Unrest stirred within the Lands of Wind and Earth, and every faction was itching to make a move. The Jashin Cult seized the opportunity to spread its faith there, establishing two branches.
The harder life became and the more the people suffered, the easier it was for a religious sect to grow. That rule held especially true in the Lands of Wind and Earth.
Under the pretext of making proselytizing easier, Leaf Dragon had drastically revised the Jashin Cult's cruel, bloody core, making its methods of spreading the faith gentler and more harmless.
On the surface, the Jashin Cult seemed to be nothing more than a benevolent faith that relieved suffering. But whenever Black Zetsu wished to restart those bloody research projects and sacrificial missions, it could instantly provide him with vast numbers of living sacrifices.
Leaf Dragon had persuaded Black Zetsu with that reasoning. With Yin, his other disguise, backing him up, he had aroused no suspicion whatsoever.
But if Black Zetsu truly tried to gather living sacrifices on a massive scale, Leaf Dragon and Yin would teach him what it meant to be utterly deserted. Even if he somehow managed to find sacrifices, they would most likely be cheap, single-use disguises Watanabe Ichiro had redeemed from the system shop.
Poor Black Zetsu, dancing in the palm of their hands...
And the moment the Jashin Cult's branches appeared, Jiraiya caught their scent and came running.
Unfortunately, he carried a traitor of his own. Spirit-body Leaf Dragon and Jashin Cult Leaf Dragon coordinated with each other, steering Jiraiya toward all the wrong places.
Jiraiya searched the Lands of Wind and Earth for a long time without ever finding the right location. He could only conceal himself and patiently continue his slow search through both lands.
Among the senior officials of