Talking with Jiraiya

In the forest.

Jiraiya leaped down from a tree and surveyed the scene as soon as he landed.

Several broken tree trunks, smoking dead branches, a scorched patch of ground, and a clearly defined boundary around its edge.

Relieved, he turned his gaze to the two lying on the ground.

"Kushina Uzumaki? What are you doing here?"

As one of Konoha's higher-ups, Jiraiya had naturally met this princess of the Uzumaki Clan.

But for the past two years, he had either been at Mount Myōboku or out on missions.

He barely remembered her.

Moonlight Ruyun quietly studied Jiraiya.

He was tall, with white hair, face paint, and a forehead protector bearing the character for "oil."

Unlike Tsunade, he wasn't wearing a Jonin flak jacket.

His clothes weren't much different from what he would wear in Naruto's time, though he was much younger.

"I was practicing ninjutsu, Uncle Jiraiya."

Kushina spoke lazily.

She, too, had only met Jiraiya when she first arrived in the village.

If Tsunade hadn't complained about Jiraiya so often at home, Kushina might not have remembered him.

Jiraiya immediately bristled. "Uncle? Kid, I'm only twenty!"

"Wait." Jiraiya caught on. "You were the one practicing ninjutsu just now?"

"That's right, Uncle."

Jiraiya no longer had time to worry about what she called him. He looked over the "devastated" scene again.

This looked to be on the level of A-rank Fire Release Ninjutsu.

Why were Ninja Academy students these days all such freaks?

They were already learning A-rank ninjutsu.

Back when he was in the academy, he had only known the Three Basic Jutsu...

Jiraiya offered a warning. "A-rank ninjutsu is still too dangerous. You should have at least a Chunin instructor watching you, or you could easily hurt yourself."

Kushina stood up and tilted her head. "What are you talking about, Uncle? Is the Great Fireball Technique an A-rank jutsu?"

"C-rank," Moonlight Ruyun reminded her.

"What?" Jiraiya's pupils contracted sharply, and he drew a deep breath. "The Great Fireball Technique? Are you sure it was the Great Fireball Technique?"

"I'm sure."

"No, no, that's not right. Oh, right, right... right about what? That's not right!"

Jiraiya soon realized why, his gaze settling on Kushina's red hair.

His throat felt a little dry. He wanted to say something, but couldn't get the words out.

A sudden pang of envy struck him.

Even the Third Hokage had praised his chakra reserves, but he couldn't compare with the freaks of the Uzumaki Clan...

"Ruyun? And... Uzumaki?"

Minato hurried over, carrying Jiraiya's outer robe.

When he saw the people standing nearby, he froze. Why was it those two?

His gaze instinctively shifted to the ravaged forest, and he swallowed.

Had Jonin fought here?

"Hmm? You know each other?"

Jiraiya rubbed his chin. He noticed that Minato had briefly lost focus when he saw Kushina.

Kushina, however, merely glanced at him before looking away.

Then Jiraiya looked at the black-haired boy standing beside Kushina...

He couldn't help feeling sorry for the promising youngster he had taken a liking to.

"Sir, we're classmates. Ruyun was the one who taught me swordsmanship."

Hearing this, Jiraiya sighed inwardly.

Kid, you don't stand a chance.

Kushina Uzumaki clearly likes that boy.

And you owe him a favor. You've got no hope of competing.

For some reason, he thought of Tsunade.

After a brief silence.

Moonlight Ruyun spoke. "Sir, did our training disturb you?"

"My name's Jiraiya. What's your name, kid?"

"Moonlight Ruyun."

Kushina leaned closer and reminded him, "This uncle is Lord Hokage's student."

They weren't far apart, so Minato heard her too. Shock surged through him.

He's actually Lord Hokage's student?!

For Ninja Academy students from civilian families, the enrollment and graduation ceremonies were their two chances to see the Hokage.

But the Hokage's students... aside from Tsunade, whose reputation was widespread, he had never even heard of the others.

They were important figures far beyond his reach.

Moonlight Ruyun obligingly put on a shocked expression.

"A child of the Hayate Clan, then? Did you teach her the Great Fireball Technique?"

"Yes, Lord Jiraiya."

Minato quietly breathed a sigh of relief. So he had only taught her.

For a moment, he had almost thought Moonlight Ruyun had cast the jutsu himself.

That terrifying power... he had even wondered whether Moonlight Ruyun had spent three years setting things up just to catch him off guard in their next match.

If Kushina Uzumaki had cast it, then it wasn't str... no, it was still strange!

In other words, a C-rank jutsu could cause such terrifying devastation?

He suddenly understood just how much weight Kushina's ambition to become the first female Hokage carried.

"Impressive little fellow."

Jiraiya's praise was sincere.

He glanced at the sky, awash with sunset colors. "It's getting late. I'll treat you to dinner."

Minato stood silently behind Jiraiya, looking at Moonlight Ruyun and Kushina Uzumaki.

Kushina scrunched up her little face.

She had already prepared two boxed lunches to eat with Moonlight Ruyun after training.

Who wanted to have dinner with some uncle?

Before she could refuse, Moonlight Ruyun readily accepted. "Thank you, Lord Jiraiya. Sorry for the trouble."

Seriously, how could he let an opportunity like this slip by?

Based on his understanding of equipment materials, the Sannin, as important characters, were bound to have materials that could be refined into equipment. There might very well be more than one.

The only question was whether Jiraiya had any on him.

He could only determine that by coming into contact with him.

In any case, this was a legitimate opportunity to get close to Jiraiya, and he absolutely couldn't miss it!

He had been waiting so desperately for his second piece of equipment.

Jiraiya nodded in satisfaction and waved his hand. "Let's go! Yakiniku Q!"

As an upscale barbecue restaurant in Konoha, Yakiniku Q was expensive. Even ordinary Jonin could hardly afford to eat there whenever they pleased.

But its food was so delicious that the restaurant was extremely popular.

It was considered one of Konoha's must-try dining spots.

Jiraiya strode into Yakiniku Q with the three third-year students.

Minato Namikaze looked this way and that, fascinated by the restaurant's interior.

Kushina wore a glum expression, still thinking about her boxed lunches and showing little interest in barbecue.

Moonlight Ruyun had never been here either. The Hayate Clan's finances didn't allow for such extravagance.

If he ate his fill, a single meal could swallow up his uncle's pay from several missions. He simply couldn't afford it.

He noticed that something seemed off with Kushina.

He gently caught the girl's wrist and asked softly, "What's wrong?"

She looked down at her wrist in his hand, then up at Moonlight Ruyun's concerned eyes.

Perhaps because the restaurant was so warm, Kushina's cheeks grew hot.

"I... I made boxed lunches."

He immediately understood why Kushina had been so gloomy the whole way.

Putting himself in her shoes, if he had prepared boxed lunches only for the other person to go eat with someone else, he would have felt upset too.

"Sorry, I didn't know... How about this? Give me the lunches later, and I'll have them as a late-night snack. Would that be okay?"

Seeing the apology in Ruyun's eyes, Kushina sniffled, her eyes reddening.

"They've already gone cold. I'll make you a fresh one tomorrow."

"It's hot out. I'd like something cold."

"Pfft..." Kushina laughed through her tears, her little face instantly brightening.

Jiraiya finished greeting a few ninja he knew in the restaurant.

"Huh? Kushina, why are you crying?"