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"Dammit, where the heck did Yahiko and the others go?"
Jiraiya had been searching for two days but found no information about the Akatsuki. Even when he encountered civilians who might know something, they absolutely refused to tell him anything.
He wasn't very good at genjutsu, and interrogating civilians would violate the ninja code—something he could never do.
"Damn it, why are these people's mouths so tight-lipped? And they obviously know about the Akatsuki. I'm not a bad guy, so why won't they just tell me?"
Jiraiya crouched outside a civilian's house. The people inside definitely knew members of the Akatsuki, but no matter how he asked, they wouldn't spill any information. He could only stake out the place.
What he didn't know was that even though the Akatsuki had dispersed, most civilians had still benefited from the group's actions. Therefore, when an outsider like Jiraiya came asking about the Akatsuki, they would never betray them.
Just as Jiraiya was about to continue his stakeout, a shuriken suddenly flew towards him.
"Who's there?"
Jiraiya formed hand seals, and his hair instantly hardened, blocking the shuriken.
He then saw a figure flash by but couldn't make out their face. However, the person who attacked him with the shuriken was clearly trying to lure him away.
"Doesn't seem like the style of the Hidden Rain Village ninjas, so it must be Yahiko's Akatsuki. This guy's style isn't bad, knowing to protect civilians."
Jiraiya immediately gave chase, but the person who threw the shuriken wasn't slow either.
The two quickly left the small town, heading to a desolate, empty area on the outskirts. There was a barren expanse of land nearby, with some forests on the side, but Jiraiya lost track of the person he was chasing.
Before he could search the surroundings, a figure walked out of the nearby forest.
Red hair and Rinnegan eyes, although his face was much thinner and there were unknown white objects on his body, Jiraiya immediately recognized him as Nagato.
He excitedly asked, "Nagato, was that you just now? You brat, you threw a shuriken at your teacher?"
"Jiraiya-sensei, what are you looking for the Akatsuki for?"
Jiraiya was momentarily stunned by the question, and then he saw Nagato's cold expression. He immediately guessed that the information might be true, feeling heartbroken for a moment before asking, "I came to check on you guys. Nagato, where are Konan and Yahiko?"
"Yahiko is dead, killed in a joint assassination by Hanzō and Danzō. After they killed Yahiko, they destroyed the Akatsuki."
Nagato's voice was calm, and he continued coldly, "Jiraiya-sensei, if you're here to see Yahiko, you can go back now."
"Nagato, there must be some misunderstanding. I will investigate this thoroughly."
Seeing Nagato's demeanor, Jiraiya knew he already hated Konoha. However, Nagato was the Child of Prophecy from Mount Myōboku, and with his Rinnegan, he had the potential to change the fate of the ninja world. Jiraiya didn't want Nagato to hold a grudge against Konoha.
"Nagato, I promise you, if it was really Danzō—"
"Jiraiya-sensei, it was Danzō."
Nagato interrupted Jiraiya, pointing to his Rinnegan, and said, "One of the Rinnegan's abilities is to search information directly from the soul. A person's mouth can lie, but their soul's memory cannot. It was Danzō who killed Yahiko."
Jiraiya frowned upon hearing this. He hadn't known the Rinnegan had such an ability. Since Nagato said so, he had no choice but to believe him or continue denying it.
Believing Nagato would mean returning to confront Danzō on behalf of Yahiko. Not believing Nagato might sever their teacher-student bond.
"Nagato, I hope you can trust me this once."
"We always trusted you, Jiraiya-sensei. That's why Yahiko went to find you, and then he was forced to his death by Konoha ninjas."
Nagato could see Jiraiya's choice and was deeply angered. His parents had been killed by Konoha ninjas, and Yahiko, believing in Jiraiya's ideals, had ultimately died under the pressure from Konoha ninjas and Hanzō.
But remembering that Jiraiya had taken care of them for three years, Nagato was unwilling to attack him.
"Leave, Jiraiya-sensei. There's no more Akatsuki."
"Nagato!"
Seeing Nagato about to leave, Jiraiya rushed towards him, trying to stop him to talk.
But Nagato suddenly turned and raised his hand towards Jiraiya, "Shinra Tensei!"
