Hearing Jiraiya's words, Senshi still had a carefree grin on his face, with a large towel casually draped over his shoulders and beads of water dripping from his hair.
"C'mon, Bro-iya, you're just being modest, aren't you? You're the legendary 'Toad Sage,' one of the Sannin—the very person the seas dare not welcome. That line of yours, 'Even the sea does not welcome me, Jiraiya,' is famous throughout the ninja world. A jutsu at that level just now is no big deal for you, right?"
Upon hearing that, Jiraiya frowned slightly and waved his hand, thinking to himself that this was not good.
In that one sentence, Senshi had put him in an awkward spot for three reasons:
1. He wasn't merely being modest; Senshi's strength truly was immeasurable. Even that casual strike of lightning was enough to instantly kill anyone below Kage level. Although Jiraiya was a battle-hardened veteran, he still felt an invisible pressure when facing Senshi.
2. That line, "Even the sea does not welcome me, Jiraiya," was originally his own proud motto. Yet hearing it from Senshi's mouth gave him an ominous sense of foreboding.
3. Senshi's jutsu just now was by no means "no big deal" to him. Even though Jiraiya dodged in time, he still felt tingling numbness in his arm from the residual shock of the lightning strike. This confirmed what he already suspected: Senshi was even stronger than last time they met!
(I don't know about that quote)
Jiraiya sighed and gave a helpless little smile. "Senshi, next time, could you maybe not greet me in such a dangerous way? At the rate you're growing, the next time you see me you might just zap me to ashes with one lightning bolt!"
Senshi merely grinned with that same laid-back attitude. He raised his right hand, palm up, as if it were natural. "All right, Bro-iya, pay up."
Jiraiya froze, staring with confusion. "Pay? Pay for what?"
Senshi furrowed his brows, putting on a thoughtful look. "Bro-iya, your memory's that bad? You just said it yourself—didn't you 'hire' me just now, saying that from here on out, I shouldn't greet you with Lightning Release every time we meet? Since you gave me a job request, you obviously have to pay my fee."
Jiraiya's eyes went wide, a bead of cold sweat forming on his forehead as he realized something was off.
"This counts as a job request? If that's the case, then wouldn't every interaction with Senshi in the future be a job? My money is limited, but the tasks he can contrive are unlimited! That'd become a bottomless pit!"
He forced out a laugh, trying to change the subject. "Senshi, you're quite the jokester. How could that count as a job request? But speaking of jobs, I really need to thank you. I heard from Konoha about Orochimaru—he's been back for a while, and he's really changed. He's absolutely not like the old Orochimaru. He's made big contributions to the village."
Inwardly, Senshi chuckled. Snake Bro nowadays was nothing like the old Orochimaru at all.
The old Orochimaru was only dabbling in forbidden experiments and ninjutsu.
Now Orochimaru used that 'Silicon Snake Valley' business mentality to do things—an even bigger threat!
(Yep! 'Silicon Snake Valley' instead of Great Snake District))
While Jiraiya kept talking enthusiastically about Orochimaru and Konoha's recent developments, Senshi's mind had completely drifted.
He narrowed his eyes, steam from the hot spring swirling around him, but his mind was racing, plotting how to score some job opportunities from Jiraiya.
On the other side, although Jiraiya was talking away, there was a hint of wariness in his gaze.
He absolutely couldn't let Senshi lead him astray.
As a master of intel, Jiraiya already knew about Senshi's methods.
Sure, Senshi was extremely efficient—never sloppy at completing tasks—but his rates were absurdly high.
While Jiraiya wasn't broke, he wouldn't dare hire Senshi without good reason, or he'd risk draining his bank account empty.
"Not to mention," he thought, "if he throws out some tempting collaboration scheme, I'll need strong resolve to refuse. Otherwise, I'll end up losing even my underwear."
At that moment, both men soaked side by side in the hot spring, each with a glass of sake, appearing to get along like old friends shooting the breeze.
But in reality, the gears in both their heads were whirring, calculating. Their mental abacus beads were practically flying in each other's faces.
