Chapter 66: Jiraiya 

"Huh? Guests?" 

Naruto glanced at Hikari Uchiha, and after seeing her nod, he hopped off his chair and dashed to the entrance to open the door. 

As the door creaked open, two figures appeared outside: one old, one middle-aged. 

The older man was, of course, Hiruzen Sarutobi, dressed in loose casual clothes, his wrinkled face sporting a warm, grandfatherly smile. 

The middle-aged man was tall, clad in a tea-colored kimono with a red haori, a large forehead protector engraved with the kanji for "oil" strapped to his head. His face was square and honest enough, but his whole vibe screamed unserious from head to toe. 

"Hey, it's little Naruto! Been a few days, and you've already shot up, huh?" 

Hiruzen ruffled Naruto's hair, his tone all warm and chatty. "How've the last couple days been? Did you check out those books I brought last time? Any words you didn't know?" 

"Hikari-nee said they were trash and tossed 'em!" 

Naruto glanced at the trash bin by the coffee table, then looked up with an innocent grin. 

"…" 

Hiruzen's mouth twitched, his kindly expression faltering for a second. 

Meanwhile. 

Jiraiya's gaze slipped past Naruto, landing on the living room. 

When he caught sight of Hikari Uchiha—strikingly beautiful with a cool, sharp aura—Jiraiya froze, then his eyes widened dramatically. "Old man, this is the Uchiha miss you were talking about? She's a total knockout! And that rare vibe… it's like she's straight out of…" 

"…Who are you?" 

Hikari's brows furrowed slightly. 

Of course, she knew exactly who this guy was. She'd already pieced together his return to the village that morning, thanks to Naruto's chatter and that copy of The Tale of the Utterly Gutsy Shinobi. 

But given her "identity" and "era," she wasn't supposed to know Jiraiya's name. 

"Great question!" 

Jiraiya cleared his throat, flicked his long hair over his shoulder, and struck what he thought was a dashing pose in the doorway, arms spread wide. "I am the Toad Sage of Mount Myoboku, the Gallant Jiraiya, also known as the White-Haired Wonder and one of Konoha's legendary Sannin! The name's Jiraiya, and I'm—" 

"Ahem!" 

Hiruzen coughed loudly, cutting off Jiraiya's grand introduction, and spoke in a more serious tone. "Miss Hikari, this is my student, Jiraiya, who was also Minato's sensei. He's been wandering the ninja world for a while and only just returned to the village. I brought him along to check on Naruto… 

We didn't know you'd be here. If we're intruding, please don't take offense." 

"…Oh." 

Hikari wasn't buying the "didn't know you'd be here" excuse for a second. 

But since Hiruzen had pulled the "Minato's sensei" card, she couldn't exactly slam the door in their faces. 

"So you're Minato's teacher, huh…" 

Her tone shifted, a sly edge creeping in. "So you're the Toad Sage who used his self-invented transparency jutsu to peep on the women's bathhouse, only to get your ribs cracked by the other Sannin? Quite the reputation. Come on in." 

"…" 

Jiraiya's grin froze, his foot half-raised, stuck between stepping forward and backing off. 

Naruto, young as he was, could tell "peeping on the bathhouse" wasn't exactly a badge of honor. He edged away from Jiraiya with a faintly disgusted look. 

After Hiruzen and Jiraiya shuffled inside with awkward expressions and settled down, Hikari slipped into her room to grab a jacket. She reemerged and said, "You guys catch up with Naruto. I'm heading out to grab some stuff." 

"?" 

Just as she turned to leave, Hiruzen quickly spoke up. "Wait a moment, Miss Hikari! Besides visiting Naruto, we actually have a few things we'd like to discuss with you… Two of them involve the Uchiha clan." 

"Oh?" 

Hikari paused, her face unreadable as she studied Hiruzen for a moment. Then she turned back, plopping onto the living room sofa. 

"Spit it out." 

Naruto sensed the tension in the air. He glanced at Hikari, then at the Third Hokage and his student, before quietly grabbing a stack of dishes and heading to the kitchen to wash them. 

The sound of running water filled the room. 

After a brief silence, Hiruzen spoke, his voice low and deliberate. "Miss Hikari, while you were away, we finalized a few agreements with Fugaku. About six or seven Uchiha clan members have been enrolled in the Ninja Academy and the Jonin Corps. Every candidate was approved jointly by the Uchiha, the Hokage's office, and the advisory council. Additionally, a few kids from the Yamanaka, Nara, and Inuzuka clans have joined the Police Force… 

I brought the list with me. Would you like to take a look?" 

"No need." 

Hikari's tone was flat. 

The Ninja Academy and Jonin Corps arrangements were her idea, sure. 

But she wasn't interested in micromanaging the details. Besides, as the Uchiha's so-called "grandmatriarch," she was mostly a figurehead—she didn't even know the names of most clan members. A list wouldn't mean much. 

"…The second matter also concerns the Uchiha clan. Recently, members of the Barrier Corps detected some unusual activity near the Naka River, suggesting someone may have infiltrated the village from outside. The Police Force and Anbu have formed a joint task force to investigate, but there's no solid lead yet." 

"The Naka River…" 

Obito's been here? 

Hikari's eyes narrowed slightly, filing the info away. "Got it. I'll check with Fugaku for details. Anything else?" 

"The third matter…" 

Hiruzen hesitated, glancing at Jiraiya. "This isn't village business—it's personal. 

Miss Hikari, you mentioned before that you and Minato were close, despite the age gap. Minato was Jiraiya's most cherished student, and when Jiraiya heard about this, he wanted to ask about Minato's current… situation." 

"Situation?" 

Hikari almost laughed. "He's doing great, chilling in the Shinigami's stomach. Probably more relaxed than when he was alive—no more paperwork, right?" 

"…" 

Hiruzen and Jiraiya fell silent. 

No matter how you sliced it, they both carried some guilt over Minato's death via the Reaper Death Seal. Hiruzen, especially, knew he could've changed that outcome. 

Meanwhile. 

Hikari's gaze flicked between the two, a mocking edge in her expression. "I can guess what you're thinking. Still don't believe I actually met Minato, huh? Then you really won't believe he taught me a forbidden jutsu like Flying Thunder God." 

"?!" 

Hiruzen and Jiraiya jolted in unison. "So the technique you used to leave Konoha before, and when you returned last night—it was…" 

"Yep. Flying Thunder God." 

Hikari nodded slightly. 

—Total lie. 

(End of Chapter)