The moment Jiraiya mentioned a secret technique, Ren, Kakashi, and Obito exchanged glances, and all three of them immediately became interested. No matter how unreliable Jiraiya usually looked, he was still one of the legendary Sannin. A technique personally developed by someone like him could not be ordinary. Even if it sounded strange at first, there was a real chance it contained something useful, dangerous, or at the very least, impossible to learn from an ordinary instructor.
Ren quietly sorted through what he knew about Jiraiya's abilities. Most of Jiraiya's conventional ninjutsu likely came from the teachings of Hiruzen Sarutobi. His Sage Mode system belonged to Mount Myōboku. As for sealing techniques, those were harder to judge, but they were almost certainly not something he had created from nothing. If Jiraiya was talking about a technique he had personally developed, then the options were much narrower. It could be one of his hair-based techniques, such as Wild Lion's Mane or Needle Jizō. It could be the Frog Transformation Technique, which turned enemies into frogs. Or perhaps it was that strange shadow-possession-like toad technique that allowed him to control a target through their shadow.
If it was any of those, Ren would gladly accept. Jiraiya's techniques were usually practical, flexible, and full of tricks. They were not always elegant, but on the battlefield, elegance was worthless if it could not keep you alive. Ren had already learned that lesson more than once. A secret technique from Jiraiya might become another card hidden up his sleeve, and hidden cards were always welcome.
Then Jiraiya raised his wine cup with a smug expression and announced, "This technique is called—Transparent Escape!"
The atmosphere froze for half a breath.
Jiraiya did not notice the subtle shift at all. Or perhaps he noticed and simply ignored it. He leaned forward with a grin that became more suspicious by the second and continued, "The so-called Transparent Escape was born specifically for observing the truths of the world. Once mastered, hehe, everything within your line of sight will be exposed in perfect detail. No matter what kind of beautiful scenery appears before you, you can see it all clearly. Back in the day, I used this technique at Konoha's hot springs—"
"Cough, cough, cough!"
Minato suddenly burst into a violent fit of coughing, interrupting Jiraiya before the conversation could slide into truly dangerous territory. His smile remained polite, but his eyes had already sharpened with a quiet warning. "Teacher, you've had too much to drink. Let's discuss teaching ninjutsu after you sober up."
If Minato had reacted even a little slower, Jiraiya might have said something that would corrupt the children on the spot. Kakashi and Obito looked at each other, both confused. They clearly did not understand why Minato had reacted so strongly. Rin blinked as well, sensing that something strange had happened but not fully grasping the reason.
Only Ren's mouth twitched.
Fine. He had thought Jiraiya was about to reveal some profound technique with battlefield value, but it turned out to be this. In the original storyline, Jiraiya indeed possessed a Transparent Escape Technique, though he had rarely shown it openly. It was likely a technique used to hide his presence, maybe even one that worked better for infiltration than direct combat. Its actual effectiveness was questionable, considering Jiraiya had once been caught red-handed by Tsunade while peeping and had eight ribs broken for his trouble.
Of course, that did not necessarily mean the technique was useless. Tsunade was a descendant of the Senju Clan, and her instincts and perception were likely far beyond ordinary ninjas. Being discovered by her did not prove the technique would fail against normal enemies. If anything, a concealment technique created by Jiraiya might have hidden advantages that could be developed into something much better.
More importantly, when Jiraiya spoke the name of the technique, a familiar system text box appeared in front of Ren's eyes.
[You have learned the name of a young girl from a white-haired old man. It is said that this girl possesses a graceful figure and stunning beauty. Please decide whether to seize this opportunity and form a fated encounter with this mysterious girl: Yes / No]
Ren's eyes narrowed slightly.
The system had recognized Transparent Escape as a new encounter target.
That changed everything. Once the system recognized a technique, it meant the technique had conquest value. Ren had seen this before with the Three Basic Jutsu. In the hands of ordinary ninjas, the Substitution Jutsu was average at best, but after being pushed to the limit through the system, it had transformed into something almost like a low-spec version of the Flying Thunder God. If even a basic academy technique could be twisted into something extraordinary, then there was no telling what Transparent Escape might become.
