Undercurrents

Jiraiya and the two sages looked grave.

Although Jiraiya really wanted to complain about how unreliable the Great Toad Sage was.

He absolutely believed in the things the Great Toad Sage prophesied.

But the "white figure beneath a lone red moon" the Great Toad Sage had mentioned...

For some reason, Jiraiya actually thought of Feng Yao.

But Jiraiya immediately shook his head. A white figure? The only thing particularly white about Feng Yao from head to toe was his skin, right? How could it be him...

Sage Fukasaku looked at Jiraiya gravely and said, "Little Jiraiya, it looks like a great war will break out in the Shinobi World in the future..."

"When you travel through the Shinobi World from now on, you must be very careful..."

"Yes, the Great Toad Sage also mentioned many enemies, but he never made it clear what those enemies were. In any case, you must be extremely careful from now on..."

Sage Shima sounded worried too.

"Haha, Sage Fukasaku, Sage Shima, don't worry. I'm the Child of Destiny's teacher. How could anything happen to me...?"

"But I'll be careful from now on too. There are plenty of powerful people in the Shinobi World. I don't want someone getting the drop on me someday."

"Besides, if I can't beat them, I can summon you, can't I...?"

Jiraiya laughed, putting the two sages at ease as well.

"All right, I'll head back first. See you!"

In the end, under the gazes of the two sages and the other giant toads, Jiraiya returned to the Shinobi World through reverse summoning.

The three toad brothers were together at the time, and Gamabunta noticed Fukasaku's concern.

"Old man, what did the Great Toad Sage say to make you so worried about that guy Jiraiya?"

With a pipe hanging from his mouth and a short sword at his waist, Gamabunta had regained his old image as a crime boss, as long as one ignored the fist mark on his right cheek.

"Ah, something big is going to happen in the Shinobi World..."

Sage Shima told the toads about the Great Toad Sage's prophecy.

"So that's how it is..."

"The human world sure is a pain. Fighting every single day..."

Gamabunta assumed it was a conflict between humans. Or rather, everyone on Mount Myōboku thought so.

Gamabunta had no interest in the conflicts of the Shinobi World, but he did think fairly highly of Jiraiya.

"Looks like we're still not strong enough. We need to be able to help Jiraiya even if he runs into a powerful enemy..."

Toad Ken and Gamahiro wholeheartedly agreed, and they decided to train twice as hard from then on.

Gamabunta gritted his teeth. The battle with Feng Yao earlier had been an utter humiliation for him.

"Hmph, you brat named Feng Yao, just you wait. One day, I'll trample you underfoot..."

Gamabunta had never been in such a sorry state in his entire life. He swore he would make Feng Yao pay.

After Feng Yao returned through reverse summoning, he ran into Naruto and Sasuke.

Although the two spoke as if they disliked each other, they already seemed to share a little of the bond they would have in the future.

"Huh? Where's that white-haired old guy? Why didn't he come back with you, Brother Feng Yao?"

"Oh, him? We finished discussing our business, so he already went back," Feng Yao replied.

"Brother Feng Yao, I'm telling you, that white-haired old guy definitely isn't a good person..."

Naruto whispered to Feng Yao, utterly scornful of Jiraiya.

The corner of Feng Yao's mouth twitched, but he also found it amusing.

What would Naruto do if he knew that man was his father's teacher, as well as his own future teacher?

In the future, he would definitely lead the Uchiha out of Konoha and establish a foothold in Amegakure.

Things might look peaceful between Konoha and the Uchiha now.

But that was only on the surface. Behind the scenes, their conflict with Konoha could be said to have reached its highest point since the village's founding.

All the major Ninja Clans in the village were watching.

Danzo's death had merely been a pawn offered up by the leadership.

It was only a temporary concession from the Konoha High Command, a means of keeping the Uchiha in check.

Everyone knew it perfectly well.

The struggle between the Uchiha and the leadership could end in only two ways: either the Uchiha won, or the leadership won.

But they would never support the Uchiha.

So the outcome was obvious. In their eyes, the Uchiha could only lose in the end.

But none of them had ever expected Feng Yao to flip the table and refuse to play their game anymore. That made things rather interesting.

As for Naruto, Feng Yao definitely could not take him along.

As the village's Nine-Tails Jinchuriki, neither Konoha nor the Land of Fire would allow Naruto to be taken away.

If he led the Uchiha out of Konoha, it would be because of Konoha's persecution, giving him a legitimate cause.

The other ninja villages and nations would also be happy to see it happen.

But taking Naruto away would mean taking away a great nation's nuclear weapon, even if he had the strength to keep Konoha down.

That would arouse the other ninja villages' wariness, and the balance between the great nations would be shattered in an instant.

And without the Nine-Tails, Konoha would inevitably become a target for the other ninja villages.

At that point, the Fourth Shinobi World War might even break out ahead of time.

That was not what Feng Yao wanted to see.

Jiraiya, on the other hand, would be a good person for Naruto to turn to.

He had to admit that although he did not approve of Jiraiya and found his character and conduct somewhat reprehensible.

As a teacher, Jiraiya was fairly competent.

"Heh, that guy has plenty of flaws, but his strength is pretty decent."

"Tch, so what if that white-haired old guy is strong? He's not the Hokage. I think you're way stronger than him, Feng Yao..."

Naruto was still somewhat dismissive.

"Heh." Feng Yao smiled faintly without answering.

"All right, enough about that. Have you finished the task I gave you?"

At those words, Naruto's and Sasuke's expressions instantly stiffened.

"Well... um..." Naruto began to stammer.

Sasuke pursed his lips too.

He had not expected something as simple as Water Walking to stump him.

He was going to defeat Oniichan and become a powerful man like his father.

To him, this was an utter humiliation.

"Heh, let's go. We'll continue tomorrow, but this time, we'll go to the Valley of the End outside the village."

Feng Yao had waited these past few days. The Akatsuki should be making their move soon.

It was time to give the Third Hokage a little provocation.

Meanwhile, in the Hokage's office.

After hearing Jiraiya's account, the Third Hokage fell silent for a while.

Utatane Koharu and Mitokado Homura looked shocked. Even Jiraiya had been defeated.

"I understand. Jiraiya, you may go..."

The Third Hokage finally spoke.

Jiraiya looked at the Third Hokage, but in the end, he could not help speaking.

"Old man, why do you insist on opposing the Uchiha? Can't everyone work together?"

The Third Hokage remained silent and did not answer the question.

Looking at the Third Hokage, Jiraiya shook his head in disappointment. This was why he disliked staying in the village.

Presumably, Tsunade felt the same...

In the end, Jiraiya left the Hokage's office.

Only after Jiraiya left did Danzo, who had been hiding in the shadows all along, reveal himself.

"Hiruzen, we can't wait any longer!"

"Uchiha Fengyao has absolutely no regard for us now. He's even been in constant contact with the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki these past few days!"

"I suspect the Uchiha are planning another coup. We should strike first!"

"And Jiraiya, too. As one of the Hokage's direct disciples, he actually sides with the Uchiha. As far as I'm concerned, he never inherited the Will of Fire at all!"

The Third Hokage glanced sideways at Danzo and took a deep draw on his pipe.