Fukasaku and Shima, the two toad sages perched on either shoulder, hurriedly asked Jiraiya what had happened.
Jiraiya then explained:
"That guy is not Yahiko at all—he's a man from the Fuuma clan! I've met him once before. That mark on his forehead is the scar I gave him during our fight. He's definitely not Nagato!"
But what about the others outside…?
Jiraiya had a bold suspicion in his heart, yet he needed to get out and take another look to be sure.
"Big brother, big sister—I have to go out one more time."
Shima cried out in alarm, "What?!"
Fukasaku also gasped, "No, Jiraiya boy—if you go out again you might get killed!"
"Use the chance while they're not paying attention and get away, Jiraiya boy."
Jiraiya stared down at the long-haired corpse and said, "Maybe this is the hard choice the Great Toad Sage was warning me about. If I don't go now, I may never get close enough to Pain again to expose his true identity."
"Big brother, big sister—please take the intelligence we have and this corpse back to Konoha. Tell Tsunade."
Fukasaku glanced at Jiraiya, then smiled wryly. "That's something their lady can handle on her own."
Jiraiya looked surprised. "But—"
Shima nudged Fukasaku and said, "Make sure you're back before dinner."
Fukasaku tilted his head at Shima and replied, "After this, I'll go eat with Jiraiya."
Shima nodded with a smile.
Jiraiya was deeply moved—at a moment like this, Fukasaku was willing to accompany him.
"Thank you… so much…"
Out on the sea, one of the Pains continued searching for Jiraiya's trace. The Explosive Path was scanning the surface.
Below the water, a frog rose from the ocean's depths. As it neared the surface it opened its mouth like a lid—Jiraiya and Fukasaku crawled out of the toad's mouth, then surfaced and hid behind a chunk of ruined stone.
Fukasaku summoned a shuriken and hurled it at once. The Explosive Path sensed it through the other Pains' perception and ducked. At the same time, the other four Pains converged and surrounded Jiraiya.
Jiraiya looked at the Pains circling him—surprise painted across his face.
Of course—each one of these Pains had crossed paths with him before.
He finally understood Pain's true nature.
Just as Jiraiya was about to explain this to Fukasaku, four of the Pains leapt up. Suddenly, a hand burst from the water near Jiraiya like an apparition, slicing through the surface and snapping toward his throat. Their intent was clear: disable his voice so he could not reveal the truth.
The four Pains who had leapt up each held a black chakra rod, preparing to stab him through.
As the Explosive Path's hand neared Jiraiya's neck, a kunai appeared beside him at an incredible speed—zing: a figure manifested out of nowhere, grabbed the kunai, and spun.
"Rasengan!"
A Rasengan whirled forth and smashed the Explosive Path down into the ocean depths.
The Deva Path frowned—when had someone come to reinforce him? He was just about to finish Jiraiya when a thunderous whoosh pierced the air.
"Sage Art: Rasengan Shuriken!"
A massive wind-nature chakra burst exploded over Jiraiya's head. As the Deva Path (tendo Pain) was the central conduit, he did not allow the Preta Path (the one who absorbs ninjutsu) to intercept; instead he used Shinra tensei to hurl the attack down toward Jiraiya.
Because the wind-style explosion was so large it blocked the other four Pains' path, preventing them from stabbing Jiraiya. If they attempted to absorb the ninjutsu, Jiraiya would have time to escape—so the Deva Path redirected the attack at Jiraiya, certain death.
But he hadn't expected another figure to already be behind Jiraiya. That person scooped Jiraiya up, and with a whoosh vanished from his original place.
Boom! The wind-nature Rasengan Shuriken detonated on the surface, spinning and shredding the water like a tornado—winds and slicing pressure everywhere, scouring away traces.
The four Pains leapt to higher ground and peered down. tendo Pain's mind raced: What powerful wind jutsu was that—and who used it?
Not far away, Jiraiya stared up at the person carrying him and shouted, astonished, "Naruto?!!!"
Naruto's tears would not stop flowing. He kept looking at Jiraiya—only when Jiraiya called his name did he come fully to himself. His mouth trembled and spread into a tearful smile, voice cracking, "Now when I buy ice pops for two… someone to share with at last."
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