Chapter 164

Just as Shinki was contemplating the strange abundance of frogs, a toad slightly larger than his palm hopped out of the stream and scanned the area. Spotting Shinki, it jumped towards him, opened its mouth wide, and spit out a letter.

"Huh…"

Using a toad to deliver a letter—this was definitely Jiraiya's doing.

Orochimaru preferred using snakes for such tasks, and Tsunade often employed slugs to assist her when needed. Summoning creatures for errands was indeed convenient, as long as one had a general idea of where to send them.

"Did Jiraiya send you?" Shinki asked the little toad.

The toad nodded, confirming that it was indeed sent by Jiraiya as a courier.

It seemed too young to speak, though.

After verifying Jiraiya's handwriting, Shinki picked up the letter from the ground, opened it, and quickly scanned its contents.

So Jiraiya acted quickly and even went to ask the Great Toad Sage.

Too bad. Just because someone says it, doesn't mean you should take it as truth.

The Great Toad Sage was famously unreliable, and after mentioning the Sage's Eye and the Sharingan, he fell asleep, leaving Jiraiya in a state of anxious confusion.

With no other choice, Jiraiya had turned to Shinki for answers.

After reading the letter, Shinki tossed both it and the envelope into the fire, watching them burn before addressing the little toad lying on the ground.

"Go back and tell him, 'I don't know; let him figure it out himself.'"

"Ribbit?"

The little toad blinked in confusion.

Was that all? No written reply?

Shinki ignored it and went back to grilling his meat. The toad, realizing it wouldn't get more instructions, hopped back into the river, seeking someone who could convey Shinki's message more clearly.

Meanwhile, in the underground base, Jiraiya was just settling down for a meal when he was unexpectedly summoned to Mount Myōboku.

"Ahhh!!"

Still holding his chopsticks, Jiraiya found himself back at the toad village, unknowingly picking up colorful insects and eating them like noodles. He chewed, initially content, before his face turned green with realization. He dropped his chopsticks and covered his mouth.

"Blargh!!"

Jiraiya retched, unable to handle the taste of the insect feast.

Gamashima, standing beside the table, sighed in disappointment. "Looks like Jiraiya doesn't enjoy my cooking."

Gamabunta's partner, Gama Fukasaku, shot her a knowing look. Jiraiya had never liked her insect dishes, and this was far from the first time he'd expressed his distaste.

"Ughhh…" Jiraiya continued to gag, feeling like he might throw up everything he had ever eaten.

"Greetings, Master Fukasaku, Master Shima."

The taste and smell were all too familiar to Jiraiya. He knew immediately he was in Mount Myōboku and had fallen victim to Shima's infamous cooking—something cherished by toads but unbearable for him.

"Jiraiya, the little toad you sent reported back. Hyuga Shinki didn't send a written reply but left you a message," Fukasaku informed him.

"What did he say?"

Jiraiya, now pale and keeping his distance from the table laden with bugs, awaited the answer.

"The toad said he told you, 'I don't know; figure it out yourself.'"

"..."

Jiraiya's face fell.

If I knew, why would I ask?

And telling me to figure it out myself… 

Jiraiya felt that Shinki was either messing with him or genuinely didn't know and was just guessing.

As for how Shinki knew about Mount Myōboku—well, that wasn't a mystery. The three great summoning sanctuaries, Mount Myōboku, Ryūchi Cave, and Shikkotsu Forest, had been interconnected since ancient times. Secrets shared among their sages were common knowledge.

It looked like the only way to understand the link between the Sage's Eye and the Sharingan was to wait for the Toad Sage to wake up and ask again, or for the possessor of the Sage's Eye to reveal themselves.

But was that likely?

After all, the Tenseigan earned its name due to the last wielder being the Sage of Six Paths—the very progenitor of all ninjutsu.

With a resigned sigh, Jiraiya turned to the elder toads. "Thank you, Master Fukasaku. Please send me back."

Shima interjected, "Don't you want to stay for a meal?"

"No, no," Jiraiya said hastily, his face turning pale at the thought. He stepped back quickly, not wanting to endure another bite.

Fukasaku rolled his eyes and obliged, sending Jiraiya away.

His wife was kind and hospitable, but her love for sharing her cooking was…problematic, to say the least.

Back in Konoha, Shinki first visited the Anbu base. After confirming that everything was running smoothly, he headed home.

Meanwhile, in the Hokage's office, the Third Hokage had just received word of Shinki's return.

"Jiraiya is refusing to come back?"

Koharu Utatane and Mitokado Homura were in the office as well. With the village's ongoing responsibilities, they couldn't be there without reason. They knew Hiruzen had tasked Shinki with relaying a message, but they were skeptical. After all, Jiraiya had been avoiding Konoha's attempts to reach him, and it wasn't certain that Shinki would find him.

Mitokado Homura leaned forward, curiosity piqued. The Third Hokage sighed deeply.

"Shinki did manage to find him, but Jiraiya refused to return. He wants to stay and care for three war orphans."

"This is outrageous! Such disregard for orders—refusing to return as he pleases. Does he even consider himself part of the village?" Koharu snapped.

If anyone else had acted like Jiraiya, it would have sparked serious consequences. Refusing an order to return? Such behavior could easily be punished as treason.

But Jiraiya was the Third Hokage's student, and treating him like a rogue ninja was out of the question. All Koharu could do was vent her frustration.

"Konoha played a significant role in the turmoil of the Rain Country," she added. "Does he think raising a few orphans will absolve those grievances?"

"Koharu!" Homura whispered sharply, noting the Hokage's troubled expression.

Even when angry, one had to be mindful of Sarutobi Hiruzen's feelings.

The Third Hokage shook his head. "It's fine. Jiraiya may have overstepped, but let's not dwell on that now. When he returns, I'll ensure he makes amends."

Compensation would be expected, though it didn't need to be spelled out. A slew of missions awaited Jiraiya, and as long as he didn't perish, he would be worked to the bone. The Hokage trusted that Jiraiya would comply.

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