Jiraiya, Brother, Help Me Catch Some Lice

"Do you have a test tube?"

"Yes. What do you need it for?"

"Get one. Yes, hold it like that. Wait a moment." Jing Hang took out a handkerchief and squeezed it hard over the test tube. After a while, the white liquid filled nearly half the tube.

"What is this?" Tsunade curiously examined the liquid in the test tube, then casually injected half a tube of preservative into it.

"A friend's blood!"

"Blood?" Tsunade froze for a moment, then picked up a dropper, took a sample, and placed it under the microscope.

"What is your friend? A plant? I can actually see cells with plant characteristics and cells with animal characteristics in this blood. And they're both highly active. Where is this friend of yours?" The more Tsunade looked, the more excited she became.

"You want to see him?"

"Of course. What, did you bring him here?" Tsunade looked thrilled, like a child who had found a new toy. The fighting had temporarily died down lately, and she had nothing else pressing to do, so this was a perfect chance to do some research.

"I didn't bring him here, but if I'm not mistaken, he should be on me."

"On you? What do you mean? Explain yourself."

"Ah, I can't explain it clearly in a few words. Do you know where Jiraiya is?"

"I probably do," Tsunade said.

"Good. Let's find Jiraiya. Once we find him, it'll all become clear."

"You're saying the Third Kazekage also got involved in this war?" Madara was clearly surprised by this.

"That's right," Black Zetsu replied.

Madara fell into thought.

"Just like his predecessor Reto, he's a cunning... cough cough... fellow. Sigh, it seems that even if we do nothing, events will still develop in the direction they were meant to." After thinking for a long time, Madara said this.

"Hehe, indeed," White Zetsu replied.

"As long as people exist, there will be conflict and struggle... cough cough... It is in their nature. It cannot be erased by a little compromise. Hashirama, that... cough cough... idiot, never understood this. Only the Infinite Tsukuyomi can bring true peace! Cough cough! Cough cough!" The more Madara spoke, the more agitated he became, and the worse his coughing grew.

Zetsu hurried forward and patted Madara's back.

"Do you think I was right to recruit him into our organization?"

Madara coughed for quite a while before gradually steadying himself.

"Don't think a few grand words can move that man. Every Kazekage has been the sort who won't act without seeing profit."

"Of course, I didn't expect him to accept our ideals immediately, but it's always good to leave an opening. He is a Kage, after all. I believe he will be helpful to your cause," Black Zetsu said.

"Yeah, yeah! I even became sworn brothers with him!" White Zetsu chimed in noisily.

Madara shot White Zetsu an irritated glare, then sighed helplessly.

"You haven't told me the real reason, have you?"

"Hehe, nothing escapes your eyes. In that situation, I truly wasn't confident I could take him down. In fact, he might very well have taken me down instead."

After thinking for a moment, Madara said, "You did the right thing. With your strength, you truly might not be his match. I have yet to find someone to walk the earth as my representative. It is still too early for all our plans. You cannot afford to come to harm."

"As for the opening you mentioned, leave it for now. It may prove useful someday. Did you plant spores on him?"

"Of course I did!" White Zetsu said proudly.

"Then leave him alone for the time being. Sunagakure poses no threat for now. We can deal with it when the opportunity arises. How is the war between Hidden Cloud and Hidden Stone Village going?"

"It's quite lively."

"Oh? Be specific."

"The two sides first fought a drawn-out battle at Grey Crow Crossing. The Third Raikage, A, displayed tremendous might and slaughtered enemies with a single One-Handed Spear. Hidden Stone Village suffered heavy losses. Hakudo, hailed as the Third Tsuchikage's successor, died in battle, while Hidden Cloud lost more than a thousand shinobi as well."

"I remember that shinobi, Hakudo. He was an outstanding young man. What a pity he still died." Madara could not help sighing.

"Yes, yes. Even a powerhouse like Lord Madara cannot escape death," White Zetsu said bluntly, while Black Zetsu silently separated from him.

Fireball Jutsu!

White Zetsu's wails filled the cave.

"All right, you can start eating." Before the grilled fish, crispy on the outside and tender within, Yahiko, Nagato, and Konan eagerly reached for their chopsticks.

"Delicious!" "So good!" The three children cried out in praise.

"Hahaha, naturally! This is my, Jiraiya's, exclusive special recipe. Of course it's extraordinary!" Jiraiya said smugly.

Knock, knock, knock. "Anyone home?"

"Hm?" Jiraiya was clearly surprised that someone would visit this place.

"Eating? Go on, keep eating. Don't worry, we already had dinner before coming." Jing Hang wore a broad smile.

"Tsunade? Jing Hang? What are you doing here? And how did you manage to find this place?" Jiraiya looked at the two of them and knew they probably meant no harm.

"I didn't want to come disturb you. He insisted on finding you." Tsunade raised a hand with a helpless expression.

"Oh? What can I do for Lord Kazekage?" Jiraiya looked at Jing Hang, full of confusion.

"Brother Jiraiya, help me catch some lice?"

"Catch lice?" Jiraiya was even more confused.

"Does this blue-haired uncle have lice on him? Eww! That's disgusting." Konan scooted farther inward at the table in disgust.

"Yeah. I've got a whole lot of them." Jing Hang grinned and made a face at Konan before continuing.

"Actually, I came to ask Brother Jiraiya for a favor. Didn't you sign a contract with Mount Myoboku?"

"Yes. What about it?"

"Then could you trouble yourself to summon Sage Fukasaku and Sage Shima?"

"That's no problem, but may I ask why?"

"I can't tell you yet, but in a moment, I can give you a perfect explanation." Jing Hang clasped Jiraiya's hand, his fingers tightening slightly.

"Then... all right. Kids, keep eating. I'm going out with my friends for a while." Jiraiya immediately understood.

The three of them arrived at an abandoned large house.

Summoning Jutsu! Before long, the two toad sages appeared before them.

"Hello, little Jiraiya. Why did you call us here so late at night?" Sage Shima asked.

"I'm not the one looking for you. It's this friend of mine."

Jing Hang hurriedly greeted the two sages.

"Oh, you smell of iron and sand. It seems this friend of yours is from Sunagakure. Hm? Why do you have..." Sage Fukasaku suddenly furrowed his brow.

"How many are there?" Jing Hang asked.

"There should be four."

"Good. I'll be relying on you in a moment, Sage."

"Mhm. A small matter."

"Each of you make one Shadow Clone. Whatever emerges from my body later, subdue it immediately." Jing Hang turned to Jiraiya and Tsunade.

Jiraiya and Tsunade immediately nodded and did as instructed.

"Let's begin." Jing Hang nodded at Sage Fukasaku, then sat cross-legged with his back to the sage.

Sage Fukasaku gently placed one hand on Jing Hang's back, and a surge of natural energy entered his body.

Before long, natural energy filled Jing Hang's body. His face gradually became rounder, and bumps appeared across it at a visible rate.

Just as Jing Hang was about to turn into a frog, four ghostly white things rapidly swelled and took shape. Before long, they became human-shaped, and the moment they landed, they fled in different directions.

"Now!" Sage Fukasaku shouted.

At the side, Sage Shima grabbed her staff and struck Jing Hang across the back of the head. Jing Hang immediately returned to normal. At the same time, Jiraiya and Tsunade restrained the four fleeing White Zetsu with their arms twisted behind their backs.

"See? They're huge. You can study them however you like later. You can even slice them up." Jing Hang rubbed the aching back of his head with one hand as he spoke to Tsunade.