Chapter 143 The Master Returns
"Did I do something to upset you?"
Jiraiya sat cross-legged at the dining table in Kakashi's house, his body exuding a faint scent mixed with jasmine soap and peach blossoms.
Although he had just returned from a journey and was still a little dusty, he at least stayed in the bathroom for a long time. However, Kakashi thought that he might have just slept in it and did not take a shower.
Kakashi sighed and placed a steaming cup of green tea in front of him.
"If Iruka sees you here, you'll be in big trouble."
Jiraiya's eyebrow twitched.
Kakashi sighed.
"Where on earth have you been?"
Jiraiya grimaced and shrugged.
"Walk around, you know. We're not going as far as Myobokusan this time. We're just walking around nearby."
"So... are you going to gather intelligence?" Kakashi guessed.
"Yes."
"What is the current political situation in the Hidden Mist Village?" Kakashi asked.
Jiraiya sighed and took a sip of his tea.
"The situation is indeed not good. Ever since their last Mizukage disappeared, those guys have been fighting for power. In the past few years, there have been at least a dozen Mizukages. However, things changed a few months ago."
Kakashi became interested.
"What changes?"
"No, it's my turn to ask."
Kakashi snorted.
"Just ask."
"What made you change like this?" Jiraiya asked, looking around the room.
The room was clean, but it looked lived in, and much warmer than Kakashi's previous cold apartment.
He didn't understand what had changed so much in Kakashi, especially considering the house's dark history. He barely recognized the place.
"I just need more space," Kakashi said vaguely, "that's all."
Jiraiya took a sip of tea slowly and answered Kakashi's question:
"Over at the Hidden Mist Village, a tough guy got unexpected support from one of the former Seven Ninja Swordsmen. When I left, they had either already figured things out, or it was completely messed up."
Kakashi's reaction was unexpected. He actually smiled, although through the mask one could only see the corners of his mouth slightly raised.
"What's so funny?" Jiraiya asked in confusion.
"Shouldn't I ask you this?" Kakashi asked back.
Jiraiya curled his lips and asked:
"Iruka still lives with you?"
"No." Kakashi's answer caught him off guard.
"Nonsense." Jiraiya sat up straight and looked carefully at the living space behind Kakashi. It was filled with scrolls, piles of documents, weapons and open books.
Kakashi stared back at him expressionlessly, saying nothing.
Kakashi said calmly:
"How long do you plan to stay?"
Jiraiya propped his head up with his hands, his body stiff as he stared at the child in front of him.
"After you submit your report, check on the kid, if you get a chance. The old man wanted me to see the seal, to make sure it's still there."
"Yeah." Kakashi responded briefly.
"By the way, how many Genin teams did the Hokage give you when I left?" Jiraiya tried to lighten the mood, the previous gloom of the conversation made him uncomfortable.
"Only one." Kakashi's answer was simple and clear, but for some reason, his tone was unusually serious...
Kakashi's answer was simple and to the point, but the seriousness of it made Jiraiya feel uneasy.
Jiraiya once again looked around the room, taking in every detail, recalling the date of that bloody night, silently counting the years that had passed...
"Ah," Kakashi said with a hint of sarcasm, "He understands now."
"Wait, Sarutobi put..."
"Ah."
“Even if…”
"Yes."
Jiraiya turned towards the door, then back again.
"So this means..."
Kakashi rang the kitchen clock. "In 16 seconds," he said calmly, "You will sit in Sakura's seat."
He jumped up from his seat, and the next second, three figures appeared in the kitchen. They moved at an incredibly fast speed, and the chakra fluctuations were violent. Jiraiya understood it instantly.
Kakashi's Genin team consisted of a black-haired boy with a blank expression and a serious look, who was undoubtedly from the Uchiha clan; a female ninja with pink hair and strong shoulders; and... Naruto. Uzumaki Naruto.
Jiraiya suddenly understood why he had been running away, he became a coward.
Naruto is no longer a child, he is 13 years old now, but he looks much younger than his peers.
He looked relaxed, his hands in the pockets of his simple training pants.
His clear blue eyes were very similar to those of Minato Namikaze, but they were also different. The color was deeper and there was a circle around the outside... He didn't remember Minato having that, but Uzumaki Kushina's eyes were exactly like that.
The boy looked at him, frowned slightly, blinked in confusion, and put his body into a defensive posture.
"Who are you?" the kunoichi asked sharply, one hand on her waist and her green eyes staring at him sharply.
"Kids, this is Jiraiya," Kakashi introduced gently.
Jiraiya's eyes fell on Naruto again. This child looked so much like Minato, yet so different...
Kakashi stomped on him hard.
Jiraiya gasped and glared at Kakashi.
"Jiraiya will stay for dinner," Kakashi announced, "We need to talk later."
A suffocating silence hung in the room, weighing down Naruto's breath.
He felt as if he was in a room full of explosive charms, and if he was not careful, everything would explode.
On either side were Sasuke and Sakura who remained silent.
Naruto himself didn't say much, just asking a few questions here and there, and unlike his teammates, he wasn't mad at Jiraiya, just confused.
The emotions emanating from this old sage were so complex that it gave Naruto a headache:
Shame—it tastes both stale and freshly sour—sadness, surprise, and a mixture of joy and bitterness.
The old immortal's heart was full of contradictions, and he had many reasons that he was unwilling to say out loud.
But Naruto didn't dwell on his answer, instead he followed his evasion and pieced together a general picture.
"He's blaming himself, isn't he?" Naruto asked the Kyuubi, which had been in his consciousness all day. "Because he wasn't there with me when my parents died."
"He's got a lot to blame himself for, kid. That's no excuse."
"Why? Why did he leave?"
“Out of fear, I guess.”
"That's not a reason."
“Indeed not.”
Naruto looked Jiraiya over again, trying to sense more emotions from him.
Underneath all the mixed emotions, Naruto felt genuine concern and interest.
Although he had no interest in recognizing him as his master - this old guy was one of the legendary three ninjas after all.
"So the old man sent you to check my seal?" Naruto asked, eating his udon noodles.
