Chapter 136 – The Art of Reverse Spiritual Communication
Though Jiraiya had left the village in anger toward his former teacher, he had never abandoned Konoha. Even in exile, he gathered intelligence and passed it back to protect the place he still called home.
If he hadn't cared, he never would have risked so much.
Nara Shikaku's sharp eyes flickered. "I may as well tell you, Jiraiya. Hokage-sama is already on his way to the Land of Lightning."
"What?!" Jiraiya's composure cracked.
The Land of Lightning…?
There was only one reason Fugaku would head there—he intended to strike at Kumogakure while they were reeling.
But with only a few dozen shinobi at his back? Was he truly that confident?
Jiraiya's mind raced. He had spent years gathering information on Hidden Cloud Village. Even with the Raikage dead, their numbers were daunting—two to three hundred Jōnin, including Special Jōnin. Konoha, by contrast, barely had two hundred left after the devastating losses of the Third Great War.
Back then, Konoha had been unmatched in numbers and strength. Now, the balance was far less certain.
Shikaku ended the conversation brusquely. "That's enough talk, Jiraiya. You can leave."
A Hyūga at his side leaned in and whispered, "Assistant… there's no trace of Orochimaru."
Shikaku's eyes widened. He spun toward the ninja assigned to guard the Sannin. "What happened? You were watching him!"
The Hyūga rubbed the back of his head. "He was inside… just a moment ago."
Shikaku's gaze snapped toward Jiraiya, sharp and accusing. "Where is he?"
At his signal, the surrounding shinobi closed in, hemming Jiraiya in on all sides.
"Hand him over," Shikaku said coldly. "Don't think I'm joking."
Jiraiya raised his hands in mock surrender. "This isn't on me." His expression sobered under the weight of Shikaku's glare. "Orochimaru grew restless. He used the Reverse Summoning Technique—went back to Ryūchi Cave."
Murmurs rippled through the group. Shikaku's mouth tightened. Reverse Summoning… so that was it.
Had Orochimaru sensed danger? He slipped away too quickly, damn him.
After a Hyūga sweep and a search team scoured the cave, traces of a summoning circle confirmed Jiraiya's words. Orochimaru had indeed escaped to the Ryūchi Cave.
It was both a relief and a frustration. At least no further bloodshed would follow tonight—but a threat had slipped from their grasp.
With Orochimaru gone, Shikaku redirected his focus. "We'll dispatch a squad of Jōnin to support Hokage-sama in the Land of Lightning." After conferring briefly with Uchiha Sihu, he withdrew his forces and headed for the Hokage's Building, already preparing supply teams for departure.
As for Jiraiya, he left him alone. The man wouldn't stir chaos in the village, not now.
Jiraiya exhaled heavily, watching them leave. Curiosity gnawed at him—what was Fugaku planning in Lightning Country? But if Shikaku had only just received the message, then Fugaku likely hadn't even crossed the Land of Iron yet.
Troublesome man, Jiraiya thought. Always two steps ahead.
He sighed again. Orochimaru's sudden escape stung; after all, it was Jiraiya who had invited him back, only to end up chained with responsibility for him. But regret? None. He would never allow Orochimaru to endanger the village.
Next time they crossed paths, he would make that clear—and perhaps offer an apology.
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Meanwhile, Kakashi returned to the Uchiha compound, accompanied by an Uchiha Jōnin from the ANBU.
The two approached a hidden chamber. As the door creaked open, Uchiha Itachi stepped cautiously into view—only to disperse into smoke. A Shadow Clone.
Within, the real Itachi waited with Mikoto and the others.
"How is it?" Mikoto asked, her voice steady but tight.
"It's safe," Itachi replied. "It's Kakashi-senpai and Dongren-senpai."
Relieved, Mikoto quickly led them out of hiding. At the entrance, Kakashi inclined his head lightly, a perfunctory gesture. By contrast, Uchiha Dongren bowed at a full ninety degrees.
"Lady Mikoto," Dongren said respectfully. "The danger has passed. The clan can leave the chamber."
Mikoto frowned slightly. "What of Orochimaru?"
Dongren's expression darkened. "He escaped. He used the Reverse Summoning Technique. We couldn't stop him."
"Reverse Summoning…?" Itachi's eyes narrowed, recalling his studies.
Ryūchi Cave. One of the Three Great Sage Grounds. A contract Orochimaru surely possessed.
The technique was rare and powerful—an escape only possible through highly intelligent Summoning Beasts capable of advanced ninjutsu. Such creatures existed only in select contracts: the Sage Grounds, the Monkey King Enma's clan, even the Uchiha's shadow cats.
But it was not without flaws. The process required summoning the contracted beast, instructing it to perform the technique, and then reversing the summoning in return. If disrupted, the user was vulnerable.
Itachi himself could not use it. His crows, though clever, lacked the strength for such a feat.
Only a handful in the world could escape this way. Among the living, Itachi knew of just three: Orochimaru, Jiraiya, and Tsunade—the Sannin, bound to the Sage Grounds.
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