Jiraiya was precisely too emotional, which made him most easily moved by conviction.
Once he set his mind on a goal, he would trust it without reservation.
Therefore, in his eyes, Shiroishi was not a dangerous figure, but an assistant arranged by destiny.
Someone who could help the Children of Destiny.
Jiraiya strongly believed in his own intuition.
Since leaving the Breeding House that night, Jiraiya's mind had actually calmed considerably.
He even began to think that the appearance of these Ninja Beasts might not be a coincidence, but rather power granted to those three children by fate.
Perhaps this truly was the turning point for the Shinobi World's self-redemption.
Shiroishi was also part of the beginning of the Children of Destiny's story.
Lost in his emotional reverie, Jiraiya naturally wouldn't consider that a child the same age as Konan and the others could harbor such deep calculations.
Moreover, the matter of the Children of Destiny was known only to Jiraiya and the Myoboku Mountain lineage.
So he wouldn't harbor excessive suspicion toward Shiroishi.
Meanwhile, back at the Breeding House.
Shiroishi watched as Jiraiya and Konan faded into the distance, only withdrawing his gaze when their figures completely disappeared into the curtain of rain.
The faint scent of tea still lingered in the air.
He raised his hand and gently pressed it against his chest, a trace of weariness appearing on his face.
His frail constitution was no pretense.
The World Tree's growth required immense life energy, and as its host, he had poured most of his own Chakra into it.
Every new life conceived, every egg formed, was slowly draining his vitality.
But conversely.
If he wished, he could draw Chakra back from the World Tree's endless root system.
It was a state of resonance with the God Tree - after all, regardless of how blank slate, an Otsutsuki was still an Otsutsuki by nature.
Shiroishi sat at the table, removed his glasses, and rubbed his temples.
At the edge of his vision, Eevee lay curled on the table, tail swaying gently, ears twitching slightly.
Its bright eyes sparkled with intelligence, occasionally flashing with subtle light.
Looking at it, Shiroishi murmured softly:
"Lightning Flash..."
Though just the most basic instant movement skill, understanding its principles was profoundly significant.
Eevee chirped in response, seeming to understand its master.
Shiroishi smiled and reached out, gently patting its head.
"With a bit more practice, we could develop new techniques based on this."
He stood up and pushed open the wooden door leading to the back mountain.
A breeze swept through, carrying the scent of damp grass.
The back mountain's terrain was concealed, accessible only through the Breeding House.
It was a valley nourished by Chakra.
In the center of the valley, dozens of translucent eggs lay quietly among the vines, emitting a soft glow.
They were seeds of the World Tree, the source of future Ninja Beasts.
But each egg remained dormant, their hatching progress extremely slow.
Shiroishi crouched down, his fingertip gently touching one of the eggs.
"Still too slow..."
He murmured to himself, his eyes calm as still water.
With just my power alone, I cannot awaken all these lives.
I need more hosts...
The wind swept through the valley, leaves rustling as if responding to his words.
Shiroishi looked up, gazing into the distance.
At that moment.
The bandits who had eaten his Special Soldier Pills returned.
A weak knocking sound broke the silence.
Shiroishi, who had been organizing medicinal herbs inside, looked up at the sound and adjusted his glasses.
The door was gently pushed open.
The group staggered in, led by the very merchant who had attempted to raid the Breeding House that night—the Bandit Leader himself.
Now, his face was ashen, his eyes sunken, and his frame so emaciated he was almost unrecognizable.
His followers behind him were equally exhausted, as if drained of all strength.
"Sir..."
The leader rasped, bending to retrieve a coarse cloth bundle from his chest and carefully placing it before Shiroishi.
"The medicinal herbs you requested—we've gathered them all, along with the previously ordered ingredients... not a single item missing."
Shiroishi lifted his gaze, his eyes calmly settling on the man.
"Good."
He bent down to untie the bundle, and a scent of vegetation immediately wafted out.
Inside were dried herbs, wild mountain fruits, and several bottles of processed medicinal liquids—clearly the result of considerable effort.
Shiroishi nodded in satisfaction and took the package.
Yet, instead of relaxing, the Bandit Leader gritted his teeth and looked up at Shiroishi and the Eevee on his shoulder.
Meeting Eevee's pure gaze, the Bandit Leader lowered his head.
"About... the Soldier Pills."
As he spoke, cold sweat beaded on his forehead, his tone tinged with pleading. "After taking them, we've been in burning pain all over for days, barely able to move during the day."
Shiroishi was not surprised.
He gave the man a faint glance, his tone so calm it bordered on indifference:
"I gave you a chance."
The leader's face turned pale.
"We truly know we were wrong, and we won't dare again."
Shiroishi turned and walked to a shelf, retrieving a transparent bottle.
Inside, a pale green liquid shimmered softly under the light as it swayed gently.
"You must take this continuously for twelve months to possibly neutralize the effects completely. You must come here every month, and I will personally prepare it for you."
"Twelve months?"
The leader froze, his expression instantly worsening.
"So... we have to obey you for a full year?"
Shiroishi smiled, a gentle smile that held almost no threat, yet the chill in it was sharper than any blade.
"You can choose not to come."
Those few words sent a shiver through the leader's body.
Clenching his jaw, he bowed his head with difficulty, his voice hoarse. "Understood, sir. We will come on time."
Shiroishi watched their state and waved a hand dismissively.
"Go, recuperate. You'll have more tasks to handle for me in the future."
The Breeding House's business couldn't be confined to this area alone.
The black market, the border, trade firms—Shiroishi needed more suppliers.
The Bandit Leader understood the Breeding House's operations, but he also knew he was firmly in Shiroishi's grasp.
In this era, ninja were such unreasonable existences.
If they wanted to survive, this was the only path.
"Understood, sir."
He replied softly, turning to leave with his men.
Outside, the wind rustled the door curtain, carrying the scent of herbs.
Shiroishi watched their figures disappear into the curtain of rain, his expression as calm as ever.
In his eyes, those bandits were not pitiable sinners.
"Hatching requires materials, herbs, energy."
"Spreading influence also needs people like them."
Eevee leaped gracefully, landing steadily on the table, its soft fur glowing faintly in the light.
A slight smile touched Shiroishi's lips as he reached out to stroke its head.
The warmth of its fine fur beneath his fingertips melted a fraction of the cold solitude in his heart.
"Next," he said gently, as if speaking to a true companion, "try the new dish I prepared for you."
At the mention of food, Eevee's ears immediately perked up, eyes sparkling brightly as it let out an excited "Eevee!" before affectionately rubbing against Shiroishi's arm.
Shiroishi chuckled softly and turned to retrieve several bottles of herbal energy liquids and powders from the cabinet.
He then added a portion of fragrant honey.
"Don't worry, it won't be too bitter this time," he said half-jokingly while carefully adjusting the proportions.
Eevee sat obediently by the table, tail swaying gently, gaze fixed attentively on its owner.