Sad Jiraiya

"I'm seriously injured! Why do I have to be discharged tonight?"

Lying in his hospital bed and enjoying the care of a beautiful nurse, Jiraiya complained to Tsunade and Orochimaru, who were standing by his bedside.

"The Old Man ordered us to bring you out," Tsunade said, her arms crossed over her chest and her face cold, her tone sharp.

Tsunade was deeply dissatisfied with Hiruzen Sarutobi's shameless act of poaching her student, which was why her expression had been sour all day.

"Is Teacher Hiruzen trying to get me killed?" Jiraiya cried out in grief and indignation.

"Teacher Hiruzen intends to take Kizaru as his student, and he wants us to go to the Shimura Clan compound tonight," Orochimaru explained kindly.

After hearing Orochimaru's explanation, Jiraiya was even more bewildered.

Wasn't Kizaru supposed to be Orochimaru's student? How did it become Teacher Hiruzen taking him on? Did that mean his junior fellow apprentice had just become his little junior brother?

"Teacher Hiruzen feels that Kizaru, who could easily defeat an idiot like you, has excellent talent, so he intends to take him as a disciple and teach him personally," Orochimaru continued.

"You idiot, how embarrassing." After hearing Orochimaru's words, Tsunade suddenly realized that the main reason her student had been poached was Jiraiya, and she grew even more disgusted with the guy.

"So, it's all my fault?" Jiraiya pointed at himself, speaking excitedly.

"What else?" Tsunade glared at Jiraiya.

"I—I didn't expect that brat to be such a freak!" Jiraiya felt like crying.

"Shut up, stop whining, and get up already. The Old Man is still waiting for us." As she spoke, Tsunade took action.

She grabbed a corner of the quilt and yanked it hard, stripping the white sheet right off Jiraiya.

Feeling a chill, a panicked Jiraiya hurriedly used his body to block the "Icha Icha" book on the bed, complaining, "What are you doing, Tsunade! How can you just pull someone's covers off like that?"

Jiraiya's movements were fast, but Tsunade's eyes were faster; she had already caught a glimpse of the book's cover.

Veins bulged on her forehead as she rolled up her sleeves, ready to strike.

"Jiraiya, you perverted creep!"

Seeing this, Orochimaru stepped forward, moved to Tsunade's side, and blocked the enraged woman.

"Calm down, Tsunade! Teacher Hiruzen is still waiting for us."

Orochimaru's words barely did the trick; Tsunade lowered her raised right hand and unclenched her fist.

"You guy, the only thing you've learned from the Old Man is his lechery."

With his hands raised in a defensive posture, Jiraiya felt a wave of relief seeing that Tsunade wasn't going to attack, and he relaxed slightly.

"You aren't willing to be my girlfriend, so if I don't read books, what else can I do?" Muttering under his breath, Jiraiya climbed out of the hospital bed.

"What did you say?" Tsunade glared at him.

Jiraiya shook his head frantically. "Nothing, nothing! Isn't the Old Man waiting for us? Let's get going!"

"Hmph!" Tsunade snorted coldly at him. "Once your injuries are healed, I'm going to teach you a real lesson."

Jiraiya shivered; he felt like he didn't have many days left to live.

At 7:40 PM, after finishing dinner and taking a stroll to aid his digestion, Kizaru walked leisurely to the edge of the family training ground with his hands in his pockets.

"Uncle, sorry for the wait!"

Seeing Danzo already standing in the center of the training ground, Kizaru greeted him with a smile.

"Adjust your state. Don't disappoint me later."

With his eyes closed and his chin slightly lifted, Danzo stood against the cool evening breeze, gathering his focus.

"How terrifyingly imposing!" Kizaru praised with a smile, watching Danzo's air of a reclusive master.

Danzo's relaxed brow tightened slightly. He wanted to lecture Kizaru, but then he remembered what Hiruzen Sarutobi had told him that afternoon about Kizaru defeating Jiraiya, so he forcibly suppressed the urge to preach.

If he lectured Kizaru now, and Kizaru performed brilliantly in the upcoming fight, wouldn't he just be slapping his own face?

I am not like a fool such as Jiraiya!

Thinking this to himself, Danzo's furrowed brow relaxed once more.

Standing at the edge of the field, Kizaru raised his hands and twisted them, doing a simple warm-up.

"Uncle, are we waiting until 8 o'clock to start?" Kizaru asked while warming up.

"Yes!" Danzo replied simply, then continued, "There has been a slight change regarding your instructor."

"Oh!" Kizaru made a surprised expression, though his heart didn't fluctuate in the slightest.

"The Third Hokage intends to take you as his disciple and teach you personally," Danzo continued.

"Ohoho! It seems I'm quite popular!" Kizaru said with a smile.

"During our spar tonight, Hiruzen will be bringing his three disciples to watch."

"What a heavyweight guest list! How nerve-wracking!" Finishing his warm-up, Kizaru returned to his pose with his hands in his pockets, smiling.

Nerve-wracking my foot!

Although he didn't open his eyes, Danzo couldn't hear a hint of nervousness in Kizaru's tone; instead, it was filled with such an intense air of arrogance that it made the listener want to punch him!

"Watch your tone. Don't be disrespectful later!" Danzo warned him in advance.

"What a troublesome request!" Kizaru replied.

"Why is this kid so infuriating when he speaks?" Danzo sighed silently to himself.

"Hahaha! I hope I'm not late." Just as Kizaru and Danzo were speaking, Hiruzen Sarutobi walked over from a distance, accompanied by the Sannin.

"Not late at all, just in time!" Danzo opened his eyes and looked toward Hiruzen Sarutobi.

"Uncle Hiruzen, I heard you want to be my teacher?" Kizaru also looked at Hiruzen Sarutobi and said with a smile.

"Are you willing to let this old man be your teacher?" Hiruzen Sarutobi asked back with a smile.

"Good evening, Teacher!" Kizaru stated his position directly.

"Hahaha!" Hiruzen Sarutobi laughed even more happily. "Good, good, good! What a good child!"

Danzo: Two shameless bastards!

Tsunade: Shameless!

Orochimaru:

Jiraiya:

"Since everyone is here, let the assessment begin! Kizaru, are you ready?" Unable to watch any longer, Danzo interrupted them directly.

"How scary! Uncle!" Kizaru put on a troubled expression, lifted his legs, and walked into the Training Ground, stopping in front of Danzo.

"I am not like Jiraiya; bring out your full strength," Danzo said sternly.

As soon as Danzo's words left his mouth, Hiruzen Sarutobi, Orochimaru, and Tsunade all looked at Jiraiya in unison, their eyes filled with a hint of disdain.

Jiraiya: ???

Unjustly caught in the crossfire, Jiraiya wanted to defend himself, but having nothing to say, he could only lower his head in sorrow.

Smiling even more brightly, Kizaru looked at the Danzo before him and said, "Then you had better be prepared, Uncle! Be careful not to get scared!"

As he spoke, Kizaru took a few steps back, putting some distance between himself and Danzo.

"Begin!"

As Danzo's words fell, the atmosphere became tense, and the battle officially kicked off!

Good news: with everyone's support, we have received notification from the backend that we have been recommended, and this book will officially begin its trial run this Sunday.

For trial recommendations, follow-up reading is the key metric for advancement. Maomao begs everyone to keep up with the reading, especially on Tuesday—please be sure to read the latest chapter. I'm counting on you all.