"Jiraiya-sensei!"
Naruto, draped in a deeper crimson chakra cloak than usual, his pupils transformed into beast-like vertical slits from anger, looked coldly at Jiraiya as he approached and questioned, "Can this kind of scum even be called a ninja?"
For the first time in his life, Naruto doubted the "ninja" he had once yearned for so much.
What these scumbags had done far exceeded his imagination. How could people be so vile?
If such beings could be called ninja, then he didn't want to be one.
"Naruto—"
Jiraiya looked at the extremely angry Naruto, opened his mouth, but didn't know how to explain.
He knew clearly that being a ninja was not a noble profession, nor did they always do righteous things. Sometimes, it could be far worse than what Naruto was witnessing now.
But facing his innocent disciple, Jiraiya couldn't bring himself to say those words.
And—if possible—how much he wished Naruto hadn't called him "sensei" for the first time in such circumstances.
At that moment, a weak whimper mixed with suppressed sobbing sounded out, causing the anger about to erupt from Naruto to pause.
He immediately bent down and carefully helped the woman lying on the ground, meeting the eyes of the girl she had been protecting.
The girl looked at Naruto with fear-filled eyes and instinctively tried to shrink back into the woman's arms.
That fearful gaze shocked Naruto. He immediately dispelled his Tailed Beast cloak, his pupils slowly returning to normal.
"Don't be afraid, I—"
Naruto saw the fear in the girl's eyes lessen and was about to comfort her when the woman suddenly grabbed his wrist.
"Karin… Karin—"
The woman stared at Naruto, wanting to say something, but only managed two difficult syllables before her eyes went completely dull, losing all signs of life.
Yet her hand still clutched Naruto tightly, and her unfocused gaze remained fixed on him, as if pleading.
"Mama! Mama—"
The girl sensed something was wrong. Terror filled her face as she hugged the woman tightly and cried loudly.
Naruto looked at the weeping Karin, sorrow filling his eyes.
He could clearly feel her pain, yet didn't know how to comfort her.
"Whack!~"
Suddenly, the girl lunged forward and struck Naruto's chest with her fist, crying out, "Why… why didn't you come sooner?!
If you had appeared earlier, Mama would still be alive!"
"…I'm sorry."
Naruto had no words and could only apologize.
After letting her vent for a while, he finally spoke.
"Don't cry anymore. Let's go kill the people who hurt you."
Karin froze.
She looked up at Naruto, disbelief filling her eyes, as if she wasn't sure what she had just heard.
"Your name is Karin, right?"
Naruto's Nine-Tails chakra surged out again, enveloping both of them. He smiled gently and said, "Just crying won't heal the pain you've suffered here.
So let's go kill people.
Once everyone who hurt you is dead, you should feel better."
These cold—almost cruel—words sounded like salvation to Karin.
The warm power surrounding her body was something she had never felt before.
At that moment, it was as if she had seen the sun.
"Alright!~"
Naruto gave the dazed Karin a thumbs-up and flashed a toothy grin. "Go on, Karin, with the power I've lent you!"
"Yes!"
Karin wiped away her tears, nodded heavily, then stood up and walked toward Grass Hidden Village with a determined gaze.
"Naruto—"
Jiraiya, who had been silent all this time, stepped closer, wanting to speak, but Naruto interrupted him with a cold smile.
"Jiraiya-sensei, please don't say anything that would spoil the mood right now."
"Hmph. What do you take me for, kid?"
A faint ache stirred in Jiraiya's heart when he saw Naruto's smile. He snorted, reached out, and removed Naruto's forehead protector.
"This isn't the right time to wear this," he said, then grinned. "And—go all out."
He raised his thumb, white teeth gleaming.
"Yes!~"
Naruto's smile instantly brightened. He turned and chased after Karin.
"I also want to know…"
Jiraiya watched Naruto disappear into Grass Hidden Village. The smile on his face slowly faded, replaced by worry.
"What exactly is a ninja?"
---
"Jiraiya-sensei, what mission are we doing next?"
On the road, Naruto held a giant ice cream, eating as he asked.
"Hm—"
Jiraiya glanced at the little tail following Naruto, thought for a moment, then said, "Next, we're collecting a debt from the 'Legendary Big Fat Sheep.'
