Toad Sage

Seven days. Kaede's main body had lain in the basement for seven days before his eyes were fully restored—still that single-tomoe Sharingan.

"The outside world is so wonderful~ Every time the sun sets in the west..." Kaede happily sang out loud.

"Ah... ah... ah... ah..." A continuous baby's cry rose from the room below.

His mother Xiang's roar followed immediately: "What are you howling about so early in the morning? Look, you've woken your little sister up!"

Wearing an apron and cooking, she pointed her spatula at Kaede on the roof and gave him a proper scolding. Kaede was all smiles, not daring to talk back—where was the dignity of the Uchiha clan head now?

"Mother, I was wrong. Let me go put Quan back to sleep!" A wisp of smoke slipped into Quan's small room.

When Kaede entered, he saw Quan staring at him with big, sparkling eyes, tears still at the corners. She babbled indistinct sounds, stretching out her little white arms, trying to climb up from her crib.

He stepped forward, gently lifted her up, checked that the bed was clean, and only then felt at ease. He tapped her little cheek and said, "Tell me, was it me who woke you up?"

Kaede took Quan's tiny arm and swayed it, saying, "No, no, it wasn't big brother at all."

"See? Mother must be blaming me unfairly."

"Oh~ so I'm blaming you unfairly? Uchiha Kaede, you dare slander your own mother like this? I'm going to teach you a lesson." Xiang's voice came slowly from behind him.

Along with it came the spatula in her hand, aimed straight at Kaede's head.

But the next moment, Kaede had vanished, leaving only a happily laughing Quan behind. "Mother, I'm off on a mission. No need to save dinner for me today."

Walking down the street, Kaede looked at today's Konoha and felt much better. He spotted quite a few new and interesting things—truly, a good mood brings good luck.

He planned to check out Ichiraku Ramen first, then go see the Hokage to explain the Uchiha's recent movements and ease the Third's suspicions. Orochimaru wasn't a child either; he wouldn't run home crying to daddy just because he'd suffered a loss.

He'd just keep it in mind and wait for the chance to bite back hard—that was Snake-sama's style.

"Eh~ What's that pervy white-haired guy doing? Peeping on the women's bathhouse?" As an ANBU, Kaede was about to go warn him off.

Then he stopped.

"Why does this scene feel so familiar? That classic move, that shady silhouette... could it be that guy?" Kaede stared carefully and finally confirmed it.

Kaede Shunshin'd to the bathhouse roof and unleashed [Lightning Release: Ground Run]. Electric light shot rapidly toward the white-haired man plastered against the wall, peering intently inside.

The man seemed completely absorbed, unaware of the danger. But as the lightning neared, his ears twitched slightly, as if he'd heard the sound of Lightning Release. He leaped high, dodging the Ground Run's bolt.

The man interrupted from his "research" looked at the Konoha ninja who'd driven him back—just a brat. From the looks of him, he should still be a Ninja Academy student.

"Kid, was that you attacking me with Lightning Release just now?" Picking his nose, Jiraiya put on a tough-guy act.

"Pervert!"

"Kid, don't talk nonsense! I, the Toad Sage, was only gathering material for art!" Jiraiya shouted in loud denial.

Kaede squinted, a mischievous look in his eyes, and pointed at his nose. "Look at you, red-faced and thick-necked right now. No one would believe you weren't peeping. Pervert~"

Jiraiya clenched his fists, veins popping on his forehead. Being insulted by a brat like this—didn't the great Jiraiya-sama have any face left? "Listen up, kid."

Jiraiya jumped off the roof and simultaneously summoned a red-skinned toad, hopping onto it and striking a pose. "Little rookie, open those tiny eyes of yours wide and see! I am the Mount Myoboku Toad Spirit Immortal Sage, commonly known as the Toad Sage! I have arrived!"

The toad beneath him let out a timely "Ribbit~"

Kaede laughed happily. This was the nostalgia trip he'd been waiting for!

He took out his ANBU mask and put it on, then drew the short sword from his back. "In the name of the Konoha ANBU, I hereby arrest you on two charges: peeping and impersonating the great Jiraiya-sama. Surrender now! Pervert!"

The moment Kaede put on the ANBU mask, Jiraiya's mouth fell open as he stared. "This guy's actually ANBU? Have the recruitment standards dropped that low?"

Kaede Shunshin'd up, landing on the roof tiles, moving swiftly as he closed in on Jiraiya. His short sword crackled with Lightning Release chakra, glowing bright as he swung again and again.

Jiraiya didn't take the young ninja from his own village seriously, dodging continuously.

"Kid, not bad skills."

"Hmph! [Lightning Ball]"

Kaede wasn't about to listen to his nonsense. With such a golden opportunity to spar with one of the Sannin, Jiraiya, of course he'd go all out. Neither would use full power, but this was a chance to make a name for himself.

A crackling ball of lightning pressed down toward Jiraiya's toad. Jiraiya quickly sent the toad back to Mount Myoboku, then wrapped himself in [Needle Jizo] to block the Lightning Ball's attack.

"Try this one—[Thunder Flash]" Kaede flicked a sharp bolt of lightning from his fingers, shooting it toward Jiraiya hiding inside [Needle Jizo].

Jiraiya's rich combat experience told him this jutsu had terrifying penetrating power—[Needle Jizo] might not hold. He dispersed his hair, leaped up, and dodged the lightning bolt's rapid strike.

"Don't get too cocky, kid. Watch out—[Hair Needle Senbon]" The white hair on his back hardened and shot out like senbon, whistling through the air.

The Hair Needle Senbon were dense and wide-ranging. They thudded into the rooftop, and Kaede, unable to dodge in time, was riddled with holes.

Jiraiya watched the body fall from the air, panic flashing across his face as he rushed to catch it. "Damn it! I got too carried away—forgot he was just a kid. Kid, you alive?"

"Of course I'm not dead."

Kaede's voice came from behind Jiraiya, along with a cold short sword pressed against Jiraiya's neck. The body in Jiraiya's arms vanished with a puff of white smoke—a Shadow Clone.

"Now I'm arresting you!"

"But I'm not going with you, kid."

Jiraiya's voice came from behind Kaede, a kunai pressed to his throat. And the Jiraiya in front of Kaede dissolved into a puddle of mud on the ground—an Earth Clone.

"Clap, clap. What a splendid battle."

Golden hair stirred lightly in the wind. Minato Namikaze stood on the rooftop, watching the two below. He'd been there for a while and only spoke now that there was a result.

"Minato?"

"Jiraiya-sensei, welcome back."

Turning to Kaede, he said, "Kaede, this is Lord Jiraiya, one of the 'Sannin' and my teacher. By the way, that fight just now was brilliant."

"Minato-senpai, is he really Lord Jiraiya? But just now... I thought he was a pervert." Kaede pulled Minato aside and whispered to him.

Kaede's question left Minato embarrassed. "He... has some unique hobbies, but he's actually a good person."

Jiraiya eyed Kaede, who said, "Lord Jiraiya."

"Hmph! This Toad Sage is hungry and going to get something to eat. Minato, care to join?"