Early the next morning, Jiraiya, prepared to set off for the Land of Rain to join the battle, donned a gray shinobi armor. Standing at the gates of Konoha, he bid farewell to his students.
"Minato, you're a very talented ninja. Don't slack off while I'm away. And you too, Yoshimaru!"
"Yes!" Minato Namikaze and Yoshimaru Akimichi nodded seriously at his instructions.
Seeing their determination, Jiraiya smiled with satisfaction. Then, he patted the shoulder of Shigeo Aburame, standing beside him.
"It's about time. Shigeo, let's head out!"
Shigeo Aburame: "Huh?"
Wait, what? This can't be right!
I came here to see you off, not to join the fight!
If anyone should go, it should be Minato and Yoshimaru—both Chunin. Why would you take me, a Genin?
Could it be because I've been too cautious, and now they think I'm useless and want to send me to the Land of Rain as cannon fodder?
What kind of twisted logic is this?
Where's the *Will of Fire* you keep talking about?
Or… did someone find out about that time I killed a rogue ninja?
At that thought, Shigeo's expression twisted, and he forced a smile that looked more like he was about to cry.
"Um… Jiraiya-sensei, are you sure? With my abilities, wouldn't I just hold you back in the Land of Rain? Could this be a mistake?"
"Ah…"
Jiraiya sighed deeply and shook his head helplessly.
"I don't like it either, but this is a direct order from the Third Hokage. He even said that if you're sick, we're to carry you to the Land of Rain on our backs. So stop overthinking it—let's go!"
"…"
*Damn you, Sarutobi, you old monkey! To hell with you!*
With no other options left, Shigeo followed Jiraiya gloomily. He didn't even bother saying goodbye to Minato and Yoshimaru. He just wasn't in the mood.
Tsunade, who stood beside Jiraiya, pouted irritably.
"I just don't understand what the old man is thinking. Bringing a kid like him to the battlefield? Hey, kid, what exactly can you do when we get there?"
Hearing her question, Shigeo forced a bitter smile.
"I can lie low and cheer for you all with '666'…"
The Three Sannin: "…"
---
At this point, the legendary Three Sannin were still young and relatively "normal."
Jiraiya wasn't as pervy as he'd become. Orochimaru wasn't yet the embodiment of evil. And Tsunade wasn't as disillusioned as she'd later be.
On the journey, Tsunade ended up speaking to Shigeo the most.
"Hey, kid, you graduated last year, right? Do you know my younger brother, Nawaki?" she asked during a rest stop.
Shigeo nodded. "I do. He's three years younger than me. We're not close, though."
After all, Nawaki was the grandson of the First Hokage. Plenty of people already flattered him—Shigeo didn't need to join that crowd.
Besides, he had no interest in befriending someone destined for an early death.
In the original timeline, Nawaki graduated and became Orochimaru's student, only to die from an exploding tag trap on the battlefield, leaving even his body in fragments.
His death not only deeply scarred Tsunade but also made Orochimaru acutely aware of life's fragility, fueling his obsession with immortality.
Shigeo knew he lacked the power to change such fates, so he chose to distance himself from these tragedies-to-be, sparing himself future grief.
Tsunade, however, wasn't aware of his thoughts. Mentioning her brother brought a soft smile to her face.
"Nawaki is a brave kid. His dream is to become Hokage. I believe he'll make it. What about you, kid? What's your dream?"
"To survive."
Shigeo's tone was flat, but seeing Tsunade's gentle expression, he couldn't help adding, "Courage is often mistaken for recklessness. Nawaki's temperament isn't suited for the battlefield. He'd be safer in the rear."
But Tsunade didn't take his words as advice. Instead, she mocked him.
"Nawaki's nothing like you. I heard from Jiraiya that you always run from fights. When we get to the Land of Rain, do the same. We don't have time to babysit you while we fight."
"Got it!" Shigeo nodded earnestly. "Don't worry, Lady Tsunade. I'll take good care of myself!"
Tsunade: "…"
*Is that what I meant?*
Hearing Shigeo's reply, Tsunade was speechless, Jiraiya looked helpless, and Orochimaru chuckled.
"This kid is interesting. Let's keep moving. We need to reach the Land of Rain by tomorrow night."
His tone was calm, but the urgency in his words was evident.
The Land of Rain lay to the west of the Land of Fire. Even for shinobi, it usually took three or four days to travel there. Orochimaru's plan to halve the time highlighted how dire Konoha's situation was.
This only deepened Shigeo's unease.
But regardless of his fears, a direct order from the Hokage left him no choice. Running away wasn't an option. Even if he could escape the watchful eyes of the Three Sannin, becoming a rogue ninja would lead to a worse fate.
With no other options, he steeled himself. Whenever he had the chance, he combined smoke beetles and explosive beetles, consuming chakra pills to replenish his energy. He doubled, tripled, even quadrupled his dose, enduring nausea and diarrhea just to keep going.
Through sheer determination, he managed to stockpile 100 explosive beetles and 20 smoke beetles in his bug gourd by the time they reached the Land of Rain. It was a feat that would've taken him six days before but now only took two, thanks to his grueling effort.
However, the price was evident in his pale face and frail state.
Seeing his condition, Tsunade, as a medical ninja, examined him and sighed.
"It's just chakra depletion. Nothing serious. But getting like this after only two days of travel? He's so weak. I really don't understand why the Third sent him."
"Yeah, me neither," Jiraiya agreed, shaking his head. "Still, we're here to reinforce the frontlines. Let's leave him at the rear camp for now."
Tsunade nodded. "I think that's for the best."
Hearing this, Shigeo's eyes lit up, but before he could celebrate, Orochimaru interjected.
"That won't do. Lord Third specifically ordered us to bring him with us—not leave him in the camp."
"…"
Orochimaru's words left Jiraiya and Tsunade in silence.
Shigeo's brief hope was instantly dashed, and inwardly, he cursed.
*Orochimaru, you obedient snake! If you're this loyal to Sarutobi, why'd you kill him later? What kind of nonsense is this?*
Outwardly, though, he maintained a calm expression and nodded.
"Lord Orochimaru is right. Since it's the Hokage's order, I'll follow it. Please, take me with you!"
Hearing this, Jiraiya and Tsunade exchanged helpless glances and could only nod in agreement.
*(To be continued)*