As for the Akatsuki…
Jiraiya had arrived too late. By the time he decided to take action, the Akatsuki were already in shambles, leaving him with no idea where to even start capturing anyone.
Thankfully, Jiraiya was adaptable. If he couldn't find them himself, he would just call for reinforcements.
Outside the Rain Village, in a half-flooded cave, Jiraiya sat on a rock, waiting with a frustrated expression. Before long, Minato arrived with a squad of Anbu.
"Sensei," Minato greeted, taking off his raincoat and shaking out his damp hair as he entered the cave.
"I didn't expect the village to send you on a mission like this. But tell me, are you the one behind all this?"
The news about the Rinnegan had spread in a strange way. Jiraiya had gathered intel and come to the conclusion that someone was pulling the strings behind the scenes.
"How could it be me? I'm just a runner," Minato said with a smile, shaking his head.
Takuya had long been aware of Jiraiya's presence in the Land of Rain and hadn't intended to hide it from him. Whether or not Jiraiya would cooperate was irrelevant to Takuya.
Knowing Jiraiya's personality, there was even a chance he would oppose their actions. If he learned the full truth, his opposition was almost guaranteed.
So what Minato chose to say—or not say—was crucial.
Minato's words were clear enough. Jiraiya immediately understood. "It's that kid Takuya leading the operation, isn't it?"
"Exactly," Minato admitted, shrugging. "But while I'm out running errands, he's back at the base resting. And, well… Pakura's there keeping him company. He's definitely having a better time than me."
"Hahaha…" Jiraiya couldn't help but laugh at the slight grievance in his disciple's tone.
It reminded him of his own complaints back in the day. Why could Tsunade rest at the base while he had to run around the mountains? Tsunade was one thing, but what had really grated on him was that Orochimaru also got to stay behind. It had been downright infuriating!
Thinking about those old days brought a wave of nostalgia.
"By the way, how much do you know about the Rinnegan?" Jiraiya asked, steering the conversation back to the main topic. He didn't have enough information, and if he couldn't get it here, he might have to meet Takuya in person.
Minato, who had been smiling playfully, grew serious. "It's complicated and troublesome. What we know is that Nagato's location has been confirmed. Based on our investigations, someone has been pulling the strings behind all this. Nagato is just a pawn. Takuya's goal is to force the person behind him to reveal themselves."
"Someone is orchestrating this?" Jiraiya was stunned. If Nagato was just a pawn, then the Rinnegan didn't even belong to him—it belonged to someone else.
That realization was terrifying. Who could pull off something on this scale?
"Sensei, Nagato isn't a savior. I think it's better if you don't approach him with the mindset of finding one," Minato said bluntly, knowing what his teacher cared about most. He had no choice but to warn him: Nagato wasn't the savior Jiraiya hoped for.
"I know. It's just… hard to accept," Jiraiya said with a bitter smile. He had held onto hope of finding a true savior, but it turned out to be nothing more than a grand conspiracy.
Whoever was behind this was far from ordinary.
"Take me to Takuya. I'll cooperate with your operation and won't act recklessly. If possible, I'd like to meet Nagato. But only if Takuya agrees—I won't push it."
Jiraiya understood that even as a senior, he couldn't overstep boundaries during a mission. Trying to seize control could cause serious issues. He was self-aware enough to know that, and besides, even if he tried, it wasn't guaranteed he'd succeed.
Despite being one of the Legendary Sannin and revered by many, Jiraiya held no official title. In contrast, Takuya's role as the Hokage's aide carried real authority. If Takuya gave orders, Minato and the Anbu were bound to follow them, not Jiraiya.
Showing respect for the chain of command could reduce potential conflicts.
Minato hesitated. Honestly, he didn't want to bring Jiraiya to Takuya, fearing their differing ideals might spark a clash. Compared to Takuya's decisive and pragmatic approach, Jiraiya's more sentimental nature was a glaring weakness in such situations.
After some thought, Minato sighed and relented. "Alright."
The group left the cave and headed to the temporary base.
When they arrived, Jiraiya immediately began complaining. "You've got it good, kid. I was running myself ragged in the Land of Water. The war drained the Mist Village of its resources—they're short on people, short on funds, and everything's a struggle."
"Well, you shouldn't have jumped into that mess," Takuya said with a grin, clearly enjoying Jiraiya's frustration. "If it were me, I wouldn't have gone. Let someone else deal with it."
Knowing it was a thankless task and still volunteering for it? That was just asking for trouble.
"Here, eat something to warm up. Want some sake?" Takuya offered, handing Jiraiya a plate of grilled beef. He gestured for Minato to let the Anbu come in to rest and eat as well. Running around the Rain Country was no small ordeal.
"Heh, I won't say no," Jiraiya replied, happily accepting the food. Sitting by the fire, he tore into the meat and washed it down with generous gulps of sake.
The Anbu, meanwhile, ate their grilled meat in silence, refraining from drinking since they were still on duty.
"Can I see Nagato?" Jiraiya suddenly asked mid-meal.
Minato froze, a piece of meat still in his hand, and glanced at Takuya.
Without even looking up from the intelligence scroll he was reading, Takuya replied, "There's no need. Nagato isn't the savior you're looking for. Instead of wasting time on that, you'd be better off helping Minato gather intel after you're done resting."
Savior? Takuya thought dismissively. It's enough if Nagato doesn't become a destroyer. Expecting him to be a savior? Impossible.
Even though Nagato wasn't inherently a dark person, he was far from being the "savior" Jiraiya envisioned.
"Haha…" Jiraiya chuckled awkwardly, his face slightly flushed from the alcohol. Though he felt a pang of disappointment, he had braced himself for Takuya's rejection.
"The situation in the Rain Country is too chaotic right now," Takuya continued. "Nagato has his own tasks. Meeting him at this time could draw unwanted attention from other villages, which would be troublesome."
"There are some very powerful people working in the shadows."
"If you're truly set on meeting him, I can arrange it."
"No, no, it's fine," Jiraiya said, quickly waving his hands. He wasn't reckless enough to ignore the risks. Takuya had no reason to deceive him, after all.
"By the way, how's your research going?" Jiraiya asked, trying to change the subject.
"It's fine, though I don't have much time to work on it," Takuya replied. "I was hoping Orochimaru could help, but he ran off. I'm not even sure if he's dead or alive at this point."
"What?!"
Hearing this, Jiraiya's expression changed drastically. Suddenly, the grilled meat and sake didn't taste as good anymore.
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(P)(S): If you're interested, you can read the rest of the Chapter at Patreon com/ Emik01.
DO NOT FORGET POWER STONE AND CHATTING