Title: Jiraiya's Dilemma!

"What is it?"​​

Hiruzen was stunned for a moment and unconsciously received it without even understanding the situation.

Isn't it supposed to be the result of your training?

Although he didn't know what it is, that thing in his hands seems to have a fatal attraction to him that made him keep glancing at it.

The cover is not artistic, but the painting style is more delicate, softer and more attractive than before.

And looking at the cover, he already has an idea why he is attracted to it.

"Teacher, it is good, right? It's because I finally found the master who painted the picture I found in the river and begged him for advice to get to my current level."

Jiraiya said triumphantly.

So that's how it is.

Hiruzen took a deep breath, a picture of a female ninja without clothes automatically appeared in his mind.

He still has a deep recollection of that painting since it's that good.

And it is exquisite.

At that time, when he saw the picture, he thought it was Akabane's work, but due to Tsunade, he didn't have time to verify it.

Looking at the cover that Jiraiya did, his painting skills improve 50-60% from his previous drawing for sure.

And although there is still a huge, Jiraiya who can only draw one page in the past now can create an entire volume.

So who cares about that!

Hiruzen's breathing speed up and his heart were repeatedly tested just from looking at the pile of pages on his hand, but when he heard footsteps outside the door, his mind instantly calmed down and his "Heart Demon" faded immediately.

But Jiraiya who didn't hear it still keeps on urging his teacher expectantly.

"Teacher, take a look. If possible, please allow me to publish this book."

Hiruzen with a serious face ignored Jiraiya and walked towards his desk and put the thing that was on his hand in his drawer under the desk and said...

"Jiraiya, you are getting more and more impudent, and you brought this thing to a sacred place like Hokage Residence."

"Huh?"

Jiraiya, who didn't know what happened, was stunned and confused.

"Why are you still standing there, get out now!"

"My…"

Jiraiya wanted to ask for his drawing to be returned, but when his eyes met with Hiruzen, he suddenly shrunk in fright.

"Since you don't know how to repent, go and run ten laps around Konoha!!"

Hiruzen angrily said.

Jiraiya lowered his head feeling a bit wrong. Obviously, his Teacher looks forward to it and wants to see it, but his attitude to change this soon.

This reversal is coming too fast!

As he turned around lifeless, he happened to hit the person who was entering the door.

Who?

Jiraiya looked up and saw the female ninja with a calm smile.

It is Utatane Koharu.

"Hiruzen, why are you so angry toward a child?"

Utatane Koharu touched Jiraiya's head and said, "He just came back from the Land-of-Wind, let him go to rest. "

"hmph, go and rest."

Hiruzen snorted and let Jiraiya leave quickly.

"Yes."

Since his manuscript failed to come back…

He reluctantly looked back and glanced at his teacher, then left in a depressed mood.

"Hiruzen, how are the Chunin Exams?"

"Sit down first, I'm going to talk to you about this."

Hiruzen said as he sat down while closing the drawer where he put Jiraiya's manuscript naturally.

-----

Jiraiya who walked out of the Hokage Building on a depressed moon only felt that everything he had was lost and the world was about to collapse.

He, who didn't get his teacher's approval, also lost his draft that he drew with all he got.

Where is the problem?

His mentality exploded and he didn't know where to go for a while. Going back to his house didn't enter his mind since no one waited for him there.

After thinking about it, the Akabane Comic shop came into his head.

If he goes there, he will have a chance to meet Akabane and beg him to play with him to comfort his fragile heart.

A good plan!

----

Unfortunately, Akabane has gone home.

He finally returned to Konoha, so he naturally had to go home and report his safety to his parents and the Lolita in his home.

However, as soon as he arrived at the gate of their manor, he saw Loli Tomiko running out of the house.

Her perception is really so strong…

Akabane sighed for a while, he knelt down and rubbed the girl's hair after she reached him.

Ahh~ I miss this softness!

"Don't rub my hair, it's just combed."

The little loli childish voice sounded as she resisted, but it was useless.

Akabane ignored her plea and enjoyed it again for a few seconds, then he got up and said, "Let's go, big brother will show you your gift."

"Gift?"

Little Tomiko exclaimed in surprise.

So lazy big brother, remember to bring her gifts?

Unbelievable!

"Well, it's just a small gift."

Akabane said as he walked into their courtyard and took out the Sealing Scroll to unlock it.

After that, a bunch of things came out.

Little Loli sweat a little seeing these and thought 'Are these a gift?'

Akabane was a little embarrassed. He used a Sealing Scroll for the first time and forgot to control the things inside.

He rummaged through the pile of things and finally found something after a long time.

"Akabane, what are you looking for?"

Kurama Keiko, who hasn't seen Akabane for a long time, also comes out of their house to greet her son.  But when she saw the thing on her son's hands, she couldn't help but ask curiously.

Akabane pulled out the thing, held it up and said: "It's the Hidden Sand Village special product!"

"Hidden Sand Village special product?"

Little Tomiko came over and looked at the thing at Akabane's hand carefully, "What is this?"

"A Puppet!"

Akabane handed it to her, but…

Isamu who also followed his wife rushed over when he saw it and grabbed it before Akabane handed it to Little Loli and scolded: "Akabane, why did you give such a dangerous thing to your younger sister!"

"It is not dangerous, the hidden weapon was unplugged by me. "

Akabane explained.

This Puppet looks very cute like a cat, so he brought it back thinking of Little Loli.

"Really?"

Kurama Keiko coldly snorted, obviously doesn't believe it.

So she checked it over and over again until she was finally sure that there was no risk, before handing it to Tomiko.

Seeing how they didn't believe him, Akabane is helpless.

Little Tomiko took it and looked at it up and down as if studying the structure of Puppet.

