"I've finished reading it. Can the personnel from this department gather for a meeting now?" Jiraiya placed the two sets of documents separately on Sakumo's desk.
"Not many people," Sakumo remarked as he picked up the thinner stack, noting there were only ten copies.
"It's the quality, not the quantity!" Jiraiya replied with a silly grin. "I'm also a bit embarrassed to poach too many of your people."
Sakumo chuckled, aware of the situation. "Haha, we're all just doing our part for the village. There's no such thing as poaching." His tone was selfless and lighthearted.
"Big Brother Sakumo is so generous," Jiraiya said, giving him a thumbs-up, his smile widening. It's not embarrassing to ask for help!
"Asshole." An unharmonious voice broke the moment. Kawakaze rolled his eyes, clearly irritated. This felt like a deliberate attempt to make things look bad for him. Compared to Sakumo, he seemed like a miserly scrooge.
Jiraiya didn't even glance at Kawakaze, brushing off his annoyance entirely. "Let me see if these people have gone out on a mission."
Sakumo, ever cooperative, nodded. Under Jiraiya's watchful gaze, he retrieved the list of recent missions and began comparing it with the names.
"Good," Jiraiya said approvingly as Sakumo worked through the list.
"You're in luck, they're all here."
"Shall I gather them now?" Sakumo set down the document he was holding and looked up at Jiraiya.
"That would be great." Jiraiya's tone was polite, though he was eager to get things moving quickly.
"Haste makes waste," Kawakaze cut in, his tone as dry and grating as ever.
Jiraiya rolled his eyes, finally snapping. "I'm trying to be fast here. What's your problem?"
"My problem? You, you sleazy bastard!" Kawakaze shot back, his veneer of politeness cracking. "Stay the hell away from my Academy students, or I swear you'll regret it."
Their argument quickly escalated, with both of their faces contorted in anger. Kawakaze's glare made it clear he had no intention of letting Jiraiya take anyone from his side.
You can forget about taking anyone from me!
"I knew you were up to no good," Jiraiya said, glaring back.
"What? Got the guts? Then hit me!" Kawakaze taunted, stepping forward.
"If you're so tough, why don't you make the first move?" Jiraiya shot back, standing his ground. The standoff quickly turned petty as they locked eyes, neither making a move but refusing to back down.
"Alright, alright, take it outside. I'd rather not have people watching this mess." Sakumo sighed, rubbing his face in frustration. He was completely at his wit's end.
Who in their right mind would want to deal with this idiot of a younger brother? There's nothing to learn from him.
Thankfully, there were no outsiders in the office. Otherwise, the scene would have been utterly humiliating. Both Kawakaze and Jiraiya were people of considerable standing in Konoha, making this petty display all the more ridiculous.
"Out of respect for my big brother, I'll let you off the hook today," Kawakaze declared, his tone full of mock menace. "Otherwise, I'd have beaten you so bad even your reflection wouldn't recognize you!"
With that, he plopped down onto the couch, which let out a dramatic creak. Any more force, and the poor thing might've given up entirely.
"I believe your nonsense about as much as I believe in ghosts," Jiraiya muttered, rolling his eyes.
His expression was clouded with gloom as he gave up arguing with Kawakaze. He hadn't gained anything from the exchange and was left feeling thoroughly annoyed.
"Do you really want to fight?" Sakumo asked, clearly entertained. "I'll be your referee."
Kawakaze and Jiraiya each let out a disgruntled "huff" and fell silent. The office grew quiet for a moment.
Only then did Sakumo call someone in. He handed over a list of names that needed to be summoned. "Gather these people together immediately," he instructed.
Sakumo didn't elaborate on the task. As the leader of the Anbu, there was no need for him to explain himself.
"Yes, Lord Sakumo," the Anbu member replied. With a clear understanding of his role, he didn't ask any questions, simply taking the list and leaving to fulfill the order.
"What are your plans next?" Sakumo asked, curious about Jiraiya's intentions.
"Just set up a tournament," Jiraiya said with a faint smile. He was confident he could learn a great deal from observing the fights.
At that moment, Jiraiya could finalize the list directly.
"That's convenient," Sakumo said with a nod. He trusted Jiraiya to handle things competently and saw no need to intervene beyond cooperating as needed.
"I thought you were so smart, but in the end, it's just simple and crude," Kawakaze remarked sarcastically. His tone lacked any trace of kindness, as usual.
"Just be quiet for a while and say less," Sakumo said sharply, glaring at Kawakaze before Jiraiya could respond. "Just wait and enjoy the fun later."
"Are you my real brother? Why are you turning your back on me?" Kawakaze tried to use the family angle but failed miserably.
"Big Brother Sakumo is siding with the truth rather than his family," Jiraiya said proudly, clearly enjoying having Sakumo's support.
"I…" Kawakaze started, building momentum for what was sure to be a long speech. However, a knock at the door interrupted him before he could continue.
"Come in," Sakumo said. The Anbu member from earlier entered, bowing slightly, as if seeking acknowledgment for his work.
"Lord Sakumo, as you commanded," the Anbu said.
"Very good. The training ground is quite suitable. You may go about your business," Sakumo replied, nodding with satisfaction and sparing himself the need for further arrangements.
"Yes." The Anbu accepted the order and exited.
"Let's go take a look," Sakumo said, standing up and motioning to Jiraiya.
"Okay," Jiraiya agreed, heading toward the door.
Kawakaze, having nothing else to do, set down his teacup and stood as well, deciding to join them for the entertainment. Sakumo glanced at him but said nothing, taking the lead as they all walked out the door.
In no time, the three of them arrived at the training ground.
Ten members of the Anbu stood in two rows, though the gathering included several other Anbu members drawn in by curiosity, much like Kawakaze. The group was far larger than expected.
Kawakaze's eyes quickly landed on an eight-person group with distinctive blonde and red hair. None of them seemed to catch Jiraiya's attention. Breaking away from Kawakaze and Sakumo, Jiraiya walked straight toward them.
"Sensei."
"Brother-in-law."
"Lord Kawakaze."
The eight greeted Kawakaze in different ways.
"Well, just ignore me," Kawakaze said with a smile. "I'm just here for the fun."
"What's this about? Why is Jiraiya Big Brother here in our Anbu?" Nawaki asked, puzzled by Jiraiya's presence.
"He's big shot now, here to pick people for the Anbu," Kawakaze replied casually, offering no further details.
"These people are only average," Minato remarked thoughtfully, his quick mind already piecing together that there must be some special criteria. Sometimes strength alone wasn't the deciding factor.
"It depends on who you're comparing them to," Yahiko said with a bitter laugh. To him, the group's abilities seemed lackluster, but anyone would pale in comparison to Minato. Few in the entire Anbu had strength that would catch Minato's attention.
Nagato remained characteristically quiet, listening attentively, while Shishi and his trio seemed hesitant to speak, suppressing their doubts due to their different positions.
"Could it be that we're not good enough?" Konan wondered aloud. She interpreted Minato's comment as a critique of their abilities but couldn't fully gauge his expression due to his mask. From the tone of her voice, however, there was a clear dissatisfaction.
Even if some of them weren't exceptional, Konan couldn't shake her doubt—were Nawaki and Minato truly not qualified enough in Jiraiya's eyes?
"There's no absolute relationship between strength and ability," Kawakaze said, stroking Konan's head gently. "Besides, it's not a good thing. Just focus on watching the fun."
"Alright then," Konan replied, suppressing the dissatisfaction brewing in her heart. She turned her attention toward Sakumo and Jiraiya, ready to observe.