Naruto: Unlocking Kaido Template

Zixu knew Jiraiya was only stalling for time with his words, trying to refuse subtly, but Zixu wouldn't give him the chance. After all, Konoha was still under the jurisdiction of the Land of Fire. No matter how powerful the village was, it couldn't defy the decisions of the daimyos.

"You might as well go ask now," Zixu said with an indifferent expression. Based on the timing, Haku's side should have already handled everything, leaving only the daimyo's order to be issued.

"Hmm?" Seeing Zixu's confidence, Jiraiya grew uneasy. Could it be that the Fire Daimyo would actually approve of Zixu's request? One more country meant one more competitor. There was no reason for the Land of Fire's daimyo to overlook that. If Zixu were truly allowed to establish a new nation, it would be problematic.

"Hahaha, fine. I'll go ask right now," Jiraiya said, feigning nonchalance. In truth, he needed to confirm it, unable to let Zixu and his group leave so easily.

"Hokage! I finally found you! There's an urgent call from the Daimyo! Please respond immediately!" A brown-haired man wearing a forehead protector with a face guard rushed over, sweat beading on his forehead.

"Oh, okay. I'll go right away. Yamato, show them around on my behalf. Hmm... although, it seems that won't be necessary," Jiraiya said, his tone shifting as if he suddenly thought of something. Shaking his head, he left quickly.

"Yamato? Tenzō?" Zixu smirked, amused. He hadn't expected Tenzō to change his name. Coincidentally, his new name was the same as Kaidō's daughter, which made Zixu feel as if he'd suddenly become a father.

"...Zixu?" Yamato—formerly Tenzō—stared at him, confused. He knew the truth about Zixu's rebellion. Now, he didn't know how to face him. Hatred? But Zixu hadn't harmed Konoha itself. Was killing the Third Hokage truly a crime? He couldn't be sure. Regardless, Yamato could no longer view Zixu as his student. The day Zixu left was the day he realized he had never truly understood him.

"Yeah, it's me. By the way, can we take a walk now?" Zixu said casually, pulling Rosinante aside. The man was rubbing his stomach, pretending to be dead after taking a hit. With most matters settled, it was time to enjoy himself... and gather intelligence.

Nearby, Sasuke, who had been watching quietly, suddenly felt a surge of irritation. He trained relentlessly every day, yet he still couldn't win. Seeing Rosinante—a slacker—and Zixu acting like carefree tourists made him boil with frustration. If only he could beat them, he would teach them a lesson.

Naruto, on the other hand, was more outgoing. He had already started chatting with Zixu, his natural charisma making him easy to get along with. He bombarded Zixu with questions about the Uzumaki Nation, clearly intrigued. Being a member of the Uzumaki clan himself, he couldn't help but care.

Fortunately, the chatter didn't last long. Jiraiya soon returned, his face grim. His fists were clenched, and his expression was dark, as though he'd swallowed a pound of bitterness.

"I really don't know how you did it... but he agreed," Jiraiya muttered, his voice low and sour.

Tsunade, noticing his mood, caught up with him. She suppressed her usual urge to gamble, concerned about Jiraiya's state.

Zixu shrugged with a smug grin and taunted, "See? I told you it was a win-win. I didn't even need to offer anything. We're on good terms, aren't we?"

Jiraiya ignored him and walked off in frustration.

"Leave early. Konoha's going to be undergoing some... rectification soon," he said coldly. It was a thinly veiled excuse—he had already issued the order to expel them.

"I get it. But since I'm back in Konoha, I might as well enjoy the scenery," Zixu said, turning and leaving without looking back.

Sakura hesitated briefly before chasing after him. She decided to act as both a guide and a monitor. Sasuke and Naruto had no choice but to follow, figuring they might as well tag along.

Soon, they ran into Hyuga Chinano's team. The two groups formally met. Upon seeing Sakura, Karin couldn't help but smile mischievously.

"What are you laughing at?" Sakura asked, catching Karin's stare.

"Nothing. I just remembered something funny," Karin replied, suppressing her grin and turning away.

Since Zixu and the others had grown up together, they quickly found common ground. Their banter was filled with nostalgic jokes about childhood mischief, making the atmosphere light and cheerful.

Rosinante, however, refused to join in. Not wanting to waste energy, he slipped away to a bathhouse. To him, any day without slacking off was a wasted day.

The group soon arrived at a barbecue restaurant. The scene brought back uncomfortable memories for Aburame Hatsuizumi, who had transformed into a little witch. A rare flicker of panic appeared on her face, but she calmed down upon remembering she wouldn't be footing the bill this time. She subtly glanced around, relieved that no one seemed to notice her unease.

Meanwhile, Karin was showing off her skateboard to Sakura, who grew increasingly intrigued. Inspired by Hyuga Chinano's slick moves, Sakura attempted a few flashy tricks of her own.

On the other side, Zixu and Hyuga Chinano were solely focused on eating. No matter what was placed in front of them, they devoured it without hesitation. Their singular determination to stuff their faces left Yamato, who was hoping to gather intel, completely dumbfounded. He couldn't get a word in.

Since she wasn't paying the bill this time, Hatsuizumi visibly relaxed. She took her time, eating at a leisurely pace.

Sasuke, meanwhile, didn't let the meal interfere with his training. While eating, he moved his chair aside and performed horse stance exercises to strengthen his lower body. His dedication was comparable to Rock Lee.

Naruto, though not a fan of barbecue, still ate heartily. He would have preferred ramen, but the battle earlier had drained his energy. He needed to replenish it quickly.

"Students, the teacher will treat you to a good meal today!" A familiar voice called out from outside.

The sound of children's laughter accompanied it. It was clear there was a large group.

"Hmm? That voice..." Zixu paused mid-bite, glancing toward the entrance.

Gouda Takeshi pushed the door open and locked eyes with Zixu. His gaze then shifted to Hyuga Chinano and the others, causing him to freeze in shock.

"You... you're..." His trembling hand hovered in the air, unable to form a coherent sentence.

"The teacher just said he would treat us to a meal. That makes us your students, right?" Aburame Hatsuizumi broke the awkward silence with an innocent smile.

"Uh..." Gouda Takeshi came back to his senses, still stunned. He couldn't understand why Zixu and the others were still alive. The last he had heard, they had perished during the chaos of the Chunin Exams—no trace of them was ever found. Now that he thought about it, something had always felt off. But there was no need to dwell on it now. 𝚏𝕣𝐞𝗲𝐰𝕖𝐛𝐧𝕠𝕧𝚎𝚕.𝐜𝚘𝗺

"Of course! Kids, these are your seniors..." He called out to the playful children behind him. The young ones, cheerful and oblivious, poured into the restaurant. Gouda Takeshi remained standing at the door, still struggling to process the shock of seeing Zixu alive.

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