Senshi took a small sip of sake, pondering. "Jiraiya's different from Sarutobi Hiruzen, Danzo, and Orochimaru—he's a lone wanderer. He's got no urgent needs. If I want a job from him, I'll need a different angle."
Meanwhile, Jiraiya refilled their cups, thinking, "Senshi's a very special case. He's got friendly ties with Konoha, but also works with Kumogakure, Kirigakure, Sunagakure, and so on. He's a friend and could be an enemy at any moment. Now's a rare chance to talk to him face-to-face, so I'd better gather as much info as I can."
Just then, Senshi made the first move.
While Jiraiya was wise and had great intel skills, Senshi was even craftier.
After careful thought, he smiled at Jiraiya and said, "Bro-iya, so about that Child of Prophecy—have you turned up anything new?"
Jiraiya's expression flickered.
They'd only briefly mentioned the Child of Prophecy in passing last time, not getting into details. But now Senshi was diving right to the point, obviously well-prepared.
Finding the Child of Prophecy was Jiraiya's mission.
He'd wandered the ninja world for years looking for this kid who'd one day change everything, training him to handle the crisis that might break out in the future.
But despite his efforts, he'd never managed to pinpoint the real Child of Prophecy.
At that thought, Jiraiya let out a weary sigh and gave a bitter smile. "The Child of Prophecy isn't so easy to locate. I've traveled just about everywhere, met all sorts of promising young talent, but it's clear none of them is who I'm searching for. To be honest, right now I've got no leads at all."
Hearing that, Senshi's eyes flashed with a mischievous glint, and he jumped in: "Bro-iya, maybe you haven't found him, but I have."
"You have?" Jiraiya's eyes went wide, his voice tinged with shock and hope. "You know something about the Child of Prophecy?"
Bear in mind, even the Great Toad Sage—over a thousand years old—had only caught fleeting glimpses of it in his dreams. If even he could only see bits and pieces, how could anyone else know more?
While Jiraiya wavered between doubt and awe, Senshi looked completely sure of himself, nodding as though it was certain. "That's right, Bro-iya. I do have intel on the Child of Prophecy."
Snapping out of his initial shock, Jiraiya's gaze grew guarded.
He recalled Senshi's shady approach to things, and wariness rose in him again.
He slowly poured another cup of sake for each of them, joking wryly, "Senshi, you're not going to just point at some random ninja and claim that's the Child of Prophecy, hoping to rip me off, are you?"
Senshi shook his head at once, still smiling, yet his eyes turning serious. "Bro-iya, I'd never joke about something like that. I'm talking about a real ninja—definitely the Child of Prophecy. Guaranteed no loss."
Jiraiya could no longer keep his composure. The cup he'd just raised hovered in midair, his face turning gravely serious.
"You truly have accurate intel on the Child of Prophecy?"
Finding the Child was Jiraiya's life's work, and that Child of Prophecy had immeasurable value to the entire ninja world.
He had to take it seriously.
Though he'd told himself repeatedly not to be sucked in by any tempting pitch from Senshi—lest he destroy his finances—mention of the Child of Prophecy was impossible to refuse.
At the same time, Senshi's plan was unfolding perfectly, while elsewhere Obito's plan was also going full throttle.
With White Zetsu's help, Nagato was being run ragged.
Deep in the forest around Amegakure, Obito leaned casually against a tree trunk, wearing a smug smile, listening to White Zetsu's latest reports on Amegakure.
"Though Deva Path Pain and Konan stepped in to calm everyone, things aren't fundamentally fixed, so panic's still building," White Zetsu said with glee. "Once they can't suppress their fears anymore, a second wave of unrest will break out. That'll be an even bigger headache for Nagato."
Obito nodded; that was all within his expectations.
He grinned at the half of White Zetsu sticking from the tree trunk.
"Ame's in chaos and Senshi hasn't shown up, which means he's not paying attention here, or he's busy with something else. As long as he doesn't interfere, my plan can't fail!"
He paused, his eyes turning cold, then asked White Zetsu, "Has the Animal Path Pain realized you're behind all this?"