Even if the result was not as ridiculous as the Substitution Jutsu, it would still be a functional ninjutsu. Practicing it would not be a loss. Besides, he had just maxed out the favorability of the Phoenix Sage Fire Technique yesterday, freeing up time and mental energy to pursue new encounter targets. Whether this technique turned into a powerful stealth method, an anti-sensory technique, or something even stranger, it was worth trying.
On the other side, after being interrupted by Minato, Jiraiya finally realized that his explanation had been a bit inappropriate for the age of the audience. He scratched the back of his head and laughed awkwardly. "Ha, haha. Right, right. This technique might be a little too early for you kids. No matter, we can choose another one."
He waved his hand broadly, clearly trying to smooth over the situation with alcohol-fueled confidence. "How about this? Come to the training ground at nine tomorrow morning. Don't bring any ninja tools. I'll think carefully about what technique suits you best. For now, just enjoy the holiday and rest properly. You don't need to worry about patrol duty tonight."
After saying that, Jiraiya laughed it off and went to find several other jōnin to drink with. Minato watched him go with a faintly helpless expression, then sat down beside the children. Rin handed him a piece of grilled meat, and Minato accepted it with a gentle smile before shifting the topic to something more serious.
"Ren, Rin, Obito," Minato said after taking a bite, "there is one more thing I need to tell you. Teacher Jiraiya received news from Konoha today. One of the items concerns the Chūnin Exams."
"Chūnin Exams?" Obito repeated, his eyes immediately brightening.
"That's right," Minato said. "Although all of you have been active on the battlefield for several months, formally speaking, you are still genin. Promotion requires passing the Chūnin Exams. Lord Third's intention is for our team to return to Konoha for about half a month and participate in the exam."
The words landed around the grill like a spark dropped onto dry grass.
Obito was the first to react. He shot to his feet with such excitement that the bamboo tongs nearly flew from his hand. "That's a good thing! I've been waiting forever to defeat Kakashi and take his chūnin vest for myself! And I haven't seen Asuma, Guy, and the others in ages. When we go back this time, I'll make sure they see just how powerful I, Uchiha Obito, have become!"
Ren silently glanced at him.
This was exactly the feeling of returning home in glory. As the saying went, if a person became wealthy and did not return home to show it, it was like wearing brocade in the dark. Ever since Obito awakened his Sharingan, he had been suppressing the urge to show off every single day. If possible, he probably wanted to ask everyone he met, "How did you know I awakened the Sharingan?" Unfortunately, there were only so many familiar faces at Wildfire Outpost, and everyone had already seen his eyes more than once. There was no fresh audience left for him.
Konoha was different.
Obito knew many people there, and quite a few of them still remembered him as the loud, clumsy, late-arriving dead last of the Uchiha Clan. If he returned now, activated his Sharingan in front of them, and defeated a few opponents in the Chūnin Exams, the effect would be beautiful beyond imagination. Just thinking about it made his eyes gleam with hunger.
Objectively speaking, Obito's confidence was not completely empty. His current strength was no longer weak. The Sharingan had improved his reaction speed, perception, and combat judgment by a large margin, and several months on the southwest battlefield had tempered him with real blood and danger. If he did not do anything stupid, there were not many people of the same age who could easily defeat him.
The key phrase was: if he did not do anything stupid.
Rin raised her hand slightly, catching a detail that Obito had completely ignored. "Minato-sensei, I have a question. If we all pass the Chūnin Exams, can we still continue doing missions together? I heard that after becoming a chūnin, many people begin leading squads."
"Under normal circumstances, yes," Minato replied with a nod. "But the situation is different during wartime. At least until this war ends, our team will not be disbanded. However, if all of you become chūnin, there may be times when you act separately from me or take on more independent missions."
Ren fell into thought.
A squad made entirely of chūnin, with two members like Ren and Kakashi who already had jōnin-level combat ability, would indeed be qualified to operate independently. In fact, their team would be considered elite by almost any standard. Obito had the Sharingan, Rin was a capable medical ninja, Kakashi was already terrifying for his age, and Ren's own abilities were growing in increasingly abnormal directions. If judged only by battlefield value, Team Minato had long since surpassed the level of an ordinary genin squad.
But Ren knew the real danger facing them was not Sunagakure.
Nor was it the future pressure from Kumogakure or Iwagakure.
The greatest threat hanging over Team Minato was the old ghost hidden somewhere in the shadows—Uchiha Madara.
