"Are you already going on a mission? It's not dangerous, is it?" Tianqi asked worriedly. After all, now that they'd grown closer, it was only right to show some concern.
"It's not dangerous. Orochimaru and I are just going to deal with some bandits. It's a simple mission. By the time we finish, you'll probably be out too."
"Just the two of you? What about Jiraiya?" Hearing that only the two of them were going, Tianqi began to suspect something.
"He... Teacher Sarutobi was teaching him the Summoning Technique, and before he'd even figured it out, he tried it. He ended up being summoned away, and no one knows where he is now."
"Anyway, you can ask Teacher Sarutobi yourself when you get out. I've got to go; we're waiting to leave for the mission." With that, Tsunade picked up her lunchbox and walked out.
Just as I thought. Jiraiya must have gone to Mount Myoboku to learn Senjutsu. Senjutsu... when will I ever get to learn it?
Watching Tsunade's retreating figure, he thought to himself, Sigh. Being a ninja really is a high-risk job. Who knows how many people will die in the Second and Third Shinobi World Wars? Wouldn't it be better to live in peace?
And so, after Tianqi had spent a month behind bars, he was finally released. Sarutobi himself came to pick him up.
At the prison entrance,
"Ah, sunlight, open ground, fresh air at last! It's so much better out here!" Tianqi said, stretching.
"Now you know how nice it is out here, huh? Let's see if you dare get into trouble again." Sarutobi rolled his eyes.
"Come on, big brother Sarutobi, I just got out. Don't say such a downer. Take me out for a meal!" Tianqi grabbed Sarutobi, ready to set off.
"Wait. Didn't you notice there's someone else here to pick you up?"
Tianqi followed Sarutobi Hiruzen's gaze. "Zhan? What are you doing here?" Uchiha Zhan, the Elder's son, was quite strong—around Jonin level. He'd also moved out of the clan along with Tianqi. (Obviously. His dad had left; how could the son stay behind?)
"I heard you were getting out today, and my father insisted I come pick you up. Otherwise, I wouldn't have bothered. I've got plenty of things to do, you know," Zhan said, looking thoroughly displeased.
"You came all this way, so quit whining. Today, you and big brother Sarutobi are treating me to a proper meal. I've been eating bland food in jail so long, I can barely taste anything anymore." He pulled the two of them toward a restaurant.
Aside from the Elder, Zhan was the Uchiha Tianqi got along with best. He didn't mind Zhan grumbling at him—they were buddies, after all.
He was always casual with people he got along with. If Danzo or someone else tried saying that kind of thing, just see what happened. He'd beat their mouths until they were swollen.
Soon, the three of them reached a restaurant. As soon as Tianqi sat down, he called out, "Boss, bring me one of everything that tastes good! These two are paying."
Sarutobi and Zhan were both speechless.
"Come on, Tianqi. Do you really need one of everything? You're acting like you've never eaten before. Didn't Tsunade bring you food?"
Tianqi's expression turned sour at the mention of it. "Big brother Sarutobi, how dare you bring that up?"
"What did I do?" Sarutobi was completely at a loss, with no idea how he'd offended Tianqi.
"What did you do? You've got the nerve to ask? Tsunade had only been bringing me food for a few days when you sent her off on a mission. I've been stuck with nothing but plain fare ever since. You can't tell me you had nothing to do with that!" Tianqi glared at Sarutobi Hiruzen, clearly annoyed.
Uh... At the mention of that, he finally understood. It really was his fault. "Tianqi, I had no choice. Tsunade and the others are already strong enough to be Chunin, so it's time they got some proper training. We could go to war any day. You don't want them to stay useless ornaments forever, do you?"
"I heard from Tsunade that you got Jiraiya lost."
Hm? At Tianqi's sudden remark, Zhan turned to Sarutobi Hiruzen in confusion. He knew Jiraiya was the Hokage's student. Had the student been...? Sarutobi Hiruzen sure had some unusual tastes.
"Don't get the wrong idea. He used the Summoning Technique and was summoned somewhere else. Tianqi, you need to explain that better." Seeing the strange look Zhan was giving him, Sarutobi hurried to explain. He couldn't let the Hokage's dignity take a complete beating.
"The food's ready. Enjoy your meal, guests." The owner set down the dishes and left.
"Exactly! How could you teach him the Summoning Technique without a contract? Weren't you afraid he'd go and never come back?" The food had arrived, and Tianqi spoke as he ate.
"Sigh. I didn't think he'd be so impulsive. I'd just finished explaining the Hand Seals when he went and tried it. I don't even know where he was summoned, or whether he can come back." Sarutobi really had made a mistake, and he felt deeply guilty about it.
"What a lousy teacher. A teacher like you is the biggest danger when there's no danger around. Still, Jiraiya may end up being better off for it."
"Hm? Better off? How so?" Hearing Tianqi say that, Sarutobi's guilt began to fade.
"Jiraiya will end up at a sacred place through that Summoning Technique. As long as he makes it back from there, I'm sure he'll become the strongest of the three-man team."
"So it wasn't a bad thing after all—it was a good thing! Hahaha, I knew teaching him the Summoning Technique couldn't be a mistake. But Tianqi, how do you know all this?" Once he knew Jiraiya was fine, Sarutobi's guilt disappeared completely. Then he grew a little curious.
"Uh... well, because I've been to that sacred place before. There's an old man there who can see the future. He foresaw that Jiraiya would go there one day." Tianqi made up an explanation—or, well, it wasn't exactly made up. The old man really could prophesy.
See the future! Sarutobi and Zhan were both stunned.
"How could anyone in this world have the power to see the future? I don't believe it," Zhan stated firmly. Sarutobi chimed in, "I don't really believe it either. Seeing the future is too incredible."
"Whether you believe it or not, it's true. You can ask Jiraiya yourself when he gets back. And I've got an even bigger surprise for you: that old man could be considered half the mentor of the founder of the Shinobi World." Tianqi spoke slowly as he ate.
"The founder of the Shinobi World? What's that?" The two of them were baffled again. It was the first time they'd heard the term.
"Damn, do people these days not pay attention to history? You don't even know about the founder of the Shinobi World?" Tianqi covered his eyes, as if he couldn't bear to look at the two illiterates. Then he went on to explain.
The Sage of Six Paths, known as the founder of the Shinobi World, had originally been a monk during an age of war. He discovered the truth of Chakra and hoped to use it to call for peace. Legend had it that every ninjutsu in existence had been created by the Sage of Six Paths. Later, people honored him with that title for his outstanding contributions. In that chaotic era, rumors spread far and wide.
Tianqi left out the full truth, skipping over what needed to be skipped. He didn't mention Kaguya Otsutsuki or the like, afraid that saying it aloud would scare the two of them.
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