Jiraiya immediately activated the Reverse Summoning Technique.
Thud!
After a muffled sound, a note appeared.
Jiraiya and Tsunade opened it and read.
"Tell our teacher that the Akatsuki is very dangerous. They're planning to capture the tailed beasts, but they're still recruiting because they don't have many members yet. One thing is certain, though: they're very powerful.
Here is the information on them:
Nagato: leader of the Akatsuki. Possesses the Six Paths of Pain, controls gravity, shares vision, resurrects...
Konan: specializes in paper, explosive tags...
Masked Man: ability to become intangible. Also the most troublesome one...
Jue: abilities unknown..."
After reading Orochimaru's intelligence, Jiraiya looked relieved. "Hahaha! I knew it. How could Orochimaru ever betray Konoha?"
"There's another line below."
Tsunade unfolded the note a little further.
Only then did Jiraiya notice that there was indeed another line.
"Tell our teacher to send every shinobi in the village out to find Gua. If he can't find Gua, I'm staying in the Akatsuki and never coming back!"
"Uh-"
After reading that final line, Jiraiya was dumbfounded.
"Is this kid really that important?
Our teacher wants him found, and so does Orochimaru.
Come to think of it, wasn't that kid named Gua the reason Orochimaru left the village?"
Jiraiya rubbed his chin and began to ponder.
"Forget about that. Let's head to the Land of Earth first."
"Shizune, let's go!"
Tsunade didn't want to linger in the Land of Rain any longer. The weather here was awful. It wasn't simply cold, but damp and clammy, a sensation that made her especially uncomfortable.
Konoha.
Gua arrived at Izumi's doorstep.
The courtyard gate was closed, but it opened with a gentle push. No one was inside; only a jumble of footprints remained in the snow.
The stone table and stools beneath the maple