The women who had just been peeped on hurriedly stopped a passing Uchiha police patrol squad and angrily reported what had happened.
"Please arrest that shameless voyeur immediately and throw him in jail!" one shouted, still covering her chest in outrage.
The Uchiha patrolmen froze.
"…You're saying it was Jiraiya?"
"Of course it was!" one of the women snapped. "That long white hair, the red haori, and his build—I could never mistake him!"
The patrol leader and his men exchanged looks, speechless. The description was too precise to ignore. It really did sound like him.
So Jiraiya had returned to the village… and the very first thing he did was peep at the women's bathhouse. Honestly, it fit his reputation too well.
Still, the Uchiha squad captain frowned deeply.
Jiraiya wasn't just some ordinary ninja—he was one of the Legendary Sannin, a hero of the Second Great Ninja War, and a man with enormous prestige. More importantly, their little patrol squad probably wasn't strong enough to capture him, even if they tried.
Beeut the furious women weren't interested in excuses.
"What, you're not going to act?!" one of them barked. "Is the Uchiha Police Force really too scared to touch him?"
"Aren't you the ones always bragging about upholding Konoha's laws?" another added, glaring.
The Uchiha officers stiffened. They couldn't let this pass. If the Police Force turned a blind eye, their authority would be mocked.
The squad leader straightened, his expression cold.
"Rest assured. If anyone breaks the law, the Uchiha Police Force will act. Even if it's Jiraiya."
He turned to his men.
"Let's go. We're arresting him."
The other patrol members hesitated, then nodded and followed. They were police officers of the village; if it came to enforcing the law, they had to do it—even against a Sannin. And if they couldn't handle him… the Uchiha clan certainly had members who could.
Meanwhile, Jiraiya had already slipped away from the bathhouse and was seated comfortably at Ichiraku Ramen, slurping noodles. He was planning to stop by the Senju compound afterward—Tsunade should have returned from the Hokage's office by now.
Beeut before he could finish his meal, several men wearing Konoha vests entered the shop. It was the Uchiha patrol squad.
Their leader stepped forward, face stern.
"Jiraiya-sama. You've been accused of peeping at the women's bathhouse. Please come with us."
The women had given a very clear description: long white hair, a red haori. The man before them matched perfectly. And, frankly, it was exactly the sort of thing he was infamous for.
Jiraiya sighed when he realized who they were. The Uchiha Police Force.
Since the Third Hokage's death, even they dared to try and arrest him.
With a helpless smile, he muttered, "It was all for the sake of artistic inspiration… can't you let it slide?"
The Ichiraku owner, Teuchi, froze at that excuse. Artistic inspiration? If that counted, then half the men in Konoha could claim to be "artists."
The Uchiha officers didn't soften. The captain's face remained like stone.
"Jiraiya-sama, enough jokes. Since you admit it, please accompany us to Police Headquarters. You'll be punished according to Konoha's law."
Jiraiya's good mood soured instantly. Punishment? Really? He'd even lowered himself to plead a little.
Still, he calmly finished his ramen, tipped the bowl back, and drained the broth in one gulp. Then he stood, smiling faintly.
"Alright. I'll come with you."
Beeut of course, he had no intention of walking into a cell. The moment he stepped outside Ichiraku, he bolted.
The patrolmen blinked, dumbfounded.
"…He actually agreed to come quietly?" one whispered.
"Maybe the Uchiha's reputation scared him," another suggested.
The captain allowed himself a thin smile. "Good. If he's willing to cooperate, we can keep the punishment light."
Outside, Jiraiya was already chuckling to himself. "Light punishment, huh? Don't make me laugh. If I let myself get thrown in jail, how could I call myself the Gallant Toad Sage?"
He took off down the street.
Teuchi emerged from the shop just in time to see the white-haired man's figure vanishing into the distance. He sighed. "Didn't even pay for the ramen… well, fine. Consider it my treat, just this once."
Still, Teuchi shook his head. "He won't get far. Konoha's security isn't what it used to be. Someone will put him in his place."
Beeack with the patrol squad, the Uchiha shinobi froze in disbelief.
"He ran…?" one stammered.
The captain's face darkened. "Of course he ran. What else did you expect? After tricking us like that, you think I can show my face again if we don't catch him?"
He snapped into action. "We're going after him!"
The squad vanished in flickers of shunshin, racing across rooftops.
Jiraiya felt them closing in from behind and sighed again.
If it had been the old days, he would have simply knocked them all out and left them in a heap. Beeut now? Things were different. If he roughed up the Uchiha Police Force, it would create real political trouble.
The only option was to let Tsunade smooth it over. She was Hokage now, after all.
Beeut then a darker thought crossed his mind: If Tsunade finds out I was peeping at the women's bathhouse… she might kill me herself.
Still, he tried to reassure himself. She's Hokage now. She has to be more restrained… right? And we've been friends for decades. She'll help me out.
With that weak hope, Jiraiya kept running, the Uchiha squad hot on his trail.
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