Konoha Village

The drizzle fell steadily, streaming down his cloak as Yueshu walked through the rain.

Half a day had passed since Yueshu arrived here. The surrounding area looked as though the fires of war had only just been extinguished, with figures clad in ninja armor lying silently on the ground.

"Little one, are you lost?"

Yueshu looked up, raindrops splashing against his face, as a man's voice came from behind him.

Turning around and shifting his gaze, Yueshu saw someone he was very familiar with.

With slightly long white hair and two red markings painted on his face, there was no doubt that the person before him was one of the Sannin, Jiraiya.

Watching Jiraiya approach, Yueshu remained silent.

"Why the unhappy expression? The war is already over."

Jiraiya drew closer and crouched down in front of Yueshu, bringing his eyes level with Yueshu, who was now in the body of a child.

Feeling a hand on his head, Yueshu knew Jiraiya was ruffling his hair.

Mission Triggered: Enter Konoha with Jiraiya's help. Reward: One lucky draw.

The electronic chime rang inside his head; the system mission had triggered once again.

Yueshu looked at Jiraiya, though he had no immediate idea how to get the man to take him back to Konoha.

"Little one, are you from Konoha?"

Jiraiya asked suddenly, leaving Yueshu momentarily stunned. When he had fought that genin earlier, the ninja had also claimed to be from Konoha, and Yueshu still had no idea what was going on.

Jiraiya reached toward Yueshu's leg and held up a Konoha forehead protector for him to see.

"When did this happen?"

Yueshu was bewildered; he hadn't even realized a Konoha headband was tied to his leg.

He had transmigrated the moment he woke up, and he knew absolutely nothing about anything else.

"Not yours? I thought perhaps Konoha had produced another genius; no wonder I didn't recognize you."

Jiraiya stood up.

"My name is Jiraiya, a ninja of Konoha. How about it?"

"Would you like to come back to Konoha with me?"

Jiraiya smiled. He had done this more than once; whenever he encountered orphans of war like this, he generally offered a helping hand.

Yueshu was taken aback, never expecting the mission to be completed so easily.

"Is that allowed?"

"Of course, Konoha welcomes you."

The rain continued to fall as the large and small figures walked away side by side.

Following Jiraiya, they soon arrived at a campsite, and by then, the rain had stopped.

"I'm back."

Jiraiya lifted the tent flap and walked straight inside, with Yueshu following quietly behind.

"Jiraiya, you're running around again."

A young woman's voice drifted over, and Yueshu looked inside.

There were quite a few familiar faces: Orochimaru sitting quietly, and Tsunade, still in her youth—the young Sannin were all here.

At this point in time, they had just been titled the Sannin by Salamander Hanzo.

Besides them, there was a white-haired man who looked very much like Kakashi from the original story, though he appeared slightly more mature.

This was Sakumo Hatake, known as the White Fang of Konoha, the biological father of the "Copy Ninja."

"Sorry, sorry, I was a bit bored and went for a stroll."

Jiraiya laughed it off, leaving the others feeling helpless.

"Who is that child?"

Tsunade fixed her gaze on Yueshu, having noticed him from the moment he entered.

"I just ran into him. He should be from Konoha; he had a Konoha headband tied to his leg when I found him."

It wasn't just Tsunade; the others looked over as well. Yueshu felt a bit nervous; the four people in front of him were all heavyweights, each more formidable than the last.

"Is that so?"

Tsunade's voice softened, and after that brief remark, she sat back down.

"Alright, the current mission is to withdraw. The war is over, and it is time to return to Konoha."

Sakumo Hatake glanced at Tsunade before speaking.

"It can finally end. It really is physically and mentally exhausting."

Orochimaru added languidly from the side.

"In any case, everything is mostly packed up. Gather our comrades; it's time to head back to Konoha."

As Sakumo Hatake's words fell, the people in the camp did not feel much joy; instead, the atmosphere grew rather somber, and Tsunade, standing to the side, was even more so.

Jiraiya said nothing, watching it all quietly before sighing and turning to walk outside.

Himeshima Tsuki followed behind Jiraiya, and they stepped out together.

"Come to think of it, I don't even know your name yet."

Jiraiya stopped in front of the camp.

"Tsuki, Himeshima Tsuki."

"A fine name."

Jiraiya leaned against a tree.

"Sorry, but I won't be able to accompany you back to Konoha. Did you see that beautiful lady earlier? I'll have her take you back to Konoha instead."

