New S-rank Rogue Ninja

Jiraiya found a new drink to be delicious: lemonade, sour and sweet, much like his mood.

During this time, he once again experienced that feeling of a genius disciple leaving his teacher with no idea how to proceed… Only their evening chats after dinner could restore a bit of his confidence.

The problem was, what he taught wasn't much different from the intermediate ninja teachers at the Ninja Academy… perhaps a bit more refined…

Whether it was ninjutsu or Sage Jutsu, in the two areas he excelled at, Uchiha Itachi already possessed the ability of a new generation to push aside the old.

"What else can I possibly teach him?"

Jiraiya took a sip through the straw, watching the young boy sit cross-legged, synthesizing Sage chakra. Crows pecked at a watermelon beside him… a wave of melancholy washed over him…

Uchiha Itachi had no such awareness; he was still diligently cultivating, his brow furrowed, his eyes unconsciously starting to turn red, and a dark aura gradually spreading across his body…

This was the prelude to an overload of natural energy. If he continued, the dark aura on his body would turn into black feathers, and then he would transform into a real crow.

"Caw!"

Beiyuan lightly guided Sage chakra into Uchiha Itachi's body. Piles of dark energy rapidly gathered behind him, condensing into the shape of a pair of black wings, and gradually forming into a solid shape.

Every time he saw this scene, Jiraiya, feeling a pang of heartache, weariness, and sadness, could only say: "..."

"Another failure."

Uchiha Itachi opened his eyes, gazing at the wings behind him. His cultivation goal was to be able to independently activate Sage Mode.

Jiraiya walked up to him with his arms crossed and comforted him, "Itachi, being able to reach this point is already very good. We'll return to Konoha tomorrow and officially start engaging in ninja missions!"

After all, as his teacher, Jiraiya himself couldn't extract natural energy on his own!

Besides, there was no need to rush Itachi's cultivation of Sage Mode; he could practice it anytime, anywhere. Having a great sage as a companion to help him cultivate meant he could be willful…

"Are we finally going back to the village?" A smile flickered across Itachi's lips; he truly missed his family.

"Caw?"

The newly hatched crow sage, hearing Jiraiya's words, flew and landed on Uchiha Itachi's shoulder.

Why would Jiraiya suddenly want to return to Konoha?

Naturally, it was because there was nothing left for him to teach. The only two ninjutsu he could still impart…

The Rasengan was a ninjutsu developed by the Fourth Hokage, and Jiraiya didn't have the authority to teach it privately… The Toad Oil Flame Bullet was the signature technique of Mount Myōboku, and it couldn't be taught to the representative of the crow sage!

After much thought, he decided to take Uchiha Itachi back to the village, have him accept some ninja missions, and incidentally level up his disciple.

As one of the Sannin, he certainly wouldn't accept low-level missions like catching cats and dogs at the mission assignment office. At the very least, they would be direct missions or orders issued by the Third Hokage.

On one hand, this would allow Itachi to quickly adapt to the life of a ninja, and on the other hand, it would make him feel closer to the village.

There was also one more thing: Jiraiya had been eagerly searching for news about the Child of Prophecy, and it was possible that this crow might hold the key.

According to the Great Toad Sage and Sage Fukasaku, they believed Beiyuan was very likely to know about the Child of Prophecy. Even if it only leaked a small clue, it would save Jiraiya a lot of time.

However, this matter couldn't be rushed; someone needed to act opportunistically… Jiraiya took it upon himself to handle the information gathering.

After all, there was no one else available at Mount Myōboku.

If Beiyuan knew the information they wanted to ask, it would probably welcome their questions, right? After all, the Child of Prophecy was something it was most familiar with, in every aspect…

Even if they asked about the Child of Prophecy's beloved, Beiyuan could talk and analyze it all the way until Naruto grew up, and then it would just pack up that brat from home and send him away!

Uchiha Itachi was eager to return home, and Beiyuan also missed the Uchiha family… It now possessed Sage Jutsu and didn't have to fear that little brat at home anymore!

The speed at which their group returned to the village wasn't exactly fast, as there was a considerable distance from the border of the Land of Wind to Konoha…

However, Beiyuan received some not-so-good news…

A Konoha ninja at a border outpost in the Land of Fire briefly mentioned the village's situation when they encountered them.

Shimura Danzō had resumed his position as Hokage Advisor and once again taken control of the Anbu training program… and this was less than half a year after Hiruzen Sarutobi had stripped him of his power.

Furthermore, Konoha had once again announced an S-rank rogue ninja.

Jiraiya had already obtained the rogue ninja's information and was looking at the wanted poster back and forth in confusion: "Flying Thunder God user? A defector?"

Besides his top disciple, Namikaze Minato, had a new Flying Thunder God user been born in the village?

The stationed ninja replied, "Yes, Lord Jiraiya. It is said that he was a member of the Anbu training program, extremely skilled in the Flying Thunder God Technique, and defected after failing to assassinate the Hokage…"

"A Flying Thunder God user failing to assassinate the old man… how is that possible?" Jiraiya's words always sounded a bit grating. He looked at the portrait and couldn't help but complain, "This is too ugly, isn't it?"

Beiyuan curiously flew to his shoulder and saw a simple portrait on the wanted poster… The person depicted had starkly contrasting black and white skin and a very strange appearance…

It looked very familiar… Hmm, it resembled Zetsu, whom it had almost killed that night… Wasn't this the form it had taken when it attacked Kakashi and the other Anbu members using the Transformation Jutsu?

Konoha's higher-ups… how did they define a non-existent person as a rogue ninja?

The stationed ninja quickly provided an explanation: "This rogue ninja had colluded with Orochimaru in private and conducted human experiments, which is why he looks like this…"

Beiyuan: "..."

Hiruzen Sarutobi and Shimura Danzō were too outstanding… Or rather, Shimura Danzō was too formidable, forcefully creating a non-existent ninja and throwing a scapegoat into the mix.

It was well-reasoned and convincing.

"Orochimaru…"

Jiraiya lowered his head, gazing at the wanted poster in his hand. For the first time, he felt his dear friend was a bit terrifying…

It's incredible that human experimentation could help a ninja master space-time ninjutsu... it's simply unbelievable. After all, the Flying Thunder God Technique relies purely on talent!

If that's the case, it's possible Orochimaru himself will become a Flying Thunder God user in the future... Jiraiya can only pray that Orochimaru doesn't harbor any thoughts of revenge against Konoha.

Orochimaru, having just destroyed a base, suddenly found himself with two more burdens: illegal human experimentation to create non-human beings and orchestrating the assassination of the Hokage.

Perhaps Shimura Danzō felt he had too many burdens to carry alone, so he gifted two to Orochimaru...

Jiraiya was very interested in the rogue ninja who used the Flying Thunder God Technique. "Is there any recent intel on this rogue ninja?"

"Lord Jiraiya..."

By rights, this stationed ninja shouldn't leak information so casually, but he figured the village's movements were hardly a secret anymore.

The stationed ninja decided to spill everything. "The last stationed squad was reassigned to the border of the Land of Grass, and we're here to take their place... The village has already mobilized quite a few ninja squads to converge on the Land of Grass."

Beiyuan's gaze gradually became vacant. "..."

It seems Orochimaru isn't the only one being set up to take the fall!

Second update... Good evening, wear more clothes as it's cold.