Naruto: I'm in Konoha, my name is Uzumaki Menma

Chapter 304 Oh, lecherous old man
Menma raised an eyebrow, took the intelligence file, and quickly began to browse through it, somewhat surprised.

He recalled his brief encounter with Jiraiya in Amegakure, when Jiraiya infiltrated the village to investigate Akatsuki, disguised as a ramen shop owner, and met him and Jiraiya. Later, Jiraiya almost fell into the hands of Nagato's Six Paths of Pain.

'It seems the Third Hokage couldn't sit still any longer and actually sent his prized student to investigate the true nature of the Land of Stars. It's even possible that Hiruzen Sarutobi instructed him to infiltrate Amegakure to investigate the Akatsuki. Does this mean Jiraiya's research trip has ended prematurely?' He pondered to himself.

However, when his gaze fell upon another name mentioned in the intelligence report, along with the accompanying simple portrait, he couldn't help but pause in surprise.

"Hydrangea?" He murmured the name, and the image of a girl with short purple hair, a resilient personality, and a touch of innocence from Amegakure appeared in his mind.

He truly hadn't expected that she would come to the Land of Stars with Jiraiya.

Looking at the document, Mianma pondered for a moment.

Jiraiya's purpose for this trip was clear, and it involved the stance of Konoha and even Mount Myōboku.

Especially that old toad sage of Mount Myōboku, whose so-called path of prophecy might already see himself as some kind of "threat".

And Jiraiya...

To put it nicely, they have their own "way of tolerance"; to put it bluntly, they are stubborn and inflexible.

The meeting with Jiraiya is very likely to be unpleasant.

“Father, I’m planning to go to Kamio Castle to meet this ‘Toad Sage’,” Menma said, looking up at Minato.

"However, if they can't agree on the terms, there's a high chance they'll resort to violence."

Upon hearing this, a knowing glint flashed in Minato's gray eyes.

He knew his teacher's personality all too well.

He appears carefree and unrestrained, but deep down he has an extraordinary obsession with so-called "prophecies of fate".

If Mount Myōboku really made a prophecy about "destruction" for Menma, Jiraiya would definitely stand on the opposite side without hesitation.

Minato hesitated for a moment, then said, "In that case, I won't go with you. Appearing before the master in my current... Edo Tensei form will probably only further provoke him and make him even more convinced that we are on the 'wrong' path."

As a disciple, Minato knew Jiraiya all too well.

If the teacher were to see Jiraiya and Kushina, who should be at peace, being "bound" to the mortal world in this way, regardless of the reason, it would be enough to enrage Jiraiya and make him even more convinced that the "Shura" of the Land of Stars is an evil being who plays with life and death and tramples on taboos.

Menma had been considering the potential complications that Minato's presence might bring, but seeing that his father had taken the initiative to avoid suspicion, which saved him a lot of trouble, he nodded and said, "Alright. Then I'll leave things in the Star Capital to Father."

On the other side, outside the Kumano District Police Headquarters in Kamio Castle, Hydrangea walks alone on the bustling street.

She thought that Jiraiya-sama must have a lot to talk about with his old friend, and she didn't want to disturb him, so she decided to find an inn to stay in first.

She strolled through the streets of the county town, curiously looking around.

In stark contrast to the perpetual rain and oppressive atmosphere of Amegakure, Kamio Castle is full of vitality.

The streets are wide and lined with shops, where the sounds of vendors hawking their wares, bargaining, and the clatter of carriages create a lively symphony of everyday life.

As the capital of the Bear County, it is not as magnificent as the Star City located on the fertile Youhe Plain, but it is unique due to its distinctive geographical location.

The city is nestled among mountains, and villagers from the surrounding mountainous areas often transport precious medicinal herbs, wild game, animal hides, and other local specialties they have collected here to sell at relatively low prices, attracting many merchants to come and buy them.

Meanwhile, caravans from the eastern Bird Country would also pass through this area, bringing exotic goods, making Ageo Castle a bustling regional distribution center for goods.

As Ziyanghua admired the bustling scene, so different from her hometown, she also kept an eye on the hotel signs along the roadside.

As she walked, her gaze was drawn to a ninja tool shop with exquisite decorations.

The shop window displays a variety of novel ninja tools that gleam with a cold light, some of which even have a distinct metallic luster that transmits chakra, clearly indicating that they are not ordinary items.

This reminded her of the previous battle with the bandits, during which her "Sealing Technique" had depleted a lot of her regular ninja tools, and she hadn't had a chance to replenish them since leaving Amegakure.

She walked into the shop without thinking, her eyes lingering on the neatly arranged kunai, shuriken, senbon needles, and various ninja tools with special functions.

However, when she saw the price on the label, her eyes, which had just lit up, instantly dimmed.

