Jiraiya's Questioning

Konoha!

The gloomy sky brought a sense of oppression to the entire village, and the continuous drizzle seemed to add a touch of melancholy to this oppressive atmosphere.

Inside this Prison, which falls under the jurisdiction of the Seventh Division, the layout is similar to the dueling room after passing through the Forest of Death in the original Chunin Ninja Exams. At this moment, the stairs are filled with vigilant ninjas, and the prisoners inside are all hiding in Prison cells, filled with fear and afraid to come out.

"Brother Yoru!"

"Lord Yoru."

Uchiha Shisui and Hizashi Hyuga, the two highest-ranking officers in the Konoha Military Police Force, tensed up upon seeing the newcomers, as if they had seen a glimmer of hope.

As the Cursed Seal faded, Uchiha Yoru arrived wearily at the Prison. Amidst the somewhat flustered expressions of the crowd, he calmly stated in a deep voice, "Rest assured, Teacher Orochimaru is innocent. The arrest warrant issued by the Anbu was based on Teacher Orochimaru's alleged Human Experimentation with fellow village ninjas."

At this point, Uchiha Yoru looked at Shisui and the guards Kakashi and Might Guy in the distance, "Shisui, immediately gather all the village ninjas and children in the Prison. All members of the Seventh Military Police Division, listen to my command!"

"The priority is protecting these fellow village ninjas and children! Unless the Hokage gives a personal order, the Konoha Military Police Force has the right to disobey orders from any other department, not even the Anbu!"

Uchiha Yoru's loud shout instantly reassured the somewhat panicked ninjas, who all shouted in unison, "Yes!"

They were originally Orochimaru's elite subordinates, so if something really happened, they would inevitably be implicated.

"Kid, take me to see the missing ninja."

Jiraiya, who had followed them all the way, now wore a solemn expression, his usual comical demeanor gone. However, Uchiha Yoru gave a self-deprecating smile, "Uzuki Yugao, go and get the list for Lord Jiraiya."

Uzuki Yugao, who had been observing from the sidelines, was immediately taken aback upon hearing this, looking completely bewildered. She genuinely had no idea what was going on. Uchiha Yoru, seeing this, shook his head and said softly, "Go to the Prison office and bring me the file in the third drawer of the seventh cabinet."

"Yes!" Upon hearing the order, Uzuki Yugao hurriedly and respectfully shouted, then transformed into a black shadow and flashed away.

At this moment, the presence of Jiraiya Sannin Jiraiya, seemed to bring a sense of calm to their panicked hearts, especially Hizashi Hyuga, who was extremely flustered.

If Lord Orochimaru to get into trouble, not only would the Uchiha Clan be too powerful and wealthy to care about other civilian ninjas, but the Hyuga Branch Family would almost all be branded with Orochimaru's name, making it virtually unavoidable.

The Hyuga Branch Family and countless Orochimaru direct ninjas were filled with panic, hoping that nothing would happen this time, yet also harboring a hint of fear.

Soon after, Uzuki Yugao brought over the file scroll. At the same time, figures appeared one after another in the spacious, enclosed space of the Prison. At this moment, the Konoha Ninja of the Seventh Division all frowned.

Most of them were young ninjas, mostly Chunin and Genin, and there were even children around ten years old. These were all missing persons.

Seeing this, Jiraiya frowned, while Uchiha Yoru gave a self-deprecating laugh, "Although they lost their freedom in Prison, back then, whenever they appeared in the village, they were waiting for Lord Jiraiya. I don't need to tell you that, do I?"

Jiraiya fell silent. It would be a lie to say he didn't know Root had been doing in the village, hence his silence.

"Captain Yoru." Uzuki Yugao respectfully handed over the scroll. After taking it, Uchiha Yoru's eyes revealed Three Tomoe. After opening the file scroll, the Three Tomoe in his Sharingan suddenly spun.

"Untie!"

After the Sharingan Unseal: Release, Uchiha Yoru threw it directly to Jiraiya, "The information on these people was all gathered by the Konoha Military Police Force themselves. As for the others, we can't currently ascertain their identities because they're wearing black prison uniforms."

At this moment Jiraiya looked at the identities and photos on the scroll, and then at the village ninjas who came out of the Prison. His face was filled with anger; there were over a hundred of them.

"Don't worry, to avoid any oversights, Teacher Orochimaru only uses enemy ninjas, Spy, and Rogue Ninja in his experiments."

Although this would have cost more, Uchiha Yoru secretly breathed a sigh of relief. Fortunately, he resisted the temptation and didn't do anything reckless to save a little money; otherwise, it would have been a serious stain on his reputation.

