Jiraiya led the three up the mountain.
Because it was winter, the trees were bare, making the entire mountain look bleak and exposed. One could see the whole landscape with a glance.
There were no signs of human activity—let alone any signs of life.
The three following Jiraiya remained silent. Uchiha Haru's earlier words had deeply unsettled Kushina and Minato Namikaze.
They walked until they reached halfway up the mountain.
For a moment, Takayama Haru's vision blurred—the scenery around him seemed to shift. Tents appeared ahead, and Konoha shinobi in green flak jackets were moving around.
He immediately realized what this was.
"A genjutsu barrier."
A fusion of sealing and illusion techniques, capable of distorting the perception of outsiders, making them overlook the location entirely—a highly effective concealment tactic.
This type of barrier wasn't something a single person could maintain.
It required the collaboration of multiple jōnin-level shinobi to construct.
Quite an extravagant setup.
As they walked into the outpost...
A passing ninja spotted Jiraiya and immediately raised a hand to blow a sharp whistle.
"FWEEEE!!"
The sound, like the cry of a bird, spread outward in waves.
Everyone in the outpost heard it clearly.
Instantly—
All the nearby shinobi halted what they were doing and rushed toward Jiraiya.
A flurry of smoke erupted as more ninjas appeared.
In the next moment—
Every shinobi within sight knelt on one knee before Jiraiya, showing great respect.
"Greetings, Lord Jiraiya!"
The voices surged like an incoming tide—powerful and overwhelming.
"You've all worked hard," Jiraiya replied, his brows slightly furrowed. With a wave of his hand, the ninjas dispersed and returned to their duties. Many used Body Flicker Techniques to vanish on the spot.
With that, Jiraiya had officially assumed command of the outpost.
Takayama Haru hadn't expected Jiraiya to still command this level of authority.
This was a side of him that couldn't be seen back in the village.
Or perhaps this was the true stature of an elite jōnin—the student of the Third Hokage.
Seeing the shocked expressions of the three youths, Jiraiya explained.
"I'm the commanding officer here. In this place, the chain of command must be strictly followed."
This outpost existed mainly to monitor the movements of enemy shinobi crossing the border. In times of crisis, it served as the first line of defense against enemy villages.
There could be no room for carelessness here. A single mistake could result in dire consequences, which explained the rigid discipline.
Seeing the three still deep in thought—
Jiraiya continued, "From this point on, I won't be able to accompany you all the time. Any missions I assign you must be carried out on your own."
He had to oversee the larger operation. Normally, outposts like this operated independently, but with an elite jōnin present—
It meant they were on the brink of war.
Things from here on out would be far from simple.
"Haru and Minato, you're dismissed for now. Kushina, stay behind."
The two boys nodded, "Yes, sir."
With a blur, they vanished using the Shunpo technique.
"Kushina, come with me." Jiraiya noticed the serious look still on her face—clearly, she hadn't sorted out her thoughts.
He led her into the central tent.
If Jiraiya had to be honest, what Uchiha Haru had said earlier wasn't wrong. But that didn't mean he entirely agreed with it.
If it were Orochimaru, he would probably fully agree with Haru's ideology.
But Jiraiya believed that kind of thinking could never produce a Hokage.
Even if he himself had little desire to become Hokage.
Unlike the current Team 7, back then, the one most determined to become Hokage among them wasn't him—it was the quiet, genius-like Orochimaru.
Ninjas may be born of the shadows, but a Hokage must be someone the entire village can look up to—a symbol of hope.
He didn't believe people like Orochimaru or Haru could ever fulfill that role.
Still, it wasn't his place to pass judgment on them.
"As long as you stay true to your heart, anyone can become strong."
"Jiraiya-sensei," Kushina said, looking up at him. Jiraiya, who had remained stern until now, gave her a gentle smile.
Just like Minato.
Kushina's face brightened in response.
"I won't let that damn Uchiha's words defeat me! I'm going to be the first female Hokage!"
"I believe in you," Jiraiya said encouragingly.
Each of the three had their unique traits—Kushina's fiery passion, Minato's gentle calm... and then—
Uchiha Haru's darkness.
Jiraiya had long sensed a deep, inscrutable darkness inside Haru.
Could he be... the so-called "Child of Darkness"?
Jiraiya couldn't say for sure—nor did he know what to do about it.
After all, the child of darkness wasn't supposed to bring destruction. According to the Great Toad Sage's vision, it would bring endless conflict—but in the form of a godlike shinobi.
Even Jiraiya couldn't help but feel stirred by such an image.
He didn't really know how to proceed.
Shaking off these thoughts—
He returned to his serious demeanor. It was time to get down to business.
