"Jiraiya!"
He was still being carried by the Iron-Arm Toad.
"Rasa."
The moment he arrived, Jiraiya said impatiently, "I've brought you the method of senjutsu training. But it is not Mount Myoboku's. It is another kind."
"I compared it with Mount Myoboku's method. It is different, but it is indeed a proper method of senjutsu training."
Jiraiya took out a scroll.
"Can we make the trade now?"
Rasa accepted it, opened it, glanced through it, then closed it and nodded.
"We can."
Rasa did not understand senjutsu, so he naturally had no way of confirming whether this method of training was real or fake.
But what Rasa was paying was not much either.
It was merely publishing an interview with Jiraiya in Ninja World Weekly and offending Hiruzen Sarutobi.
However, when it came to Hiruzen Sarutobi, Rasa had already offended him more than enough times. He did not care about one more.
Moreover, Rasa could completely make a few adjustments in this interview and slightly mention Orochimaru.
Even if Orochimaru was not mentioned in the interview itself, he could be mentioned in a neighboring section.
With Jiraiya's name, the interview would inevitably attract tremendous attention and discussion.
People would naturally see the content related to Orochimaru.
Rasa's goal would be achieved.
The more people discussed Orochimaru, the more points would be created for the rumor about Hiruzen Sarutobi and Orochimaru.
Rasa dispatched a reporter shinobi to interview Jiraiya.
However, the questions were set by Jiraiya himself. Rather than saying Sunagakure was interviewing Jiraiya, it would be more accurate to say that Jiraiya was asking and answering his own questions. The reporter was only recording them.
It could be seen that Jiraiya had prepared carefully for this interview.
The more he had respected Hiruzen Sarutobi before, the more furious he became now that he had confirmed Hiruzen was the one who had done those terrible things.
"Teacher Sarutobi, you have indeed rendered service to Konoha, but your merits do not erase your crimes."
"The current you has gone too far. You have grown too muddleheaded!"
"You are no longer worthy of remaining Hokage."
"You are too old."
"Old, confused, and corrupted!"
After returning to Sunagakure, Rasa did not immediately attempt to practice senjutsu.
Judging from Jiraiya's behavior in Konoha, his character was worthy of trust.
But the problem was that this applied when it came to people of Konoha.
Now that the target was Sunagakure, whether Jiraiya's character was still trustworthy was another question.
In addition, people changed.
Jiraiya had become crippled, and only by fusing with the Iron-Arm Toad could he possess combat strength. Under such circumstances, it would also be perfectly reasonable for Jiraiya's mentality to become twisted.
Rasa handed this work over to Yakushi Kabuto.
Two days later, the new issue of Ninja World Weekly finished printing.
As always, large numbers of merchants lined up.
Through their channels, it would spread to every part of the shinobi world.
The moment people received the newspaper, they noticed Jiraiya's interview.
"An interview with Jiraiya?"
"Isn't Jiraiya in Konoha? Why did he suddenly go to Sunagakure?"
"What did he say?"
The expression of the person holding the newspaper became strange.
"Jiraiya says the ones who caused the Nine-Tails' rampage were Uchiha Fugaku and Hiruzen Sarutobi. Namikaze Minato was killed by them, and Jiraiya himself also suffered under Hiruzen Sarutobi's cruelty."
"He says Hiruzen Sarutobi has already changed, and that all those evil deeds are true."
"Next, he will bring Tsunade back, defeat Hiruzen Sarutobi, and drive him from the Hokage position."
"He also said Orochimaru is innocent and was framed."
Everyone revealed expressions of shock.
This news was too huge.
Huge to an absurd degree.
One person said in shock,
"Jiraiya is Hiruzen Sarutobi's disciple, and he has always been loyal to Konoha. If even Jiraiya is saying this, doesn't that mean Hiruzen Sarutobi's crimes are completely confirmed?"
"I never expected it. I truly never expected that Hiruzen Sarutobi was actually such a person."
"The Jiraiya in Konoha is fake too."
Everyone outside the Land of Fire developed the mentality of watching a good show.
There had been interviews before.
The Fourth Raikage.
Uchiha Yashiro.
Kakashi.
But how could those people's relationship with Hiruzen Sarutobi compare to the relationship between Jiraiya and Hiruzen Sarutobi?
Aside from the Fourth Raikage, the weight of the other two in the shinobi world could not compare to Jiraiya at all.
And even the Fourth Raikage only had that weight because of his identity as Raikage.
Without it, he could not compare to Jiraiya either.
"Now this will be interesting."
"What will Konoha's situation become?"
"How will Hiruzen Sarutobi react?"
"What choices will the shinobi within Konoha make?"
Iwagakure.
Onoki laughed.
"Hiruzen Sarutobi, even Jiraiya has now stood against you. Even if your whole body were covered in mouths, you wouldn't be able to argue your way out of this."
"To be honest, I can understand you persecuting a few people. But for you to persecute this many—just how lacking in confidence are you? Just how badly do you want to keep the Hokage position in the Sarutobi clan?"
"The trouble you face now is enormous."
"Ask me for help. I can help you."
"You only need to pay a small price."
Onoki was already impatient to "plunder" Konoha.
Kumogakure.
The Fourth Raikage revealed an excited expression.
"Well done, Jiraiya!"
"Well done, Rasa!"
In the silver mining operation, Kumogakure's efficiency had fallen behind. The Fourth Raikage was extremely unhappy about that.
Therefore, whenever he saw another shinobi village encounter trouble, no matter which village it was, the Fourth Raikage became delighted.
"Sunagakure has already accepted Kumogakure's order for mining ships. Once we have mining ships, Kumogakure's silver mining efficiency will improve quite a bit."
"Unfortunately, Sunagakure is still keeping Devil Fruits tightly guarded and refuses to sell them externally."
That was inevitable.
Devil Fruits were far too helpful in improving the strength of Sunagakure's shinobi.
Kumogakure and Sunagakure were allies now, yes. But in the future, they might very well become enemies.
Selling them to Kumogakure would be aiding a future enemy.
As for mining ships, that was because the Land of Iron and Kirigakure had already begun cooperating to develop them.
Under such circumstances, even if Sunagakure did not sell them, sooner or later the Land of Iron and Kirigakure would.
In that case, it was better for Sunagakure to sell them.
That way, Sunagakure could still earn a massive profit.
"At the beginning, the price can be set extremely high. Once the Land of Iron and Kirigakure make some progress in their research, Sunagakure can lower the price of mining ships, leaving the ships from the Land of Iron and Kirigakure with no market."
"Keep all the benefits in Sunagakure's hands."
"Then use energy balls to earn long-term profits."
Konoha.
The moment the ANBU obtained the newspaper, they delivered it to Hiruzen Sarutobi.
Hiruzen Sarutobi only glanced at it once.
And his brain nearly hemorrhaged.