"Is that... Konan?"
Jiraiya looked at the familiar yet strange figure before him, an indescribable emotion surging through his heart.
She was no longer the little girl who had needed protection back then. Now, she could stand on her own and even represent the entire Rain Village.
Recalling the time he had once spent with Konan, Jiraiya was filled with emotion.
Back then, they had gone on many adventures together and faced countless difficulties side by side.
However, the passage of time had changed everything.
At that moment, the Konan standing before Jiraiya had a strange look in her eyes.
Her attitude toward Jiraiya also seemed different. She was no longer as dependent on him or as close to him as she had been in the past.
This change made Jiraiya feel somewhat disappointed, but at the same time, he was gratified by Konan's growth.
However, Jiraiya soon smiled and let go of his feelings.
Yes, people always change, whether in appearance or in their hearts.
As time passed, everyone would go through all kinds of things and become more mature and stronger.
Although Konan's attitude had changed, Jiraiya understood.
Regardless, he would respect Konan's choice and hope that she could continue pursuing her ideals.
Jiraiya's gaze once again settled on the nobles.
He discovered that, apart from the Land of Wind, representatives from nearly every other country had come to attend the gathering.
In the end, his gaze fell on the Wind Kage, and his tone carried a trace of confusion and displeasure. "Why hasn't the Daimyo of your Land of Wind come?"
As soon as he said this, he immediately attracted the attention of the other countries' Daimyo.
They all chimed in. "That's right! Where is your Daimyo?"
"We originally thought we could use this opportunity to get