Land of Waves.
After crossing the bridges and forests, they finally arrived at the largest island.
Here, they began to see some houses.
The island was bustling with people, appearing quite prosperous.
From a nearby tavern came the sounds of laughter and chatter.
Inside were not only samurai but also ordinary citizens.
Additionally, other entertainment spots on the street were also crowded with customers. Jiraiya's eyes widened, and he nearly couldn't move his feet.
The Land of Waves was indeed very different from what it would become in the future.
This wasn't surprising.
At this time, the Land of Waves hadn't yet been completely monopolized by Gato, and ships from all over still stopped here to rest.
When sailors came ashore, they naturally spent lavishly.
The current prosperity and liveliness of the Land of Waves weren't unusual, but once the shipping business was monopolized, all the wealth of the Land of Waves would be swept away by Gato.
Kyohiko couldn't help but ponder.
Was there profit to be made in the Land of Waves?
Of course, the profit he was considering wasn't for himself.
At present, the Land of Waves seemed peaceful, but beneath the surface, there were undercurrents of conflict, with various forces at play. As a genin, it would be extremely difficult for him to seize any benefits here.
However.
As the possessor of the "Hokage System," if he could align Konoha's interests with those of the Land of Waves, he might be able to earn some rewards.
Kyohiko thought it over and glanced at Jiraiya.
To change the village's overall strategy, he couldn't do it alone. He needed to start with Jiraiya.
But.
No rush!
Inside the building, a relatively young Gato greeted them with a smile.
However.
When he saw Kisame and the other Kirigakure ninja behind Jiraiya, his face stiffened, and his smile became unnatural.
"Who are these two?"
Gato pointed at Kisame and the other ninja.
Matsuyama Ichiro sneered inwardly.
Still playing dumb?
"They're ninjas from Kirigakure. They tried to ambush us on the road. Thankfully, Lord Jiraiya was there to protect us, or I might not have made it here to see you!"
Matsuyama Ichiro's tone was accusatory.
Gato glanced at Jiraiya, and his eyelids twitched.
Jiraiya?
Did I hear that right?
The Sannin were renowned, and though he hadn't met them, he had heard of them during his travels at sea.
What kind of connections did Matsuyama Ichiro have to be able to hire one of the Sannin as an escort?
No wonder the Kirigakure ninjas failed.
Could it be that Konoha also had some designs on the Land of Waves?
Gato's heart raced, and his mind went blank.
"You're Jiraiya?"
"Yes."
Jiraiya nodded.
His impression of Gato wasn't great.
Gato's reaction just now confirmed that the Kirigakure ninjas were indeed connected to him.
This man didn't do clean business!
Matsuyama Ichiro's expression was grim.
"Gato, these people weren't sent by you, were they?"
"Of course not! I, Gato, always do business with integrity. I would never do such a thing. It must be rival merchants trying to slander me!"
Gato protested, refusing to admit anything.
Matsuyama Ichiro snorted.
"Let's hope so. Our Matsuyama family may be small, but if something like this really happened, you wouldn't get away with it!"
"Of course, of course! I, Gato, am not that kind of person!"
Gato swore repeatedly.
However.
His gaze kept drifting to Jiraiya, as well as Kyohiko, Kakashi, and Yuhi Kurenai.
Three kids.
It didn't seem like Konoha was planning to intervene. Instead, it looked like Jiraiya had accepted Matsuyama Ichiro's request to lead a mission.
Gato felt slightly relieved.
Even so, Gato didn't dare to act recklessly. The subsequent negotiations with Matsuyama Ichiro went surprisingly smoothly.
...
"Lord Jiraiya, thank you so much for this trip."
After leaving Gato's place, Matsuyama Ichiro finally relaxed.
If it hadn't been for Jiraiya, he would have died on the road, or even if he had made it to Gato, the outcome of the negotiations wouldn't have been so favorable.
Moreover.
He had gained further insight.
"That Gato is a madman. He's not here to do business!"
Matsuyama Ichiro cursed.
Jiraiya remained silent.
He understood.
Matsuyama Ichiro was likely still hoping that he would take action to eliminate Gato's influence.
But.
Jiraiya himself was also confused.
Peace, war.
He had many conflicting thoughts and ideas in his mind, unable to find a satisfactory answer.
Just like the Land of Waves.
Would Konoha's intervention lead to new conflicts and wars, ultimately causing the Land of Waves to collapse?
