Faced with Jiraiya's insistence, Chiba sighed silently.
He shrugged and explained:
"The Great Toad Sage can't remember your name. All he remembers is a pervy, white-haired..."
Before he could finish, Jiraiya clamped a hand over his mouth.
Everyone around them had already turned to stare at the pair.
"Carry on, everyone, carry on..."
With a sheepish smile, Jiraiya dragged the two boys out of Ichiraku Ramen.
"You can call me the Great Toad Sage, the White-Haired Child, or Lord Jiraiya..."
Jiraiya rattled off more than a dozen titles in one breath.
But Chiba simply shook his head.
"Why? What's wrong with calling you Pervy Sage?"
Jiraiya's face darkened, and he tried to argue.
"I'm not pervy at all..."
Chiba pointed at the bundle he carried and said:
"I finished your novel. It was pretty good!"
Now there was evidence. No amount of explaining could get him out of this.
Beside them, Naruto laughed so hard he couldn't straighten up.
"Pervy Sage! Hahaha..."
Jiraiya punched him on the head. "Show some respect for your senior!"
"Ow, ow, ow!"
Clutching his head, Naruto shouted at him:
"Then why can Chiba call you that?!"
Jiraiya was momentarily speechless.
For some reason, after spending that time with Chiba, he no longer felt like the boy's senior.
Unable to come up with an explanation, he gave Naruto another rap on the head.
"No talking back to your seniors!"
The three of them walked farther and farther down the moonlit path.
After taking Naruto home, Jiraiya brought Chiba to a house.
"This place is spacious enough, and it's pretty well furnished."
After helping Chiba tidy up, Jiraiya continued:
"You'll be living here from now on!"
Chiba said nothing, waiting for Jiraiya to continue.
He figured Jiraiya would explain the situation in Konoha beforehand.
"Lord Hokage already knows where you came from."
Jiraiya's expression was calm, betraying no emotion.
"You asked to live in Konoha. I didn't want you to stay here."
"Because you're no ordinary child."
"Being special can draw evil to you!"
His tone grew increasingly grave as he spoke.
Jiraiya knew Konoha's dark side better than anyone.
Chiba nodded. "Understood. I'll take care of myself."
Jiraiya felt a little reassured. Chiba was far less trouble than Naruto.
"In that case, I won't stay in Konoha any longer."
Jiraiya left enough money for Chiba to live on, then departed that very night.
Before leaving, he made sure to give him a few warnings.
But Chiba had no attention to spare for them.
His focus was entirely on the system!
[Issuing Sign-In mission...] [Mission: Check in at the Forest of Death and repel Orochimaru!]
The new Sign-In mission made Chiba frown.
Overall, his check-in missions so far had been fairly simple.
There hadn't been the slightest danger even when he carried them out.
This new Sign-In mission, however, was exceptionally dangerous.
For starters, the Forest of Death was hardly a safe place.
Orochimaru alone was enough of a headache.
One of Konoha's Sannin-how could his reputation be empty hype?
Chiba was confident that protecting himself with his current strength wouldn't be a problem.
But facing a veteran Kage Level fighter would still be far too difficult.
What was more, Orochimaru's combat prowess was anything but ordinary.
If he brought out a couple of fighters through Impure World Reincarnation, Chiba probably wouldn't even be able to escape.
Still, it would be a while before he could complete this Sign-In mission.
If Chiba remembered correctly, this mission should take place during the Chunin Ninja Exams.
Orochimaru might not even be in Konoha yet. At the very least, with Chiba's abilities,
finding him would be far too difficult.
Besides, he wouldn't be appearing in the Forest of Death yet.
Chiba kept reading. "What's the mission reward?"
[Mission reward: Basic Sage Body!]
At the sight of that reward, Chiba's brows knitted tightly together.
"What a dilemma!"
The power of a Sage Body was beyond question.
Tenacious vitality, terrifying energy, and the ability to use ninjutsu without forming hand seals-it could also work in conjunction with Senjutsu.
Perhaps this basic Sage Body would come with all sorts of limitations.
But there was absolutely no doubting its power.
This reward could fundamentally transform Chiba's strength. He couldn't possibly pass it up.
"Sigh... I still have to work hard and get stronger!"
Jiraiya had left, leaving Chiba alone in Konoha.
Early the next morning, as the first light of dawn appeared,
Chiba was already on the outskirts of Konoha, beginning his training bright and early.
As for why he knew all sorts of jutsu, he could simply credit Jiraiya for everything.
He had already left Konoha, after all.
At least, as far as Chiba could sense, Jiraiya's chakra signature had vanished from Konoha.
In Sage Mode, Chiba's sensory abilities were astonishing.
If he focused fully on sensing a particular chakra signature,
nothing within five kilometers could escape his perception.
The previous night, Jiraiya's chakra had vanished in the direction of the Konoha Gate.
Around Chiba, however, other chakra signatures had appeared.
The arrival of these ninja put Chiba on guard.
Before you continue