Chapter 100: Turning Haruta Against Kiri? Intelligence from the Hidden Mist
After the mission, Haruta felt a bit drained.
It was as if he had entered a "sage mode" of calm reflection, which wasn't surprising. He had just completed an intense mission, leveled up his skills, and found himself without any immediate tasks.
At times like this, it was like savoring a post-battle cigarette—relaxing, reflecting, and slowly recovering his energy.
However, as Haruta prepared to keep lazing around at home, flipping through files to locate the buried Uchiha, Yugao had other ideas.
"Seriously, why are you holed up at home all the time? You've finally got some free time—why not go outside and get some fresh air?"
Yugao, holding Karin by the hand, frowned at Haruta in disapproval.
"Besides, every time you stay home, you end up making Tsunade angry. What's the point of that?"
"Who said I made her angry? I was just telling the truth. It's not my fault she couldn't handle it."
With his hands casually tucked behind his head, Haruta strolled forward at a leisurely pace.
"Tell me I'm wrong—doesn't she lose every bet she makes? If you bet the opposite of her, you'll be living in a beachfront villa in no time."
"You're still thinking about going to Kirigakure, aren't you?" Yugao sighed, unwilling to comment on Tsunade's terrible luck.
Karin silently nodded in agreement. Tsunade's gambling luck was notoriously bad.
Ever since she'd come into some money, Tsunade had spent her time alternating between drinking and visiting gambling dens, where she lost almost every time.
"Kirigakure, huh… who knows? Maybe I'll head there someday. Don't forget, Uchiha Obito might still be hiding there."
Haruta tilted his head thoughtfully. It had indeed been a while since they'd gotten any news from Kirigakure.
After suggesting that Obito might be hiding in the Hidden Mist and using the wanted poster to shift attention, Konoha had begun infiltrating Kirigakure.
But so far, there had been no further developments.
Haruta remained quite interested in visiting Kirigakure. Although there might not be much "fun" to be had there, he could at least "pay a visit" to their future Mizukage and possibly deepen their understanding of each other.
And if he could expose Obito's identity while he was at it, he'd have a good chance of earning even more free points.
That, of course, made the prospect all the more tempting.
Too bad, it seems Konoha isn't quite up to the task.
"Uchiha Obito… I never expected that loser from back then would end up causing so much trouble."
At the mention of Obito, Yūgao sighed. She had heard about him—his grades were terrible, and he was always at the bottom of the class.
But even as a dead-last, he had proven his courage in the war, becoming one of the "Two Sharingan Heroes" of Kannabi Bridge.
Who could have imagined that this former hero of Konoha would fall so far?
"Never underestimate any underdog. Who knows, they might be a hidden gem."
Haruta shrugged. He really didn't have much to say about Uchiha Obito.
"All I can say is, Nohara Rin-senpai must have had some incredible charm to make that guy so obsessed. But I think it was mostly her kindness and gentleness that drew him in."
Haruta wouldn't deny that Nohara Rin was beautiful. But he also wouldn't deny one other thing—the Uchiha clan was full of good-looking people.
Especially the women. It was as if their ancestor, Ōtsutsuki Kaguya, had personally blessed them with good genes.
Yet Obito never seemed to care much about that. Instead, he was particularly fond of Nohara Rin, and the biggest reason was probably her personality.
From both records and his memories from his past life, Haruta knew that Nohara Rin was kind to everyone.
She wouldn't feel inferior around top students, nor would she look down on those who struggled.
As someone who was always at the bottom, Obito must have suffered countless times from the condescending gazes. Under such circumstances, meeting someone like Nohara Rin—it was only natural that he fell head over heels.
"But Rin treated everyone the same way. That made you think you were special to her, and you ended up falling into a one-sided obsession. Was that really a good idea?"
Haruta found Obito's situation utterly baffling—especially how, after everything that happened, he ended up blaming Namikaze Minato.