A powerful repulsive force instantly spread from Nagato, creating a circular crater in the hard ground and sending Jiraiya flying, tumbling for dozens of meters before landing among the rubble.
"I told you, don't come looking for us anymore, Jiraiya-sensei! Yahiko's dream and the old Akatsuki are gone."
With that, Nagato prepared to leave. Despite everything, he couldn't bring himself to hurt Jiraiya.
However, Jiraiya got up, coughed up blood, and said, "Nagato, you brat, how dare you attack your teacher? Fine, let me see how much stronger you've become!"
"Doton: Yomi Numa!"
Jiraiya quickly formed seals and performed a jutsu, turning the ground in front of him into a vast swamp. He knew that if he let Nagato leave, he might become hostile to Konoha, so he had to stop him and clear up the misunderstanding.
Nagato sensed the attack and jumped up. As he turned in the air, he saw Jiraiya using his hair jutsu to attack him.
"Shinra Tensei!"
The powerful repulsive force reappeared, this time even repelling Jiraiya's iron-hard hair.
'Hmm? His hair and the swamp were both repelled? It seems to form a spherical shape centered on Nagato, repelling everything. And it doesn't require hand seals.'
Jiraiya wasn't disappointed that his move failed. He had gathered some information about the previous technique.
'Both close and long-range attacks can be repelled. Let's try something else!'
"Katon: Dai Endan!"
A massive, fiery flame mixed with toad oil shot towards Nagato. This fire jutsu was not an ordinary one, and even water jutsu had a hard time extinguishing it because of the toad oil.
"Banshō Ten'in."
Nagato extended his hand towards the ground, and under the influence of an attractive force, the mud from the Yomi Numa rose, forming a mud dragon that extinguished Jiraiya's Dai Endan.
"He can do that too?"
Jiraiya was surprised. Unlike the repulsive force, the mud from Yomi Numa seemed to be pulled up.
But there was no time to be amazed. He then saw Nagato's body change, his arm detaching to reveal numerous missile launchers that fired at him.
"Is this also a Rinnegan ability!?"
Jiraiya was shocked by the missiles, then quickly dodged. He even used his Needle Jizō to block some of them, though the explosions hurt his chest. The missiles weren't just ordinary—they were homing missiles.
Just as he dispelled Needle Jizō, he saw Nagato already in front of him.
"This is bad."
"Shinra Tensei!"
Boom!
A powerful repulsive force spread out in all directions, creating a spherical crater in the ground and sending Jiraiya flying again, tumbling to the ground and falling silent.
"Banshō Ten'in."
Nagato raised his hand towards Jiraiya again, using the Rinnegan's ability to pull him over.
Pretending to be unconscious, Jiraiya felt the pull and immediately tried to resist with a jutsu.
But it was too late. He was quickly pulled in front of Nagato, who grabbed his neck and slammed him to the ground.
Boom!
Jiraiya spat out a mouthful of blood. That slam felt like it broke his entire body.
With Tobi's possession, Nagato's chakra and strength had increased significantly. That slam was nearly as powerful as superhuman strength.
In the next second, a black rod extended from Nagato's left hand, but hesitation flashed across his face. The prone Jiraiya, squinting his eyes open, weakly said, "Nagato..."
Bang!
Nagato stabbed the black rod into the ground beside Jiraiya, took a deep breath, and said, "Jiraiya-sensei, don't come looking for us again. This is our last bond as teacher and student."
With that, Nagato turned and left. After this battle, he had no more ties with Jiraiya.
Once Nagato left, Jiraiya passed out. Having taken two Shinra Tensei blasts, a missile, and a near-superhuman slam, his internal organs were injured, and his body was nearly broken.
After Nagato left, Obito appeared from the Kamui space, and White Zetsu emerged from the ground.
"The Rinnegan's power is indeed formidable, to have beaten one of the Sannin so quickly."
Obito said calmly, "After all, it's the Sage's eyes."
Instant, seal-less jutsu, mechanical enhancements, and the boost from Tobi's possession, plus intelligence gathering. Obito, having been possessed by Tobi before, knew how powerful the boost was.