Inside the Prison's sealed building, over two hundred ninjas from the Seventh Division of the Konoha Military Police Force awaited the truth in the oppressive atmosphere. They were all Orochimaru's loyal followers, and many were still unwilling to accept Orochimaru's loss of power.

This incident is clear to everyone with discerning eyes: Orochimaru has lost power. If that were all, it would be fine, but the real fear is that the undercurrents are escalating.

Jiraiya, clutching the scroll in his hand, fell silent. "Kid, everything will be alright."

Jiraiya, and instantly a Toad was summoned. He then threw the scroll to the Toad, and the Toad and Jiraiya turned into white smoke and disappeared. It turned out that Jiraiya had always been using Shadow Clone.

The Hokage Office.

"Third Hokage, what exactly happened with Orochimaru? Give me an explanation!"

Jiraiya and angrily questioned them. Of the three advisors ignored in the office, Mitokado Homura and Utatane Koharu would have reprimanded Jiraiya such behavior long ago, but this time they were also feeling guilty.

But Shimura Danzō, with a stern face, coldly retorted, "Jiraiya, you are extremely rude."

However, this time Jiraiya wasn't as casual as before. He turned around angrily and shouted back, "Danzo! What's going on with Root! Orochimaru joined Root, so don't tell me that Orochimaru could set up a laboratory in the village on his own without Root's support?"

Nobody's a fool. How could they set up a lab right under Konoha's nose and not be discovered? Do they think Konoha's Byakugan, Anbu, and Root are just sitting around doing nothing?

"Jiraiya!"

The hoarse voice of the Third Hiruzen Sarutobi, echoed in the office. The enraged Jiraiya turned to look at his teacher. Under their gazes, facing the now-powerful Shinobi Hero, Jiraiya, who had not yet reached his peak, gradually fell silent.

"Third Hokage! What's going on with Orochimaru?! Do you want the village to experience another White Fang Incident?!"

Jiraiya's hoarse voice echoed in the office. The Third Hokage Hiruzen Sarutobi, lowered his voice and said hoarsely, "Jiraiya, the village has endured the Third Shinobi War, the Nine-Tails Night, and the loss of the Fourth Hokage. Konoha cannot withstand further turmoil, and the Uchiha behind Orochimaru Hyuga stirring."

"For the stability of Konoha! For peace! I have no choice but to abandon Orochimaru, but no one wants to see this situation."

Seeing the Third Hokage's sad yet resolute gaze, Jiraiya felt more sorrow than anger. He took out a scroll from his pocket and threw it at him in a huff.

"Third Hokage! Orochimaru discovered everything you've done long ago. The ninjas and children captured by Root have all been put in Prison."

At this moment Jiraiya's face revealed an even more sarcastic smile. Human experimentation, what a ridiculous charge! However, when the Third Hokage saw the scroll, a look of relief appeared on his ugly old face.

Even Mitokado Homura and Utatane Koharu secretly breathed a sigh of relief, "Thank goodness! Thank goodness Orochimaru still knows his limits."

At this moment, it seemed that everyone's malice was directed at Danzo. Immediately, Shimura Danzō and his neck thickened as he said aggrievedly, "Don't look down on me. Since you have information on these missing ninjas, you should investigate them carefully. These ninjas are either descendants who betrayed the village's interests, or they have committed heinous acts such as retreating in the face of battle or even abandoning their missions."

Although Shimura Danzō was ruthless, he wasn't stupid. He wouldn't just attack the village's ninjas so casually; otherwise, the Third wouldn't have tolerated his audacity.

Seeing these old fogies still trying to justify themselves, Jiraiya gave a self-deprecating laugh. "Master, I can barely accept this explanation, but why did you remain silent about the information Orochimaru sent you!"

Jiraiya then pulled another scroll from his robes and tossed it over, sneering, "This is a scroll Orochimaru included in the gifts when he sent his student Uchiha brat, to visit. It records details of human experiments. Although it didn't say anything, teacher! Don't you know Orochimaru?"

Upon seeing the scroll, the Third Hiruzen Sarutobi, was deeply moved and shocked. He recalled how Uchiha Yoru had visited him to borrow money and give gifts, and how he had reciprocated with one of his best A-Rank Ninjutsu.

Damn it! Why are they all like this? Can't they just put everything out in the open? Do they have to make everyone guess?!

At this moment, the Third Hiruzen Sarutobi, was incredibly frustrated. Who could have imagined that this brat would hide the scroll inside the gift box? Frustrated and angry, he turned to look at Danzo glared back defiantly, as if to say, "I gave you my approval beforehand; you didn't even look at it and just acquiesced."

