"Yes, Kazekage-sama."
Rasa looked toward Tatsuya again.
"As for the Devil Fruit you used, Tatsuya, we will call it the Dragon-Dragon Fruit, Triceratops Form."
"This team will be called Sunagakure's All-Stars!"
"All-Stars means the signboard. In the future, you will be Sunagakure's signboard shinobi. Tatsuya, I hope you will prove worthy of this name and contribute to the village!"
Tatsuya's eyes shone. He straightened his chest and nodded heavily.
"Yes, Kazekage-sama!"
Just the name of this team alone was enough for Tatsuya to feel how much importance Rasa placed on him—and on those who would be similar to him in the future. It was comparable to Kirigakure's Seven Ninja Swordsmen.
He had originally been nothing more than an unremarkable jonin. To have such a future now left Tatsuya deeply moved.
"This is all Kazekage-sama's reward."
Tatsuya knew very clearly that he himself was not the key. The Devil Fruit was.
"I absolutely cannot disappoint Kazekage-sama."
"I must do everything I can to defeat all enemies of the village."
"I must protect Kazekage-sama unconditionally."
The next morning, Rasa opened his eyes and saw that the number on the system panel had already exceeded three thousand.
Without hesitation, he moved his thoughts.
"Three consecutive draws. Begin!"
An invisible roulette wheel immediately began to spin.
[Congratulations, Host. You have obtained an F-rank item: One tael of gold.]
…
[Congratulations, Host. You have obtained a B-rank item: Forged Suicide Note (Konoha Jonin Version).]
…
[Congratulations, Host. You have obtained an A-rank item: S-rank Ninjutsu, Situational Awareness.]
[Situational Awareness!]
[—Using electromagnetic force to perceive the surrounding environment. The perception range depends on the user's strength and the amount of chakra invested. Metallic objects receive enhanced perception effects.]
"A sensory-type ninjutsu?"
Rasa became interested.
In terms of offensive ability, he had ninjutsu like the Railgun, Crescent Moon Sand Dune, and Gold Dust Thundercloud.
In terms of defense, he had Sandification and Quicksand Displacement.
As for perception, however, that was indeed Rasa's current shortcoming.
Most of the time, he directly relied on the Byakugan.
But the Byakugan's range had limits.
And maintaining the Byakugan for a long time consumed an enormous amount of chakra.
"I wonder what this Situational Awareness is like."
"Other abilities need a suitable place for testing."
"But for a sensory-type ability, I can test it directly inside the Kazekage Building."
Rasa closed his eyes.
The next moment—
"Situational Awareness!"
Immediately, Rasa felt his perception extend outward.
With himself as the center, it continuously spread in every direction. Spreading. Expanding. Extending.
Until it reached an extremely distant position.
One kilometer. Two kilometers. Three kilometers…
A full ten-kilometer range.
"No, it is still increasing."
"Twenty kilometers!"
"Thirty kilometers!"
Rasa remembered that Karin's Mind's Eye of the Kagura had initially only reached several kilometers. Only after special training could it reach several dozen kilometers.
Yet this was merely his first time using it, and he had already reached this level.
"Moreover, compared to the Mind's Eye of the Kagura, the contents I can perceive with Situational Awareness are far more detailed."
"The same range, but finer perception."
"It is equivalent to an enhanced version of the Mind's Eye of the Kagura."
"Paired with the Byakugan, there will be no one who can approach me easily without my noticing."
"As for this Forged Suicide Note…"
Rasa looked at the forged suicide note.
"I can wait for an opportunity before using it."
"First, let us see the current situation in Konoha."
…
…
Konoha.
Hiruzen Sarutobi's expression was very ugly.
But he soon made a response.
Hiruzen adopted a method similar to the Kakashi incident.
Since Jiraiya's disappearance had caused such enormous discussion and impact, then he would simply create another Jiraiya and have this fake Jiraiya clarify the rumor.
Those willing to believe it would be Konoha's friends.
Those unwilling to believe it could do as they pleased.
Very quickly, under Hiruzen Sarutobi's arrangements, Jiraiya reappeared.
He did not appear in the medical department.
Instead, he appeared at Jiraiya's home.
A figure sat in a wheelchair with only one arm remaining. Two figures stood beside Jiraiya—one pushing his wheelchair, and the other keeping watch beside him.
At the same time, Hiruzen Sarutobi deliberately had people release information in the busy marketplace.
"Who said Jiraiya-sama disappeared?"
"Isn't Jiraiya-sama perfectly alive?"
"He simply returned home and didn't stay in the medical department, that's all."
"You people who love conspiracy theories are so annoying. How could Hokage-sama possibly attack his own disciple?"
"Minato Namikaze was Jiraiya's disciple, yes, but Hokage-sama is also Jiraiya's teacher."
Someone immediately caught the flaw in those words.
"What do you mean by that?"
"Are you admitting that Minato-sama's death was orchestrated by Hokage-sama?"
The other person's expression turned anxious.
"Of course not! I never said that. I was only emphasizing the close relationship between Hokage-sama and Jiraiya-sama. No matter what, the two of them would never attack each other."
The Hokage Building.
Hiruzen Sarutobi looked at the gradually calming discussion and breathed out in relief.
"The existence of the Transformation Technique is truly one of the great blessings of the shinobi world. Without it, these two incidents would have been far more troublesome for Konoha to resolve."
"But…"
Hiruzen Sarutobi frowned again.
"This has not solved the problem at its root."
"It merely calmed the rumor. And it has not been completely calmed. Many people do not believe it—not only outside the village, but even a small number of people within the village no longer believe."
"They have begun to doubt me, the Hokage."
"My reputation is continuously declining."
Hiruzen Sarutobi looked out the window, his gaze flickering.
"The matter with Kakashi was because of Danzo's arbitrary actions. Fine, he attacked Kakashi—but he even failed to kill Kakashi, allowing Kakashi to survive. And the target of Kakashi's resentment is me, the Hokage."
"Honestly, with Danzo's ability, the possibility of such a mistake is low. Most likely, he did it deliberately."
"As for Jiraiya…"
Suddenly, a figure appeared by the window.
"Hokage-sama, we have discovered that before Jiraiya-sama disappeared, Orochimaru-sama visited the medical department to see him."
"Orochimaru?"
A possibility emerged in Hiruzen Sarutobi's mind.
"Could it be Orochimaru?"
"Very possible!"
"Orochimaru is my disciple, yes, but he has always been close to Danzo. If Danzo wants to deal with me and drag me down from the Hokage's position, Orochimaru is entirely capable of doing the same."
"After all, they are the ones on the same side."
"Orochimaru, as your teacher, I believe I have treated you well enough. Why would you do this to me?"
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