After learning the true future, Jiraiya developed an almost blind confidence in Yuki Seisui.
Seeing the excitement on Jiraiya's face, Tsunade let out a sigh. "I always feel like you people are scheming something incredible."
"Orochimaru is mysterious enough already, and now you're acting just as secretive."
As Tsunade spoke, she crossed her arms over her chest, her ample curves visibly compressed by the motion.
"Still, even if I don't know what you're planning, if you ever need help, you can come to me."
Hearing this, Jiraiya nodded. "I can't say anything yet, but just watch—this world will become different."
"Forgive me, Tsunade." As he spoke, Jiraiya reached out and tapped his index finger against the diamond-shaped mark of the Byakugou Seal on Tsunade's forehead.
The moment he touched it, Tsunade froze—and so did Jiraiya himself.
"You bastard, go die!" Tsunade erupted with terrifying momentum and slammed a punch straight into Jiraiya's stomach.
Under everyone's gaze, Jiraiya's tent was instantly torn apart as his entire body was sent flying.
Nawaki had just finished setting up his own tent when he heard his sister's furious roar in the distance. The next moment, Jiraiya fell from the sky and crushed the tent Nawaki had just erected.
Seeing this, Nawaki sighed and skillfully helped Jiraiya to his feet.
"Jiraiya… what did you do to make my sister mad this time?"
"I-I'm… fine…" Jiraiya said while being supported, forcing the words out—then suddenly spat out a mouthful of blood.
"Are you really okay?"
"I-I'm fine…" Jiraiya steadied his breathing and barely managed to stand upright. "I-I'm… used to it by now…" he said haltingly.
Not far away, Tsunade snorted coldly at the sight and turned to leave.
Jiraiya didn't notice that her earlobes had turned slightly red.
"Tsk, tsk, tsk." After Tsunade left, Yuki Seisui and Uchiha Haru walked out. Seeing Jiraiya still coughing up blood, they shook their heads.
"Medical Ninjutsu—Double Head-Pat Technique!"
Seisui raised both hands. A green "head-patting" symbol appeared in each palm, then transformed into green luminescent light that drifted toward Jiraiya.
Seeing the familiar green glow, Jiraiya followed it with his eyes. When he realized it was Seisui, he finally relaxed.
The green light floated above Jiraiya's head and transformed into two slightly smaller hands, which immediately began rubbing his hair and cheeks vigorously.
Feeling the two hands scrubbing his head, Jiraiya sensed a deep, unmistakable mockery.
"Seisui… this technique of yours—" Minato hesitated as he looked at Jiraiya being mercilessly rubbed like a dog.
The head-pat technique I developed… how did it end up like this?
Looking at Jiraiya, Minato felt he was suffering just a bit too much.
Not only had he been beaten until he vomited blood, he still had to endure this humiliating "treatment."
The mockery value of this technique was absurd—but its healing effect was undeniably excellent.
Mystical Palm Technique: Life was fundamentally different from ordinary Mystical Palm Technique.
After all, it had the word Life added to it.
If normal Mystical Palm Technique treated external injuries and part of internal injuries—
Then Mystical Palm Technique: Life healed damage based on a percentage.
This was a secret scroll extracted from a high-level technique.
In the game, its effect was continuous HP recovery by percentage.
In reality, this ninjutsu continuously restored injuries and vitality by percentage as well.
If standard Mystical Palm Technique was an A-rank effect, then this one was S-rank.
With just two simple casts, Jiraiya had already recovered more than half.
Watching the two large hands still rubbing Jiraiya's head, Seisui stroked his chin thoughtfully. If I ever unlocked Wood Release, could I turn this into a Wood-Style head-pat technique?
He even had the name ready.
Sage Art: Wood Release — True Thousand Head-Pat Technique!
Just imagining it in his mind made Seisui feel overwhelmed.
Pure. Way too pure.
Countless head-pats surging toward others.
The entire ninja world would be patted once.
Lost in thought, Seisui turned to look at Minato beside him.
"Why are you staring at me?" Sensing Seisui's gaze, Minato subconsciously took two steps back.
"Nothing. I just thought of a ninjutsu."
"What kind of ninjutsu?" Minato relaxed a little and asked curiously.
Hearing this, Seisui smiled mysteriously. Under the gaze of Minato and Uchiha Haru, he clapped his hands together. His hair rapidly turned red, and white light enveloped his body.
"The technique you're talking about… needs Sage Mode?" Minato frowned.
"You'll find out now," Seisui said calmly. Two head-patting symbols appeared in his hands and struck Minato at lightning speed.
Feeling two hands vigorously rubbing his head, Minato shot Seisui a resentful look.
