Naruto: Starting from Eating the Gold Fruit

Chapter 419 Yahiko? It's you?

Nagato sighed and packed her things with a disappointed look on her face.

Although he became the minister of the construction department, it was more because the previous minister didn't want to continue in his position that he took over.

Nagato didn't know why at first, but now he seems to understand.

I'm afraid that no matter what proposal we submit, the response from above will be "wait."

Of course, there were also proposals that were approved, but those proposals were either for the construction of new residential areas, the renovation of existing buildings, the expansion of commercial districts, etc., which were related to the country's development but not so much.

Nagato remembered that the previous minister once proposed that the Land of Whirlpools build a temple to enshrine the Hokage and the kings of the Land of Whirlpools, but it was unsurprisingly rejected.

Building a temple, and then refusing to let you all worship together—what's the point of this location?! Why don't you just say I'm a stamping machine?!

I can only approve things if you notify me; I can't even refuse. If you don't notify me, I won't dare to utter a single word.

What else is there to say? I'm quitting this damn minister job!

Nagato sighed.

Sometimes being smart isn't a good thing.

He understands now what his predecessor took more than twenty years to figure out.

or……

Nagato organized the documents and walked towards his room.

While walking down the street, he was suddenly stopped by someone.

"Oh my! You're Nagato, right?"

Nagato paused, that name sounded so familiar...

He turned his head and saw a middle-aged couple walking towards him.

The middle-aged man had his white, spiky hair gathered at the back of his head and tied into a spiky braid.

The middle-aged woman was looking at him with a gentle smile, her long, smooth hair swept to one side – a hairstyle that not everyone could pull off.

"You are... Jiraiya-sensei?!" Nagato looked at the middle-aged couple in front of him with some surprise.

Jiraiya looked at Nagato, scratched the back of his head, and laughed, "That's right! See, I told you Nagato wouldn't forget me."

As he spoke, Jiraiya gestured to Nagato and said, "This is Himiko, your teacher's wife. Quickly call her teacher's wife."

Nagato quickly bowed and said, "Greetings, Master's Wife!"

Himiko's gaze softened further.

Jiraiya laughed heartily, then pointed to the hot pot restaurant next door and said to Nagato, "Let's go, your master is treating you to hot pot today~"

Nagato thought for a moment, and was about to refuse when Jiraiya dragged her into the hot pot restaurant without saying a word.

Upon entering the hot pot restaurant, Jiraiya ordered a huge amount of food.

Nagato was terrified; today's meal would probably cost a tenth of her monthly salary.

Even though the teacher paid for it...

"By the way, you look so worried today, did something happen?"

Jiraiya looked at Nagato and casually asked.

Nagato looked at Jiraiya, thought for a moment, and said, "Jiraiya-sensei... is from Konoha Village, right...?"

"You child, you've forgotten all that? Of course, your master is..." Jiraiya was about to reprimand Nagato when he saw Nagato's pale face and immediately asked in a deep voice, "Did someone from Konoha bully you?"

But after thinking about it, Jiraiya shook his head and said, "That shouldn't be the case. I met with Mitokado Homura before, and he said that the soldiers stationed in the Land of Whirlpools wouldn't do anything outrageous..."

Nagato pursed his lips, looked up at Jiraiya, and said, "Today... I told the Hokage of Konoha about my request. I would like to ask the Hokage to build a university in the Land of Whirlpools..."

Jiraiya blinked, then said, "That's good news. Hmm, so the Hokage refused? Maybe he has his reasons?"

Nagato looked at Jiraiya and asked, "Jiraiya-sensei, do you know what's most important to a village?"

Jiraiya looked at Nagato in confusion: "What is it?"

Nagato took a deep breath and slowly raised his head: "It's history, it's culture, it's... education."

Jiraiya was completely bewildered.

Himiko, standing to the side, lowered her head and fell into deep thought.

Nagato sighed, stood up, and bowed to Jiraiya, saying, "Thank you... for everything you've done for me..."

Then, Nagato left the hot pot restaurant.

Jiraiya was stunned for a minute before asking Himiko in confusion, "I treated him... but he hasn't eaten yet?!"

Himiko chuckled and covered her mouth, then fed the cooked meat slices to Jiraiya...

The next day:

Nagato, carrying a stack of notebooks, headed towards the government building of the Land of Whirlpools.

Inside are the contents of the books he brought back, copied word by word from the fourth floor of the Konoha Library.

He knew that he could find solutions to all his problems in the books he had copied.

but……

He felt like he had reached a crossroads.

He didn't know which way to go next.

With a sigh, Nagato wasn't in a hurry; he had plenty of time...

"Yo, Nagato."

A voice made Nagato turn his gaze away.

Jiraiya, holding a two-skewer popsicle, smiled and said to Nagato, "I've been waiting for you for ages. How about we chat?"

Nagato pursed his lips, walked over, and took the popsicle that Jiraiya handed him.

"Your teacher's wife told me yesterday that you seem to be hiding a lot of things on your mind."

Nagato took a bite of his popsicle and was about to speak when Jiraiya added, "Of course, your master's wife also said I should comfort you, but..."

"Your teacher never listens to your teacher's wife!"

Jiraiya grinned, then waved his hand at Nagato and said, "Today, your teacher is taking you to a fun place!"

Nagato narrowed his eyes: "Teacher, you're married now, so you shouldn't go to places like that."

Jiraiya froze, then gently slapped Nagato on the back of the head: "What are you thinking? Your teacher said I'd take you to the arcade!"

Nagato looked puzzled: "I've been to arcades many times, and I didn't find them that fun."

Jiraiya shoved Nagato, saying, "Come on, come on, it's my treat, your teacher."

But I breathed a sigh of relief. Damn it, if Nagato knew that I actually planned to take him to that kind of place in the first place, wouldn't my master's image be completely ruined?

"..."

On this day, Jiraiya and Nagato didn't discuss any work, and Nagato wasn't punished for skipping work for a day. After all... in his position, it didn't really matter whether he was there or not.

Moreover, it was Jiraiya who took Nagato with him when he went off on his own.

This guy...

Although he is now married and has children, he still has the same playboy attitude.

Nagato actually had a lot of fun all day today.

As long as she doesn't think about work, or rather, as long as she doesn't think about the Land of Whirlpools, Nagato feels she can continue to be happy, except...

How could I not want to...

With a sigh, Nagato was just about to take a shower when her phone rang...

He answered the phone, somewhat surprised:

"Yahiko? How could it be you?"

(End of this chapter)