She subconsciously touched her empty wallet; the little money she had left wasn't even enough to buy a basic set of ninja tools.

She sighed softly, reluctantly preparing to leave.

Just as she turned around, a warm hand gently pressed on her shoulder.

Due to the conditioned reflexes formed from long-term ninja training, Hydrangea was startled, and her body reacted before she could think.

She suddenly lowered her shoulder, exerted force from her waist, and delivered a swift and powerful elbow strike backward!
"Yue!" A suppressed groan came from behind, and the hand instantly loosened its grip.

Ziyanghua then realized what was happening and hurriedly turned around. She saw a black-haired boy bent over, clutching his stomach, looking like he was in pain.

"I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to!" Ziyanghua hurriedly stepped forward to help the other person up, apologizing repeatedly.

However, when she saw the other person's face clearly, her voice stopped abruptly, her face instantly flushed, and her eyes were filled with surprise and a hint of barely perceptible joy, "Mian... Mianma?"

Mianma straightened up, rubbed his still slightly aching abdomen, and said with a mix of helplessness and amusement, "Your reaction time is much faster than last time... I almost ate my breakfast because of your elbow."

Hydrangea was somewhat at a loss: "You... how did you get here?"

"Ah, because someone's here, we have to show some hospitality." Menma put his hands on his hips, raised his head slightly, and glanced at the conspicuous Kuma County Police Headquarters building not far away, his meaning self-evident.

Hydrangea immediately understood that he had come for Jiraiya, and the little bit of joy that had just risen in her heart was instantly replaced by a faint sense of loss.

'As expected... he came because of Uncle Jiraiya.'

Menma keenly noticed the subtle change in her emotions, glanced at the ninja tool shop next door, and observed her lingering expression just now, and immediately understood the situation.

He recalled that Hydrangea was skilled in a space-time ninjutsu called "Sealing Technique," which could seal ninja tools or items in special cards and release them instantly when needed. This was somewhat similar to the scientific ninja tool concept they were developing. Menma patted Hydrangea's shoulder, his tone becoming more relaxed: "Judging by your appearance, you've been through a lot traveling from Amegakure with that troublesome old man Jiraiya all the way to the Land of Stars. You must have used up a lot of ninja tools, right?"

Before Ziyanghua could refuse, he naturally took her wrist and walked towards the ninja tool shop: "Come on, since we've run into each other, let me get you some supplies as a way of showing you hospitality."

As Ziyanghua was pulled along by him, feeling the warmth from his wrist, her cheeks flushed even more. Her heart was pounding like a deer's. The words of refusal that she wanted to say were on the tip of her tongue, but she couldn't say them. She just followed him into the shop in a daze.

Menma said to the shop owner who came up to him, "Boss, bring out some of your usual ninja tools, such as kunai, shuriken, senbon, wire, and explosive tags, so I can take a look."

The shop owner was a middle-aged man who looked quite capable. He had noticed the hydrangea lingering at the door long ago, especially the Rainbow headband on her forehead that did not belong to the Star Kingdom.

He looked slightly embarrassed and explained tactfully, "My apologies, sir. According to the Star Country's 'Ninja Tool Control Regulations,' non-registered ninjas or police officers must register with the local police department and obtain permission before purchasing standard ninja tools. This is the regulation, so please understand."

Menma paused for a moment upon hearing this, then remembered that he had personally signed the regulation to standardize management and prevent potential safety hazards caused by the unauthorized circulation of ninja tools.

He looked around the shop; it had a simple style, and the ninja tools were solidly made but not top-notch. He guessed it was a family-run workshop that had evolved from a villager's original workshop in Xingnin Village.

He didn't say much, but rummaged in his ninja tool pouch and took out a dark blue special ID card with the emblem of the Land of Stars and the word "Inspector," which he handed to the shop owner: "Use this to register, and put it under my name."

The shop owner took the documents with both hands, examined them carefully, and his expression immediately changed. His attitude became extremely respectful, even showing a hint of nervousness.

He handed back the identification with both hands, bowed, and said, "So you're an officer from the Inspectorate! My apologies for my rudeness! Please forgive my lack of courtesy earlier! You and this young lady are welcome to choose any ninja tools you like from the shop. I'll complete the registration process right away!"

He immediately stepped aside, signaling the clerk to prepare the registration book, while he stood respectfully to the side awaiting instructions.

At the entrance of the Kuma County Police Headquarters building, Jiraiya scratched his messy white hair, his face bearing an expression that was a mixture of helplessness,感慨, and a hint of heaviness, as he walked out.

Uchiha Shisui and Hyuga Natsu followed behind him, maintaining an appropriate distance as they bid him farewell.

"Oh dear, this is really a headache..." Jiraiya looked up at the sky, as if he were speaking to the heavens.

