บท 34: Chapter 34
Not finding Tatsuya in the farm hut, Jiraiya decided to return to Konoha and inquire about his whereabouts from Sakumo.
"Tatsuya? Just a moment ago, he wanted to come back home to rest, but Nawaki dragged him for a drink. He should be at the Senju clan now."
Sakumo, who was holding his son's hand and preparing to leave, replied after thinking for a moment.
"Really? Thank you, Mr. Sakumo."
Even though Jiraiya was one of the Sannins, he couldn't help but address Sakumo respectfully.
"You also helped to assassinate Kazekage right? Thank you for helping Tatsuya."
Sakumo waved his hand and chuckled.
The Kazekage.
Upon hearing these two words, Jiraiya's expression changed slightly. After a brief pause, he couldn't resist asking, "Mr. Sakumo, do you find anything unusual about the Kazekage mission?"
Given the occasional glances of passersby in their direction, Jiraiya chose not to use the term "assassination."
"Huh? What do you mean? Is there something wrong?" Sakumo furrowed his brow and asked.
At that moment, another middle-aged man, who looked to be around the same age as Sakumo, walked up with a young girl named Kurenai.
From the unmistakable red pupils that resembled Uchiha Sharigan, it was clear who this man was.
"What's going on here?" Shinku Yuhi asked as he lifted his daughter up.
"Oh, it's Shinku-san."
Sakumo responded with a smile and then explained, "Jiraiya has some doubts about the mission Tatsuya carried out with Shinnosuke in Sunagakure."
There was nothing surprising about Sakumo's expression.
Jiraiya inwardly concluded that Sakumo likely had no knowledge of the deeper details.
While inwardly sighing, Jiraiya shook his head with a wry smile. He had heard about the White Fang from both Orochimaru and Tsunade. A figure as renowned as the White Fang was nearly undone by mere rumors.
He had initially been skeptical, but upon meeting Sakumo again after many years, he realized how innocent, even naïve, the man was.
How could he not have noticed his brother's unusual behavior?
Sakumo truly hadn't, while Shinku was feigning ignorance with a purpose.
"I also heard about this. You've both gone through a lot, performing such a high-ranking mission. You should rest now," Sakumo replied.
Before Sakumo, whose mission had failed, had faced criticism from the entire village, Shinku had already felt something was amiss.
How had the details of the Super S-grade mission, meant to be top-secret, become so widely known? While mission failures weren't uncommon, why had the backlash against Sakumo been so severe this time?
Shinku had pieced together various clues after speaking with Shikau and other jonins on the Suna Battlefield. Tatsuya had actively joined forces with Sarutobi Shinnosuke and gone to the Sand Shinobi to assassinate the Second Kazekage.
Connecting the dots, he had started to piece together the puzzle.
Though he was still trying to understand, he feigned ignorance to avoid implicating himself. Given his status and power, he was hardly qualified to meddle in such matters.
Upon hearing Shinku's words, Jiraiya understood that further inquiries were futile. After nodding to the two of them, he turned and left.
"Jiraiya seems a bit off. What do you think is going on?"
Sakumo looked puzzled.
"Sakumo, you should eat more walnuts to nourish your brain." Shinku patted Shumo on the shoulder, feigning lament.
"What do you mean by that?" Sakumo replied, seeming displeased.
"Let's go; both our families can have a barbecue together," Shinku suggested with a smile.
"Dad, can you invite Mr. Tatsuya too?"
Kurenai's eyes sparkled with anticipation.
"Why's that?"
"He's so handsome!"
Kurenai's eyes were practically shining like stars. Shinku's face darkened.
...
...
In the Senju clan grounds,
"Hello, Lord Jiraiya."
"Is Lord Jiraiya here to see Princess Tsunade? Head to the right."
"Would you like to try the freshly steamed buns, Master Jiraiya?"
As Jiraiya entered the Senju clan area, many Senju members greeted him. He nodded in response, all the while thinking, "The once-powerful clan on par with the Uchiha has ended up like this."
While there were still many Senju living on the clan's land, Jiraiya, an outsider, knew better. These individuals who lacked ninja abilities and were essentially ordinary people couldn't truly uphold the name "Senju." Only Tsunade, along with Senju Nawaki and a handful of remaining Senju ninjas, represented the clan.
The position of the Senju clan in Konoha was now not on par with Sarutobi, Uchiha, or Hyuga. It was even below the Ino-Shika-Cho, Inuzuka, and Aburame clans.
If it weren't for Tsunade's Kage-level status, it seemed that even the likes of Moegi or Shiranui might take advantage of the Senju name to wield some influence.
The clan patriarch's residence, where Tsunade and Nawaki resided, was located at the corner of the clan's land. It was said that Senju Hashirama had moved to the outskirts of the clan due to the need for a quiet environment following his intense battles with Uchiha Madara.
However, after suffering heavy losses a year ago, the Senju clan had been reduced to its lowest point and had become quiet no matter where they were.
As Jiraiya approached the entrance of the mansion, the scent of sukiyaki wafted out, accompanied by Senju Nawaki's jubilant voice.
"Aniki is amazing. Not only did he kill Sarutobi Shinnosuke, but he also made sure there was no evidence. I bet Sarutobi Hiruzen is furious and banging his head against the wall. Haha~"
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