"Kushina, as a genin under my command, you are forbidden from using the Nine-Tails' power unless your life is in immediate danger."
If word got out that the Nine-Tails was stationed here, Iwagakure wouldn't even need a reason to launch an attack.
"Yes, sir!" Kushina knelt and accepted the order.
She understood the gravity of the situation.
As they entered the outpost, a white-eyed boy approached them.
He looked to be three or four years older than Haru.
A member of the Hyūga Clan.
The boy scanned the two of them—his gaze lingering on Uchiha Haru, without the slightest attempt to conceal his disdain.
"Did I offend you somehow?" Haru asked bluntly. He had no patience for guessing games—if this guy wanted trouble, it depended on whether his fists were strong enough.
The boy's demeanor definitely wasn't friendly.
The Hyūga teen stared at Haru like a predator eyeing his prey.
Just as Haru was about to lose patience—
The boy finally spoke.
"I'm Hyūga Hizashi."
That name...
Haru scrutinized the teen. Wasn't this the man who would later be forced to sacrifice himself by the village and the Hyūga clan? Neji's father?
Didn't expect to run into him here.
The way Haru looked at him made Hizashi uncomfortable—as if he were a dead man already. It annoyed him.
"I'm considered a genius of the Hyūga clan. Let's spar when there's time."
Hyūga Hizashi looked at Haru with fighting spirit blazing in his eyes.
For the past few months, the name Uchiha Haru had been everywhere.
Now, seeing the real thing—
He naturally wanted to test himself.
The Uchiha and Hyūga clans had always competed for the title of Konoha's strongest family.
Now Haru understood.
The Uchiha and Hyūga never did get along.
Back in the Academy, since he was seen as a loser, the Hyūga never paid him any mind. His notoriety only came after he became a genin.
Of course, back then, he did insult the clan elders in public.
Ever since, no Uchiha had reached out to him.
As for this potential duel...
"Next time, for sure."
Haru still wasn't fully up to speed with the situation here and had no desire to spar with anyone yet.
Hizashi didn't push the issue—he simply nodded and started explaining about the outpost.
"You're new, and since you're Jiraiya-sama's students, you're allowed one day of rest. Starting tomorrow, you'll be assigned scouting missions."
"Completing missions earns you military merits. These can be used in the central tent to exchange for ninja tools, herbs, or even jutsu from Jiraiya-sama himself."
When he finished, Haru asked a question.
"Why tents and not actual buildings?"
"The outpost relocates frequently. Tents are easier to move," Hizashi explained.
"I see."
Hizashi didn't talk much. After helping them find tents to sleep in, he left.
Later, Kushina arrived. Each of the three had their own tent.
After the long journey, they were all exhausted.
It was a chance to finally rest.
Though the outpost was never loud, the murmurs and quiet chatter combined into an irritating hum—like a swarm of mosquitoes.
Haru, fully dressed, stepped out of his tent.
The morning sunlight hit his face directly, forcing him to squint.
The ninja activity in the outpost was nonstop—no shinobi team stayed longer than a day.
He regrouped with Kushina and Minato.
Both looked much better than the day before.
However, Kushina "hmph!"ed at Haru and turned away.
Minato gave an awkward smile.
Haru shrugged indifferently.
A subtle tension had formed between the three of them.
It wasn't enough to break their bond, but their differing beliefs were beginning to show.
Such things were common in the ninja world. Take Hiruzen Sarutobi and Danzo Shimura, for example—different ideals, but still allies who conspired against the Uchiha.
The three arrived at the mission tent—staffed by people handling task assignments.
These weren't shinobi but ordinary civilians responsible for logging and communicating missions.
Despite lacking chakra, no one underestimated them—their taijutsu was more than decent.
Most were from shinobi clans in the village.
"Team 7?" said a bespectacled man in white clothing, his attire suggesting wealth. He looked over the three.
Jiraiya's students naturally drew attention.
The man's cheeks jiggled as he smiled.
"Your mission is to scout this nearby village. There've been reports of rogue ninja, but all teams sent before found nothing."
As Jiraiya's students, they were given a relatively easy mission.
He laid out a map and a scroll on the table.
It was considered a very safe assignment—the area had already been investigated multiple times.
Still, this village was a key location for the outpost's movements—nothing could go wrong.
That's why it had been double- and triple-checked.
Minato picked up the scroll and map. With Jiraiya absent, he was the acting team leader.
Team leaders weren't chosen solely by strength but by overall ability and command skill.
Whether it was Haru or Kushina, neither would be easy to manage if the other were in charge.
"The mission has been registered. Good luck out there."
(End of Chapter)