A little over a month later, Kageyama Kogetsu had the idea of leaving the village.
Taking advantage of a rare period of relative peace in Konoha and the ninja world, there were some things he could get done.
After informing his two girlfriends and those he was close to, Kageyama Kogetsu went straight to the Hokage's office.
After knocking, Kageyama Kogetsu entered the office and gave a slight bow.
"Ah, Kogetsu. Is there a troublesome mission in the Anbu?" Sarutobi Hiruzen asked with a kind smile and a gentle tone.
"No, I've come to request an extended leave of absence."
"Oh? Do you have an important personal matter to attend to?" Sarutobi Hiruzen asked, somewhat surprised.
If it wasn't an important personal matter, he would be reluctant to grant the leave. Having the Anbu's ace on hand meant any difficult mission could be completed, and cleanly at that.
"Lord Hokage knows that Konoha has many hidden threats, the greatest of which is the masked man."
"Konoha and the ninja world are enjoying a rare moment of peace, so I want to improve my strength and focus on training for a while to prepare for any potential future crises."
"I want to train in Senjutsu, specifically Sage Mode."
Sarutobi Hiruzen nodded slightly in approval.
Senjutsu. In his youth, he had also wanted to learn it, but as Hokage, he was far too busy and simply couldn't find the time to focus on training, so he had to give it up.
Sarutobi Hiruzen beamed. "It's wonderful that you have this ambition. Of course, I'll grant your leave."
"With your current chakra levels, you've certainly met the threshold for learning Senjutsu. Do you have a specific destination in mind?"
All three great sage regions were his targets. He wanted to learn the Sage Modes of all three.
Not to show off, but to create a unique Sage Mode that was his own and suitable for humans!
Sensing natural energy was easy for him, and it wouldn't be impossible to slowly develop his own Sage Mode; he understood the principles.
There was no reason why frogs, snakes, and slugs could create Sage Modes, but humans couldn't. It was just that no human throughout history had ever tried, always opting for the ready-made versions.
However, researching it from scratch would be too time-consuming and draining. With three existing templates to reference, why not save the time and energy?
As for the Sage Transformation of Jugo's clan and its Cursed Seal copies, he would pass on those.
If the Senjutsu of the three great sage regions were self-contained, orthodox schools, then Sage Transformation and the Cursed Seal were unorthodox paths—the difference between a superior Senjutsu and an ordinary one.
"I've heard that Mount Myoboku has a good relationship with Konoha, so I've chosen it as my first destination."
Sarutobi Hiruzen smiled in agreement. "Indeed, Mount Myoboku's relationship with Konoha is excellent."
"However, without an acquaintance to guide you, getting into Mount Myoboku can be quite difficult."
"Mount Myoboku is not located within the current territory of the ninja world. It's to the west of the Land of Wind, and the environment in the region between is harsh, almost devoid of life. You must carry sufficient supplies."
"At the average travel speed of a ninja, it would take about a month to get from Konoha to Mount Myoboku."
A Konoha ninja could get from the village to Sunagakure in just three days, which showed just how far away Mount Myoboku was, making it almost on the other side of the planet.
"You have a flying ninja beast, which can greatly shorten the travel time. You can also fly over Mount Myoboku, which is like a giant labyrinth from the air."
"But the simplest way to get there is to have Jiraiya take you. It's fast, convenient, and saves you the hardship."
"I'll give you a way to contact Jiraiya. Go and ask for his help."
With that, Sarutobi Hiruzen picked up a pen and paper and wrote down the method to contact Jiraiya.
Kageyama Kogetsu took the paper and bowed. "Thank you, Lord Hokage."
He had to admit, Sarutobi Hiruzen treated him very well and was always very thoughtful in his arrangements.
"You're welcome. Your becoming stronger is a great thing for Konoha."
"Go on, study hard."
"But if it's not suitable for you, don't ever force it. Many ninja have died while training in Senjutsu. It's very dangerous," Sarutobi Hiruzen advised seriously.
