As the sun set behind the western mountains, a gentle breeze blew through the village deep in the mountains.
Naruto's squad was awkward the whole way, everyone's eyes constantly darting back and forth between Sakura and Naruto.
Naruto tried several times to ask Sakura for forgiveness, but the moment he got close, she would run off.
Sakura's mood was extremely complicated right now; in her heart, only Sasuke's image remained, yet Naruto's shadow had somehow appeared there as well.
They wandered around for a long time and slowly made their way back to the village.
...
The Hokage Building.
Tsunade and several elders listened to Jiraiya's report and gradually came to understand the origins and history of the Akatsuki.
Everyone turned their gaze toward Danzo at the same time.
Faced with their scrutinizing looks, Danzo didn't care at all and instead explained,
"He's from an enemy country. Dealing with him shouldn't be a problem for me. What's more, the other side possesses the extremely dangerous Rinnegan."
Jiraiya cursed, "Stop explaining. You just wanted to take the Rinnegan for yourself."
Danzo snorted. "So what if I did? With the Rinnegan, I could protect Konoha even better. But you, Jiraiya—
"You discovered Nagato's Rinnegan and not only hid it instead of reporting it, you even taught them ninjutsu, brewing a huge disaster. Can you give us an explanation?"
Jiraiya looked as if he had been choked, his face flushing red and green, and said nothing.
Just then, the light screen outside the window happened to play another news report, giving Danzo a perfect assist.
"Our station reports: Konoha's Sannin Jiraiya seems to be on very good terms with the Akatsuki. The two sides appear to have reached some kind of agreement…"
There were even photos attached: Kairen had his arm around Jiraiya's shoulder, both of them smiling happily.
Beside them were Konan and Nagato in Akatsuki uniforms.
The scene was like a Nobel Peace Prize winner walking arm in arm with a notorious warlord, chatting and laughing.
Jiraiya cursed inwardly that he'd been set up and hurriedly stepped forward to explain.
"That's not me!"
Danzo sneered. "You think I'd believe that, Jiraiya? What else do you have to say now?
"Colluding with the Akatsuki, selling village intelligence—any one of these charges is enough to ruin you forever."
Tsunade quickly stepped out to protect Jiraiya.
"A single photo can't define Jiraiya as colluding with the Akatsuki. After all, there's also a ninjutsu called the Transformation Technique."
Jiraiya's eyes lit up and he hurriedly said,
"Right, right, right! They used the Transformation Technique. They're just trying to frame me!"
"Hmph!"
Danzo snorted. He hadn't expected Tsunade to react so quickly.
He stood up, pointed his cane at Jiraiya, and scolded, "No matter what, you can't be completely cleared of ties with the Akatsuki. The village must keep you under strict surveillance."
Koharu Utatane and Homura Mitokado also stood up to echo him.
"Jiraiya, you're under serious suspicion. The village will detain you for two days for now and wait for the investigation results."
Jiraiya stood up, wanting to curse at them.
But Tsunade pulled him back. "Jiraiya, don't say anything for now. Reflect for two days first."
Jiraiya had no choice but to accept the decision to be confined.
Seeing this, Danzo sneered inwardly.
Jiraiya was Tsunade's greatest supporter. Striking at his prestige this time was the same as striking at the Hokage's prestige.
It wouldn't be long before he could pull Tsunade down from her position.
A furious shout came from outside: "Have you people lost your minds? How could the Perverted Sage possibly collude with the Akatsuki?!"
Naruto pushed open the door and stormed in, furious, to stand up for Jiraiya.
Behind him was Kakashi, rubbing his forehead with a headache.
Bursting into a high-level meeting was against village regulations.
Koharu Utatane frowned, glanced at Tsunade, and said, "Tsunade, is this the kind of ninja you manage? Lawless and reckless—this is simply a lack of upbringing."
The moment he heard "lack of upbringing," Naruto exploded, stepped up to Koharu Utatane, and cursed, "Old woman, say that again if you dare. Who are you calling poorly raised?!"
