Jiraiya's Traveling Party

"Lord Jiraiya, is there something you came to see me about?" Genye asked, surprised to see the lecherous old man he hadn't seen in ages.

"Mm." Jiraiya gave a slight nod, then turned serious. "Genye, would you like to leave the village for a while and travel around the Shinobi World with me?"

Jiraiya had returned to the village this time specifically for Genye.

He'd been living it up in the Land of Hot Water when he heard that Genye had beaten up the Nine-Tails. The news had left him utterly stunned.

Needless to say, he'd been wrong about the boy. This kid was definitely the Child of Prophecy—not that Jiraiya would drink at a bar while standing on his head!

But after returning to Konoha, Jiraiya heard plenty of damaging rumors about Genye and realized someone was targeting the boy.

To keep the Child of Prophecy from being caught up in a power struggle and going down a path of no return, Jiraiya decided to personally guide him.

(The Child of Prophecy would bring unprecedented stability to the Shinobi World—or destroy it.)

"I'd love to!" Genye answered without hesitation.

(ÒωÓױ)! What?!

Jiraiya froze, dumbfounded. He'd been racking his brains for a way to convince Genye, and now the kid had agreed so readily.

"Heh." Seeing Jiraiya's stunned expression, Genye simply smiled without a word.

Traveling around the Shinobi World with Jiraiya was an opportunity no fan of Naruto could ever refuse!

...Of course, female fans were the exception.

"Lord Jiraiya, when are we leaving?" Genye asked, barely able to contain his excitement.

"Let's wait a few days." Jiraiya came back to himself, ruffled Genye's hair, and said with a smile, "I need to let the Third know first."

Over the next few days.

Genye told his friends in advance that he'd be going away to travel.

But to avoid any unnecessary trouble, the two kept their departure date secret.

On the day they left, only Kakashi came to see Genye off at the village gate.

Kakashi was now a member of Minato's personal Anbu unit, so it made sense that he knew when Genye was leaving.

"Genye, Minato-sensei said that when you come back to the village, you can consider joining his personal Anbu unit."

"Okay, I understand. I'll think about it." Genye replied with a smile.

It wasn't just Danzo anymore; even Minato was starting to recruit him. It seemed the blond had ambitions to challenge the Third for power, too.

"Oh, there's one more thing." Kakashi seemed to have just remembered something and said it "casually."

"If Lord Jiraiya publishes a new book, remember to send a copy back to the village right away. Obito keeps insisting he wants to read it."

"Tsk, tsk." Genye gave Kakashi a knowing look, making him feel a little guilty.

Had Genye seen right through him?

Impossible. Absolutely impossible!

Given his and Obito's reputations around the village, pinning this on Obito was foolproof!

"All right, that's everything. Hurry up and go. Don't keep Lord Jiraiya waiting."

Unable to stand Genye's scrutinizing gaze, Kakashi hurriedly ushered him away.

"All right, all right. Stop pushing me. I can walk on my own."

Kakashi pushed Genye all the way out of Konoha's gates. Genye rolled his eyes, then quickened his pace to catch up with Jiraiya ahead.

Walking alongside Jiraiya, Genye asked with a grin, "Lord Jiraiya, are you planning to look for Lady Tsunade?"

Jiraiya scratched his head, looking baffled. "Tsunade? Why would I go looking for her?"

Tsk, tsk. What a stubborn man.

Genye pursed his lips, then said, "Lord Jiraiya, I've always wanted to see the Land of Grass. How about we make it our first stop?"

If Genye remembered correctly, Karin and her mother were in the Land of Grass. They might as well go there and see if they could find them.

"The Land of Grass?" Jiraiya considered this for a moment, then nodded. "Sure. I'll take you there first."

The Land of Rain.

Uchiha Kasumi, accompanied by Zetsu, followed a purple-haired woman into a dark chamber.

In the depths of the chamber, a red-haired man with most of his body encased in machinery and countless black rods embedded in his back slowly opened his eyes.

