So at this point, Araki suddenly realized that if he wanted to kill or rob someone, or get rid of something he wanted to eliminate without leaving any evidence, the need for poison would be quite high. However, the poison he had prepared was more than enough to meet that need.
On the contrary, he had not been too focused on the antidote before, but after the incident in Sunagakure, he suddenly realized that the antidote he had prepared was not enough. When faced with the poison of Sunagakure, there were many times when he could not cure it and could only rely on green Chakra.
Of course, this doesn't mean that the poisons from Sunagakure or other villages can cause Araki much damage. With some green Chakra in his body, he can be immune to all poisons, and he is confident in that. However, his teammates cannot be like that. If something unexpected happens, it's fine if he can bear everything alone, but if he can't, it may bring him an unacceptable result.
Another point is that such frequent use of skills will constantly expose one's true abilities.
Araki still didn't want his strength to be exposed so quickly.
therefore.
Upon returning, he made a decision to refine all the antidotes in the notebook that Tsunade-sensei had given him. This way, he could give everyone a little bit of the antidote before setting off, because he would definitely encounter Sunagakure ninjas, and elite ones Chunin that, when he went to Kumogakure for the Chunin Exams, and he might have to deal with Sunagakure again.
but.
Araki still harbored a very strong premonition.
That means this Chunin Ninja Exams will definitely still be related to Kushina.
Even he himself couldn't explain why he thought that way. It was as if he had developed a stress response. Whenever he thought of Kumogakure, he would think of Kushina and then connect the two together. After all, Kumogakure desperately wanted the Nine-Tails' help.
Therefore, Araki still focused more on Kushina.
He didn't want Kushina to encounter any problems, as it was unacceptable to him. After all, the Chunin Ninja Exams were a last-minute addition. If it had been Kushina who had been rescued by Shuiyou instead, the outcome might have been different. Because when he rescued Kushina, the fact that Kushina had been attacked was not exposed to the public in Konoha.
Therefore, while Araki was ostensibly training his body, he was secretly working on antidotes for the poison. In reality, he was mentally preparing himself for the possibility of facing the Nine-Tails ' outburst again, or the difficulties posed by the Kumogakure. In short, he felt that this Chunin Ninja Exams the Kumogakure would not be as easy as he had imagined.
It was early morning that day.
Jiraiya arrived early at the small bridge where the trio often met, which was unusual for him.
" Jiraiya-sensei."
Araki Jiraiya, their expressions serious, clearly understanding that it was time for them to head to Kumogakure.
"Um."
Jiraiya nodded casually, then his gaze swept over the three of them again. His usual playful expression vanished, replaced by a serious and solemn look. He then asked, "Are you all ready?"
"Ready." The three nodded in unison again.
"This time, our trip to Kumogakure to participate in the Chunin Ninja Exams cannot be treated simply as an exam. It must be seen as a mission, a test. Therefore, we must be vigilant and attentive during our journey to Kumogakure, as we may encounter many unexpected problems," Jiraiya said.
"Understood," the three replied again.
"This time, Konoha will stand behind us and support us, but they won't accompany us on our journey to Kumogakure. Only if you truly survive to the third stage will the Third Lord Hokage dismiss Kumogakure. If you don't survive to the third stage, then this won't happen." Jiraiya hesitated for a moment, then pursed his lips and nodded, saying, "Although I sincerely hope your safety is your priority, bringing honor to the village would be the best outcome. I believe in you; I've seen your efforts, and I know your strength best."
"Yes." The three nodded again.
When these words were spoken, each of the three men had a different expression. Minato's face was filled with strong confidence, after all, he had always been the strongest among the Genin. The only one he couldn't see through was Araki in front of him.
But now, Araki is his teammate, and they are on the same side, which makes him feel fearless among the Genin.
Kushina hand, lacked such strong confidence because her strength was the weakest among the three. Although she possessed many Sealing Jutsu, they required too much casting time and could not provide significant assistance in immediate combat. She was more suited to a support role, so she vaguely felt that she was somewhat of a loser.
Of course, all of this is based on the premise that she has not broken the seal on the Nine-Tails.
On the other side.
Araki remained expressionless.
But in reality, Araki's self-confidence was even greater than Minato's.
He was very clear about his own strength. Possessing green Chakra, if he really wanted to go all out and expose his strength, then not to mention the vast ninja world, at least among the Genin, he would have few rivals.
"Now that you're all ready, let's set off."
Jiraiya nodded to the group again, a look of satisfaction in his eyes. This time, they had taken a relatively low-key approach to their trip to Kumogakure for the Chunin Ninja Exams, without making a big fuss about it to others. After all, there had been previous examples of this, and if their information were leaked, they might be attacked by other villages along the way.
Chapter 50 Who is the Prey?
Konoha: Nobody knew I could use Wood Release! Chapter 50: Who is the Prey?
The Land of Lightning, a mountain valley.
Jiraiya and his group of four walked forward. Before them lay a valley formed by the two mountains, inhabited by a village.
As the group drew closer, they gradually sensed the presence of human life.
This is something I hadn't noticed while traveling along the way.
Is this the Kumogakure ahead?
Kushina blinked her big eyes, her long eyelashes like fans, her childlike eyes filled with curiosity.
She had mixed feelings about Kumogakure, after all, the ninjas from Kumogakure had ambushed her many times. If it weren't for Araki, she might have been kidnapped, and the consequences would have been unimaginable!
