New Year's Eve, Land of Rain.
The weather in the Land of Rain seemed to know that it was the most important day of the year for people in the ninja world, granting a rare clear sky.
The rain had stopped since morning, and by evening, there was no sign of the dark clouds in the sky gathering again.
With increasingly stable lives and a rare clear sky on New Year's Eve, residents of Amegakure spontaneously walked out of their homes. Some visited relatives and friends, others bought ingredients for the New Year. The streets were bustling with people, creating a festive atmosphere.
More than ten miles outside Amegakure, not far from where the great Konoha army had withdrawn, in a somewhat secluded mountain hollow, a newly built wooden house stood alone, with wisps of cooking smoke curling up against the dim, setting sun.
The wooden house was not large, nor was its appearance particularly exquisite. But for the three children who had gotten used to a life on the run, it was an hard-won haven and the warmest, most comfortable home.
Here, they had companions who depended on each other, their teacher Jiraiya who nurtured their growth, and Aunt Shinobu, whose gentle presence often graced them as she took care of their daily lives.
Konan, wearing a rather comical frog costume with a large frog head, was sprawled on the table, diligently working with paper that Aunt Shinobu had brought from Amegakure at her request.
"Konan, don't be lazy!"
"Jiraiya-kun asked you to fold these papers into whatever you wish using chakra before he left."
"If you use your hands, it won't serve as training!"
Shinobu Fujin, with an apron tied around her waist, was preparing the evening meal at the stove. She glanced at the little frog on the table.
Konan's paper-folding paused for a moment. She turned her head with some effort.
Unable to bear seeing the three pitiful children freeze, Shinobu Fujin had stuffed the frog costume full of cotton. To distinguish Konan, a girl, from the other frogs, she had even drawn two large rosy cheeks on Konan's frog costume.
Although this made Konan look even more comical than Yahiko and Nagato's frogs, it also added a touch of childish fun and cuteness to the little girl.
Konan's eyes narrowed into crescent moons, and she gave Shinobu Fujin a sweet smile.
"Aunt Shinobu, Konan is not being lazy!"
"It's just that today is a special day, and I want to fold something with my own hands to give to everyone as a New Year's gift!"
"After all, this is our first New Year together!"
Shinobu Fujin's heart ached for reasons unknown. She took two bowls of cooked soba noodles from the stove and placed them on the table in front of Konan. Wiping her hands, she pulled the endearing little girl into a hug.
"Good child!"
Tightening her embrace around the soft, small body, Shinobu Fujin released her and looked at what Konan had folded on the table, letting out a slightly exaggerated exclamation.
"Oh my!"
"Konan, you have such skillful hands!"
"Let Auntie guess what you've folded..."
"These are paper flowers, and these few are frogs?"
"And this one, is it a little dog?"
Konan's eyes dimmed for a brief moment, then she cupped her hands and presented the most beautiful paper flower to Shinobu Fujin, her eyes squinting.
"Aunt Shinobu, this is for you."
"Happy New Year!"
Shinobu Fujin accepted the paper flower with a look of surprise and carefully placed it on her head.
"Thank you for Konan's gift!"
"Does Auntie look good wearing it?"
Konan nodded vigorously.
"Beautiful!"
"Aunt Shinobu is the most beautiful aunt in the world!"
Shinobu Fujin smiled with her eyes, reaching out to pinch the little girl's cheek.
"Konan is also the cutest girl in the world!"
"Hee hee!"
...
"Hey, hey! Little brat, can you stop fidgeting?"
Yahiko, holding a mud-covered puppy, glanced at his dirtied frog costume with a look of deep sorrow.
"This outfit was the first gift Teacher Jiraiya gave me!"
The puppy ignored Yahiko's complaint, struggling desperately to jump into the arms of another frog nearby.
"Little thing, you're so ungrateful!"
"I went out to find food for you, and you only remember Nagato!"
"You truly are an ungrateful creature! No, an ungrateful dog!"
Yahiko grumbled at the puppy indignantly for a while, then shoved it into Nagato's arms.
"Go ahead!"
The puppy finally got its wish, yelping excitedly and desperately trying to lick Nagato's face with its tongue sticking out.
Nagato looked at Yahiko, who had a smug expression, with a face full of resentment. He narrowly avoided the puppy's saliva attack and, grabbing the puppy, pushed it back into Yahiko's arms.
"You caught it, you take it back, give it to Konan!"
Jiraiya watched his two disciples bickering over a puppy and laughed heartily, placing his hands on their heads.
"Since you've found the little brat for Konan, hurry back and give her a surprise!"
"Your Aunt Shinobu must have cooked dinner already. Let's go!"
"Yes!"
"Yes, Teacher Jiraiya!"
The two little ones exchanged mischievous glances and walked back towards home, following Jiraiya.
Home...
Someone was waiting for them there!
"Swish swish!"
The sound of shuriken cutting through the air suddenly rang out behind the three of them. Jiraiya's expression changed. He turned and pulled his two disciples into his embrace, his hands instantly coming together.
"Ninpō - Needle Jizo!"
"Clang clang!"
The shuriken struck the hard quills of Needle Jizo, emitting a series of clanging sounds before scattering on the ground.
"Show yourself, you coward!"
Slowly retracting his hair, Jiraiya pushed his disciples behind him and stared vigilantly at a large rock in the distance.
"Heh heh!"
"As expected of the Legendary Sannin, Jiraiya. Your reaction speed is quite fast!"
A male figure wearing a Sand Village rogue ninja forehead protector emerged from behind the rock, looking at Jiraiya with a cold expression. He reached into his robe and pulled out a booklet, slowly flipping through it in front of Jiraiya.
"Konoha Jonin Jiraiya, bounty of fifty million ryo."
"White hair, forehead protector with the word 'oil', appears dissolute but is actually meticulous and powerful..."
"The bounty broker's information seems quite reliable!"
Jiraiya's pupils contracted. While his vigilance increased, he let out a hearty laugh.
"Hahaha..."
"I never imagined that Lord Jiraiya's name would reach the ears of jackals like you!"
"A bounty of fifty million, tsk tsk!"
"It almost makes me tempted!"
"If I run out of money someday, perhaps I'll use my head to claim a sum!"
The Sand ninja sneered and tucked the booklet back into his robe.
"Good idea!"
"Why don't we cooperate? After I get your head and claim the money, how about we split it fifty-fifty?"
Jiraiya let out a long laugh and quickly formed a series of hand seals with his hands.
"Indeed, that's an excellent idea!"
"Fire Style - Great Flame Bullet!"
A strange expression appeared in the Sand ninja's eyes as he faced the incoming ball of high-temperature fire. He slowly raised his hands.
Child - Dragon - Rooster
"The mighty Sannin Jiraiya, are you also a despicable sneak attacker?"
"Water Style - Water Dragon Bullet Technique!"