Kimimaro's Request and Jiraiya's Return to the Village
"Uchiha Obito, you son of a bitch!!"
In the Mist Village office, Knock stared at the empty drawer with a dark expression, gritting his teeth and growling.
He stared at the empty cabinet, the cabinet that had not long ago been filled with boxes of Anko cakes.
At this moment, only a faint, sweet aroma remained inside.
The aroma is still there, but the contents... are all gone.
"No wonder that arrogant guy inexplicably said 'thank you' when he left; so that's what he was waiting for me here!!"
He tapped his fingers hard on the edge of the drawer, making a dull thud that made the teacup on the table jump.
His face was as black as the bottom of a pot, and his usually gentle and bright eyes were now burning with a raging fire.
"You wouldn't eat when I offered you some, so you just wanted to sneak a bite, huh? Give me back my Anko cake!!"
That was a great shop I found after wandering around half the street on my way back from Mist Harbor.
I originally planned to eat it as a snack at the office—a piece when I was tired from processing documents, a piece when I was in a bad mood, or even a piece when I was Obito.
In the end, I didn't eat much; the rest went to that CS player!
Fortunately, I went home as soon as I finished the task and kept the portion for Karin.
If even her share gets stolen, he'll definitely rush into the Kamui Dimension and Obito to the death!!
Thinking of this, Kou couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief, but then he remembered being Obito, and suddenly felt uneasy all over.
"Eat, eat, eat until you die, you pathetic phallus dog!!"
Just as Kou was about to continue venting his resentment, a knock came at the door.
"Knock knock knock."
He frowned slightly, and the expression on his face instantly switched to a gentle and composed one.
He cleared his throat and said softly:
"Please come in."
The door was pushed open, Mei Terumi walked in first.
Her face was cold and beautiful, but her emerald green eyes were filled with undisguised concern.
"Ku, are you alright? I heard from the Anbu that you fought Orochimaru alone, you..."
Seeing her anxious expression, he smiled gently, a slight upturn to his lips.
"I'm fine."
His voice was very soft, as if he were soothing an overly anxious child:
"Look, I'm perfectly fine, aren't I?"
Mei Terumi at Kokoro carefully from head to toe with a concerned gaze:
From the temples to the shoulders, from the chest to the waist, not an inch was overlooked.
Her gaze lingered for a moment on the cut on the cuff of her left arm, made by the Wind Release but without drawing blood.
A moment later, she let out a long sigh of relief.
"It's good that you're alright..."
She paused, her fingers clenching slightly with deep self-reproach, and murmured in a low voice:
"I wish I could get there earlier..."
"Don't say that."
The knock interrupted her; the voice was gentle yet undeniably firm.
"No matter what happens, one of us must stay in Mist Village. Isn't that our promise?"
He looked at Mei Terumi, his bright eyes filled with seriousness:
"Whether for the sake of Mist Village or for the Reformist Faction, we must do this."
That's what they say...
Mei Terumi's voice was very low.
The thought of not being able to help at all when Kou was fighting Orochimaru, that terrifying enemy, made him feel like something was stuck in his throat, a dull and astringent feeling.
She lowered her head somewhat unwillingly, a hint of dejection flashing in her eyes.
Seeing that Mei Terumi was somewhat dejected, he changed the subject at the opportune moment:
"Alright, alright, you came to see me not just to talk about this, right?"
As he spoke, he looked at the silent figure behind Mei Terumi.
The figure stood half a step Mei Terumi, with long white hair hanging over her shoulders.
He was tall and slender, with slightly hunched shoulders, like a child who had done something wrong and was waiting for adult Judgment.
Noticing Koko's gaze, Kimimaro lowered his head and cautiously stepped out from behind Mei Terumi.
Mei Terumi glared at Kimimaro beside her, her displeasure written all over her cold, beautiful eyes.
"If you have something to say, say it to Kong yourself! Say exactly what you told me!"
Kimimaro's body trembled involuntarily, and he nodded rapidly like a chick pecking at rice.
Looking at the embarrassed Kimimaro and the unfriendly Mei Terumi before him, he couldn't help but feel somewhat surprised:
"How did Kimimaro manage to Mei Terumi to this extent?"
He murmured to himself, glancing at Kimimaro with a hint of curiosity, his tone as gentle as ever:
"Has something happened?"
Kimimaro remained silent for a moment.
His lips parted slightly, and the expression on his pale face changed from hesitation to determination.
I hope--
He gritted his teeth and continued:
"In the upcoming training, I will focus my cultivation on... the Shikotsumyaku!"
"Rejected!" ×2
Kou and Mei Terumi looked at Kimimaro with serious expressions and said in unison.
The serious gazes of the two men simultaneously focused on Kimimaro's face from both sides, and the air in the office suddenly cooled down in that instant.
"Hmm..."
Faced with harsh criticism from his apparent superior, who was actually his adoptive father and mother, Kimimaro instinctively lowered his head.
Kō and Mei Terumi, exchanged a glance and immediately understood.
"This brat, looks like he's been crushed by Orochimaru in a high-level match, like a bronze player facing a master..."
Looking at Kimimaro before him, he comforted him in a gentle tone:
"I know you're anxious about your own strength because of your battle with Orochimaru."
But you are still young, and you have plenty of time to grow.
With your talent, given time you will definitely be able to surpass Orochimaru, and even surpass us... I have always firmly believed this."
He paused, but the certainty in his tone remained unwavering:
"That has never changed."
"That's right!"
