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Chapter 43: Jiraiya is Here
At the gates of Konoha Village—
The white-haired, burly figure of Jiraiya stood tall as he looked toward the newly designated Uchiha clan grounds. The original district, once bustling with life, had been demolished under the Third Hokage's orders. Now, only a circle of boundary walls remained—a relic of the past.
The Uchiha had relocated even further from the village center.
"Kaien Uchiha… Kaleidoscope…"
Jiraiya muttered the name under his breath as he stepped into the village.
…
…
Uchiha Clan Grounds—
"Lord Kaien, the Hyuga clan just delivered a message," said Uchiha Keiaki, approaching with a respectful bow.
"I've returned to the village as well."
"Oh?" Kaien straightened from his inspection of the Defense Probing Enchantment, raising a brow.
Being friends with Hinata had its perks. If anything happened near the patrol perimeter, the Hyuga always made sure to notify the Uchiha firsthand.
"Understood. I'll handle the rest of the inspection."
Kaien had long entrusted the enchantment's daily upkeep to Raimei, who, along with Itachi and Tenzo, had become adept at managing it. Kaien had even trained other talented clansmen to ensure the maintenance was covered in rotation.
He was well aware of Jiraiya, one of the most formidable shinobi before his decline. If he hadn't followed that damned toad to his death, even Pain might have hesitated to attack Konoha.
However, Jiraiya's private morals were always questionable. Since Kaien had already formed a connection with Naruto, he couldn't let Jiraiya fill the boy's head with foolish ideas.
With that thought, Kaien made a quick trip to the garrison, returning shortly after and sealing a scroll into his body.
…
…
Hokage's Office—
"Old man, I'm back," Jiraiya grinned as he leapt through the window with ease.
The Third Hokage, already informed of his return, didn't even look up from the paperwork he was scribbling on.
"Any news on Orochimaru?" he asked flatly.
Jiraiya rubbed his nose sheepishly. After all, he had left to pursue Orochimaru… but had spent most of his time lounging in hot springs and "collecting material."
Leaning back in the chair, he answered,
"Nah. Last I heard, he headed north. Not sure where he is now."
The Third finally looked up, lighting his pipe and exhaling a deep breath.
"Konoha's facing a turbulent time. Now that you're back—stay."
Jiraiya took in his teacher's worn, tired features. The once-vibrant Hokage now looked as if he'd aged a decade in just a few years.
"Old man… when did you get so old?"
His tone was soft—part sorrow, part worry, part frustration.
The Third scoffed, slamming his pipe on the desk.
"And whose fault do you think that is? You refused the position. You think I wanted to stay on this long?"
Jiraiya scratched his head in embarrassment.
"You know I'm not cut out for that job."
The Third let it go and changed the subject.
"You saw the new Uchiha district, didn't you?"
Jiraiya nodded.
"They moved pretty far out… What happened?"
The Hokage sighed.
"We pushed them too far. Danzo's actions… what he did to Shisui… The whole village nearly drove the Uchiha to rebellion."
Word of Danzo stealing Shisui's eye had spread throughout the ninja world, turning the once-proud Konoha into a laughingstock.
Even now, when villagers took missions outside the Land of Fire, they were mocked—labeled as traitors who couldn't protect their elite.
Jiraiya wasn't a fan of Danzo either. He even suspected that Orochimaru's defection had Danzo's fingerprints all over it. But the old snake had always been too cunning to catch.
"At this point," the Third continued, "the Uchiha gave us a 'gift'—they handed over control of the entire Garrison Force. They haven't officially declared rebellion, so we have no reason to demand they return to the village proper."
"They even gave up the garrison…?" Jiraiya frowned. "So now they're basically on their own."
The Third nodded.
"And they have two known users of the Mangekyō Sharingan. No one in Konoha can counter them now.
"
Jiraiya's face turned serious.
"You want me to test this Kaien Uchiha, don't you?"
The Hokage gave him a sidelong glance.
"Would you rather I do it?"
Jiraiya sighed.
"Fine, I'll find a chance."
Without another word, he turned and leapt out the window.
The Third exhaled another puff of smoke and returned to his paperwork.
…
…
Hot Spring Inn—
"KYAAAH! Pervert!!!"
Shrieks erupted from the women's section as several towel-clad women scrambled out in a panic.
In the shadows of the wall, a white-haired man in red was already sprinting away, cackling to himself.
"Hehehe... Pure inspiration for my next book!"
Unfortunately, he had peeked in on members of the Hyuga clan, and was spotted immediately.
Soon, word of a pervert at the hot springs spread like wildfire. A nearby Hyuga Garrison Patrol responded in minutes.
"Catch that pervert!"
"Stop him!!"
Among the responders was Yuren, who paled when he saw his sister Aiko among the victims.
"Aiko! What happened?!"
She turned, still mid-run, cheeks red.
"I came with some friends to relax, and then I heard giggling. I activated my Byakugan and saw that man peeping over the wall!"
Yuren's face twisted in fury.
"Disgraceful! There hasn't been a pervert like this in Konoha in years! Does he think the garrison is just for show?!"
But no matter how fast they chased, the white-haired man kept his lead, leaping across rooftops like a blur.
Suddenly, a group of Root operatives dropped down from above, blocking Yuren and his team's path.
"Get out of the way!" Yuren shouted.
But the Root didn't move.
In that moment of hesitation, the pervert vanished into the distance, leaving only a trail of steam and frustration behind.
…
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Translated By – Ancient Lores
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