Reversing the Heavenly Dipper, I'm Kyohiko's Student?

Outside the Anbu headquarters, Jiraiya struggled to find his way here.

Before he even arrived, his voice preceded him.

"Orochimaru, Orochimaru! Regarding the Ninja Academy matter last time, you said you didn't want to participate or help, but this time you absolutely must help me!"

Although not everyone could enter the Anbu, Jiraiya was clearly not among those restricted.

He arrived with great momentum, seeking only Orochimaru.

Even Danzo's subordinates found it difficult to stop him easily at this moment.

Orochimaru sighed helplessly and set down his experiment.

He walked out of the laboratory, carefully closed the door, and then said seriously, "Jiraiya, you had better have something truly important!"

"This time, it really is."

Jiraiya said.

He invited Orochimaru to sit down and recounted the situation in the Land of Waves.

Orochimaru narrowed his eyes.

This matter was actually quite interesting.

However, what he cared about more was not the situation in the Land of Waves, but that Jiraiya had actually thought of using such a method to sabotage the goals of the Land of Water and Kirigakure.

This was completely unlike Jiraiya's style!

He set aside his impatience and smiled, "Jiraiya, this matter is actually quite simple. Didn't the person who taught you give any suggestions?"

"Taught, taught me?"

Jiraiya's voice stuttered.

Himself...

Had he actually become a student of Kyohiko?

This, this, this!

He was dumbfounded, yet when he thought about it carefully, he could not refute it.

The fact that he had such an idea right now could be said to be entirely due to Kyohiko's help.

However.

While that might be the case, Jiraiya really couldn't bring himself to admit it in front of Orochimaru; he couldn't save face.

Jiraiya's expression stiffened.

Orochimaru, however, curled his lips, revealing a pleased smile.

"Alright, Jiraiya, regardless of what the person who taught you meant, the matter is actually very simple. You need to make the relevant people put in the effort; we are just helping."

"Relevant people? The nobles of the Land of Fire, the Land of Waves?"

Jiraiya was lost in thought.

"Although they aren't ninjas, they have the money to hire ninjas from other countries to deal with Gato and control the shipping lanes. Otherwise, are we supposed to wait until we've finished everything just so they can sit there and enjoy the fruits of our success?"

"This..."

Jiraiya hesitated after hearing this.

Ninjas from other countries.

If ninjas from other countries intervened, the Land of Waves might end up like the Land of Rain, becoming a new battlefield.

"Foolish. Looking at your expression, I know exactly what you're thinking."

Orochimaru snorted coldly, "Whether they live or die, what does that have to do with us? Do you think that if we don't intervene, the Land of Waves will become a better place under the influence of the Land of Water, Kirigakure, and Gato?"

"This—"

"You should have been prepared when you came to find me. Don't disturb me again; go find the other person who taught you."

After Orochimaru finished speaking, he glanced at the outside with dissatisfaction, "This guy isn't an Anbu member, is he? Can just anyone walk into our Anbu headquarters?"

The Anbu ninja outside remained unmoved.

Jiraiya sighed helplessly and eventually walked out of the Anbu.

Next, was he really going to have to go find Kyohiko?

Teaching Nagato and Minato had been manageable, but when it came to this little brat...

To have to rely on a student for guidance as a teacher.

How shameful!

"Jiraiya, oh Jiraiya, do you have no ability to think for yourself? You can definitely come up with a better, more perfect plan using your own brain!"

Knock, knock, knock!

Early in the morning, a knocking sounded at the window.

Kyohiko got up and rubbed his eyes; the morning light was just beginning to glimmer outside.

Who is it?

He rose from bed and saw Jiraiya sitting outside the window.

Jiraiya's expression was quite dejected.

It seemed he hadn't received the answer he wanted.

Kyohiko got up to wash, and a moment later, he went downstairs to open the door and invited Jiraiya to sit.