Even if he believed the world was to blame for everything, Haruta couldn't shake the feeling that Obito was just shifting responsibility.
Blaming everyone else while rejecting the world itself.
For someone like that, the only word Haruta could think of was delusional.
Then again… he was an Uchiha. Maybe being a little crazy wasn't so surprising?
"Kindness and gentleness?"
Yūgao blinked, looking at Haruta with curiosity.
"So, you like that kind of personality?"
"Who doesn't?" Haruta chuckled but quickly added, "But I'm pretty open-minded. And Yūgao-senpai has a great personality too."
"Tch, I'm not dealing with you."
Hearing that, Yūgao immediately turned her head away, unwilling to continue the conversation.
Beside them, Karin blinked a few times. But before she could say anything, Haruta suddenly grabbed Yūgao's hand.
She almost let out a yelp.
Though she had seen things like this happen plenty of times, she still couldn't help feeling a little flustered every time.
"Hey, what are you doing?"
Yūgao struggled slightly, but when she realized she couldn't break free, she simply gave up. She had long since gotten used to this.
Still, she glanced at Karin and whispered, "Karin is watching. Don't mess around."
"I'm being perfectly well-behaved, Senpai," Haruta replied with a smirk. He made no effort to let go, leaving Yūgao both amused and helpless.
But just as she had thought, she was slowly getting used to it.
It was already the 55th year of Konoha. When she first met Haruta, it was still year 52.
She couldn't forget that day—Haruta had single-handedly held off Orochimaru to let her escape, saving her life twice in a row.
After that, they ended up forming a team, going through all kinds of missions together. Every moment of those experiences was etched in her heart.
"Though… when it comes to handling things, he always has his own way—whether it's missions, or… with me."
At first, Yūgao wasn't used to Haruta's unpredictable nature. Whether in missions or personal interactions, his behavior always left her feeling conflicted.
But as time passed, she realized—Haruta's decisions and judgments were almost always correct.
As for how he treated her… at first, she thought it was completely inappropriate.
Yet, as she learned more about Haruta's past, her heart softened.
Slowly, she began to accept his behavior, even if it was inappropriate.
After all, Haruta had grown up in root, spending his life surrounded by bloodshed. Even Yamato had hinted at how much darkness Haruta had endured.
And despite that painful past—despite how it had shaped some of his actions—his heart had remained unchanged.
He was always optimistic, always striving to improve, always pushing himself to be his best.
Maybe that was why she went from discomfort to acceptance, and eventually… to habit.
To be honest, she knew she had been passive in this entire process.
But she had accepted it. And she had no regrets.
Even if Haruta was two years younger than her… so what?
Maybe this was just how love worked. And this was simply who she was.
"Well-behaved? After knowing you for three years, I don't think I've ever seen you act well-behaved."
Though she had accepted everything, Yūgao still couldn't help but counter his words.
"If anything, you're just handsy. Seriously…"
"Alright, alright, let's change the topic. What are we doing today?"
Haruta playfully squeezed her hand before grinning and asking.
"How about watching a movie?"
"A movie?"
Yūgao gave him a strange look. She couldn't understand why Haruta suddenly had this idea.
"Why the sudden interest?"
"I've never watched a movie before. Wanna try it?"
"But… whatever. If you want to, then let's go."
Haruta found her reaction a bit odd. Wasn't watching a movie just a normal thing?
This world did have movies. If he recalled correctly, there was even a Princess of the Land of Snow, Koyuki Kazahana, who was an actress.
But the moment Haruta excitedly brought Yūgao and the eager Karin to the theater and bought the tickets…
He finally understood why Yūgao had that look earlier.
To put it simply, Naruto World movies were absolute garbage.
Boring, childish, and filled with clichés like "the evil dragon and the princess"—Haruta was on the verge of falling asleep.
"And what's with this ridiculous plot? The Great Fireball Jutsu is that big? And they even got the hand signs wrong?"
