Chapter 37 – We Can Support You Too!

However...

“Next time, I will fight alongside you!”

Yūhi Kurenai declared firmly.

What upset her wasn’t being kept in the dark — it was her own powerlessness.

Kakashi remained silent.

His mind kept replaying the scene from earlier, the battle still vivid in his thoughts.

A Kirigakure jōnin… a prodigy from the Hōzuki clan.

Even after two and a half years as a shinobi, opportunities for combat like this were few and far between.

As he reflected on it, he realized—

Kyōen’s speed and reflexes had grown remarkably — especially today. His reaction time and strike speed were clearly sharper than before.

Or rather—

Had his control over speed become even more refined?

Thinking of his own predicament, Kakashi hesitated for a moment before finally speaking up.

He wasn’t as prideful as he had once been.

More importantly—

The young man before him, despite starting off behind, was now displaying talent on par with his own.

There was no shame in seeking advice.

What was truly shameful… was dying on the battlefield because you weren’t good enough.

“Kyōen, can I ask… how did you train your reflexes?”

“My reflexes?”

Kyōen thought for a moment before replying, “I strung up over a dozen sandbags in the courtyard and used their erratic swings to train my hearing, positioning, judgment, and reaction timing. Honestly, I’m not sure if it’s working yet.”

“It’s definitely working. Your reflexes and speed control have improved a lot. I’ll try that method myself when we get back. Thanks, Kyōen.”

Kakashi said earnestly.

With his question answered, he gave it some thought — he already knew how he’d return the favor.

“You’re serious about training with a sword?”

“Of course. My idol is the Second Hokage. I heard he trained with a sword too, so I wanted to follow in his footsteps. Besides, sword training really has helped me grow.”

Kyōen replied.

The dead sure are convenient to reference!

Whether it was something the Second Hokage actually said, or if he truly idolized him — as long as he credited Tobirama Senju, no one would doubt it.

At least, not Kakashi.

Kakashi nodded.

“When we return to the village, I’ll give you one of the swords my father left behind. You need a real blade to make real progress.”

He paused, then quickly added, “It’s not a chakra weapon, just a regular katana, but it’s perfectly fine for training and practical use. If you don’t mind…”

“Why would I mind?!”

Kyōen was thrilled.

Even though this wasn’t the era of samurai anymore, a quality katana was still expensive and hard to come by — far beyond what he could afford right now.

After a moment’s thought, he said:

“I’ll treat the sword as a loan. Once I’ve got the money, I’ll pay you back.”

“No need.”

Kakashi shook his head. “I’ve got more swords than I could ever use. They’re just sitting there collecting dust. Just pick one that suits you.”

“Alright then.”

Kyōen considered it briefly and didn’t argue.

It’s not like it was a throne that required three refusals and three acceptances.

It would be better to continue learning from Kakashi and grow together.

Yūhi Kurenai chimed in, “I think we should keep doing what Kyōen suggested earlier — regular knowledge exchanges. Help each other improve.”

“Like a library?” Kakashi added.

Kyōen suddenly remembered something and proposed, “One leaf alone can’t make a forest burn. One leaf can’t kindle the Will of Fire. We shouldn’t limit this to just the three of us — anyone who wants to join and share knowledge should be welcome.”

“Ooh, that sounds great!” Kurenai’s eyes lit up.

Restricting it to just their team meant the exchange would be limited — just the same few jutsu and ideas.

But they were all comrades.

If someone genuinely needed help, there was no reason not to teach.

Just like Kyōen said:

Knowledge only shows its true value when put to use.

And if more people embraced that mindset, the value of knowledge would only grow.

“Only for those who join voluntarily?” Kakashi asked.

Kyōen nodded. “Of course. We’re sharing knowledge to grow stronger together — but if freeloaders just take and never contribute, it’ll kill everyone’s motivation to improve and innovate.”

“I get it now,” Kakashi said, understanding clearly.

Just then, laughter echoed from outside.

“Not a bad idea at all.”

“Sensei.”

Kyōen, Kakashi, and Kurenai all stood up at once.

Jiraiya stepped into the hall, sat down, waved a hand casually, and downed a few cups of tea.

“We’ve confirmed it. Tomorrow, we’ll escort Mr. Matsuyama back, then head straight for Konoha — better not take any chances.”

“Yes, sir!”

The Next Morning

The inn was a mess. The owner had done their best to make repairs, but the signs of yesterday’s battle were still obvious.

Matsuyama Ichirō looked around, visibly shaken, and even more determined to leave as soon as possible.

Money could always be earned later!

What he couldn’t figure out was—

“Jiraiya, just who is this Gato? How could he afford to hire so many ninja from Kirigakure?”

Even as a non-shinobi, Matsuyama knew the basics.

In any hidden village, a jōnin was a rare and elite shinobi.

It wasn’t cheap to hire someone like that — much less two jōnin.

They stole his cargo, sure, but that still couldn’t have covered the cost of hiring them.

Jiraiya coughed lightly, unsure how to explain.

He couldn’t exactly say—

The two Kirigakure jōnin weren’t originally planning to fight, but…

He baited the hook, and those two big fish came charging in, attacking both him and his student.

Not exactly the most professional behavior, from a client’s perspective.

Still, he had learned quite a bit about Gato.

“Gato has deep ties with certain Water Country nobles. A lot of powerful clans with business interests are backing him.”

Jiraiya answered plainly.

Matsuyama Ichirō fell silent for a moment… then suddenly looked up in shock.

“They’re trying to monopolize maritime trade!?”

“Monopolize maritime trade?” Jiraiya echoed, momentarily stunned.

Matsuyama’s expression turned serious.

“Yes. Trade between the Land of Water, Land of Fire, and Land of Lightning is mostly done by sea. And the Land of Waves plays a crucial role in that.”

Jiraiya wasn’t a merchant.

In that realm, Matsuyama clearly had sharper instincts.

But—

Now that Matsuyama had pointed it out, Jiraiya immediately understood: controlling the Land of Waves would be hugely advantageous — not just for the Land of Water, but also for the Land of Fire and Land of Lightning.

In the short term, the Land of Waves might become a contested battleground.

Jiraiya frowned.

That would mean Konoha… and the Fire Daimyō…

He continued pondering.

Matsuyama lowered his voice and said, “Jiraiya, are you sure Konoha isn’t going to get involved with the Land of Waves? If you're willing, I can help get in touch with a few families in the capital.”

If the Water Country had eyes on the Land of Waves, then the Fire Country surely did too.

But—

No one faction could claim control alone. They’d need Konoha’s cooperation.

Jiraiya fell silent for a long moment.

Eventually, he shook his head.

“Mr. Matsuyama, that’s something only the Hokage can decide. If you’d like, I can report the situation — but whether he agrees or not is out of my hands.”

“Ay! If the Third Hokage was willing, I wouldn’t need to ask you!”

Matsuyama muttered even more quietly.

Jiraiya had no response.

He understood the logic… but he didn’t have the authority. He couldn’t even push for minor reforms at the academy, let alone steer a national strategy involving the Land of Waves.

“All I can promise… is that I’ll make a full report.”

“That’s fine. If there’s even a sliver of hope, Jiraiya, please let me know. There are quite a few families in the capital who… ahem, well, you know.”

“Understood.”