Early the next morning, Kuro made his way toward Mito's villa.
As he passed through the village, he noticed the tense atmosphere. Villagers whispered in hushed tones, their eyes darting nervously as if anticipating something to happen. Kuro paid it little mind. Ever since he'd granted his shadow soldiers a vacation, his intel had fallen out of date—but that didn't concern him. Unless someone on Madara's level appeared, it wasn't worth his full attention.
This, after all, was his version of enjoying the Shinobi world.
Eventually, he reached the outskirts of the villa. At first glance, the place looked neglected—its walls cracked and the garden overrun with weeds. He sensed ANBU nearby, quietly observing. Without pause, he activated the illusion spell cast over the area.
To any outsider, it now appeared that he had come simply to mourn.
But the moment the spell engaged, the villa shimmered. The dilapidated exterior melted away, revealing a beautiful home entwined with flowering vines and a lush, well-tended garden. The air grew fragrant with blooming jasmine and lavender, and a soft breeze rustled through the vibrant leaves.
In the garden, Mito and Kushina sat beneath the shade of a tree, enjoying tea together. Their conversation was light, their laughter blending with the natural serenity.
Kuro watched for a moment before stepping closer.
Mito looked up first. "Kuro," she greeted with a warm smile. "What brings you here today?"
"Nothing urgent," Kuro replied casually. "Just checking in."
His gaze shifted to Kushina. "Also, why is she here? Won't the village get suspicious if she visits too often?"
"Don't worry." Mito waved off his concern. "That little subordinate of yours—Clair—constructed a teleportation array. Kushina can jump directly from her room to the villa and back. No one's the wiser."
Kuro raised an eyebrow, clearly surprised. "I should've known Clair would go that far. She takes her 'loyalty' a little too seriously sometimes."
(A/N: Clair is one of the Shadow Soldiers Kuro stationed at the villa after reviving Mito. She assisted with restoration efforts and placed illusion spells to conceal the area.)
At that moment, Kushina rose and walked over to Kuro. He braced himself, half-expecting one of her infamous outbursts—but what she did next caught him completely off guard.
"Thank you so much for what you and your subordinates have done for us." She bowed deeply. "And… thank you for bringing Lady Mito back to me."
Kuro blinked, a rare flicker of surprise crossing his face.
He glanced at Mito. "So you told her everything?"
Mito nodded, hands folded neatly in her lap. "She deserved to know. She bears the Nine-Tails now, as I once did. And from this point forward, she'll be in constant contact with us. It's better that she understands what she's involved in."
Kushina straightened, her expression calm and resolute. "It was overwhelming at first. Every time Lady Mito explained your powers, I could barely believe it. Even Hashirama and Madara's abilities weren't as exaggerated as yours."
Kuro let out a slow exhale, looking vaguely uncomfortable. Praise made him itch more than battle wounds.
"…I wouldn't say exaggerated," he muttered. "Maybe just… accurate."
Kushina gave him a flat look. "You split a moon in half just to 'test a theory.'"
Mito delicately sipped her tea. "A very necessary theory, I'm sure."
"Wait, how did you know that?" Kuro looks at Kushina and Mito.
"Hehe. You should talk with your subordinate, Niji, He couldn't stop talking about your exploits once he gets going." Mito laughs. "Although I do wonder where you were since it doesn't seem like it was our moon that was destroyed."
"NIJI!!!!" Kuro's yell echoed across the courtyard.
***
"ACHOOO!" Niji rubbed his nose and laughed awkwardly. "It seems that the Lord is thinking about me!"
Niji put both hands up ot his cheeks and squirmed.
The other shadow soldiers move away from him.
***
Kuro talks about mundane stuff with Mito and Kushina before getting serious.
"The situation is getting dire, it seems. I guess war is around the corner."
"Yes," Mito nodded, her gaze distant, as if the coming conflict was already an inevitability. "Hanzo from the Rain Village is getting restless. The Sand Village is also growing desperate—food shortages have them making incursions into the Land of Rivers. They're plundering supplies and provisions to sustain their people."
Kuro rubbed his chin, processing the intel. His mind was already racing through the familiar scenarios, piecing together the web of conflict that was about to spiral out of control.
'According to my knowledge, this is when the Third Shinobi War begins,' Kuro muttered more to himself than to them, his mind already assembling the pieces of the puzzle. 'The Land of Rain will declare war on the Land of Fire. The Land of Wind will invade the Land of Rivers, forcing the Land of Fire to send reinforcements there.'
Mito let out a soft sigh, the kind that spoke of years spent observing the political dance of the world. "It's always the same—hunger, desperation, power struggles."
Kuro continued. "And then, as expected, the Land of Earth will try to fish in troubled waters."
Kuro and Mito continue to discuss the possible war as Kushina sits and listens.
***
Leaf Village, Entrance
A figure with spiky white hair, adorned with a long, dark cloak, stepped through the gates. He stretched his arms wide, looking around with a relaxed smile on his face, as if he were just returning from a long vacation.
