Seeing his expression, Uzumaki Kushina narrowed her eyes slightly. "Was Jiraiya-sensei with you just now?"
Minato Namikaze froze at her words and blurted out, "How did you know?"
Uzumaki Kushina immediately exploded. "Was that old pervert trying to take you peeping?!"
Seeing how furious Uzumaki Kushina was, Minato swallowed before nodding, silently offering Jiraiya a prayer. "That's right."
"Jiraiya-sensei wanted to take me out to gather material, but I refused."
"So he went off alone."
At that, Uzumaki Kushina inwardly breathed a sigh of relief, only for her anger to flare up again. "I knew that old pervert was trying to lead you astray!"
With that, she headed straight toward Konoha.
Minato Namikaze looked at her in confusion and curiously asked, "Kushina, where are you going?"
"I'm going to settle the score with him!"
Hearing that, Minato Namikaze said nothing more.
Only after Uzumaki Kushina had left did he murmur under his breath, "Jiraiya-sensei, please take the hit for me."
"We agreed to give Kushina a surprise, after all."
Far away on Mount Myōboku, Jiraiya had no idea that the disciple he admired most had just set him up.
At that moment, Sage Fukasaku and Sage Shima were leading him toward the Great Toad Sage's location.
"Little Jiraiya, you have to stay for a proper meal today," Sage Shima said firmly. "It's been so long since you last came to eat!"
The instant he heard that, cold sweat streamed down Jiraiya's face.
He truly could not stomach Sage Shima's insect dishes!
With an awkward laugh, Jiraiya said with little conviction, "Kushina has prepared dinner today and asked me to come over."
"You know what Kushina's temper is like. If I don't go, I'll be in trouble next time."
As he spoke, he wiped away nonexistent cold sweat. "Next time.