Konoha: The thirty-year-old Uchiha is not motivated.

"Buzz! Buzz! Buzz!"

The buzzing Rasengan shone brightly in the darkness. The Four-Tails and Five-Tails were drawn to the familiar blue Rasengan, curiously observing the strange human who had suddenly intruded into the battle.
"A technique similar to the Tailed Beast Ball, who are you?"

Facing a real tailed beast for the first time, Jiraiya's heart pounded wildly, but the thought of his future family behind him gave him a resolute look.
"Who I am is not important; what is important is that I will not let you take another step forward."

"Old Sun, ignore him, let's roast that wretched Rain Ninja first!"

After fully transforming into a tailed beast, Komurasaki, who was inside Goku's body, lost control of her body, but her consciousness remained clear. She had little interest in Jiraiya who had fallen from the sky, and her only thought was to kill Heiji, who had embarrassed her.

"okay!"

Upon hearing this, Sun Wukong grinned ferociously. His true form hadn't been out to breathe for a long time, and he was determined to cause a great disturbance!
"Roar!"

Having granted Xiao Zi's request, Sun Wukong opened his mouth wide, and a scorching lava fireball condensed inside.

"Spiral! Spin! Ball!"

However, the next second, Jiraiya, holding a Rasengan, leaped forward and shoved the azure Rasengan into the Four-Tails' wide-open mouth.

"boom!"

The magma, which was not yet fully solidified, exploded instantly, and the flying sparks bloomed like fireworks, illuminating the entire rainforest.

The Rain Ninja, who had hesitated before hearing the terrifying roar, now realized that the ferocious beast blocking their path was located in the very direction Heiji had just disappeared.
"That's... Lord Heiji?"

The Rain Ninja, whose eyesight was relatively good, were shocked when they spotted a tiny figure confronting a giant beast. Since the firelight was fleeting, they naturally equated the fighting figure with Heiji, who had left alone.
"Lord Heiji, hang in there! We're coming to your aid!"

Thinking of this, Rain Ninja felt a surge of excitement. Truly worthy of being Hanzo's right-hand man, he had single-handedly withstood such a terrifying beast.

"Snapped!"

The words had barely left his mouth when a heavy slap landed on the face of the Rain Ninja who had just spoken of going to provide support.
"Are you crazy?"

Clutching her swollen face, Yu Ren stared at her teammate who had suddenly slapped her, her eyes filled with not only anger but also utter confusion.

"Idiot, have you forgotten what Heiji-sama told us?"

The Rain Ninja who had slapped the man slowly lowered his throbbing hand, glanced back at the civilians trembling in fear of the distant beast, and his eyes were exceptionally resolute.

"Do you want Heiji-sama's efforts to be in vain?"

"I see."

Upon hearing this, Yu Ren, who had just been indignant, silently loosened her clenched fist.

"Attention all personnel, stay close to us!"

Seeing that his teammates, who had been caught up in the heat of the moment, had finally calmed down, the Rain Ninja who had slapped someone earlier raised his arm and took the lead in heading towards the small path on the right. There was also a route leading to the border of the Land of Fire there, which was a little more difficult to walk, but it could perfectly bypass the area where Heiji was fighting the giant beast.

"Run!"

The civilians, terrified by the aura of the tailed beasts, grasped at the news like a lifeline and quickly followed.
"Fool, why are you still dragging these burdens along? Money can be earned back, but if you lose your life, you lose everything!"

In order to speed up the process, many people even started to discard excess luggage in order to reduce weight and reach the safe area as soon as possible.

In the chaotic crowd,

Hiruko shielded the small Yahiko and his two companions from being trampled by the frenzied crowd, then turned to look at the lone figure fighting in the darkness, her eyes filled with worry.
"Jiraiya, you have to hold on."

"Little Sister, are you saying that the person fighting the monster over there is Jiraiya, or rather, my father?"

Upon hearing this explosive news, Yahiko's eyes widened in shock. At that moment, Jiraiya's image in his mind was comparable to Hanzo's.

"You recognized your father so quickly, does Uncle Jiraiya know?"

Seeing her childhood friend's fickle nature, Nagato couldn't help but complain.

"Playing is fine, joking is fine, but don't make fun of my dad."

Feeling incredibly proud, Yahiko waved his little hand, his youthful face displaying a seriousness beyond his years.

"But there are two monsters. Will Uncle Jiraiya be alright?"

Xiao Nan clenched her little hands with a worried expression.

"Don't worry, our support will be here soon."

support?

The three children looked at Hiruko with a confident tone with doubt, and suddenly realized that they seemed to know nothing about his and Jiraiya's origins.

"Little Sister, who exactly are you and Uncle Jiraiya?"

"Didn't Jiraiya tell your mother?"

