"It's the weekend. Why did you make us come with you to the pet hospital?" Nagato yawned and complained. "I slept very late last night."
Lately, he had been too energetic, so...
He had been doing physical training until very late every night just to fall asleep.
"Right now..." Nagato glanced at the sky and grumbled. "It's only six in the morning!"
Even if your cat is sick, you don't have to come this early!
"All you do is sleep, sleep, sleep." Konan looked at Nagato with disappointment. "You've changed. You've become so lazy. You used to be so hardworking!"
And...
"Shiraben was sick last night, suffering from diarrhea. How can you bear to ignore that?"
Konan lifted her hands, showing the white kitten she was holding. "Look, it's completely listless."
"..."
Nagato expressionlessly scratched Shiraben's neck. It really did seem listless.
But...
He used to sleep until eight or nine in the morning too!
"Where's Yahiko?" Nagato decided it was better not to argue with a girl.
This was something Jun-nii had taught him...
"Why isn't he here?"
After all, the three of them usually did everything together.
"Yahiko's dad is sick." Konan rolled her eyes and sighed. "So he has to take care of him."
So annoying!
Nagato used to be so much more obedient!
Then, holding the kitten, she glanced at the approaching bus and quickly waved at Nagato. "The bus is here. Let's get on."
"Fine." Nagato sighed helplessly. "I hope the hospital isn't too crowded today."
That way...
He could go back and take a nap sooner.
He glanced at the cute white cat in Konan's arms.
This cat was a birthday gift he and Yahiko had given Konan years ago.
He hadn't expected Konan to like it so much.
Nagato's lips curled slightly. Back then, they had asked Jun-nii what kind of gift to give a girl, since...
Over the years, he had noticed many people liked Jun-nii.
For example, Kushina-nee, Kyoko-nee, Nono-nee, and Mikoto-nee...
So, Jun-nii must have been very knowledgeable about what girls liked.
It's just...
He didn't know why...
After he told Kushina-nee about Mikoto-nee's feelings for Jun-nii, Kushina-nee had been sharpening her knives nonstop.
Truly...
The adult world was too complicated. He shouldn't get involved...
After all, he was still just a kid.
But...
I wonder how Jun-nii is doing?
...
"Achoo, achoo." Uzumaki Jun rubbed his nose and muttered. "A cold?"
He should probably stop by the hospital after work and ask Kyoko or Nono about it.
How could he catch a cold when he was practically invincible in the ninja world?
"It's a bit cold!" Uzumaki Jun tightened his clothes and said to Uzumaki Hibiki, "It seems this winter will be harsh. Make sure all the necessary preparations for the cold are in place."
"We're already working on it." Uzumaki Hibiki nodded, a trace of pity flashing in his eyes. "I'll notify everyone again later."
A few days ago, Jun's mother, Uzumaki Meirin, had approached him and asked what Jun had been up to lately.
Just as he was about to praise Jun's diligent governance, his dedication to the people, and his late-night work ethic...
Uzumaki Hibiki noticed someone standing behind Meirin whom he absolutely could not offend...
Kushina.
Immediately, he put away his memo and reported Jun's recent activities in detail—especially where he had been and which women... ahem, which people he had met.
If he didn't explain clearly...
He felt he might never get to contribute to Uzushiogakure again.
In the end, seeing Meirin's satisfied expression, he inwardly sighed in relief. Truly, a mother's love.
But Kushina's narrowed eyes and dangerous smile...
He could only silently apologize to Jun in his heart.
"Uzushiogakure has welcomed many newcomers recently." Uzumaki Jun glanced at the documents and said, "We must be careful."
"If any spies are discovered, send them straight to the labor camp."
Lately...
The labor camp had been looking a bit empty.
"I'll have the police increase patrols," Uzumaki Hibiki said. "And issue notices to the citizens, asking them to keep an eye on the people around them."
"Good." Uzumaki Jun nodded, frowning at the documents in his hands before sighing. "Raising ninja beasts really isn't easy."
Since the breeding farms had failed to produce any ninja beasts, Uzushiogakure had recently lifted the ban on keeping pets.
Though in this era, raising a useless pet might seem ridiculous, Uzumaki Jun still held a faint hope...
Maybe if others raised them, they could produce summoning creatures.
After all...
People were different.
So, that white cat had been his suggestion—a gift from Nagato to Konan.
Perhaps there would be unexpected results in the future.
Of course, to avoid unnecessary trouble, some regulations were necessary.
Vaccinations, rabies shots...
All had to be administered on schedule.
Hygiene was also a must.
Setting strict rules from the start would prevent future complications.
"One pet, one license." Uzumaki Jun looked at Uzumaki Hibiki. "If outsiders bring summoning creatures, make sure they take them to the pet hospital for inspection and obtain a one-pet-one-license."
"After all, your ten-plus years might be its... cough, sorry, wrong phrasing."
Ninja beasts seemed to live much longer.
Uzumaki Jun said solemnly, "Its decades might be your entire lifetime!"
So...
Outsiders who break the rules must be fined heavily!
Fine them until they're bankrupt and have no choice but to work in Uzushiogakure.
"Understood." Uzumaki Hibiki narrowed his eyes and nodded knowingly. "I'll arrange it properly."
As expected...
Jun-sama was still the same Jun-sama.
...
"So this is Uzushiogakure?" A young man with spiky white hair sat cross-legged on a toad, frowning as he surveyed the surroundings. "This doesn't match what Tsunade described at all."
Uzushiogakure wasn't poor at all...
In fact...
It was even more impressive than Konoha.
Had he come to the wrong place?
The beautiful, refined houses, the wide and sturdy roads, the strange metal boxes moving on the streets...
All of it made him doubt whether he had taken a wrong turn.
But...
What were those white stripes painted on the road for?
Jiraiya stared at the neatly spaced white lines on the road, deep in thought. Everything about Uzushiogakure fascinated him.
He glanced at the people standing beside him.
Why weren't they crossing?
Whatever. He should find a place to rest first.
After traveling for so long, he was really tired.
Then...
"Gamabunta, let's go." Jiraiya said to the toad beneath him.
"Little Jiraiya." Gamabunta's gentle voice sounded. "None of the others are moving. Shouldn't we ask why?"
"Forget it." Jiraiya said. "I'm the Toad Sage. I have to be different from the rest."
"Alright." Gamabunta nodded. "If you say so."
Then...
With a light leap forward, as soon as his feet touched the ground...
BEEP—!
A sharp whistle blew.
"Hey... white-haired ninja, please stop right there. According to Uzushiogakure's Traffic Regulations, Article..."
"You have violated Uzushiogakure's traffic rules."
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