Jiraiya: Tsunade Seems to Have Changed

As for what would happen if word got out that she had been visiting the camp, it was not within Tsunade's scope of consideration.

If it went on too long, it would look bad, but she had only stayed one night. Who dared to gossip about it?

"Tsunade left?"

After Jingyi walked out of the medical room and they confirmed he was alone, Little Honda and Sarutobi Mishima approached him.

Jingyi stretched lazily. "She left early this morning."

Jingyi did not say why Tsunade had come.

As for what had happened last night, that was even less likely to be mentioned.

The two captains wisely did not press him.

After confirming Tsunade had left, they earnestly reminded Jingyi to get some rest before departing.

I didn't fucking do anything!

I only got to indulge my hands a little. What was there to rest for?

With the New Year approaching, the atmosphere in the camp began to change. Everyone had lost the enthusiasm they had when they first arrived, and quite a few people kept gazing toward the village.

They clearly missed home and wanted to reunite with their families to celebrate the New Year together.

Unfortunately, they had missions to carry out. Until the next batch of ninja arrived to rotate with them, they could only remain stationed at the camp and go nowhere.

"Hahaha! I, the Toad Sage, the great Jiraiya, have returned!!"

With only two days left until the New Year, Jiraiya, who had gone out on a mission, finally returned to the village.

"Old man, if there's another mission like this, don't give it to me. Just send Orochimaru instead. It nearly killed me."

After submitting his mission report, Jiraiya began loudly complaining.

This mission had taken far too long.

"Go home and get some rest. Get ready to have a good New Year." The Third Hokage smiled and changed the subject.

Of his three disciples, Orochimaru was his favorite, and Orochimaru received the most care. Because of his personality, Jiraiya was actually the most obedient one.

Therefore, whenever troublesome missions came up, the Third Hokage would assign them to Jiraiya.

As for Tsunade, the Medical Department was too busy. Besides, she would directly refuse some missions. Orochimaru was even more decisive—once he had money, he would busy himself with experiments and research. As for missions... Jiraiya was still the one to call.

"Old man, I'm leaving."

Resting was out of the question.

After leaving the Hokage Office Building, the restless Jiraiya headed straight for the hot spring inn.

He soon returned disappointed. Because it was winter and the New Year was approaching, there was no one at any of the hot spring inns. Jiraiya, who had hoped to feast his eyes, was greatly disappointed.

If he could not satisfy his eyes, then he could only satisfy his mouth.

Jiraiya found Orochimaru, dragged him out of his laboratory, then pulled Tsunade along to gather at a small tavern.

"Tsk! I finally feel alive again. That mission was irritating as hell. It almost wore me to death."

As he drank, Jiraiya kept complaining nonstop.

Orochimaru listened quietly, as always letting it go in one ear and out the other.

After grumbling for half the day, Jiraiya suddenly felt that something was off.

Orochimaru was still the same old Orochimaru, ignoring him completely and treating everything he said as nonsense.

But Tsunade...

Jiraiya found what was wrong. Whenever the three of them gathered in the past, Tsunade would curse him out whenever she heard him complain, sometimes even hitting him.

This time, however, Tsunade did not curse at him, much less hit him.

What happened after I left the village?

Jiraiya blinked blankly.

"Tsunade, is the food not to your taste?"

Tsunade had always liked the food at this little place. Why had she barely touched her chopsticks today?

"Maybe my tastes have changed. It doesn't feel as good as it used to."

For once, Tsunade did not blow up at Jiraiya. Instead, she curiously asked what interesting things he had encountered during his mission.

This is insane!!

Is this really the Tsunade I know?

Jiraiya's mouth hung so wide open that it nearly dropped onto the table.

Orochimaru, quietly sipping his drink, also found it a little strange. Tsunade was far too quiet today.

Orochimaru could not figure out why. Since the team had disbanded, the three of them had gathered less and less often, and quite a long time had passed since their last meeting.

After dinner, everyone went their separate ways.

Jiraiya went to find his loyal little fan, Nawaki.

"Has your sister seemed strange lately?"

"No."

Holding the book Jiraiya had brought him, Nawaki was engrossed in reading. Without even looking up, he said:

"Maybe she just hasn't had much of an appetite. It isn't only her—even Kushina is the same. Since Jingyi left, we haven't had food that suited our tastes in a long time."

"Jingyi? Tsunade's little apprentice?"

Jiraiya froze.

Nawaki said unhappily, "What little apprentice? Jingyi is only studying under my sister. They're not master and disciple, and my sister has never admitted to taking on an apprentice."

"Hehehe!!"

Before long, Nawaki's attention returned to his book, leaving Jiraiya sitting beside him and scratching his head.

He felt as though he had missed something.

But he could not put his finger on it.

Compared with Konoha, which was covered in red lanterns, the border camp remained the same as ever. Little Honda made two lanterns out of red paper and hung them at the camp entrance to celebrate the coming New Year. Unfortunately, the red lanterns did not help at all; instead, they made many ninja miss their families even more.

He really didn't know how to read the room.

Noticing the strange atmosphere in the camp, Jingyi could only shake his head.

Many people missed their families and hoped to return home soon, yet the village had not made any gesture at all.

At other times, it would have been one thing, but with the New Year arriving, shouldn't they send some supplies to reward the ninja stationed at the border?

Konoha was not so poor that it could not spare even a little something for the ninja guarding the border. With no gesture at all, it could only be said that F4 was doing nothing.

It was close. Closer and closer.

Somehow, Jingyi felt that the Tenseigan's third stirring was about to arrive.

On New Year's night, the Tenseigan's third stirring arrived as expected. Jingyi, who had prepared in advance, took out the white cloth he had readied and covered his eyes before lying steadily on the bed.

With each stirring, it lasted longer than the last.

Perhaps because he himself did not possess Otsutsuki chakra, the Tenseigan's stirrings lasted a little longer.

The intervals between them were also quite long.

In the entire border camp, Jingyi was the only medical ninja and had always been the most valued person there. When they saw white cloth covering his eyes, everyone in the camp became nervous.

"Jingyi, is there something wrong with your eyes?" Little Honda asked anxiously.

Nothing could happen to Jingyi.

As a clansman of the Third Hokage, Sarutobi Mishima knew a little of the inside story.

"Jingyi, have the aftereffects of your Byakugan degeneration started again?"

"Yes. My eyes are uncomfortable. It feels like something is twitching inside them. During this time, I'm afraid of bright light and cannot act freely. Everyone will need to protect yourselves during this period."

"The aftereffects have appeared twice before, and each time they lasted for a while. I don't know how long this time will last either."

"Damn it!"

After hearing Jingyi's explanation, Little Honda said angrily, "Lord Hokage should have transferred you back. Your health was already poor."

"Um..." Sarutobi Mishima could tell that Little Honda's words carried a great deal of resentment.

As a clansman of the Third Hokage, his position was naturally rather awkward, so it was difficult for him to respond.

Jingyi smiled and shook his head, soothing the somewhat anxious Little Honda. "Captain, I've experienced this twice already. I can take care of myself during this time, so there's no need for a rotation."

"If someone gets injured, can you still treat them?" Little Honda asked what worried him most.

As a medical ninja, Jingyi's duty was to treat the wounded and save those on the brink of death.

If he could not even save people, then this medical ninja would become nothing more than decoration.