So he wasn't surprised Jiraiya was beaten so badly. This was with Nagato not fully mastering the Rinnegan; otherwise, he could have taken down Jiraiya even faster.
White Zetsu asked, "What about Jiraiya? Should we kill him?"
"No need. He won't give up on Nagato. Let's leave him be."
Obito looked at Jiraiya, unsure if he was thinking about Nagato or himself.
"Once Nagato kills Jiraiya, he'll fully stand with us."
With that, Obito left using Kamui.
"Killing your teacher, huh. Heh, Obito, you must be thinking the same thing."
After saying this, White Zetsu and Black Zetsu also disappeared underground.
Soon, it began to rain heavily, and the downpour woke the unconscious Jiraiya.
When he woke up, he found himself alone, Nagato long gone. A black rod was still stuck in the ground beside him.
"That brat Nagato, how dare he hit his teacher so hard."
Jiraiya muttered through gritted teeth, feeling several broken bones and struggling to walk. Gathering some chakra and using a bit of his own blood, he performed a summoning jutsu.
Poof!
A puff of smoke appeared, and Jiraiya stood on top of a giant purplish-red toad.
The toad, holding a shield and spear, looked around and, seeing no enemies, asked, "Jiraiya, where are the enemies?"
Jiraiya said, "Sorry, Gamaken, the enemies are gone. I'm seriously injured. Can you take me back to Konoha?"
"Alright, no problem. But you'll need to be inside my mouth."
Gamaken said. Given Jiraiya's serious injuries, he couldn't stand on his head. Jiraiya didn't object, so Gamaken placed him gently in his mouth and began hopping towards Konoha.
In his current state, returning to Konoha for treatment was the best option. Although he could go to Mount Myōboku to recuperate, there were no medical ninjas there, and he'd only have bugs to eat.
"Well done, Rin."
Yoichi praised, feeling his vision obscured. "Learning an A-rank genjutsu in just a few days shows your talent. Do you want to take a break?"
"I'm fine. Are you tired, Yoichi-sensei?"
Rin dispelled the genjutsu, came to Yoichi's side, and smiled sweetly. His patient guidance and gentle encouragement had greatly improved her opinion of him.
"Let's rest for a bit. Training isn't a race. By the way, Rin, the ninja game I brought is newly developed. You can play it when you're bored and give me some feedback."
"Yes, Yoichi-sensei."
Rin nodded, then stood obediently by his side, asking, "Yoichi-sensei, is there anything I can help you with?"
"Well..."
Yoichi thought for a moment, then used his ability to listen to Rin's thoughts seriously.
'I really want to do something for Yoichi-sensei. He's so kind and has helped me so much. I'd feel too guilty if I didn't do something in return.'
"In that case, Rin, could you give me a massage?"
"A massage?"
Rin was momentarily stunned but quickly accepted. As a medical ninja, she was familiar with the practice.
"Alright, Yoichi-sensei."
She moved her youthful body closer to him.
But just then, Yoichi received a memory from his wood clone, making him smile. He patted Rin's auburn hair apologetically and said, "Rin, I suddenly have something to take care of. My clone will help you with your training. We'll save the massage for another time."
"Oh? Okay, Yoichi-sensei."
Rin felt a bit disappointed but was happy that his clone would stay with her. She smiled brightly.
Leaving a wood clone in the alchemy room, Yoichi left for the Hokage Tower.
(End of Chapter)
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A giant toad suddenly appeared on the outskirts of Konoha. If Jiraiya hadn't emerged from the toad's mouth to explain, it would have been attacked by the security forces.
Even a Sannin couldn't summon such a massive creature within the village without causing alarm.
After understanding the situation, the security team escorted Jiraiya to the hospital and reported the incident to the Hokage's office.
Upon receiving the news, Sakumo sent someone to the Sarutobi clan's territory to inform the Third Hokage.
Nowadays, Hiruzen spent his days at home, seemingly having relinquished power. However, Yoichi knew that this was a helpless move for Hiruzen, who was reluctant to retire in his fifties.
There was no choice; Sakumo was a Hokage with strong principles. Unless one adhered to his principles, conflicts would inevitably arise if they worked together.
