"Still haven't found them? Where exactly did things go wrong! Even if our clansmen die, they should at least destroy their Sharingan, so why can't we even locate their remains?"
Fugaku was furious.
While everyone else was cheering the war's victory, mourning fallen comrades, and basking in the post-war peace, normally the surviving ninja would receive generous rewards—whether to enjoy, purchase tools, or trade for jutsu to improve their strength.
All the clans were doing the same: honoring their dead, checking gaps in the living, and improving the clan's overall power.
The Uchiha, however, didn't need to do this. Their tactical system was already highly refined, their education methods for the next generation had no apparent issues, and more importantly, they had a pressing problem—several Uchiha bodies were missing.
Fugaku's expression was grim. Since their participation in the Second Great Ninja War and deployment to the Western front, occasional situations like this had occurred.
Even if a clansman died in battle, Fugaku could understand. Over the years of war, twenty-seven Uchiha had fallen, thirteen of whom had awakened their Sharingan—a heavy loss.
The clan's total population was just over six hundred. Subtract the elders and children, then remove the unremarkable who hadn't awakened their Sharingan, and the number of skilled warriors with Sharingan barely exceeded a hundred. Losing thirteen at once was undeniably serious.
There was no choice; the Sharingan was only attainable by a few. The Uchiha were prideful and bold in combat. Without a Kage-level guardian and engaging in massive battles, mortality inevitably rose.
Ordinary clan members dying wasn't alarming, even if their bodies vanished. But among the thirteen Sharingan users who died, three bodies had inexplicably disappeared.
No remains, no trace at all.
If the deaths had been caused by enemy jutsu like Fire Release or Lightning Release, leaving no bodies, that would be understandable. Fugaku feared someone might secretly be scheming to exploit the Uchiha's kekkei genkai.
This wasn't paranoia. In both the Warring States era and the Ninja Village era, such incidents were frequent. As clan head, Fugaku had to ensure the Uchiha's noble bloodline didn't leak out. Every death of a Sharingan user demanded his utmost attention.
Setsuna said coldly, "No need to doubt. Someone is definitely acting against us in secret. Orochimaru has the ability, Danzo has the motive. If these two work together, secretly taking our clansmen's remains for research is perfectly normal. And Kaede Tsukasa—he even has the ability to make the bodies disappear on their own."
"Don't make baseless accusations just because his Zombie Release has this ability."
Fugaku interrupted, "I've observed him controlling corpses in battle. He hasn't had the chance to modify our deceased clansmen, and there's no way, on a battlefield of that scale, he could have sneaked past so many eyes to take our bodies. He's not from the Hokage line, nor is he our political rival."
Fugaku had suspected this before, but there was no evidence. And he couldn't understand Kaede Tsukasa's motive for such actions.
He continued, "Verifying this is simple. There will be plenty of chances to fight alongside Kaede Tsukasa. Just pay attention to the corpses he controls. If any use the Sharingan's power in combat and exhibit techniques characteristic of our clan, our people will recognize it immediately."
At that moment, the Konoha security squad leader, Uchiha Hachidai, returned to report, "Clan Head, while patrolling the southwest of the village, we were ambushed by enemies. I pursued them, but Yuto went missing in the Konoha Forest. I've contacted the patrol teams; we're searching everywhere."
"Damn it, who is it? If it's the enemy, why were they discovered so easily after infiltrating the village? If it's Danzo, this is madness. What exactly is he trying to achieve?!"
Fugaku couldn't believe his ears and slammed the table in front of him in rage.
Yuto, a wielder of the three-tomoe Sharingan, wasn't the strongest, but he was a special jōnin. With further training, he could easily become a jōnin and a pillar of the Uchiha clan.
And now the three-tomoe Sharingan Yuto had disappeared?
Counting the previous three plus Yuto, four in total: three had the three-tomoe Sharingan, and one had the single-tomoe Sharingan.
Coincidence? Because the three-tomoe users were overconfident and reckless, they suffered the heaviest losses?
Fugaku's blood pressure spiked. He felt someone inside the village was targeting his clan but couldn't find proof. The attempt to lure and kill Yuto seemed too abstract, making him paranoid. Even if Danzo acted, it didn't seem plausible he'd handle it so crudely.
