Jiraiya stepped into the Land of Earth and slowed his team directly to an ordinary person's walking pace.
With the reconnaissance unit holding things up ahead, the main force behind them could hardly go any faster. They could only advance at a "turtle's pace."
Taking advantage of the Byakugan, Jiraiya led a few men and successfully crept close to a border outpost in the Land of Earth.
He summoned a small toad and filled the mound-like outpost before him to the brim with a single Fire Oil Flame Bullet.
He had expected at least one leading Iwa shinobi to react and escape unscathed, but that did not happen. The burning oil burned all four Iwa shinobi inside clean through, leaving no survivors.
Jiraiya scratched his head in some embarrassment. Naturally, everything inside the outpost had also burned away. Although they had not been exposed, they had not obtained any intelligence either.
Having lost some face in front of his subordinates, Jiraiya waved a hand and continued onward.
Under constant urging from the rear, Jiraiya was forced to pick up his pace.
The distinctive rocky ground lay beneath his feet, and an endless stone plain stretched ahead without the slightest bit of cover.
Jiraiya could not help frowning. The situation was very unfavorable.
"Fū, activate your Byakugan once every two minutes."
"Yes."
Having received an affirmative answer, Jiraiya narrowed his eyes and looked out over the desolate Land of Earth.
He knelt on one knee and took out a map, trying to find a suitable route of advance.
There was nothing else for it. Lord Danzo had made no arrangements whatsoever for their route, so Jiraiya could only improvise on the spot.
He knew what Danzo was thinking. Wasn't it simply, "How do we lose this time?"
But Jiraiya still wanted