"Since when does a single Great Fireball burn an entire army? Why have my Fire Jutsu never done that?"
"The taijutsu fights are just flashy nonsense! One strike would've ended it, why waste time spinning around?"
"And what's with the villain monologuing for five minutes instead of finishing the job?"
"The protagonist gets a sudden power-up at the last second? If he had that much chakra, why didn't he use it earlier?"
Haruta just couldn't hold it in anymore. He kept muttering complaints, making Yūgao both exasperated and amused.
"See? That's why I asked if you really wanted to watch this. You were so insistent earlier."
"Still, a little accuracy wouldn't hurt…" Haruta sighed before turning to Karin, who was watching with rapt attention.
"Why are you so focused? It's all fake! Listen, if you ever get the chance to take down an enemy, don't try to look cool—just stab straight at the heart or throat. And if you're winning, don't waste time talking. Make sure they're dead first!"
"W-Wait, isn't that a bit much?"
Now it was Yūgao's turn to be speechless.
"This is just a movie! Don't take it so seriously!"
"Fine, fine. My bad." Haruta raised his hands in surrender.
But honestly, if he had known the movie would be this bad, he wouldn't have bothered coming.
"Still, these movies really are ridiculously fake," Yūgao couldn't help but comment.
"I just don't get their logic. They seem unbelievably stupid, nothing like real shinobi."
Haruta blinked at her words, then burst out laughing. Meanwhile, Karin looked a little troubled.
She actually thought the movie was decent. Sure, the protagonist wasn't nearly as impressive as Haruta, but the fight scenes were still cool.
Shouldn't shinobi be a little flashy?
Karin wasn't sure, but she didn't dare to ask. She just sat quietly, and when the movie ended, she followed them out of the theater.
"Finally out of there. That place was unbearable," Haruta stretched with a yawn, clearly bored out of his mind.
"Exactly. Let's not waste money on this next time," Yūgao chuckled.
But Haruta quickly turned to her. "No worries, I've got plenty of funds. But… is Senpai already starting to manage my wallet?"
"Huh?"
Yūgao froze, her face instantly turning red.
"You idiot! What nonsense are you talking about?!"
"Senpai, you're turning seventeen soon—almost eighteen. Maybe it's good to get some practice?"
"Damn it, shut up!"
Even though she had already accepted a lot, Yūgao still couldn't handle this kind of teasing. She immediately reached for Haruta, but he just grinned and dashed away.
"Hey! Wait for me!"
Karin, realizing she was being left behind, hesitated for a moment. Was she being a third wheel?
Still, after thinking about it, she decided to follow.
But just as she took a few steps, she suddenly stopped.
Because ahead of them, Haruta and Yūgao had also stopped—standing before a battered-looking man with white hair.
"Jiraiya-sama… what happened to you?"
Yūgao, momentarily forgetting about Haruta, stared at the sorry state Jiraiya was in.
But before he could answer, a loud voice suddenly shouted from behind him.
"There he is! Get him!"
In the next second, a large group of bathhouse workers, armed with cleaning tools, rushed forward.
Jiraiya immediately raised his hands in defense. "W-Wait! This is a misunderstanding!"
But they didn't listen. In no time, Jiraiya was completely surrounded.
---
Meanwhile, in the Land of Rain, within a towering structure…
"Nagato, you—"
Konan frowned as she looked at Nagato. Her expression was far from pleasant because she had just received an unexpected piece of news.
They were about to enter the central region of the Land of Rain and become its de facto rulers.
This meant that Hanzō, the man responsible for Yahiko's death, was now dead.
But what frustrated Konan the most was that she had no idea how it had happened. It was as if someone had deliberately excluded her from the entire process, and she found that difficult to accept.
"Konan, I understand how you feel," Nagato sighed as he observed her reaction before speaking seriously.
"But I had my reasons. You're the only family I have left. After what happened to Yahiko, I swore that history would never repeat itself.
"I'm sorry. Hanzō was strong—or at least, I thought he was. So please, forgive my decision."