The Uchiha could only report this to the Hokage, announcing that enemy reconnaissance had increased, ordering the clan to remain vigilant, never be alone, and deny the enemy any opportunity.
In truth, however, this was indeed Danzo's doing.
Root Headquarters.
Ryoma was normally calm, but seeing Yuto's corpse and the blood still on the blade, his eye muscles twitched slightly.
"Lord Danzo, the war is over. The best opportunity has passed. Why take the risk to kill Uchiha clansmen? Are you trying to reduce their numbers?" Ryoma asked.
"No, that's not it."
Danzo emerged from the shadows, already in his battle attire, leaving Ryoma even more puzzled.
"Lord Danzo, you… intend to go into battle?"
Even during the Second Great Ninja War, Danzo had only fought in the early stages, primarily responsible for the Rain Country campaign. At that time, Konoha first treated the Rain Country as a third-party battlefield, clashing with forces from Sunagakure and Iwagakure.
It was also then that Nagato's parents were killed by Konoha ninja, leaving Nagato with a deeply traumatic memory.
Afterward, Hanzo the Salamander, fed up with the situation, declared war on Konoha, Sunagakure, and Iwagakure, personally fighting the invaders. After defeating the Three Ninja and establishing his reputation, he decisively withdrew from the war, giving Rain Country a brief and fragile peace.
Ryoma also knew that it was during this period that Danzo and Hanzo had secretly established contact, exchanging intelligence privately.
Danzo adjusted his sleeves and said coldly, "I need to confirm something personally. I must go to Rain Country myself."
"Because of Hanzo the Salamander?"
"Because of Jiraiya, and also because of Kaede Tsukasa. According to the intelligence provided by Hanzo, Jiraiya's movements have been constantly changing, obviously avoiding those three young ninja. I must go to Rain Country to see exactly what Jiraiya and Kaede Tsukasa encountered and what happened there!"
A sense of crisis gripped Danzo, prompting him to act.
He knew Kaede Tsukasa had gone to the frontlines without permission, likely sensing the leak caused by Ryoma. This indicated a perceptual link between Kaede Tsukasa and the infected corpses.
He also knew of Kaede Tsukasa's remarkable battlefield performance, knew Orochimaru was trying to sway him and not allowing him too much involvement, and knew Kaede Tsukasa had chosen the Dead Demon Consuming Seal from the Third Hokage, who had even visited Mito Uzumaki for it.
The Dead Demon Consuming Seal itself was unimportant. For a Zombie Release user, choosing Dead Demon Consuming Seal carried some rationality.
Yet what happened between Jiraiya and Kaede Tsukasa in Rain Country had always seemed unreasonable to Danzo. He must have missed critical information—and it was best that Hanzo not find out first.
"Originally, I sent Kaede Tsukasa to Rain Country to locate Jiraiya because his Zombie Release was suitable for complex unfamiliar environments, without worrying about personnel losses, and to test his five months of training. Without Kaede Tsukasa, neither I nor Hiruzen would have sent anyone to search for Jiraiya."
Danzo removed the bandages from his head, revealing a three-tomoe Sharingan. In the darkness, the eye glowed with an ominous red light: "But after that, things went wrong. All three subordinates sent with Kaede Tsukasa disappeared. Jiraiya refused to return, reporting secretly to Hiruzen. Kaede Tsukasa engaged in combat with unknown enemies…"
Who was the enemy? At first, Danzo suspected Hanzo. But recent communications indicated Hanzo denied any involvement, claiming he would never harm such a genius ninja and would not provoke war anew.
Danzo found this somewhat believable. Though Hanzo was overwhelmingly powerful, he already feared great ninja villages and wouldn't risk conflict unless stakes were extreme.
Could Kaede Tsukasa and Jiraiya have fought a hidden battle?
Unable to confirm, Danzo decided to see for himself. He knew Rain Country well.
"Kaede Tsukasa, only you are worth the trouble of me personally taking action… I will not allow you to join Orochimaru's side."