The man looked incredibly weak. It was unclear whether the purple-haired woman had anything to do with it, but his eyes held an indescribable air of authority.

Uchiha Kasumi cleared her throat and imitated Madara's voice. "Wasn't I right, Nagato?"

Nagato looked up, his expression conflicted. "Yes. I finally understand. In this cursed world, true peace doesn't exist."

"Exactly, Nagato." Zetsu wore a chilling smile. "Congratulations on seeing the truth of this world through your suffering."

"Then join me, Nagato."

Uchiha Kasumi passed the purple-haired woman and walked up to Nagato, looking up at him as he hung suspended in the machinery.

"Together, we'll create a new Akatsuki and bring this world... eternal peace!"

"All right." Nagato gave a slight nod, agreeing to Kasumi's proposal. Then he added, "But someone else is the leader of the Akatsuki."

As he spoke, Nagato looked into the distance. A man with orange hair and earrings walked in, his face expressionless.

"You'll always be the leader of the Akatsuki, Yahiko!" Nagato said fervently.

Uchiha Kasumi: "..."

Was it really that fun to role-play with his own puppet?

"Did the death of his comrades hit him so hard that he's lost his mind?"

"All right, Zetsu. Let's go."

With her goal accomplished, Kasumi couldn't be bothered to talk to a lunatic puppet. She turned and left with Zetsu.

"By the way." After leaving the chamber, Kasumi turned to Zetsu. "Do you have any recent information on that Hyuga Genye?"

"We do." Black Zetsu quickly replied. "The White Zetsus say he left Konoha with Jiraiya, one of the Sannin. Their destination is unknown."

"Judging by the direction they're heading, though, they seem to be making for the Land of Grass," Black Zetsu added.

"Oh?" Uchiha Kasumi toyed with her mask, looking intrigued. "Can you narrow down their location? I want to meet this Hyuga Genye myself."

"It might be difficult," Black Zetsu replied. "Both of them are too perceptive. The White Zetsus don't dare get too close."

"All right, I understand." Uchiha Kasumi nodded and made a mental note of it.

The Land of Grass wasn't far from her base. Once she had some free time, she might go there and take a look around.

"Hm?"

As Jiraiya and Genye traveled along the road, they passed a village. Jiraiya suddenly let out a puzzled murmur.

"What's wrong, Lord Jiraiya?"

Genye glanced around but didn't see anything worth noting, so he asked.

"I've been to this village before," Jiraiya explained.

"Even during the war, it was a lively place. But now that the war's over, why has it become so desolate?"

"Now that you mention it, it is a little strange." Genye looked toward the village again and nodded in agreement.

It was mealtime, but only a few wisps of smoke rose from the village. Most of the houses were in terrible shape, clearly abandoned for a long time.

"Come on. Let's ask around and find out what happened here."

Unable to resist his curiosity as a novelist, Jiraiya patted Genye on the shoulder and headed for the village.

"Uh, all right."

Genye shrugged and followed without much interest.

"Old-timer, may I ask what's happened in the village recently? Why are so many houses suddenly empty?"

After entering the village, Jiraiya stopped an old man working in the fields and asked what he wanted to know.

"Y-you two, are you ninja?!"

The moment he saw how Jiraiya and Genye were dressed, the old man dropped his hoe and excitedly grabbed Genye's hand.

Genye: "???"

Jiraiya was the one who asked you the question. Why the hell are you grabbing me?

After a moment's thought, Jiraiya nodded. "Yes, we're ninja."

"Please, you two, help us! If this keeps up, our village will die out!"

As soon as he heard that, the old man fell to his knees before them. He kowtowed and cried out in anguish.

Seeing this, Jiraiya grew even more curious. He helped the old man up and reassured him.

"Old-timer, please calm down. Can you tell us what's going on in the village first?"

Jiraiya's reassurance helped the old man regain some composure, but his cloudy eyes were still filled with deep fear.

"You two don't understand. Our village... is haunted!"