Training never ceased, even on the march. Shigure knew that raw potential meant nothing without refinement, so he drew again upon his greatest advantage—the Shadow Clone Technique. Five clones practiced relentlessly at once, compressing days of effort into mere hours.
Rubber balls burst under his chakra's spiraling rotation, raw energy sharpening to form. Finally, with sweat dripping down his pale brow and a snap of energy in his palm, the ball shredded apart. The second stage of Rasengan training was done. Only the most difficult—controlling rotation, power, and containment—remained.
Meanwhile, Hongdie drilled Gentle Fist day and night under Hizashi's watchful eye, desperation burning in her eyes not to fall behind. Kusuo pushed himself to exhaustion with chakra control—climbing trees, walking rivers—driven by the unspoken rivalry toward Shigure.
"This feels just like Team 7 in the old tale of Zabuza and Haku," Shigure thought fleetingly, before shaking it off. This was his own reality—a far harsher one.
Arrival at Yugyu Village
After days of tension, the country changed around them. Vegetation gave way to refined streets laced with gentle steam. They had arrived at the Land of Hot Springs.
Yugyu Village was unlike Konoha—rows of elegant bathhouses, flowering gardens, and the scent of roses perfumed the streets. Peaceful, luxurious, almost decadent.
"This is the village that forgot war," Hizashi explained. "Its hot springs are its pride."
But Shigure's eyes sharpened. No suspicious figures on the streets… but the real dark corners are out of sight.
"…What exactly is 'White Rose'? A shop? A name?" Kusuo muttered.
"We'll scatter and search. If trouble appears, give the signal. Noguchi, stay with me," Hizashi directed.
Rose Street
Shigure walked with Kusuo and Hongdie until they reached Rose Street—a wide alley suffused in fragrance. Roses lined every sill, petals drifted in the soft breeze, scattering beauty around them.
Hongdie's face glowed in the red evening light, her long hair fluttering. She looked sideways, gazing softly at Shigure. "So beautiful… if only I could live here forever."
Shigure caught the weight in her stare. Ninjas… precocious with their feelings even as children. Attraction blooming at the edge of battle… He sighed inwardly yet said nothing.
Then—mischief struck.
A flirtatious woman tugged Shigure's sleeve, coaxing, "Handsome boy, want to stay at our inn? Cheap rates and fine baths."
Shigure shook his head firmly. "No, we're on duty."
Moments later, real suspicion appeared. A white-haired man hunched by the bathhouse window, peering inside with intent.
Shigure's eyes narrowed. "Suspicious. Follow me."
The White-Haired Stranger
He stepped forward, clapping a hand on the man's shoulder. "Who are you?"
The stranger nearly jumped out of his sandals. "Quiet, brat! Don't ruin my research!"
A woman's scream erupted from inside the bath. Steam blurred the vision, but shrieks followed: "Pervert! Peeping!"
Hongdie's face flamed red in mortification. Kusuo immediately turned his head aside, muttering, "Sinful."
The white-haired man bolted. "Run!"
"After him!" Shigure ordered, leading the chase.
As they pursued through twisting alleys, Shigure gritted his teeth. That hair, that face—it can't be…
The man finally stopped, glaring back at them, his features clear: flowing white mane, oil-symbol forehead protector, scarlet facial lines, red haori, wooden clogs.
If not him, then who else?
"Jiraiya."
Shigure's eyes glinted. "Senior Jiraiya! I'm Sarutobi-sensei's new disciple!"
Jiraiya waved dismissively, sweat on his brow. "Don't call it peeping! It's research, material, inspiration! I'm writing literature that will shake the world! Besides—I don't remember a junior brat like you."
Shigure's frown deepened. "No doubt now. The Toad Sage… the legendary Sannin himself."
Jiraiya sighed, finally stopping and looking him over more closely. His eyes, though softened with humor, still glimmered like blades honed over decades.
"Well, well. Sarutobi's brat disciple, eh?"
His grin curved sly. "Let's see what you're really made of."
P.S. This chapter shifts Team 7's journey into the Land of Hot Springs, where suspicion and comedy collide as Shigure runs headlong into none other than Jiraiya. It sets up not just a future mentor clash, but also ties the "White Rose" mystery into broader Konoha conspiracies.
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