White Zetsu cocked its head thoughtfully, then replied in its raspy voice, "They did catch some mercenaries and bandits, gleaning some intel, but they still don't know I'm the one orchestrating it. All they've learned is that some mysterious force is feeding these bandits and mercenaries high-level intel."
Obito's mouth curled into a satisfied smirk.
"Perfect. As long as Senshi isn't directly or indirectly involved, we're good to go."
He paused, eyes flashing with chilly intent, then ordered, "Keep watching every caravan and shinobi around Amegakure. If you find the right targets, leak the intel to bandits and mercenaries nearby. Nagato's already at his limit. It won't be long before he collapses—and then I'll swoop in and grab the Rinnegan."
White Zetsu answered respectfully, "Yes!"
The moment it spoke, its body dissolved like melting wax, sinking back into the tree trunk's shadows.
Meanwhile, in Nagato's office at Amegakure tower, a high-level meeting was underway.
Konan stood beside Nagato, eyes full of concern.
Softly she asked, "Nagato, did the Animal Path Pain manage to catch the culprit?"
Nagato shut his eyes as if thinking, then opened them again with a composed yet complex look. "They caught them, but not fully."
Konan was confused, frowning. "What does that mean? Can you catch half of a culprit?"
But actually, that described it well.
He had indeed captured some bandits and mercenaries—yes, they were culprits. Yet the true mastermind still roamed free.
If he'd told Konan, "We might've caught the culprit, or maybe it's impossible to catch the culprit," she might have poked his head and asked if he was out of his mind.
Seeing Konan's puzzled face, Nagato carefully explained, "After Animal Path, Human Path, and Naraka Path Pain split up, they quickly saw some initial success. We arrested a portion of those bandits and mercenaries who robbed caravans and killed our shinobi and civilians. But from what the Human Path read in their memories, these guys are just pawns of some behind-the-scenes manipulator."
Konan's brow knitted tighter, her eyes turning grim.
She realized the seriousness here: Amegakure's problem was way more troublesome than she thought.
Whoever was targeting them likely had formidable intel-gathering prowess.
They were also masters of concealing themselves, else Nagato would have caught them by now.
She grew more anxious, saying softly, "Nagato, capturing the real mastermind is hard, but the villagers' worry is still growing. If we don't fix it, a second wave of turmoil could erupt any moment. Until it's settled, I guess you'll have to push yourself even harder to find that ringleader and end this crisis."
Nagato instantly felt a pang in his chest, like a mouthful of old blood rising in his throat.
He was already juggling seven roles, barely able to breathe, and now Konan wanted him to work overtime.
He immediately raised his hands in protest. "Konan, this time it's different. Rooting out the mastermind needs more than extra work—it needs real clues and the right opening. Just stretching out my work hours can't solve it that fast."
He was basically saying he knew how urgent Konan felt, but it wouldn't help to hurry.
This was far too bizarre an incident, needing careful steps. Trying to do it all in a rush would only make it worse.
Konan bowed her head, thinking. Then she lifted her gaze, a spark in her eye: "Nagato, if it's this bad, why not hire Senshi to sort it out?"
Nagato's eyes bulged.
Hiring Senshi? That's asking for trouble!
He knew from past experiences that even tasks as dangerous as capturing tailed beasts—simple for Senshi—still cost a hundred million ryō. And that job had turned out success with no fuss, but the cost was insane.
This new job was extremely complicated. Who knew what insane price Senshi might demand?
Amegakure wouldn't survive that bill.
Plus, from the look of these events, the hidden group targeting Amegakure had great intel but used cheap, sneaky methods. If they really had the guts, they would've confronted the three Paths of Pain head-on. Yet they only dared to pull sly moves in the shadows. They were obviously small fry not worthy of real recognition.
Nagato took a breath, forcing himself to stay calm, then told Konan, "Ahem, Konan, let's not trouble Senshi with this. I'll handle it for now. Those people targeting us aren't that scary. Apart from provoking local bandits and mercenaries to come at us, they don't seem to have anything else. I'll keep investigating them, and we don't need to hire Senshi."
