I Want You to Help Me Train!

Jiraiya's words made Uchiha Shingen somewhat tempted, but after thinking it over, he still refused.

The Check-in Device was bound to the Police Force, and on top of that, the current state of the Shinobi World was hardly peaceful.

It had been several years since the Second Shinobi World War ended. The great nations were gradually recovering, and their ambitions were becoming harder to contain. Another war was only a matter of time.

Jiraiya's return to Konoha at a time like this was proof enough.

Leaving Konoha now would make his Uchiha identity far too conspicuous.

Almost no force with ambitions in the Shinobi World would pass up the chance to get their hands on a pair of Three-Tomoe Sharingan.

Staying in the Police Force was much safer.

Besides, the Third Hokage had just made his position clear on this matter. Even Danzo, for all his usual ruthlessness, probably wouldn't dare do anything to him for the time being.

This was the perfect time to grow quickly.

He had to make training in ninjutsu a priority!

With that in mind, Uchiha Shingen glanced at Jiraiya and suddenly had an idea.

"The twenty percent of the royalties from last night can be taken off the table. I have another request."

"What?!"

"I want you to help me train!"

"Me?!"

Jiraiya pointed at himself.

"I thought that after what happened last night, you'd avoid having anything to do with me, given your personality."

"How could I? We're talking about hundreds of millions in royalties!"

Uchiha Shingen shook his head, dropping the joking tone.

He knew that until he had fully developed and could truly protect himself, he needed the protection of someone powerful.

Last night had already proved that simply being a member of the Uchiha clan wasn't enough to keep him safe in Konoha.

But add the status of being Jiraiya's student, and even Danzo would have to think twice before making a move.

"So, are you willing or not?"

"You're certainly blunt!"

Jiraiya chuckled.

With his eye for people, he could tell that Uchiha Shingen's intentions were practically written all over his face.

But he didn't mind the boy's honesty.

"Then let's hear you call me teacher first."

"Tea... cher!"

Uchiha Shingen curled his lip, glanced at the discarded drafts on the table, and smirked.

"Ah, I couldn't sleep last night, and inspiration struck. I came up with a whole new idea. But I guess certain people aren't interested. Oh well, I'll just—"

"Wait!"

Jiraiya hurriedly cut him off. One look at Uchiha Shingen's smirk told him he'd been had.

But with inspiration for his new book on the line, he couldn't afford to care about saving face.

"I'll teach you, but only if it doesn't interfere with our writing!"

"Of course. I still want to use my royalties to buy a bigger house."

Jiraiya's mind was now entirely occupied with the new idea. He urged him on.

"Enough chit-chat. Tell me your idea!"

Uchiha Shingen sat down at once. After taking a sip of tea, he launched into his explanation.

"Here's the thing. I think we could revisit that idea you had about the proprietress of the hot spring inn and give it another polish. I've already thought of a title."

"What?!"

"Shirako's Married Life Isn't Happy."

"Using Shirako, the proprietress who runs the hot spring inn on her own, as the starting point, the story would focus on the flirtatious relationships she has with all sorts of guests..."

"Damn!"

Jiraiya's eyes lit up.

As a seasoned lecher, the moment he heard about the widowed proprietress of a hot spring inn, he could already picture her in his mind.

A beautiful woman in a pure white yukata knelt on a cushion, eyes lowered. A hair tie dangled from her lips as she raised her hands to gather her lustrous hair behind her head.

Her curvaceous figure was just barely visible beneath her clothes, and her lovely face inspired instant tenderness...

"I've got it! I've got it! I've got it!"

With Uchiha Shingen's little nudge, inspiration burst through Jiraiya's mind like floodwaters breaking through a dam.

His pencil flew across the page, capturing the fleeting images in his head.

By the time Jiraiya stopped, the sun was already high in the sky.

Uchiha Shingen, exhausted, was dozing on the low table. His breathing was even, and once he had quieted down, he seemed all the more like a boy.

"Hmph."

"That kid's cuter when he's like this."

A smile appeared on Jiraiya's face.

Since Nagato, Yahiko, and Konan, he hadn't taken on any new students.

Nagato's Rinnegan, the same as the Sage of Six Paths', practically confirmed that he might well be the Child of Prophecy in the Toad Sage's prophecy, destined to change the Shinobi World.

Uchiha Shingen might not reach that level, but he was already a good enough bridge between the Uchiha and Konoha.

Especially with talent on par with Orochimaru's, Uchiha Shingen was destined to become a leading figure among the Uchiha, as long as he survived.

Perhaps the future of the Uchiha and Konoha really would rest on Uchiha Shingen's shoulders.

By the time Uchiha Shingen woke up, it was already afternoon.

Jiraiya was still bent over his drafts nearby, his pen scratching crisply across the paper. He was clearly engrossed in his work.

Seeing that, Uchiha Shingen didn't disturb him. He ate a few rice balls Shisui had brought over, then asked Tezaku if anything had happened. Once he'd confirmed all was well, he simply stayed at the teahouse.

He began organizing his training plans.

"Sword Leap Flame is definitely a key part of my training. As for genjutsu, with the Sharingan to support me, it shouldn't be hard to master."

"But the real priority right now is still the Shadow Clone!"

"If my theory from last night is right, I'll be able to slack off at the Police Force while sending a clone off to train!"

The thought excited Uchiha Shingen.

Before long, the sun began to set, and it was past five in the afternoon.

After handing over to the night patrol team, Uchiha Shingen left with Jiraiya, who had been waiting all day, and headed outside Konoha to train.

Beyond Konoha, an endless sea of trees stretched into the distance. A breeze stirred the leaves into a soft rustling.

A few birds skimmed low over the ground and landed on a branch, only to be startled into flight by the dangerous presence below!

Two figures, one tall and one short, stood facing each other.

Jiraiya folded his arms and said,

"Before I start your intensive training, I need to see what you're capable of."

He hadn't taught many students, but every one of them was a genius beyond the reach of their peers.

There was no need to mention Nagato, with his Rinnegan like the Sage of Six Paths'. Minato, Konoha's most promising rising star, was a monster in his own right.

His mastery of the Flying Thunder God was so extraordinary that he could already rival the Second Hokage.

Jiraiya had watched Shisui and Uchiha Shingen fight last night, but Shisui had been almost completely suppressed. That battle had been nowhere near enough to reveal Uchiha Shingen's true ability.

As his teacher, Jiraiya genuinely wanted to see what Uchiha Shingen could do against him.

Jiraiya beckoned to Uchiha Shingen.

"Give it everything you've got!"

"What a pain... If I can help it, I really don't want to have such a boring fight!"