Brace yourself, brat—this is a genuine S-rank mission. Hohoho!~"
He laughed happily, already imagining the look on that person's face when Naruto appeared to collect the debt—and what Naruto would face afterward.
It would be very interesting.
"Hehe, bring it on!"
Naruto finished the ice cream in a few bites and gave Jiraiya a thumbs-up. "I'm very strong now!~"
"Naruto-kun!~"
Behind him, Karin tugged gently at his clothes.
Naruto turned and saw her holding out an ice cream, her eyes full of expectation.
"Naruto!~"
Without hesitation, Naruto took a big bite, eating more than half of it, then continued boasting to Jiraiya.
Behind him, Karin looked at the remaining bit of ice cream in her hand and smiled happily before trotting to catch up.
As for what happened in Grass Hidden Village, none of them mentioned it again.
As if it had never existed.
Because it no longer did.
---
Land of Fire.
Inside an open-air restaurant near a casino—
A blonde, large-chested beauty drank alone, slightly tipsy, her cheeks flushed.
Beside her, a girl holding a pig looked on worriedly, wanting to speak but hesitating.
"Yo!~"
A tall man sat across from them, poured himself a drink, and downed it before smiling. "Tsunade, long time no see."
The man was Jiraiya.
The blonde beauty was Tsunade, one of Konoha's legendary Three Sannin.
"Hmph, it's you, pervert."
Tsunade glanced at him disdainfully. "What do you want?"
"Whack!~"
Jiraiya slapped a bounty notice onto the table and grinned. "Sorry, I'm here to collect a debt today.
Ha ha ha!~"
…
Tsunade looked at the notice. Her already flushed face turned crimson.
"Those bastards! Didn't I say I'd pay them back?! Issuing a bounty is going too far!"
The girl beside her wanted to remind her they were almost out of money—but didn't dare.
"Jiraiya!"
Tsunade suddenly looked at him, eyes bright.
"You have money, right? Lend me some first. I'll pay you back after I win!"
"No! Way! In! Hell!~"
Jiraiya refused righteously. "I'm here to collect a debt.
If you can't pay, I might arrest you and hand you over for the bounty."
"You? Arrest me?!"
A murderous glint flashed in Tsunade's eyes.
She crushed the glass in her hand. "If you want to die, try it."
"Of course I don't want to die, but—"
Jiraiya chuckled and cupped his hands around his mouth.
"Naruto, Plan A failed.
Begin Plan B!"
"Oh!~"
A shout rang out as a small figure descended from the sky, chakra spinning in his hand.
"Rasengan!"
"Huh?!"
Tsunade clenched her fist, chakra surging as she punched upward.
Boom!
The collision shook the restaurant.
Naruto landed steadily. Tsunade slid back several meters.
"Hehe!~"
Naruto grinned. "Old hag, are you the legendary 'Big Fat Sheep'?"
"Huh?!"
Tsunade's eyes blazed. "Brat, what did you just call me?"
"Old hag… right?"
Naruto hesitated. "Then—Grandma?"
That word hit Tsunade's reverse scale.
"Die!"
She vanished, appearing before Naruto, her chakra-laden fist slamming down.
The wind pressure made Naruto react instantly. Three chakra tails rose and overlapped above his head.
Boom!
The ground collapsed into a massive crater.
"Woah!~"
Cold sweat poured down Jiraiya's face.
Not for Naruto—
But for himself.
"J-Jiraiya-sama," Shizune whispered nervously, "what are you trying to do?!"
Jiraiya crossed his arms calmly. "Relax. That's my disciple. I'm just letting Tsunade stretch her legs."
Shizune fell silent.
Jiraiya then handed her a stack of money. "Compensation for the damage."
"Yes, Jiraiya-sama."
On the battlefield—
Tsunade stared at Naruto's chakra cloak, her pupils shrinking.
"Nine-Tails Jinchūriki?"
"Hehe!"
Naruto grinned. "Old hag, if you lose—
Pay up!~"
"Lose to you?!"
Tsunade's fury exploded. "If you die, don't blame me!"
Her chakra erupted like a volcano.
---
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