Yoichi could accommodate Sakumo's principles. His goal was to develop the Uchiha clan within the village. Once he became Hokage, Konoha would essentially become Uchiha Village. As long as he didn't violate Sakumo's principles and continued to contribute to the village's prosperity, there would be no issues handing over the power of the Hokage.
Currently, Sakumo was gradually delegating more responsibilities to Yoichi's wood clones. The decreasing stack of documents on Sakumo's desk and the increasing pile on Yoichi's desk were clear indicators.
When Hiruzen arrived at the hospital, seeing Sakumo, Yoichi, and Minato gave him a bad feeling.
He silently cursed Jiraiya, assuming that he had impulsively gone after Nagato. Hiruzen hadn't sent any messages back, hoping to stall Jiraiya into returning on his own. Explaining to this hot-headed fool might not have stopped him from seeking out his former student.
Soon, Mina came out of the operating room. Seeing Yoichi and the others, she gave a thumbs-up and said, "He'll be fine after three days of rest. I'll go check on Karin now, Yoichi-sama."
With that, Mina quickly left without greeting anyone else.
Yoichi smiled and said, "Sorry, Mina is a bit anxious."
"All mothers worry about their children. Kakashi's mother was the same. It's fine, Yoichi."
Sakumo smiled, then turned to Hiruzen and said, "Jiraiya should be fine now. Let's go in."
"Alright, Sakumo."
Hiruzen nodded reluctantly and followed him inside.
Thanks to Mina's treatment, most of Jiraiya's injuries had healed, even his bones were mended, thanks to her special chakra. This was why Orochimaru said Mina's medical ninjutsu rivaled Tsunade's.
If someone was gravely injured and drank Mina's blood, they would understand the top-tier medical effect. Severed limbs could be reattached, and as long as there was a breath left, they wouldn't die.
However, only Yoichi and Kakashi had drunk Mina's blood, during the summoning of Ghidorah.
"Minato, old man, why are you all here? It's just a small injury, hahaha, no need to worry."
Jiraiya laughed from his hospital bed, slightly easing Hiruzen's worries. Jiraiya was still keeping the secret, which meant there was still hope.
Sakumo asked, "Jiraiya, who injured you? I remember your mission was to investigate the underground bounty network. Are they really that strong?"
"Not really, I was just careless."
Jiraiya feigned difficulty and said, "Minato, once I'm healed, let me handle this. I'll resolve it."
"Underground bounty network... Are they in Amegakure? Or in the neighboring lands of Bears and Demons?"
Yoichi suddenly asked. Seeing everyone looking at him, he explained, "I just received a report from the trading company. They saw a giant purple toad coming from Amegakure to Konoha. It seems to be Jiraiya's toad. Minato, dispatch the Anbu. If Hanzō is involved, we should reconsider our relationship with him."
Sakumo nodded, "Hanzō, huh? Didn't expect him to be connected to the underground network. We should take this seriously."
"Wait, wait, it's not clear if Hanzō is involved. Isn't this too impulsive?"
Jiraiya quickly intervened. If his withheld information led to a war between Konoha and Amegakure, he would be Konoha's sinner.
Yoichi said, "Precisely because it's unclear, we need to investigate. Otherwise, we could plan intelligence operations against Amegakure. Jiraiya, how many were there? How could they injure you so badly?"
"Well..."
Jiraiya hadn't encountered anyone from the underground network. His information came mostly from the Land of Tea and the Land of Water. Making up a story related to Amegakure on the spot was impossible.
Seeing Jiraiya's hesitation, Sakumo sensed something was wrong and asked, "What's the matter, Jiraiya? Is it inconvenient to say?"
"Sakumo, can I handle this alone?"
Sakumo understood Jiraiya had lied. Not wanting to press a comrade, he asked, "Is it personal or village-related? If it's personal, I won't pry. But if it involves the village..."
Jiraiya knew Sakumo's boundary. He didn't want to involve the village in Nagato's affairs.
Hiruzen said, "Sakumo, let me handle this."
"You know too, Hiruzen?"
Sakumo was slightly angered but said, "Fine, but at least tell me what happened. If it endangers the village, as Hokage, I need to know!"
