"Come out."
Fujiwara Kirito called out toward the three rooms.
"Kirito, what's the situation?"
Hearing his call, Izumi, Pakura, Mikoto, and Chika came out of their rooms respectively.
Since Pakura had moved in, Kirito's rarely used room had been given to her. Kirito himself rotated nights between the rooms of his three wives.
As for Chika, she always stayed in the same room as Mikoto. But when Kirito wanted to spend intimate time with Mikoto, he would cast an illusion on Chika to make her sleep peacefully.
"It's been resolved. Jiraiya has now been sealed in another space by me. I'll release him once everything is settled," Kirito said lightly, as an explanation to Tsunade, that fierce tiger woman.
Then, Kirito turned his gaze toward Mikoto. "Mikoto, there's no time to waste. Things might start soon. Go prepare—we should set off."
"I understand." Mikoto nodded, her eyes slightly red. She knew this would be the last time she'd see her eldest daughter.
"Dad, Mom, I want to go too." Seeing Mikoto also leaving, Chika was unhappy and wanted to follow.
Mikoto shook her head and said gently, "Be good, Chika. This time we're not going out to play. Stay home with Aunt Izumi and Aunt Pakura. Wait for us to come back."
Chika looked at Kirito with pleading eyes. Her round eyes were full of innocence.
Kirito smiled, picked her up and said, "It's fine, let her come. There's no danger anyway."
It was just right—for Sasuke to see his sister. That moment should be quite interesting.
Meanwhile—
The site of Jiraiya's "fall" was in ruins. Seawater filled the area, with collapsed metal pipes and buildings scattered about.
"Jiraiya, one of the Legendary Sannin, finally dies. If not for a certain secret, he might not have lost. He truly was a teacher worthy of respect," said the Deva Path Pain, standing on a metal pipe. Around him were the other Five Paths of Pain—excluding the Animal Path—silently observing the destruction.
"It's strange, though... Jiraiya was your teacher. What a twisted world. Betraying one's master is common now. Orochimaru killed the Third Hokage, Sasuke killed Orochimaru, and now you killed Jiraiya," came a teasing voice.
With a poof, smoke cleared—Fujiwara Kirito appeared on a pipe opposite Pain.
"Got a problem with that?" Deva Path Pain raised an eyebrow.
"Not really. I'm just relieved I never took Sasuke as a disciple. Otherwise, I might've died in the last battle," Kirito said with a relaxed tone despite the heavy topic.
"Kirito, you joke too much. With your strength and chakra reserves, even if Sasuke learned your jutsu, he'd never match you. A Fei said his Mangekyō was easily overwhelmed by you," White Zetsu said as a large pitcher plant bloomed from a nearby wall.
Black Zetsu picked up the topic with his hoarse voice. "Rather than a battle, it was a one-sided beatdown. But Kirito, why didn't you kill Sasuke? He clearly intended to kill you."
"That's unlike you. And you don't seem like someone who'd listen to Itachi either," Black Zetsu added.
Kirito shrugged. "I just hate Itachi more than that naive Sasuke. Compared to Jiraiya, that 'filial' son tried to kill me."
"You hate Itachi more?" White Zetsu asked. He recalled the Uchiha massacre and nodded. "But didn't you say Itachi could defeat Sasuke?"
"That's in general terms. Who knows what unexpected things could happen?" Kirito replied casually, glancing at Pain. "But your strength, Pain... it's more than this, isn't it? Did you let Jiraiya die with some dignity, like Orochimaru did for the Third?"
"What do you mean?" Pain narrowed his eyes.
Kirito shrugged again. "Nothing. Just feel that, in today's shinobi world, no one could take you one-on-one." Except me.
"Of course. That's the Rinnegan—the power of the Sage of Six Paths," Black Zetsu praised.
Black Zetsu felt strangely comforted. Although he saw most Akatsuki members as pawns, Kirito was an uncontrollable anomaly. He had exposed Obito's Kamui, crushed him twice, and posed a real threat even to Kaguya.
