The Sea Does Not Welcome Me, Jiraiya

Water Release: Water Style: Exploding Water Colliding Wave

The towering waves of the sea, large enough to form a lake, are now boiling on this scorching land, sending up plumes of steam.

The flowing lava was extinguished by the sea, and a mist rose from the area.

Wind Release: Great Breakthrough

After the hurricane blew away the water vapor, the scarred face of the earth was finally revealed.

"Lord Yoru."

Hatake Kakashi and Kisame Hoshigaki arrived here and saw Uchiha Yoru.

Upon seeing the newcomer, Uchiha Yoru frowned and said, "Announce the news of the Fire Temple's treason, and at the same time, forbid the Fire Temple from existing within the Land of Fire."

"Yes!"

"Night!" Hatake Kakashi sighed with some shame, "This time my command failed, Shikamaru Nara was killed in battle."

Upon seeing this, Kisame Hoshigaki snorted coldly and said, "In my opinion, it's because you, Kakashi, have spoiled Naruto Uzumaki too much. The Fourth Hokage may be great, but that's not a reason for him to act recklessly."

With Kisame Hoshigaki's explanation, Uchiha Yoru finally understood what it meant and immediately showed a look of realization.

Was it because of his own existence that the protagonist's aura weakened, and he even caused the death of his companion due to impulsiveness?

But what does this have to do with him?

A Naruto caught in self-doubt?

Uchiha Yoru smiled calmly, "Kakashi, don't worry about it. This is an experience every ninja needs. Perhaps you protected him too well before, or perhaps Naruto Uzumaki is simply not suited to be a ninja."

What Naruto Uzumaki has become has nothing to do with him. To put it bluntly, he needs to utilize the other party's power.

After all, the terrifying Otsutsuki Clan still exists in the future.

"Kakashi, pass down the order: report any encounters with Akatsuki Organization members immediately. Do not act rashly; every member of this organization is a powerful shinobi comparable to a Kage."

"Yes!"

The Akatsuki Organization members had just escaped from the Land of Fire when they entered a forest.

Pain coldly stared at everyone, while all the Akatsuki Organization members focused their attention on Kakuzu and Hidan.

Facing the piercing gazes of the crowd, Hidan, still half-paralyzed and limp, weakly shifted the blame, saying, "It was Kakuzu who insisted on making money; it has nothing to do with me."

With each sharp, intermittent throbbing pain, Hidan finally began to feel the agony.

Kakuzu the crowd, Kakuzu lowered his head and said hoarsely, "I miscalculated. I was hoping to earn some funds for the organization, after all, that Jirō Jiraiya is still worth thirty million."

Beneath his gleaming green eyes, Kakuzu revealed unprecedented pain as he slowly pulled out two leather suitcases, as if he had chopped off his own hands.

With a determined look, he handed over the two suitcases containing a full thirty million in cash to Konan. At this moment, Kakuzu truly made a bold decision.

Seeing this, Pain said coldly, "No one is allowed to provoke Uchiha Yoru before the plan is completed!"

"I don't think I need to say more about Uchiha Yoru's strength!" Under Pain's cold Rinnegan through his Rinnegan, everyone couldn't help but show a hint of fear.

Even the usually carefree Deidara couldn't help but pat his chest in lingering fear, saying, "Boss, that Fire Style was terrifying! My art didn't even have time to explode before it was burned to ashes!"

Sasori coldly added, "Let alone whether my puppet can withstand it, the Chakra Threads controlling it were directly burned and melted by that Fire Style. This person's Fire Style has reached the point where it can counter puppets."

Obito a mask, couldn't help but show a solemn expression. He said to everyone in a deep voice, "We have no need to provoke Uchiha Yoru's strength right now. In fact, we might even cooperate with him in the future."

"Everyone, immediately begin the Tailed Beast capture plan."

At this moment, Pain coldly looked at everyone, "I didn't know the Uchiha Yoru would retaliate like this, but now we have obtained the Chakra of the One-Tail and Nine-Tails, and the Three-Tails and Six-Tails are in our Akatsuki Organization."

"The Two-Tails and the strongest Eight-Tails Jinchuriki besides the Nine-Tails are both in the Land of Lightning. Asuma, Tobi, Kakuzu, Hidan, go and capture the Two-Tails and the Eight-Tails Jinchuriki."

"The Four-Tails and Five-Tails are handled by me and Konan, while the Seven-Tails will be captured by Sasori and Deidara."

In an instant Pain issued the order to capture the Tailed Beast all at once, and gave everyone a warning look.

"Don't cause any unnecessary trouble. Capture the Jinchuriki while the Kumogakure and Iwagakure are off guard, and then retreat immediately."

"Yes!"

Masked Obito wanted to say something, but faced with Pain's cold gaze, he could only hold back in the end.