Nagato was arrogant and held himself above others, often referring to himself as a god.
But in front of Konan, he remained the person he used to be.
Even so, he couldn't help but feel a bit conflicted. It seemed that Hanzō's strength was only a thing of his imagination.
After Konan left, Nagato began his move. With the intelligence provided by Black Zetsu, he had located Hanzō's hideout and wasted no time launching his attack.
However, what he hadn't expected was that Hanzō had become like a rat hiding in the sewers. He had lost all his former sharpness, cowering in his fortress.
His strength had also declined significantly, to the point where he posed no threat at all.
Nagato could still recall the shocked expression on Hanzō's face when he recognized the Deva Path of Pain.
But Nagato felt no pity. To him, there was only hatred for Hanzō, and he had no intention of showing any mercy.
"Now, the only one left is that Shimura Danzō from Konoha…"
Nagato muttered to himself. He was well aware of his enemies and his objectives.
However, noticing Konan's silence, he realized that she was in a foul mood, so he decisively changed the subject.
"Speaking of which, the situation with Iwagakure seems troublesome this time. But at least you successfully recruited Orochimaru."
"Yes," Konan nodded. The events in Iwagakure had left a deep impression on her, whether it was Haruta and his group's strength or the unexpected encounter with Jiraiya.
Thinking about it, Konan could only say, "Nagato, I won't argue about Hanzō anymore, but you must be careful when dealing with Konoha.
"This time, I witnessed Haruta's abilities firsthand. His strength far exceeds our expectations.
"Moreover, Orochimaru has confirmed his background—he was recruited from an orphanage by Danzō.
"Perhaps Danzō used some method to secure his unwavering loyalty, but no matter what, Haruta is a major threat!
"And it's not just him… This time, we also ran into Jiraiya-sensei. That could be…"
Konan had already raised Haruta's danger level in her mind multiple times.
She couldn't forget the image of that massive wooden construct cloaked in golden chakra. An enemy like that was beyond dangerous!
And to make matters worse, Jiraiya had recognized her during their mission. This was not good for them at all.
"Jiraiya-sensei, huh?"
Nagato sighed upon hearing this. His feelings toward Jiraiya were complicated.
He had never forgotten the man's kindness in saving and teaching him. But at this point, they were walking completely different paths.
After Yahiko died in his arms, Nagato had completely lost faith in Jiraiya's ideals.
Yahiko had believed in them wholeheartedly, and what was the result?
Betrayal. Persecution. Death.
That proved everything—without overwhelming strength, no one would listen to you.
And if you showed kindness to someone filled with malice, you would always suffer for it. There was no room for naïve optimism.
That was why Nagato had chosen to follow the so-called Uchiha Madara, walking a path entirely different from Yahiko and Jiraiya.
Of course, he had never truly trusted "Madara." His goal was to achieve peace in his own way.
"Jiraiya-sensei will indeed be troublesome. But we are not the same people we were back then.
"I won't allow him to impose his will on us—we have our own choices.
"And if he insists on standing in our way, then…"
Nagato's expression darkened, a fierce light flashing in his eyes.
"I'm sorry, but I will eliminate any obstacle in my path—even if it's Jiraiya-sensei!"
His heart was firm; he had already made up his mind.
Konan opened her mouth slightly at his words, but in the end, she remained silent.
She knew she couldn't change anything. From the moment they set foot on this path, Jiraiya had become their enemy. That was an unchangeable reality.
"As for Haruta…"
Nagato sighed, shifting the conversation again.
"He does seem troublesome. If this were later on, it wouldn't matter. But right now, the Gedo Statue still requires a constant supply of my chakra…"
"I understand. But perhaps we don't need to be his enemy," Konan said thoughtfully.
"Oh? What do you mean?" Nagato was intrigued. He held no goodwill toward Danzō's subordinates, but their current situation was delicate.
