Chapter 79

Jiraiya pounded his chest a few times, swallowed the meat in his mouth, and shouted at Orochimaru:

"It was my suggestion, but didn't you agree? Why are you blaming me now?"

"Because you eat in the most revolting way," Orochimaru muttered disdainfully.

Shinki turned to Hatake Sakumo and said, "Senior, don't feel out of place. This is how we get along."

"No, no, it's just that..." Hatake Sakumo responded with an awkward smile, unable to find the right words.

He still harbored some resentment toward Shinki. The previous incident had almost cost him his life. Although Shinki's intentions were to save him, anyone in his position would still feel downcast for a while.

Except, of course, Jiraiya, who was shamelessly carefree.

Despite being labeled a pervert on numerous occasions, he would forget about it within a few days.

Shinki raised his cup with a smile and said, "Senior, here's to a successful start for you!"

"Thank you." Hatake Sakumo's tension eased, and he relaxed.

Jiraiya's playful nature lightened the atmosphere, and any remaining dissatisfaction in Hatake Sakumo's heart vanished. He was not one for words, so he sat quietly beside Orochimaru, smiling as he listened to Shinki and Jiraiya's banter.

Orochimaru was not one to talk much, especially to Jiraiya. However, if he conversed with Shinki, he would speak more than Jiraiya.

Hatake Sakumo, on the other hand, was known for his integrity. His adherence to samurai values had driven him to the brink before, when a scheme by Shimura Danzo and public scrutiny had nearly pushed him to take his own life, leaving his son to face a lonely future.

Once the meal concluded, Hatake Sakumo and Orochimaru left. Jiraiya, however, refused to go.

There was no need to guess what he was planning.

After seeing Hatake Sakumo off, Jiraiya handed Shinki a stack of manuscripts with a mischievous grin.

Shinki rolled his eyes. "Thanks, but I trust your skill. No need to check the manuscript; just have someone send it to the village. It'll be a hit once it's printed."

"Hahaha, I know!" Jiraiya said, chuckling as he walked off, the manuscript clutched protectively. To shield it from the rain, he hunched over like a man with a burden.

Once the trio had left, Shinki unfurled a blank scroll and began jotting down modifications and plans for the Anbu, as Tsunade had requested. She had little patience for such tasks and had delegated it to Shinki.

Given the ongoing war, Shinki could offer no substantial suggestions. The Anbu were stretched thin, tasked with protecting the village, thwarting spies, and gathering intelligence on the battlefield.

Until the war ended, major reforms would have to wait.

Meanwhile, in the Sand Village camp, Chiyo's dissatisfaction with the war's outcomes was palpable.

"Hyuga Shinki again?" she spat.

Once, Chiyo hadn't considered Shinki a significant threat. Before the war, the only medical ninja in Konoha she respected was Tsunade, famously known as the "Chiyo Killer." The name was no jest—Tsunade neutralized Chiyo's poisons with ease.

But now, with Tsunade absent and Shinki emerging as a formidable force capable of countering Danzo and advancing Konoha's medical prowess, Chiyo began to reconsider.

"Could he be another Tsunade?" she wondered, troubled by the news of Sand Village poisons being neutralized and antidotes being developed swiftly. Poison was the linchpin of the puppet corps' effectiveness.

Without it, their deadliest advantage was gone. A puppet's attacks—poisoned needles, stingers, and blades—were designed to incapacitate or kill upon even minor injuries. Antidotes would strip that advantage away.

This threat needed elimination.

Tsunade and now Shinki posed severe challenges to the Sand Village, undermining the puppet corps' deterrence and effectiveness.

To make matters worse, the Rain Country's environment handicapped many Sand Village ninjas. While Rock Village excelled in Earth Style and Cloud Village in Lightning Style, the Sand Village's Wind Style was suppressed by the Rain Country's weather.

Chiyo marked an "X" on Shinki's file, rubbing her temples before asking, "Any response from the Rock Village?"

The reporting ninja shifted uncomfortably. "Lady Chiyo, we haven't received any reply."

"Idiots! As stubborn as Onoki!" Chiyo burst out, frustration coloring her face.

The war in the Rain Country was a chaotic mess. Though many factions were at odds openly, secret alliances weren't off the table.

Chiyo had attempted to reach out to Rock Village for a covert alliance against Konoha, but they had ignored her.

"We were just fighting them, and now we expect them to join forces against Konoha? The nerve!" she muttered, incredulous.

Onoki's son, Kitsuchi, was as stubborn as his father. The idea of collaboration was off the table.

Chiyo's face flushed with anger. "They're both impossible! Just as hard-headed!"

Kitsuchi, Ohnoki's son, mirrored his father's steadfastness despite being calm. Chiyo's outreach had been doomed from the start.

"Any news from the Rain Village?" Chiyo asked, trying to shift her focus.

The reporting ninja hesitated. "Hanzo still has his eyes on us, possibly out of past grievances."

"Dismissed," Chiyo said, waving them off with irritation. 

Left alone, she fumed, cursing the stubbornness of her rivals and the relentless Salamander Hanzo, who harried their forces relentlessly.

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