If Kirito admitted that even Pain surpassed him, it gave Black Zetsu some peace—perhaps the Rinnegan truly could suppress him.
"Enough with the flattery." Pain ignored them. "You should focus on capturing the Eight-Tails at Yunlei Gorge."
"No rush," Kirito said. "The Eight-Tails isn't going anywhere, and you still haven't secured the Six-Tails."
"Besides, if you catch the Eight-Tails now, you risk alerting all five nations. The Jinchūriki is the Raikage's younger brother. The Five Kage Summit might be convened. That's trouble before we're ready."
"Heh." Pain didn't deny it.
Kirito continued, "Compared to that, I'm more interested in something else."
"What is it?" Pain asked curiously.
Kirito hesitated. Should I really say it out loud? Nagato is so easily manipulated. First he believed Obito's lies, and later, he sacrificed himself to revive Konoha after being swayed by Naruto. Tch.
"You didn't tell Pain about Sasuke and Itachi's upcoming battle?" Kirito asked, turning to Zetsu.
"Uh..." White and Black Zetsu looked at each other. "We didn't mention it. Itachi is strong enough to kill Sasuke. Plus, since Kirito tested him already, we figured it wasn't important. Once Itachi wins, we'll still gain a stronger member."
"Then have Itachi end it quickly," Pain said coldly.
Zetsu nodded in submission.
"And Kirito, if you're so interested in that battle, go watch it—but don't forget about the Eight-Tails." With that, Pain vanished with the other Paths.
Zetsu also disappeared into the ground.
Kirito smirked and formed a single seal. With a puff, he vanished—the one speaking had only been a shadow clone.
Meanwhile, the real Kirito brought Izumi to her room.
He planned to let her absorb Fugaku's Mangekyō Sharingan and bloodline to awaken the Eternal Mangekyō.
"What's going on?" Izumi was surprised. Usually, when Kirito dragged her into a room, he had other motives.
"What are you imagining?" Kirito gave her a light knock on the head.
"Ouch..."
"This time, I'm helping you awaken the Eternal Mangekyō so you won't need Senzu Beans after every training session," he said.
"Eternal Mangekyō? Is that even real? I don't have a blood relative to fuse with..."
"You forgot? I told you how I got my Sharingan."
"Uncle Fugaku gave you his eyes before he died," she nodded—then her expression changed. "Wait, you mean..."
Kirito nodded.
"No! I can't accept it!" Izumi immediately refused. Though she longed for the Eternal Mangekyō, Kirito's safety meant more to her.
Kirito reassured her. "They're useless to me. And besides, your own Sharingan is the one best suited for you."
"...Really?"
Kirito placed a hand on her head. "System, allow Izumi to absorb Fugaku's Mangekyō and blood."
A golden light sank into her.
[Ding, absorption successful.]
Izumi soon fell into a deep sleep.
Kirito sensed her chakra growing, the two Mangekyō fusing. She would likely unlock the full-body Susanoo. She trained her eyes for nearly a decade, unlike Sasuke who relied on Sage of Six Paths power.
He gently covered her with a blanket, left a protective shadow clone, and exited the room.
Mikoto and Chika were already ready, dressed in ninja gear. Even little Chika wore a forehead protector and a vest like her mother.
"So fast?" Mikoto was surprised. She thought he'd take hours.
"I just helped Izumi awaken the Mangekyō," Kirito replied.
"Going to war?" Mikoto asked playfully.
"Just visiting someone."
"Dad, what do you think of my clothes?" Chika spun, showing off.
"You're beautiful. Like a cosplayer," Kirito smiled, brushing her hair.
And in his heart, he thought—if Sasuke dares touch her, I'll kill him.
Kirito handed Pakura a special Flying Thunder God kunai. He had already marked all his women. Confident they'd be safe, he left with Mikoto and Chika.
(End of this chapter)
***
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