Old Friends Reunited

That afternoon, Minamoto Takuya sat quietly by the table, continuing to inscribe Sealing Jutsu.

Suddenly.

Bang!!!

A violent crash tore through the silence. The inn's flimsy door was shoved open with brute force, slamming heavily into the wall hard enough to make the entire frame seem to tremble.

Hot, damp air thick with alcohol rushed in at once, followed by Jiraiya's tall figure blocking the doorway.

Half his body leaned crookedly against the frame, barely keeping his swaying body steady. The pungent stench of liquor spread even faster than he did.

His hair was disheveled, his face flushed red, and his unfocused eyes carried the manic excitement of drunkenness.

He struggled to open his wandering eyes wider, searching the room before finally locking onto Minamoto Takuya beside the table. In his usual booming voice, now rougher and hoarser from drink, he loudly announced:

"Hehe! Takuya, kid! I found it... hehehe... This great me finally... found information on Tsunade!" Alcohol-laden breath billowed from his mouth, followed by a small belch.

He grinned smugly, as though he had accomplished some earth-shattering feat, waiting to see Minamoto Takuya leap up in delighted surprise.

Yet Minamoto Takuya did not seem to so much as lift an eyelid. He merely set the scroll in his hand back onto the table. Not only did he lack the ecstatic joy Jiraiya had expected, there was not even the slightest ripple of reaction.

Seeing his utterly unexcited expression, Jiraiya's smugness froze. His excitement was instantly replaced by deep confusion.

He tilted his head and asked through the heavy smell of alcohol, "Hey, hey? What's this... kid... aren't you happy?" He instinctively grabbed the doorframe and staggered another half-step forward.

Only then did Minamoto Takuya slowly rise to his feet. His tone was calm and flat, carrying even a