Naruto: I am Uchiha Shirou

The Land of Grass

The Base of the Hidden Leaf Ninjas

"Hahaha, Minato, it seems you've experienced the battlefield and realized how different ninja wars are compared to regular missions!"

Sitting on a large rock, Jiraiya held a copy of his book Tale of a Gutsy Ninja and looked teasingly at Minato. With a grin, he added,

"Here, Minato, this is the latest edition of this sage's masterpiece."

Faced with his eccentric mentor, Minato let out a wry smile. His usual confident and sunny expression now carried a hint of helplessness.

"Thank you, Jiraiya-sensei."

Seeing Minato accept the book, Jiraiya's expression turned serious for once. With a tone both casual and heavy, he said,

"Use this book to help adjust your mindset. After all, you're working alongside a group of ninjas from noble clans or Kekkei genkai families this time. You must be feeling the pressure."

Minato froze under Jiraiya's meaningful gaze. After a moment, he chuckled bitterly and nodded, a trace of melancholy in his eyes.

After all, he wasn't yet the Fourth Hokage and the mentality of a ninja is forged through countless trials.

"Jiraiya-sensei, I used to think that as long as I worked hard, I could catch up to anyone. But this mission showed me something different.

The Nara, Akimichi... they casually use the powerful secret techniques of their clans. And the Kekkei genkai families like the Hyuga and Uchiha are on another level. Even the Aburame and Inuzuka clans..."

During the journey here, Jiraiya and Tsunade had been training them, helping them grow rapidly and adapt to the realities of ninja warfare.

However, Minato couldn't ignore the fact that, among all these people, he was the only one without a noble lineage. No matter how much effort he put in, there seemed to be an unbridgeable gap between him and those with inherent talent and privilege.

Seeing Minato's self-doubt, Jiraiya couldn't help but burst into laughter.

"Minato, you're right. Compared to these noble clans with Kekkei genkai and secret techniques, you might have some disadvantages. But that doesn't mean you can't surpass them. Back when Orochimaru and I faced Tsunade..."

Speaking of his past, Jiraiya's face revealed a nostalgic expression. He then smiled and shook his head, a rare confident grin appearing.

"But now? The gap between Orochimaru, me, and Tsunade is growing smaller. In terms of strength, we each have our specialties. And neither Orochimaru nor I have Kekkei genkai or secret techniques!"

With Jiraiya's encouragement, Minato quickly regained his composure. A bright smile returned to his face.

"Jiraiya-sensei, I understand now."

With a sunny grin, determination flashed in Minato's eyes.

Though this mission involved facing opponents with Kekkei genkai and secret techniques, leaving him initially at a loss, he knew he could adjust, even without Jiraiya's guidance.

Seeing Minato's resolute demeanor, Jiraiya let out a hearty laugh.

"Hahaha, Minato, I believe in you. Your natural talent makes you a true genius."

"Oh, right, Jiraiya-sensei."

Minato took a deep breath and looked at Jiraiya with a serious expression.

"Before we came, the Third Hokage summoned me. He told me many things, including some of the village's secrets..."

As Minato began to reveal these matters, the carefree smile on Jiraiya's face gradually faded, replaced by a serious expression in his clear eyes.

"That old man trusts you, to the point of telling you even this."

Jiraiya wasn't foolish. The Third Hokage asking Minato to relay this information was an attempt to leverage Jiraiya's relationship with Tsunade.

After all, in this twisted ninja world, bonds among comrades carried significant weight.

"So, Minato, tell me—what do you feel for Uzumaki Kushina? Is it out of personal interest, duty, or something else?"

Jiraiya's gaze turned solemn as he looked at Minato. He needed an answer now.

Minato froze at the question, hesitation flashing in his eyes. Finally, he lowered his head, embarrassed, and said,

"Jiraiya-sensei, when Kushina-san first came to the ninja academy, she was very beautiful. But her personality, along with the dynamics in our class, made me..."

It was clear that, as a civilian-born ninja, Minato had chosen to blend in with the majority rather than stand out. He had buried his feelings for the often-bullied Kushina deep in his heart.

"Later, Kushina-san grew more beautiful... and I... With this mission assigned by the Third Hokage, my feelings are genuine, not for personal gain or duty!"

Minato's determined expression revealed the secret he had kept hidden.

In the original story, although Minato cared about Kushina, he never became her friend during their years in the academy. This detail reflected his shy, unspoken crush.

Hearing this, Jiraiya's serious expression broke into laughter, and he mischievously wiggled his eyebrows.

"Hehe, let me tell you, kid, every man starts with physical attraction when choosing a partner. Recognizing your feelings is already a great strength."

Because honestly, who doesn't value beauty?

"Minato, as long as you're sincere and responsible, go ahead without worry. Leave the rest to me."

Jiraiya patted his chest confidently. He wasn't blind—he could see the Third Hokage's intentions.

The whole situation with the White Fang, the Hokage seat, and the Senju clan had already created tensions between the Senju and the current Hokage faction. The Third Hokage was sending a goodwill gesture.

For the Nine-Tails' Jinchūriki, the Senju might have a say, but they couldn't prevent Minato from being involved. It was akin to a political marriage.

This was why Jiraiya needed to involve Tsunade.

After Minato respectfully departed, Jiraiya breathed a sigh of relief and looked at a nearby tree trunk, muttering,

"So, what do you think of my disciple?"

From the shadows, Tsunade appeared with Shirou standing behind her, her expression unreadable.

"Hey, hey, Tsunade, you're not seriously bringing this guy along, are you?"

One sharp glare from Tsunade was enough to silence Jiraiya, who scratched his head awkwardly.

Observing the dynamics between Tsunade and Shirou, Jiraiya could see it clearly. Even the Third Hokage had likely noticed it.

Tsunade wasn't just looking for some young lover—she was making a calculated move, using the Uchiha clan as leverage.

"Tsunade, Minato is a good kid. I see it clearly."

Tsunade, familiar with the Third Hokage's signals, understood the political undertones perfectly. Politics had always been an art of compromise.

"Hey, Shirou, what do you think?"

Instead of answering Jiraiya directly, Tsunade turned to Shirou with a raised brow.

Caught off guard, Shirou grinned earnestly under their scrutinizing gazes and replied,

"Shameless!"

"Pfft!"

Tsunade burst into laughter, while Jiraiya's eyes widened in disbelief.

"Hey, hey, if my disciple is shameless, then what does that make you?"

Shrugging nonchalantly, Shirou chuckled.

"Of course, I'm shameless too. Kushina's fiery red hair is beautiful—90 points. Her identity as a Jinchūriki adds 10 points. But if her looks only scored 10, then if you'd asked me just now, Jiraiya-sensei, I'd have said it was for the village."

With a righteous tone, Shirou brazenly voiced his shameless thoughts, unashamed and completely candid.

"Why didn't Minato approach Kushina at the academy if he liked her so much? It wasn't a matter of days but years. For better or worse, we're all driven by incentives, and beauty is a big one."

Jiraiya, momentarily speechless, could only nod in exasperation. Men truly were like this.

And Tsunade, laughing so hard she nearly cried, teased,

"Shirou, by your logic, you're all shameless!"

PS: Being a commoner ninja is tough in the Naruto world. Sakura was fortunate; if she hadn't become Tsunade's apprentice, she likely would have ended up as just another average ninja, equipped only with the basic jutsu provided by the village. Hmm, Tenten was the most outstanding among them, having created her own unique ninja combat style.