Hawk Faction

"Besides..." Sarutobi Hiruzen deliberately drew out his voice, keeping them in suspense.

Watching his old friend act this way, Mitokado Homura said helplessly, "Hiruzen, we're all old now. Stop keeping us in suspense."

Only after hearing his old friend's complaint did Sarutobi Hiruzen speak. "I've already sent someone to bring Jiraiya here. With him around, I believe even if Orochimaru really has returned, it won't be a problem."

Hearing this, the other three members of Konoha's F4 finally nodded and relaxed.

Mitokado Homura adjusted his glasses. "If Jiraiya is willing to come back, he really would be a good choice. After all, we should try to avoid any bloodshed."

Sarutobi Hiruzen nodded. "Don't worry. We haven't confirmed who the culprit is yet. And even if Orochimaru has returned, he wouldn't attack Konoha's villagers."

Utatane Koharu looked at Sarutobi Hiruzen. "Are you sure?"

Sarutobi Hiruzen smiled confidently. "Orochimaru is my student. I know him well enough. That's why I'm willing to play this game with him."

Hearing this, Danzo curled his lip in disdain.

Sarutobi Hiruzen noticed his old friend's reaction.

But he didn't pay it much mind. After all, this old friend of his couldn't stand it if he didn't oppose him every time.

This time, he was merely unhappy with Sarutobi Hiruzen's decision without openly opposing it. That was already quite good.

It even surprised him a little.

Outside Konoha.

A white-haired man with a lecherous look was peeping into a hot spring.

As he peeked, he muttered to himself, "This is a fantastic place to gather material."

Just then, an Anbu appeared beside him.

Jiraiya sensed the Anbu behind him but paid him no mind. He didn't even turn around, merely asking casually, "What does the old man want to persuade me about this time?"

He was already used to the Anbu showing up. Over the years, as he traveled around, he had stayed in touch with Sarutobi Hiruzen and the others.

And every time, the Anbu would bring word that Sarutobi Hiruzen wanted him to return.

But Jiraiya had no desire to go back. It was so much nicer to be free out here.

The Anbu took out a document. "Lord Hokage said that when you see this document, you might change your mind."

Jiraiya nodded reluctantly, though his attention remained fixed on the bathing area.

That was the main event today, after all.

Without looking back, Jiraiya held out two fingers and halfheartedly pinched the document from him, his eyes still glued to the gap in the fence.

"Aw, don't rush me. I'll read it once I've finished this last bit of 'inspiration for my material.'" He chuckled, a lecherous grin spreading across his old face. "Based on my years of experience gathering material, those few who just went in must be..."

His breathing grew rapid, and his heart began to pound faster.

Through the narrow gap, he saw several figures emerging from the swirling steam. They were lined up, walking toward the hot spring pool with heavy, rhythmic steps.

Though their height seemed a little off.

"Here they come! A breathtaking sight!"

Jiraiya's eyes flew wide open. He was ready to engrave the scene into his memory as inspiration for the sequel to Icha Icha Paradise.

But in the next moment, his expression froze.

There were several muffled splashes as huge sprays of water flew up. A few drops even hit him in the face.

It was an entire line of plump, pink-skinned sows, their curly little tails swaying as they snorted and trotted along. With remarkable smoothness, they hopped into a livestock hot spring that the local farmers had set aside for "sterilizing and disinfecting" their animals.

Jiraiya's face stiffened as soon as he saw them.

He didn't know what to say.

He'd braved swarms of mosquitoes, full of anticipation, only to watch a group of sows jump into the water?

Worse, one of the sows turned around and blasted Jiraiya through the gap with a poisonous gas attack.

Jiraiya immediately collapsed to the ground and began retching.

"Ugh, ugh."

The noise he made immediately caught the owner's attention.

"Who's there? Are you trying to steal my pigs?"

At his words, Jiraiya and the Anbu's faces changed.

They exchanged a glance and hurriedly fled with the Body Flicker Technique.

When the farm owner arrived, panting, with several farmhands carrying sticks, he found that the "thief" had already disappeared.

"Damn thief! Don't think you can steal my pigs!"

After cursing, he spat on the ground and turned to leave with the farmhands.

In the woods, Jiraiya retched for a long time before finally recovering.

Only then did he look at the Anbu behind him. "What was it you came to find me for?"

Hearing his question, the Anbu struggled to hold back a laugh. "Lord Jiraiya, just read the document in your hand."

Jiraiya muttered, "This time, he didn't try to persuade me to come back?"

With that, he opened the document. After reading its contents, the carefree expression vanished from his face.

He looked at the Anbu and said calmly, "Let's go back."

The Anbu nodded, and the two returned to Konoha, one after the other.

Uchiha Yan casually led several Uchiha clan members on patrol.

One of the men, who leaned toward the Dove Faction, asked, "Lord Yan, the Hokage's side ordered us to strengthen our defenses. Is it really all right for us to do this?"

Uchiha Yan glanced at him and said casually, "I'm patrolling very diligently. I show up on time, work seriously during work hours, and leave right on time. What's the problem?"

Hearing this, the Dove Faction Uchiha actually thought he had a point.

He could only nod and follow the others on patrol.

Uchiha Yan asked casually, "When does the Chunin selection final start?"

One of his subordinates, who knew him well, hurriedly replied, "Tomorrow, Lord Yan."

Uchiha Yan held great influence among the Hawk Faction. In fact, many of them had reached the point of recognizing Uchiha Yan but not Uchiha Fugaku.

They always felt that even though Fugaku belonged to the Hawk Faction, he was still too weak-willed.

Uchiha Fugaku could only let them be. The reason was simple enough.

Before he came of age, Uchiha Yan had been the Hawk Faction's most hardline member.

Before Uchiha Yan dealt with Itachi and Shisui, both of them had been disciplined by him many times.

But after he came of age, he had become much more composed.

After a brief patrol, Uchiha Yan checked the time and said calmly, "All right. Same time tomorrow. Dismissed!"

Back at the Konoha Military Police Force office, Uchiha Yan also received his assignment for the next day: providing security for the Chunin matches.

After giving it some thought, he sought out Uchiha Setsuna, an elder of the Hawk Faction in the Uchiha Clan, on his way back to the Uchiha Compound.

He arrived at a courtyard and knocked on the gate.

The gate soon swung open, and a servant came out.