"So you're Jiraiya? My apologies for not recognizing you!"
Uchiha Arashi had only chatted with Jiraiya for a little while before he "sounded out" his identity. He immediately put on a surprised expression.
Jiraiya waved a hand, clearly pleased.
"It's not important. It's just a title, nothing important at all. I'd much rather you treat me like an ordinary person. Yes, just think of me as an ordinary writer like you!"
"Is that really all right?"
Uchiha Arashi asked with a smile. "You're one of the Sannin, and a student of Lord Hokage, while I'm just an ordinary person..."
"You're not ordinary, Mr. Senya. As far as I know, there were only three Reviewers in the entire Land of Fire before you, and you're the fourth. You can review every publication, and hold the fate of countless writers in your hands. That's not something just anyone can do. Besides, if I'm not mistaken, there are signs of ninja training in your home."
Jiraiya spoke with a relaxed expression.
But the more relaxed he seemed, the more easily he could unleash tremendous fighting power in a very short time. Underestimating Jiraiya because of that would be a grave mistake.
"I've always liked the ninja profession. I even tried to become a ninja once, but unfortunately, I couldn't live in Konoha as a child. Now that I'm grown up... Let me ask you, is there still a chance for me to become a ninja if I start training now?"
"There is."
Jiraiya nodded. "But it'll be difficult. Very, very difficult. The odds are infinitely close to zero."
"I see... Maybe that'll be the greatest regret of my life."
Uchiha Arashi shook his head, looking resigned.
"Hahahaha! Don't look so gloomy. Being a ninja isn't all that different from being a writer. We're both just trying to make a living."
Jiraiya laughed heartily and didn't press him further.
The two chatted for a long while. It wasn't until the sun was setting and Izumi had prepared dinner that Jiraiya finally decided to leave.
Uchiha Arashi tried to invite him to stay for dinner, but Jiraiya declined.
"What kind of first meeting would it be if I ate at your place? I'm off. I'll come by for another chat if I get the chance!"
Jiraiya said goodbye to Uchiha Arashi, then leapt onto the roof and disappeared.
Long after he was gone, Izumi came over to Uchiha Arashi. He was quietly eating at the time.
He was having rice with Mapo Tofu, a dish he'd taught Izumi to make. Unfortunately, there was no doubanjiang, so it had lost its very soul.
"Are we really going to be all right? He won't start paying attention to us, will he?"
The Sannin's reputation was so formidable that just hearing the title made Izumi's heart tremble.
"In fact, he's already noticed us."
Uchiha Arashi took a mouthful of rice.
"Then what do we do? Should we move?"
Izumi had been getting anxious, but seeing Uchiha Arashi so calm immediately put her at ease.
"No need. He's noticed us, but he doesn't suspect us. Or rather, under the influence of this eye's power, he'll overlook many details he would normally notice. We'll be fine in the short term."
Uchiha Arashi pointed to his right eye.
He could subtly influence people without revealing his Mangekyo, though the effect was weaker. Forcing someone to change their will was almost impossible. But if all he did was gently guide their thoughts, he could still manage it, provided he had enough time and they weren't too wary.
That was also why he'd tried to get Jiraiya to stay for dinner. Jiraiya was already under his influence, but who would mind reinforcing the impression? Uchiha Arashi certainly didn't.
As for being discovered and noticed by Jiraiya, well, that sort of thing was impossible to avoid.
As long as he wanted to stay in Konoha, sooner or later he would run into a situation like this.
Kakashi and Naruto before, and Jiraiya now—in theory, they were all the same.
Konoha wasn't small, but it wasn't all that big, either. It couldn't compare to the third-tier city where he'd lived before crossing over, with a population of three million.
"Anyway, we'll deal with whatever comes. If Konoha discovers us, we can always abandon this identity. By the way, I haven't asked in a while: how's the new passage coming along? Is it close to the edge of Konoha yet?"
Uchiha Arashi took a sip of water and asked.
Izumi finally set her worries aside and rolled her eyes at him.
"This is so important, and you really haven't bothered with it at all. Don't worry, it's almost at the edge of Konoha. We can open a passage to the outside of the village at any time."
"Then let's stop for now. Be careful not to trigger an alarm from the Konoha Barrier."
Uchiha Arashi nodded, trusting Izumi completely.
"What's the point of doing all this? You have Kamui. You can take everyone away whenever you want. Why go to so much trouble?"
"Of course it's to prepare more escape routes."
Uchiha Arashi set down his chopsticks. He'd nearly finished eating. "Don't forget, Obito has the other eye that uses Kamui. He's the true master of Kamui. He can enter and leave that alternate dimension more easily than I can, and it costs him less. We were lucky not to run into each other during our previous trips, but no one can guarantee that luck will last. What if we run into him next time? Or what if he appears while I'm moving you all?"
Izumi said nothing, simply nodding to herself.
"Besides, if we aren't discovered, the passage won't be pointless. A passage to the outside world that obvious could be used to distract Konoha in a critical moment. They might figure we're still in the village, of course, but giving them more information and making their judgment harder will still divert Konoha's attention.
"Lastly, you've already learned how to expand the Shadow Space. Next, you should try opening up a Shadow Space of your own. Your eye technique already has spatial properties, so creating a Shadow Space should be easier for you."
By the end, Uchiha Arashi couldn't help smiling.
"I knew it. When it comes down to it, you just want me to do the work for you!"
Izumi rolled her eyes again.
She understood perfectly well, but she still liked to talk that way, even though she was the older sister and Uchiha Arashi was her younger brother.
"Those with ability should do more. I'm busy every day too..."
Uchiha Arashi protested.
"Busy with what? Writing books? Or taking naps? Let me tell you what I'm busy with every day. I have to clean, teach them ninjutsu, open up Shadow Space, and..."
Uchiha Izumi started counting on her fingers, sounding just like a nagging mother.
Uchiha Arashi immediately felt a headache coming on. He promptly begged her to spare him and promised her a whole list of benefits before she finally stopped lecturing him.
That night, after tidying up the shop, the two of them returned to the Shadow Space.
Tonight was Uchiha Arashi's strength assessment.
That's right, you read that correctly. Uchiha Arashi was finally going to test his own strength, too.
Before you continue