CH - 37 Jiraiya’s Punishment
"Jiraiya-san, you've certainly placed us in a challenging situation," Akihiko remarked, observing the disheveled appearance of Jiraiya, the white-haired man standing before him.
"Haha.." Jiraiya, with torn clothes and a face covered in dirt, let out an awkward laugh and scratched his head upon hearing the leader of the Land of Grass.
Resting his crossed hands on his knees and adopting a serious expression, Jiraiya spoke, "If I were to claim that this was merely an accident, would you believe me?"
"What do you think?" Akihiko responded, inquiring whether Jiraiya was someone he could trust.
Jiraiya appeared speechless and pondered, "Yeah, that's a valid point. What have I been doing since I arrived in the Land of Grass? Purchasing 'intelligence' books, meddling with spring plantations, and now causing damage to spring farming... when I reflect on it, it does seem suspicious."
"But it truly was an accident!" Jiraiya sighed, recalling the events of that morning. Faced with the hassle, he had resorted to directly summoning Gamabunta to assist him. Believing that with Gamabunta's colossal size, the situation would be swiftly resolved.
Although Gamabunta initially hesitated, considering himself as the Great Toad of one of the Three Holy Places, questioning whether such tasks were suitable for the chief of Mount Myoboku, he eventually relented after Jiraiya pleaded and appealed to their brotherly bond. Unfortunately, Jiraiya couldn't have foreseen the outcome. Gamabunta was an immense size creature, but still a frog, and frogs jump around!
Moreover, Gamabunta desired to complete the task swiftly, finding the small hoe provided by the Land of Grass unsuitable. Thus, he wielded his massive tantō and hopped around with all his might!
By the time Jiraiya realized something was amiss, it was already too late. Gamabunta had become carried away with the task! Amidst his size and swinging tantō, he couldn't hear Jiraiya's words. The people of the Land of Grass were terrified and scattered in panic.
Soon, the Grass shinobi arrived, eventually managing to subdue Gamabunta. Jiraiya thought to himself, 'It truly was an accident!'
"Jiraiya, one of Konoha's Three Sannin, arrived in the Land of Grass a month ago," Akihiko, as the leader of the Land of Grass, solemnly stated, flipping through the documents in his hand. "The purpose is..."
Before he could complete his sentence, Jiraiya seemed to have already anticipated what the leader of the Land of Grass wanted to say and promptly interjected, "The sole purpose of my visit to the Land of Grass was to see Master Ekinu! I truly had no ulterior motives."
"The purpose remains unclear." However, Akihiko raised an eyebrow, as if he hadn't heard Jiraiya's words, and continued, "Upon arriving in the Land of Grass, you secretly made contact with high-ranking members of the Grass shinobi village and acquired intelligence."
"Hold on a minute! It was Mubuki who contacted me! And I merely bought a book!" Jiraiya attempted to argue that he wasn't the one who initiated the trade.
Nevertheless, it seemed like Akihiko didn't acknowledge his defense and maintained a serious demeanor. "Furthermore, you disrupted the Land of Grass' vital spring plantation plan."
"That was also a misunderstanding!" Jiraiya persisted in defending himself.
"And today, your actions caused widespread panic in the Land of Grass, resulting in significant damage to the land, homes, and various infrastructure, terrifying numerous civilians, and inflicting substantial losses upon the Land of Grass!" Akihiko didn't halt his accusations but continued reading.
"Well... that was also a misunderstanding!" Jiraiya's voice grew increasingly hollow as Akihiko carried on. He forced a laugh and said, "It seems I've been quite unlucky lately!"
"After the investigation... Takeshi Chinoike, the Minister of the Land of Grass' Guard Division, suspects that you have hidden motives! Using the guise of visiting Master Ekinu, you clandestinely arrived in the Land of Grass to sow chaos!"
Isn't that a bit exaggerated! Jiraiya thought, his mouth twitching, but before he could speak.
"Of course~" Akihiko set aside the documents and smiled at Jiraiya, "As an individual... I personally have immense trust in Jiraiya-san. Who in the ninja world doesn't know one of Konoha's Three Sannin, the Sage of Mount Myoboku—Jiraiya-san, a shinobi who yearns for peace?"
Upon hearing these words, Jiraiya blinked his eyes, appearing somewhat moved. He gazed at the leader of the Land of Grass before him, and his heart became filled with a complex blend of emotions.
Honestly... he never expected that the ninja he had encountered in the Land of Rain, wearing the forehead protector of the Hidden Rain Village, would turn out to be the leader of the reconstructed Land of Grass and the Grass Shinobi Village!
During this period, he also noticed some peculiar occurrences in the Land of Grass. For instance, there seemed to be a significant number of individuals with red hair. Recalling the movie "Gambling Shadow" that was filmed in the Land of Grass, he wondered if everything depicted in the movie was purely fictional. Could it be possible that the Uzumaki clan, renowned for their distinct red hair, resided in the Land of Grass?
However, he refrained from delving too deeply into the matter. The Uzumaki clan held great significance, and while Konoha might consider accepting a few individuals, accommodating an entire ninja clan would be unfeasible for present-day Konoha or any of the Five Great Shinobi Villages.
