Deep in the dense forest, a campfire crackled, and the aroma of grilled fish filled the air. Jiraiya sat cross-legged by the fire, a newly received intelligence scroll in his hand, his brow slightly furrowed. Not far away, Naruto and Karin were engaged in a fierce Taijutsu sparring match, their shadows stretching long in the setting sun.
"Hey! Karin, that was too cunning of you!" Naruto dodged her chokehold with a backflip and shouted indignantly.
Karin pushed up her glasses and smiled smugly, "Idiot, no one follows the rules in real combat."
Jiraiya looked at them, a slight smile playing on his lips. "These two brats are improving pretty quickly..."
The past few days of training have not been peaceful. Ever since he discovered that someone was secretly watching him, Jiraiya's nerves have been on edge.
At first, they were just small-time bounty hunters who could be easily shaken off or dealt with. But gradually, the attacking enemies became stronger and stronger, and some of them were even notorious missing-nin who had once been famous in the black market.
Last night, they defeated a ninja exiled from the Land of Lightning. Under Jiraiya's Genjutsu interrogation, the ninja finally revealed the truth—
"Bounty... Naruto Uzumaki, 50 million taels..."
Jiraiya's face instantly darkened. "No wonder these guys swarmed around like sharks smelling blood..."
However, crises also present opportunities.
Naruto has grown rapidly during this period of intense battles. The Rasengan, which used to require repeated practice, can now be used flexibly in actual combat; the tactical coordination of the Shadow Clone Technique has also become more and more proficient, even able to deceive experienced enemies.
Karin's Mind's Eye of the Kagura played a crucial role. Her perception range was extremely wide, allowing her to accurately detect Chakra movements several kilometers away. Those bounty hunters who thought they had laid an ambush flawlessly were often dealt with by her and Naruto before they could even react.
"Three hundred meters to the left, two Chakra reactions, they should be Earth Release ninjas," Karin said quickly after closing her eyes and sensing the surroundings.
"Understood!" Naruto grinned, forming hand seals. "Shadow Clone Technique!"
Several clones instantly rushed out, coordinating with the main body to surround the enemy. The battle ended in less than three minutes.
Jiraiya watched this scene and nodded in satisfaction. "Indeed, real combat is the best teacher."
As evening fell, a séance eagle descended from the sky, bringing the latest intelligence from Konoha.
"Could members of Akatsuki be targeting Naruto?" Jiraiya asked gravely after reading the scroll.
In her letter, Tsunade stated that she had dispatched two Anbu squads to provide support, which were expected to arrive within a few days. They would operate covertly, clearing out bounty hunters along the way and relieving Jiraiya's burden.
"Phew... I can finally catch my breath." Jiraiya rubbed his temples.
The high alert and combat exertion of the past few days had left even him feeling exhausted. The overuse of Chakra had noticeably slowed his recovery rate, and if this continued, he would be in danger if he encountered a truly powerful enemy.
In the stillness of the night, Jiraiya sat alone on a treetop, keeping watch. Under the moonlight, his gaze swept across the dark forest around him.
"If the Akatsuki members really come, Kakuzu? Or will it be Nagato...?"
"Hopefully, the people Tsunade sent will arrive soon..."
The next morning, Naruto stretched and crawled out of his tent, only to find that Jiraiya had already packed his things.
"Pervy Sage, so early this morning?"
"Hmm, we need to find a different place to train." Jiraiya's tone was unusually serious. "The enemies we face next might be beyond your capabilities."
Karin, sensing something keenly, frowned and asked, "Is it someone from Akatsuki?"
Jiraiya did not answer, but simply looked up at the sky.
A Crow flew silently by and disappeared into the clouds.
Land of Hot Water, Hot Spring Town.
The afterglow of the setting sun spilled onto the rising steam, and the entire street was filled with the aroma of sulfur and sake. Uchiha Itachi leaned against the window on the second floor of the inn, holding a cup of warm tea in his hands, his gaze sweeping lightly over the bustling crowd on the street.
"The streets have gotten much livelier lately," Kisame grinned, carrying Samehada. "Looks like everyone's after those fifty million taels."
Itachi didn't respond, but his Sharingan had already detected the dangerous aura mingling among the tourists—bounty hunters, missing-nin, and even Anbu from certain ninja villages, all of them eager to make a move.
"Naruto Uzumaki... fifty million taels."
This number is enough to drive any desperate criminal mad, even if the target is standing next to the legendary "Sannin" Jiraiya.
Itachi gently raised his hand, and a jet-black Crow silently landed on his fingertip. He closed his eyes, sharing the Crow's perspective—
There was no trace of Sasuke.
But unexpectedly, he sensed a familiar Chakra at the edge of the forest— Naruto Uzumaki.
"Did you find it?" Kisame asked with interest.
"Hmm." Itachi responded faintly, his gaze deep.
Kisame grinned. "What, Itachi-san, are you interested in the Nine-Tails brat?"
Itachi did not answer, but his gaze softened slightly for a moment.
--Yes, he is indeed interested in Naruto.
Itachi's impression of Naruto used to be limited to "the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki" and "Sasuke's contemporary." A pitiful child struggling to survive amidst the villagers' disgust, nothing more.
But ever since the "Heavenly Screen" appeared, displaying images of the future—
Naruto fights Pain, who has invaded Konoha, alone, vowing to protect the village to the death.
He never gave up in his battles with Sasuke, even when he was rejected and hurt.
