The two quickened their pace and arrived at Adofu Street before the daylight faded completely.
The town wasn't large, but because it sat at the intersection of several main highways, traveling merchants, wandering ninjas, and performing artists making a living all liked to stop here, making the entire main street brightly lit.
The streets were lined with various stalls, and the savory aroma of grilled fish mingled with other scents, filling the air.
Familiar with the area, Jiraiya easily found an inn and greeted the proprietress behind the counter.
With his silver tongue, he had the proprietress grinning from ear to ear, quickly securing two adjacent guest rooms at a great price.
After putting away their luggage, the two went out to find a place to eat.
Naruto didn't hold back at all, ordering a lot of food—each dish being high-protein and highly nutritious.
He had already formed a habit: whenever he had the chance, he would prioritize consuming high-quality food and use Absolute Control to absorb it, gradually rebuilding his physical foundation which had been depleted during his childhood.
Jiraiya didn't have much of an appetite. In front of him sat only a plate of salted edamame and a small flask of sake.
After finishing their meal and returning to the inn, Jiraiya closed the door and wore the same serious expression as before.
"Pervy Sage, ask whatever you want to ask."
Naruto sat down opposite Jiraiya and casually poured himself a cup of water.
Jiraiya cleared his throat and raised a finger. "First is your sensory ability. Two S-rank rogue ninjas were tracking us. Even I didn't immediately sense exactly where they were hiding, but not only did you sense them, you also accurately stated that they harbored malice."
"How did you do it? Did you learn sensory sage arts from the toads of Mount Myōboku? But I've never heard Gamabunta mention it."
"Or do you have some special Kekkei Genkai?"
Naruto answered, "I indeed possess a special sensory ability. I can sense other people's emotions of goodwill and malice toward me."
"Those two had been following us ever since we left the main highway. Their malice toward me was very distinct, so I noticed it right away."
"What?! Sensing other people's goodwill and malice?" Jiraiya's eyes widened.
In an instant, a name flashed through his mind—Uzumaki Mito.
The wife of the First Hokage, Senju Hashirama, the first Nine-Tails Jinchuriki of Konoha, a princess of the Uzumaki clan, and also an elder to Naruto's mother, Uzumaki Kushina.
Mito possessed a sensory ability that was extremely rare in the entire Ninja World. She was able to determine if there were enemies nearby by sensing the malice and goodwill others felt toward her.
On the battlefield, this ability was practically equivalent to having a sensory barrier that made it impossible to be ambushed.
Jiraiya's gaze toward Naruto shifted from shock to a complex heartache.
He suspected that the awakening of this sensory ability was very likely directly related to the fact that Naruto had lived in an environment surrounded by malice since childhood.
Over the years, the blatant disgust in the eyes of the Konoha villagers when they saw Naruto on the streets, the dark thoughts of those pointing fingers at him from the shadows, and the malice of venting their fear and anger upon him.
Day after day, year after year, these emotions had washed over a child's unformed Chakra sensory system.
In a childhood devoid of choice, Naruto had been pushed step by step to this point by this village.
Thinking of this, Jiraiya's fist involuntarily tightened on his knee, but he quickly relaxed it.
He didn't want Naruto to see him getting angry over old matters.
Jiraiya took a deep breath, calming his emotions. "I understand. Now for the second question. What did you and Itachi talk about in the forest just now?"
Naruto thought for a moment, then shared his analysis of the Uchiha Clan's massacre with Jiraiya.
He didn't mention Shisui's eye, only saying that during the gaps in their fight, he had used tentative dialogue to further verify the information he had previously gathered.
'The massacre of the Uchiha Clan... the old man and Danzo.' Jiraiya's face darkened after hearing Naruto's analysis.
As Hiruzen's student, he understood Danzo's style of doing things far better than anyone else.
Back then, after the Uchiha massacre occurred, he already felt there were far too many suspicious points.
Could a thirteen-year-old child really slaughter an entire clan?
Itachi had never shown any signs of a crazy or bloodthirsty personality before defecting, and Danzo's overly quiet attitude throughout the entire affair defied common sense.
Now that Naruto had connected these suspicious points into a complete chain, although Jiraiya was unwilling to believe it, his reason told him that this was indeed the truth.
"So everything you talked about with Itachi was all for Sasuke?" Jiraiya's expression softened slightly.
Naruto nodded. "Sasuke is my childhood friend. He has taken too many detours for the sake of revenge. I don't want him to be kept in the dark forever, nor do I want him to destroy himself because of hatred."
"It's the same on Itachi's side. He isn't a simple madman, there are compelling reasons behind his actions."
"Of course, this isn't speaking up for him. Some things, once done, are done, and no one can wash them clean. But at least we should know what the truth is."
Jiraiya nodded, letting out a long breath.
In any case, it seemed Naruto had not been bewitched by Itachi's words. His judgment had remained perfectly clear from beginning to end.
The thing he had been worried about did not happen. Still, the necessary warning had to be given.
***
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