A glint of ferocity appeared in Danzo's eyes. With Kaede Tsukasa's rising strength and reputation, many methods no longer applied. Moral pressure was useless against someone flexible with ethics—who with a high moral standard would spend their days playing with corpses?
So now, before Orochimaru officially started experiments fusing Senju and Uchiha powers, Danzo would personally go and investigate any doubts surrounding Kaede Tsukasa.
The more questions there were, the more leverage Danzo could gain over Kaede Tsukasa, even for exchanging interests.
"Do you need me to accompany you?" Ryoma asked.
"No. You stay and maintain Root's operations. I will go with Terai and two teams of Root ninja. While I leave the village in secret, ensure no one suspects anything."
Danzo's Sharingan glinted fiercely. He had more than one three-tomoe Sharingan; to be safe, he had taken Yuto's and now held three in total.
With three three-tomoe Sharingan in hand, plus the barely mastered but usable Izanagi…
Danzo was confident. Rain Country was small. Who could harm him there? Even Hanzo could not touch him.
With Ryoma seeing him off, Danzo and his team departed swiftly.
After a long while, Ryōma looked up, watching the figures disappear into the night, his expression calm as he resumed managing Root's affairs.
Danzo's departure took nearly half of Root's personnel, making Ryōma's task even heavier.
"Rain Country, Kaede Tsukasa… Orochimaru and Danzo both want a jutsu in his possession. I don't even know its name. This is a failure in intelligence on my part—I must work harder to make up for it."
Ryoma faithfully carried out his duties. His loyalty to Danzo was unwavering, unshaken even by his death, so small matters did not provoke any extra thoughts.
"Nono Yakushi has completed her undercover mission in Iwagakure and returned to the village… She delivered high-level intelligence on the Four-Tails Jinchuriki in time. Her merit is considerable. The war has ended; approval is granted…"
Ryoma swiftly handled various administrative tasks, making rational decisions.
No one noticed Danzo and his team's departure. Even the daily surveillance by the Barrier Unit could not detect their movements. Danzo was fully aware of the methods used to maintain the sensory barrier, and he knew precisely when and from where to leave the village to avoid detection.
Only in an old residence, where Mito Uzumaki had just seen off the Third Hokage, did her eyelids lift slightly as she glanced outside, sensing something.
"Grandma, what is it? Has the Hokage returned?" Kushina asked, looking up at her.
"Nothing, I just think it's time to increase your training intensity tomorrow. I will teach you a forbidden jutsu of the Uzumaki clan called Dead Demon Consuming Seal. The Third Hokage came to see me earlier because he had passed this forbidden jutsu to an outsider. If an outsider can learn it, then you should learn it too."
Mito Uzumaki gently touched Kushina's long, beautiful hair, her heart full of pity.
She could feel her remaining time was short—probably only about a year left to shelter Kushina from the storm.
She had so much she wanted to say, so many instructions to give, yet time seemed too short…
But it had to end there. The path ahead would be even more difficult, and Kushina would have to walk it on her own.
"An outsider? Who? By what right could he learn our clan's forbidden jutsu?" Kushina asked, missing the point.
"He's the one I mentioned before—the person whose mind and body are extremely complex and chaotic," Mito Uzumaki said with a smile. Despite the wrinkles on her face, her youthful elegance was still faintly visible.
"I know. Kaede Tsukasa, that strange ninja who manipulates others' corpses. Many even say he's a war hero."
Kushina immediately recalled brushing past Kaede Tsukasa outside the barbecue restaurant.
If it was someone like him, no wonder the Third Hokage entrusted the Uzumaki clan's forbidden jutsu to him. But Zombie Release and Dead Demon Consuming Seal… at least from their names, they seemed oddly complementary.
Thinking of this, Kushina laughed heartily: "Dead Demon Consuming Seal, if Kaede Tsukasa can learn it, I will too—and I'll master it even more skillfully, unleashing power greater than his! I am a descendant of the Uzumaki clan; he is not!"
Power… For ordinary jutsu, and most forbidden jutsu, one could evaluate it in terms of strength. But Dead Demon Consuming Seal was different—either you knew it, or you didn't.
