Naruto sat cross-legged in the ruins, his breath steadying as he worked healing chakra into his left eye socket. The pain was still sharp, but it was manageable. Once the swelling eased, he carefully reinserted his original eye, blinking until the world sharpened into focus again.
A quiet laugh escaped him.
"Haha… It's fine. My eyes still feel comfortable."
He rubbed his temple, then allowed his grin to fade into thought.
"Still, that brief time using the Mangekyō… it gave me a glimpse of something deeper. A taste of the universe's true power."
A harvest worth the pain.
When his strength returned, Naruto rose and moved swiftly across the borderlands, making his way toward his assigned rendezvous with Kurenai's team and Guy's team.
Meanwhile, in a hidden cavern deep within the Rain Country, White Zetsu slithered into view. Shimura Danzō sat stiff-backed on a crude wooden chair, eyes closed in meditation. When the Root leader opened his single visible eye, it gleamed with suspicion.
"What business brings you here, Zetsu?"
White Zetsu grinned broadly. "Heh… I thought you should know. Konoha's mobilized search parties to track you down. Seems you've made a few too many enemies."
Danzō's face twisted into a scowl. The thought of ANBU and hunters dispatched by the same village he once served filled him with bitter rage. Tsunade… the Council… they drove me to this. All of them.
"Leave," he ordered curtly.
Zetsu chuckled and sank into the earth without another word. Whether Danzō lived or died was of little consequence to him.
Left alone, Danzō exhaled slowly. Konoha will pay for this humiliation. But for now… I must endure. He had danced with death too often of late to squander his life. Even he understood the value of patience now.
At the same time, at the gates of Konohagakure, a familiar tall figure returned from a long journey.
"Jiraiya-sama, welcome back!" The two gatekeepers straightened and bowed.
"Mm. You've worked hard," Jiraiya said warmly, raising a hand in casual acknowledgment before heading toward the Hokage Tower.
The moment he was gone, Kotetsu muttered with awe, "Man, Jiraiya-sama's incredible. He trained the Fourth Hokage, and now Naruto… they say Naruto might already be Konoha's strongest shinobi."
Izumo sighed. "If I'd had a master like that, maybe I'd be jōnin by now." He looked wistfully toward the sky until Kotetsu smacked him on the head.
"Stop daydreaming, idiot. Jiraiya-sama doesn't just pick up strays."
When Jiraiya entered the Hokage's office, Tsunade glanced up from a mountain of paperwork.
"You're back," she said directly. "Did you learn anything?"
Jiraiya took a seat, greeted Shizune with a wink that made her blush and scold him, then began to recount everything: Akatsuki's movements, their hidden bases, their confirmed members.
When he finished, Tsunade folded her arms tightly. The Akatsuki's true objective — the collection of tailed beasts — left a chill in the room. "If they succeed, the balance of the entire shinobi world collapses."
Shizune bit her lip nervously. "They're too well-hidden. If not for Jiraiya-sama, we'd still have nothing."
Jiraiya forced a smile. "Don't give me all the credit. Naruto's grown more than even I expected. He'll be central to this fight, Tsunade."
Tsunade rolled her eyes. "That's because Naruto's exceptional, not because of you."
Their old rhythm of banter faded when Jiraiya added, more seriously, "I plan to go to Amegakure. If Akatsuki's leader hides there, it's the only way to uncover the truth."
"Absolutely not!" Tsunade's voice cracked like a whip. "Marching alone into enemy territory is suicide, even for you."
But Jiraiya's eyes were resolute. "I've already decided."
"Then you'll wait until Naruto returns," Tsunade snapped. "Not one step without backup."
Jiraiya fell silent, unwilling to push further, and Shizune exhaled in relief.
The office door opened again. Anko strode inside, her expression unsettled.
"Tsunade-sama. Jiraiya-sama."
"What is it, Anko?" Tsunade asked, her brow furrowing.
Anko recounted in detail: being dragged from her home by an unknown assailant, her chakra sealed, her curse mark gone, and then waking suddenly in her own apartment as though nothing had happened.
The air in the office thickened.
"Flying Thunder God…" Jiraiya muttered.
"Or a space-time ninjutsu close to it," Tsunade finished grimly.
If someone could infiltrate Konoha and abduct one of their own jōnin without leaving a trace, then no one was safe. Shizune shivered, gooseflesh rising at the thought.
"Shizune!" Tsunade snapped. "Mobilize ANBU. A full internal sweep — every sector, every informant. Leave nothing unchecked."
"Yes, Hokage-sama!" Shizune rushed out at once.
Tsunade dismissed Anko with a gentler tone, then turned back to Jiraiya. "Now do you see why you can't just wander into Amegakure? Orochimaru, Akatsuki… everything's converging. We deal with Konoha's infiltrators first."
Jiraiya's eyes darkened, but he nodded.
On the border of the Land of Fire, Naruto finally regrouped with Guy's team and, hours later, Kurenai's.
When everyone gathered in the ruins of an abandoned temple, Naruto addressed them calmly.
"I've confirmed it. Akatsuki's base is in the Land of Rain. And… their leader wields the Rinnegan."
Gasps spread through the group. Tenten's brow furrowed. "The… Rinnegan? I've heard the name, but what does it mean?"
Neji stepped forward, his pale eyes fixed on Naruto. "Naruto, you seem to know more than you should. Explain."
Naruto folded his arms, expression grave. "The Rinnegan is the most powerful dōjutsu in existence. Stronger than the Byakugan. Stronger than the Sharingan — even the Mangekyō. Legends say the Sage of Six Paths himself possessed them. That alone should tell you enough."
A stunned silence followed.
Kiba let out a low whistle. "Wait, wait… if this Akatsuki leader really has the Sage's eyes, then how the hell are we supposed to fight him? That's impossible!"
"Not impossible," Shino said flatly. "But not easy."
Guy thrust his thumb up, eyes blazing with spirit. "Despair is useless! As long as we train our youth and fight with courage, even the strongest enemy can be overcome!"
"Yosh!" Lee echoed, fists clenched. "Our flames of youth will never be extinguished!"
Naruto chuckled softly, though his gaze flickered toward Hinata. She said nothing, but her eyes followed him with quiet worry. He didn't miss it.
After debate, they agreed unanimously: this discovery was too critical to act on alone. They would return to Konoha and report to Tsunade.
Back in the Hokage's office, the meeting chamber filled with heavyweights — Tsunade at the desk, Shizune beside her, Nara Shikaku, Hiashi Hyūga, Guy, Kurenai, Kakashi, and now Jiraiya as well.
Naruto and his teams knelt at the center as Tsunade's sharp eyes swept across them. "Report."
Naruto stepped forward. "The Akatsuki's leader resides in Amegakure. And I can confirm with certainty… he possesses the Rinnegan."
The words dropped like a hammer. Every veteran in the room froze. Even Shikaku's calm face betrayed a flicker of unease.
Jiraiya's expression grew heavy, shadows deepening beneath his eyes. Tsunade tightened her fists on the desk.
If true… then the storm was closer than any of them had feared.
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