Jiraiya led the three of them up the mountain.
Winter had stripped the trees bare, leaving the slopes exposed, the peak in plain sight. Not a trace of human presence lingered here—not even the faint scent of life.
Behind him, Uchiha Jinzō, Minato Namikaze, and Uzumaki Kushina walked in silence. Jinzō's earlier words still weighed heavily on Minato and Kushina.
Halfway up the mountainside, the scenery suddenly shifted. Tents appeared out of thin air, and Konoha shinobi in flak jackets bustled about.
Jinzō blinked."An illusion barrier."
A mix of sealing and genjutsu that bent perception, cloaking the entire camp. Something this large couldn't be maintained by a single shinobi—this required multiple jōnin working together.
Expensive. Serious.
They passed a checkpoint. The moment the guards spotted Jiraiya, one raised his hands and blew a sharp whistle.
Bzzzt!
The high, piercing sound spread like a bird's call across the camp. In an instant, every shinobi stopped what they were doing and rushed forward. Smoke popped one after another as dozens of figures appeared, forming ranks.
Then, all at once, they dropped to one knee."Jiraiya-sama!"
The chorus rolled like a wave, deep enough to make Jinzō's chest tighten.
Jiraiya frowned, waving them off. "Back to work. You're all doing fine."
The shinobi vanished again, scattering to their duties.
Jinzō hadn't expected Jiraiya to command this kind of presence. You never saw that in the village. But here? Here, he was every inch the elite jōnin, disciple of the Third Hokage, commander of a warfront.
Noticing the kids' wide eyes, Jiraiya explained,"I run this outpost. Out here, rank and discipline aren't negotiable. One mistake, and people die. That's just how it is."
The three nodded, thoughtful.
Jiraiya added, "From now on, I won't be holding your hands. You'll be acting on your own. Missions, decisions—the works. Get used to it."
Minato and Jinzō nodded immediately. "Understood." They flickered away, leaving Kushina standing stiffly.
"Kushina, with me," Jiraiya said, leading her into the central tent.
If he were honest, Jiraiya thought Jinzō's earlier outlook wasn't wrong—but he couldn't agree with it either. Orochimaru might, of course. That kid was practically born for it. But people with that kind of thinking? They'd never be Hokage.
Sure, shinobi were forged in darkness. But the Hokage? That was the sun.
"As long as you don't lose yourself, you can still become strong," Jiraiya told Kushina.
"Jiraiya-sensei…" Her shoulders eased, and his expression softened in response. A smile bloomed on her face, fiery and stubborn."I'm not letting some smug Uchiha knock me off my path. I'll be the first female Hokage, dattebane!"
"I believe you," Jiraiya said simply.
Each of his students was distinct—Kushina's fire, Minato's warmth, and Jinzō's… darkness.
That one worried him. There was something shadowed inside Uchiha Jinzō, something even he couldn't read. Was this the "child of darkness" the Great Toad Sage had spoken of? A god-like figure destined for endless battle? Or something worse?
He didn't know. And that ignorance sat heavy in his chest.
Jiraiya pushed it aside. His face hardened again."Now to business. Kushina, listen. You are not to use the Nine-Tails' chakra unless I give the order—or unless your life is on the line. Understand?"
"Yes, sir!" Kushina dropped to one knee, voice firm. She knew the stakes. If word got out, Iwa would descend on Konoha like wolves.
Later, as Jinzō returned from the tent search, he found himself face-to-face with a boy a few years older, white eyes gleaming with a predator's sharpness.
"Did I piss you off already?" Jinzō asked bluntly. He wasn't about to play guessing games.
The Hyūga boy's lips curled faintly."My name is Hyūga Hizashi."
Jinzō froze for a second. Hizashi. Neji's father. The one sacrificed by both clan and village.
Hizashi bristled at Jinzō's stare. "I'm called a genius of the Hyūga clan. When there's time, let's see if you live up to your name."
Ah. So the Hyūga rivalry was already alive and well. In the Academy, nobody had cared about Jinzō—he was the "Uchiha failure." But now, on the battlefield, the Hyūga couldn't resist measuring themselves against the Uchiha.
Jinzō smirked faintly. "Next time, maybe."
Hizashi didn't push. Instead, he briefed them:"As Jiraiya-sama's disciples, you're excused for today. Tomorrow, you'll be assigned a reconnaissance mission. Success earns you merit points—you can exchange them for tools, medicine, or even ninjutsu under Jiraiya-sama."
When Jinzō asked why only tents, Hizashi replied matter-of-factly, "The outpost shifts locations regularly. Easier to move this way."
Then he left, finding tents for each of them.
Night passed. Morning came. Jinzō stepped out of his tent, sunlight stabbing his eyes. Shinobi bustled constantly, squads cycling in and out, never lingering more than a day.
He crossed paths with Minato and Kushina. Minato smiled faintly. Kushina gave him a huff and turned away.
Jinzō only shrugged. Friction was inevitable—same as Hiruzen and Danzō bickering while still scheming together against the Uchiha.
At the mission tent, they met a bespectacled officer in crisp white. His smile looked like it hurt.
"Team Seven, right? Your assignment's simple: investigate a nearby village. Supposedly some wandering shinobi were sighted there. The last squad reported nothing unusual, but we want to be sure."
He slid over a map and mission scroll. Easy job—nothing dangerous. This village was a vital relocation point for the outpost, so it was double-checked often.
Minato accepted the items. As Jiraiya's second-in-command, he naturally took the lead.
"The mission is registered," the officer said smoothly. "It's in your hands now."