Tapping Naruto on the head, Jiraiya said, "How can you call it peeping? That was research, got it? I'm a writer!"
Naruto muttered, "I still want to go back and say goodbye to Sakura."
Jiraiya shot him an exasperated glare but then grinned as a thought struck him. "Kid, you want to beat Sasuke, don't you?"
"Of course!"
Naruto's eyes lit up with enthusiasm.
"If you want to beat Sasuke, then stick with me!" Jiraiya huffed. "Most people would beg for the chance to train with me!"
Naruto asked, "Then why can't we train in the village? Why sneak out like this?"
"You'll understand later!"
Jiraiya dodged the question.
He didn't want Naruto to know yet that, as a Jinchuriki, he was already a target for the Akatsuki, living in constant fear.
"Always that excuse!" Naruto grumbled but followed Jiraiya obediently, saying, "Pervy Sage, are you gonna teach me how to beat Sasuke this time?"
Jiraiya's expression turned serious. "Hasn't Uchiha Shinji already shown you how to beat Sasuke?"
"You mean the 'Rasenshuriken'?"
Naruto's face fell, looking troubled.
After seeing Shinji use the "Rasenshuriken," Naruto had tried it himself in secret, only to find that upgrading the "Rasengan" into the "Rasenshuriken" was far from simple.
He'd attempted it several times, not only failing but also injuring his arm in the process. If not for his Uzumaki clan Sage Body and being the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki, half his arm might've been ruined by now.
Jiraiya said, "Don't underestimate the 'Rasenshuriken' that Uchiha Shinji developed. That jutsu involves chakra nature fusion—a highly advanced technique! I estimate its training difficulty is S-rank."
"No wonder!"
Jiraiya continued, "But with your foundation in the 'Rasengan,' it should be a lot easier for you than for others!"
Naruto's face lit up. "Really?"
"Of course!"
Jiraiya nodded, then looked at Naruto with a complicated expression.
In his eyes, Naruto, at just eleven years old, was already exceptional as both a shinobi and a Jinchuriki.
Naruto could partially maintain control during tailed-beast transformation, had mastered the "Multiple Shadow Clone Technique," and even learned the "Rasengan."
At the same age, Jiraiya hadn't been nearly as accomplished!
But this generation of the ninja academy was overflowing with monsters—Shinji, Yakumo, Sasuke, Kimimaro, and more—making Naruto seem less standout. Otherwise, with his strength, Naruto could absolutely contend for the First Chair position!
Unaware of Jiraiya's thoughts, Naruto was already daydreaming about defeating Sasuke and winning Sakura's heart.
Hidden Rain Village.
The relentless drizzle fell, casting the entire sky in a gloomy shroud.
"Heavenly Path" stood atop the central tower, gazing down at the Hidden Rain Village like a deity.
Konan approached from behind, saying, "Madara sent word. He's located the hiding places of the two Jinchuriki from the Hidden Stone Village!"
The "Madara" Konan referred to was, of course, Obito.
Nagato and Konan didn't truly believe Obito was the real Uchiha Madara, but after the war in the Land of Grass, both sides realized there was another group acting under the "Akatsuki" name, with strength rivaling their own.
Add to that the threat of the "Upper Moon" forces and the five great shinobi villages.
Faced with common enemies, Nagato and Obito ultimately chose to compromise and make peace. They knew that continued infighting would doom their plan to capture the nine Tailed Beasts and revive the Ten-Tails!
As both sides shared intelligence, Shinji's faction of the Akatsuki began to surface, clearing up past misunderstandings and suspicions. Both Nagato and Obito recognized the importance of genuine cooperation.
Thus, whether Obito was truly Uchiha Madara no longer mattered to Nagato.
"Heavenly Path" turned slowly, asking succinctly, "Where?"
Konan replied, "The Four-Tails Jinchuriki is in Rock Gate Valley in the southern Land of Earth. The Five-Tails Jinchuriki is in Red Maple Forest in the northern Land of Earth."
"Heavenly Path" pondered briefly before saying, "We've lain low long enough. It's time to move! Send Itachi and Juzo Biwa to Rock Gate Valley to retrieve the Four-Tails Jinchuriki. Send Moryo and Shinno to Red Maple Forest for the Five-Tails Jinchuriki. Tell them failure is not an option!"
"Understood!"
Konan nodded.
According to the organization's original plan, they would capture the nine Tailed Beasts in order, from One-Tail to Nine-Tails, sealing each into the "Gedo Statue" immediately after capture.
But due to changes in the shinobi world's dynamics, sequential captures risked being targeted by enemy forces. So, they decided to tackle the harder targets first, starting with the Hidden Cloud, Hidden Stone, and Hidden Mist Villages, each with two adult Jinchuriki.
As for the Hidden Leaf's Nine-Tails Jinchuriki, the Hidden Sand's One-Tail Jinchuriki, and the Hidden Waterfall's Seven-Tails Jinchuriki—all underage—they could be dealt with later to avoid alerting the Cloud, Stone, and Mist Villages prematurely.
After all, adult Jinchuriki, especially "perfect Jinchuriki" like the Two-Tails, Three-Tails, and Eight-Tails, were far harder to handle.
As for which of the three villages to target first, Nagato's plan was simple: act on whichever village's intelligence came first.
The Hidden Cloud had suffered a major loss to Akatsuki before and was now highly vigilant, heavily guarding both the Two-Tails and Eight-Tails Jinchuriki, making them difficult targets.
The Hidden Mist was in a similar situation.
Due to the previous Mizukage's history of being controlled by a mysterious Uchiha with a Mangekyo Sharingan, the Fourth Mizukage, the Three-Tails Jinchuriki, was extremely cautious, even hiding the Six-Tails Jinchuriki.
Thus, after extensive investigation, Akatsuki had only uncovered the whereabouts of the Hidden Stone's two Jinchuriki.
It wasn't that the Hidden Stone was careless. Rather, their two Jinchuriki, Roshi and Han, had some friction with the Third Tsuchikage and didn't fully cooperate with his arrangements, allowing Zetsu to track them down and locate their hideouts!