"I never expected things to turn out this way."

Shisui remained calm, his tone gentle and understanding: "Lord Jiraiya, there's no need to worry too much about this. The tide of history rolls ever onward, and individual will and effort sometimes do seem insignificant."

"Whether it's the Uchiha or the Hyuga branch family, we have already made our choices. Letting things take their course is perhaps the best approach. If, in the future... we unfortunately meet on the battlefield, please don't hesitate to show any mercy."

Jiraiya turned around, his gaze complex as he looked at Shisui and Hyuga Natsu. A trace of reminiscence and regret flashed in his eyes, which had weathered countless storms: "You two... back in the Third Shinobi World War, you were both my subordinates. We fought side by side, risking our lives together... back then, who could have imagined things would turn out this way?"

His voice lowered, carrying a deep sense of powerlessness.

Recalling the tacit cooperation on the battlefield in the past, and looking at the current situation where there are clear-cut positions and even the possibility of fighting each other, a sense of vicissitude and change wells up in my heart.

He sighed heavily and waved his hand, as if to dispel the unpleasant thoughts: "Forget it, forget it! What's the use of saying this now? Anyway... I haven't been back to Konoha for a long time, and I'm no longer a Konoha ninja."

Without another word, he turned around, strode off into the street without looking back, and waved to them with his back turned, his voice regaining some of its usual hearty tone: "Alright! That's enough for now! Until we meet again!"

Watching Jiraiya's seemingly carefree yet somewhat lonely figure disappear into the crowd, Hyuga Natsu frowned slightly, her short green hair fluttering gently in the breeze. She asked Shisui beside her in a low voice, "Shisui-sama, how much do you think... Jiraiya-sama listened to what we just said?"

Her tone was clearly tinged with doubt.

After all, the other party was one of the legendary Sannin who were famous throughout the ninja world, and a direct disciple of the Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi. Whether from an emotional or political standpoint, it would be difficult for them to truly accept the statements of these "traitors".

Uchiha Shisui gently shook his head, his gaze still calmly fixed on the direction Jiraiya had departed: "It doesn't matter how much he listened. We met today only because he didn't come as a Konoha ninja; we treated him with the courtesy due to an old friend, and caught up. As for the future…"

His eyes narrowed slightly, a hint of ninja resolve flashing in them: "If we truly meet on the battlefield, then naturally... we need not show any mercy."

Hinata Natsumi paused for a moment after hearing this, then nodded thoughtfully.

She understood that from the moment she chose to leave Konoha, some boundaries had been drawn, and there was no turning back.

On the other side, Jiraiya walked alone on the bustling streets of Kamio Castle, looking somewhat out of place with the lively atmosphere around him.

He aimlessly surveyed the buildings on both sides of the street, which were quite characteristic of the Star Kingdom, and then looked up at the continuous mountains outside the city, his thoughts in turmoil.

Shisui and Hyuga Natsu's words still echoed in his mind. The irreconcilable conflict between Konoha and the Land of Stars, as well as that mysterious Shura, made him feel unprecedented pressure.

Suddenly, he slapped his forehead, as if he had just remembered: "Hey? Where's the little hydrangea?"

He looked around; the street in front of the police headquarters was bustling with people, but he couldn't see the girl with short purple hair.

"Where did this girl go? Didn't she say she was waiting for me outside?" Jiraiya muttered to himself as he began searching along the street.

His gaze swept across the shops, searching for that familiar shade of purple.

As he passed a fairly large ninja tool shop, he caught a glimpse of two figures just coming out of the shop out of the corner of his eye.

His steps came to an abrupt halt.

Ziyanghua was standing at the shop entrance, holding several specially made cards in her hand, intently sealing the newly purchased kunai, shuriken and other ninja tools into the "Unsealing Technique" cards one by one.

A sense of relief and satisfaction lingered on her face; clearly, replenishing supplies had put her at ease.

However, what caught Jiraiya's attention was the boy standing next to the hydrangea!
With short black hair and a simple black divine robe, the handsome young man looked at the hydrangea with a gentle smile.

He was the boy he had met once before in Amegakure, and who had entered the battlefield and fought fiercely with another mysterious person of terrifying strength when he was at a disadvantage in his battle with Pain!

He is also the current supreme ruler of the Star Kingdom, Shura!

Jiraiya's heart skipped a beat, his body tensed instantly, and all his casualness and nonchalance vanished in an instant, replaced by the vigilance and solemnity of a top-tier ninja facing a powerful enemy.

Jiraiya never expected that he would encounter Shura here, in such a sudden way.

Meanwhile, Menma, who was on the other side, also saw Jiraiya and raised his hand to greet him, saying, "Yo, you lecherous old man!"

[PS: Today's picture is of Temari.]

(End of this chapter)