Chapter 280: A-Rank Technique: The Eight Inner Gates Formation!
"That's right, it's me!"
Jiraiya admitted his secret mission readily, but he fumbled on the response. "Nara... uh..."
He had originally wanted to call Nara Keisuke "kid." After all, from his perspective, Keisuke's seniority was far too low, and he was too young. Compared to the Sannin, who had made their names long ago, Keisuke was two generations removed.
But as he was about to speak, Keisuke's staggering war record and monstrous strength flashed through his mind. Calling this legendary, renowned ninja a "kid"... even a thick-skinned oaf like Jiraiya felt it was inappropriate.
After a brief silence, he settled on "young man."
Keisuke was unconcerned with Jiraiya's internal struggle. This was only their second meeting, and his impression of the white-haired old pervert was not good.
"If I recall," Keisuke said, his voice flat, "the secret dispatch from the village mentioned that the one presiding over this Three-Tails sealing ceremony was supposed to be the head of Root, Shimura Danzō. Why isn't that 'old root' here?"
"Old... root?"
Hearing Keisuke's name for Danzō, Jiraiya's eye twitched. While he wasn't a fan of Danzō either, the man was still his sensei's best friend and a Konoha elder... At least on the surface, Jiraiya had to maintain an attitude of respect. For the "Shadow of Darkness" to be so openly arrogant was beyond his expectations.
'I think I heard a rumor about a conflict between Danzō and this kid...'
Jiraiya had always avoided such political drama. He ignored the disrespect and simply explained his presence. "The village did originally plan to send Elder Danzō. That was confirmed in the high council meeting. But a few days ago, a major incident occurred in Iwagakure—" He paused, a mischievous glint in his eye. "Want to guess what it was, young man?"
Keisuke's mouth twitched. He had a pretty good idea. "Don't tell me, just like Sunagakure, they 'lost' their Kage?" he asked, feigning ignorance.
"Congratulations, you got it!" Jiraiya clapped. "The Third Tsuchikage has vanished... hm? Wait! Why does this feel so familiar?"
"You told me the Third Kazekage had vanished, back in the Hokage's office," Keisuke replied calmly, as if he had no idea who had actually "vanished" Ōnoki.
"Just like Suna, Iwa lost its Tsuchikage?"
"Yes, it's very strange," Jiraiya mused, striking a thoughtful pose. "The Third Kazekage, the 'Strongest Kazekage,' vanishes. The Third Tsuchikage, Ōnoki, a man of great fame and power, also vanishes from his own village for no reason." He finished with what he clearly thought was a great joke. "If the Third Raikage also mysteriously disappears... I think the old man will have to get his own fortune told."
The "old man" he referred to was, of course, the Third Hokage.
"Jiraiya-sama, your jokes are a bit inappropriate," Nara Shikaku interjected, sighing. "Even if the reasons for their disappearances are unknown, what kind of man is the Third Raikage? And for that matter, what kind of man is Lord Third?"
"What's it matter what kind of man they are?" Jiraiya said with a wave. "They're all just old men."
Keisuke watched them coldly. He wasn't about to tell Jiraiya that the Third Raikage had also "mysteriously disappeared" yesterday. With the Kazekage, Tsuchikage, and Raikage all "vanished," and the Mizukage already a puppet, if Hiruzen didn't vanish, he'd be the odd one out.
He had actually been looking forward to Danzō coming, preparing his Shadow Manipulation to milk him for Root's secrets before killing him. But instead, they sent Jiraiya.
"Because Ōnoki vanished," Jiraiya continued, "Danzō was deployed to the Land of Grass to lead his Root forces and investigate. And Minato was sent to the Land of Rain... so, I'm here."
Hiruzen, of course, believed that "accumulating merit" was far more important than "sealing the Three-Tails." The "Shadow of Darkness's" war record was too brilliant. Minato had no way of surpassing him. But if Minato's merit could just get close, Hiruzen was confident that with a little "village propaganda," he could secure the Fourth Hokage seat for the Yellow Flash.
So, Minato was dispatched to the Land of Rain, and Jiraiya "logically" took his place here.
"Right, I also brought... the 'down payment' for the deal," Jiraiya said, unsealing about a dozen small scrolls. "It's just the jutsu scrolls for now. The other assets, like the land, you'll have to wait until after the war to manage."
Jiraiya was fully aware of the "transaction" between Keisuke and the village. He didn't think it was right, but he also didn't think it was wrong. In the ninja world, only children see in black and white. It benefited the clan, and it benefited the village. So, he just acted as the messenger.
Keisuke placed his hand on the scrolls, and his panel instantly scanned all thirteen.
[A-Rank Technique Detected: [Eight Inner Gates Formation]. Learn?]
[A-Rank Technique Detected: [Heavenly Canopy Method]...]
[A-Rank Technique Detected: [Self-Cursing Binding]...]
As promised, three A-rank and ten B-rank jutsu. The [Heavenly Canopy Method] was an A-rank barrier jutsu, which would be invaluable for his research base. The [Self-Cursing Binding] was an A-rank curse mark jutsu, which he could fuse with his shadow binding techniques to make them even stronger. The ten B-rank jutsu were mostly common elemental techniques, or useless ones like [Dead Soul Technique], [Demonic Illusion: Tree Binding Death], or [Konoha Strong Whirlwind]. They were hard to even look at.
But he had gotten the one he truly wanted.
[A-Rank Technique: Eight Inner Gates Formation]
[Description: Burn your soul! The ultimate, certain-death technique!]
[Effect: Opens the "Eight Gates" in the chakra pathway system, inhibiting and controlling chakra flow, thereby releasing power dozens of times greater than the user's original limits.]
[Evaluation: If you have an ult, use it. This is the power of youth!]
As a ninjutsu-type, Keisuke had little interest in hard-style taijutsu. The Gentle Fist was different; that was "true-damage." He looked down on taijutsu, but he had to admit one thing: ninjutsu has its limits. In the final battle of the Fourth Great Ninja War, regular ninjutsu, even Kekkei Genkai, were all useless against a world of Rinnegan.
His research into Kekkei Genkai was not because he thought it was the path to "godhood." His real plan was to fuse natural energy with his Kekkei Genkai to create "Sage Art Kekkei Genkai."
Sage Art was one of the limits a normal ninja could reach.
The other limit... was this.
He didn't want the Eight Gates so he could train. He was far too lazy for that. It was just...
'I will be invincible beneath the gods, and in a 1-v-1 against a god, I'll take them with me!'
Keisuke gripped the scroll tightly. 'A nuclear bomb like this... you don't have to use it, but you must have it!'
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