Once mastered, as long as the technique could be executed successfully, the outcome was exactly the same; there was no variation.
"Still, why would a Zombie Release user choose our clan's Dead Demon Consuming Seal ? That's the last kind of jutsu he should pick—one that ends in mutual destruction."
Mito Uzumaki pondered this with mild confusion.
It seemed unreasonable. Kaede Tsukasa had the Void Technique and could easily escape when overpowered. He could control a large number of corpses without worry.
Mito shared the Third Hokage's thinking—Kaede Tsukasa should favor techniques like multiplying explosive tags—but both of them were wrong.
He must have some special purpose, yet whatever the plan, it couldn't reduce the cost demanded by the Shinigami. Even at the Uzumaki clan's peak, one had to face death with caution.
"Rest early tonight. Tomorrow, formal training in Dead Demon Consuming Seal begins. You must prepare mentally; it will be grueling and dangerous," Mito said sternly.
A few days later, Kaede Tsukasa had the same evaluation.
"This jutsu is absurd. The difficulty of training it surpasses anything I imagined."
Kaede Tsukasa scratched his head in frustration.
He had fought tirelessly for several days, replenishing his vitality whenever fatigue set in, nurturing his spirit, and finally completing the study of all texts and techniques.
Before attempting formal training, he slept three hours to relieve mental fatigue, then drew another wave of vitality, raising his condition to an optimal level before beginning.
The initial training proved arduous.
Following the scroll, he again organized his chakra, dispersing it through the body's meridians, connecting body and soul, forming seals to sense the Shinigami in the beyond.
Chakra was a versatile tool—energy, matter, and a bridge between body and soul.
In theory, integrating oneself and forming seals in the sequence Snake – Pig – Goat – Rabbit – Dog – Rat – Rooster – Horse – Snake could summon the Shinigami.
But here lay the problem: Kaede Tsukasa had no idea how far he had progressed, lacking any objective benchmark to measure advancement.
With other forbidden jutsu, like One's Own Life Reincarnation Jutsu, he could repeatedly test it, checking whether he succeeded and identifying areas for improvement.
Dead Demon Consuming Seal offered none of that.
Had he succeeded? Made great progress? Unfortunately, he could not attempt the jutsu directly to verify his training; one careless mistake could summon the Shinigami and endanger his life.
"My body can handle almost any risk. No matter how dangerous the environment, as long as my stock of zombies isn't depleted, nothing serious will happen unless an enemy kills me instantly. But my soul… that's another matter. Its strength is nothing special. Against the Shinigami… I wouldn't even have a chance to resist."
Kaede Tsukasa knew the reality: even indigenous ninja and Hokage-level experts often fell when hit by Dead Demon Consuming Seal. His soul's strength could never surpass an ANBU-level shinobi.
This meant that if the Shinigami came to reap his soul, he had no leverage to resist.
"However, the so-called Shinigami is essentially a super-spiritual entity, an objective existence. Minato was able to use the Shinigami to split the complete Nine-Tails in half. Its power is terrifying, but it has weaknesses: the user's strength and state during the jutsu determine the Shinigami's effective power."
Kaede Tsukasa recalled the aged Third Hokage struggling to seal the First and Second Hokage simultaneously. Already in a terrible state, he risked everything to seal Orochimaru's hands, effectively disabling Orochimaru's ability to form hand seals.
Thus, all of Orochimaru's subsequent techniques were "seal-less" jutsu.
But the Shinigami, lacking a clear self-awareness, ended up being exploited. Orochimaru triggered a bug: the Shinigami spat out all swallowed souls, and after regaining his hands, Orochimaru immediately summoned all the Hokages via Edo Tensei.
"No self-awareness, huh? A bug exploited by Orochimaru, huh? This proves the Shinigami can be deceived. If I use Dead Demon Consuming Seal to eliminate enemies and then immediately strike my own abdomen, it's like having the Shinigami strike my body, forcing it to release the souls it swallowed…"
But releasing them wouldn't help. Unless it was a specialist like Kato Dan, who had trained specifically in spiritual bodies, disembodied souls had no ability to return to their bodies, effectively meaning death. The souls would go straight to the Pure Land to join the Six Paths Sage.
