Kakashi stared at the gradually brightening horizon in the distance, lost in thought for a while, until the sky turned pale before he crawled out of his sleeping bag.
After washing his face, he began preparing breakfast.
Camping in the wilderness meant poor conditions and limited variety for food, so he simply chopped the ingredients and poured them into a small pot to cook, seasoning them with some salt and soy sauce.
He should have taken a spoonful to taste, but as he stirred the broth, staring at the ingredients bobbing up and down, pushed by the bubbles, he inadvertently zoned out again.
It wasn't until Lord Jiraiya, drawn by the aroma, leisurely came and sat by the pot that Kakashi snapped out of his daze.
"Good morning, Lord Jiraiya."
"Morning, Kakashi."
Lord Jiraiya happily took the spoon from him, tasted the hot soup, and for the 135th time, marveled at what a wise decision it was to bring Kakashi along.
As for the reason for this particular marvel, it had already been used 16 times.
-- This kid, Kakashi, is really good at seasoning.
The two ate from their bowls and chatted, and the atmosphere was quite harmonious.
Perhaps it was due to his extensive experience with children, coupled with his personality, but from the beginning of their journey, Lord Jiraiya always managed to elicit a few words from Kakashi, preventing him from having to carry the conversation alone.
By now, he had delegated small tasks like cooking to Kakashi, also to instill a sense of everyday life in Kakashi, to ensure he didn't forget how to live, and to maintain the emotions a human should possess.
Not to become a puppet, knowing only missions and survival.
"If we head east from here for a bit, we'll reach Kusunagi Castle.
If we hurry, we can probably enjoy a hot spring before dark."
As Lord Jiraiya thought of the countless writing materials beckoning him, he couldn't help but let his imagination run wild, revealing a lewd expression completely unfitting for a great hero.
Having traveled together for so long, Kakashi knew exactly what he was pondering with just a glance.
Kakashi, still a good kid who hadn't been led astray, chose to close his eyes and bury his head in his food.
He couldn't understand what pleasure there was in peeking into the women's bathhouse, to make Lord Jiraiya so obsessed.
And even if one were to concede a thousand steps, such a hobby wasn't exactly ethical, was it?
One could only say that all strong individuals have their little quirks?
Lord Jiraiya was lecherous, Lady Tsunade was a gambler, and it was said that Orochimaru spent long periods in his laboratory doing research, not showing his face for a year or two... Kakashi, for the Nth time, felt that in the circle of strong individuals, his father might be so normal that it was abnormal.
After breakfast, Kakashi packed his belongings, put on all of his custom-made weights, and continued on their journey.
Since he could soak in a hot spring tonight, it didn't matter how much he sweated... Facing the setting sun and the evening glow, Kakashi stepped through the gates of Kusunagi Castle.
After a full day of high-intensity travel, his Chakra was nearly depleted, and a few strands of hair on his forehead were soaked with sweat, hanging damply by his eyes.
Lord Jiraiya, however, was calm and composed, and he clapped Kakashi on the shoulder with force.
Kakashi stumbled, the slight arch of his furrowed brows showing a hint of helplessness.
He seemed to be complaining that Lord Jiraiya, as an elder, always played such childish pranks.
Lord Jiraiya immediately ignored this accusation, attempting to gloss over the matter with praise: "That's amazing, Kakashi, you've improved quite a bit since last time."
Then, without waiting for a response, he eagerly grabbed the sweaty child and strode towards the bathhouse...
After scrubbing, Lord Jiraiya soaked for a while before disappearing to gather material, leaving Kakashi to stare blankly in the spring water, emptying his mind.
-- Speaking of which, I haven't been to a hot spring with Naraku yet.
Kakashi relaxed his body, slowly sliding into the pool, submerging himself completely beneath the surface.
Tiny ripples on the pool's surface fractured the lamplight and firelight into shimmering specks, which floated before his eyes like fish, or like the bright patches of light under the trees that summer.
He reached out to grasp them, his fingers breaking the water's surface and creating ripples.
The sensation of water flowing through his fingers was incredibly clear, bringing with it a slight tickle.
Besides hot springs, Kakashi Hatake had many other things he hadn't done with Uchiha Naraku.
And many words he hadn't had the chance to say.
-- Even in a dream, please let me see you.
His eyes felt warm, and Kakashi didn't know if he was crying...
Contrary to Kakashi's thoughts, Lord Jiraiya was not gathering material, but rather moving through the darkness in his proper attire.
Kusunagi Castle was renowned throughout the Ninja World as a hot spring sanctuary, but at the same time, this bustling city was a veritable melting pot, serving as one of the important intelligence hubs for Ninja traveling abroad.
All sorts of forces, big and small, had planted their spies here, including, of course, the Underground Bounty Exchange.
Lord Jiraiya, slightly disguised, familiar with the route, entered the Underground Bounty Exchange's stronghold, and with just a look, made the doorman obediently step aside and allow him entry.
The shopkeeper sat behind the counter, his smile genuine and natural.
"Esteemed customer, how may I assist you?"
"This person," Lord Jiraiya pulled out a photo and placed it on the table, pushing it a few centimeters towards the shopkeeper, "Where is he now?"
"Oh, we just happen to have information on the person you're referring to."
The shopkeeper turned and retrieved a scroll from a hidden compartment, placed it next to the photo, made a gesture, and even offered an additional piece of news.
"Some time ago, other clients commissioned us to investigate this person, so you'd better act quickly."
"Mm."
Lord Jiraiya casually placed the silver, took the photo and scroll, tucked them into his robe, and turned to leave.
Emerging from underground, he found a quiet spot to open the scroll, and upon reading to the end, he let out an annoyed "Tsk."
Good heavens, his most recent appearance was right here in Kusunagi Castle.
Should he say this guy was utterly foolish to dare stay in a place teeming with intelligence agents, or should he say he was being overly clever, thinking he could hide safely in plain sight, only to have his whereabouts discovered?
However, who else was investigating Shimura Rō?
Lord Jiraiya stroked his chin, a flicker of understanding in his eyes.
The ones relentlessly pursuing this person were, by all appearances, the Uchiha.
They still hadn't given up the chase.
It seemed the shopkeeper was right; he really did need to act faster, otherwise, if the Uchiha caught him, things would become a bit difficult.
After all, the assassination was likely real, and given the old man's personality, for the sake of stability, he wouldn't allow important human evidence to fall into the Uchiha's hands, thereby allowing them to blackmail the Village into concessions.
If things escalated then, it wouldn't be something he, a mere Jiraiya, could control.
Boom--!!!
Accompanied by a massive explosion, a large cloud of smoke erupted from the roof of a brightly lit, three-story tavern, and a figure flew out of it.
By its posture, it seemed to have been thrown out.
When he saw a light golden figure immediately follow, pursuing the fleeing person, Lord Jiraiya's jaw nearly dropped.
-- No, what's going on?
-- Tsunade?