"Jiraiya, you're leaving?" Orochimaru appeared and asked.
Jiraiya nodded.
"Capture a few more White Zetsu. Live ones are always the most valuable for research," Orochimaru said indifferently.
Jiraiya gave him a strange look. He always felt like he was now at Orochimaru's beck and call.
Brushing aside his thoughts, Jiraiya left calmly.
Naruto looked at Orochimaru who remained behind, his eyes filled with slight disgust.
Orochimaru chuckled lightly before simply saying, "Naruto, every war has its casualties."
With that said, he turned on his heel and walked off.
Naruto didn't understand what those words meant at first.
His heart still felt uneasy.
Why did Master Jiraiya ask me to stay here?
Why do I have to work with a monster like that — someone who kills without any remorse?
He just couldn't understand.
"What do you want from me now?" On the training ground, Sasuke turned his head toward Naruto, who had been staring fixedly at his back.
"Sasuke, don't you think Orochimaru is disgusting? He's experimenting on live humans! Why should we cooperate with someone like him..."
Before Naruto could finish, Sasuke already understood what he meant. He suddenly smiled mockingly.
"It's simple. Either defeat him and save those people, or leave this place and avoid seeing such things. It's pointless and hypocritical to worry about all this while being unable to do anything about it," Sasuke said coldly.
Naruto froze. "I..."
"Don't bother me unless it's important. Unlike you, I'm not that free. I have goals, things I need to accomplish." Sasuke said icily.
"Goals..." Naruto repeated the word.
At one time, his dream had been to earn everyone's recognition.
To possess friendship... family... like a happy child...
But now, he felt lost.
Those things seemed suddenly forgotten, as if he were just tagging along behind Master Jiraiya, going wherever they were told to go...
Sasuke had already walked to another corner of the training ground.
Naruto still stood there, feeling dejected.
In the laboratory, seeing Orochimaru's arrival, the still-conscious Hiruzen Sarutobi approached him.
"Orochimaru, perhaps I can help if you tell me exactly what you're planning."
Orochimaru raised an eyebrow, looking surprised.
"I only wish for everything to end soon—in every sense of the word. Whether it's lives here, or other matters..." Hiruzen sighed.
"Can former jinchuriki regain their tailed beast chakra?" Orochimaru asked.
"Even if they could, their chakra reserves wouldn't match those of true jinchuriki," Hiruzen replied.
Orochimaru shrugged nonchalantly.
Seeing Orochimaru's indifferent expression, Hiruzen thought for a moment before continuing, "According to what Jiraiya described, the nine Tailed Beasts originated from splitting apart the Ten-Tails. In other words, the Tailed Beasts' chakra originates from a single source. Perhaps the current jinchuriki might be able to draw out original tailed beast chakra..."
A spark lit in Orochimaru's eyes. As expected of the Expert of Ninjutsu.
A man of vast experience and deep knowledge.
"Naruto... he might not cooperate..."
Meanwhile, Jiraiya was already on his way toward the Country of Rain.
"Konan, Yahiko... we'll meet again," Jiraiya murmured to himself.
The information about Akatsuki came from Orochimaru.
Orochimaru had also told him about the organization's plans to gather the Tailed Beasts.
Even the identities of its members had been revealed by Orochimaru.
Jiraiya's purpose this time was to determine whether Akatsuki had any connection with Kaguya.
If there wasn't one, perhaps he could reveal the truth to them.
But if there was... Jiraiya sighed.
At times, he couldn't help thinking that what Orochimaru said carried some truth.
Right now, he had nothing—no means of making his voice heard.
Without the support of a village or country, certain people simply refused to engage in equal conversation with him.
But how could he, an outsider, interfere in another nation's internal affairs? That seemed impossible as well.
Counting everything up, the only place left with legitimacy and potential for reclaiming was Konoha itself.
Eventually, there would be a clash with Konoha.
As for Orochimaru, with the Impure World Reincarnation at his disposal, he could easily obtain combat strength rivaling that of an entire village.
Inside the tall tower of the Country of Rain, Nagato's pale face suddenly flashed with a fierce glint. He turned to the calm Konan beside him and said, "An intruder, northwest direction."
Konan solemnly nodded her head. With a whoosh, a pair of white wings unfolded behind her back, pure and soft like swan feathers.
She departed from the tower, flying toward the location Nagato indicated.
Occasionally, pieces of paper fluttered down to the ground. Residents of the Country of Rain looked up, seeing only a white streak flash past their eyes.
The rain kept falling steadily. Jiraiya narrowed his eyes.
Since entering the Country of Rain, he'd felt something strange about this rain—it contained peculiar chakra.
"It seems I've already been found out," Jiraiya sighed.
A gust of wind reached his ears. Jiraiya turned around.
Before him stood a woman with long hair tied back, wearing a white flower atop her head, watching him expressionlessly.
"Konan, long time no see. How are Yahiko and Nagato?" Jiraiya waved and smiled.
Konan didn't speak; instead, she carefully studied Jiraiya's expression.
He didn't even look surprised—did he expect to meet her here?
"Teacher Jiraiya, who told you I was in the Country of Rain?"
"Haha, we must just think alike," Jiraiya scratched his head, still smiling.
Konan showed no intention of reminiscing with him and coldly replied, "Teacher Jiraiya, please leave now."
For a moment, Jiraiya's expression froze. "Huh? I specially came to visit all of you. Is your hospitality really going to be this warm?"
"...What business do you have?" Her tone was stiff.
"I've got nowhere else to go, so I figured I'd come see if you'd take me in."
Konan remained silent, raising an eyebrow in disbelief.
"Teacher Jiraiya, since you insist on staying, then I'll have to take action. The Country of Rain does not welcome outsiders."
Her paper wings unfolded once more from her back.
"Eh, wait..." Jiraiya quickly said. "I do have something serious to talk about, but I wanted to speak with all three of you together. Where are Yahiko and Nagato?"
"Yahiko..." Konan murmured softly, a flicker of sorrow in her eyes.
THUD～
A booming sound echoed from somewhere, and then an emotionless man with short orange hair and a nose ring strode toward them—into Jiraiya's line of sight.
"Yahiko..." Jiraiya stared in shock.
"Jiraiya-sensei," Pain's Deva Path stated coldly, making no effort to correct the older man's address.
Konan stepped back a few paces and stood silently behind him, watching the conversation unfold.
"Jiraiya-sensei, ninja from Konoha aren't welcome here," Pain's Deva Path declared.
"I'm not representing any ninja village—I'm just speaking for myself," Jiraiya said, spreading his hands.
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