Kaede Tsukasa, however, wouldn't resort to such crude methods. Striking his own abdomen involved both body and soul, and it might not prevent the Shinigami from taking his soul. Even if the Shinigami swallowed his soul and spat it back through the wound, he doubted he could endure the process.
"So, I want Dead Demon Consuming Seal to be an effective means of killing enemies, without handing my soul over to the Shinigami, but at the same time making the Shinigami work for me…"
Kaede Tsukasa had an initial idea, though it was still immature. He needed more preliminary trials. This vague plan was also why he had abandoned multiplying explosive tags and insisted on choosing Dead Demon Consuming Seal .
If he were to adapt Dead Demon Consuming Seal into a combat jutsu suited to him, there should be two usage modes.
The first mode was what he now aimed to attempt.
Six more days passed.
Kaede Tsukasa averaged less than an hour of sleep per day, usually going all-out for three days, then sleeping three hours, before continuing the grind.
He was utterly immersed in this disciplined routine. When a person dedicates themselves fully to something, monotony disappears, because training is a process of continuous improvement, not meaningless repetition.
"Hm?"
Kaede Tsukasa had already been preparing to weave hand seals, ready to test the preparatory techniques for the Reaper Death Seal and gather as much information as possible to refine his jutsu.
But then Black Zetsu and White Zetsu appeared once more, seeking him out.
"It's rare—so it's the two of you… What's the matter? You wouldn't have come to me without a reason."
Kaede Tsukasa glanced at the pitcher plant before him and had no choice but to pause his training.
White Zetsu said, "What's with that impatient attitude…? Haven't my clones been helping you all this time? I've already brought you more than two hundred corpses, right? I don't know what technique you're training, but the progress can't be slow."
When Madara and Kaede Tsukasa had their negotiation, he had already seen Kaede practicing alongside hordes of zombies, accumulating experience and accelerating his training.
"There has been progress, yes, but the problem is I still don't know if I can actually succeed in performing it. In any case, that has nothing to do with you."
Kaede Tsukasa turned his eyes toward Black Zetsu.
That bastard, though posing as Kaede's will, was still the most reliable one—at least so long as it didn't involve reviving Kaguya.
"There's a special situation in the Land of Rain. Shimura Danzō led two squads of shinobi into the country and is frantically searching for something. Hanzō has noticed as well and brought the Rain ninja into it." Black Zetsu's narration was cold and emotionless.
But inside, he was almost panicking!
Just from White Zetsu's perspective, it was obvious—their targets were likely Jiraiya. If they found Jiraiya, then Nagato would inevitably be exposed.
He was nearly going mad. The Rinnegan wasn't supposed to be revealed this early. Where had things gone wrong?
The Second Shinobi World War was long over—people should be focusing on recuperation and strengthening themselves for the next conflict. Why were they in the Land of Rain, digging through every corner like madmen who wouldn't stop until they got what they wanted?!
Black Zetsu wished he could strike and slaughter them all, but he had no certainty of victory. After all, Hanzō's power was formidable, and they couldn't afford exposure unless absolutely necessary.
So either Jiraiya, Nagato, and the others had to be relocated without arousing suspicion—which was clearly impossible—or Madara would have to unleash a swarm of White Zetsu and wipe out Danzō and Hanzō's forces. Or… Kaede Tsukasa would need to intervene to stop them.
But Madara's body was too frail. Even if he could summon Susanoo, how many seconds could he maintain it? And could he guarantee there'd be no survivors?
That was why Black Zetsu proposed coming to Kaede, letting him take the lead, with Madara watching from the shadows, ready to act.
"…That's the situation. Black Zetsu's absolutely right, as expected of your will-made-flesh. Lord Madara hopes you'll step in to handle this. Nagato must be protected." White Zetsu grinned as he spoke.
"I see… So something this interesting has happened."
Kaede Tsukasa thought it over and confirmed that this hadn't occurred in the original timeline. That meant the changes were because of him—because of the shinobi who wielded Zombie Release.