"Orochimaru mentioned his background, and we were all manipulated by Danzō this time—including Haruta."
Konan repeated what Orochimaru had told her. Nagato had known parts of the story, but not in full detail.
He had only been aware that Iwagakure had suffered a huge setback and that it somehow involved Uchiha Obito.
As he listened, his eyes widened in surprise. He hadn't expected Danzō to be this twisted.
Using fake photos to deceive his own subordinates into killing each other? Then having Orochimaru ensure that none survived?
And all of this was just one step in his plan?
His real goal was to make Haruta hate Orochimaru so much that he would be forced to serve Danzō?
And Akatsuki's role was simply to make sure Orochimaru survived?
What a ruthless and insidious scheme!
So this was the so-called "darkness of the shinobi world"—Shimura Danzō!
"I should have killed him sooner. I never imagined he was this monstrous…"
Nagato's expression darkened. It wasn't that he pitied the people who had been manipulated into killing each other.
It was that dealing with someone like Danzō was going to be incredibly difficult.
"No one expected him to be this devious," Konan sighed. Then, her expression turned serious.
"That's why I think we should try to recruit Haruta."
"Recruit him?"
Nagato was tempted for a moment, but he quickly shook his head.
"That will be difficult. He is completely loyal to Danzō. The fact that he attacked Orochimaru without hesitation proves that.
"And once he returns, Danzō will surely manipulate him further, convincing him that Orochimaru killed his closest people. The chances of turning him are slim."
"I know. But if there's even a small chance, why not try?"
Konan met Nagato's gaze firmly before her eyes sharpened.
"And if we can't recruit him…"
"A dangerous person like him should be eliminated early.
"At the very least, we need to gather more intelligence and prepare for the future!"
After encountering Haruta, Konan realized that if left unchecked, he would become an enormous problem.
If he could be recruited, that would be ideal. But if not, she had to prepare for the worst.
"Understood," Nagato nodded decisively.
"Then I'll leave it to you and Orochimaru. A threat like him must be handled carefully."
"Leave it to me," Konan replied.
Then, as if recalling something, she lowered her voice.
"By the way, Nagato… what do you think about Uchiha Obito?"
Uchiha Obito?
Nagato frowned slightly. He understood what Konan was implying.
That man, who called himself Uchiha Madara, was highly skilled in space-time jutsu and always hid his face behind a mask, making it impossible to determine his true identity.
Such a mysterious figure naturally aroused suspicion. And now, the latest wanted posters in the ninja world seemed to provide an answer.
Many details matched perfectly. Did this mean that the so-called "Madara" was actually just an insignificant Uchiha named Obito?
Otherwise, why would Konoha specifically identify Uchiha Obito as a member of Akatsuki?
Was it really just because they had recruited a few rogue shinobi?
"Forget it. It doesn't matter," Nagato eventually shook his head.
"I never trusted him, nor do I care who he really is. The only thing I need from him is his power and information.
"Whether he's a nobody like Obito or the real Uchiha Madara makes no difference to me."
"But I won't let my guard down just because he might be Obito…"
"Is that so? How interesting…"
In a dimly lit room below Akatsuki's tower in the Land of Rain, Orochimaru watched Konan's departing figure with a sly smile.
Her proposal had truly piqued his interest—Akatsuki wanted to recruit Haruta?
"Well, that's not surprising. A naturally awakened Wood Release user, after all…"
Thinking about Haruta's displayed abilities, even Orochimaru couldn't help but feel a tinge of excitement.
He still remembered their first encounter three years ago. The boy had shown some promise, but in Orochimaru's eyes, he was nothing special at the time.
Back then, Haruta had been nothing more than a pawn—an abandoned piece placed in Anbu to monitor Uchiha Shisui.
A bright but ultimately limited talent, shackled by his bloodline.
Yet in just three years, that boy had reached his current level.
He had not only mastered the Flying Thunder God Technique but also awakened the legendary Wood Release. How could Orochimaru not be astonished?
"So, Danzō's actions this time aren't surprising. If I were in his position, I might have tried something too… Though his methods were far too crude."
In Orochimaru's eyes, Danzō's brainwashing tactics were always lacking. He relied too much on coercion, seals, and exploiting hatred to control people.
Unlike Orochimaru, who knew how to make others trust and depend on him willingly.
So while he acknowledged Danzō's approach, he also looked down on it.
Still, this time, Danzō had gone too far.
"Did he really think he could just use me as a pawn and manipulate the board however he pleased?"
Orochimaru's eyes narrowed dangerously. He had not forgotten what Danzō had done.
Even without Konan's request, he had already planned to retaliate.
Now, with Akatsuki's resources at his disposal, he had even more reason to act.
"Perfect timing. Since they've come to me, I know exactly what to do next."
With that thought, Orochimaru walked over to his desk and picked up a scroll.
The scroll was delivered via summoning jutsu by Danzō, meant to confirm whether Yakushi Nono and Yakushi Kabuto were dead.
"Has he already learned about the shifts in Iwagakure, or did he find out about Jiraiya's interference and is now seeking answers?"
Orochimaru pondered for a moment. He wasn't sure how much Danzō knew, or rather, how much Jiraiya and Haruta had reported upon their return.
However, since Danzō had sent this insincere inquiry, Orochimaru naturally had room to manipulate the situation to his advantage.
"Why didn't you tell me that Jiraiya and his team would come to Iwagakure?"
Picking up a pen and taking out a blank scroll, Orochimaru began to write rapidly.
He started with a pointed question, using an ambiguous response to test Danzō's reaction.
After a brief pause, he continued writing:
"This situation has been troublesome and has caused me significant losses. I need additional compensation.
As for the mission you assigned me, I have completed half of it. The other half is still unconscious, but they might wake up at any moment.
So, how you compensate me depends on you."
After scribbling these vague statements, Orochimaru casually stuffed the scroll into the mouth of a snake before forming a seal with one hand.
In an instant, the snake vanished in a puff of smoke, while a sly smile crept onto Orochimaru's lips.
"Now, I can observe Danzō's reaction carefully… Moreover, I need him to reveal more information—even leave behind his name."
Orochimaru knew that luring Danzō in wouldn't be easy, but it wasn't impossible either.
If he succeeded, perhaps they could even use this opportunity to fish out Haruta.
"And with such a big fish in our hands, Danzō, our little game will become even more interesting!"
The thought of his recent misfortunes—being treated like a disposable pawn by Danzō—ignited a cold flame in Orochimaru's eyes.
"Pawns blocking my path… Damn it!"
---
A Quiet Forest in Konoha
"You bastards! You actually blocked my escape—damn it!"
In a quiet grove within Konoha, Jiraiya stood covered in bruises, his face swollen as he pointed angrily at Haruta and Yugao.
"Do you know? I almost got beaten to death!"
"Jiraiya-sama, if I'm not mistaken, weren't you peeping on someone bathing? How is this our fault?"
Haruta shrugged, barely containing his laughter at Jiraiya's miserable state.
"Besides, Jiraiya-sama, you could have used chakra to escape. And let's be honest, they weren't even trying to kill you.
If they were, would you still have the energy to complain right now?"
"Hmph! This great toad sage would never use chakra against ordinary people!"
Jiraiya grumbled indignantly. He might be a pervert, but he had his own ninja code.
Just like how Tsunade, despite being relentlessly pursued by debt collectors worldwide, never resorted to killing them to clear her debts.
Jiraiya had also refrained from using his chakra against those common folk. As a result, he ended up getting chased and beaten by the bathhouse workers.
"No way! You have to compensate me, you brats! I could've escaped!"
"Oh? Is that so?"
Haruta glanced at Jiraiya thoughtfully, then turned to Karin.
"Karin, go get Lady Tsunade. She should treat Jiraiya-sama's injuries first, then we—"
"Stop! Stop!"
Before Haruta could finish, Jiraiya panicked.
His injuries were merely superficial, nothing serious—just some soreness that would heal with a little rest.
But if Tsunade found out about this…
Jiraiya shivered at the thought. If she heard the full story, she'd make sure he stayed in the hospital for at least a month!
Tsunade wasn't the type to hold back. He still remembered the last time she sent him to the hospital with a single punch.
"Forget it! A few regular people can't hurt me!"
"As expected, Captain Jiraiya is the strongest!"
Haruta immediately nodded with a grin.
But the way he called him "Captain" nearly made Jiraiya bolt on the spot.
He had developed an aversion to that word—especially when it came from Haruta's mouth, because it never meant anything good!
"We're not on a mission together, so stop calling me Captain!"
Jiraiya grabbed Haruta's shoulders, his voice dead serious.
"I'm begging you!"
"But you were our captain, Jiraiya-sama," Haruta said with an innocent blink.
However, upon seeing Jiraiya's swollen face, he almost burst out laughing again.
Yugao, who had remained silent until now, made up her mind—she would never visit a hot spring near Jiraiya again.
Curious, she suddenly asked, "By the way, Jiraiya-sama, weren't you discussing Iwagakure's affairs? Why are you here now?"
"Tch, that matter has mostly been settled."
Jiraiya's expression twitched at the mention of Iwagakure. He couldn't avoid participating in the talks this time.
After all, he was the team captain, the main participant in the events, and the disciple of the Third Hokage—one of Konoha's legendary Sannin. There was no way he could escape it.
It made him envious of Tsunade. For a moment, he even wished he hadn't gone in the first place.
But honestly, he didn't regret it. At the very least, he got to see Orochimaru again… and even met Konan.
"This whole mess got out of hand. Things escalated too much."
Shaking his head, Jiraiya sighed. He glanced at Haruta and Yugao, then said helplessly,
"Since we infiltrated without permission, it caused a huge diplomatic incident. Konoha will have to offer some compensation—"
"Wait a minute, Jiraiya-sama."
Before Jiraiya could finish, Haruta suddenly interrupted.
"Wasn't it you who decided to sneak in? We only followed you for support. As the team captain, you led the way, didn't you?"
"…"
For some reason, Jiraiya suddenly felt the urge to punch something.
Would I have gone in if this brat hadn't egged me on?
Damn it! This guy always found a way to shift all the blame onto others!
"Forget it! I'm not arguing with you."
Jiraiya sighed. It was pointless to bicker with a kid.
"In any case, Konoha will likely have to pay a price for this.
Also, you two should be careful from now on. While things seem resolved, I doubt Iwagakure will let it go easily.
Other Konoha shinobi might face trouble on future missions."
"Not surprising. Ōnoki has always been petty."
Haruta shrugged indifferently. He wasn't concerned about Iwagakure's retaliation.
More importantly, he knew that Konoha wouldn't assign him any missions related to Iwagakure or Kumogakure for a long time.
That was slightly disappointing—he was still interested in learning Ōnoki's Dust Release and, more importantly, Kumogakure's Storm Release.
But sometimes, things just didn't go as planned. There wasn't much he could do about it.
"Look at you, acting just like Danzō. What kind of things have you been learning from him?"
Jiraiya gave Haruta a disdainful look, then suddenly stroked his chin.
"That reminds me… I heard some interesting news."
"Oh? What news?"
Haruta's curiosity was piqued, and even Yugao leaned in.
Jiraiya hesitated for a moment but decided it was fine to share—it was somewhat relevant to them anyway.
"Apparently, there's been some progress in Kirigakure's situation.
And wasn't it you two who requested an investigation into Kirigakure?"
"But more importantly… How much do you know about Akatsuki and Uchiha Obito?
If possible, I'd like you to tell me. This information is extremely important to me."
***
Currently this fic has upto 150 chapter.
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