The Hidden Rain Village.
Underground pipeline area.
Jiraiya gradually calmed his mood.
As a professionally trained ninja, Jiraiya believed he could conceal his emotions regardless of what happened before him.
The only trouble was…
Uehara Naraku told too many lies outside that Jiraiya felt he couldn't even count them all.
After discovering Hanzo of the Salamander's death was one of the loopholes, Jiraiya quickly realized everything else Uehara Naraku said was lies.
How could there be someone like Uehara Naraku in the Ninja World!
Most ninjas occasionally deceive someone or leak false information; why would someone like Uehara Naraku appear!
Uehara Naraku had always pretended Hanzo of the Salamander was alive and fabricated a bunch of lies based on it. Whenever Jiraiya thought one thing Uehara said might be false, he'd think another thing might also be false.
Everything was false.
Everything was a lie.
The problem was, what is the truth?
No matter how hard Jiraiya tried to guess and analyze, he couldn't figure it out now because all of Uehara Naraku's words had completely collapsed, leaving him no clues.
Just the name of Hanzo of the Salamander had been used by Uehara Naraku for a long time. Who knew which parts might have truly happened but were attributed to Hanzo, and which parts never happened but were pushed onto Hanzo?
Damn it, how could there be someone like Uehara Naraku in the Ninja World!
Jiraiya felt he traveled in the Ninja World for so long, over fifty years, experienced all sorts of things and met all kinds of people.
But people like Uehara Naraku were truly a rare sight!
After sighing for a while, Jiraiya realized he might have entered a misconception. His purpose in coming to the Hidden Rain Village was to gather intelligence on Akatsuki, not to think about how many things Uehara Naraku did under Hanzo's name!
Perhaps, Uehara Naraku and his teacher just thought Hanzo of the Salamander's title was intimidating and used it to scare others from entering the Land of Rain?
Jiraiya rubbed his wrist, looked at the two Hidden Rain Ninjas patrolling the underground pipeline, and gritted his teeth: "Next, I need to thoroughly investigate whether Uehara Naraku has any connection with Akatsuki, then look for intelligence on Akatsuki…"
At this moment, Jiraiya hoped Uehara Naraku and his teacher simply wanted to occupy this Hidden Rain Village, and even if Uehara Naraku and his teacher previously cooperated with Akatsuki, it wouldn't matter.
For example, it doesn't matter if Uehara Naraku cooperated with Akatsuki to kill Hanzo, as long as he currently isn't colluding with Akatsuki.
Even if Uehara Naraku had previously colluded with Shimura Danzo and Orochimaru to cause unrest in Konoha and assassinate the Third Hokage, it's not such a big deal.
Firstly, for Konoha, the best situation is if the Hidden Rain Village pushed to create Akatsuki, yet they eventually parted ways as Uehara said, and became mortal enemies.
This way, Konoha and the Hidden Rain Village can continue to be allies.
Secondly, for Konoha, the worst situation is if Uehara Naraku is still a core member of Akatsuki and has always been providing intelligence on Konoha to them.
Looking at it this way, Konoha seems to have been manipulated all along.
"Things shouldn't be that bad, right?"
Jiraiya rubbed his temples and flew down to a section of the underground pipeline, tracking the two Hidden Rain Ninjas, lowly muttering: "Uehara Naraku, that kid can save people; his character shouldn't be that bad, right?"
Unfortunately.
When Jiraiya captured the two patrolling Rain Ninjas with Toad Mouth Bind Jutsu and interrogated them for intelligence, he found Uehara Naraku was far more malicious than he thought.
In the Toad's stomach walls.
Jiraiya stroked his chin, looking at the two extremely stubborn Rain Ninjas before him, spoke with a light laugh: "Who exactly is Uehara Naraku? Is he the leader of the Hidden Rain Village? It's clear that the people in this village highly respect him!"
"Lord Uehara is the most perfect ninja ever!"
A slightly older patrolling Rain Ninja gritted his teeth and said deeply: "If you intend to assassinate Lord Uehara, you are doomed!"
"Ha, the most perfect ninja?"
Jiraiya couldn't help but laugh, a hint of evil gradually appeared in his eyes: "Hm, you and your wife Shougang say the same thing!"
"Damn, how do you know my wife is Shougang!"
The middle-aged patrolling Rain Ninja's face gradually turned angry, then a bit helplessly looked at Jiraiya: "I didn't expect enemies like you would investigate someone as insignificant as me?"
"Hahahahaha…"
After a few laughs, Jiraiya looked seriously at the middle-aged patrolling Rain Ninja in front of him, and said sternly: "If you want to return safely to see your wife, then tell me everything you know! What's the deal with Hanzo of the Salamander? What's with the leadership change in the Hidden Rain Village? Who is Uehara Naraku?"
"..."
The middle-aged Rain Ninja fell into silence.
Moments later, the middle-aged Rain Ninja slowly shook his head, responded calmly: "Eight years ago, it's said that Lord Uehara, under Lord Pain's orders, killed Hanzo of the Salamander and hung Hanzo's body on the tower. Since then, the Hidden Rain Village has been under their protection."