From the moment he accepted the mission to find Jiraiya in the Land of Rain, a chain of reactions had begun, leading to this very outcome.
Kaede smiled, finding it all very amusing. His influence on the world's flow was already becoming clear—and in the future, history would only diverge further and further from its original course.
Perhaps one day, it would be unrecognizable.
"I understand. Since Madara and I are partners, I'll act." Kaede agreed without hesitation.
"When Madara's in front of you, you barely manage to show respect. But the moment he isn't here, it's just 'Madara' this and 'Madara' that…" White Zetsu muttered under his breath, thinking Kaede was too shamelessly pragmatic.
Black Zetsu let out a breath of relief and snapped, "Shut up, White Zetsu. You talk too much."
If Kaede took action, at the very least he could command hordes of corpses to tie down Danzō and Hanzō's men, buying Nagato time to escape.
As for actually killing Danzō and Hanzō… just wiping out their subordinates would already be a remarkable feat for Kaede. At his current strength, he wasn't yet capable of killing those two.
"If I'm not mistaken, Kaede Tsukasa, your eyes seem to have changed somewhat," Black Zetsu remarked. "I'm your will-made-flesh—sensitive to changes in you."
"Yes. I've obtained a fine pair of eyes. They should be of some help to me, at least for now. Anyway, it's not like I can find anything better."
Kaede carefully gathered the many scrolls scattered on the ground.
Black Zetsu immediately understood: Kaede had transplanted the Sharingan and mastered opening and closing it at will.
"What a terrifying man… Not even of Uchiha blood, yet he can accomplish this. Is he forcing it through sheer vitality and chakra? If that's the case, it makes sense."
Silently, Black Zetsu mused. The greater Kaede's talent, the happier he was. After all, he had taken a considerable risk choosing to become Kaede's will-made-flesh. If Kaede had been too weak and died early—before mastering the Reanimation Jutsu—his own situation would have become quite awkward.
Black Zetsu cast a glance at the scattered scrolls on the ground. Unfortunately, none of them were fully unrolled, so he couldn't make out any useful information. He had no idea what was actually recorded on them.
"I remember when I first met Madara, he warned me not to harm a boy named Nagato while searching for Jiraiya… So, does this mean he's decided to share a portion of his secrets with me?"
Kaede Tsukasa let out a mocking chuckle, his tone dripping with derision.
Neither White Zetsu nor Black Zetsu pressed further on that matter.
After waiting a while, Black Zetsu asked, "Do you intend to set out now?"
"No. I need to bathe and change my clothes first. This recent training has left me no time to look after personal hygiene. I can't present myself before Nagato in this state."
Black Zetsu: "…"
"Lord Madara told me to pass this on to you—Nagato knows nothing of the Eye of the Moon Plan. He doesn't know anything at all, so don't mention it to him," White Zetsu added.
"Got it, got it," Kaede Tsukasa answered casually.
…
At the same time, chaos had erupted in the Land of Rain.
Hanzō and Danzō both mobilized in force. Their two groups even faced off briefly—though no blows were exchanged, the atmosphere was tense and hostile.
Danzō may have fewer men, and his force was far weaker than Hanzō's, but in terms of momentum he showed no weakness at all. As Konoha's second-in-command, he forced Hanzō to hesitate, wary of offending the Leaf and provoking another war.
"Lord Danzō, the target continues to move quickly, about two kilometers from us," reported a Root shinobi using sensory ninjutsu.
Danzō adjusted his mask, leaving only a thin slit for his eyes. Even as the rain soaked his body, he radiated a chilling aura. "So the enemy has a capable sensor as well. Jiraiya himself couldn't achieve this. Is it the toads of Mount Myōboku sensing on his behalf, or… one of those three children he trained? Hmph. As I suspected, there's something amiss."
If it really was one of those three children who could sense at long range, that was even more suspicious. Jiraiya himself didn't know sensory ninjutsu—so why would a disciple of less than three years already master it? And to use it to play cat and mouse with them?
"Pick up the pace. I can hardly wait to see Jiraiya with my own eye. Only by witnessing with this eye can I cut through the fog of misinformation and uncover the truth behind it all."