And It didn't take long for her to condense Chakra with her fingers.

And with a sway of her finger…

The Puppet cat followed up with its paw.

Afterwards, she fiddled with her five fingers, and the cat Puppet turned around and waved to Akabane and Kurama Isamu and Keiko, looking very cute.

Kurama Isamu, seeing it stared wide-eyed, his face was incredulous.

Is this a Puppet manipulation?

"Tomiko, when did you learn this technique?"

Akabane asked, somewhat surprised.

Little Tomiko controlled the Puppet with both hands and laughed happily. And when she heard Akabane's question she said without hesitation: "I haven't learned it, but I feel that it can be controlled like this, and it is much easier than Sealing Jutsu. "

When Akabane heard about the ghost-like magical technique that even he can't understand made him blushed and feel ashamed in his heart.

In a sense, what she said is true.

Puppets are difficult to control, but the essence in Chakra Threads Manipulation and Sealing Jutsu is from the same wavelength.

"Hehe~"

Tomiko became happier as she played with the puppet. She controlled the Cat Puppet with her both hands, and the cat Puppet jumped agilely in the sky.

If someone from the Sand Village saw this scene, they would definitely crawl back to their village under the sand from shame.

Because, although Little Loli is only six years old, if she fights Genin using a puppet, her control alone is enough to defeat many Genins older than her.

Kurama Isamu who was watching Little Loli flawlessly controlling her puppet felt very ashamed.

It stands to reason that Genjutsu User Chakra Control is also very strong, but the two children in front of him seem to be better than him.

"Thank you for the gift from big brother, I like it very much."

Tomiko said after she thoroughly mastered Puppet's control, with the cat puppet jumping flexible and free on her shoulder like a real cat.

Too strong!

Akabane secretly marvelled.

Uzumaki Clan is a really amazing Clan, with their Chakra and control ability alone is enough to make people envious.

"Then I'll play more inside the house brother!"

Little Loli happily ran into the house while the cat puppet followed her like an obedient cat on her trail. If he didn't see it, Akabane would think of it like a real cat, not a puppet from how flawless her control is.

Akabane shook his head bitterly.

"Then I will prepare our food." Kurama Keiko said as she also followed Little Tomiko inside.

"Her Innate talent is too terrifying…"

Kurama Isamu said as his tone was full of worry.

"She has the bloodline of Uzumaki and also the Child of their Clan Leader so it's not weird for her to have an amazing talent.

Akabane sighed.

With such a good innate talent, I am afraid it will be difficult to be ordinary in the future.

More than that, what he was worried about the most was about the Nine Taith

Uzumaki Mito is not young anymore. In case there is any problem in the future, one must be responsible for being the next generation Nine-Tails Jinchuriki.

The better the innate talent, the higher the probability of becoming a Jinchuriki.

"Forget it, let's worry about it when the time comes."

Akabane shook his head as he thought of it, thinking about what will happen in the future is useless, and what he should worry about is the present.

Moreover, it is not a bad thing for her to master Puppet Jutsu. Since after transforming the cat Puppet into a weapon, he didn't need to worry about her safety since she can protect herself.

"I'm going to take a shower first."

Entering the house, Akabane suddenly recalls the important things about being a Puppet Master.

Puppet manipulation is not difficult to learn. For example, after the latest plot is drawn, the exchange of Chakra Threads and Puppet manipulation is also on his list.

The hard part is making Puppet!

Such a delicate work.

It would be good if someone knows how to make Puppet so that I can make a Puppet show in the future.

Thinking about it for a long time, Akabane lightly sighed.

Although dreaming is good but without capital, it's impossible to start.

Just like him who has so many things to redeem in his system list, but without enough points, the only thing he could do was look at it.

Things like Puppet Master Jutsu require hundreds of points, but since he can't use it, he is not interested in redeeming it.

And there's also Byakugan and Dancing Leaf Shadow that he can redeem.

Although Byakugan is useless, the Dancing Leaf Shadow that Rock Lee used is worth redeeming.

The exchange price of Dancing Leaf Shadow is relatively low, only 50 points are needed. And Akabane has more than 800 points, so he redeems it directly.

After the exchange, he still has seven hundred plus.

And as long as the update is released, it is not difficult to earn the remaining two hundred points.

"Await is all I need!"

Mumbling it, Akabane entered his rooms and directly took a bath.

----

At the Manga shop.

Jiraiya rushed over eagerly, only to find that Akabane was not here at all.

"Akabane isn't there?"

"He just left, he may be home now."

Kurama Yunlang replied. 

But it also made him feel something is strange.

It stands to reason that Jiraiya has just separated from Akabane, so why come to look for him again.

He pondered, and still asked: "Are you looking for Young Master?"

"I want to ask…no, no, it's all right."

Jiraiya wanted to say, he wanted to ask Akabane about his painting skills and why he was not recognized.

But thinking about it carefully, Akabane said he didn't want people to know that he would paint this kind of painting. So if he said it right now, it might cause trouble for him so he didn't continue what he was going to say.

After saying goodbye, Jiraiya walked out the door and glanced at the poster on it.

This poster…

"Oh!! This female character is so cute!"

Jiraiya seeing it, made his eyes trickle like a child.

After looking at it for a while, he then simply moved a bench he saw and sat under the poster to observe it carefully.

"This guy…is thinking about something again!"

Kurama Yunlang's face went dark.

Jiraiya's paintings are no longer a secret in Konoha. The passionate and unrestrained style of painting attracts a large number of people, but it also makes many people feel ashamed.

Unfortunately, he is one of those people who hate that kind of painting.

But thinking that Jiraiya is Akabanes friend, he can only turn a blind eye and let Jiraiya sit there. Since him sitting there does not affect the promotion anyway.