Land of Whirlpools, Dragon Release Village.
In the reception room on the top floor of the Dragon Shadow Building.
Miyamoto Ichirō sat in the seat of honor. He was twenty-three that year, with an ordinary face and a simple dark kimono. He looked less like a ninja than a civil official.
In fact, he really did lack any talent as a ninja, and his chakra reserves were smaller than even a genin's.
But with Lin Ze's support, he managed all of Dragon Release Village's administrative affairs. He had built the village from nothing over five years, and his competence was beyond question.
"Jiraiya, please wait a little longer. Lin Ze should be here soon."
Miyamoto Ichirō spoke evenly, his manner neither servile nor overbearing.
In a guest seat below, Jiraiya sat casually, with three ANBU wearing animal masks standing behind him-Fox, Night Owl, and Gray Wolf.
"No problem, no problem. We can wait."
Jiraiya smiled and waved a hand, though his gaze swept unobtrusively over the reception room's furnishings.
Simple, practical, with no unnecessary decorations.
It fit his impression of Lin Ze perfectly-the kid had never liked anything flashy.
He disappeared for five years, and somehow he's gotten even stronger...
Jiraiya sighed inwardly.
An Azure Dragon over two thousand meters long, power that could transform heaven and earth-strength like that already defied common sense. Even the First Hokage, Hashirama Senju, in his day probably could have done no better.
As he was thinking, Lin Ze appeared with the Body Flicker Technique.
He wore simple black clothes, his short white hair neatly trimmed, his eyes as calm as still water.
"Lin Ze!"
Miyamoto Ichirō rose.
Lin Ze nodded to him, then turned his gaze toward Jiraiya and the other three and said calmly:
"Jiraiya, it's been a long time."
Jiraiya laughed