"Mm! Riko! Go back to the village with Lord Jiraiya. Although I treated your injuries, you still need to return and rest slowly so you can recover to your best condition."
Haku was silent for a moment before continuing.
"Besides, our squad is short on people, and you..."
"Okay! I'll go back with Lord Jiraiya."
Before Haku could finish, Hyuga Riko interrupted him.
"I'll wait for you in the village. Be careful."
Looking at Hyuga Riko's worried eyes, Haku nodded. His gaze was resolute, and he said nothing.
"All right, I've finished packing up. Riko, we're leaving. We still have to hurry back to the village and report what happened here."
Jiraiya interrupted Haku and Hyuga Riko's conversation. After calling for Hyuga Riko to leave with him, he muttered quietly to himself.
"Kiri sent so many Jonin to the Land of Fire this time. There must be some kind of conspiracy. I need to go back and have the old man make preparations early."
"Minato! We're very close to the front line now. Kiri has lost nine Jonin here, so the chances of you two encountering danger later should be low. But you still need to be careful. All right, we'll be going now."
After giving them one more reminder, Jiraiya set off with Hyuga Riko.
"Haku, how are your injuries? Do they affect your movement?"
Watching Jiraiya disappear into the distance, Minato Namikaze asked Haku with some concern.
"They're not a big problem anymore. They won't affect our journey. I'll be fine after resting for a few days at the front line. We should leave soon too—the front line is still waiting for our supplies."
"Okay!"
Minato Namikaze replied before taking the lead.
As he watched Minato Namikaze ahead of him, Haku pondered what had happened this time while traveling.
There had been nine Kiri ninja this time, and they had even sent out a ninja from the distinctive Bloodline Family. Kiri clearly wanted to make trouble while the several major ninja villages here were fighting one another.
Kiri was isolated overseas. Coming to the mainland to cause trouble this time, they weren't afraid that Konoha and the other ninja villages would free up their hands and declare war on them?
"Hmm? No, that's not right! Exactly—they want to wear down their strength! That way, Madara Uchiha can control Kiri more easily! He can not only weaken Kiri, but also drain the strength of the other villages."
"I wonder what that guy is up to now. It looks like I still need to be careful. If he sets his sights on me now, things will get troublesome."
Jiraiya's return to the village had also been a coincidence. The attack had happened to coincide with his return. If Jiraiya's return had been delayed until later that night, even Minato Namikaze probably wouldn't have survived.
They had only lost two relatively unimportant Chunin, yet they had completely wiped out Kiri's nine Jonin.
Judging solely by the results, it could absolutely be called a great victory.
Moreover, Uchiha Yu's choice this time was rather strange. For someone who wanted to live so badly, she had actually chosen to die together with the enemy without hesitation.
She had even left her Sharingan behind in advance and had Hyuga Riko give it to me. She had probably known long ago that she wouldn't have the chance to give it to me herself—or perhaps she simply didn't want to see me one last time.
They could have chosen to wear each other down at the time. The Kaguya Clan ninja had already used Fern Dance, and her Chakra and body shouldn't have been able to hold out much longer. Why had they still activated the Explosive Tag trap they had prepared beforehand?
"So, Riko, where are you now?"
Haku opened his palm and looked at the perfectly preserved eyeball resting in it.
He sighed. He didn't continue thinking about it. With his current strength, it was better not to uncover the reason behind all this. Haku always felt that a huge whirlpool was waiting for him inside it.
Food had to be eaten one bite at a time, and roads had to be walked one step at a time. The most important thing now was to reach the front line, recover from his injuries, and work hard to improve his strength.
Then he would stay beside Orochimaru and see if he could kill more enemies and gather more Origin Energy to awaken the system.
Haku felt that the system should have other functions. If he could awaken it this time, it should provide extremely important help for his growth.
Moreover, the Origin Energy of the Chakra he had collected should have other uses. It shouldn't only be capable of awakening the system. This was energy he had seized from the World Will.
"Haku, what's wrong? Are you still feeling unwell? How about we stop and rest for a while up ahead?"
Seeing that Haku hadn't kept up, Minato Namikaze slowed down and came to his side.
"I'm fine. I was just adjusting a moment ago. I'm all right now. My body won't affect our journey anymore."
As he answered Minato Namikaze, Haku quickened his pace.
Seeing Haku return to his normal speed, Minato Namikaze didn't think much of it. He sped up and followed.
A few hours later.
The frontline command center for the war between Konoha and Kumogakure.
"What? What did you say? You encountered Kiri ninja less than half a day's journey from here?"
Before you continue