Konoha's Mission Master

"Tu Dun·Tu Liubi!"

Yakumo slapped the ground with both hands, and a thick earthen wall rose from the ground. The surface of the earthen bridge was carved with the round face of Naiqiu, successfully blocking the enemy's advance.

"Sage Art: Goemon!"

At the same moment, Jiraiya completed the hand seals.

The hurricane carried thick toad oil, which ignited into a terrifying firestorm. Rocks began to burn, and the blue monster infant covered in flames emitted a piercing scream.

The surroundings began to shake, as if a terrifying explosion was about to occur. This place was located in an extremely fragile volcanic area, and as the rocks were melted by the fire, bright golden lava rolled from the ground.

Yakumo and Jiraiya turned around at the same time and ran towards the outside world as if their lives depended on it. At the same time, they created shadow clones to try to help the people searching for the jewel. Behind them, golden lava was spewing out, and the volcano was about to erupt.

"Earth Escape·Earth Flow Wall."

Yakumo's shadow clone formed hand seals, creating a wall that blocked the flowing lava, buying time for the two to escape.

"Run!" Jiraiya warned.

"Go go go!" Yakumo replied with a smile.

The cult's stronghold was completely destroyed by Yakumo and Jiraiya. Thinking of those half-dead girls, they could be considered to have done a righteous thing.

With a loud bang, the rock walls around the two collapsed, and golden lava gradually poured down, bringing a wave of intense heat. Jiraiya instinctively stopped in his tracks.

"I'll do it!" Yakumo said softly.

A silver light swept across, cutting a gap in the lava flow. The two used their feet to propel themselves across the gap and continued their desperate sprint toward the surface.

As the surrounding temperature continued to rise, Yakumo used chakra to condense a water sphere to cool down the two of them. Occasionally, Jiraiya would use his needle-like Jizo technique to separate the lava. The closer the two got to the ground, the balder Jiraiya became.

A dozen minutes later, Yakumo and Jiraiya, perched on a high vantage point, breathed a sigh of relief as they watched the bubbling lava. They removed their gas masks, and around them stood nearly a hundred jade seekers—this was the limit of what they could save.

The jade seekers stared at the lava, their eyes devoid of fear, only filled with a surging, intense ambition. Each volcanic eruption swallowed many jade seekers whole…

This will also bring the warm jade from the Earth's core to the surface, and in the coming days, many lucky people will obtain the warm jade and change their fate.

For jade seekers, this is an opportunity and a hope. The best part is that the sudden eruption of this volcano has eliminated some of their competitors.

PS: I'm begging for monthly votes!

Chapter 140 Shizune awakens and returns to Konoha

Tsunade arrived in about fifty minutes.

On the mountain peak, several people stood quietly, with bright golden lava churning beneath their feet and waves of heat washing over them. Jiraiya began to explain the cause and effect to Tsunade.

Hidden within this was Yakumo's role and combat power; it was only mentioned that he used the toad's ability of biological perception to locate Shizune. Upon hearing this, Tsunade gently lifted her right foot... and the earth began to crack inch by inch.

She was angry, an anger that had no effect whatsoever.

In short... impotent rage.

Tsunade bears a large part of the responsibility for Shizune's predicament; she should pay the price for her carelessness.

Yakumo lowered his head. This was the real ninja world. If you put aside the passionate and heartwarming exterior, what lay beneath were jagged rocks and turbulent undercurrents. No one knew whether tomorrow or an accident would come first, which was why one needed to be cautious at all times.

The other jade seekers instinctively moved away from the group, and Jiraiya raised his right hand and placed it on Tsunade's shoulder.

"Fortunately, things aren't too bad yet. Shizune is only in a coma, so we still have a chance to salvage the situation."

"The question now is how to revive Silent."

Yakumo changed the subject at the opportune moment.

Tsunade nodded, then gently and casually held Shizune in front of her with both hands.

"Be careful on the road," Jiraiya instructed.

Tsunade led Rina Uzumaki away, while Jiraiya and Yakumo, out of caution, hid in the shadows and waited for the three blood-robed priests to emerge from the ground, provided they were still alive.

Inside the hot spring resort inn, Tsunade's arm was enveloped in a dense blue light as she used the Fine Ailment Extraction Technique to heal Shizune.

The problem with Shizune mainly occurred inside her head. A special kind of foreign chakra hindered the flow of Shizune's own chakra, causing her to fall into a deep sleep.

This chakra is extremely difficult to deal with.

Tsunade's expression was extremely serious, even more so than when she treated the previous daimyo of the Land of Fire last year. Every movement she made seemed... cautious.

His hands were trembling slightly, as if he were in fear.

The danger that Shizune encountered this time caused Tsunade to undergo some changes. She now understands that simply running away cannot prevent all... accidents or tragedies from happening.

Fortunately, this time we have... Jiraiya.

Rina Uzumaki used a towel to wipe the blood off Shizune's body. Her movements were very serious and gentle. She knew that Shizune was a clean girl and would not be able to stand being covered in sticky blood.

As night fell, a fierce wind blew across the nearly solidified lava, carrying waves of heat that slapped against Yakumo's face.

These lava rocks appear to have solidified into black stones, but their interiors remain a bright gold, containing incredibly high temperatures.

Before them lay solidified black lava, within which lay the countless bones of past jade seekers. Behind them were the tents erected by the jade seekers, awaiting the lava to completely solidify.

