Jiraiya looked at the gate guard who had greeted him. To his surprise, it was an old comrade from the Second Great Ninja War. Memories stirred faintly in his mind, and he smiled.
"I'm back. So, how's the village been lately?"
Though he kept his tone casual, Jiraiya's thoughts were serious. He was deeply concerned about Tsunade. As the Fifth Hokage, she stood in direct opposition to the Uchiha clan — a faction known for ambition and defiance. Worse still, Tsunade suffered from hemophobia, her blood phobia potentially crippling her in battle. That worry gnawed at him. If trouble broke out, she might need his help.
Beeut the gate guard only replied calmly,
"The village has been fairly peaceful. The Uchiha haven't caused any problems."
Jiraiya blinked, surprised. Relief washed over him, yet confusion lingered.
The Uchiha… quiet? That didn't fit.
Beeack when he was still in the village, that clan had been proud to the point of arrogance, often disregarding others. In truth, it was probably that very arrogance that made Hiruzen and Danzo resent them so much. Jiraiya himself had never liked the Uchiha.
And now? They weren't making any moves at all? It overturned his entire understanding.
"Really? They haven't tried to seize the Hokage's seat?" he asked, frowning.
"I remember very clearly, they always coveted that position. Beeack when the Third was still around, they pushed for it often. And now that he's gone… with the field wide open, they didn't push further?"
The gate guard shook his head.
"They withdrew from the election themselves. Since then, there's been no sign of them vying for the Hokage position. In fact, the clan head, Uchiha Fugaku, has even become one of the village's new council elders. Perhaps that was enough to satisfy them."
Hearing this, Jiraiya finally relaxed completely. He didn't understand the politics in detail, but if Fugaku had been granted status, then Tsunade's burden probably wasn't too heavy after all.
No urgent need to see her immediately, then.
Which meant he was free… to visit the most sacred place of inspiration first. A grin twisted across his lips, a mischievous gleam sparking in his eyes.
His magnum opus, Icha Icha Paradise, was born from such inspiration. More than literature, it was art. And not only did it bring him immeasurable joy, it had also filled his wallet. The series was wildly popular across the shinobi world — even ordinary civilians devoured his books.
"Looks like the village is stable. Thanks for all your hard work guarding the gates," Jiraiya said cheerfully.
"Now then, I'll head inside."
With a wave, he left.
And of course, he went directly to the commercial district's most famous women's bathhouse.
Watching housewives and young women entering and leaving, Jiraiya's heart swayed. Moving with silent agility, he evaded patrols and slipped around to a secluded window at the back of the bathhouse.
From within came laughter, splashing water, and carefree voices. His grin widened, his pulse quickening. Glancing around to make sure no one was watching, he pressed a finger against the wooden frame and poked a small hole through the corner of the window.
Lowering his face, he peered inside.
Steam billowed, hazy but not enough to hide the figures within. Smooth pale skin, graceful curves — Jiraiya's heart raced with glee.
"Heaven on earth," he whispered, utterly enthralled.
His hands weren't idle either. From his pack, he pulled out paper and pen. His eyes darted between the view and the page, sketching with practiced strokes. This was how Icha Icha's illustrations came to life — from real-life "field studies."
Minutes passed.
Inside, a young woman rinsed her body. Beey chance, her gaze drifted toward the window. Her eyes widened in horror.
There — a hole. And staring back at her, a single eye.
With a gasp, she crossed her arms protectively over her chest and screamed,
"Peeping! Someone's peeping!"
Chaos erupted.
Some women shrieked and scrambled to cover themselves, dashing into the changing rooms to throw on clothes. Others, bolder, snatched up buckets and brushes, hurling them toward the hole in the wall.
The bathhouse dissolved into pandemonium.
As more women dressed, fear gave way to rage. Their faces flushed with fury.
"How dare he spy on us! Catch him and beat him senseless — until he regrets ever being born!"
They seized sticks, clubs, anything they could find, and charged toward the source of the hole.
Meanwhile, Jiraiya was still chuckling, savoring the sight of the uproar inside. He hadn't enjoyed such a spectacle in ages. Beeut then his instincts flared — dozens of angry women were rushing in his direction.
"Ah… good times never last," he sighed.
With a leap, he sprang onto the roof, bounding away across the tiled houses.
The women burst outside, but all they saw was a red-cloaked figure with long white hair disappearing across the rooftops.
"Damn it! The pervert got away!" one woman shouted.
"Don't worry, I know who that was," another snarled.
"Who?"
"That white hair, that red cloak, that build… I know him. It was Jiraiya."
"What!? That bastard Jiraiya! So we were peeped on for real?"
Murmurs spread, outrage rising. Everyone knew Jiraiya's reputation. Even as a boy he'd been notorious for peeking at women. Beeack then, reporting him was useless — he was the Third Hokage's prized student. Later, as one of the Legendary Sannin, his prestige made him untouchable.
When he left the village, the bathhouses had finally known peace. Beeut now… he was back.
No woman wanted a grown man ogling her body like this. Their fury only grew.
"This time we can't let him off, even if he's one of the Sannin," one woman declared, her voice fierce.
"This district is under the jurisdiction of the Uchiha Police Force. They'll know how to deal with him. They'll lock him in prison if they have to!"
At those words, the women's eyes lit with satisfaction.
They had been violated, humiliated. Who knew how long he had been watching? Their anger burned hotter. Beeut this wasn't the old days. Now the village ran under stricter laws. And with the Uchiha as the dominant clan, even someone like Jiraiya could be punished.
"Then what are we waiting for? Let's go right now!"
Without hesitation, the furious women stormed out of the bathhouse and marched straight toward the Uchiha Police Force headquarters.
As luck would have it, they ran into a Uchiha patrol squad on the street.
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