Looking at Yahiko's curious face, Hiruko blinked.
No~ No~

"Anyway, we're almost there, so I might as well tell you. Jiraiya and I are both ninjas from Konoha, and we belong to the same department."

Hiruko thought for a moment, then nodded thoughtfully.

Since their mission was already complete, there was no point in hiding their identities any longer.
"Konoha?"

Yahiko felt his head buzzing. He only knew that Jiraiya was from the Land of Fire, but he never expected that his stepfather was a ninja from Konoha. Wouldn't he be able to register as a Konoha ninja in the future?
That's one of the five great ninja villages. The value of their headbands alone is many times higher than that of their hometown, Amegakure.

"So, Brother Hibiki and Uncle Jiraiya are colleagues!"

Xiao Nan's focus is quite novel; she seems more interested in the two people's workplaces.

"What department is it, the secret service?"

Yahiko was filled with longing for the mysterious Anbu. If Jiraiya was not only a Konoha ninja but also an Anbu member, he would have to change his tone and attitude towards his father.

"The Dark Division? No way, we are a much more important department than the Dark Division."

Hiruko shook his head with a disdainful look. It wasn't that he looked down on the Anbu, but rather that he was full of confidence in the future of his department.

He believed that under Danzo's wise leadership, Root would definitely become the most core department of Konoha and an indispensable force for the village.

"What is it? What is it?"

"we are"

Urged on by the three children, Hiruko, a smile playing on her lips, slowly opened her mouth. Just as the name of Root was about to escape her lips, a clear voice rang out from the front of the line.

"Stop, stop, stop! Everyone who wants to enter the Land of Fire, line up here and undergo inspection by our Root organization. Men, stand on the left; women, stand on the right; and Konan-chan, stand in the middle!"

"Konoha ninja, what do you mean by this?"

Panting heavily, the Rain Ninja, who had been running all the way, looked at the Konoha ninja who had put up barbed wire at the border entrance, and a look of confusion immediately appeared on their faces.

"What do you mean?"

On the other side of the barbed wire, a girl wearing a demon mask slowly moved forward, surrounded by a group of Root ninjas.

"With so many of you crossing the border suddenly, what if there are spies or terrorists among you? We, the root, have a responsibility to the people of the Land of Fire."

"Can't we make an exception during this special period?"

The Rain Ninja responsible for escorting them were quite professional. Logically, their task was simply to deliver these civilians to the border of the Land of Fire. They had no obligation or responsibility to watch over whether they crossed the border safely.

"Yeah! Yeah! Those two monsters over there are huge! If they charge at us, we're all doomed!"

"I'm a resident of Konoha, let me in first!"

"What? When did you secretly become a citizen?"

"."

"Make an exception? It's not impossible." Looking at the chaotic crowd, a slight smile played on the pink corners of her lips hidden beneath the demon mask. These were the words she had been waiting for.

"Really? That's great!"

"Entry is permitted upon payment of a one million dollar deposit. Places are limited and available on a first-come, first-served basis."

"what?"

"Don't misunderstand, this money will be returned in installments after you prove your innocence."

"This is extortion!"

After a brief silence, a chorus of curses erupted from the crowd. "Who knows if you'll keep your word? What if we can't prove ourselves? Will that million just go down the drain?"

"Boom!"

Suddenly, a giant pillar of scorching lava rose from the ground in the distance. The four tails reached out and pulled it up, wielding the huge pillar with great force. The scorching heat could hit everyone's faces from miles away.

"It's just a million, I'll pay!"

With the behemoth behind them, fear quickly spread through the crowd. Soon, some people couldn't hold on any longer and took out their wallets to pay a deposit.

"Okay, those who want to pay, come over and register."

As soon as the words were spoken, the crowd surged forward, completely blocking the only entrance to the barbed wire fence.

"Pah! This root department is really wicked, Kobe-nee. You should be ashamed that your Konoha has such a filthy department."

Looking at the frenzied crowd and the masked girl happily counting her money, Yahiko spat on the ground with a face full of resentment.
"No...that's not how it is. It wasn't like this before I left."

When asked, Hiruko looked as dejected as a wilted eggplant, muttering something under his breath with his head down.

"One million? We left in such a hurry that we didn't have time to pack up many valuables. What are we going to do now?"

Xiao Nan's father stood there looking troubled. Working in the education industry, he wasn't exactly wealthy to begin with. If he had known beforehand, it would have been fine, but suddenly having to come up with a million was extremely difficult.

"I have some more here, you can borrow them first."

Yahiko's mother touched her purse and said softly.

"how about you?"

“I’ll wait for Jiraiya. He’s from the Land of Fire. He should be able to get me and Yahiko in.”

As she spoke, she looked around for Jiraiya. The monster had appeared so suddenly that the two of them had been separated by the chaotic crowd, and he must be looking for her now.

