"Senior Brother Yahiko~!"
Uchiha Shingen waved at Yahiko in greeting.
He had heard Jiraiya mention Yahiko and the other two more than once before.
Clearly, although Jiraiya's words were full of complaints whenever he spoke of his disciple in Amegakure, he had always kept them in his heart.
Yahiko nodded lightly.
As Uchiha Shingen sized him up, he was also sizing up Uchiha Shingen.
He simply could not connect the lazy-looking boy before him with the monster who had forced Kumogakure's Two-Tails Jinchūriki into a rampage during the third stage of the Chunin Ninja Exams.
Yahiko had seen geniuses before. Nagato and Minato went without saying; even he himself could be called a genius.
But someone with a contrast before and after as outrageous as Uchiha Shingen's—
This was Yahiko's first time seeing one.
More importantly,
The power Uchiha Shingen had displayed in that battle was something even Yahiko had no confidence in overcoming himself.
This junior brother, several years younger than him, had already walked ahead of him.
Even Yahiko, who had long since been struck down countless times by Nagato, could not help feeling somewhat frustrated.
"Let's go."
"I'm treating today."
Jiraiya patted his chest grandly and led his three disciples toward a nearby barbecue restaurant.
A few minutes later.
Inside an Akimichi chain barbecue restaurant near the Uchiha compound.
The master and three disciples sat facing one another.
Oil sizzled across the grill on the table, and the scent of roasted meat filled the air, whetting everyone's appetite.
Without a word, Uchiha Shingen, who had been hungry all day, buried his head in his meal.
He picked up a piece of grilled meat, dipped it in sauce, and stuffed it into his mouth in one bite, letting out a satisfied cry.
Seeing this, Jiraiya unconsciously smiled.
He