Jiraiya pulled Naruto back and kept apologizing to Koharu Utatane.
"Sorry! Sorry! Naruto's not very bright."
Koharu Utatane snorted and said no more.
Tsunade looked at Kakashi and asked, "So? Did you bring Sasuke back?"
Kakashi shook his head. "No. We were intercepted halfway by Moku Kairen. We fought him."
"And then?" Tsunade continued.
Kakashi's face was covered by his mask, so he wasn't afraid of embarrassment and blurted it out, "Total wipeout!"
Danzo sneered. "That kid is that strong? The few of you couldn't do anything to him?"
Kakashi nodded. "Whether it's ninjutsu, taijutsu, or genjutsu, he's reached the pinnacle of a ninja, and he also has chakra that surpasses the tailed beasts. We were no match for him at all."
Tsunade was doubtful. "Then how did you get away?"
Kakashi replied, "He didn't seem to have any killing intent. He just toyed with us for a bit, then took a dog and left."
Kiba Inuzuka cried out from the side, "Yes, Hokage-sama, a member of the Akatsuki snatched my Akamaru. Could you send someone to help me get him back?"
Tsunade looked a bit troubled.
"At this time, I'm afraid your dog is already nothing but bones."
Kiba Inuzuka's face was full of tears.
"Impossible. If I don't see Akamaru's bones, I won't believe it."
Danzo ignored the Inuzuka clan's sentimentality and questioned Kakashi's mission report.
"Impossible. Uzumaki Naruto is the Nine-Tails' jinchūriki. How could the Akatsuki let him go?"
Kakashi was also very puzzled. "I don't know either. Anyway, that's all they did."
"Let me explain!" Jiraiya stepped forward.
He said, "Actually, the Akatsuki has already split. One faction is led by Moku Kairen and uses the Tenseigan, the other is led by Uchiha Obito and uses the Rinnegan…"
Jiraiya gradually laid out the inside story of the Akatsuki.
Danzo found another point to pour cold water on.
"The Uchiha really are a pack of ungrateful wolves. That Obito—wasn't he the Fourth's student?"
"Hiruzen's successors are all like this—Orochimaru, Uchiha Obito, Uchiha Sasuke…"
"Princess Tsunade, I will report this to the daimyo. The Hokage line can't keep acting so lawlessly."
Tsunade frowned.
This old man was always thinking about the Hokage's seat. No matter when, he had to smear her position.
Tsunade said loudly, "Enough arguing! Right now we should be thinking about how to deal with Moku Kairen's invasion in half a month!"
As soon as Tsunade finished speaking, the room fell silent.
Danzo stopped arguing too. Although he spoke disdainfully of Kairen, he still took Kairen's strength very seriously.
One Fire Release cannon blast had wiped out decades of his Root. Even now, thinking about it made his heart ache.
The room stayed quiet for a long time, and then suddenly a cloud of white smoke burst out.
Everyone became alert at once.
When the white smoke cleared, two pale-green toads appeared before them.
Jiraiya was shocked. "Sage Fukasaku, Sage Shima, why are you here?"
Fukasaku said calmly, "Jiraiya, the fate of the ninja world has already undergone a huge change. In the Great Toad Sage's dream, you were already dead at this point in time."
"What?!" Jiraiya was stunned.
Fukasaku Sage continued, "The Great Toad Sage said that in his dream he saw Naruto training at Mount Myōboku, so we're here to take Naruto."
Naruto pointed at himself. "Me?!"
Fukasaku nodded. "That's right, kid, you. Right now, only you can save Konoha."
Jiraiya said doubtfully, "Will it work? I've studied sage techniques for decades and still couldn't do anything about Moku Kairen. In just these few days, how far can Naruto really get?"
Fukasaku Sage shook his head.
"I don't know. In the Great Toad Sage's original dream, it was your death that spurred Naruto's growth and let him successfully master the perfect Sage Mode."
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