In a quiet izakaya in Huadu.
Uzumaki Raiden and Sarutobi Shinnosuke sat near the bar, reminiscing about the past while drinking sake. The two hadn't seen each other in a long time. During the time Raiden was in the village, Shinnosuke was often away on missions, preventing them from meeting.
Raiden was no stranger to this former teammate of Namikaze Minato and Kushina. As the eldest son of his teacher, Raiden had interacted with him frequently in the past.
Uchiha Itachi, Kakashi, and the others sat inside the izakaya alongside Shinnosuke's subordinates, rather than at the bar with Raiden and Shinnosuke.
"I didn't expect to see you here, Shinnosuke. What brings you to the Land of Flowers? Are you on a mission?"
Raiden poured sake for Shinnosuke with a smile, asking casually. The two had known each other for too long to bother with formalities. In private, they disregarded ranks, and Raiden never put on the airs of a Hokage in front of Shinnosuke.
"I didn't expect to run into you while carrying out a mission in the Land of Flowers."
"I heard you were back when I was in the village, but I didn't get the chance to see you. Who would have thought we'd meet here?"
"So, did the beautiful scenery of the Land of Flowers captivate you enough to make you settle here?"
Shinnosuke took a sip of his sake, smacked his lips, and responded with a grin.
"Haha, what beautiful scenery? I'm locked up at home every day teaching those brats. I hardly have time to enjoy the sights."
"And besides, it's just the beginning of spring—the weather is still cold. Even if I wanted to admire the scenery, I'd have to wait a bit longer!"
"Enough about that—how's the teacher doing? Is that old man still worrying about village affairs?"
Raiden laughed, downing his sake in one gulp before pouring himself another.
"You're the only one who would call my father an old man," Shinnosuke said, shaking his head with a sigh.
"He's completely retired from village matters now."
"My wife gave birth to a boy two months ago, and now my father is completely occupied with his grandson."
"Meanwhile, that brat Asuma has been up to all sorts of ridiculous things, giving my father constant headaches."
"The village matters are entirely handled by the Godaime. My father doesn't have the energy to help Minato anymore."
Shinnosuke picked up his chopsticks and took a bite of his side dish. Despite mentioning his father's struggles, his expression carried no concern—only amusement.
"You actually have a son? What's his name? Next time I return to the village, I'll bring a gift for him."
Raiden's eyes flickered before he grinned and asked.
"Konoha Maru. My son's name is Konoha Maru. Good name, isn't it? My father chose it."
"He has placed great expectations on Konoha Maru!"
"He hopes he'll grow into an excellent ninja who can protect Konoha in the future!"
When speaking about Konoha Maru, Shinnosuke wore a joyful smile. The birth of his son had filled a part of his life that had been missing.
"Konoha Maru?" Raiden murmured before nodding with a smile.
"It's a good name! He'll definitely become an outstanding ninja. Oh, I just remembered what to give him."
As he spoke, Raiden suddenly recalled something. Without caring about the setting, he pulled out a blank scroll, took out a brush, and began writing.
Seeing Raiden's actions, Shinnosuke couldn't help but be curious.
"Raiden, what are you doing?"
"What kind of ninjutsu is this gift?"
"Konoha Maru is just a newborn. Even if he wanted to learn ninjutsu, it would take years."
Shinnosuke looked puzzled. He didn't understand why Raiden would give his son a ninjutsu technique. To be honest, he didn't put much value on individual jutsu. After all, his father was the Hokage, and he himself was a ninja proficient in all five chakra natures, often referred to as a master of ninjutsu. If Konoha Maru ever needed to learn a technique, obtaining one would be easy.
One more or one less ninjutsu made no real difference to the Sarutobi family.
"My technique will suit him perfectly. It's a sealing technique."
Raiden worked quickly, completing the sealing technique in no time. He let the ink dry before handing the scroll to Shinnosuke.
"This seal is called the Three-Party Seal. It's perfect for Konoha Maru."
"By the way, when your son defeats an opponent in the future, make sure he pats them on the head to comfort them."
Raiden grinned. Shinnosuke, looking bewildered, took the scroll and glanced at it briefly before blowing on the ink to dry it and putting it away.
He wasn't ignorant—he could tell at a glance that this was a highly valuable sealing technique. Moreover, he had never seen this technique before, making it a unique and rare Uzumaki Clan sealing jutsu. Raiden's gift was far from insignificant.
"Raiden, I'll thank you on my son's behalf."
"Cheers!"
Shinnosuke raised his cup, his eyes filled with gratitude.
"No need for that—it's just a small thing," Raiden replied, raising his own cup. They clinked cups lightly before downing their drinks in one gulp. At that moment, Raiden suddenly realized that Shinnosuke hadn't yet answered his question.
"Speaking of which, Shinnosuke, what mission brought you to the Land of Flowers? Minato personally assigned you to it? And from what I see, your three subordinates are quite strong—not weak at all!"
As Raiden spoke, he glanced at Uchiha Itachi and the others, who were eating with Shinnosuke's subordinates. Judging by the relaxed smiles, they seemed to be getting along well.
"Hey, my mission is classified."
"And it wasn't assigned by the Godaime—it was given to me personally by my father."
Shinnosuke smirked, deliberately keeping things vague. When he had received this mission, he had been thrilled—only elite ninjas were given such assignments, and he was proud to have been recognized.
"Oh~ A secret mission, huh?"
"Come on, spill it."
Raiden leaned in, urging him to continue.
"Fine, it's a hunting mission. I'm tracking an S-rank wanted criminal."
"A Chunin squad from the village ran into him by chance during a mission and was wiped out entirely."
"This caused a major stir in the village's ninja circles. That bastard's actions were seen as a provocation, so the village decided to take him out."
"Many elite Jonin wanted this mission, but in the end, it fell to me!"
"If I complete it successfully, I'll finally get some proper recognition!"
Shinnosuke grinned again. Hearing this, Raiden understood why Hiruzen had sent his son—it was a chance for him to build merit. This kind of mission carried significant weight, and a ninja who handled it well could greatly enhance their reputation in the village.
Though the target was an S-rank ninja, he was alone. Shinnosuke was a veteran Jonin, and his three subordinates were seasoned Chunin, just a step away from Jonin status. Their only difference from Jonin was a promotion and some merit.
After this mission, it was likely that all three would be promoted.
All in all, Shinnosuke's team had the equivalent of four Jonin-level fighters, more than enough to deal with a wanted criminal. Hiruzen may have had personal motives, but the team's strength was undeniable.
"Then do your best and make sure it's a clean job!"
"Tonight's meal is on me. Consider it an early celebration!"
Raiden raised his sake cup and downed it in one gulp.
The two continued drinking and chatting late into the night before finally parting ways at the izakaya's entrance. Though they had been drinking for hours, neither had overindulged. Most of the time had been spent catching up.
After parting with Shinnosuke, Raiden took Uchiha Itachi and the others back to his small courtyard.
(End of this chapter)