Kakashi's Journey to Find Someone

After leaving the Land of Hot Water, Houka took out a map of the Ninja World and was left somewhat dumbfounded.

The Ninja World was so vast—where was he supposed to find Jiraiya?

"Why not just wait at Yugakure and see if he comes to me?"

But wouldn't that be too passive?

Thinking of the mixed-gender bathhouses in Yugakure, Houka resolutely turned around and entered the Land of Hot Water for a second time.

Meanwhile, Kakashi also left Konohagakure and began searching for Houka.

He began his search in Takigakure of the Land of Waterfalls. After finding nothing, he entered the Land of Grass.

The war within the Land of Grass was now nearing its end. The wandering ninja recruited from the Black Market by the Land of Grass's Daimyo had ultimately been defeated by Kusagakure. After the Daimyo's death, control over the Land of Grass fell into the hands of Kusagakure's leader.

Yet despite gaining control of the Land of Grass, Kusagakure's leader was not happy in the slightest.

To defeat the Land of Grass's Daimyo, he had purchased a large number of expensive ninja tools from Uchiha Itachi and Kisame Hoshigaki. After finally winning the war, he was told that the Daimyo of the Land of Grass had owed an enormous debt, which he now had to repay. The creditors were none other than the very two men who had sold him those overpriced ninja tools. Even all the mineral resources within the Land of Grass had fallen under their names. How could Kusagakure's leader possibly endure that?

And then, there was no then.

Although Kusagakure had won the war, it had suffered devastating losses and no longer had the strength to fight. Kisame Hoshigaki merely flexed his muscular biceps, and Kusagakure's leader was completely intimidated.

After all,