The Next Day.
"According to Kamizuru's intel, Iwagakure's forces will be passing through this route."
Shimizu pointed at the map.
Iwagakure's reinforcement units had been on the move for several days now and should currently be about 80 li away from their position.
Among them was the Two-Tails' jinchuriki—Yugito Nii.
Her strength was average, and her treatment in Kumogakure had always been rather ambiguous.
She tried to take on the Immortal Duo for the sake of her village, but ended up being killed by the Akatsuki. No one even bothered to retrieve her body.
Even after death, she was summoned back as a puppet through Edo Tensei and forced into battle.
Compared to how Gaara and Killer Bee were treated, the difference was staggering.
When Killer Bee was presumed dead, the Raikage immediately convened the Five Kage Summit to retaliate against the Akatsuki.
Even Gaara, who wasn't well-liked in his youth, received full support from both the Land of Wind and the Land of Fire when his life was on the line—they managed to save him just in time.
"How big is the gap between my strength and hers now? Yugito shouldn't be able to bring out her full power at her current age," Shimizu silently contemplated.
As long as Yugito didn't fully transform into her tailed beast form, Shimizu wouldn't be in any mortal danger.
If given the chance to face her, he wanted to see just how effectively the Sharingan could suppress a tailed beast.
The power of a tailed beast generally correlated with the number of tails—not an absolute rule, but it served as a useful reference.
The Nine-Tails and Eight-Tails were significantly stronger than the others. And the Ten-Tails existed on an entirely different level.
A jinchuriki of the Ten-Tails could even reach Sage of Six Paths-level power.
"Shimizu."
A voice came from outside the white curtain.
Without betraying any emotion, Shimizu calmly folded up the map and looked outward as if nothing had happened.
The one who arrived was Jiraiya.
Red markings extended from beneath his eyes to his cheeks.
He was tall and burly—most ninja were fit, but someone with Jiraiya's sheer size was uncommon.
He wore a forehead protector engraved with the symbol of Konohagakure, a green flak jacket over dark inner clothes, and had a thick bandage wrapped around his waist with numerous ninja tools attached to his belt.
His legs were bound in cloth wrappings, and he wore standard black shinobi sandals. Even while standing still, he gave off the impression of being ready to leap into battle at any moment.
Jiraiya walked straight up to Shimizu.
"Jiraiya-sama, to what do I owe the honor?" Shimizu said flatly.
A young Jiraiya was far more dashing than the greasy middle-aged man he would later become.
Unfortunately, some habits started young and stuck.
This was technically the first time Jiraiya had formally greeted him.
Though Shimizu had seen him plenty of times—specifically at the hot springs.
Back then, just like in the original story, Jiraiya had been peeping at the women's bathhouse.
Normally, shinobi clans had their own private hot springs or at least a basin to bathe in.
This was a cultural quirk embedded deep in Konoha's bones—a love for communal baths.
Shimizu had only gone because his home's water pipes had broken and left him no choice.
When he spotted Jiraiya, he immediately filed an anonymous report.
There was no need for two perverts in the same village.
To be fair, Jiraiya's peeping was rather limited. At best, he caught glimpses of elderly women. Catching sight of a young civilian woman was practically a miracle.
Wealthier shinobi didn't frequent public bathhouses.
And ninja, by nature, had keen perception abilities—especially when it came to sensing stares.
In The Way of the Ninja, even Neji got caught red-handed using the Byakugan to peep.
It showed that even while bathing, ninjas remained alert. After all, they were mercenaries who lived with their lives hanging by a thread—any slip could be fatal.
How could Jiraiya's antics possibly go unnoticed?
If it weren't for his identity as one of the Legendary Sannin and Sarutobi Hiruzen's student, he'd have been thrown in jail long ago.
That was why he never dared peep on the women of the shinobi clans—their family power structures were far too complicated. If they ever banded together and reported him to the Hokage Tower, even his Sannin title wouldn't save him. His reputation would be completely ruined.
Even now, the bathhouses were filled with sealing barriers, making Jiraiya's dream of writing his next book much harder.
"Shimizu Uchiha, go get ready. You're coming with me on a mission," Jiraiya ordered.
He had no idea the person in front of him was the one constantly reporting him.
The Third Hokage had assigned Minato Namikaze to take Shimizu along to earn some battle merit and build his reputation.
But with the situation on Minato's front tense, he asked Jiraiya to take his place.
Jiraiya had rushed over from another battlefront that very day to help Minato mentor Shimizu.
At the end of the day, strength ruled the shinobi world. Even Tsunade's title as a Sannin wasn't earned through healing, but through battle.
Patients might admire a medic, but other shinobi would never truly be convinced—grateful, perhaps, but never loyal.
"By the way, do you know any kind of medical ninjutsu?" Jiraiya asked seriously.
"What kind of ninjutsu?"
"You know... that kind. For breast enhancement."
He made a lifting motion with his hands, and his solemn expression crumbled into one of utter lechery.
"..."
"Ahem! Just kidding." Jiraiya coughed awkwardly, seeing Shimizu's deadpan expression.
He'd originally hoped to invent some convenient jutsu to help those poor bar girls improve their lives.
But clearly, that dream was dead in the water.
Jiraiya sighed inwardly. Lately, he couldn't even enjoy peeping in Konoha anymore. What was the world coming to?
He even asked the Third Hokage who had been reporting him, but Hiruzen refused to say anything—his face full of shame, as if distancing himself from Jiraiya.
Jiraiya knew the old man was just pretending to be upright—but he had no proof.
He told himself he was only peeping for writing material. The women didn't suffer any real losses anyway!
Honestly, the women outside the village were way more chill about things.
Now, all he could do was pour his passion into his books and pray he'd one day write the masterpiece he envisioned.
"Jiraiya-sama, you sure like your jokes. When exactly are we heading out for this mission?"
Shimizu asked.
"We leave this afternoon at five. I'll come find you—make sure to bring your whole squad."
With that, Jiraiya turned and walked off, silver-white hair swaying freely. Messy but full of flair, it cascaded over his shoulders in a way that screamed unruly charm.
Shimizu wasn't fooled by appearances. That long hair wasn't for show.
Jiraiya kept it long specifically for his ninjutsu—Needle Jizo and Wild Lion's Mane Technique—to gain an edge in combat.
And since shinobi were as fragile as glass, one solid hit often determined the outcome of a fight.
Near the Border of the Land of Fire.
Towering mountains stretched endlessly into the distance, their dense forests teeming with life.
Several ninja moved swiftly, leaping from branch to branch as they traveled.
Jiraiya's mission was to escort confidential documents.
"Let's take a break. Aren't you feeling tired?"
Jiraiya wiped the sweat from his brow.
They were close to their destination. After traveling non-stop for nearly a full day and night, it was high time to rest.
--
Support me & read more advance & fast update chapter on my patreon:
pat reon .com/yuuwand