At that moment, Hiruzen Sarutobi only sensed the malice of this world, as if everyone was targeting him.

Jiraiya, of course, was unaware of his teacher, the Third's, anger. He only felt sorrow, "Orochimaru may already know your decision, but he only wants one sentence from you! He just wants you to explain yourself as soon as possible! But what about you!"

At this point, Jiraiya roared angrily, "Do you really have to drive Orochimaru to the brink of despair?!"

At that moment, the Third, Hiruzen Sarutobi, felt dizzy. The carelessness of the Root had caused all of this. At the same time, Orochimaru had already given him a signal, but he hadn't seen it.

However, at that moment, an Anbu appeared in the Hokage Office. Seeing everyone fall silent, the Third Hokage angrily exclaimed, "What's going on now?!"

Faced with the Third Hokage's furious questioning, the Anbu member trembled and lowered his head, saying in a deep voice, "Almost all the ninjas in the village know about Lord Orochimaru's Human experimentation, and countless ninjas have already begun to gather in protest."

"Damn it!" Hiruzen Sarutobi roared, but at that moment another Anbu Ninja appeared, though this time he looked rather disheveled.

"Reporting to the Hokage-sama, Orochimaru's whereabouts have been discovered 60 kilometers outside the village."

Just as the Anbu was speaking, his eyes suddenly rolled back, his consciousness began to dissipate, and with a sudden gurgling sound in his throat, he vomited out a large snake.

Then, under everyone's watchful eyes, the large snake regurgitated a Forehead Protector from its mouth.

The Forehead Protector, a symbol of Konoha Ninja identity, fell to the ground with a crisp clink, and at the same time, a clear mark was seen across its Forehead Protector's Jiraiya contracted upon seeing this.

Orochimaru!

It was obvious that Orochimaru had conveyed his message through Genjutsu and Summoning Jutsu, completely severing his ties with Konoha. Upon witnessing this, the Konoha High Council F4, all fell silent.

This time, something truly terrible has happened! No one is stupid about Orochimaru's choice; they schemed and abandoned him, and this is Orochimaru's retaliation—a clean break.

A light drizzle fell from the gloomy sky. This Harusame, which should have brought vitality, instead gave the Konoha a sense of desolation, and even the newly sprouted green buds bent over.

Konoha, the Prison under the jurisdiction of the Seventh Division of the Konoha Military Police Force.

In the light drizzle, one by one, the Anbu Ninja checked and counted the identities. All the members of the Seventh Military Police Division sat silently as the Anbu members checked and took away the missing Konoha personnel.

"Little brat."

Above the high Prison walls, Uchiha Yoru stood as if he had lost his soul in the misty rain. His clothes were torn from the battle, revealing his strong body, yet his figure in the gloomy rain looked so lonely.

The crisp sound of wooden clogs echoed as Jiraiya approached, unsure how to offer comfort. However, upon hearing footsteps behind her Uchiha Yoru closed her eyes and began to bathe in the rain.

"Lord Jiraiya, it seems you can't be trusted either. All the evidence has been taken away. Teacher Orochimaru's last hope has been destroyed by his fellow Sannin."

As he said this, Uchiha Yoru's lips slowly curled into a self-deprecating smile. "Teacher Orochimaru once said that there was only one fool in Konoha who always believed in him. Unfortunately, I think my sensei was wrong."

Jiraiya, also standing in the rain, fell silent. He looked up at the sky obscured by dark clouds and murmured to himself, "Life presents us with too many unavoidable choices. Orochimaru's research into human experimentation has spread throughout Konoha, which has extinguished his hopes of becoming Hokage."

Human experimentation is acceptable, but it cannot be conducted openly. By directly exposing this matter, the Sarutobi Clan has completely extinguished Orochimaru's hopes.

"Konoha needs stability."

Jiraiya's voice echoed in his ears, Uchiha Yoruro a mocking smile, "Stability? So Teacher Orochimaru has to bear all of this. After all, the Hokage candidates are secretly conducting Human experimentation, and the current Hokage's clan is tyrannical and suppressing the people of the village. Once it's all exposed, the village will be even more turbulent, right!"

Upon hearing this, Jiraiya fell silent. He was furious and unwilling! But given the current situation in Konoha, a decision had to be made. If everything was exposed for the sake of a quick thrill, Konoha would be plunged into unprecedented turmoil.

Konoha needed someone to take charge, so after his anger subsided, he chose to remain silent. The Orochimaru incident had already destabilized Konoha; it couldn't afford another one.

"I will remain with the Seventh Division for the time being."

Jiraiya made his choice, and his intervention in the Seventh Division also saved the Seventh Division and protected Orochimaru's loyal followers from persecution.