After entering the room, Jiraiya bowed deeply.
"jingyi, thank you very much."
"Lord Jiraiya, there's no need for this. I only offered a suggestion whether it's useful or not is still uncertain…"
Jingyi was surprised. Jiraiya, a legendary Sannin and elder, bowing to him was entirely unexpected. But Jiraiya remained firm, not rising despite the polite protest.
Fortunately, they were indoors.
Jiraiya brought over a wrapped package and placed it on the low table. Jingyi casually tossed a futon over. They both sat down.
The atmosphere was markedly different from their previous meeting.
Last time, at the tavern, Jingyi had merely been a junior summoned for Orochimaru to observe, nothing more. But now…
"There are things that even Orochimaru and Tsunade don't know. For example, why I chose to take Yahiko and the others as my students," Jiraiya said, pouring sake with a relaxed smile.
It seemed he was ready to reveal something significant.
Jingyi hesitated.
He intended to decline politely, but after a moment's thought, he changed his mind. Knowing more about Jiraiya's past wasn't necessarily a bad thing.
Besides, he wasn't connected to Mount Myōboku.
Jiraiya began to recount his journey to Mount Myōboku, how he encountered the Great Toad Sage, and how he received the prophecy about a "Child of Prophecy" who would bring peace or destruction to the world. The story mirrored what Jingyi remembered from the Naruto mangavexcept for one glaring difference.
In Jiraiya's version, he exaggerated his own brilliance. According to him, the Great Toad Sage immediately recognized his genius and begged him to sign the summoning contract.
Jingyi played along, feigning ignorance.
"So," he said, "you agreed to train Yahiko, Nagato, and Konan not just out of compassion, but because you thought one of them might be the Child of Prophecy?"
"Yeah," Jiraiya replied, more serious now. "And I wasn't wrong. Nagato… he's no ordinary child. Like Minato said, he might be related to Kushina maybe an Uzumaki."
Jiraiya didn't mention the Rinnegan.
He deliberately concealed the truth.
Jingyi nodded. "No wonder he was so powerful."
"You're one to talk," Jiraiya chuckled, then gave Jingyi a playful glare. "After all, you're the one who gave him a beating."
Jingyi didn't deny it. Nagato was immensely talented, especially with the Rinnegan, but his abilities were still developing. At the time, he'd barely begun to understand its potential.
Jiraiya had once placed all his hopes in Nagato. Of the three orphans, it was Nagato he truly believed in.
Still, Jiraiya knew the truth.
According to Minato, Jingyi had defeated Nagato during an encounter and had multiple chances to kill him but didn't.
"I owe you for that," Jiraiya said. "If you hadn't held back"
"I didn't spare him out of sentiment," Jingyi interrupted. "Those three are clearly the core of Amegakure's rising power. Killing one could have triggered a full-scale war with Konoha something we can't afford."
It was true.
Jingyi had even contemplated taking the Rinnegan for himself, but in the end, decided against it. The risk of exposure, and what it would make of him, was too great.
Jiraiya nodded solemnly. "You're right. They're still weak for now, but thanks to your help, they'll avoid some fatal missteps. That's more than I ever did for them…"
"You trained them for years. That's not nothing."
"Maybe. But it's been three years since I last saw them," Jiraiya said, taking another sip of sake. "Tsunade's gone too… It's been hard to find time."
Jingyi said nothing.
He knew what happened after. Yahiko would eventually die at Hanzo's hands, and Jiraiya would never return to Ame.
Jiraiya emptied his cup, then reached into his cloak and pulled out a scroll.
"This is a jutsu Minato developed."
Jingyi raised an eyebrow.
He unrolled it carefully. As he suspected, it detailed the Rasengan Minato's original technique, inspired by the Tailed Beast Bomb, a chakra sphere formed without hand seals.
Jiraiya smiled faintly. "Think of it as a token of gratitude. You saved Nagato, and you're just like Orochimaru,curious about unknown jutsu. Teach it to others if you want, or don't. It's your call."
Jingyi traced the notes on the scroll. It wasn't just a technique it was a glimpse into Minato's thought process. The development notes, trial stages, and chakra theory were all here. That was the real treasure.
But Jiraiya's mood had darkened.
After a long pause, he said in a low voice, "Listen… If Orochimaru ever sets his sights on you, don't hesitate. Don't worry about what Tsunade or I might think."
Jingyi nodded. "I will. But it hasn't come to that yet."
Jiraiya had clearly spoken with the Third Hokage. He probably learned about the Chūnin Exam, Orochimaru's involvement, and the trial methods he used.
He rose, grabbed the bottle, and waved a hand. "No need to see me off. You don't drink anyway the meat's yours, I'm taking the sake."
With a wry grin, he stepped outside and vanished in a blur.
Shunshin no Jutsu.
He was heading toward the village gates.
Jiraiya wasn't leaving like Tsunade had, though. He'd been given orders to head north to monitor the activity of Iwagakure, Kumogakure, and coordinate with the ANBU.
Konoha's intelligence operations couldn't afford delay. The Hokage Tower was too centralized; a lag in communication could mean disaster.
That was Jiraiya's real mission.
Jingyi stood there in silence, deep in thought.
What had Jiraiya and the Third Hokage discussed the day before?
He clearly wasn't happy.
"Whatever. That's between them."
Jingyi didn't feel strongly about the Third.
He wasn't fond of him, nor did he hate him. But in his mind, Hiruzen Sarutobi didn't hold a candle to Tobirama Senju.
He turned back to the scroll.
As expected, it described the Rasengan a jutsu created without hand seals, relying on chakra shape manipulation, and aimed eventually to incorporate chakra nature transformation.
Even Minato hadn't achieved that final step yet.
Jingyi read every word.
The jutsu was powerful, yes, but the real value lay in Minato's meticulous research and notes the foundation for future breakthroughs.
He couldn't help but smile.