The boundaries are clearly defined.

There is no set route for finding jade; it can only be discovered by the jade seeker through experience. Therefore, there is a high possibility of being swallowed by scalding lava.

Yakumo left a shadow clone in place, while his main body rushed to a nearby cave to begin daily and weekly quests. Only through meticulous accumulation could he achieve massive improvements in the future.

Nothing was said that night, and the sun rose the next morning.

Yakumo forms a hand seal, and his heart trembles.

The invisible chakra gradually spread and penetrated deep underground, rapidly surging through the veins of rocks and lava. Finally, all the chakra fluctuations within the entire three-thousand-meter underground range appeared in Yakumo's mind.

Yakumo did not detect any chakra fluctuations from the three blood-robed priests underground, but he had a vague feeling that they were not dead and might even meet again in the future, at which point they would become even more troublesome.

"Wait a few more days."

Jiraiya spoke up.

Yakumo nodded in agreement.

The two men hid silently in the shadows, watching the daring jade seeker embark on his journey, only to be annihilated by a sudden surge of lava.

At first, Jiraiya would rescue those seeking the jade, but as he continued to rescue them, more and more people became brave. In the end, Jiraiya could only give up in despair, letting these jade seekers be engulfed by the surging lava like moths to a flame.

Why didn't you save him?!

"You murderer!"

This is the question the jade seeker posed to Jiraiya.

Yakumo waved his hand, and his shadow clone kicked the loudest jade seeker away. At the same time, his main body drew the weapon from his back, and the surrounding noise instantly subsided.

"I once traveled the ninja world, searching for the prophesied child mentioned by the Toad Sage. But at that time, I was just an indifferent bystander to the tragedy. Even when I took in Yahiko and the other two, it was because of Nagato's Rinnegan that I thought he was the prophesied child." Jiraiya said to Yakumo in an extremely calm tone as he looked at the absurd scene before him.

"During the two months I've been on missions with you, I've suddenly found myself rediscovering my former self, from the reckless behavior of Kusagakure to cooperating with Amegakure in your assassination attempt on Elder Danzo, until you proclaimed to the enemy that we are allies of justice..."

Jiraiya raised his head and looked up at the blue sky, as if he were reminiscing about the past, savoring the present, or brewing a storm of emotions in his heart. Then, Jiraiya opened his arms as if to embrace the entire sky.

"Only now do I fully understand that we must use fire to deal with the darkness, wield weapons to deal with injustice, and ruthlessly kill the wicked!"

Standing by is useless.

"I've come to realize that my ideals and the way of the ninja should be put into practice with my own hands, rather than searching for and waiting for the person the Great Toad Sage prophesied!"

An invisible pressure emanated from Jiraiya, a power unlike chakra, but a more obscure and inexplicable force. It was as if, as Jiraiya's thoughts became clear, his mind underwent a transformation, and even his strength gradually increased.

The feeling was subtle, like Jiraiya breaking free from some kind of constraint and entering a new world.

Chakra is inherently a subjective form of energy. For example, when Jiraiya died, Naruto felt Jiraiya pat his shoulder. For example, Kakashi, despite not having Uchiha blood, unleashed... the Complete Susanoo.

The power of the heart naturally leads to changes in mindset...

thrive!

Yakumo was slightly taken aback, sensing that some unknown energy in the air was strengthening Jiraiya's body, making his muscle lines more defined and his arms thicker.

"Is this a path to becoming an immortal?"

That unknown energy should be natural energy. Originally, Jiraiya needed the assistance of Fukasaku and Shima to enter Sage Mode due to his limited aptitude, but now Yakumo estimates that he can easily enter Sage Mode on his own, and for a longer period of time than before.

A few minutes later, Jiraiya gave a thumbs up.

He laughed arrogantly.

"This immortal is a champion of justice!"

In the sunlight, Jiraiya's figure gleamed with golden light.

"It's not just about ideals; you also need to pursue the women you like through your own efforts, instead of just having a crush on them."

Yakumo smiled and reminded him.

"Nonsense... I just haven't found the opportunity yet!"

Jiraiya immediately shook his head in protest.

"Ah...yes, yes, yes."

"I suddenly really want to punch you."

Jiraiya's eyes gradually turned fierce.

"The important matter comes first."

Yakumo formed hand seals again, releasing the fluctuations of his heart.

"I couldn't detect any chakra fluctuations from the enemy, but I'm quite confident... those three red-robed men are still alive."

"I feel the same way."

Jiraiya nodded in deep agreement, gradually looking towards the distant hot spring town, where his one true love resided. Perhaps because his thoughts were clear, Jiraiya actually felt a surge of courage.

On the other hand, inside the hot spring resort, Shizune's complexion had noticeably improved after Tsunade's treatment overnight, and the deep purple alien chakra was gradually sealed within the scroll.

During her treatment, Tsunade discovered that this foreign chakra had an extremely strong corrosive effect on the body and was very difficult to deal with. It would even devour her chakra and spread, and was full of bestiality and a desire to devour, just like the chakra of a tailed beast, only more evil.

Tsunade planned to have Orochimaru investigate the source of this chakra.

"Eek—"

Beneath the blue light, Shizune's lips parted slightly, letting out a soft moan before she slowly opened her eyes and saw Tsunade's exhausted face.

"Ah... Lady Tsunade~"