Chapter 323 Jiraiya's bad taste! Treating Yahiko Nagato like a kite! Second update
After Tsunade arrived in the Land of Rain, her powerful Medical Ninjutsu quickly helped Orochimaru stem the tide of defeat.
However, neither the Third Kazekage himself nor the puppet master unit led by Chiyo were easy opponents.
As the battle once again became a stalemate, the Sunagakure puppet master unit led by Chiyo and the elite Konoha Medical Ninja led by Tsunade were locked in a seesaw battle of poisoning and detoxifying.
Western Land of Rain, the area between the Sunagakure Camp and the Konoha Camp.
After a major battle, both Konoha and Sunagakure left behind over a hundred corpses.
The lingering dark clouds above seemed to be a true reflection of the Ninja's inner feelings on both sides.
"Orochimaru, are you alright?"
Watching the Sunagakure army retreat like a tide, Tsunade wiped the blood from her fists and slowly walked towards Orochimaru, who had nearly been riddled with holes by Magnet Release: Iron Sand.
"Cough~ Don't worry, I can still hold on."
"However, this Third Kazekage fellow is getting more and more terrifying..."
Compared to the Third Kazekage, who was at his peak, Orochimaru still had a long way to go on the path to becoming Kage-level.
"I wonder where Jiraiya is hiding with those three kids?"
"If that guy were here, with the strength of the three of us, we would be perfectly capable of driving the main Sunagakure force out of the Land of Rain..."
Thinking of Jiraiya, Orochimaru's heart was filled with endless resentment.
Although the people he sent out had searched the entire Land of Rain, they still hadn't found any trace of Jiraiya.
But... his intuition as a friend told him that Jiraiya... and those three kids in the Land of Rain, hadn't left the Land of Rain.
You see, before Tsunade came to support him... he alone had to contend with two powerful Kage-level experts, the Third Kazekage and Chiyo.
He even almost lost his life several times.
Yet... from beginning to end, that bastard Jiraiya never showed up... to help out.
"That Jiraiya fellow is still as unreliable as ever."
"The next time I see that bastard, I'll definitely teach him a good lesson."
"Orochimaru, it's time to go... The Village's new round of support should be arriving..."
...
A desolate mountain a hundred li west of Hidden Rain Village.
Because this land had previously been eroded by the poison sprayed by Salamander Ibuse, all the trees and animals near the desolate mountain had withered and died.
Over time... it became a dead zone.
Let alone ordinary civilians, even Amegakure Ninja would deliberately bypass this area when carrying out missions.
To avoid being affected by the lingering toxins.
"Achoo..."
Deep in the desolate mountain, in a certain wooden house.
Jiraiya, who had settled here with Nagato, Konan, and Yahiko, looked at the steaming pot of soup in front of him, suddenly felt a chill all over his body, and sneezed several times in a row.
"Jiraiya-sensei, I told you... you must wear a straw cloak when you go out."
"Nagato and Yahiko are still lying in bed, and if you fall ill too... I can't take care of all three of you by myself."
A year and a half had passed since Konoha and Amegakure ceased hostilities and formed an alliance.
Perhaps due to the good quality of food over the past year and a half.
Konan's figure had become even more slender, and her slightly rising chest was faintly visible.
"Haha~ Konan, don't worry, Jiraiya-sensei's body is very strong."
"No matter what, sensei is one of Konoha's Sannin... a true Kage-level expert, not as fragile as Nagato and Yahiko..."
Looking at Konan's stern expression, Jiraiya chuckled awkwardly and rubbed the back of his head, clearly feeling a little guilty.
"Jiraiya-sensei, Nagato and I can't pretend we didn't hear what you just said."
"What do you mean by 'fragile'?"
"Jiraiya-sensei, you should know best why we caught a cold..."
"Throwing your adorable students into a lake to use as kites... throughout the entire Ninja World, you're probably the only one who would do that."
Unbeknownst to Jiraiya, Yahiko and Nagato, wrapped in thick blankets, had appeared in the room, their eyes... seemingly also full of resentment towards Jiraiya.
"Cough~ Yahiko, Nagato... when did you two get here?"
"Sensei didn't even notice..."
"It seems my training method is indeed effective... Yahiko, Nagato, you... have indeed grown!"
Watching Yahiko and Nagato slowly approaching, Jiraiya subtly shifted his body towards Konan's position... his feet secretly exerting force, clearly ready to flee at any moment.
"Jiraiya-sensei~"
"Nagato and I are discussing a very serious matter with you, please don't joke around with us."
Seeing that Jiraiya refused to admit his mistake and still tried to muddle through.
Yahiko could no longer suppress the grievance in his heart and roared.
Who knew how much water he and Nagato had choked on that day... In short, the swelling on their bodies hadn't completely subsided yet.
"Eh~ Yahiko, Nagato, Konan... actually, I didn't want to tell you."
"There's a reason why I chose this method to train you..."
"Jiraiya-sensei~"
"Nagato, let me finish!"
"Because this place is relatively secluded, the three of you don't know that several months ago, Iwagakure also declared war on Amegakure."
"To prevent Amegakure from being defeated by the combined forces of Sunagakure and Iwagakure... my close friend Orochimaru led the Konoha army into the Land of Rain again, and is now fighting against the main Sunagakure force led by the Third Kazekage and Chiyo..."
"Although Orochimaru and Tsunade are strong, with their strength, they can maintain the current situation, but it would be very difficult to defeat the main Sunagakure force..."
"Yahiko, Nagato, Konan... I don't know how much longer I, Jiraiya-sensei, can be with you."
"I just wanted to make you stronger before I leave, so that you can survive well in the chaotic Land of Rain..."
"Woo~ Jiraiya-sensei!"
Seeing Jiraiya's expression gradually turn somber, Yahiko, Nagato, and Konan could no longer bear the melancholic atmosphere of parting and all rushed to Jiraiya.
The crystal-clear tears in their eyes were like the fine rain outside... falling incessantly.
"I'm sorry, Jiraiya-sensei..."
"We will definitely work harder and live up to your expectations, becoming strong and reliable Ninja."
...
"Phew~ I finally got away with it! Hahahaha~"
Outside the house, after coaxing Yahiko, Nagato, and Konan back to their respective rooms, Jiraiya finally had a moment to catch his breath.
No longer able to hold back the laughter in his heart, he burst into a wild laugh...
"Jiraiya~ When did you become so perverse?"
"If those three kids knew you were lying to them, they would definitely teach you a good lesson."
"Oh! It's Kosuke~ As long as I don't say anything, Yahiko, Nagato, and Konan will never know."
"Kosuke, you have to keep it a secret for me, don't ever let them know... that using Yahiko and Nagato as kites on the lake was just to satisfy my curiosity for a moment~ Ahahaha~ I can't, I can't~"
Under the contemptuous gaze of Toad Kosuke, Jiraiya laughed for a full ten minutes before finally settling down.
It was a good thing the thunderstorm outside was loud, otherwise... that battle of regicide would have had to happen sooner.
"Alright~ Kosuke, tell me, what did Fukasaku-sensei ask you to come and tell me?"
"No... not Fukasaku-sensei, it's the Great Toad Sage, the Great Toad Sage has had a new dream and has something to tell you, asking you to make time to go to Mount Myōboku."
"Also, the Great Toad Sage has agreed to your request to train in Sage Mode..."