"Teacher? Didn't you say you were going to find an expert? Did they not solve your trouble?"

"They did, in a way, but... sigh, it wasn't what I was looking for."

Jiraiya took out a few rice balls, handed one to Kyohiko, and began to eat while he spoke.

Kyohiko listened silently.

After a long while, he understood the gist of it.

Jiraiya wanted to have his cake and eat it too.

How could such a good thing exist!

"You don't agree with my idea either?"

Jiraiya saw it clearly.

Kyohiko weighed his words carefully.

In the end, he answered truthfully: "It's too naive."

Jiraiya sighed for a while.

Indeed.

If even they couldn't think of a solution to such a difficult problem, expecting a child to figure it out was asking too much.

He must have lost his mind!

"Perhaps the Land of Lightning and the Land of Hot Water wouldn't be happy to see the Land of Waves lean toward either side. Since we don't want to take the Land of Waves for ourselves, they could serve as allies."

"The Land of Lightning and the Land of Hot Water? You're right!"

Jiraiya was both surprised and delighted.

If the goal was merely to keep the Land of Waves neutral, the potential allies weren't limited to Konoha or hired ninja.

The Hokage office was thick with smoke.

Hiruzen Sarutobi smacked his lips as he puffed on his pipe, his gaze fixed out the window while Jiraiya explained his thoughts behind him.

He listened for a long time before finally letting out a heavy sigh.

"This approach—"

"Otherwise, we wait until they are secretly controlled by Gato's company and the Land of Water. Once the Land of Waves suffers, Kirigakure could use it as a transit point to infiltrate and threaten our Land of Fire at any time."

Jiraiya said.

He was not stupid; he had simply been clinging to wishful thinking before.

The words of Kyohiko and Orochimaru had made him fully understand the thoughts deep in his heart.

He could not back down!

If they retreated, given the nature of Kirigakure and the Land of Water, both the Land of Waves and the Land of Fire would likely be subjected to attacks from Kirigakure.

Hiruzen Sarutobi frowned immediately.

"Jiraiya!"

"Teacher, there is no better way."

Jiraiya said earnestly.

Hiruzen Sarutobi fell silent.

Jiraiya grew anxious.

"Teacher!"

"I will consider it further."

Hiruzen Sarutobi's brow remained furrowed.

The Land of Lightning and the Land of Hot Water.

These two countries were indeed situated above the bay of the Land of Waves, and they were nations whose maritime trade would be severely impacted by the Land of Waves—

Whether the Land of Waves was controlled by the Land of Water or the Land of Fire, it was not a scenario those countries wished to see.

If they wanted to keep the Land of Waves neutral, they could indeed be drawn in as allies.

He pondered for a long time before saying, "Jiraiya, theoretically, I think your idea is indeed feasible, but as for the specific implementation, I believe it still requires careful deliberation."

"This... sigh!"

At this moment, a thought surfaced in the depths of Jiraiya's heart—

The teacher is truly getting old!

Forcing the Land of Waves into neutrality was already the best outcome he could imagine.

In the past, the teacher would have made a decision quickly, rather than hesitating for an entire day without even calling others in to discuss it.

Perhaps, Kyohiko is right.

For certain decisions, one must hold the power of discourse to truly push them forward.

And right now...

Jiraiya lowered his gaze and headed toward a certain part of Konoha.

A faint idea had taken root in his mind.

Kyohiko was right.

When it comes to fighting, there is no logic in going it alone.

The changes in the Land of Waves could affect many people, including families in Konoha that engaged in trade.

Among them was the Nara clan.

These were all potential sources of support.

However.

Jiraiya let out a long sigh.

Before this, he never would have imagined that one day, he would be the one pushing for something that might trigger a war.

Yet.

War, peace...

The boundary between them is too difficult to define.

He remained silent.

In the past, he believed that mutual understanding and love could achieve peace, but at the very least, that idea seemed far too naive for the present.