That line, "Even if it breaks your arms and legs, I'll still bring you back!"
Itachi understood that Sasuke's future held such an irreplaceable bond.
"Sasuke... with him here, you'll be alright."
That evening, in the forest outside the hot spring town.
Three bounty hunters were lurking in the shadows of the trees. One of them, clutching a vial of colorless and odorless poison, grinned and whispered:
"If we mix this stuff into Jiraiya's sake, even if he's Sannin, he'll be knocked out!"
However, they haven't taken a single step yet—
"The Demonic Illusion: Shackling Stakes Technique."
A cold voice rang in their ears, and the three of them were instantly dragged into a blood-red world.
In reality, they simply collapsed, their pupils dilated, as if they were living through a nightmare from which they would never wake up.
Itachi's figure flashed by in the moonlight.
"Boring nobody."
Over the next few days, Kisame felt increasingly uneasy.
"Mr. Itachi, didn't we come here to see Orochimaru?" he couldn't help but ask, "Why are you spending Tenten in the hot spring town?"
Itachi leaned lazily against the edge of the hot spring, the steam blurring his expression. "What's the rush? Orochimaru's whereabouts aren't so easy to find."
Kisame raised an eyebrow. "But you said just a few days ago you didn't want to come to a place like this."
Itachi closed his eyes to rest. "It's good to relax once in a while."
Kisame: "..."
(I feel like Itachi-san has been acting strange lately...)
At the same time, Jiraiya and his group also noticed something was wrong.
"Strange, there have been fewer attacks these past two days." Naruto scratched his head. "Have they given up?"
Karin adjusted her glasses and frowned, saying, "No... someone is secretly eliminating them."
Jiraiya's gaze sharpened. "Who?"
Karin shook her head. "The Chakra is unfamiliar, but... it's very strong."
In the distance, a Crow silently watched them, its blood-red eyes gleaming faintly in the night.
"Naruto, I'm entrusting Sasuke's future to you."
The night was deep, with only the chirping of insects and the occasional rustling of the wind in the forest. Jiraiya sat by the campfire, seemingly leisurely flipping through a copy of "Icha Icha Paradise," but in reality, his nerves were already on edge.
Suddenly, a leaf drifted down in front of him, bearing coded symbols from the Anbu Konoha: "Support has arrived."
Jiraiya's lips curled into a slight smile, and he breathed a sigh of relief.
"Has it finally arrived...?"
In the shadows hundreds of meters from the camp, Six Paths figures lay silently in wait.
First Squad (Reconnaissance and Assassination Group)
Captain: Gekko Hayate (Jonin) -- Skilled in Konoha-Style Kenjutsu and the Transparent Release, he can become invisible in sunlight and is an expert in assassination and intelligence gathering.
Team member: Uzuki Yugao (Special Jōnin) -- Gekko Hayate's lover, proficient in Genjutsu and short sword techniques, responsible for support and counter-reconnaissance.
Team Member: Aburame Muta (Special Jōnin) -- An elite Aburame Clan, who controls a special swarm of insects that can silently paralyze enemies.
Second Squad (Assault and Defense Group)
Captain: Namiashi Raidō (Jonin) -- Skilled in using black swords, adept at Lightning Release and Body Flicker Technique, and handpicked by Tsunade as a close combat expert.
Team member: Aoba Yamashiro (Special Jōnin) -- Proficient in Fire Style and Crow Genjutsu, and also an expert in intelligence analysis.
Team Member: Tobitake Tonbo (Special Jōnin) -- Sensory ninja, skilled in trap setting and long-range support.
The six people had a clear division of labor, forming an invisible protective net outside Jiraiya's perception range.
The next morning, Naruto and Karin had just finished their morning training when they heard several muffled sounds coming from the distant forest.
"What's that sound?" Naruto turned his head alertly.
Jiraiya waved his hand. "Never mind, it's probably just wild animals fighting."
In reality, it was Gekko Hayate who Transparent Release eliminated the two bounty hunters who tried to approach using his teleportation technique.
Meanwhile, Aburame Muta's swarm of insects had quietly enveloped a rogue Iwagakure missing-nin nearby. The poison rendered him unconscious before he could even scream.
Aoba Yamashiro stood on a treetop, Crows circling around him, taking in the Chakra movements within a radius of several kilometers.
"Seven people have been eliminated so far, but three more groups are approaching," he reported in a low voice.
Namiashi Raidō and sneered, "Let them come. It'll be good to stretch my muscles."
For several days in a row, Naruto noticed that the number of attackers was decreasing. On one occasion, he clearly sensed the enemy's Chakra, but before he could make a move, the enemy suddenly disappeared.
"Strange, why are these guys all acting like cowards lately?" Naruto scratched his head.
Karin adjusted her glasses, seemingly lost in thought, "No... someone is helping us clean them up."
Jiraiya took a swig of sake and smiled without saying a word.
(The people Tsunade sent this time were actually quite reliable...)
Inside the inn in the hot spring town, Itachi stood by the window, a Crow landing on his shoulder.
By sharing his vision, he witnessed the actions of Konoha's Anbu.
"Oh? Konoha's reinforcements have arrived..." Itachi muttered to himself.
Kisame came out of the bathroom, drying his hair, and asked, "What's wrong?"
"Nothing," Itachi said, retracting his Crow. "I just discovered something interesting."
(Looks like I won't need to intervene for now...)