With a calm breath, Hatake Kyūjō tightened the Konoha forehead protector around his head, the metallic plate gleaming slightly under the morning sun. He then turned around and casually approached the duo who always seemed to be at odds: Namikaze Minato and Uzumaki Kushina.

At this point in time, Kushina hadn’t experienced the infamous kidnapping incident by the shinobi of Kumogakure yet, so the fiery red-haired girl known as the “Red-Hot-Blooded Habanero” hadn’t developed any particular feelings toward the soft-spoken and gentle Minato.

If anything, she was actually closer to Kyūjō—probably because he never looked at her weirdly or mocked her Uzumaki lineage. Their bond was fairly natural.

…Well, perhaps Kyūjō’s absurdly handsome looks played a role too.

That said, Kyūjō himself wasn’t interested in Kushina. Not at all. After all, she was still a literal elementary schooler…

They might’ve been the same age physically, but mentally? Kyūjō had the soul of an adult. There was no way he’d fall for a child. Besides, he had zero intention of being Naruto’s father. What’s next? A “Hatake Naruto”? That’s just wrong.

— — —

Still, even if Kyūjō had no such thoughts, his closeness to Kushina was a thorn in Minato’s side. The kind-hearted boy had quietly carried his feelings until, one day, he finally worked up the courage to confront Kyūjō and speak honestly.

Kyūjō could only chuckle at the boy’s innocence. Really, the kids in this world matured way too fast. In his old world, they’d still be struggling with math homework and cartoon shows.

So, Kyūjō kindly explained the situation to Minato, and from that day on, a genuine friendship bloomed between them.

— — —

Looking at the two of them now, Kyūjō smiled and said casually,

“Minato, Kushina… never expected the three of us to end up on the same team.”

Minato returned his smile, his usual warmth in full bloom. “Yeah… but having someone like you on the team is kind of reassuring.”

“Hehe! Kyūjō, who do you think our Jōnin instructor’s gonna be?” Kushina asked with bright enthusiasm.

Kyūjō scratched his head a little. Of course, he already had a pretty good guess—but saying it outright would be boring.

Just then, his Infinity Perception system picked up someone approaching—a lazy-looking man with messy white hair, yawning as he walked. His headband was worn sloppily like he hadn’t even bothered to wake up properly.

Kyūjō sighed, shaking his head slowly.

Jiraiya, huh? Even in his twenties, the man already showed clear signs of being the “Unreliable Pervy Sage.”

…Would he mature later on?

Yeah. Probably not.

Kyūjō shrugged internally.

— — —

The classroom door slid open with a click, and in walked Jiraiya. For a few moments, he just stood there at the entrance, staring at the three kids in front of him. Then, with a sheepish grin, he finally spoke.

“Sorry! I just got back from a mission yesterday and… might’ve had a drink or two with Tsunade.”

He laughed awkwardly. “Anyway! Nice to meet you! I’m Jōnin Jiraiya. And since there’s only three of you here, I’m guessing you’re Hatake Kyūjō, Namikaze Minato, and Uzumaki Kushina, right?”

“From now on, let’s do our best together! Hahaha… Oh, and this is my first time ever leading a Genin team!”

Kyūjō nodded wordlessly.

Minato, ever the polite one, gave a small bow. “It’s alright, Jiraiya-sensei. We look forward to learning under you.”

Kushina, glancing at the two white-haired guys in front of her, stuck out her tongue and joked,

“Eh? You have white hair too? Are you Kyūjō’s big brother or something? Don’t be late again, okay?”

Jiraiya glanced at Kyūjō’s expressionless face, then muttered, “No, I’m not his brother… Even if our hair color’s the same, we’re not related. Actually, Kyūjō’s way more amazing than I am…”

“Oh really? Still, no excuses next time, Mr. White-Hair!” Kushina huffed with a playful pout.

Jiraiya: “…”

— — —

After the quick intro, Jiraiya invited the team out for a meal—an old tradition passed down from his own mentors. Of course, none of the kids declined. Free food was free food, after all. Even Kushina, who was usually hot-tempered, looked genuinely excited.

They stepped out of the academy and headed straight for the Akimichi clan’s yakiniku restaurant. But halfway there, Kyūjō’s Perception picked up two more figures waiting up ahead—Orochimaru and Tsunade.

Seeing them together with Jiraiya, Kyūjō immediately understood: this lunch had been prearranged.

So this was it—the unofficial gathering of the three who would one day be known as the Legendary Sannin.

Bringing their three new students was merely part of the show.

Kyūjō didn’t overreact. He’d already seen all three of them before through Infinity Perception. But this would be his first time interacting with them face-to-face. And to be honest, even if all three of them attacked him together, he wasn’t sure they could win.

Unless they messed with him first, Kyūjō wasn’t planning on stirring up trouble. But if they did?

He’d end them without hesitation.

Even if it meant taking on the Third Hokage, Sarutobi Hiruzen, or that snake Shimura Danzō.

As for the other two elders, Koharu and Homura? Kyūjō didn’t even consider them threats. If they ever tried interfering, he’d just flatten them. There was no use for powerless geezers sticking their noses into real affairs.

— — —

While Kyūjō drifted in thought, Orochimaru and Tsunade, both still in their prime, came into view at the restaurant’s entrance. With a short exchange of greetings, they all entered the Akimichi yakiniku place.

Tsunade gave a simple nod to the three kids, though her eyes lingered on Kyūjō for a moment longer than necessary. That boy… his appearance stood out far too much.

She was already familiar with Kushina, of course. The girl had been staying with Uzumaki Mito—Tsunade’s grandmother. Mito had brought Kushina to the village after the fall of Uzushiogakure, their homeland.

That destruction… was, frankly, the result of Konoha’s cowardly foreign policy.

Even though Uzushio was a key ally, Hiruzen had refused to send reinforcements—claiming it would break peace treaties and incite further conflict.

To Kyūjō, that wasn’t pacifism. That was weakness.

And that same weakness is what made other nations constantly challenge Konoha. A village that should’ve been the strongest… was slowly losing respect, all because of the cowardice of its own leaders.

— — —

And it wasn’t just foreign affairs. Even internal matters were pathetic.

Kumogakure had a habit of kidnapping Kekkei Genkai users—and Konoha was no exception. They’d snatched Kushina. And in the future, they’d even try to kidnap Hyūga Hinata.

Right in Konoha’s territory.

They acted like they could stomp on the heads of Leaf shinobi and walk away laughing. And what did the higher-ups do in response?

Nothing.

In fact, during the Hinata incident, the elders forced the Hyūga clan to offer up a scapegoat—Hiashi Hyūga handed over his twin brother, Hizashi, to die.

Instead of punishing the enemy, they punished their own people.

That’s “peace”?

To Kyūjō, that wasn’t justice. That was inviting wolves to feast on your village. Power without resolve was just hollow symbolism.

— — —

Back in the restaurant, plates of sizzling meat were finally served. The scent of grilled yakiniku filled the air, lifting everyone’s mood.

Kyūjō, meanwhile, activated Infinity Perception and quietly recorded the secret Akimichi seasoning recipe for personal use. Not for business. Just because it was that good.

Tsunade, cheeks slightly flushed, had already started drinking. Her white shoulders were bare, and she laughed with reckless abandon as she played dice with Jiraiya at the end of the table.

— — —

As night fell, the sky darkened, and the stars began to flicker into view. The three kids looked at one another, nodded, and politely excused themselves from the now very drunk Jiraiya.

The day ended peacefully.

But without realizing it… the seeds of fate had already been sown in each of their hearts.

— — — — — — — — — — — — — — — —

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Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep