Chapter 238: The Laughing Youth Actually Did Such a Thing
The interweaving of wind and fire...
...made the palace teeter on the brink of collapse.
Jiraiya had been hesitating, but seeing this, he secretly breathed a sigh of relief and led his people out first.
After all, there was a legitimate reason.
But En Shū didn't care.
After escaping the danger, he ordered, "Jiraiya, go help Danzo. Leaving twenty people here is enough."
Whether it was the Tianming Organization or the Akatsuki Organization, he didn't have as many worries as Jiraiya.
Because he was the Daimyo.
Looking back at the previous Ninja World Wars, no matter how fiercely the hidden villages fought, it had no impact on the Daimyos or the nobles.
The only ones who suffered were likely the small nations.
But the Daimyos of the Five Great Nations lived very comfortably.
Winning was certainly best, but even if they lost, they would just keep the music playing and the dancing going.
It was just that the hidden villages would be a bit strapped for cash.
The Land of Fire and Sunagakure were very clear examples of this.
Hearing En Shū's command, Jiraiya's lip twitched; he really wanted to punch him right in the forehead.
But he was far from being that bold.
To be fair, even having such a thought was already quite rare among Ninjas.
Jiraiya sighed.
What else could he do?
Just fight, then.
Fortunately, only two people from the Tianming Organization had come.
But since Haku had intervened, where were En Yuiand Zabuza?
In any case, the connection between the Tianming Organization and the White Lotus Sect was now certain.
Although he didn't know the specifics, he could guess what their goal was.
To support En Yui and take over the Land of Fire.
This was truly a path never before imagined.
At least since the various hidden villages and organizations were established, no one had ever tried to lay a finger on the Five Great Nations.
Even if they had, they all ended in failure.
After all, the Five Great Ninja Villages were no pushovers.
But the methods adopted by the Tianming Organization and the White Lotus Sect were completely different.
Even Konoha had no suitable reason to intervene.
They didn't even know what was happening before the Land of Fire was already about to change hands.
Jiraiya quietly scanned the surroundings but found nothing.
He took a deep breath; he couldn't delay any longer, or else Konoha would leave an extremely bad impression on En Shū.
It concerned future funding.
Just as he was about to speak, someone grabbed his right hand and smashed it directly against the back of En Shū's head.
Needless to say, a Ninja's physical fitness was exceptional.
With this punch, En Shū immediately lost consciousness.
Before falling, he looked at Jiraiya with a face full of disbelief.
He never expected that he would actually strike.
Not just him, even Jiraiya himself hadn't expected to make a move.
Asuma and the others behind him all gasped in shock.
Might Guy gave a thumbs-up, his teeth gleaming, and said, "Lord Jiraiya, you've still got it! Truly..."
Before he could finish, Neji covered his mouth.
Neji had seen it clearly; the one who had made the move was clearly Naruto.
Jiraiya was stunned for a few seconds and instinctively looked at his disciple.
Among everyone present, only he had such strength.
Naruto blinked and stepped forward, whispering, "I saw you were struggling, so I gave you a hand."
"Are you trying to get me killed?" Jiraiya couldn't help but glare at him. "This is the Daimyo!"
"What about the Daimyo? He's just a person too," Naruto said nonchalantly. "Besides, don't you think this is a good opportunity to let the Tianming Organization help get rid of Danzo?"
Jiraiya frowned; he did indeed hope for such an outcome.
"But Danzo is still a Konoha Ninja. Once word gets out, how will we save face?"
"Danzo is aiding a tyrant and helping the Second Prince ascend the throne," Naruto said casually. "Our Konoha is an army of justice, a force sent to protect the sovereign."
"???" Jiraiya caught on and asked, "How are you so practiced at this? Have you also been in contact with the Tianming Organization?"
Although Naruto was usually very independent, he shouldn't have anything to do with this.
Plus, how could a teenager have such thoughts?
Unless someone taught him.
The White Lotus Sect doctrines Jiraiya had taught him didn't cover this sort of thing.
Precisely because he was afraid he'd get the wrong idea.
After all, he was Konoha's Nine-Tails Jinchuriki.
If it wasn't something he taught, then only the Tianming Organization and the White Lotus Sectremained.
And Naruto certainly had enough value for them to take the initiative to contact him.
"'Also'?"
Naruto noticed the word he used and smiled, saying, "Then why are you lecturing me?"
"..."
Jiraiya hesitated.
Fine, I'll lay my cards on the table.
"I have indeed been in contact with them, but I am still loyal to Konoha."
"I believe you."
Naruto nodded and said, "But now that things have come to this, what do you plan to do?"
Jiraiya scratched his head.
He hated making such choices.
But En Shū had already been knocked unconscious.
It was unlikely he would forgive Konoha once he woke up.
"First, let's find En Yui."
Jiraiya decided immediately.
It didn't really matter who became the Daimyo.
As long as the funding for Konoha wasn't cut.
"Neji, Hinata, you two lead a team to find her."
Jiraiya turned and ordered.
They were Jonin now and were qualified to lead a team.
He sent them because of their Byakugan and because they had seen En Yui before.
"No need."
A voice came from behind.
The crowd parted to make a path.
En Yui walked toward Jiraiya with a calm expression.
Behind her was Zabuza, looking wary.
His features were quite distinct.
That rare giant blade couldn't be hidden.
Almost everyone on Konoha's side knew his identity.
Jiraiya's eyes narrowed slightly.
En Yui had come uninvited.
He vaguely guessed that he might have fallen into a trap.
Thinking of this, he couldn't help but look at Narutoand ask, "What benefits did the Tianming Organization give you?"
"I'm not that kind of person; there were no benefits." Naruto paused, then said with a smile.
"Why are you still pretending with me?" Jiraiyarolled his eyes. "Do you think I don't know you? You're a little devil; would you ever make a deal that loses money?"
En Yui had arrived in front of them, and hearing his words, she said, "Naruto-kun indeed didn't receive any benefits."
Jiraiya frowned. Could he have been brainwashed?
This would be a real problem.
"It seems Lord Jiraiya has already made a choice."
En Yui glanced at En Shū and continued, "Then I can make a promise. After I become the Daimyo, I will increase aid to Konoha by thirty percent, provided that some clauses are added."
The smile from the first half of the sentence turned into solemnity upon hearing the second half.
Jiraiya chuckled and said, "Her Highness's ambition seems exceptionally grand."
"It's not exactly ambition; Lord Jiraiya should understand what I mean."
En Yui lowered her voice and said, "After all, you are one of the Dharma Kings of the White Lotus Sect."
"..."
I'm not, I didn't, don't talk nonsense.
I haven't even agreed yet.
Jiraiya's lip twitched.
He felt this whole situation was inexplicably surreal.
Although Konoha hadn't lost anything, they were being managed perfectly.
The Shimura Clan, who were currently fighting, finally realized something was wrong.
They had been fighting for a long time with no one coming to help.
Never mind Danzo; he was being beaten by Sasukeso badly he didn't even have time to breathe.
But they were different.
"Lord Jiraiya, please take action!"
A middle-aged man took the opportunity to break away from the battlefield, shouting as he ran toward them.
For a group of them to fight Haku, it was actually quite easy.
Jiraiya's expression changed slightly, and he said in a low voice, "Kurenai, use Genjutsu to control him. Don't let him see En Shū."
Kurenai Yuhi nodded.
A Ninja must obey orders.
Even Asuma felt it was very inappropriate when he saw Jiraiya knock out En Shū, but he didn't turn against him on the spot.
"Lord Jiraiya, you should still make plans early."
En Yui smiled and then said to Zabuza, "Go help Haku."
Without any hesitation, Zabuza's Decapitating Carving Knife flew out directly, plunging into the battlefield.
"Aren't you afraid of being in danger?" Jiraiyaasked.
"Why?"
En Yui teased, "Does Lord Jiraiya want to make a move on this little lady?"
Of course she wasn't afraid.
She seemed to be alone, but in reality, the White Lotus Sect was everywhere.
"Those are all rumors!"
Jiraiya's face darkened. Had it already spread to the Metropolis of the Land of Fire?
"Naruto-kun told me."
"???"
Jiraiya's face grew even darker.
He regretted it.
Why on earth did he ever take on such a disciple?
Naruto shrugged.
Jiraiya noticed another anomaly.
En Yui seemed to be very friendly toward Naruto in her manner of speaking.
What was going on?
He could feel En Yui's distance from himself.
Naruto was likely deeply involved with the Tianming Organization and the White Lotus Sect.
Jiraiya instinctively felt uneasy.
This was not a good thing.
With Zabuza joining in, the Shimura Clan Ninjas no longer had any free time.
As fellow Jonin, Zabuza and Haku were definitely among the best.
They hadn't been idle these past two years; with the resources of the Tianming Organization, they had focused on their training, and their strength had only grown.
Meanwhile, the battle on the other side was completely one-sided.
With Naruto's so-called investigative data, Sasukeknew everything about Danzo, short of knowing the color of his underwear.
He had ten Sharingan on his left arm; using Izanagionce would consume one eye.
Normally, Danzo would have ten lives.
But Izanagi had a duration.
Because Danzo's Chakra was limited, it could only be maintained for one minute at a time.
In other words, he was invincible for ten minutes.
That was why he was confident he could defeat Sasuke.
In the original work, Danzo did indeed gain the upper hand for a short time using Izanagi.
But that was because Sasuke didn't have the intel.
Now, things were different.
However, Sasuke didn't plan to kill him.
Or at least, not right now.
But he could collect some interest in advance.
Blue lightning flashed around Sasuke's body, and he simply raised the sword of the thunder god in his hand.
The next moment, Danzo screamed.
His right leg was severed cleanly.
Blood spurted out.
Danzo could only form hand seals again, preparing Izanagi.
But Sasuke couldn't be bothered with him, raining sword strike after sword strike upon him.
In Lightning Release Chakra Mode, Danzo couldn't react at all.
As the saying goes, in the world of martial arts, speed is the only thing that cannot be broken.
Ninjutsu was no different.
Sasuke's current speed was almost unparalleled in the Ninja World, enough to slaughter most Ninjas.
Just like Minato back in the day.
After using Izanagi three more times, Danzo finally realized something was wrong.
"You're insulting me!"
Every one of Sasuke's sword strikes avoided his vitals.
Especially his hands for forming seals, which had received almost no attacks.
No matter how stupid Danzo was, he understood Sasuke's intention.
"This is debt repayment."
Sasuke said flatly, "This is the punishment you deserve."
"The one who killed your clansmen was Uchiha Itachi, not me. You've got the wrong person! On the contrary, you should be thanking me. I was the one who collected your clansmen's bodies!"
Danzo argued loudly.
Sasuke laughed out of sheer anger, pressing his hand to his forehead.
"Hahaha, then I really must thank you properly!"
"Ah!"
Danzo's screams rang out once more.
Naruto couldn't help but twitch his lip.
This scene was too much to look at.
Shocking! A laughing, hideous youth with a sharp weapon actually commits such acts against a constantly screaming old man!
After Zabuza joined, a large amount of mist surged up.
But it was no trouble for Naruto.
However, others couldn't see what was happening inside.
Except for Neji and Hinata's Byakugan.
But since they were both on the same side, they didn't give details, only saying that Danzo was at a disadvantage.
This was pure nonsense.
If he was screaming that miserably and wasn't at a disadvantage, did he have some special hobby?
"Naruto, do you know the true identity of the Ninjafighting Danzo?"
Jiraiya couldn't help but ask.
With a Mangekyo Sharingan and the ability to suppress Danzo, his strength was definitely not to be underestimated.
Danzo's status in Konoha was due not only to being the Second Hokage's disciple and the Third Hokage's teammate but also to his own strength.
Jiraiya himself wasn't even sure if he could defeat him.
"I know him."
Naruto nodded and added, "And you know him too."
"I know him too?"
Jiraiya was stunned for a moment and said, "Is it Uchiha Itachi?"
Speaking of the Mangekyo Sharingan and someone he was familiar with, he could only think of Uchiha Itachi.
"The answer is close."
Naruto stopped playing riddles and said, "It's Sasuke."
Jiraiya instantly looked as if he had seen a ghost.
This is Sasuke?
He's only fourteen years old!
How could he have awakened the Mangekyo Sharingan and then be able to beat the famous Darkness of Konoha, Danzo?
This was already no worse than Uchiha Itachi.
Jiraiya muttered to himself, "The Uchiha Clan really is... a whole bunch of geniuses."
"Unfortunately, they've already been exterminated."
Naruto shook his head and said, "Teacher, you should know some of the inside story, so just let Sasuke's actions be."
"..."
Jiraiya couldn't help but sigh.
Although Danzo and Root worked in secret, after taking over Root, he did indeed learn quite a few things.
Including Uchiha Itachi's role as an undercover agent.
"Wait a minute."
Jiraiya suddenly realized something. "If that's the case, Sasuke's code name should be The Fool, right? The member of the Tianming Organizationwho was provoking people outside the Hidden Cloud Village."
Naruto raised an eyebrow and said, "Exactly."
"The Fool's teammate is The Hermit."
Jiraiya looked at him and said, "Then who is that? People who can use Space-Time Ninjutsu are very few and far between."
"Teacher has already guessed it."
Naruto wasn't surprised; if he hadn't guessed it by now, he wouldn't be Jiraiya.
"It really is you."
Jiraiya looked dazed.
Suddenly, he felt a sense of aging brought on by the passing years.
Is it no longer our era?
Sasuke and Naruto alone could run rampant in the Hidden Cloud Village; naturally, they could do the same in Konoha.
In other words, they had already far surpassed him.
Jiraiya came to his senses after a long while and asked, "What is your status in the Tianming Organization? Or rather, who are the members of your Tianming Organization?"
Well, his professional habit as an intelligence gatherer had kicked in.
With such a good opportunity, how could he not ask and satisfy his inner curiosity?