Chapter 268: Konoha Idler

"Very well, that's exactly what I was thinking."

"Although it's our duty to contribute to the village, the personal wishes of the students should still take priority."

"It's a blessing for the students to have a vice principal like you who truly puts them first."

After Hiruzen Sarutobi stepped down, the brainwashing at the Academy regarding the Will of Fire disappeared. Kawakaze placed greater emphasis on human rights, believing that students should have the right to make their own choices. Instead of being indoctrinated from a young age by the powerful, they should grow as individuals, not as tools devoid of independent thought.

If they don't choose it themselves, no one else will choose it for them.

Even Jiraiya wouldn't be able to take any Academy students with him under such conditions. If the students, informed of the truth, still chose to go, Kawakaze would accept their decision. Now that there were ready candidates, he no longer had to worry about finding replacements. Passing the baton would be enough, and he was certain the Vice Principal would willingly take over.

A few kind words from Ei Onoda lifted his spirits.

"No, this is the least I can do," Onoda replied, his smile so wrinkled it looked like it could swat a mosquito.

Kawakaze had him under his control. The man was old, with no aspirations beyond leaving a good name for himself. Kawakaze's praise struck directly at his heart.

"Come on, nothing is ever truly 'the least we can do.'"

"But if you insist, I'll leave this in your hands. I'll have someone coordinate with you. Just make sure to be thorough with the recruitment for the new department—after all, you're responsible for the students' future."

Kawakaze explained the matter briefly, then leisurely picked up his teacup and sipped from it again.

"No problem, leave it to me," Ei Onoda replied, feeling a renewed sense of duty at being entrusted with the students' future. His role as Vice Principal no longer seemed to matter.

But why was Kawakaze taking such an approach?

"Thank you for your trouble."

"I see that you like tea too. I'll bring you some from home."

Kawakaze didn't just pay lip service; a small gesture like this made Ei Onoda feel appreciated.

"I won't be ungrateful then," Ei Onoda replied with a smile, seeing Kawakaze to the door. From beginning to end, he didn't ask any questions and remained composed. Having such a deputy made Kawakaze feel completely at ease.

As time passed, evening approached, and the early shift was about to begin. Kawakaze walked home at a leisurely pace. Even if Jiraiya arrived at the Academy at this hour, he would be warmly received, so Kawakaze felt no rush.

For several days, Jiraiya had been extremely busy. He was recruiting people everywhere, pestering Tsunade for funds and land, and searching for someone to handle construction. His workload left him feeling as though he needed to be in multiple places at once. In the end, he dragged Maki into helping him.

Recruiting spies for the Academy, however, was placed at the bottom of his priorities. Jiraiya figured it wasn't urgent and suspected that Kawakaze wouldn't easily slip past his watch. Giving the situation some time to cool off might actually work in his favor. Perhaps Kawakaze would lower his guard, making things progress more smoothly. Jiraiya planned to take his time, convinced that the great Toad Sage could certainly recruit a few students in due course.

Meanwhile, Ei Onoda waited patiently, but no one came to the Academy to recruit. It puzzled him. If not for Kawakaze's assurances, he might have thought someone was playing a prank.

Jiraiya, unhurried, showed no signs of rushing, and Kawakaze wasn't about to beg him to recruit someone.

He was content to enjoy a carefree life, filling his days with leisure. Occasionally, he would visit the lab to chat with Orochimaru and check the progress of their experiments.

Orochimaru and Tsunade's work on integrating Hashirama's Cells had already begun. Though the fusion didn't involve direct Progenitor Cells from Hashirama, the experiment's progress was considerably slower compared to Kawakaze's experiment. This was a natural gap that couldn't easily be bridged.

As for Fugaku, he was given lower priority. With no immediate war, his eyes weren't at risk of deterioration anytime soon.

"Has Jiraiya asked for anyone from you?"

Kawakaze watched Orochimaru fiddling with the equipment, entirely clueless about its operation.

"I gave him three people," Orochimaru replied without even looking up, having allocated three Medical-nin to Jiraiya, all for the sake of the same school.

"So stingy?" Kawakaze commented casually, not putting much thought into his words. He seemed to have forgotten that his first instinct had been not to give Jiraiya anything at all.

"Aren't you ashamed to say that?" Orochimaru finally glanced up at Kawakaze, clearly amazed by his audacity.

"Jiraiya hasn't stopped talking about you," he added leisurely, finding Kawakaze's shamelessness downright hilarious. The medical department had only a handful of people, and giving three of them was already quite generous.

"What did he say about me? I didn't stop him," Kawakaze shot back, his tone defiant. "How is it my fault he didn't go himself?"

If not for Kawakaze's actions, Jiraiya might have gone to the Academy by now, but his stubbornness persisted.

"Heh…" Orochimaru sneered faintly, saying nothing more.

Kawakaze understood the unspoken judgment in Orochimaru's expression. Nearby, Misaki watched the exchange, struggling to suppress her laughter. The contrast between Kawakaze's lofty image to outsiders and his behavior in private was striking.

"When is his new department going to be up and running?" Kawakaze asked, clearly trying to steer the conversation in a different direction.

"I don't know. It should still be a while," Orochimaru replied indifferently. "I haven't handed over the personnel yet."

Orochimaru didn't seem particularly invested in the matter. Aside from going home to sleep, his time was spent entirely in the lab, focused on eating, drinking, and working.

"I see."

Kawakaze's mind whirled as he guessed what Jiraiya was up to. He doubted that Jiraiya had truly given up on picking someone from the Academy.

"Would you please not hang around here when you're not busy?" Orochimaru's tone was laced with growing disgust.

When free, Kawakaze was tolerable, but when busy, he became truly insufferable.

"I built the laboratory, and you dare to kick me out?" Kawakaze's frustration rose. He had poured significant resources into constructing this place.

"You have a problem with that?" Orochimaru shot back, unimpressed. "Do I have to go and have a serious talk with Tsunade?"

Orochimaru showed no guilt. To him, Kawakaze's financial contribution mattered little.

"You're amazing, you're so noble," Kawakaze muttered bitterly. "I'm leaving." Suppressing his resentment, he walked out of the room, visibly unhappy.

If Orochimaru claimed Kawakaze had delayed the experiment's progress, his fate seemed sealed.

"Hurry up and go, and don't come back unless it's an emergency," Orochimaru called after him, his smug expression unmistakable.

Misaki couldn't hold back anymore and burst out laughing. Kawakaze shot her a stern glare before retorting, "I'll be back."

With that, he issued a parting threat and disappeared, leaving the two behind.

"Finally gone. Tsunade should have given him more work to do," Orochimaru grumbled, his irritation flaring. His packed schedule left him no patience for such laziness.

"Sister Tsunade was probably too busy to remember to arrange it," Misaki replied with a faint smile.

She hadn't seen Nawaki for days; he had gone out on another mission. Compared to him, his brother-in-law Kawakaze seemed incredibly idle!

"Forget it, whatever."

"You've improved a lot recently. Keep up the good work."

"Bring me that reagent."

Orochimaru no longer needed to specify names; Misaki could identify the correct item based on the situation.

After Kawakaze left, there was no one to interfere. The two of them carried out their experiments more smoothly.

Misaki occasionally thought about Nawaki, but otherwise, she focused intently on studying with Orochimaru.

As Hashirama's grandson, Nawaki should also be able to use Wood Release. Misaki kept these thoughts to herself, convinced that if she succeeded, Nawaki would appreciate the surprise.

While she thought of her sweetheart, her sweetheart was thinking of her too.