He tried to disperse the chakra hands—but quickly froze.
Not only did he fail to disperse them, one of the hands even smacked his head, as if telling him to behave.
"What's going on?!"
"I can't disperse this chakra at all!"
Seeing Minato's shocked expression, Seisui smiled.
"This is a fusion of Sage Chakra and Water Release Chakra."
"The properties of senjutsu enhance the technique, so the Water Release head-pat can't be easily dispersed."
"Unless you're willing to stick your head into fire and evaporate the Water Release chakra inside."
"Otherwise, you'll have to wait until the duration ends."
"This is the technique I just came up with—Sage Art: Double Head-Pat Technique."
Seeing the blue-and-white hands on Minato's head, Jiraiya leaned over. "Minato… you look really—"
Jiraiya covered his mouth, trying to hold back laughter.
"Hahahaha—sorry, I'm a professional ninja. I don't usually laugh so easily."
"Unless I really can't hold it in."
"Hahaha!" Jiraiya laughed loudly and even pulled Nawaki over, who had been trying to set his tent back up.
The two of them laughed together.
"Elder Danzo was right—you really are a naturally evil brat!" Minato shouted angrily, desperately trying to disperse the hands while listening to their laughter.
"To actually develop such an evil technique!"
With that, Minato dove straight into a nearby forest.
Before the head-pat duration ended, he had no intention of coming back.
"That technique of yours is really something," Jiraiya said, laughing as he watched Minato flee.
"It's something Minato taught me," Seisui replied, looking at Minato's retreating figure.
"I just added a few things to the foundation of his technique."
"Like senjutsu and Mystical Palm Technique."
After saying this, Seisui shook his head and turned to Jiraiya. "We're going to set up our tent."
"If we don't hurry, we'll have to sleep outside."
Jiraiya nodded. "Mm."
"Go ahead. Remember to come find me tomorrow."
Seisui had already left with Uchiha Haru. He didn't speak, only raised an OK gesture behind him.
The Konoha camp and the Sunagakure camp were separated by an open stretch of land.
Neither side played petty tricks like sending small squads around to sneak into the rear and bypass the main forces.
Both armies were stationed here. Other actions were limited to intercepting logistics, supplies, or wounded soldiers returning to recover.
No one was stupid enough to bypass the front lines entirely.
After all, if you did, the enemy's main force would march straight into your own country.
For Konoha, that wasn't worth it.
The Land of Fire was fertile and rich in resources. The Land of Wind was mostly desert. If they swapped homelands, it would be a massive loss for Konoha.
If Konoha was unwilling, then the Sunagakure simply dared not.
Their strength was already inferior. If they bypassed the front, they could easily be surrounded, cut off from supplies and reinforcements, and annihilated.
That was why both sides were locked in a standoff here.
One side didn't want to.
The other side didn't dare to.
Utterly realistic.
"This spot should work, right?" Seisui and Uchiha Haru stopped at a relatively open area.
The main camp lay to the left, and a small forest to the right.
Because it was some distance from the Konoha camp, no one chose to set up here.
After all, if an ambush occurred, this would be the most dangerous place.
Enemies could easily charge out from the forest.
Sleeping here, you might die without even knowing how.
That applied to ordinary ninja.
For Seisui and the others, it posed no threat at all.
Just as Seisui was about to start, he realized—somewhat awkwardly—that he hadn't brought a tent.
Seeing that Seisui wasn't moving, Uchiha Haru took out a tent emblazoned with the Uchiha clan crest.
Looking at him, she pointed at the tent on the ground and said, "I brought a tent. If you didn't bring one, we can just sleep in the same tent."
"The one the clan prepared for me is pretty big."
"Okay!" Seisui agreed without the slightest hesitation and immediately began setting up the tent with her.
The supplies the Uchiha clan prepared for her probably weren't the same as those of ordinary ninja.
After all, they were a thousand-year-old prestigious clan—it wouldn't make sense for them to be stingy.
Konoha provided plenty of supplies, but tents weren't among them.
Most of what Konoha supplied were ninja tools, explosive tags, food, and soldier pills.
Tents were something you had to prepare yourself.
Everyone brought their own tent and personal items.
"Going to war and still having to bring your own tent… that's miserable," Seisui complained as he worked.
"I'm selling my life to the village, and I still have to prepare my own sleeping gear."
"They should be hung on streetlights!"
Uchiha Haru silently set up the tent. Glancing at Seisui while he complained, a small smile appeared at the corner of her lips.
This is nice… being together with Seisui.
She said the tent was very big—but in reality, it was quite small.
She didn't tell Seisui that.
Sometimes, the most skilled hunters appear in the form of prey.