Jiraiya chuckled.

"Why?"

Tsuki asked, but the next second, a thought suddenly struck him.

When the Second Shinobi World War ended, Jiraiya did not return to Konoha immediately but instead spent three years in Amegakure. During those three years, he lived with three children, teaching them ninjutsu and allowing them to live in peace for three long years in the war-torn village.

Those three would later become the core figures of the Akatsuki—Nagato, Konan, and Yahiko.

"Well, a man always has a few things to take care of. You'll understand when you're older."

Jiraiya smiled lightly, then ran back into the camp.

"Tsunade, would you mind taking this little guy back to Konoha for me in a bit?"

As Jiraiya's voice faded, the camp erupted into a flurry of chaos.

Tsuki watched from the outside, the corners of his mouth curling upward.

The gloomy atmosphere that had permeated the air just moments ago was alleviated by Jiraiya's antics, and even Tsunade had been drawn into the fray.

As Jiraiya had promised, he soon slipped away after bidding Tsuki farewell, his head covered in bumps. Tsunade, looking helpless, led Tsuki and the Konoha troops as they withdrew from Amegakure.

With this, the Second Shinobi World War could truly be considered over, though Amegakure, having served as the battlefield, was no longer what it once was.

As the Konoha troops retreated in unison, Tsunade, despite her outward reluctance, led the way at the very front of the formation with Tsuki in tow.

Konoha, huh.

Tsuki thought as he walked. Only a day ago, he had been nothing more than a decent sports-loving shut-in, and now he was setting foot on the very land of the anime world he loved most.

Thinking this, Tsuki's lips curved upward; it was a mix of excitement and joy.

Tsunade glanced at Tsuki from the corner of her eye, taking in his expression.

Her gaze grew distant for a moment, as if she saw another figure standing before her.

"Lady Tsunade?"

"What is it?"

Tsunade snapped back to reality, looking at Tsuki beside her.

"Thank you for taking me back to Konoha."

"What are you thanking me for? If you want to thank someone, thank Jiraiya. He just loves meddling in other people's business."

Tsunade's voice sounded cold and aloof, but if one listened closely, a trace of hidden tenderness could be detected within.

Tsuki smiled and spoke again.

"Even so, I still feel I should thank you."

Tsunade looked at Tsuki for a moment before turning her head away.

"Suit yourself."

The conversation ended, and Tsunade paid no more attention to Tsuki, nor did Tsuki say anything further.

The two walked together, one large and one small, at the very front of the group.

Tsunade let out a soft breath, unnoticed by anyone.

The faint scent of blood wafting from behind made her feel nauseated; the reason she walked at the very front was precisely because she did not want to see the blood she so loathed.

Even if it was the blood of the teammates who had stood on this battlefield alongside her.

Jiraiya had meddled again, picking up a brat and dumping him directly on her. Tsunade had been full of irritation, but this kid was so much like her younger brother—Nawaki Senju.

It wasn't because of his looks or anything of the sort, but rather a certain aura he radiated, especially when he smiled, which reminded Tsunade instantly of the young Nawaki Senju.

She stole another glance to the side. Tsuki walked quietly, his gaze fixed ahead, his eyes seemingly filled with light.

He's like him! He really is!

A wave of sorrow surged in Tsunade's heart. Nawaki had been the same, his eyes always radiating light. He wasn't the warm, scorching sun, but rather like a great tree, gently embracing everything around him.

Withdrawing her gaze, Tsunade eased the sorrow in her heart and continued to follow the troops as they withdrew.

The following days were spent in retreat. Although Amegakure and Konoha were not far apart, the collective journey meant it took significantly longer.

Yueshu had been following Tsunade for these past few days. Although they hadn't exchanged many words and the atmosphere remained as stifling as ever, the other ninjas were different; with the war finally over, the shadow of their fallen comrades began to dissipate, and the mood within the group was no longer so somber.

After traveling for several days like this, the Konoha village that Yueshu had been anticipating finally appeared before his eyes.

Walking along the forest path, the spirits of those accompanying them lifted significantly. The massive gate slowly emerged into view, and the outline of the village gradually revealed itself.

Much like a sailor spotting an island rising from the horizon, Yueshu felt as though he had discovered a new continent; Konoha was his new world.

"Mission: Enter Konoha with the help of Jiraiya: Completed. Reward: One lucky draw."

The moment he took his first step through the main gate, the voice rang out inside Yueshu's mind.