"Sorry, there's nothing more I can do in this situation."
Inside a small-town inn in the Land of Waves, an elderly man examined Kakashi's condition before speaking with a hint of helplessness.
"After all, I'm not a shinobi, and this isn't just some surface wound."
"It's alright. Thank you for your help."
Jiraiya seemed to have anticipated this outcome. He nodded, then saw the old man out.
"Looks like we'll have to get you back to Konohagakure for further treatment. Too bad we don't know where Tsunade is—if she were around, this would be a lot easier."
Once the old man was gone, Jiraiya returned to the room and glanced at Kakashi lying in bed. Instantly, his demeanor shifted back to that carefree attitude of his.
"But hey, it's not the end of the world. You don't seem to be in as bad shape as I thought. You'll be fine once we're back."
"Thank you, Jiraiya-sama."
Kakashi still sounded weak. Even though Uchiha Itachi's Tsukuyomi had been disrupted midway by Kitagawa Gen, it had still inflicted significant mental trauma.
In a case like this, returning to Konohagakure truly seemed like the only option. Say what you will about the rest of the shinobi world—when it came to medical ninjutsu, Konoha was undoubtedly the strongest.
Moreover, seeing Jiraiya again had helped Kakashi relax.
Itachi and Biwa Jūzō had retreated, but it was hard to say whether they might return. Things were different now with Jiraiya here.
"Alright, enough with the thanks. Just focus on getting some rest."
Jiraiya shrugged, completely nonchalant.
"You guys sure are lucky. I happened to be nearby investigating Orochimaru's whereabouts when I saw your signal flare. But hey, kid—"
As he spoke, Jiraiya turned to look at Kitagawa Gen.
"You've got guts, I'll give you that. Using a stunt like that to trick them—weren't you afraid they'd see through it?"
With Uchiha Itachi being a turncoat? Probably not, Gen muttered inwardly.
Then he shook his head and replied, "Jiraiya-sama, they're rogue ninja. They'd obviously want to avoid running into ANBU. I figured it was worth a shot."
"True, it wasn't a bad idea. But it was still way too risky in that situation."
Jiraiya pursed his lips. The kid reminded him of Tsunade—both of them were gamblers at heart.
Except this one had been lucky and won his bet.
"Well, whatever. You pulled it off in the end. But kid, you only get one life—don't throw it away so recklessly."
"Yes, yes, I understand."
Gen nodded hurriedly, not wanting to argue with Jiraiya.
Nor did he want to sit through a lecture, so he quickly changed the subject.
"Jiraiya-sama, what are your plans going forward?"
"Me? I'll keep tracking Orochimaru, of course."
Jiraiya didn't seem bothered by the question. His mission was widely known, and since this kid was Kakashi's student, there was no reason to keep anything from him.
He stroked his chin thoughtfully, then spoke again.
"Funny thing—I've been following Orochimaru's trail for a while now, and I recently picked up some strange intel. It seems he's joined some kind of organization."
"Hard to believe, really. That guy… making a move like that? It's just bizarre."
What's so bizarre about that?
Uchiha Itachi and Biwa Jūzō were part of the same organization once. Orochimaru just got kicked out afterward.
Gen smirked silently, saying nothing. He understood all too well how dangerous habitual thinking could be.
Strong rogue ninja rarely banded together.
After all, most of them had been enemies in past wars, each loyal to their own village. That alone made cooperation difficult.
On top of that, shinobi were inherently competitive. Put too many powerful rogues in one place and infighting was inevitable.
Especially someone like Orochimaru—how could he possibly accept playing second to anyone?
Unless, of course, there was a force powerful enough to suppress him.
And that's exactly why there was only one Akatsuki in the entire shinobi world.
Not to mention, Jiraiya's intel was always a bit behind the curve.
He still remembered what Jiraiya had said to Kakashi when asking for custody of Naruto: "Orochimaru had just left the Akatsuki."
That alone said a lot.
But it made sense—every member of Akatsuki was a formidable individual. Since they hadn't yet begun openly capturing the Tailed Beasts, it wasn't hard for them to stay hidden.
As for Orochimaru being in the Land of Waves, it was most likely because he was either passing through on his way to or from the Land of Water. His true target was undoubtedly Kimimaro.
[New Side Quest Acquired]
Just as these thoughts crossed his mind, Gen's system suddenly lit up again!
[Jiraiya-san, the Cherry Blossoms Are in Full Bloom Back Home]
[Escort Jiraiya back to Konoha]
"…"
Gen froze at the sight of this absurd mission. Then he felt a dull ache in his teeth.
He was somewhat relieved that the system wasn't throwing something completely ridiculous at him like "Make Jiraiya and Pain share a smoke atop the ruins of Konoha."
Still, convincing Jiraiya to go back to Konoha was no easy task!
Especially since he was currently tracking Orochimaru.
"But… what if the reward comes from Jiraiya himself?"
Gen fell into deep thought. Eventually, he decided it was worth a try.
After all, he did possess some 'minor' informational advantages…
After a moment of reflection, he made up his mind on how to proceed.
"I see, Jiraiya-sama…"
Gen's face fell slightly as he let out a sigh.
"I was hoping you'd return to Konoha with us."
"Whoa, whoa, whoa—why would I go back to Konoha?! Don't curse me like that!"
Jiraiya's eyes widened instantly. In a way, Konoha was a place of heartbreak for him.
Unless absolutely necessary, he really didn't want to go back. And even if he did… would he be allowed to leave again so easily?
"Kakashi-sensei's in no shape to fight right now. If we were to run into another rogue ninja like Uchiha Itachi…"
Gen glanced at Kakashi lying unconscious on the bed, then looked up at Jiraiya.
"But of course, Jiraiya-sama has more important matters to attend to. We wouldn't dare force anything. We just hope we don't run into any more misfortune."
"Though, if we do… it wouldn't be your fault, Jiraiya-sama. It would just mean we're terribly unlucky."
"..."
Jiraiya's expression stiffened. He felt like he was being emotionally blackmailed. What kind of sharp-tongued brat was this kid?
"Alright, Gen. I'll be fine."
Thankfully, Kakashi broke the tension just in time, both smoothing things over and changing the subject.
"Jiraiya-sama, why don't you tell us what you've found out about Orochimaru? That way I can report back properly."
"No problem!"
Gen didn't say anything, though his eyebrows lifted ever so slightly. Jiraiya, on the other hand, let out a sigh of relief.
After thinking for a moment, he began speaking with uncharacteristic seriousness.
"I've pretty much told you the essentials already. The most important detail is about that organization."
"This group is incredibly well-hidden. I don't even know who the members are—or even what they call themselves."
"But for Orochimaru to willingly join them? That alone proves they're no ordinary bunch. Recently, I received intel that someone may have seen him near a port in the Land of Waves. That's all I know for now."
"So mysterious, huh?"
Kakashi furrowed his brows. If even Jiraiya couldn't dig up more, this was going to be troublesome.
"The Land of Waves again…"
Suddenly, Gen chimed in at just the right moment.
"Uchiha Itachi and Biwa Jūzō were also in the Land of Waves. And if I'm not mistaken, Uchiha fought in the Land of Whirlpools during the Third Shinobi War—against Kirigakure."
"Hm?"
Both Jiraiya and Kakashi were taken aback by Gen's remark. Their expressions quickly turned thoughtful and strange.
"Those two teaming up… really is unbelievable."
Seeing their reaction, Gen stopped pretending.
"Both of them are ruthless and prideful. One was a former genius who slaughtered his entire clan. The other, a member of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist."
"If those two can join forces… doesn't that mean others can too?"