That was the truly troublesome part.
If they returned to Konoha for the Chūnin Exams, it would temporarily move them away from the southwest battlefield, but would it make them safer? Not necessarily. Madara's plan targeted Obito, and once Obito began moving away from Minato's immediate protection, the risk would rise. In the original fate, Obito's tragedy began because of separation, battlefield chaos, and a mission that forced children into the jaws of a much larger conspiracy. Ren could not forget that.
The festive noise around the bonfire suddenly felt a little distant.
Obito was still excitedly imagining his glorious return. Rin looked thoughtful, probably considering what promotion would mean for their team. Kakashi remained quiet, but his visible eye had grown serious. He understood war better than Obito did, and he likely knew that promotion was not just an honor. It meant heavier responsibility, greater danger, and less protection from adults.
Minato noticed Ren's silence and asked gently, "Ren, what do you think?"
Ren looked up. The firelight reflected in his eyes, bright and calm. "It's good to return for the exam. Promotion will make future missions more convenient, and going back to Konoha will let us report some things properly. But if we pass, I hope our team's mission arrangements are handled carefully afterward."
Minato's expression shifted slightly. "Are you worried about being separated?"
"Yes." Ren did not hide it. "Our team's strength is strong, but strength can also make superiors assign more dangerous tasks. If we act separately too often, it may create openings."
Kakashi glanced at Ren, and for a moment, his eye seemed to sharpen in agreement. Obito, however, frowned and puffed up slightly. "Hey, Ren, don't say it like we can't handle ourselves. I'm not the same as before. With my Sharingan, I can protect everyone too."
Rin smiled softly, but there was concern in her eyes. "Obito-kun, no one is saying you're weak."
Ren looked at Obito for a moment. He wanted to say that this was exactly why he was worried. Obito's strength had improved, but his personality had not fully caught up with that strength. He was brave, emotional, and far too easy to provoke when the people he cared about were involved. Those qualities made him a good teammate, but they also made him an ideal target for someone like Madara.
Of course, Ren could not say that openly.
So he only smiled and said, "I know you're stronger than before. That's why you need to be even more careful. The stronger you become, the more people will notice you."
Obito blinked, then crossed his arms with a proud snort. "Hmph. Let them notice. I'll let the whole village know the name of Uchiha Obito."
Kakashi spoke calmly from the side. "Before that, learn to stop burning meat."
"Why are you bringing that up now, Kakashi?!"
The tension around the grill loosened. Rin laughed, and even Minato's smile returned. For a moment, the shadow in Ren's heart was pushed back by the warmth of the New Year celebration. The war had not ended. Madara had not appeared. The future was still dangerous. But tonight, at least, Team Minato was still together.
Minato looked at the four children around the fire and said, "The official order has not arrived yet. For now, treat it as early notice. Once the date is confirmed, I'll tell you immediately. Until then, continue your training and missions as usual."
Obito nodded vigorously, already lost in dreams of shocking Konoha with his Sharingan. Rin quietly began thinking about medical exam content and what she should review before returning. Kakashi looked calm, but Ren could tell he was also considering the battlefield implications of promotion. As for Ren himself, his thoughts had already split into several directions.
He needed to learn whatever Jiraiya planned to teach tomorrow. He needed to test Light Flame Bomb properly. He needed to continue studying Scorch Release. He needed to prepare for the Chūnin Exams. Most importantly, he needed to make sure Obito did not walk blindly toward the fate waiting for him.
The bonfire crackled loudly, scattering sparks into the night sky. Cheers rose again from another table as someone began singing a Konoha drinking song off-key. Obito, dragged back into the festive mood, raised a skewer of meat like a sword and declared that he would defeat every genius in the Chūnin Exams. Kakashi immediately replied that choking on grilled meat before the exam would not count as a heroic death.
Rin laughed until her shoulders shook.
Ren smiled too, but his fingers tightened slightly around the cup in his hand.
Returning to Konoha should have been a celebration.
But somewhere beyond the warmth of the fire, beyond the laughter of comrades, and beyond the bright dreams of promotion, the shadow of an old Uchiha seemed to be waiting.
And Ren had a terrible feeling that the coming Chūnin Exams would not be as simple as Obito imagined.
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