The room fell silent. Minato felt for Jiraiya but agreed Sakumo was being considerate.
"It's about my student from the Second Shinobi War. I stayed in Amegakure for three years and took on a student."
Jiraiya finally began to explain, detailing the events including Danzō's involvement and Nagato's Rinnegan. His injuries were from the Rinnegan.
The continuous information left Sakumo stunned.
Rinnegan, Danzō's secret actions, Jiraiya's personal investigation, and his severe injuries from the Rinnegan. The leader of Akatsuki, holding a grudge against Konoha because of Danzō.
Fortunately, Sakumo had pressed for answers. Ignoring it might have meant facing a powerful enemy with the Rinnegan unprepared.
Hearing about the Rinnegan's abilities, Sakumo realized the threat.
Instant jutsu without seals, repelling all attacks, powerful attraction preventing resistance, and self-modification for mechanical attacks. And this wasn't all the Rinnegan's abilities.
Jiraiya hadn't fully tested them before being knocked out.
"This matter, the village will handle it."
Sakumo decided after a pause. Seeing Jiraiya's concern, he continued, "You can participate, but follow the village's decisions. A teenager wielding an unrefined Rinnegan defeated you. Imagine the threat when fully mastered."
Sakumo glanced at Yoichi, hinting at the potential danger if left unchecked, given the Rinnegan's power and Nagato's grudge.
"And Danzō, Minato."
Yoichi added, "Private actions are one thing, but involving the village is unforgivable. Root was absorbed into Anbu, so why does Danzō still have a force and ally with Hanzō?"
Sakumo instructed Hiruzen, "Recall Danzō and his subordinates immediately. This is a direct order from the Hokage's office."
Hiruzen sighed, "Understood, I'll signal him."
"A high-level meeting at the Hokage Tower tomorrow."
With that, Sakumo left, and Yoichi followed.
After they left, Hiruzen angrily scolded Jiraiya, "Why didn't you come to me first?"
"You didn't send a message. I even asked Minato to check."
"I told Minato to bring you back. I thought you'd come to ask, but you acted on your own and caused this mess."
Hiruzen huffed and left, planning to discuss with Koharu and Homura.
After he left, Minato asked Jiraiya, "Do you need anything?"
"No, Minato, you can go. I'm mostly healed."
Jiraiya waved him off, deep in thought about Nagato. Since learning the news, he felt like he had been acting impulsively.
Reflecting, he realized he was too worried about the Rinnegan. He still was. If it fell into the wrong hands, it could cause great destruction in the shinobi world.
...
The next day, Sakumo gathered Konoha's leaders at the Hokage office.
Anbu captains, interrogation and intelligence heads, Jiraiya, Hiruzen, and Orochimaru were present.
"Today's meeting is important. It started half a month ago..."
After explaining the events, the room fell silent, much like the hospital the day before.
Orochimaru glanced at Jiraiya, intrigued by the hidden Rinnegan. He felt a renewed interest in researching it.
"Here's my decision. I discussed with Hiruzen yesterday to recall Danzō and his subordinates within five days. Those who don't return will be considered traitors."
Sakumo's firm stance was clear. Despite being a peaceful Hokage, today he was resolute.
"Hokage—"
Koharu tried to speak but was cut off by Sakumo, "Advisor, let me finish. The Akatsuki leader, Nagato, is confirmed hostile due to Danzō. The mission to capture Nagato and Konan is now S-rank."
Jiraiya wanted to protest but was stopped by Yoichi, "Jiraiya, don't rush to argue. If Nagato could severely injure you, what about other Konoha ninja?"
Jiraiya held back, acknowledging the threat Nagato posed.
"The mission prioritizes capture. Whether to kill will depend on Nagato and Konan's actions. Six Anbu teams and ten Jonin squads will be dispatched. Jiraiya, you'll join them."
"I understand."
Jiraiya agreed, knowing Sakumo was giving him a chance. Bringing Nagato back could save him; otherwise, he'd be marked for elimination.
"One more thing, Hanzō likely knows about the Rinnegan. We must consider our relations with Amegakure."
Sakumo paused, "Deploy a ninja battalion to River Town to monitor Amegakure."
(End of Chapter)
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