He had originally planned to have Pain fight the Eight-Tails to the death, since after all these years, he wanted to know exactly how strong Pain had become. It seems that this time he won't have the chance. However!

Obito, behind the mask, curled his lips into a cold smile. "After I've captured all the Tailed Beast, I'll give you a surprise."

This accident involving Kakuzu unexpectedly became Pain's excuse, prompting him to immediately order a full-scale operation to capture the Tailed Beast.

This is to collect all the Tailed Beast of the Shinobi World in one fell swoop before the Shinobi World can react.

Of course, nobody mentions the One-Tail and Nine-Tails anymore; even Obito mask doesn't say a word about them.

Go to Konoha to capture the Nine-Tails and the One-Tail? Do you really think Uchiha Yoru is just a figurehead?

Moreover, Konoha has accumulated a terrifying number of Kage Level fighters in recent years, enough to make one's scalp tingle; even the Akatsuki Organization doesn't want to cross that line.

Especially Uchiha Yoru, First Shinobi War in the Chunin Ninja Exams, all the Kage Level shinobi in the Shinobi World knew one thing: in terms of strength, they were simply not on the same level as their opponent.

Going there would be suicide. Since we already possess the Chakra of the One-Tail and the Nine-Tails, it seems that even if the final weapon loses two Tailed Beasts, its power will at most be slightly reduced.

Konoha.

Under a gray sky, a light rain was falling, and Naruto Uzumaki sat listlessly in Memorial Stone.

"Naruto, don't be like this. You didn't mean it, and Shikamaru doesn't want to see you like this either..."

Seeing Naruto's state, Sakura Haruno couldn't help but try to persuade him. Even Sasuke came over and calmly advised, "Naruto, this is the ninja world. A slight mistake can lead to death."

However, Naruto's gaze was vacant at this moment, and he was completely consumed by self-blame.

Shikamaru was killed by his impulsiveness.

If he hadn't been so impulsive and willful, and had rejected Konohamaru from the beginning, then Konohamaru wouldn't have followed him, and the initial battle plan wouldn't have been ruined.

Perhaps Shikamaru wouldn't have died.

No! I was too impulsive. I didn't observe and analyze the battlefield before angrily unleashing my strongest Ninjutsu, which resulted in Shikamaru's death.

Naruto was consumed by self-blame and filled with pain. This incident also seemed to make him realize that he was just an ordinary person.

He didn't have the power to change everything.

"Kakashi-sensei!"

Just then, Hatake Kakashi, holding an umbrella, appeared in front of the Memorial Stone. He glanced calmly at Naruto and placed a bouquet of white chrysanthemums on the ground.

"Naruto, I was just like you back then, I caused the deaths of my teammates..."

Kakashi recounted his past experiences with great composure, describing how he resorted to unethical means to achieve his missions, even disregarding the casualties of his teammates, ultimately leading to a situation where no one wanted to team up with him.

"Naruto, given that your impulsiveness led to the mission's failure, the higher-ups have decided to issue you a serious warning. Additionally, your mastery of the S-Rank Ninjutsu, Wind Release: Rasenshuriken, will be revoked."

At this point, Hatake Kakashi calmly took out a green scroll from his pocket, on which the character 'Seal' was clearly written.

"The upgraded version of the Rasengan, Wind Release S-Rank Ninjutsu, was already developed by Lord Yoru long ago. Your Ninjutsu is still not perfect enough without it. This is what Lord Yoru has given you."

"I hope you will be more thoughtful and cautious in the future, and at the same time, master this powerful Ninjutsu so that you can contribute more to the village."

After Kakashi finished speaking, tears welled up in Naruto Uzumaki's eyes, and he murmured, "Why! Why!"

He might feel better if he received a severe punishment, but it was just a verbal warning. What kind of punishment is that?

When Sakura Haruno saw this, she breathed a sigh of relief, and at the same time, she guessed the reason.

Because of Naruto Uzumaki's current immense strength, everything will be handled leniently.

But the more this happened, the more Naruto Uzumaki felt guilty.

Seeing Naruto in pain, Hatake Kakashi sighed. This is something only he can get through; no one can do it for him.

"Naruto, remember to destroy the scroll after writing this Ninjutsu. Also, Lord Jiraiya has vouched for you, and you'll even need to risk your life to investigate the Akatsuki Organization."

With a long sigh, Hatake Kakashi stepped forward and gently patted Naruto's shoulder, saying in a deep voice, "As the son of a hero, I hope you can bear this name, instead of being willful and disgracing your father."

After patting it twice heavily, Hatake Kakashi lowered his head and walked dejectedly towards the cemetery. In front of a tombstone, he stared blankly at the photo and began to wander alone.

This scene caused Sasuke Uchiha and Sakura Haruno to show complicated expressions, it seems that Kakashi-sensei and Naruto both had an unforgettable experience.