"Welcome back, Lord Jiraiya!" A young shinobi, standing at attention by the gates, called out with a respectful bow.
Jiraiya grunted in acknowledgment, his signature smirk curling on his lips. "Hum," he hummed, not one for lengthy pleasantries. His gaze lingered over the familiar sights of the village that had changed little since he'd left.
He made his way toward the Hokage's office.
As Jiraiya strolled down the familiar streets, some villagers greeted him with smiles, while others watched him with a more wary gaze. His reputation as a pervert preceded him.
***
Hokage's Office
The doors of the Hokage's office opened with a creak as Jiraiya entered, his heavy footsteps echoing off the stone floor.
Inside, Hiruzen Sarutobi, the Third Hokage, sat at his desk with a pipe between his fingers, looking as composed as always. Beside him were two other figures—Tsunade, sitting on the left couch, and Orochimaru on the right.
Without missing a beat, he made his way directly to the couch where Tsunade was sitting, his infamous grin widening with every step. He dropped down beside her with an exaggerated motion, letting out a dramatic sigh as he collapsed with a carefree attitude.
"Ah, Tsunade-chan," he said loudly, "You've been waiting for me, I know it."
Tsunade's glare could have cracked stone, but Jiraiya barely registered it. He was already lost in his own thoughts, imagining some "lucky incident" where he'd accidentally fall into her lap. As always, he was ready to make any awkward moment into an opportunity for his overblown and absurd antics.
"Jiraiya…" Tsunade's voice was icy, her eyes flashing with warning. "If you even think about—"
"Oh, come on, Tsunade! You know I can't resist sitting next to such a beautiful woman," Jiraiya said, his smirk widening as he leaned ever-so-slightly closer to her, ignoring the venom in her gaze. "I think I deserve a warm welcome for my return after such a long time, don't you?"
He made a show of stretching his arm behind her on the back of the couch, his smile widening into a knowing, playful grin. Tsunade, however, wasn't amused. She clenched her fist, and for a moment, it seemed as though she might do something violent in response.
But before she could react, Orochimaru's smooth voice cut in, his dark eyes never leaving Jiraiya.
"Jiraiya, must you always be so… predictable?" Orochimaru's tone was laced with disdain, but there was also something almost amused about it. He sat back, arms folded, watching the familiar exchange with detached curiosity. "You never change. Have you grown any wiser in your years away?"
Jiraiya paused mid-stretch, his eyes flicking to Orochimaru, before letting out a half-laugh. "I've been wise enough to know that I can't change the way you two think. But trust me, Orochimaru, I'm smarter than I look."
Tsunade scoffed, crossing her arms tightly over her chest. "You never look smart, Jiraiya. You've got more stupid in you than anything else."
Jiraiya leaned back against the couch with a huff. "Ouch, Tsunade-chan, that hurt. I thought we were friends."
Tsunade rolled her eyes, muttering something under her breath about not being able to trust men who thought too highly of themselves.
Hiruzen, who had been quietly observing this exchange with a knowing look, finally decided it was time to steer the conversation in a more serious direction. He cleared his throat softly, resting his pipe down onto the desk.
"Jiraiya," Hiruzen spoke calmly, cutting through the playful tension in the room, "It's good to have you back, but we've got matters of importance to discuss." His eyes turned sharp, the seriousness of the situation evident in his gaze. "Tsunade and Orochimaru have informed me of the troubling reports coming in from the other villages. The situation is growing more dire by the day."
Jiraiya's demeanor shifted slightly, his smile fading just a little as he leaned forward, focusing on the Hokage. "It seems that war is just around the corner."
Hearing Jiraiya, the others nodded.
"We have to prepare for the war. It is possible that we will be fighting on multiple fronts." Hiruzen stated.
"So you call us back just so you can throw us into the war?" Jiraiya was not amuse.
Hiruzen shook his head slowly. "No. I called you back because the village needs leadership. We're stretched thin. Jiraiya, I want you to take in a student."
Jiraiya blinked. That wasn't what he expected.
"Tsunade," Hiruzen turned to her, "I want you to lead the medical division."
"How about Orochimaru?" Jiraiya interjected, jerking a thumb toward his old teammate.
"Orochimaru will be placed on standby," Hiruzen replied evenly. "The moment war breaks out, he's to deploy to the front lines."
Jiraiya barked a laugh. "Ha! Sucks to be you!"
Jiraia laughed and waved his hands around, which 'accidentally' hit Tsunade's chest.
Everything stopped.
Tsunade's eyebrow twitched. Slowly, dangerously.
Jiraiya froze, his grin collapsing. "Uh—Tsunade-chan, that was an accident, I swear—"
A crack echoed through the Hokage's office as Tsunade's fist connected with Jiraiya's head, launching him into the far wall. Dust and a few scrolls drifted down from the shelves.
Orochimaru let out a faint chuckle, watching the crater in the wall. "Some things truly never change."