Kaede Tsukasa… surely he was involved as well. Something wasn't right.
Two kilometers away.
Jiraiya still had plenty of stamina left, but Nagato and the others were at their limit.
"This isn't working. Our camouflage has been exposed again. Their target is very clear—it's us!" Nagato said nervously.
Yahiko panted, then slammed his fist against a tree trunk. "Jiraiya-sensei, let's fight them! Running and hiding like this isn't a solution. We've been fleeing all day! We need a new strategy—if we fight to the death, there's still a chance to win. If we just keep running, we'll only exhaust ourselves. Then our only hope would be that their stamina runs out first."
But that was impossible. So many shinobi chasing four youths—they weren't going to lose in terms of stamina.
"…Is that how you feel? Konan, what about you?" Jiraiya asked gravely.
Konan steadied her breath. "Sensei, I'll follow you and Yahiko. Whether we fight or keep fleeing, I'll accept it. Even if it means dying, I'll die with everyone."
Yahiko's mind calmed, and a new idea surfaced. "How about this—I stay behind while you take Nagato and Konan and escape! The enemy is either after you or after Nagato. Even if I lose, they might not kill me. As long as you survive, it will all be worth it."
He was lying, of course. Even if he lost, he'd only die in battle. He'd never allow himself to be captured and used as leverage against Jiraiya or Nagato.
Konan understood Yahiko's true meaning and nodded firmly. "Sensei, Yahiko and I will stay behind to hold them off."
"N-no, I absolutely won't allow that…" Nagato stammered.
"Nagato, you carry the eyes of the Sage of Six Paths. The Rinnegan appearing in you means the heavens have entrusted you with a great mission—to change this damned shinobi world! We can die, but you cannot. The burden on your shoulders is heavier than any of ours. Don't be reckless!" Yahiko said sharply.
Nagato sank deeper into confusion and pain, looking helplessly at his teacher.
Suddenly, Jiraiya burst into laughter.
"You three—always talking about dying, dying, dying… Did you forget your teacher's still here? I'm the Toad Sage, Jiraiya! As long as I'm here, no matter who the enemy is, they won't be able to kill you!"
During his time teaching Nagato and the others, he hadn't been idle—his own strength had improved as well.
The four quickly came to a consensus. They began setting traps, waiting for the enemy to arrive.
Jiraiya had prepared himself mentally for many possibilities, but when he finally saw the group, he fell silent.
"Anbu from the Leaf…? No—Root!" Jiraiya's eyes narrowed in suspicion.
"Konoha shinobi!"
Nagato's eyes instinctively filled with hatred, though he struggled to restrain himself.
The two sides faced off in silence.
Until a clap of thunder cracked across the sky.
Jiraiya spoke first. "You're Root shinobi, aren't you? Why are you in the Land of Rain? Why are you chasing me? Don't tell me you've betrayed the village?"
"Anyone else may speak of betrayal, but not you, Jiraiya. You knew your comrades were fighting and dying in battle, yet you hid away in a neutral country training its children. For someone who behaved like that, what right do you have to accuse those of us who have remained loyal?" said the Root shinobi at the front.
Jiraiya's voice turned cold. "Well said. But I've already heard that same line before—I'm sick of it. If I haven't misunderstood, you're a kill squad sent by the village, aren't you? Sent to kill me—the student of the Hokage? And you, the one speaking—you're Terai, Danzō's subordinate."
Terai replied, "If you obstruct our mission, then yes, we may have to kill you. If not for the fact you're the Hokage's disciple, we would have already come for your life. No one can betray the village and then live peacefully in some neutral country. That precedent must never be set."
"Hmph. You dare claim you'll kill me? Terai, it seems a few years have made you arrogant. So, I'm not your target? Why not me? Just what is it that you people… have learned?"
Jiraiya's heart sank. This was exactly the situation he'd feared.
If the target wasn't him, then there was only one possibility.
Sure enough.
As Danzō, hidden among the Root shinobi, let his gaze slide past Jiraiya and fall upon the red-haired boy behind him, the eyes behind his mask blazed with madness.
"Those eyes… Could they be… the Rinnegan?!"