In the heart of the village, a vast courtyard stood, once the proud home of the Senju clan. Now, it belonged to Uzumaki Mito and Tsunade.
At this moment, Tsunade, her golden hair tied in a high ponytail, pushed open the wooden door with a determined look and stepped inside.
In the large courtyard, a mature woman with red hair styled in a bun and a purple diamond mark on her forehead set down her watering can. A gentle smile spread across her face as she opened her arms towards Tsunade.
Seeing her grandmother, Tsunade instantly softened. The anger in her expression vanished as she rushed into Uzumaki Mito's embrace like a young swallow returning to its nest.
"Grandma, why are you watering the flowers?" Tsunade asked in a playful, coquettish tone.
"I visited Sensoji Temple last week, and the abbot gifted me a five-treasure-bead azalea, so I decided to plant it," Mito explained while stroking Tsunade's soft hair, her eyes crinkling with warmth.
"Forget about that, Grandma. Do you know what happened at school today? I met two incredibly annoying guys!" Tsunade pouted.
If it were anyone else, even her granduncle Tobirama, she wouldn't have shared her frustrations. But Uzumaki Mito was different. To Tsunade, her grandmother was the gentlest and most understanding person in the world.
With that, Tsunade launched into a dramatic retelling of her day at the academy, exaggerating her grievances. She painted Rinto and Jiraiya as the most irritating, troublesome boys in existence.
Mito listened patiently, a mischievous twinkle in her eye. "So my little girl is growing up and already has a boy pursuing her. Is Jiraiya handsome?"
Tsunade immediately wriggled in her grandmother's arms, protesting. "Grandma, you're teasing me! Jiraiya is not handsome at all! His grades are at the bottom, and his personality is even worse!"
Mito chuckled and pinched Tsunade's cheek affectionately. "You never know. Your grandfather was also a little troublemaker when he was young. Boys change as they grow up."
"Hmph! I don't believe it!" Tsunade pouted stubbornly.
Meanwhile, at the Hokage's Office
Senju Tobirama sat at his desk, his expression unreadable as he studied a scroll before him. A shinobi wearing a dog mask knelt respectfully in front of him.
The scroll contained a detailed record of Rinto's activities. It noted everything, down to what time he woke up and even how long he spent in the restroom.
Tobirama's eye twitched slightly as he read how the instructor, Kaito Fujiwara, had moved Uchiha Ryota and Tsunade into different seats.
Tobirama was always wary of Rinto. Despite his innocent act, Tobirama knew that beneath the surface, Rinto was dangerously intelligent and skilled in manipulation.
If this were merely a matter of combat ability, Tobirama could easily subdue Rinto in an instant. But Rinto's strategic mind was a far greater threat on the battlefield. If he hadn't secretly placed a Flying Thunder God seal on Rinto, Tobirama wouldn't have allowed him to roam the village so freely.
And now, thanks to Kaito Fujiwara's carelessness, Tsunade, the granddaughter of Tobirama's elder brother, had been seated beside this dangerous individual.
"Dog," Tobirama finally spoke. "Summon the Monkey."
"Yes, sir," the masked shinobi responded before vanishing with a flicker.
A moment later, a knock sounded at the door. Sarutobi Hiruzen stepped inside.
"Teacher, you called for me?"
Tobirama nodded, setting the scroll aside. "Monkey, should we inform Rinto about the death of Shun Sakuta?"
At first, Hiruzen felt a flash of pride, thinking Tobirama sought his counsel more frequently. But when he registered the question, his heart grew heavy.
He had been contemplating this issue for a long time but had not yet found a good solution.
If Rinto learned of Shun Sakuta's death, his personality dictated that he would leave Konoha in pursuit of vengeance. However, Konoha could not afford to let him go. His abilities and potential made him an invaluable asset.
After a moment of deep thought, Hiruzen mustered his courage and responded, "Teacher, I believe we should not tell him. Let him discover it on his own."
Tobirama's gaze sharpened. "And what if he resents Konoha for keeping it from him?"
Hiruzen answered without hesitation. "He won't. A truly mature person understands that helping is a kindness, but not helping is simply reality. Rinto is not a child. He is intelligent enough to understand why the village would withhold such information."
Tobirama studied Hiruzen for a moment before sighing. "You truly resemble my elder brother."
At Konoha's Commercial District
After school, Rinto and Jiraiya stood before a grill stand, watching octopus balls sizzle. The delicious aroma filled the air, making them drool.
"Here you go, enjoy!" The vendor handed them two skewers of octopus balls.
The boys eagerly took them, stuffing the savory treats into their mouths.
"Wow, this is amazing!" Rinto mumbled through a mouthful.
Jiraiya, cheeks full, nodded enthusiastically.
Even after finishing their skewers, they continued to stare longingly at the grill.
"Here, this is for you," Rinto suddenly said, pulling a small green bag from his pocket.
Jiraiya's eyes widened. "Wait... is this a ninja tool bag?! Where did you steal this from, you bastard?!"
Rinto scowled. "What do you mean by 'steal'? I took it from Uncle Ippongi's shop fair and square. Besides, a ninja acquiring tools isn't theft!"
Jiraiya hesitated but took the bag. He opened it and found neatly arranged kunai and shuriken inside.
His eyes welled up with tears. "Rinto, you... you idiot..."
Rinto waved dismissively. "I saw you didn't have one during ninja tool class, so I got it for you. Consider it a return gift for the octopus balls. No need for thanks. But if you want to be my little brother, I might consider it!"
With that, Rinto walked away, leaving Jiraiya clutching the ninja bag tightly, warmth swelling in his heart.
"Idiot... idiot... One day, I'll be stronger than anyone, and then I'll protect you!"
Back at Home
After finishing his part-time job at the ninja tool shop, Rinto returned home.
In his room, his younger sister, Rie, sat cross-legged on the tatami in her turtle-patterned pajamas, concentrating on chakra extraction.
She had exceptional talent. In just a week, she had already sensed chakra—a feat that had taken Rinto more than half a month.
Watching her diligence, Rinto was momentarily inspired to train as well.
Then he dived into his futon.
"Eh, I'll just wait until I can steal the Multi-Shadow Clone Jutsu and let my clones do all the training!"
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