Outside the Anbu, Jiraiya had a hard time finding the place.
Before he even arrived, his voice rang out.
"Orochimaru! Orochimaru! You said you didn't want to get involved or help with the Ninja Academy matter last time, but you have to help me this time!"
Not just anyone could enter the Anbu, but Jiraiya was clearly an exception.
He came charging in, and was looking only for Orochimaru.
Even Danzo's subordinates couldn't easily stop him right now.
Orochimaru reluctantly set down his experiment.
He walked out of the lab and carefully closed the door behind him, then said seriously, "Jiraiya, you'd better have something important to tell me!"
"I do this time."
Jiraiya said.
He invited Orochimaru to sit down and told him what had happened in the Land of Waves.
Orochimaru narrowed his eyes.
This was rather interesting.
But what interested him more wasn't the situation in the Land of Waves. It was that Jiraiya had actually thought of using such a method to thwart the plans of the Land of Water and Kirigakure.
That was completely unlike Jiraiya!
He set aside his impatience and smiled. "Jiraiya, this is actually very simple. Didn't the person teaching you offer any advice?"
"Teach, teach me?"
Jiraiya stammered.
Had he...
Had he become Kyohiko's student?
Th-this was—
He was stunned, but after thinking it over, he couldn't deny it.
The reason he had come up with this idea was entirely thanks to Kyohiko's help.
However...
That might be true, but Jiraiya just couldn't bring himself to admit it in front of Orochimaru.
Jiraiya's expression stiffened.
Orochimaru, on the other hand, smiled with amusement.
"All right, Jiraiya. Whatever the person teaching you meant, this is actually very simple. The people involved need to do their part. We're just here to help."
"The people involved—the nobles of the Land of Fire and the Land of Waves?"
Jiraiya pondered.
"They may not be shinobi, but they have money to hire shinobi from other countries. They can deal with Gato and take control of the sea routes. Otherwise, are we supposed to handle everything while they sit back and enjoy the rewards?"
"This..."
Jiraiya hesitated.
Shinobi from other countries.
If shinobi from another country got involved, the Land of Waves might become a new battlefield, just like the Land of Rain.
"Foolish. I can tell what you're thinking just by looking at your face."
Orochimaru snorted. "What does it matter to us if they die? Would the Land of Waves be better off if we did nothing and let the Land of Water, Kirigakure, and Gato exert their influence?"
"This—"
"You came to me knowing what to expect. Stop bothering me and go find the other person teaching you."
After saying that, Orochimaru glanced outside in displeasure. "That guy isn't Anbu, is he? Can just anyone wander into the Anbu?"
The Anbu Ninja outside remained unmoved.
Jiraiya sighed helplessly and finally left the Anbu.
Was he really going to have to find Kyohiko next?
He'd managed to teach Nagato and Minato without much trouble, but when it came to this kid...
A teacher having to rely on his student for guidance.
How embarrassing!
"Jiraiya, Jiraiya, can't you think for yourself? You can surely come up with a better, more perfect plan on your own!"
Knock, knock, knock!
Early in the morning, someone rapped on the window.
Kyohiko got up and rubbed his eyes. Dawn was just breaking outside.
Who was it?
He got up and saw Jiraiya sitting outside the window.
Jiraiya looked dejected.
It seemed he hadn't gotten the answer he wanted.
Kyohiko got up to wash, and a little while later, went downstairs to open the door and let Jiraiya in.
"Teacher? Didn't you say you were going to find an expert? He couldn't solve your problem?"
"He did, sort of. Sigh, but not in the way I wanted."
Jiraiya took out a few rice balls, handed one to Kyohiko, and talked as he ate.
Kyohiko listened quietly.
After a while, he understood what Jiraiya meant.
Jiraiya wanted to have it both ways.
There was no way things could be that easy!
"You don't agree with my idea either?"
Jiraiya could tell.
Kyohiko chose his words carefully.
In the end, he answered honestly. "It's too naive."
Jiraiya sighed.
That was true.
Even they couldn't think of a solution to this difficult problem. Expecting a child to come up with one was asking too much.
He really had lost his head!
"Maybe the Land of Lightning and the Land of Hot Water wouldn't want to see the Land of Waves fall under the control of either side, either. If we don't want to claim the Land of Waves for ourselves, they could help us."
"The Land of Lightning and the Land of Hot Water? You're right!"
Jiraiya was both surprised and delighted.
If all they wanted was to keep the Land of Waves neutral, their potential allies weren't limited to Konoha or hired shinobi.
Smoke filled the Hokage Office.
Hiruzen Sarutobi puffed on his pipe, gazing out the window while Jiraiya explained his idea behind him.
After listening for a long time, he finally sighed heavily.
"This approach—"
"Otherwise, Gato's company and the Land of Water will secretly take control of them. Then the Land of Waves will suffer, and Kirigakure will be able to use it as a base to infiltrate and threaten our Land of Fire whenever it wants."
Jiraiya said.
He wasn't foolish; he'd just been holding on to wishful thinking before.
Kyohiko and Orochimaru's words had made him fully understand what he'd been thinking deep down.
They couldn't back down!
If they did, given the nature of Kirigakure and the Land of Water, both the Land of Waves and the Land of Fire could come under attack.
Hiruzen Sarutobi frowned.
"Jiraiya!"
"Teacher, there's no better option."
Jiraiya said seriously.
Hiruzen Sarutobi fell silent.
Jiraiya grew anxious.
"Teacher!"
"Let me think it over."
Hiruzen Sarutobi looked deeply troubled.
The Land of Lightning and the Land of Hot Water.
Those two countries were indeed above the bay of the Land of Waves, and their sea trade would be seriously affected by what happened there—
Neither country wanted to see the Land of Waves controlled by either the Land of Water or the Land of Fire.
If they wanted the Land of Waves to remain neutral, those countries could indeed be allies.
He thought it over for a long time, then said, "Jiraiya, in theory, I do think your idea is feasible. But before we put it into practice, I think we need to consider it more carefully."
"This... Sigh!"
At that moment, a thought came to Jiraiya—
His teacher really was getting old!
Pressuring the Land of Waves to stay neutral was the best outcome they could hope for.
In the past, his teacher would have made a decision quickly. He wouldn't still be hesitating after a whole day, without even calling anyone else in to discuss it.
Perhaps Kyohiko was right.
For some decisions, you had to hold the power to speak if you wanted to see them through.
And now...
Jiraiya lowered his gaze and headed somewhere in Konoha.
A thought was taking shape in his mind.
Kyohiko was right.
When it came to a fight, there was no need to go it alone.
Changes in the Land of Waves could affect many people, including families in Konoha that did business there.
The Nara Clan was one of them.
They could all help.
But...
Jiraiya sighed deeply.
Before this, he never would have imagined that one day he'd be pushing for something that might start a war.
And yet...
War, peace...
The line between them was too hard to draw.
He fell silent.
In the past, he'd believed that mutual understanding and love could bring peace, but at least for now, that idea seemed too naive.
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