slightly. "You must take good care of them!"

"..."

What the hell was he supposed to do with these things?!

In the end.

Jiraiya still left.

With the money he had gotten from pawning off his wives, he rode his toad away like a wandering rogue of the ninja world.

As for Kusana... after giving it some thought, he brought the three children to see him off and even promised that he would take good care of Jiraiya's wives.

However.

The three children did not understand why they had come to see off one of Konoha's Sannin.

But since Teacher Amang had said so, they quietly watched the Toad Sage depart.

Only after he disappeared from sight, just as the four of them were about to leave.

Nagato looked into the distance. His eyes shifted slightly, and after hesitating for a moment, he suddenly said, "Teacher Amang."

"Hmm?"

"Does this ninja world really have a Child of Destiny?"

"There is no such thing as a Child of Destiny in this world! The only one who can save you is yourself. If there really is one, then..."

Kusana gazed into the distance with a sentimental expression.

A gentle breeze drifted past.

The grass swayed softly.

With his hands behind his back and melancholy filling his eyes, he saw the three children watching him. As though he had built up enough suspense, the corners of his mouth finally rose slightly.

His tone was gentle, as though he were merely stating something ordinary.

"We are all the Child of Destiny of our own lives! Rather than entrusting your fate to someone else, why not rely on yourself? Only with your own hands can you create happiness that belongs to you!"