Mei Terumi chimed in from the side, looking at Kimimaro and earnestly advising him:
"Kimimaro, you are undoubtedly the most talented genius of the younger generation in Mist Village."
However, while your Kekkei Genkai, the power of the Shikotsumyaku, is indeed formidable, the bloodline disease it brings is also a huge risk.
"Whether from an individual's perspective or from the perspective of the Mist Village's higher-ups, we cannot agree to your demands."
Kimimaro listened to their conversation, then silently lowered his head.
His pale face was expressionless, but his usually calm eyes were filled with resentment.
That resentment wasn't directed at Kou or Mei Terumi, but rather at himself.
Looking at Kimimaro before him, he sighed helplessly in his heart.
He could completely understand Kimimaro's feelings at that moment.
It is already quite cruel to have a lot of talent but be unable to tap into it.
Moreover, now that they have almost lost Jūzō Biwa, it is not surprising that this young boy made such a decision on impulse.
Fortunately, Kimimaro is different from Suigetsu's Demon Pill; this child is a Spirit Pearl.
Although she tends to keep things to herself, she always seeks advice from me and Mei Terumi when it comes to important matters—that's quite admirable.
"Let's leave the discussion on the cultivation of the Shikotsumyaku here."
Kou Wen gently brought the topic to a close, neither harsh nor leaving room for negotiation:
"My opinion remains unchanged: you are absolutely not permitted to practice the Shikotsumyaku in private until the bloodline disease is completely resolved."
Hearing Kou's words, Kimimaro lowered his head even further, and his whole demeanor became visibly depressed.
"But--"
He then changed the subject and said seriously:
"However, in order to prepare you for training on the Shikotsumyaku after resolving the bloodline disease, I will create a more rigorous training plan for you."
Upon hearing Kou's words, Mei Terumi's eyes widened instantly.
Her voice rose slightly as she said incredulously:
"Wait... Empty, cure the bloodline disease? You mean...?"
He nodded with a smile.
"Ah, although we've only made some progress, we can indeed see a possibility of solving the bloodline disease."
Upon hearing Kou's words, Kimimaro had been keeping his head down, immediately raised his head.
That pale face, those eyes that were usually as calm as still water, were filled with an irrepressible hope.
He knew perfectly well that Lord Kong would never make such a promise unless he was truly certain of its success.
I can really become stronger, help Lord Shangkong and the others, and even have the opportunity to protect them!
"Thank you so much, Mr. Kong!!"
Kimimaro spoke with great emotion, his pale face displaying such intense emotional fluctuations for the first time.
Kou smiled, then waved his hand to indicate that he didn't mind.
His affable demeanor remained unchanged, but the next moment, his words carried the solemnity of a teacher:
"But since you want to become stronger quickly, your training from now on will be even more rigorous... You'd better be prepared."
Upon hearing Kou's words, Kimimaro nodded without hesitation.
Looking into his eyes, which had recovered and were no longer filled with gloom, Mei Terumi finally felt a complete release of the worry that had been weighing on her heart since she opened the door.
She walked to his side, raised her hand and gently ruffled Kimimaro's soft white hair, speaking in a gentle tone like an older sister:
"Alright, now that things are resolved, let's head back quickly."
Haven't you been worried about the Teacher's condition? Let's go see him together.
As she spoke, she glanced in Kou's direction and winked at him discreetly.
Kou understood her meaning and prepared to get up and go with them to visit Jūzō Biwa.
However, just as he stood up, he heard Kimimaro's voice coming from the front again.
"Sora-sama, Mei Terumi- sama... please wait a moment."
Koko and Mei Terumi stopped their actions at the same time.
The two of them looked at the white-haired boy in front of them and noticed that the slight hesitation he had shown when he touched the ground was gone.
Instead, it became as serious as a work report.
Kimimaro suppressed the last trace of worry in his eyes, raised his head, and looked at them earnestly:
"During this mission with Teacher Jūzō Biwa, we discovered some very important information."
Koko and Mei Terumi exchanged a glance, then looked intently at Kimimaro, signaling him to continue.
Kimimaro continued:
"When I and Teacher Jūzō Biwa went to the Land of Waves on a mission, we encountered an unexpected person."
Because of some events, we had some exchanges and even reached a brief cooperation agreement.
According to Teacher Jūzō Biwa, that person's identity is...
He paused, then said the name in a serious tone:
"Jiraiya, one of the legendary Sannin who was on par with Orochimaru."
"And at the final parting, the direction he headed towards... was Konoha."
He paused, then continued:
"Jiraiya, one of the Sannin, is very likely to return to Konoha."
--
Meanwhile, at the Konoha Gate.
The sunlight was perfect, filtering through the gaps in the treetops and casting dappled shadows on the ground.
The gate was flanked by lush green woods, teeming with life, and filled with the chirping of birds, as if welcoming someone home.
Above the main gate in front hangs a plaque that reads "Konoha".
Jiraiya stood outside the gate, gazing at the gate that had remained almost unchanged since he left, and lingered there for a long time.
"It's been so long since I've been back, Konoha."
He muttered a sentence to himself, half with emotion and half to himself.
Then he turned his head and looked at the empty space next to him.
Jiraiya's lips twitched, forming a very faint smile, tinged with an indescribable bitterness...
(The next few chapters will shift the perspective slightly to Konoha, focusing on the protagonist's impact on the Konoha and the changes in many people. I hope you'll continue reading.)
(There will be one more chapter today, but it might be a little late...)