After she finished speaking, the group looked towards the village ahead, and I could clearly sense their doubts.
"No."
Jiraiya shook his head and pointed to the mountaintop, saying, " Kumogakure is up there."
"Ah?!"
The three people, including Araki, were all deeply shocked. None of them knew much about Kumogakure, and even Araki had never paid attention to Kumogakure in the anime before.
Therefore, none of them could match Jiraiya's knowledge in this area, after all, the latter had left Konoha to travel the world long ago.
" Kumogakure is built atop a mountain, almost invisible from below. Only by climbing to the top can you see that magnificent village. You'll find the village shrouded in clouds and mist, hence its name, Kumogakure )," Jiraiya said with a smile. Now it was time for him to show off his knowledge.
"Then what is that village ahead...?" Kushina asked, still blinking. After leaving the village, she was like a curious child, developing a strong curiosity about many things along the way.
"This mountain stream is called Valley of Clouds and Lightning, and it's the only way to Kumogakure. I've forgotten the exact name of the village, but we'll stop here to rest for a while and recharge before heading to Kumogakure," Jiraiya said.
"Is this place far from Kumogakure?" Kushina asked.
"It's not far, about a ten-minute walk. After resting in the village, we'll reach our destination quickly," Jiraiya said.
"Then why do we have to rest here?" Kushina asked doubtfully, "Can't we just go directly to Kumogakure Village?"
These words were spoken.
Several people at the scene looked at Jiraiya with puzzled expressions.
After all, this kind of thing defies common sense!
Logically speaking, they could have gone directly to Kumogakure, the organizer of the event, and would have provided them with accommodation.
If the distance isn't too far, there's no need to stay here.
"Cough cough cough..."
Jiraiya cleared his throat, a look of embarrassment on his face, but he concealed it well, so it was basically impossible to tell that there was anything wrong.
"I need to go to this village to find some inspiration!"
Jiraiya spoke with righteous indignation.
The three of them were completely taken aback by his words, remaining silent for several seconds, unsure of what he meant.
Araki was the first to react, but his recovery wasn't based on their understanding of Jiraiya, but rather on his prior knowledge of Jiraiya.
Jiraiya gather material for his novels, and his research sites were the hot spring resorts in various villages. This was something Araki learned from watching the Naruto anime.
It seems Jiraiya is itching to write something, whether it's for the sake of writing a novel or not is unknown, but he's definitely looking for inspiration.
"Let's go!"
Jiraiya didn't explain this to the three of them in much detail, perhaps because there was no way to explain it.
Immediately afterwards, he headed towards the village ahead. This was the last village he would visit before reaching Kumogakure. If he didn't hurry to gather materials, he wouldn't have another chance on this trip. After all, this was the Land of Lightning, and the local customs and people's bloodlines would give him a unique exotic feel, sparking more inspiration.
When Araki and the other two followed Jiraiya, Minato and Kushina didn't quite understand what had happened. They just felt that since it was Jiraiya-sensei's order, they should just follow along.
Soon, the group entered the village.
Jiraiya was particularly excited Jiraiya this process. He kept looking around, examining everything that was there, especially the landmarks, which he made sure to remember.
"Um?"
However, at that moment, Araki's mind stirred slightly. He suddenly felt several gazes fixed on them, a very obvious sensation.
only...
I was watching their aura closely, almost imperceptibly, and very well hidden. It wasn't the kind of aura that you could easily spot by turning around; it meant they were observing silently from a distance, making it easy for others to miss.
Is this a sensory ninja?
Araki immediately had this concern in his mind. He had encountered being followed before, but this situation was relatively rare, which showed that the other party was a very professional follower.
Are they from Kumogakure )?
Araki silently began to ask himself questions, feeling strange about many things. After all, they had just entered the village and were being watched. If they were deliberately waiting for them, then the wait was far too long.
But what if we don't wait in advance?
Is it a random phenomenon?
Araki was very puzzled, but he was more inclined to believe that the person staring at them was a ninja from Kumogakure. Only in this way could it be consistent with the usual behavior of Kumogakure ninjas.
Could it be that they're planning to attack Kushina of time?
After Araki had this thought, he immediately realized the possibility. After all, once they came to Kumogakure, they would be representing Konoha in the entrance exam. In terms of status, they would be representing two villages. If they made a move at that time, it could cause a lot of problems, since there would be so many eyes watching.
But...
If the Kumogakure's plan was intended to be executed before they even arrived at the Kumogakure...
Now it actually makes sense!
Araki silently pondered in his heart, after all, this kind of thing happened too suddenly, and even he had not expected that he might encounter a situation where he was being watched before Kumogakure.
I wonder if Jiraiya-sensei has noticed yet?
Or was Jiraiya-sensei's attention entirely focused on that so-called research?
At least he was certain that Minato and Kushina were unaware of this at the moment. They were still curiously looking around the village, as they rarely visited other villages before, and everything that appeared here greatly stimulated their curiosity.
Then you'll just have to keep a closer eye on things yourself.
Araki nodded silently, constantly using his senses to feel the gazes directed in their direction. The aura of those people was distinctly different from that of the other villagers, making it clear that they were quite different from the original inhabitants of the village.
I just don't know when they'll make their move!
Araki pondered silently, but he also understood that if the other party were to make a move, there was only one possibility: it would be before they left the village and headed to Kumogakure.