Chapter 90: Kazuya: I Have a Dream! Jiraiya Is Conned!

Tea Street was the busiest food avenue in Konoha.

In the original plot, Kakashi had been stationed there when Itachi Uchiha and Kisame Hoshigaki came to capture the Nine-Tails.

Right now, it was lunchtime, and the street was bustling with activity.

As soon as Kazuya and Jiraiya appeared, several ninjas and villagers enthusiastically greeted them.

"Lord Kazuya!"

"Hello, Jiraiya-sama!"

"Lord Kazuya, come try our new sake!"

"Haha, Lord Kazuya, are you still single?"

"Come on, your daughter is only 12! How could Lord Kazuya like her?"

"Who knows? Maybe Lord Kazuya has a thing for younger girls?"

"That's also a possibility… I could try it too; what if Lord Kazuya likes my cooking?"

"Good point…"

The villagers were very friendly, though the content of their greetings grew increasingly outrageous.

Kazuya could only smile helplessly at the banter.

"Youth is wonderful," Jiraiya remarked, a bit wistfully.

Back when he was young, he didn't think he had this kind of popularity.

"Men..."

"Being good-looking has its perks!"

Jiraiya sighed.

In his life, it seemed he had lost out to the simple virtue of being "handsome."

After a moment, the two entered a barbecue restaurant.

Upon seeing Kazuya, the young waitress suddenly became extremely warm and friendly, showering him with concern before offering several exquisite bottles of sake for free.

This only deepened Jiraiya's gloom.

After a few cups of sake, Jiraiya suddenly sighed, looking melancholic. "Kazuya, old-timers always say you're a ninja of great potential and character."

"Now that we've become friends, what do you think my path should be moving forward?"

As he finished speaking, Jiraiya fixed his gaze on Kazuya, who paused to consider.

Jiraiya's situation was quite unfortunate.

His beloved Tsunade was unattainable.

His most cherished companion, Orochimaru, had betrayed the village.

And his proudest disciple, Minato, had died young.

If he were Jiraiya, he would certainly start questioning life itself.

"Jiraiya-senpai…"

Kazuya smiled slightly. "Are you thinking about leaving the village?"

"As expected of you, Kazuya!"

Seeing Kazuya figure out his thoughts, Jiraiya chuckled bitterly. "Ever since Orochimaru betrayed us, I've felt lost."

"To be honest, the Great Sage Toad once told me that my disciple would be a ninja capable of changing the landscape of the Shinobi World."

"So…"

"I'm torn between staying in the village or traveling outside to find this so-called 'Child of Prophecy.'"

"Child of Prophecy?"

Kazuya's expression suddenly turned serious.

Inside, he was scoffing wildly.

Still searching for a 'Child of Prophecy'?

Calculating the time, the one he's seeking would be drinking expired milk in two years!

Besides, Kazuya didn't believe in such prophecies or the Great Sage Toad; he intended to treat them as mere experience points for himself!

He was on a roll!

Forget about sages and prophecies; they could all step aside!

"Jiraiya-senpai..."

Kazuya suddenly stood up, smiling. "Let's go for a walk outside!"

Without waiting for Jiraiya to respond, he stepped out of the restaurant.

"Hey…"

"Wait for me, Kazuya!"

Jiraiya was about to follow but was stopped by the waitress, who said, "Jiraiya-sama, you haven't settled your bill yet!"

"Ah!?"

Jiraiya's face darkened, and he had no choice but to pull out his wallet to pay.

What a strange situation!

Just a moment ago, Kazuya said he would treat them!

How did the bill suddenly end up being his responsibility?!

On Hokage Rock.

The two stood side by side.

Kazuya gazed at the thriving village and suddenly asked, "Jiraiya-senpai, how long do you think this beautiful peace can last?"

"I…"

Jiraiya shook his head. "I don't know; probably not for long…"

He had witnessed too many brutal wars and understood that there was no such thing as lasting peace in this world.

The village seemed prosperous now, but who knew when it would again fall into the throes of war?

"I think you also understand why the Third Shinobi World War ended so abruptly," Kazuya spoke softly. "The village and Hokage were unwilling, but the Nine-Tails incident unexpectedly led to the deaths of the Fourth Hokage and Kushina, forcing the village's strategy to shift from offense to defense."

"As for the war-crazed cloud village and the Tsuchikage, they definitely won't let it go easily!"

"War…"

"Will come sooner or later!"

Jiraiya nodded.

After all, what Kazuya said was true.

Three years ago, if it hadn't been for Minato and Kushina's unexpected deaths, Konoha would have had the strength to adopt an aggressive strategy.

Instead of the current situation, where the Hidden Rock Village and the Hidden Cloud Village are squeezing out a lot of strategic space.

"So, uh…"

Kazuya smiled slightly and said, "War is unavoidable, and my ideal is to end all wars within my lifetime, leaving a peaceful and beautiful world for our descendants."

"To seek peace through struggle is to preserve peace; to seek peace through compromise is to lose it."

"Some wars, if we don't fight against them, our descendants will have to."

"Only when we finish fighting can the next generation enjoy true peace!"

"Jiraiya-sensei…"

"I believe you understand this principle!"

After saying this, Kazuya patted Jiraiya's shoulder firmly.

[You have gained 300 points of chakra]

[You have gained 400 points of chakra]

[You have gained 200 points of combat experience]

...

Wow!

This was a win!

At that moment.

Jiraiya was a bit stunned.

"To seek peace through struggle is to preserve peace; to seek peace through compromise is to lose it?"

It sounded quite reasonable!

Suddenly, Jiraiya felt that all the brutal wars he had experienced in his life were summed up by this one sentence!

"If we don't resist war, our descendants will have to fight against it…"

Jiraiya's expression suddenly grew serious.

If that were true, then all his struggles and battles in life would become worthless.

At this moment.

Kazuya, hands behind his back, added one last spark: "I have a dream…"

"I dream that one day, the valleys will rise, the mountains will lower, the winding paths will become smooth roads, and the Will of Fire will illuminate the world."

"So, I hold onto this belief and am willing to sacrifice everything for the village."

"The path not completed by the previous Hokage, I will walk it."

"The endeavors left unfinished by the previous Hokage, I will complete."

"Shortly, let the voice of peace resonate from the lofty mountains of the Fire Country!"

"If Konoha is to become a great shinobi village, then this dream must be realized!"

"It must be achieved in our generation!"

After saying this.

Kazuya did not look back.

He left behind a profound and inscrutable silhouette.

Boom!

In an instant.

Jiraiya felt as if a thunderclap had erupted in his mind.

It was as if his entire soul had become clear.

At that moment.

Jiraiya stared blankly at Kazuya's back, and he wasn't sure if it was just an illusion, but he seemed to see golden light shimmering around Kazuya.

He was deeply shaken!

His soul trembled!

No wonder…

The teacher would choose Kazuya as a candidate for Hokage.

At this moment.

Jiraiya understood a lot.

He suddenly felt that in the presence of the towering Kazuya, his fragile thoughts seemed exceedingly small!!!

"I…"

"Am nowhere near Kazuya!"

Jiraiya shook his head, but there was a spark of excitement in his eyes.

He…

Seemed to see a whole new world in Kazuya!