Furthermore, Tsunade seemed dissatisfied with how Konoha had handled the Uzumaki clan situation. It was rare to witness such harmony between Konoha and the Grass Shinobi Village.
Moreover, not every person with red hair necessarily belonged to the Uzumaki clan. Even if the Grass Shinobi Village were to accept them, it would be unlikely that others would believe it.
Jiraiya gazed at Akihiko before him, a faint smile gracing his lips. The leader of the Land of Grass possessed an impressive depth of understanding human nature. If this were occurring in Konoha, they would be under ANBU surveillance as suspicious targets, despite the Uzumaki clan being their allies in the past. Akihiko was truly an exceptional individual who had a broad mind.
"Thank you for your trust, leader of Kusagakure," Jiraiya attempted to convey his gratitude to Akihiko.
"But..." However, before he could finish his sentence, a voice abruptly interrupted him. The voice was commanding and left no room for doubt.
Akihiko once again placed his hands in front of his chin, wearing a serious expression. He declared, "As the leader of the Land of Grass, I have a responsibility to the Land of Grass and all the people of Kusagkure!"
Jiraiya nodded in understanding.
"Punishment is necessary!" Akihiko emphasized.
"I understand! I understand! I have caused significant trouble and damage to the Land of Grass!" Jiraiya willingly accepted punishment without hesitation.
Akihiko raised an eyebrow, seemingly skeptical about Jiraiya's compliance. However, after a moment, he sighed with a hint of emotion. "The Grass Shinobi Village and Konoha have been close allies since their founding. We are like brothers, supporting and aiding each other. The Land of Grass, situated west of Konoha, has always defended against Iwa Shinobi Village invasions. Our bond is that of beloved relatives, akin to brothers."
JJiraiya's face twitched slightly. As soon as those words were spoken, he felt a sense of unease creeping into his heart. After hesitating for a moment, he cautiously asked, "Um... how much?"
"Discussing money would strain our relationship! You should trust us! The Grass Shinobi Village and Konoha are like brothers. We would never deceive each other!" Akihiko smiled at Jiraiya and signaled to Kana, who stood behind him. "After assessing the situation and considering the areas you were responsible for, we have observed severe damage to a village, extensive harm to the newly constructed roads in the Land of Grass, and some villagers who were frightened and accidentally injured..."
"Well... it seems Takeshi didn't misjudge the magnitude of the situation caused by you!" Akihiko couldn't help but acknowledge Takeshi's accurate assessment.
"For ordinary people, encountering such a colossal toad running about would startle them, leaving them unable to react promptly. In their confusion, they might step on a roadside stone, stumble, and collide with a tree, resulting in serious injuries!" Akihiko vividly described the potential mishaps that could befall ordinary individuals.
"Please rest assured, the Grass Shinobi Village has always upheld honesty, and we consider ourselves brothers with Konoha. How could we deceive you?" Akihiko sighed, "Naturally, you have no reason to worry! Consider the compensation merely a formality to appease outsiders."
He patted his chest, "Our relationship with the Grass Shinobi Village and Konoha is that of brothers and relatives. How could we ask for compensation from you?"
"I... I..." Jiraiya was momentarily taken aback, looking at the Land of Grass leader who wore a kind smile.
He sighed, "In the ninja world, I had heard rumors that the ninjas of the Grass Shinobi Village lacked integrity and would do anything for money, even selling false information. However, today, upon seeing you, I realized I had misconceptions."
Akihiko appeared speechless, seemingly questioning Jiraiya's sudden declaration of his goodness.
"You are a person of integrity!" Jiraiya expressed his emotions.
Akihiko fell silent for a moment but then let out a sigh, "I, too, am dedicated to achieving peace in the ninja world! Don't underestimate me just because I am a humble Grass Shinobi. The well-being of the ninja world is a matter of great importance to me."
Before Jiraiya, who was deeply moved, could respond, Akihiko handed him the file that Kana had presented earlier. "As I mentioned earlier, I need to provide an explanation to my subordinates." He then passed the file to Jiraiya.
"Take a look at this... It's not about compensation, but I do require a small favor from you, Jiraiya-san." Akihiko handed the file to Jiraiya.
"Certainly! Certainly! Is it related to agriculture again? Don't worry, I, Jiraiya, will personally take care of it this time." Jiraiya responded and patted his chest as he accepted the file.
"How could that be? You are one of Konoha's legendary Sannin, the heartthrob of countless girls in the ninja world. How could you involve yourself in such matters?" Akihiko exaggerated Jiraiya's status as he noticed him opening the file.
"I..." Jiraiya gazed at the title written inside the file, feeling perplexed. He wanted to say something, but before he could, Akihiko interjected.
"Do you have dreams? Do you aspire to be renowned? Do you long for thousands of admirers among the ninja world's girls?" Akihiko interrupted Jiraiya's words directly, extending his arms with an impassioned expression, as if embracing a promising future. He gazed at Jiraiya and urged, "If that's what you desire, why hesitate any longer?Join us! Come to Kusagakure! Just sign this document!"
Jiraiya stood motionless, stunned by Akihiko's startling proposition
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