Konoha Camp.
Command Room.
Soon, a Medical-Nin arrived and briefly treated the wounds on Jiraiya's body.
Burns, frostbite, sharp weapon injuries...
Although Jiraiya didn't have any major wounds, small injuries densely covered his entire body.
The Medical-Nin's face was horrified, and his hands trembled slightly as he used the Mystical Palm Technique. He found it hard to imagine what kind of terrifying enemy Jiraiya had encountered to be injured to this extent.
Fortunately,
Jiraiya, who had long trained in Sage Mode, had a physique much stronger than that of an ordinary Kage-level Ninja.
Although he suffered significant injuries in this battle, it didn't leave any lasting damage. With proper rest and recovery, it wouldn't have a major impact on him.
'Ice Release...'
'A Ninja from the Yuki Clan!'
'Who is he exactly?'
At this moment,
Jiraiya had no time to care about the pain on his body. His mind was occupied with only one thing: the origin of that damned Ice Release Ninja!!!
He felt Sora was just outrageously strong!
His combat level was definitely above Yagura. Jiraiya knew a Ninja like this simply couldn't be unknown!
"Intelligence!"
"There's a major problem!"
Jiraiya growled through gritted teeth. It couldn't be helped, as the loss he suffered at Sora's hands this time was just too great!!!
Soon,
Two figures hurriedly rushed into the command room.
One of them wore armor printed with the character [Food]. He had a large head and a thick neck, and coupled with the steel fork in his hand, he looked like an honest farmer about to go dig for food in the fields.
The other wore a standard Konoha's Jonin flak jacket and had a long, rectangular face. His gaze held a somewhat heavy, inexplicable gloom.
These two Ninjas, with their vastly different temperaments, were the two Elite Jonin in the Konoha's camp with the highest status and greatest authority, aside from Jiraiya himself.
The head of the Akimichi Clan, Akimichi Choza!
And the head of the Uchiha Clan, Uchiha Fugaku!
"Jiraiya-sama, you are..."
Choza frowned with concern, his already small eyes almost disappearing.
Fugaku didn't speak. He just crossed his arms and looked at the wounded Jiraiya with a suspicious and surprised gaze.
His relationship with the Third Hokage's faction wasn't particularly good to begin with. His relationship with Jiraiya was mostly just collegial friendship, nothing more.
In fact,
When he heard that Jiraiya had returned injured, Fugaku's feelings were very complex. He both hoped Jiraiya wasn't too badly hurt, to avoid a crisis on the front lines, and also hoped that Jiraiya would, at best, lose an arm or a leg, greatly weakening the power of Hiruzen's faction in the village.
"It's that Ice Release Ninja from last time."
Jiraiya smiled at the concerned Choza, then glanced at the silent Fugaku beside him before saying gravely, "The opponent's strength is greater than during our last encounter. I exhausted all my efforts, yet still..."
"I was no match for him!"
At this point, Jiraiya's expression instantly turned gloomy.
The losses this time were truly massive!
The death of eleven Jonin, such a major failure was enough to have him demoted to an ordinary Ninja!
"No match?"
Fugaku's cold expression finally changed. Although he disliked Jiraiya, he had to admit that the other party's strength was certainly not inferior to his own.
'If even Jiraiya was no match...'
'Then who exactly is that Ice Release Ninja!??'
Just as the two were stunned, Jiraiya finally concluded, "In short, the battle situation has changed. First, send an urgent intelligence report to the Old Man!"
"And Danzo!"
"With his Root's help, we might be able to find information on that Kirigakure's youth faster!"
…
One day later.
Land of Fire.
Konoha Village.
Root's Underground Base.
At this moment,
A man wearing a black-and-white contrasting kimono was sitting seiza on the tatami mat in a secret room. His head was wrapped in bandages, and even his right eye was covered by a white bandage.
Under the dim light, his visible left eye slowly opened, instantly radiating an extremely cold, sinister killing intent.
"Kirigakure..."
"Ice Release Kekkei Genkai, a genius-level Ninja, Yuki Sora, is it?"
The man in the black-and-white kimono threw the scroll onto the small table in front of him with a mocking expression, his face full of disdain. "That Jiraiya... he's really regressing. He can't even handle a sixteen-year-old brat from Kirigakure?"
"Heh..."
"Hiruzen's disciples have truly learned his weak nature!"
The sinister aura, the corpse-like pale complexion, and that uniquely cold gaze… the bandaged man in the secret room was none other than the underground ruler of Konoha, the Darkness of the Ninja World, the leader of the Root...
Shimura Danzo!!!