Naruto: Echoes of a Distant Home

"Heh." Kushina looked at the bewildered Jiraiya and chuckled.

Jiraiya's gaze flicked over Kushina's hand, relieved to see she hadn't clenched her fist. He looked around, whistling softly to ease the awkwardness of the moment.

"Never thought Lord Jiraiya was this kind of person," Rin whispered.

Obito leaned over and whispered to her, "Did you forget he stole my dango last time?"

Rin gave an exasperated smile, while Kakashi kept eating his ramen, though a hint of resignation showed in his eyes.

In the small ramen shop, their conversation didn't escape Jiraiya's ears. Still whistling, he thought to himself, You kids have no idea how hard it is to gather information.

Not only did he have to "sell his charms" by mingling with lovely young ladies, but he also had to endure grueling nights in taverns, drinking for hours—all in the name of intel gathering.

Seeing Jiraiya acting so nonchalant, Kushina shook her head, retracting her golden chains. "Jiraiya-sensei, don't tell me you're out of money again?"

"Haha," Jiraiya laughed heartily, then responded seriously, "Yes, I'm broke."

Kushina pressed her hand to her forehead and sighed. "Fine, I'll cover this meal."

As soon as the words left her mouth, Jiraiya spun around, seated himself at the counter in a flash, and held up one finger. Smiling at the chef, he said, "One more bowl, please!"

Kakashi nearly choked on his noodles, and Kushina, Obito, and Rin looked on with exasperation.

After they finished eating, Kushina sent Kakashi and the others home to rest and headed toward the Hokage's office with Jiraiya.

Walking along, Jiraiya, now holding his full stomach with satisfaction, suddenly asked, "So, you've seen Ye Zi, right?"

Kushina paused, then nodded after a moment's silence. "I did."

Though she tried to keep her tone neutral, Jiraiya detected a slight tremor in her voice.

Feigning nonchalance, he asked, "How did it go?"

Since leaving the village, he had been focusing on monitoring the Akatsuki's activities, Tsunade's whereabouts, and occasionally tracking the Rain Village for signs of the Akatsuki's base or members. Learning more about Ye Zi, the elusive Orochimaru, and the power behind the Akatsuki were all high on his list.

He had heard of Team 7's mission, understanding it was driven mainly by Kushina's personal resolve to reach out to Ye Zi. While he didn't fully support it, he didn't oppose it either, as he understood Kushina's feelings. Like her, he had once held the hope of bringing back Orochimaru, even though he knew it was next to impossible.

Kushina smiled faintly, replying, "We talked a lot, but…"

The smile was somewhat forced.

Jiraiya squinted and prompted, "But what?"

"He can't come back." Kushina's smile faded, her eyes lowered. "So… I suppose it's time to let go."

Jiraiya fell silent. Yes, it was time to let go. Some people and things in this world simply couldn't be changed, no matter the effort.

"Ye Zi is now a rogue ninja," Jiraiya said gently. "You don't have to get involved."

Kushina understood the implication—placing Ye Zi on the enemy's side and stepping back would save her from having to confront him as an adversary. But she couldn't deny that a part of her still struggled to reconcile her feelings. Perhaps, she thought, she would only know where she stood in the heat of battle.

Jiraiya continued, "Kushina, maybe your focus is on something too far out of reach. Sometimes, it helps to look around you—like at those behind you."

Kushina feigned confusion, though she understood his meaning. Love couldn't be forced, and expecting her to open her heart to Minato now wasn't realistic. Getting over someone embedded so deeply in her heart would take time.

With a laugh, Jiraiya gave her a thumbs-up. "Actually, I was thinking of putting that line in a book I'm writing. I plan to call it Make-Out Paradise. How about a free copy when it's done? My way of saying thanks for the ramen!"

"No, thanks." Kushina rejected the offer immediately. Just hearing the title convinced her it wouldn't be any good.

Jiraiya chuckled, brushing off the refusal. They walked on to the Hokage's office, where masked Anbu observed them from the shadows as they approached the door. Kushina knocked, but before Minato could answer, Jiraiya had already let himself in.

Minato looked up, his eyes brightening upon seeing Jiraiya and Kushina. Before the desk stood Shikaku, who turned, gave a slight nod, and greeted, "Lord Jiraiya, Kushina."

"Hey there, Shikaku," Jiraiya said with a grin. Kushina returned Shikaku's nod with a smile.

Shikaku merely chuckled lightly at Jiraiya's informal greeting, unaffected. As Minato's trusted aide, he was someone Minato often consulted to share the workload.

"Jiraiya-sensei." Minato looked at him, then smiled at Kushina.

Jiraiya strode to the desk and said, "With Kushina back, let's review what we know about the Akatsuki and Ye Zi."

Minato and Shikaku exchanged glances before Minato spoke. "Jiraiya-sensei, yesterday, Danzo provided me with information on Ye Zi."

"Danzo?" Jiraiya was surprised.

That Danzo would offer intelligence on Ye Zi didn't surprise Kushina much; after all, Root's intelligence network was robust. Jiraiya, however, was taken aback by Danzo's willingness to share information with Minato.

"Ye Zi… can use Wood Release, and even the First Hokage's Advent of a World of Flowering Trees," Minato said gravely.

Jiraiya's eyes widened in shock, and Kushina looked similarly stunned.

"Ye Zi can use Wood Release… and even the First Hokage's jutsu…" Jiraiya bit his thumb, frowning. The idea that Ye Zi had mastered Wood Release to such an extent was startling, and he began to wonder whether he should inform Tsunade.

After establishing Konoha's medical system, Tsunade had left the village to search for Dan's killer. The Akatsuki was suspected, with Ye Zi being the initial suspect. However, the belief that he lacked the ability to use Wood Release had kept the suspicion low. If Ye Zi truly could wield Wood Release, it would significantly increase his likelihood of being the culprit.

As these thoughts crossed Jiraiya's mind, Kushina bit her lip, deep in thought.

"Is the information reliable?" Jiraiya asked, concerned due to its source from Danzo.

Returning to Konoha, his intentions had been twofold: first, to request funding due to running low on money; and second, to take Minato to Mount Myoboku. He hadn't anticipated receiving news like this.

Check out the patreon and get 50 chapters in advance -> SaintXI

Currently on Chapter 337 - Arriving at the Kayuga's Clan Home