Having thought it all through, Hiruzen Sarutobi summoned every elite ANBU ninja in the village that very night. Even the few remaining ninja in Danzo's Root were forcibly summoned.
Clouds dark as ink hung beneath a high, full moon. At the Hokage's signal, figure after figure secretly left Konoha. There were many of them, running in scattered groups, but all headed northeast.
"Whew... let's hope everything goes smoothly..." Standing at the window, Hiruzen Sarutobi watched the departing figures and exhaled a long plume of white smoke.
Then he opened the scroll in his other hand. The words "Flying Thunder God" were inscribed on it.
"What's gotten into Jiraiya? He actually asked me to prepare this ninjutsu."
"He even said it was for his future student..." He studied the ninjutsu inscribed on the scroll, countless thoughts swirling through his mind. The Second's space-time ninjutsu! A pity no one in Konoha can learn it these days.
He had once tried learning it himself, but it was so difficult that he had failed to grasp even the basics.
"Using spiritual energy to connect with a space-time passage... unfortunately, the side effects are too severe. Without the talent for it, you could become an imbecile in minutes..." He sighed and rolled up the scroll. "Perhaps Jiraiya really can find a student to inherit this ninjutsu."
He tucked the scroll away on his person. All he could do now was wait for Jiraiya to return to Konoha and hand it over.
Elsewhere, moonlight shone on the calm sea. An island reef blazed with lights, with sailing ships moored all around it.
"Tell me what the hell happened..." An irate voice suddenly rang out from a quiet room.
Kazeno and a black-robed ninja stood before the Raikage with their heads lowered.
Both bore horrific wounds, especially