But none of that happened. Aside from Danzo, everyone else behaved themselves.
Hiruzen Sarutobi had high hopes for him, and the other two didn't go looking for trouble either. After all, they'd seen him standing with Hiruzen, so they had no reason to cause trouble. They wanted Konoha to prosper, but they viewed their opponents with the utmost suspicion and treated them like enemies, making a complete mess of things.
That was how the Will of Fire became corrupted by Hiruzen's inaction, Shimura Danzō's reckless antics, and Mitokado Homura and Utatane Koharu's malicious suspicions.
The Will of Fire Hiruzen spoke of at the end of his life—that was the true Will of Fire.
Anyway, I'm getting off track.
"You brat, be careful. Keep this up, and someone will sell you off, and you'll still help them count the money."
"That won't happen, senpai."
"Heh, heh. What if the person who tricks you grew up in Konoha? Can you really say you wouldn't trust him? You'll suffer for it, so keep your wits about you."
"Mm, I will."
"Fine, then. Take Uchiha Sasuke and get out of here."
"Don't call my brother that! And I'm not 'Uchiha Sasuke'!"
Uchiha Sasuke was adorable at this age. Every time I saw that little face, I couldn't resist giving it a pinch. He was so endearing. Nothing like the older Sasuke, with his infuriatingly smug attitude.
As for Naruto, let's not even go there. He was so mischievous he gave me a headache every day.
"Ha ha ha ha! Uchiha Sasuke! Ha ha ha!"
Seeing Naruto tease him, Sasuke's little face twisted with anger.
"You yellow-haired mutt! What are you laughing at?"
Fei Shi: "..."
Itachi: "..."
Fei Shi's mouth twitched violently as he glanced at Itachi. Itachi had been trying to hold in his laughter, but he immediately sobered up. What a joke! Laughing at someone's little brother when you couldn't beat them was just asking to get pummeled. Even though Itachi was only eight, his senpai never went easy on him during training. His mother felt terribly sorry for him every time he came home.
Fei Shi: You taught him that?
Itachi: No.
Fei Shi: Then how'd he come up with something like that?
Itachi rolled his eyes. Wasn't it because you'd said it on the street in front of the kids when you were talking about someone else?
Fei Shi saw Itachi's expression and remembered, too. Awkwardly scratching his head, he was about to say something when his eyes suddenly felt strange.
"Itachi, you should get going, too. I've got something to take care of. Oh, and drop Naruto off with Biwako while you're at it."
Itachi didn't question him. He nodded, took the hands of the two little ones, and led them away.
Fei Shi hurried inside, shut the doors and windows, then sat down to meditate and circulate his chakra.
The veins at his temples bulged. Byakugan, activate!
His Byakugan was undergoing a transformation, evolving into the Tenseigan.
Time passed slowly. The next day, Fei Shi opened his eyes. A pair of luminous blue eyes appeared in his sockets. The Tenseigan had awakened!
"Ha ha ha ha ha! Excellent, excellent! The Tenseigan's awakened. Now all that's left is the Rinnegan. Heh heh heh, I should be able to awaken it around the time I come of age. Then I'll be invincible! Ah ha ha ha ha!"
Heh heh heh. Now I can use Perfect Susanoo. Hiruzen Sarutobi gave me information on Wood Release, and it's been a huge help. I can use the Wood Human Technique now. If I learned Senjutsu and mastered Sage Wood Release, I could perform True Several Thousand Hands.
Once I awaken the Rinnegan in a few years, I'll be one of the strongest at Six Paths Level. And if I buy a Chakra Fruit and eat it, heh heh heh... Who in this world could stop me? Who!
"Uh, I don't think I came at a good time..."
A somewhat bewildered voice sounded from behind him. Fei Shi turned around and saw a man with long, loose white hair, a vertical line running from the corner of his eye down his face, and a Forehead Protector marked with the character for "oil." It was Jiraiya, one of the Konoha Sannin, the Toad Sage.
Fei Shi stiffened. He hadn't expected anyone to visit him at a time like this. How embarrassing.
"Ah, ha ha ha... No, no. I'd just finished training. I made a lot of progress, so I couldn't help laughing."
Jiraiya laughed, too.
"Ha ha ha! It's fine, it's fine. It's only natural to be happy when you make progress. But now that I think about it, this is our first time meeting in person, isn't it? We've corresponded before, though."
Fei Shi nodded.
"Yeah. How are the books I sent you selling?"
"Ha ha ha, they're doing great. I've never read anything so impressive. That book of yours, Battle Through the Heavens, is really something. The world in it is so vast. It makes you want to see it for yourself."
What can I say? I've got a cheat. Buying the rights to works from my past life and publishing them is a breeze.
But aloud, he said:
"Oh, come on. I'm still no match for you, Jiraiya-senpai."
Technically, he and Jiraiya were peers, but whether in his past life or this one, Jiraiya was someone he admired. He called him senpai willingly. Besides, Jiraiya's contributions would surpass even those of Hashirama Senju and Madara Uchiha. None of it had happened yet, but Jiraiya had earned the title of senpai.
"Ha ha ha! We're peers, so you don't have to call me that. And I'm the one who should be thanking you. I went to see Tsunade, and she seems to be in much better spirits."
"Hey, she's my big sister. Of course I'd do that. It's only natural."
"Fine, then. I heard you wanted to see me about something important. What is it? Ah, if only Tsunade cared about me as much as she cares about you."
Jiraiya had been behaving himself just a moment ago, but now he was back to his usual antics.
Fei Shi rolled his eyes. If you'd just gotten a little closer to Tsunade, you two would've been together already.
"Ahem. I want to learn Senjutsu and Sage Mode, so I was hoping you could put in a good word for me."
"That's... a little difficult. You'll need the Great Toad Sage's approval."
"I'll help you win Tsunade over."
"Leave it to me!"
Jiraiya agreed enthusiastically.
Fei Shi: ಠ_ಠ
At least pretend to struggle a little. That quick an answer leaves me at a loss.
"Anything else?" Jiraiya asked.
"Nope."
"Heh heh heh. Tsunade told me you've got some good liquor here... Heh heh heh. How about a few drinks?"
"..."
"Sure. Come on. I'll let you taste what good liquor is. After you've had it, you'll think everything you drank before was donkey piss."
"Is it really that good? I've traveled the Ninja World for years and tried all kinds of liquor. Don't get my hopes up for nothing!"
"Ha ha ha! Don't worry! You won't be disappointed!"
Before you continue