Becoming a Disciple and Learning Skills

The purest toxin of the Salamander gradually fused with the chakra inside Uchiha Chiba's body; the pain, akin to his veins rupturing, was far outweighed by the helplessness of being betrayed.

"Hah!" Uchiha Chiba slowly opened his eyes.

Where is this?

Uchiha Chiba looked at the unfamiliar tent, memories flooding his mind. He remembered now: he had finally reached the Konohagakure encampment just as he was struck by the toxin of Hanzo the Salamander.

"Awake?" Jiraiya walked into the tent carrying a basin of water. He smiled, placed the basin on a chair nearby, and then sat on the cot opposite Uchiha Chiba.

"Mm..." This was the first time Uchiha Chiba had seen Jiraiya in person.

The Jiraiya of today and the Perverted Sage of the future were practically two different people!

"Let me introduce myself, I am Jiraiya," Jiraiya began.

"I am Uchiha Chiba," Chiba blinked, looking at Jiraiya.

"Mm... Chiba, do you know how long you've been unconscious?" Jiraiya asked, rubbing his chin.

Uchiha Chiba shook his head.

Jiraiya gave a faint smile: "Seven full days. Your body has been completely overrun by the Salamander's toxin. Even Tsunade couldn't clear it from your system. It's a pity, but I suspect your chakra will carry the Salamander's toxin for the rest of your life."

To Chiba, this was no big deal. After all, his dantian had been repaired by that very toxin; even if it spread throughout his body, it would only serve to increase his strength.

"It's fine..." Uchiha Chiba said calmly.

To Jiraiya, however, this was merely Uchiha Chiba putting on a brave front. What had the war truly brought to the people? A child of only ten-odd years like Chiba was forced onto the battlefield, even going so far as to attempt to assassinate the leader of Amegakure for the sake of peace.

Then, footsteps sounded outside the tent.

The next second, Orochimaru and Tsunade pushed the tent flap open and walked in.

"Oh? The brat is finally awake. If you hadn't woken up, I would have had to resort to my backup plan." Tsunade approached Uchiha Chiba and pinched his cheek.

"Uchiha Chiba, right? I checked your background. There is no such person in Konohagakure. Are you truly a member of the Uchiha Clan?" Orochimaru's cold, sinister eyes emitted a terrifying light, as if he might strike at any moment.

Uchiha Chiba glanced at Orochimaru, then spoke slowly: "I am an orphan of the Uchiha Clan. My parents died in the war, leaving only me... The people in the clan said that if I wanted to become Hokage and change all this, I had to kill on the battlefield. So, I lived on the battlefield for a long time, until you arrived... However... I lost my forehead protector during the battle with Hanzo the Salamander."

Tsunade asked: "Brat, what did you just say your dream was?"

Her golden hair fluttered in the breeze blowing into the tent.

"To become Hokage and end the war," Uchiha Chiba said firmly. Although this wasn't his true goal, becoming Hokage was a viable path and a way to disgust Danzo Shimura. However, his true objective had always been to kill that old dog, Danzo Shimura.

Tsunade didn't speak. She simply stood up and took a long, deep look at Uchiha Chiba. Her gaze lingered on him for a long time... before she walked out of the tent.

"Did I do something?" Uchiha Chiba blinked.

"No. It's just that Tsunade's younger brother died in this war. That boy's dream was also to become Hokage. Perhaps she saw a shadow of her brother in you," Jiraiya replied.

Then, Orochimaru spoke again: "So, you are currently an Uchiha not recognized by the village, correct?"

"Logically speaking, that seems to be the case," Uchiha Chiba nodded.

"Orochimaru, look at what the war has brought us... broken homes and lost lives are the least of it... I hate war more and more." Jiraiya let out a long sigh. Influenced by the philosophy of Mount Myoboku, Jiraiya despised war. Of course, he also shared a significant bond with Mount Myoboku.

In the original story, the young Jiraiya was indeed considered a dead last.

After completing the bell-ringing test, Jiraiya, who had not yet signed a summoning contract, used the Summoning Jutsu without authorization and was transported to Mount Myoboku. There, he met the Great Toad Sage. After some "education" (a forceful intervention of values), he established a correct outlook on life and values. The Great Toad Sage was willing to let Jiraiya stay on Mount Myoboku to learn various powerful skills, which allowed Jiraiya to shed his status as a dead last and become the teacher of the one who would guide the change, as prophesied by the Great Toad Sage—though the timeline for that hadn't arrived yet.

Orochimaru shook his head.

"I naturally know the dangers of war, but if it weren't for our teacher, we wouldn't be where we are today. Even for the sake of our teacher, perhaps... no, you would only call me an idiot for such thoughts. It's better to blame this world." Orochimaru spread his hands; he naturally understood the temperament of his old friend.

After a long while, Orochimaru and Jiraiya seemed to remember Uchiha Chiba standing to the side.

"Ah, right. Uchiha Chiba, we will send you back to Konohagakure in two days," Orochimaru said. Since he had confirmed that Uchiha Chiba was not a spy disguised by another village, sending him back to Konohagakure was reasonable.

"I don't want to go back."

Uchiha Chiba's voice was not loud, but it carried a piercing weight.

This caused both Orochimaru and Jiraiya to look at the teenager in unison.

"I have no home left in Konohagakure, and to the clan, I am nothing but a stranger. I only want to stay on the battlefield to kill a few more ninja, then go back and work hard to become Hokage." Uchiha Chiba didn't even blush while lying.

"Do you know how much hardship and suffering is contained in becoming Hokage? Not to mention that you are an Uchiha," Orochimaru's cold voice rang out.

"So what? Life is such a fragile and fleeting thing. If I don't strive to grasp peace, won't peace just slip away from me?" Uchiha Chiba raised his head and looked at the top of the tent.

This statement completely made Orochimaru and Jiraiya want to keep Uchiha Chiba here.

First, for Orochimaru, who had just witnessed the death of his student, Nawaki Senju, he was desperately seeking the answer to a question: what is the meaning of life? He had a premonition that if he kept Uchiha Chiba by his side, the answer to that question might appear in his mind more clearly.

Second, for Jiraiya, he was the teacher destined to guide the change prophesied by the Great Toad Sage. He had seen nothing but broken homes along his journey, so he desired peace above all else. Uchiha Chiba's words made Jiraiya realize that if peace could not be held in one's own hands, it was no different from war. Could the person who proposed this be the one to bring about change?