He was mentally guessing Senshi's price for such a complicated job might be three hundred million or more.
Even though Akatsuki and Amegakure were decently rich, they couldn't just throw around hundreds of millions whenever they wanted!
Seeing Nagato so resolute, Konan didn't push it.
She gave a gentle smile. "That's good, though it'll be harder on you, Nagato."
Nagato could only shake his head wryly, half-joking: "Hard? More like a doomed fate."
Konan blinked. "Huh?"
Realizing he'd slipped up, Nagato laughed awkwardly. "Nothing, nothing. Anyway, leave it to me. Whatever it costs, I'll find out who's behind this and make them regret taking on Amegakure!"
By the last line, he sounded a bit angry.
He hated how these people in the shadows had complicated his workload. He was already overloaded, and now they just piled on more stress.
Once he found them, he'd make sure they "enjoyed" the full Pain experience!
…
In the following days, White Zetsu and the Animal Path Pain played a game of cat-and-mouse.
Though the three Pains continued arresting bandits and mercenaries, they never uncovered the real masterminds—White Zetsu and Obito.
As Nagato's workload soared, Obito inwardly rejoiced, believing the perfect time to strike drew closer.
But then, something happened that Obito hadn't anticipated.
In a dark forest beyond Amegakure, Obito stood under a giant tree, his black cloak fluttering lightly in the breeze.
Suddenly, from the trunk behind him emerged half of White Zetsu's body, that pale face wearing a trademark eerie grin.
"Obito, Danzo's men are looking for you," White Zetsu said in a low, level voice, as though it were mentioning something utterly mundane.
Obito's brow rose in mild surprise, speaking carelessly: "Oh? So that old fox Danzo wants me for something?"
White Zetsu shook its head, sounding a bit helpless. "Don't know the details. They just seem to be trying to find you, and it looks urgent."
Obito had collaborated with Danzo before, though he didn't care for that crafty old man. Still, he wasn't against working with him again.
And if Danzo could add more trouble for Nagato, that'd only help Obito's plan.
He pictured Nagato already suffocating under his tasks, and a cold smile formed on his lips.
Nagato's body was already at its limit; by the time Obito came for the Rinnegan, Nagato might be too exhausted to fight back.
Thinking so, Obito said to White Zetsu nonchalantly, "All right, bring Danzo's men to me, then. I'll see what that old coot's plotting."
"Got it." White Zetsu nodded, then melted back into the tree's trunk, disappearing into the forest gloom.
It wasn't long before White Zetsu returned with a Root member wearing a tanuki mask, stopping not far from Obito.
This Root ninja's steps were steady, but his eyes were faintly anxious.
As everyone knew, the Root members at their main base had been placed under Orochimaru's curse seals, but Root's reach went beyond that.
Those operating outside, upon learning what happened at their base, either kept far from Konoha or stayed underground, still in contact with Danzo.
Orochimaru knew of their existence but did nothing—he considered them small fry not worth the trouble, plus he was too busy with his own research.
When that Root member reached Obito, he bowed respectfully, his tone urgent. "Lord Madara, Lord Danzo would like to meet you."
Hearing himself called "Madara," Obito smirked faintly and asked casually, "Why does Danzo want me?"
The Root ninja hesitated slightly, then answered carefully, "It seems something's gone wrong on his side. He'd like to discuss some form of collaboration."
Obito's brow furrowed slightly.
Something went wrong for Danzo?
That sly old scoundrel, always so cunning and good at shifting blame, actually got into trouble himself? Who could mess him up?
Though his mind was full of questions, Obito nodded. "All right, I'll meet him."
Relief flooded the Root ninja's face. He added, "Lord Madara, if you go to Konoha, Lord Danzo might be in the hospital's intensive care unit. If not there, then probably in Konoha's prison."
Obito: (O_O)???
He was shocked.
Countless questions flashed through his head—something major must have gone down in Konoha during the time he was busy with Amegakure.
~~~
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