Naruto and his group walked through the mist, where visibility was extremely low. Fortunately, they were close together and had Jiraiya the Wanderer, who had been there before, to guide them, so they didn't get separated. Otherwise, they really wouldn't know where they would have ended up.
"Hey, you lecherous old man, when are you getting here?"
They had been walking for who knows how long, and Naruto was getting impatient. Moreover, he wasn't sure if it was just his imagination, but he felt that the Jiraiya the Wanderer in front of him seemed to be putting on an act, as if he was also lost but was just pretending.
Hearing Naruto referred to as Naruto again made the Jiraiya the Wanderer rather embarrassed, after all, it wasn't exactly a pleasant nickname.
Although he was somewhat unhappy, he didn't dare answer Naruto's question at all, and even felt a little guilty. They had been walking for so long and still hadn't arrived at their destination. Even if Naruto was stupid, he could tell that something was wrong. That's right, it seemed that Jiraiya the Wanderer really was lost.
"Ahem, how many times have I told you, don't call me a lecherous old man."
Naruto ignored Jiraiya the Wanderer's protests and continued asking himself:
"So, how much longer until we get to that place you mentioned? You're not going to get lost, are you?"
Faced with Naruto's questioning, the Jiraiya the Wanderer avoided eye contact, clearly having been Naruto Naruto.
Seeing Jiraiya the Wanderer in this state, how could Naruto not know what was going on?
But Jiraiya the Wanderer, he remained stubborn.
"Hey~ you know I'm getting old, I just sometimes forget directions. Don't worry, the surroundings look familiar, I'm sure we'll get there soon."
As he said this, he pointed to his head of white hair, as if to prove something.
Naruto rolled his Byakugan at Jiraiya the Wanderer. He'd be a fool to believe that. "Old age?" he thought. "You're born with white hair, for goodness' sake! Is that even an excuse?"
"Hmm? Are you deliberately picking a fight?"
Naruto's words were harsh, making the Jiraiya the Wanderer awkwardly touch his face. This brat really doesn't hold back with his words.
However, thinking of this Jiraiya the Wanderer, he smiled. This Naruto was really different from the Naruto in his memory. The Naruto in his memory, although he seemed silly and simple-minded and always seemed sunny, always hid those dark emotions deep in his heart.
Even Jiraiya the Wanderer dared not imagine what the child's feelings would be upon learning of his death; he must have been in immense pain...
Although the Naruto in front of me has a bad temper, like a prickly little hedgehog, he doesn't have that feeling—that feeling of burying pain, enduring it alone, suppressing emotions deep inside, and showing a sunny side to others. He is flesh and blood, very real, and genuinely happy.
Just as Jiraiya the Wanderer, Naruto's words began to attack his fragile heart once again.
"Hey, you lecherous old man, why aren't you answering the question? Thinking about Tsunade again? You simp, stop thinking about her."
Naruto's words only made things worse. Even the usually silent, Pain the Wanderer, upon hearing them, had his purple Rinnegan flash with a sharp light. Something was amiss.
Jiraiya the Wanderer, wanted to explain something, but after hearing Naruto say those words, he felt completely devastated. If being called a perverted old man by Naruto was only slightly hurtful, then having Naruto past exposed in front of others was incredibly damaging.
Jiraiya the Wanderer's face instantly turned a liverish color, and he stammered, barely able to speak clearly.
"Little... brat, who told you all this? Nonsense, utter rubbish! I will absolutely not go after whoever told you this."
Seeing Jiraiya the Wanderer, Naruto couldn't help but find it amusing. He had thought the guy wouldn't have any shame, but he hadn't expected such a strong reaction.
"Oh, you mean this? Of course, Orochimaru told me."
Upon hearing that Orochimaru had told Naruto, Jiraiya the Wanderer, immediately erupted in anger.
"Damn it, I knew it! It's that damned Orochimaru! Naruto, don't believe him! It's all just rumors, rumors, all fake! You have to believe me, believe the facts, believe the facts! That damned Orochimaru, you deserve to die! Fooling a child like that! Ugh, shameless!"
Seeing Jiraiya the Wanderer's almost hysterical state, Naruto couldn't help but find it amusing. Did it even matter if the thing was real or not? With your reaction, even a fake thing seemed real.
But his words were full of deception.
"Okay, okay, I believe you, I believe you."
Seeing Naruto's "I won't believe you even if you kill me" look, Jiraiya the Wanderer regretted it. He should have taken Orochimaru with him back then, or his reputation would have been ruined!
Just as Jiraiya the Wanderer was lamenting the state of affairs, he inadvertently glanced at Sasuke and Pain the Wanderer, who were watching the scene unfold. Their eyes were gleaming with curiosity. Oh no, it was their thirst for knowledge!
Oh no! It's all ruined! Those two brats heard everything! Now my reputation is completely destroyed, I've lost face so badly.
Especially after what Pain the Wanderer next, Jiraiya the Wanderer more desperate.
"Um, teacher, who is this Tsunade that Naruto?"
Now that someone had asked a question, the other kids all had expressions of "I've always believed in you" on their faces. Sasuke, in particular, stopped pretending and pricked up his ears, waiting for the Jiraiya the Wanderer to finish speaking. You see, the Jiraiya this world, so what happened to him also happened to the Jiraiya in his own world.
Is it Jiraiya the Wanderer? Is this even allowed? This is already shameful enough; isn't it shameful enough already?
Fortunately, Jiraiya the Wanderer, reacted quickly.
"Ahem, never mind, I think we should get back to what we're doing."
Seeing the Pain the Wanderer and Sasuke, the Jiraiya the Wanderer calmly took a few steps forward.
"Because we have arrived."
Just as Jiraiya the Wanderer had said, as they took a few steps forward, the surrounding mist stopped behind them, and before them lay the tribe that Jiraiya the Wanderer had mentioned, the one that was willing to unite. However, the tribe looked somewhat strange at this moment.
The tribe was engulfed in flames, the air thick with the stench of blood, and filled with screams and cries of agony. They seemed to have arrived too late...