Meeting

The Land of Fire, at the Konoha Gate

"Hey, Izumo, is some important person coming today? Why such a grand entrance?"

Kotetsu Hagane whispered to his companion beside him, a rare hint of tension appearing on his usually carefree face.

"I don't know, but since even the Lord Third Hokage, who were already retired, have come out in person, it seems they're probably here to receive a high-ranking figure like the daimyo."

Izumo Kamizuki also lowered his voice, his gaze sweeping back and forth between the three figures in front of him, and he murmured in confusion:

"But since the Lord Third Hokage and Lady Tsunade, who recently returned to the village, have come, why hasn't Lord Jiraiya just became the Fifth Hokage, come?"

That being said, it has indeed been a long time since I've seen Lord Jiraiya in the village...

Kotetsu Hagane raised his hand and gently patted Izumo on the back of the head:

"You're so stupid! Lord Jiraiya has only recently taken over the throne, he must have a lot of very important things to do right now."

We're definitely too busy with these kinds of receptions, that's why we asked the Lord Third Hokage and Lady Tsunade to help out."

Izumo Kamizuki nodded thoughtfully, but the doubt in his eyes did not completely disappear:

"But..."

Before he could finish speaking, the blonde beauty in the jacket with the word "gambling" printed on it suddenly turned around and roared angrily.

"Stop making so much noise! Get back to work!"

Also, don't mention that idiot Jiraiya in front of me!

I'm so sorry!

The moment Tsunade's voice rang out, Izumo Kamizuki and Kotetsu Hagane bowed in unison and responded loudly.

The Third Hokage Hiruzen Sarutobi, stood beside Tsunade, glancing with pity at the two trembling Konoha gatekeepers. He then removed his pipe from his lips and tried to dissuade Tsunade, who was clearly still angry:

"Tsunade, I know you're upset because you can't leave Konoha for the time being, but there's no need to take it out on the children."

He put the pipe back in his mouth, a hint of helplessness flashing in his eyes:

"In the end, if you hadn't acted impulsively Jiraiya to the hospital, it should be him, the Fifth Hokage, standing here receiving the Mist Village delegation."

"Shut up, Old Man! Who do you think is responsible for this situation?!"

Tsunade suddenly turned around:

"If you hadn't given that broken crystal ball to that idiot Jiraiya, he wouldn't have resorted to using that broken crystal ball to spy on women in the bathhouse for material because his novel was overshadowed by the recent surge in doujinshi!"

She grew angrier as she spoke, and the veins on her forehead throbbed visibly.

"Damn it! I was shocked when I heard that Jiraiya was going to become the Fifth Hokage, and I was thinking of coming back to see what was going on before leaving."

Little did I know that just by thinking of taking a bath before leaving, I would sense that idiot spying on the bathhouse with that broken crystal ball!

"Unexpectedly, after beating that guy into the hospital, I found out that Mist Village was coming to discuss an alliance with Konoha."

To cover for that guy's expenses (mainly for hospital bills), I have to stay a little longer...

Tsunade spoke with resentment, then, as if she had thought of something, her beautiful eyes slowly narrowed, and she stared intently at the Third Hokage Hokage beside her with a gaze full of suspicion:

"Hey Old Man, I suddenly realize these things are all too coincidental..."

Could this all have been planned by you Jiraiya that bastard Jiraiya together?!

Sarutobi Hiruzen, guiltily shifting his gaze from Tsunade's face to the sky:

"Uh... how could that be? It's just an illusion, an illusion!"

"I knew it! It was all planned beforehand, you despicable old bastard!!"

"Ah! Tsunade, it really is just a coincidence! Calm down, there are juniors watching! Don't pull my beard!!"

Nearby, Kakashi hid his face behind the book "Icha Icha Paradise" in his hand, silently observing the two elders beside him who were playfully bickering without any regard for their image.

He sighed wearily, lowered the dead fish eye that had been sticking out of the book back onto the page, and guiltily looked away.

While Lord Jiraiya was still in the hospital, he was preparing to put the "Icha Icha Paradise" book, which he had read too many times, into his ninja tool bag, and then secretly swap it for the latest limited edition collection of books that he had asked Sasuke to buy for him from the secret counter of the Konoha Doujinshi Association branch not long ago.

However, before his fingers could even touch the zipper of his ninja tool pouch, a very faint sound of footsteps reached his ears from afar.

Kakashi's eyes narrowed, and he silently withdrew the hand that had just reached into his ninja tool pouch, along with the precious book that hadn't even seen the light of day, which was also pressed back into the deepest part of the pouch.

With utter regret, he abruptly stopped this act of missing-nin that would have brought Jiraiya to tears, closed the Icha Icha Paradise in his hand, then turned his head and whispered a reminder to the Third Hokage Hokage, who was still struggling with Tsunade beside him:

"Lord Third Hokage, Lady Tsunade... the guests from Mist Village have arrived."

Upon hearing Kakashi's reminder, Sarutobi Hiruzen and Tsunade immediately stopped all their movements.

The two of them turned around at the same time and looked toward the end of the official road.

On the wide official road, bathed in the golden light of the afternoon sun, three figures walked leisurely toward the Konoha Gate, one in front and two behind.

Leading the way was a young man who looked to be in his early twenties, with an ordinary and gentle face and a warm smile on his lips.

He wore a well-tailored dark blue robe, and his every move exuded a composed and dignified air.

To his left and behind was a tall, burly man.

A polite smile graced the face that resembled a shark, and a broadsword wrapped in layers of bandages was slung across his back.

To his right and behind was a slender boy with a slightly aloof demeanor, who looked to be under twenty years old. His eyes were downcast, and he seemed not quite used to the scene.

"Is that Mizukage Aide Sora, the leader of the Mist Village Reformist Faction and the Shiina Sora's assistant, whom Kakashi mentioned before?"

Sarutobi Hiruzen quietly observed the young man in the main seat among the three people in front of him, a faint sense of confusion rising in his heart:

"This child... he seems to have a certain resemblance to Minato in terms of temperament..."

He subconsciously wanted to continue pondering where this feeling of déjà vu came from, but before he could figure anything out, Tsunade beside him had already noticed his distraction.

"Hey Old Man! What are you suddenly standing there for? They're already walking over here!"

Sarutobi Hiruzen back to reality after Tsunade's reminder.

He raised his eyes and looked at the silver-haired figure in front of him who, in the brief moment he had been lost in thought, had already stepped forward to meet the Mist Village group.

Kakashi stood before Kokoro, fully opening his lazy, dead-fish eyes, and solemnly extended his hand, his tone respectful yet measured:

"Long time no see, Lord Sora. Welcome to Konoha."

Knock, feigning as if seeing the Konoha Gate for the first time, slowly withdrew his gaze from the two majestic wooden doors.

He turned his gaze to Kakashi, who was extending his hand to him, and a joyful and genuine smile instantly bloomed on his ordinary, gentle face.

"Ah, you're welcome, Mr. Kakashi."

There's no need for us to be so formal. I'll need your help during my visit to Konoha.

"Not at all, you're too kind."

Kakashi responded politely, then shifted his gaze to the burly, shark-faced man beside him who was grinning at him.

"Kisame- san, it's been a long time. Welcome to Konoha."

Kisame smiled politely, his small eyes sweeping over Kakashi's shoulder and around behind him, then asked with slight surprise:

"Strange, that rare beast that was with you earlier—cough, Mr. Kai—it doesn't seem to be with you."