While Houka was teaching the Four Violet Flames Formation to those four nameless extras in Otogakure, Naruto, Uchiha Sasuke, and Sakura smoothly passed Kakashi's bell test. After that, they began grinding monsters like crazy... er, grinding D-rank missions. Two months later, they finally received a C-rank escort mission and headed for the Land of Waves.
During that time, after restocking his Explosive Clay, Deidara launched a frenzied campaign of revenge against Kimimaro. In the end, Orochimaru kicked him out for carrying out terrorist bombings in Otogakure.
By the time Houka left Otogakure, Deidara had already fled back to Takigakure.
Houka had originally wanted to return to Takigakure as well, but with the Chunin Exams about to begin, finding Jiraiya took priority.
So he headed west—no, east—and arrived at Yugakure once again, soaking in hot springs while lying in wait.
To his surprise, luck was on his side this time. Just a few days later, Jiraiya appeared without a sound, wearing that lecherous grin of his.
The moment someone peeped on him, Houka felt a prickling sensation down his back. Even submerged in the scalding spring water, huge goosebumps rose across his skin—but the feeling quickly vanished.
After all the setbacks he had endured, Houka was no longer naive enough to dismiss it as an illusion. He immediately formed Hand Seals and summoned Handsome No. 1's Shadow Clone, ordering it to use the Chakra Sensory Technique to scan the surroundings while he quickly got dressed.
"Found him! Northeast!" Handsome No. 1's Shadow Clone's eyes gleamed. "What powerful chakra fluctuations. There's no mistake—it's definitely Jiraiya!"
Without another word, Houka rushed out.
"Damn it, damn it!"
Under the night sky, a white-haired figure raced northeast with a miserable expression, leaving a string of afterimages in his wake.
"Why is that guy here?!"
Jiraiya