Inside the house.
Charmeleon stood in the courtyard, its Tail Flame burning brightly, the intense firelight illuminating its provocative gaze.
It held its head high, clearly still dissatisfied with the earlier conflict.
Yahiko frowned as he looked at his partner, feeling somewhat troubled.
He knew very well that Charmeleon's personality was gradually changing.
From its initial enthusiasm, drive, and competitiveness, it was now becoming arrogant and stubborn.
It was a strong desire for dominance.
It no longer readily obeyed Yahiko's commands and would not submit to anyone weaker than itself.
Even when facing a powerful figure like Jiraiya, Charmeleon dared to act on its own.
"You..."
Yahiko sighed softly.
He hadn't failed to notice the problem, but...
He believed that with genuine care, Charmeleon would eventually understand.
But now, that belief seemed somewhat naive.
In contrast, Marshtomp was obediently lying at Jiraiya's feet.
Its expression remained as endearingly simple as ever, but its round eyes were fixed intently on Charmeleon.
Jiraiya reached out and patted Marshtomp's head, smiling as he comforted it. "Alright, don't be angry. That guy just has too much fire in him."
"Guru..."
Marshtomp responded with a low grumble, its tone still carrying displeasure.
The natural trust between it and Jiraiya made it intolerant of anyone disrespecting its trainer.
Nearby, Eevee lightly leaped onto the fence, ears perked up, its gaze shifting between the two Ninja Beasts.
It let out a soft cry, as if saying: Stop arguing.
Then it actively jumped down and patted Marshtomp's back, signaling it to calm down.
Marshtomp turned its head, saw Eevee's sparkling eyes, and finally broke into a goofy smile.
It extended its fin-like arm, lifting Eevee as if to say everything was fine.
The interaction between the two Ninja Beasts eased the tension slightly.
Charmeleon merely snorted coldly and flicked its Tail Flame.
The ball of fire flared brightly in the night, seemingly its final protest.
Yahiko watched its back with a complicated expression.
"Has it changed too much?"
Shiroishi smiled faintly. "Power changes personalities. Especially for individuals with such strong fighting spirit. You must learn to suppress it, or it will instinctively dominate you."
Hearing this, Yahiko trembled slightly.
Shiroishi's tone was calm, but the weight of those words made him feel uneasy.
At that moment, Jiraiya clapped his hands, breaking the silence with a smile. "Alright, enough with the temper. By the way, why weren't you all training inside today? Did you go out?"
Everyone exchanged glances. The air grew subtly quiet again.
After a moment, Shiroishi was the first to speak, his tone so calm it seemed natural. "We went to the border of the Land of Rain."
"The border?"
Jiraiya's expression immediately changed.
"That's a dangerous area. There are reconnaissance teams from various countries, Rogue Ninjas, and Hidden Rain Squads sent by Hanzo."
His voice noticeably rose several decibels.
Yahiko pursed his lips, as if wanting to explain.
But Shiroishi calmly continued, "We were just observing, trying to understand the situation in the Land of Rain."
He paused, his gaze darkening slightly.
"If we want to change this country, we must first see how rotten it is."
"Change...?"
Jiraiya's chest tightened as his gaze fell upon Shiroishi's face.
"Yes."
Shiroishi's expression remained calm, yet his tone carried an undeniable force.
"The future of the Land of Rain won't descend from thin air. Hanzo's era has decayed. To bring true peace to this land, we must use force."
He raised his head, his voice resolute.
"Overthrow him."
Overthrow Hanzo?
These words exploded like thunder in the room.
Jiraiya's breath caught; he almost thought he'd misheard.
"What did you say?"
"Seize the Land of Rain. Overthrow Hanzo."
Shiroishi's tone remained unchanged, his demeanor still composed.
"If we want to establish our own order, we must first break the old shackles. When we're strong enough, that will be the moment the Land of Rain is reborn."
These words plunged Yahiko, Nagato, and Konan into silence.
Yahiko's brow furrowed slightly, his fists unconsciously clenching.
Shiroishi looked at him and gently patted Yahiko's shoulder.
"You don't need to decide immediately. Just remember - ideals alone can't save anyone."
The room fell into prolonged silence.
Raindrops beat against the roof, merging into a continuous rhythm.
Jiraiya stood silently in place, his expression complex.
Seeing Jiraiya's slightly shaken expression, Shiroishi's lips curved slightly, though his tone remained gentle, almost sincere.
"Seizing the Land of Rain isn't about starting wars."
He spoke slowly, his voice calm yet firm, as if stating something self-evident.
"What we want is for everyone - including civilians, children, those struggling to survive in the mud - to truly live happily."
He paused, looking out the window at the unceasing rain.
The rain curtain blurred the distant view, along with his seemingly impassive gaze.
"It's a pity, sensei."
Shiroishi's voice fell softly, carrying a warmth akin to a sigh.
"The Land of Rain's geographical position determines it will always be caught between battlefields. We're situated between three great nations - all conflicts and conspiracies ultimately flow here. Relying solely on ideals and goodwill won't change anything."
The words sounded cold, yet were irrefutable.
Jiraiya stood in silence, his gaze complicated.
He had spent his life searching for answers to peace, yet now those answers came from a child's mouth, bearing a cruel sense of reality.
"Sensei is a ninja of Konoha," Shiroishi continued, his tone gradually softening with what seemed like genuine respect,
"Yet you were willing to stop in the war-torn Land of Rain to teach us orphaned children. That itself is a symbol of hope and goodwill."
"It shows that you, like us, yearn to see a world without war."
He took a step closer, his voice lowering slightly, as if speaking directly to Jiraiya, yet also coaxing the softest part of his heart.
"But to protect peace, we must first possess strength. Ideals alone cannot protect those we wish to guard."
In that moment, the air seemed to stand still.
Only the sound of rain remained as background.
Yahiko, Nagato, and Konan all watched Shiroishi in silence.
"That's why we're very grateful to you, Jiraiya-sensei."
Shiroishi smiled slightly, his tone carrying a note of sincere warmth.
"You gave us knowledge, you gave us methods, and you showed us that the Land of Rain might truly have hope for change."
That statement was both an expression of gratitude and a clever distortion of meaning.
It made the ambition to seize the Land of Rain appear as though it were fulfilling Jiraiya's dream.
Jiraiya's lips moved slightly, but no words came out.
The sincere tone, the intensely earnest eyes—for a moment, he couldn't distinguish.
It was as if he saw his younger self reflected in them.
The self who believed that as long as he kept moving forward, he could make the world a better place.
Raindrops trickled down the eaves. Jiraiya lifted his gaze, his eyes slightly moist.
Jiraiya was lost in self-touched emotion.
Shiroishi captured it all.