"Because I've been training in this area all along, I was able to do it so quickly. It's not that my talent is really that much greater than yours."
Kyohiko explained, trying to comfort him.
It was obvious.
The young man seemed to be taking it pretty hard.
That wasn't what he'd intended!
He'd wanted Kakashi to understand that there would always be someone better, that one person's abilities were limited and that he needed to rely on his team and his comrades. He hadn't meant to shake Kakashi's confidence.
That would be a huge loss!
What if his reward got docked for it?
The mask shifted. A few seconds later, Kakashi asked, "Really?"
"I've been practicing compressing the shape transformation of Water Style, hoping I can work it into Water Wave. The two aren't the same, but the principles are similar."
Kyohiko answered kindly.
Jiraiya gave him a long look.
Didn't he know what level Kyohiko had been at before?
He was strong, but only compared to others his age. In reality, Jiraiya judged that his ability to compress chakra shouldn't have been enough to reach this level yet.
Otherwise—
When Kyohiko had used Tsunade's technique before, with his chakra reserves, he shouldn't have been so badly injured.
He must have made huge progress over the past few days!
Could it be...
Jiraiya had a theory.
He understood perfectly well.
Tsunade had asked for the Second Hokage's book and given it to Kyohiko mainly to broaden his horizons and improve his fundamentals, such as his knowledge and chakra control.
If he improved those, he might have a chance of truly mastering Strength of a Hundred.
But—
It had only been a few days since he got the book.
What incredible progress!
Jiraiya composed himself and glanced at Kakashi, unable to help worrying for him.
He hadn't paid much attention before, but he knew that Kakashi had grown up surrounded by praise and had always been known as a "genius."
Now that someone even more talented had come along, Kakashi might lose confidence.
Still—
He said nothing.
If Kakashi really became despondent over this, Jiraiya would only think less of him.
For Kakashi, this might actually be a good thing.
As a ninja, he had to be resilient.
Several hours later, evening had fallen, and Kyohiko followed the others off the carriage.
At the dock, the Matsuyama Clan's people had already started unloading and loading cargo. There was lumber and stone, as well as medicinal herbs from the Nara Clan.
More than a dozen ships were moored outside, an astonishing number.
No wonder they'd hired protection.
With a business this big, if Gato ambushed them and made off with their cargo, the Matsuyama Clan would suffer a devastating loss.
As Jiraiya pondered this, Ichiro Matsuyama approached, escorted by his guards.
"Lord Jiraiya..."
"Just call me Jiraiya."
Jiraiya replied with a smile.
Ichiro Matsuyama didn't dare, and instead said, "Here's the situation. We'll set out tomorrow morning. It'll take about an hour to get from the dock to the Land of Waves. Would you all like to rest aboard the ship and have something to eat?"
"Sure, but there's no rush. My students are training by the shore, so going aboard wouldn't be very convenient."
Jiraiya smiled.
Ichiro Matsuyama nodded. He didn't press the matter, but he didn't leave right away either. He looked around, an apologetic expression coming over his face.
"Lord Jiraiya, as you can see, this is a very large shipment. The truth is, our Matsuyama Clan doesn't have much cash on hand to cover the debt. We really weren't the ones who spread the news to the other clans..."
"Don't worry. It's true that Tsunade owes you money. You're well within your rights to collect it; there's nothing wrong with that."
Jiraiya knew what he meant.
"Besides, with Tsunade's abilities, she was bound to become famous sooner or later. Better to put a stop to it now than have people showing up at her door to collect later."
"Ahem. Our clan does run a casino, but gambling really isn't good."
Ichiro Matsuyama cleared his throat.
Tsunade lost everywhere she went. Rumors about the "Big Fat Sheep" had already started circulating in some places, though they hadn't spread very far yet.
It was easy to see what would happen.
If Tsunade kept gambling, she'd only lose more and end up owing even more money.
Cutting her losses now was definitely a good idea.
Jiraiya didn't dwell on the subject.
"Mr. Matsuyama, one thing has nothing to do with the other. You don't need to worry about that. What I'm concerned about now is the situation in the Land of Waves. Given what you've told me, what if enemy ninja get involved..."
"Don't worry. I know the rules. If the other side brings in ninja, we're willing to pay a fee appropriate to the situation."
Ichiro Matsuyama assured him at once.
Jiraiya nodded, his smile returning.
Gambling debts were one thing.
The mission fee was another. They couldn't skimp on it!
Once they'd reached an agreement, Ichiro Matsuyama finally relaxed and returned to the ship with a smile.
Jiraiya looked around.
At last, he spotted Kyohiko near the shore and walked over at once.
"Kyohiko, what are you doing?"
"Teacher, I'm practicing Water Style Ninjutsu. I want to see if I can reduce the number of Hand Seals needed for Water Wall when I'm near the water."
Kyohiko explained.
Some of the Hand Seals for Water Wall were meant to create Water Style chakra. But if there was water nearby, he could theoretically skip some of those steps.
A technique like that would probably come in handy in the Land of Waves.
Jiraiya couldn't help feeling impressed.
Kyohiko was among the best of the best for his age, yet he wasn't the least bit arrogant or complacent. That kind of humility was truly rare!
He nodded lightly.
"Using Water Style near the water really can save you some Hand Seals..."
After offering a few technical pointers, Jiraiya paused, then continued, "Did you learn Strength of a Hundred from Tsunade?"
"I haven't learned it yet. For now, I've been figuring out my own approach. I can use a rough version of it, at least. Lady Tsunade has seen it too and said it's fine, but she told me not to teach it to others since it might still be too difficult for them."
Kyohiko answered honestly.
Under the moonlight, Jiraiya seemed to turn to stone.
As Tsunade's teammate, he understood that technique all too well.
According to Tsunade, you either "learned" Strength of a Hundred or "didn't learn it." There was no in-between.
What did he mean, he could use a rough version of it?
That surprised Jiraiya even more than Kyohiko bursting the ball earlier that day.
Jiraiya couldn't help asking,
"Could you demonstrate it?"
"Of course."
Kyohiko gathered and raised his chakra, then, a second later, stomped hard.
Boom!
The ground caved in, leaving a crater about the size of a washbasin.
It couldn't compare to Tsunade's Strength of a Hundred, but that only made Jiraiya more astonished.
From sensing the chakra, he more or less understood the principle.
Slow down the release and reduce the amount of chakra in exchange for safer use.
In theory, it was possible.
But—
Pulling it off required incredibly precise chakra control.
That wasn't something training could make up for later.
And yet, having the necessary aptitude was one thing. Conceiving the idea, putting it into practice, and optimizing the technique were entirely different matters.
Many people might spend their whole lives without ever managing to improve a technique.
Tsunade, for instance, had mastered Strength of a Hundred to the highest degree, yet still couldn't simplify it or make it easier to learn.
What an extraordinary kid!
It took Jiraiya a long while to come back to himself. He nodded dazedly and replied, "Right, right. Just do as Tsunade says. I mainly wanted to know what my team members are really capable of."
"Are you worried there might be ninja from Kirigakure?"
Kyohiko asked.
Jiraiya nodded.
"The Land of Water has always wanted to dominate the seas. The Land of Waves is close to the Land of Fire and is a key transit point for maritime trade in this region. Kirigakure might well interfere in secret."
As he spoke, his expression turned serious.
"If you get into a fight, don't act on your own. Do you understand? Your opponents won't care whether you're Genin or Chunin."
"I understand."
Before you continue