Chapter 163: Ordinary People

 

Tonbo explained how he had fought Pain. Bringer-of-Darkness had obscured the substitution; a Living Weave duplicate had taken the attack, carrying the bandages that anchored his trap. When Pain approached the apparent corpse, Sensory Saturation had sealed the surrounding space and overwhelmed its captives with information.

Jiraiya listened without interrupting. Even the description made him uneasy. Caught without prior knowledge, he doubted he would have fared any better. Konoha had produced a remarkable shinobi.

"What an extraordinary technique."

"It still has considerable flaws," Tonbo said with a small smile. "But it works well enough on ordinary opponents."

Ordinary opponents? Jiraiya looked at him. The man had just applied that description to the bearer of the Rinnegan. Evidently the contest of introductions had not quite ended.

"I understand enough to know I shouldn't get involved before I'm prepared," Jiraiya said. "Those abilities are troublesome, and there are still bodies whose techniques I know nothing about."

Tonbo left it there. He had told Hiruzen and Jiraiya about the abilities Pain used during their encounter. What remained in his private knowledge had not entered either account.

"Then I'll be going. I still have to cook for the children."

His unusual mind had uses outside ninjutsu. He considered himself the best cook in the family, even with Teuchi's decades at the stove to compete against.

Jiraiya's serious business was finished, but he had another matter in mind. "Two children already. Impressive. Would you consider a trade? I have quite a few techniques you might like."

The genjutsu that hid Tonbo's presence interested him, as did the techniques from their spar. The entrance alone would suit the Toad Sage splendidly.

"No, thank you. Your techniques aren't useful to me."

More to the point, Tonbo did not want his genjutsu put to the sort of use Jiraiya had demonstrated at the bathhouse. He would rather not see his own work associated with that.

"Goodbye."

He formed a seal and disappeared before Jiraiya could improve the offer.

"Not useful? I'm a sage! I can use Sage Mode!"

There was no one left to impress. Nor had Jiraiya seriously considered trading Sage Mode. Tonbo had no connection with the toads, and the enormous chakra requirement made it unsuitable. Even Jiraiya found entering that state difficult. None of that made failing to obtain the genjutsu less irritating.

A little over ten days passed. Jiraiya disappeared from Konoha again, and the shinobi of the village continued with their duties. Asuma returned during that period. This time his service with the Guardian Shinobi Twelve was over; he had come home to stay.

Tonbo found him at a barbecue restaurant, sitting across from Kurenai.

"Well, look who's back." He leaned through the open window. "After all those years away, have you finally started missing home?"

His gaze moved to Kurenai, and his smile widened. "Or was it someone other than your father you missed? Be careful, Kurenai. Who knows how much flirting he managed in the capital."

Asuma turned sharply. Service with the Guardian Twelve had steadied him, but Tonbo could still make him want to throw a punch within a few words.

"What are you doing here?" He turned back to Kurenai. "I was carrying out my duties in the capital. The same as you were here."

Kurenai smiled. "Would you like to join us, Tonbo?"

Asuma had been home only a few days. It had taken effort to ask her out, and now she was inviting the one man most likely to ruin the evening.

"No, I won't interrupt your dinner. I have the children with me." Tonbo beckoned them closer. "Tenyu, Maki, say hello."

Two smaller faces appeared beside his. "Hello, Uncle Asuma. Hello, Kurenai."

"Why am I the old one?" Asuma pointed between himself and Kurenai. "You could at least call me Asuma. I might even buy you barbecue."

Tenyu examined his beard. "But you look old."

Tonbo tapped the boy on the head. "What have I told you about manners? Asuma is the same age as your father. Even if he looks older, you don't say it in public."

"Yes, Dad," the twins answered together.

Asuma's fists tightened beneath the table. Kurenai's presence was all that kept him in his seat. "Go away."

"We're going. There's a new princess film at the cinema." Tonbo turned the children toward the street. "Uncle Asuma must not have been able to get tickets. That's why he brought Kurenai here instead. And she likes sake, you know."

He left before Asuma could answer. Behind him, Asuma hurried to explain that he had only just returned and had not known about the new film. He would certainly have taken her otherwise.

"It's all right," Kurenai said. "I like barbecue too."

Naruto's Clone failed again.

Iruka looked from the unsuccessful technique to the boy in front of him. "At this rate, you won't become a genin. You spend your time making trouble instead of working. If you can't pass, you'll stay at the Academy."

Naruto had been practicing. He did not want to fall behind Sasuke and the others, whatever Iruka thought. Yet Clone and Substitution never seemed to work properly. His chakra would not obey him.

"I have been working hard."

"Then stop making excuses. Sasuke, you're next."

Sasuke's technique formed cleanly. Iruka inspected the result and passed him at once.

Kiba followed. His transformation copied Iruka, complete with the expression the instructor used when judging an exercise.

"Very good," Kiba said in Iruka's voice. "Excellent form. Pass."

"Don't copy me."

Akamaru barked as Kiba dropped the transformation. Iruka called the next student forward, and Naruto watched the others pass with increasing resentment.

Sasuke and Kiba were bad enough. Now even Chōji was doing well. He must have been practicing at home without telling Naruto. What sort of strategist kept his own commander in the dark?