Jiraiya glanced out the window, frowning slightly as a strange noise echoed outside. The unusual sound made his heart stir with unease.
Setting down the book in his hand, he pushed open the door and walked toward the gathered crowd. To his surprise, Zorro was already there, staring upward with the others.
Curious, Jiraiya asked, "Zorro, what's with that huge iron bird in the sky? How is it flying?"
Zorro turned, startled at first, then relaxed when he saw it was Jiraiya. He patted his shoulder and chuckled.
"You've got it wrong. That's not some iron bird—it's called an airplane!"
He scratched his head, clearly unsure himself.
"From what I know, it was built by the Umbrella Organization's scientists. I don't understand the exact principle, but… it's powerful, no doubt about that."
Jiraiya frowned thoughtfully as he squeezed into the crowd for a better look. From Zorro's vague explanation, he could tell the man didn't know much more than he did.
At that moment, the airplane's pilot descended. Jiraiya's eyes lit up as he studied the man, then the machine itself—a massive construct of steel that soared through the air like a puppet given wings.
So this was an airplane. The very idea was novel… but Jiraiya couldn't help wondering if it had combat applications.
The pilot raised his voice so everyone could hear.
"Listen up! The Umbrella Organization has recently developed this new type of airplane. Some of you may remember the prototypes from last year. Those were considered the first generation. What you see now is Generation Two."
He paused, letting the murmurs settle.
"Headquarters even has more advanced models, but that's above my clearance. For now, each outpost will receive an airplane for reconnaissance. We're also looking to recruit and train new pilots."
His eyes scanned the crowd, landing on Jiraiya.
"You there—the white-haired guy. You can touch it, but don't start banging on it! This is my precious."
The pilot, Matsuo Ichirō, narrowed his eyes as Jiraiya sheepishly pulled his hand back from tapping on the fuselage.
"Heh… I was just curious, haha!" Jiraiya laughed awkwardly.
"Curious is fine," Ichirō said, exhaling in relief, "but break it and you'll regret it."
"Alright, alright, I get it." Jiraiya took a few steps back, his eyes still gleaming with interest.
"So… will I get the chance to actually ride in one of these?"
Ichirō gave him a sidelong glance, clearly unimpressed with his demeanor.
"Every young adult here has a chance. As long as your physical condition meets the standard and you can pass both theory and operational training, you might be chosen. But keep in mind—we only have five slots."
Jiraiya smirked inwardly.
With his stamina and strength, he was confident in his chances. As for theory, well… books could be read, and surely instructors would provide guidance.
In the shinobi world, thanks to the influence of chakra, even those without chakra had far stronger physiques than ordinary civilians. Anyone with training already surpassed normal standards.
And so, scenes like this unfolded at every Umbrella Organization outpost.
Even Lady Tsunade had received one of the new airplanes—complete with a personal pilot. Jiraiya couldn't help but feel the difference in their statuses.
After all, Tsunade's contributions were immense.
In the medical field, her unparalleled skill combined with Naruto's innovative ideas had produced extraordinary results for the Organization.
When she first laid eyes on the airplane, Tsunade's interest was obvious. Like Jiraiya, she wanted to experience flight firsthand.
"Lady Tsunade, please be careful," Shizune reminded gently as her teacher climbed into the co-pilot's seat. Tsunade wasn't trained to fly, so she would ride alongside the professional pilot.
"Don't worry, I'll be fine!" Tsunade waved her hand, excitement written across her face.
Before Shizune's watchful eyes, the airplane began to roll forward, engines roaring.
Soon, it lifted into the sky and vanished into the clouds, leaving Shizune standing below with envy flickering in her gaze.
She, too, wanted to know what it felt like to soar.
Meanwhile, high above, Tsunade sat in awe as the world stretched out beneath her. Flying through the skies, her heart was filled with a rare, unshakable emotion.
There was no mistaking it—this was the feeling of conquering the sky.
And to think, this so-called "airplane" had been developed not by shinobi, but by ordinary people.
All of it was the result of science.
Yet Tsunade didn't dwell on that for long. The exhilaration of flight quickly swept her away.
It was her first time seeing the world from above: the endless blue sky, the drifting white clouds like strands of cotton candy, and the lush green earth spread out beneath her. Tiny figures moved below, no bigger than ants.
The sight filled her with comfort. With joy.
After a few wide circles, the plane began its descent. This was just meant to give Lady Tsunade a taste.
Back on the ground, Tsunade immediately turned to the pilot. "Teach me how to fly it. Being a passenger is one thing—controlling it myself is another."
The thought thrilled her. To soar through the skies without even using chakra—how incredible!
And so Tsunade decided: she would become an ace pilot.
Her physical condition was more than sufficient, so she began studying theory. There was a lot of it, but shinobi were no strangers to classroom learning.
Though Tsunade wasn't as brilliant in theory as Orochimaru, she was leagues ahead of Jiraiya. Within days, she was making steady progress. Meanwhile, Jiraiya sat slumped at his desk, staring at the pages of questions with despair.
He didn't recognize half the terms. How could someone who barely scraped through the Academy—and dropped out of every extra lesson—suddenly care about theory?
…
After only a short period of training, Tsunade's progress was remarkable. Her grasp of both theory and practice was nearly flawless, earning constant praise from her instructor.
Jiraiya, on the other hand, was getting chewed out.
"Jiraiya! If you mess up like that again, I'll pull you out and replace you!" barked Matsuo Ichirō, the pilot in charge.
Jiraiya had just begun his practical training, and if Ichirō hadn't been hovering over him, he might've crashed the plane outright.
Red-faced, Jiraiya scratched his head. "Hehe… this thing looks simple, but my hands just won't listen."
In truth, he had only barely managed to qualify as the fifth reserve trainee. If not for his excellent physical fitness, he would've been dropped.
Seeing his awkward expression, Ichirō's stern glare softened, but Jiraiya's pride burned. The Toad Sage of Mount Myōboku, one of the legendary Sannin, being scolded like a greenhorn… and worst of all, the criticism wasn't wrong!
By now, Tsunade could already take to the skies solo.
"This feeling… it's incredible!" she laughed aloud, exhilarated.
Perhaps she'd found a new hobby. One even more thrilling than gambling.
Shizune watched her master from below, sighing helplessly. Once again, Tsunade had abandoned her duties to go flying.
Shizune herself had gone up a few times as well, but the sensation was nothing like Tsunade described. To her, it was dangerous—after all, one wrong move and a fall from the sky could be the end.
...
TN:
⚒️ Pa-treon-com/LordMerlin (Support me! 😊)