Just like the Whirlpool Village in the past.
"Mr. Matsuyama, now that you've finished your business with Gato, are you planning to return or do more business?"
Seeing Jiraiya's troubled state, Kyohiko spoke up.
The key now was the mission.
Matsuyama Ichiro immediately said, "I still have a few more deals to make. I'll trouble you to continue protecting me. I'll pay according to the difficulty of the mission!"
"Then it's settled."
Jiraiya nodded.
In the evening, thanks to Matsuyama Ichiro, they stayed at the most luxurious inn in the Land of Waves.
Located on the mountainside of the island, it offered a panoramic view of the Land of Waves.
Jiraiya stood in the wind, deep in thought, when a voice suddenly broke the silence.
"Teacher, are you thinking about the Land of Waves and Gato?"
"Huh?"
Jiraiya turned his head.
It was Kyohiko!
He sat on the edge of the rooftop and, after a moment of thought, shared his thoughts.
"The Land of Waves is prosperous, but beneath that prosperity, there are many unseen undercurrents. Mr. Matsuyama has been urging us to intervene, but I'm wondering whether our intervention would be for the better or worse."
"Are you worried that intervening might trigger a new war?"
Kyohiko understood Jiraiya's concerns.
At present, the Land of Waves hadn't erupted into major conflict, and all parties were maintaining a restrained, peaceful stance.
Jiraiya was worried that Konoha's intervention might ignite a new war.
Jiraiya nodded and sighed.
"Yes! The ninja world is in a delicate balance right now, which is why peace is being maintained. Any conflict could disrupt that balance."
But.
A few seconds later, he chuckled.
Kyohiko's thoughts were too mature, making him forget that the boy was only about eight years old.
Talking to Kyohiko about this...
No matter how smart he was, could he really understand?
Jiraiya patted Kyohiko's shoulder, about to change the subject, when he heard the boy ask, "I don't think Gato is a good person."
"Huh?"
Jiraiya was momentarily stunned.
How did this shift to Gato?
He was surprised for a moment, then couldn't help but laugh.
Of course.
Children often judge based on likes and dislikes rather than interests.
Jiraiya smiled. "Gato may not be a good person, but this is an internal matter for the Land of Waves."
"But right now, the Land of Water and Kirigakure are intervening."
Kyohiko's voice was young but firm. "I don't fully understand what you mean by balance and conflict, but I know that the more our enemies want something, the more we should prevent them from achieving it."
"Your way of thinking..."
Jiraiya was taken aback.
Enemies.
"In your eyes, is Kirigakure the enemy?"
"Aren't they? Even if we want peace, it's clear they don't feel the same way. If we're the only ones making efforts for peace, they won't appreciate it. Instead, they'll think we're weak and easy to bully."
Kyohiko replied.
His perspective left Jiraiya stunned.
Peace is mutual.
So this is how the child sees it?
Jiraiya fell into deep thought.
He pondered for a long time.
"I don't know."
"What?"
Kyohiko was momentarily confused.
Jiraiya said solemnly, "Although I'm your teacher, when it comes to the concepts of peace and war, I'm still exploring and searching for answers."
"Teacher, the peace of the ninja world rests on your shoulders. You need to step up!"
Kyohiko said earnestly.
Jiraiya almost couldn't hold back a laugh.
He gently patted Kyohiko's head, a bright smile spreading across his face.
"Our generation may struggle to find the answers. The peace of the ninja world will depend on the efforts of your generation."
After some back-and-forth.
Kyohiko said seriously, "Teacher, let's talk about Gato first."
"I plan to investigate what Gato is really up to, and then decide what to do next."
Jiraiya said, his expression turning serious.
"I'll send a shadow clone to gather information. With the Kirigakure ninjas captured, it's hard to say what they'll do next. You all need to stay alert."
"Understood!"
Kyohiko stood up.
Then, after a moment of thought, he said, "I'll go talk to Kakashi. He seems to have something on his mind."
"With you around, I feel at ease. It gives me more time to focus on other things."
Jiraiya laughed heartily.
Kyohiko rolled his eyes. "Just don't use that extra time to go 'gather information' on the streets."
"Ahem, those places are the best for gathering intel. I'm not going for that kind of thing. Wait, you little brat, you're only seven or eight years old. How do you know so much?"
Jiraiya retorted, "You're not so innocent yourself!"
For a while, the rooftop was filled with lively debate.