"I understand, Lord Hokage. I'll take my leave now." Kageyama Kogetsu bowed again in thanks.
"Mm," Sarutobi Hiruzen said with a smile.
...
The capital of the Land of Rice Fields, Rinbu Kabuki District, Shingetsu Izakaya.
Dressed in a black long robe with a red collar, his smooth black hair tied in a high ponytail with a red ribbon, wearing black boots with silver patterns, and a katana at his waist, Kageyama Kogetsu stepped into the izakaya...
The moment he entered, he could hear Jiraiya's booming laughter, a cheerful sound tinged with a hint of lewdness.
Following the sound to a private room, Kageyama Kogetsu lifted the curtain and walked straight in.
Inside the room, Jiraiya was sprawled confidently on a sofa, with two well-built, average-looking, well-endowed women in his arms, holding cups of sake, snacks, and fruit.
"Yo, Kogetsu, you're here! Sit, sit."
"Boss, two more ladies over here!" Jiraiya called out warmly.
When the two hostesses saw the handsome, dashing Kageyama Kogetsu, with his confident, free-spirited, and unrestrained air, their eyes lit up...
If not for their professional ethics and Jiraiya's generous tips, they probably would have already gotten up.
"It's been a while, Master Jiraiya. I didn't expect to find you in the Land of Rice Fields."
Kageyama Kogetsu sat down very naturally opposite Jiraiya, completely unfazed by the scene.
"That person was spotted in the Land of Rice Fields, so I came to take a look, but I lost the trail again," Jiraiya said with some frustration.
So he was chasing Orochimaru. That made sense.
With Jiraiya's personality, somewhat similar to Naruto's, it would be strange if he wasn't chasing Orochimaru.
However, Jiraiya was ultimately more mature. He would track down Orochimaru to get some answers, and after confirming that he couldn't be brought back, they would at most have a fight, and then he wouldn't bother Orochimaru anymore.
Jiraiya respected Orochimaru's choices, even if he didn't agree with them. In this, he was different from Naruto.
As they talked, two hostesses of similar quality to the ones with Jiraiya entered the room and sat down eagerly next to Kageyama Kogetsu, pressing very close.
These hostesses didn't actually belong to the izakaya; they had a cooperative relationship, each taking a share of the profits.
Usually, they only accompanied guests for drinks and put up with some minor advances. If a guest wanted a more in-depth exchange, it depended on their own abilities.
Money, looks, and eloquence all counted as abilities.
"Wait a minute, Kogetsu, you're not even an adult until next year, are you?"
The hands of the two hostesses, who were vying to offer him a drink, froze in mid-air, their eyes wide with surprise.
"Ah, but at a time like this, I'm not acting as a ninja, so the Three Prohibitions for Ninja don't really matter."
Kageyama Kogetsu crossed his legs and leaned back on the sofa, looking relaxed and at ease.
"True, we're not on official business, and you're almost there anyway."
Hearing this, the two hostesses quickly brought their cups to Kageyama Kogetsu's lips, their gazes crossing with a hint of sparks.
Kageyama Kogetsu took a light sip, drawing the contents of both cups into his mouth.
"Wow, as expected of a ninja, so amazing!" the two hostesses exclaimed in unison with sweet voices.
The other two hostesses didn't stay idle; they put down their cups and clapped in unison.
"Hold on, Kogetsu, how come I feel you're even more like a fish in water than I am?"
"That shouldn't be, given your age and experience," Jiraiya said with a frown, quite puzzled.
"I'm a ninja. Isn't it normal for a ninja to be highly adaptable?"
With that, Kageyama Kogetsu opened his mouth to eat a squid tentacle offered to him, followed by a peeled red grape.
"That makes sense... like hell it does! You brat, you must have snuck into places like this before," Jiraiya declared, pointing a finger at him.
Kageyama Kogetsu rolled his eyes. "When would I have had the time? Perhaps I'm just exceptionally gifted."
Jiraiya's expression was hard to maintain. He was speechless. "There's such a thing as being gifted in this area?"
"Well, I've seen everything now..."
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