"Orange toad?" Uzumaki Jun heard Chimiko's words, was momentarily stunned, and quickly lowered his head to look beside the stone stool...
Sure enough...
Under his own stone stool, there was indeed a toad with orange skin and a white belly, its large eye wide open...
"It really looks a bit like it!" Seeing the toad, Uzumaki Jun immediately said with emotion.
"Looks like what?" Chimiko, hearing Uzumaki Jun's words, asked puzzled, "Isn't this just a toad?"
It's just a bit cuter looking.
Chimiko opened her sparkling large eyes, looking puzzled at that orange toad...
"Was there a toad here? Why didn't I ever notice it when I was gathering herbs here?"
"Ribbit!" The orange toad saw both people looking at it, wasn't afraid, let out a cry, did not run away, and continued to stay quietly in place, just tilting its head looking at Uzumaki Jun and Chimiko...
"It's so strange!" Chimiko propped her chin on her hand, also tilting her head to look at the toad, and said, "It doesn't seem to be afraid of us."
"Forget it, don't mind it." Uzumaki Jun looked at this toad; although it looked similar, it wasn't wearing that special string of prayer beads, and it couldn't talk, so he estimated it probably wasn't the same toad...
"How about we catch it and take it back for Kōta Grandpa to roast?" Chimiko, as if thinking of something, suddenly clapped her small hands and suggested, "Kōta Grandpa's roasted toad is really delicious!"
"This one obviously looks mutated." Uzumaki Jun touched his chin, glanced at the orange toad beside him, and said, "Its body definitely contains potent poison, better not eat it."
Eating toad meat...
He wasn't used to it!
According to the current rules of Lan no Sato, such a small amount of meat, after being roasted, would definitely all be given to him to eat!
So...
Better forget it.
"Stop changing the subject."
He put on a serious expression and looked at Chimiko...
"Let's start the lesson quickly. Were you actually trying to change the topic?"
"Hehe!" Chimiko, realizing her plan was seen through, immediately stuck out her tongue sheepishly and said, "Alright! You caught me."
Then...
Carefully pulled out a red-covered book Jun had given her from the bag behind her...
...
Black Zetsu didn't know what to say now.
This legendary ninja sword had already been broken into two pieces, so why were the Five Great Shinobi Countries completely inactive?
You know...
This was a scam involving tens of billions in silver!
Did they just accept it like that?
They had none of the imposing manner the Five Great Shinobi Countries should have!
Black Zetsu anxiously stomped his feet pacing back and forth, muttering, "They really are a bunch of cowards!"
Just a small island country, and they're this scared?
It's been almost a month now, why haven't they made a move, only howling a few times in the shinobi world?
Are they just giving up on that money?
"Sigh, they're just afraid of Uzumaki Jun." White Zetsu rolled his eyes, spread his hands, and said helplessly, "Without a foolproof method, they probably don't dare to act recklessly."
After all...
Shinobi from three great shinobi villages were still working in the Land of Whirlpools!
And the kind that don't get paid...
"I know!" Black Zetsu said with a serious expression, "But that still doesn't cover up their cowardly behavior."
It's simply a disgrace to the faces of those two unfilial sons!
You know, how tough the Five Great Shinobi Villages used to be!
Whenever they encountered the slightest inconvenience, they would immediately go to war, but now...
When did they actually become like this?
Black Zetsu shook his head and let out a disappointed sigh...
"It seems I still need to take action myself!!"
...
"It's been so long already." Mikoto stroked her stomach and murmured, "Why hasn't Jun come back yet?"
She frowned...
Could something have happened again?
That shouldn't be possible!
Grandpa Madara said that Jun's power is such that no one in the shinobi world can stop him anymore.
So...
"Where did he go exactly?"
"Mom." As soon as she finished speaking, Itachi carefully walked over holding a cup of water and said, "Drink some water."
He glanced at his mother's stomach...
"Will it be a little brother?"
"Still don't know yet!" Mikoto stroked Itachi's red hair, smiled, and said, "Maybe in a few days Itachi will know."
"Mhmm!" Itachi nodded his cute little head and said, "Whether it's a little brother or a little sister, I will definitely protect them in the future."
And also over at Mother Kushina's place...
Hopefully one little brother and one little sister...
Itachi suddenly narrowed his eyes, a trace of happiness showing at the corner of his mouth...
He would definitely protect them.
But...
"Where did Dad go?" Itachi fell silent for a moment, then said, "Why hasn't he come back after so long?"
"Dad is still busy with matters!" Mikoto stroked Itachi's hair and said softly, "Itachi, don't be angry with Dad. You know, Dad has to protect such a big country."
A child...
Not seeing his father for so many days would definitely cause some upset feelings.
"Mhmm, Itachi knows, I'm not angry." Itachi shook his little head, smiled, and said, "I just miss Dad a little, and also when the time comes..."
"What if the little brother or sister is born and can't see Dad?"
"At that time, Mom will teach him a lesson." Mikoto, hearing Itachi's words, was momentarily stunned, then raised her fist and said with a serious expression, "Punish him severely!!"
Then...
She looked at Itachi and chuckled...
"After your Mother Kushina finishes the check-up, let's go home!"
"Maybe Dad will be back in a few days?"
...
"Achoo! Achoo!" Uzumaki Jun rubbed his nose, looked at Chimiko who was seriously studying characters in front of him, nodded slightly, and then murmured, "Is Mikoto thinking about me?"
It had been so long, he wondered how Mikoto was doing now?
When he went to dig for the Dragon Vein, Mikoto was pregnant again...
Uzumaki Jun shook his head with a wry smile...
"Could it be that I won't be able to accompany Mikoto this time either!"
And that kid Itachi, was he attending classes properly?
Did he learn how to write those eight characters: 'Respect the elderly, love the young, be filial to parents'?
Children's education...
It really gives you a headache!
"Jun, what's wrong?" Chimiko, looking at Uzumaki Jun's bitter smile, asked puzzled, "Did you catch a cold?"
"It's nothing." Uzumaki Jun snapped back to reality, smiled and shook his head, saying, "My nose was just a bit itchy earlier."
"Is that so?" Chimiko glanced at Jun, said worriedly, "How about going back to the village to rest today?"
She knew that Jun had been training in the back mountains these past few days; he probably caught a cold from staying up late and being in the wind!
You know...
The wind in late February/early March is still quite cold.
"No need." Uzumaki Jun stretched and said, "I still need to train hard!"
Find the trigger sooner, go back sooner, see Mikoto and the others sooner...
And this time, coming to this era was just too sudden; there were still many things in the Land of Whirlpools that weren't prepared.
If someone discovered he wasn't in the Land of Whirlpools...
It would be troublesome.
"You go back first!"
He looked at Chimiko, who was lowering her head staring at that orange toad, and said, "It's getting dark."
"Mhmm." Chimiko nodded and said, "I know." Then, pointing at the toad, "Does it understand what Jun is saying too?"
Otherwise, why would it keep staying close to her, looking at the book?
Impossible!
It must have realized they wouldn't catch it, so it curiously came closer~
Chimiko looked at the toad still lying on the book with a puzzled expression on her face...
What a strange toad. Isn't it afraid of being skinned and eaten?