Hokage's office.
"Ah, hahaha, long time no see, old man! What pressing matter brings me here?" Anbu delivered Jiraiya to Sarutobi Hiruzen, bowing before the Hokage and then discreetly retreating, leaving Jiraiya alone to face Sarutobi Hiruzen's thunderous expression. With a forced smile, Jiraiya offered a casual greeting.
"You incorrigible fool! Don't look at me so nonchalantly! Do you have any idea the uproar you cause peeking into a public women's bathhouse?" Sarutobi Hiruzen, a cigarette clenched between his teeth, glared at Jiraiya.
"I was gathering research material! Seeking artistic inspiration! Old man, don't you often use those crystal balls to…"
"Shut up!" Jiraiya began defensively, only to be cut off sharply by Hiruzen. This imbecile! Where does he think he is? The Hokage's office! Shadow Guard and Anbu members constantly patrolled the vicinity, their loyalty solely to the Hokage. Sarutobi Hiruzen hadn't dismissed them. If this buffoon revealed his own… recreational habits, someone might overhear. His majestic "Third Hokage" image would suffer further indignity.
"Behave yourself from now on, Jiraiya. You're well into your thirties. Stop giving this old man headaches. Now, how did that mission go? What's the situation on the border?"
The playful facade vanished, replaced by a serious mien. "Frequent Cloud Shinobi activity in the Land of Hot Water. I apprehended two spies, handed them over to the Konoha Torture and Interrogation Force, and extracted some… interesting intel." Jiraiya produced an information scroll, unsealed it, and presented it to Sarutobi Hiruzen.
Hiruzen took the scroll, his initial indifference giving way to grave concern as he read. He fell silent, the scroll resting in his hands. After a moment, he spoke, his tone heavy. "Has Cloud Shinobi become this brazen?"
Jiraiya's eyes darkened, a moment of hesitation before he shook his head. "Actually, the immediate situation isn't dire. Fortunately, we caught it early enough. The problem isn't yet widespread."
The contents of the scroll lay open on the desk. The Land of Lightning, home to Cloud Shinobi Village, bordered Konoha to the upper right, separated by two smaller nations. Adjacent to the Land of Fire lay the Land of Hot Water. Yugakure's overall military strength had waned, its funding gradually reduced by the Land of Hot Water's daimyo, causing the former "Ninja Village" to shrink. However, its beautiful scenery and hot springs have led to a successful transition to tourism. The small nation bordering the Land of Lightning was the Land of Frost, unremarkable in most aspects. Cloud Shinobi Village had begun covertly mobilizing resources within the Land of Frost. A significant number of spies had infiltrated the Land of Fire, and disguised Cloud Shinobi occasionally harassed the border patrols.
"It seems they can't contain themselves any longer," Sarutobi Hiruzen said, tapping his pipe, his voice low. "Almost ten years since the end of the Second Great Ninja War. The pain won't deter them; it will only fuel their hatred as they secretly lick their wounds and prepare to strike again."
Jiraiya walked to the window, his gaze fixed on Konoha without uttering a word. After so many years, the ninja villages that had suffered heavy losses had recovered, their eyes now collectively fixed on this central and prosperous land. Every major ninja war seemed to erupt around Konoha. Fortunately, Konoha's abundance of talent allowed them to fight on multiple fronts – one versus three, one versus four, commonplace occurrences. No one desired war on their own soil, and the small nations between the major powers had become the de facto "buffer zones" and "war centers," further devastating those already struggling nations. The destruction of the ninja and the relentless wars had left disaster and victims in their wake. This year, other ninja villages had become increasingly bold in their border skirmishes. Spies poured into the Land of Fire – not just Cloud Shinobi, but Mist, Rock, and Sand as well, all targeting Konoha. "Looking at the situation, the Third Great Ninja War isn't far off, old man. Be prepared. This will be a brutal conflict," Jiraiya said, turning back to Sarutobi Hiruzen.
"I know. The current climate is still dominated by probing. A full-scale war is likely a year or two away. You've worked hard. Go and rest."
"Hn." Without his usual playful exit, Jiraiya nodded to Sarutobi Hiruzen and pushed open the door. Staring at the closed door, Sarutobi Hiruzen set down his pipe, sighed, and returned to the mountain of paperwork on his desk.
…
Meanwhile,
Renzou hummed a little tune as he walked home, feeling unusually fortunate. Having resigned himself to paying for the barbecue, Uncle Sakumo had unexpectedly stepped in, claiming a senior figure wanted to treat the children. He'd paid the bill neatly and kindly urged Renzou to go home and rest for his spar with Kakashi tomorrow. Wallet intact and stomach full, Renzou was in high spirits.
After a quick wash, Renzou sat in his courtyard, gazing at the darkening sky, contemplating the next day. Since he was competing with Kakashi, he'd have to postpone his plans to visit Orochimaru for scientific and ninjutsu study. As for the ninjutsu Jiraiya had offered to teach, Renzou had a particular idea in mind. Ideally, he wanted to learn how to summon his own Summoning Beast. Summoning Beasts were invaluable ninja allies, combat partners. Once a ninja signed a contract, they could summon their contracted beast anytime, anywhere. Summoning Beasts were versatile, useful for direct combat, information transport, reconnaissance, and assisting in ninja battles. While Renzou wasn't certain which Summoning Beast realm he might connect with, having a reliable partner would be immensely helpful in future conflicts. With this thought, a determined glint entered Renzou's eyes.
I must win tomorrow's match!
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End of Chapter 23