After Shikamaru's death, his former classmates came to pay their respects one by one, for death is like a lamp going out.

Only Naruto Uzumaki was unable to get over it and couldn't let it go until Jiraiya arrived and everyone dispersed.

"Naruto, do you regret it?"

Naruto looked up at Jiraiya's face, and his eyes immediately welled up with tears. In that moment, he felt as if he had found family.

"Pervy Sage, sob sob~ I regret it, I really regret it so much. I shouldn't have been so willful, I shouldn't have indulged Konohamaru, I shouldn't have..."

With a heart-wrenching sob, Naruto Uzumaki poured out all the pain in his heart, while Jiraiya kindly comforted his disciple.

"Naruto, I actually regret it too."

Before the Memorial Stone, Jiraiya, with a melancholy expression, began to recount his past.

"The path of a ninja is filled with too many regrets, and these are irreversible. I regret not persuading the old man back then, and choosing to run away myself. I regret even more that if I had supported Orochimaru instead of your father Minato, perhaps the situation would have been completely different."

"Perhaps, if Orochimaru had been in the village back then, your father and mother wouldn't have been in this situation. I regret it..."

Jiraiya calmly recounted the regrets and disappointments he experienced during his ninja career, but his face revealed a sense of relief.

"Naruto, everyone has to move forward, but along the way, you'll encounter forks in the road. Everyone will take detours and make mistakes; it's unavoidable, not just for ninjas, but for ordinary people as well."

"What you need to do now is recognize your mistakes and correct them! Make sure this doesn't happen again."

With Jiraiya's comfort, Naruto Uzumaki seemed to have found his safe haven, quietly listening to the Pervy Sage's story.

"Thank you, you Pervy Sage."

Finally, Naruto Uzumaki uttered a hoarse "thank you," while Jiraiya burst into laughter, ruffling Naruto's blond hair. "You brat, no need to thank me."

After this Naruto Uzumaki seemed to have grown. He looked up at Jiraiya and said with a guilty expression, "Pervy Sage, Kakashi-sensei told me that you vouched for me and that I still need to carry out a dangerous mission."

"Haha, kid, don't get cocky! How could I, the Sage of the Toads, possibly do this for you!"

Jiraiya laughed heartily, gazing at the beautiful sunset, and said, "Even without your incident, I, Jiraiya, should still have done something for the village, after all, I've been busy taking you on your travels throughout the Shinobi World all these years."

"What is this to me, the Sage of the Toads, Akatsuki Organization?"

The more Naruto Uzumaki Jiraiya this way, the more Naruto felt guilty and remorseful, all because of himself!

"Jiraiya- sensei, I'm going to find the Hokage-sama!"

With a determined look, Naruto Uzumaki felt an urge not to let Jiraiya take the risk because of him, but Jiraiya grabbed him back.

Turning around, he saw Jiraiya smiling calmly, "If I don't go, other ninjas will. Do you think I'm special?"

"The Akatsuki Organization is a den of dragons and tigers, but I, Jiraiya, am not someone to be pampered. Someone will definitely carry out this mission of investigating the Akatsuki Organization. If I don't go, someone else will. Maybe it's Kakashi, maybe it's Zabuza, or maybe it's Baki and the others."

"Naruto, do you think they're comrades? If you had to choose now, who do you think should go on this mission?"

Upon hearing Jiraiya's words, Naruto Uzumaki instinctively exclaimed, "I'll go!"

However, the next moment, Jiraiya's face showed disappointment, and he shook his head.

"You're going? When you get there, tell me the worst-case scenario: the village will not only lose the descendant of a hero, a young ninja with unlimited potential, but also the Nine-Tails."

"Naruto, don't say it's okay! You may be okay, but what about Nine-Tails?"

Faced with Jiraiya's words, Naruto opened his mouth but didn't know what to say, and finally lowered his head in disappointment.

"The village that has lost the Nine-Tails will be furious, and there will still be people to carry out this mission. But the Akatsuki Organization has already obtained the Nine-Tails and is much stronger. There will be even more deaths."

"So! Naruto, you really need to calm down, and you need to think things through more when you encounter problems. Success achieved impulsively is just luck. Yes, you've been lucky, but if you're unlucky once, Shikamaru's experience will be the result."

Do you want something like this to happen again? Or do you think you'll be lucky your whole life?

Faced with Jiraiya's unwavering gaze, Naruto Uzumaki was speechless, nodding dejectedly, "Pervy Sage, I'm sorry."

"Haha, Naruto, don't feel guilty. This time, I'm not doing this for you, but for the peace of the Shinobi World."

As the sun set, Jiraiya laughed heartily, and under Naruto Uzumaki's complex gaze, he waved casually and walked out of the village.

Ahem, I have something to do today and can only update once. I'll resume updating tomorrow. Sorry.