"It's impossible for me to pay money. Our family rule is that money only goes in and never out. You want me to spend money? No way!"

Masahiko Uzumaki was quite stubborn; even if he was ultimately not allowed to enter, he was not prepared to pay the money.

"Don't worry, everyone, I won't let them charge you a single penny."

Just as the three families were gathered together to discuss the matter, Beirukhu, looking ashamed, led his three children over, his eyes filled with disappointment.
I never imagined that in just a few months since I left, the once diligent and people-oriented government would have become so corrupt and degenerate.
Lord Danzo must have been deceived. He must return quickly, trace the source of evil back to its origin, and restore the root of the problem.

"Xiao Bei, I know you want to help us, but..."

Yahiko's mother looked at her waiter and pursed her lips slightly. It wasn't that she looked down on Hiruko, but how much skill could a person from the Land of Fire possibly have if he had to work in Amegakure?
Before she could finish speaking, she saw Hiruko turn around and stride towards the barbed wire fence, looking as if he was going to cause trouble.
"Xiao Bei, don't be impulsive!"

"Mom, don't worry at all, Little Sister is a Konoha ninja!"

"Huh? That's Jiraiya."

Upon hearing this news for the first time, Yahiko's mother covered her mouth in surprise. Soon, she thought of Jiraiya, who was closely related to Hiruko, and the shock in her eyes only increased.

"Hum~"

Yahiko proudly pointed to the tiny figure fighting two monsters in the distance.

"My dad's over there!"

Do you know what you're doing?

Hiruko, gripping a gap in the barbed wire, questioned the busy Root members with a furious expression.
"Those with money, go line up over there. Those without money... um? Little Orchid!"

The Root member, busy with registration, turned his head impatiently, about to reprimand him, when he realized the person opposite him looked very familiar, and his tone instantly turned to surprise and delight.

"Who gave you permission to charge fees here, Lord Danzo?"

"Uh"

"it's me."

Hearing the crisp sound, Hiruko turned her face and met a sinister ghost face.

"who are you?"

"Senior Little Orchid, right? Let me introduce myself. I am your successor, codename: The Walking Witch."

Nonou gave a slight bow and politely greeted Hiruko.

"Was this Lord Danzo's decision, or your personal action?"

"Regardless of whose decision it is, it is for the development of the Root, and even more so for the safety of the people of the Land of Fire."

Looking at Hiruko's ashen face, Nonou gently shook her head, continuing to press down on the big hats one after another.

"So you're going to take this opportunity to demand an exorbitant price? Have you forgotten the Root's responsibilities?"

"Of course I remember the 'roots' of Konoha that spread out in the shadows, willing to sacrifice everything to achieve their goal."

Hiruko nearly fainted upon hearing this. How could the name of Root become so sinister in your mouth?

"Nonsense! It is clearly the enormous 'root' that tightly connects the people of Konoha together!"

"That might be due to a difference in our understanding."

Knowing that the two had different ideologies, Nonou shrugged and gestured to the Root members beside her.
"Let Senior Little Orchid in, no charge~"

"What exactly is your purpose in taking this money?"

Watching the other woman turn away, Hiruko suddenly spoke up, saying that he didn't believe Lord Danzo would condone such self-destructive behavior by Nono.

"It seems that Senior Little Orchid is not the kind of unreasonable idealist after all."

Upon hearing this, Nonou turned around, nodded with interest, and then began to explain seriously.
“I’m a man of principle. This group of people crossing the border is a mixed bag. If they are truly from the Land of Fire, we will not take a single penny of this million. Protecting the safety of the people of the Land of Fire is an inescapable responsibility of the Konoha ninja. But if they are refugees from other countries, this million will be their entry protection fee for the next period of time. This is also a duty we must fulfill.”

After hearing these words, Hiruko remained silent for a long time, because what Nonou said made sense; he couldn't disregard the safety of the people of the Land of Fire just for his own selfish desires.
Even so, he still pointed to the three families of Yahiko who were hesitating in place.

"Okay, I don't care about anyone else, but you have to let those three families in."

"Oh? How are they different?"

"That's Boss Zhou's grandson."

"Brother Zheng Yan, he's an acquaintance!"

"That's the wife that Jiraiya finally managed to get."

"Jiraiya-senpai, he should be released!"

"As for this family, Xiao Nan and the others..."

Looking at Konan's family, who had no connection with the Land of Fire, Hiruko's face showed a hint of difficulty. From the perspective of a Konoha ninja, for the sake of the Land of Fire's stability, he indeed had no reason to let Konan's family enter the country without a valid reason.
"Xiao Nan?"

Upon hearing the name, Nonou quickly stepped forward and sized up the timid, purple-haired little girl.
"Oh! You must be Xiao Nan! Uncle Yin told me to come over here this morning. Come on over to Auntie!" (End of Chapter)