Hokage: Immortal, I Open Unlimited Eight Gates

Jiraiya was a little dissatisfied. "Hey, kid, what do you mean by that look in your eyes? Are you looking down on me? Do you even know who I am?"

Chiba was confused about who Jiraiya was talking to. He turned around and looked around, realizing that there were only two of them at the hospital entrance. Pointing to himself, he asked again, "Are you talking to me?"

Jiraiya pointed at the boy. "Yes, that's right, I'm talking to you, kid."

After confirming that Jiraiya was addressing him, Chiba's mind churned slightly, and he came up with an excuse. "I know you. You're Master Hokage's disciple, Jiraiya, right?"

Jiraiya shook his long, snow-white hair and struck what he thought was a handsome pose. "Hahaha, yes, that's me. I didn't expect that I'm quite famous. Even a brat like you knows who I am."

Uchiha Chiba looked at the overly narcissistic Jiraiya in front of him with a hint of disdain. He teased, "Yes, everyone in Konoha knows Lord Jiraiya's name, but… it's not a good reputation."

"After all, what kind of good person would spy on women's baths? Am I right, Lord Jiraiya?" Uchiha Chiba deliberately elongated the last sentence for effect.

"Ahem!" Jiraiya's proud expression faltered as he coughed awkwardly. "You little brat, what are you talking about? What do you mean, peeping? Don't say it in such a bad way! I'm simply gathering material for my novel."

After being exposed, Jiraiya's pride vanished. He hurriedly defended himself while pulling out a stack of manuscripts from his clothes. "Look, this is the novel I've been writing. It's only half-finished, but I'm confident that once it's released, it will become a bestseller across the ninja world."

Jiraiya's confidence in his book was unshakable. After all, he had poured his heart into it, crafting content that men would undoubtedly enjoy. Through his diligent field research, he believed the material in his book far surpassed the poorly made alternatives on the market. His work could only be described as a masterpiece—a culmination of countless hours and experiences.

Hearing this, Chiba's eyes instinctively shifted to the manuscript in Jiraiya's hands. Curiosity got the better of him. What could Jiraiya have written that captivated someone like Kakashi, who was said to be engrossed in these books?

Of course, he only wanted to read it to "evaluate" it. He had absolutely no ulterior motives. None whatsoever. Now, faced with this opportunity, Chiba decided to try his luck and see if he could trick Jiraiya into handing over the manuscript.

Feigning disdain, he looked at Jiraiya as though he were a con artist. "Really? I don't believe it. Unless…"

This sentence struck a nerve in Jiraiya. Did this brat have any idea how much suffering he'd endured to write this manuscript? He had been chased, beaten, and labeled a pervert—yet the worst pain was someone doubting the quality of his writing.

Jiraiya gritted his teeth. "Unless what? Stop beating around the bush and speak plainly, kid!"

Seeing Jiraiya take the bait, a barely perceptible smile flickered across Chiba's lips. He didn't expect Jiraiya to be this easy to manipulate. "Unless you show me your manuscript. Otherwise, I'll stick to my opinion."

"Is that all?" Jiraiya almost immediately agreed. He was eager to prove just how amazing his book was. However, just as he was about to hand over the manuscript, a thought crossed his mind.

Wait a minute. This kid was still young—around sixteen or seventeen at most, judging by his height. But his face clearly indicated he wasn't yet an adult. What if someone found out he had given an unfinished draft of such… "mature" content to a minor? Worse, if Tsunade caught wind of this, the consequences would be disastrous.

Jiraiya shuddered as his imagination conjured up the horrors of Tsunade's wrath. She wouldn't kill him—probably—but he'd definitely spend at least a month bedridden.

"No, kid," Jiraiya hesitated, his tone cautious now. "You can't read my book yet. Come back in a few years."

"...?"

Uchiha Chiba knew that such a simple provocation wouldn't fool Jiraiya for long. Still, he had another card to play. Narrowing his eyes slightly, he taunted, "Haha, Lord Jiraiya, just admit it. Your writing is terrible, isn't it? You're too embarrassed to show it to me."

"That's right. If I had written a terrible book, I wouldn't dare show it to anyone, let alone sell it. Maybe a bookseller would just toss your manuscript into the trash."

Jiraiya's blood boiled at Chiba's words. "Kid, I'll prove you wrong!" He shoved the manuscript into Chiba's hands. "Even if you have to stay up all night, you'll read every word and tell me how amazing my book is!"

Chiba hid his smirk as he swiftly tucked the manuscript into his clothes before Jiraiya could second-guess himself. "By the way, Lord Jiraiya, how should I return this to you after I'm done?"

Jiraiya, still fuming, replied through gritted teeth, "No. 64 East Street. Bring it back to me there. And if my book turns out to be great, you'd better apologize. Do you understand, kid?"

"Apologize? Sure, we'll see after I read it." Chiba waved dismissively and headed into the hospital, manuscript secured.

Inside the hospital, Jiraiya glanced at the two large lunchboxes Chiba carried and asked curiously, "Kid, what are you doing here? You don't look sick or injured."

Chiba wordlessly held up the lunchboxes, shaking them in front of Jiraiya's face.

Jiraiya chuckled awkwardly before a realization dawned on him. His encounters with Chiba had been anything but calm. This kid had been leading him by the nose since the start. Was it all intentional?

Testing his theory, Jiraiya asked, "Kid, did you provoke me on purpose earlier?"

Chiba froze. Did Jiraiya see through him?