Konoha's Mission Master

Minato Namikaze appeared beside Yakumo and asked a question.

"You won?"

Yakumo dusted himself off and stretched his limbs.

"It's a draw, but Madara Uchiha has retreated."

"I see."

Minato Namikaze nodded. Amidst the swirling fog, he completely lost control of the battle and could only passively wait for Yakumo's signal.

Until... the thick fog dissipated, but the enemy's figure vanished into thin air.

The two were in a crater that was up to a kilometer in diameter, which looked like it had been formed by a huge meteorite impact.

In the distance, piles of earth and rocks formed small hills, and muddy water, yellowish in color, flowed towards the center of the pit under the force of gravity.

In the large pit, broken trees were stuck haphazardly, and a thick layer of fallen leaves floated on the surface of the water. The large trees formed by wood escaping were growing wildly and freely.

Fine rain continued to fall from the sky, and dark clouds covered the ground.

"Take me to find my master and Lord Jiraiya."

Yakumo recalled the battle in his mind. He and Madara Uchiha had shown some restraint, and neither of them had pushed themselves to their limits.

"Could the enemy be targeting Tsunade and Jiraiya?"

Minato Namikaze asked the question with some nervousness.

"No, not at all."

Yakumo was simply unsure how much reality Izanagi could alter, or whether the damage caused by the water bullets would be completely negated.

Also... will using Izanagi with the Mangekyou Sharingan cause blindness?

Minato Namikaze grabbed Yakumo, and the two figures vanished instantly.

Inside the cave, Minato Namikaze and Yakumo appeared out of nowhere.

This location is several hundred kilometers from the battleground, almost outside the territory of the Land of Grass and into the Land of Fire.

The environment is slightly damp because of the rain outside.

Jiraiya and Tsunade immediately got up anxiously, looked around at the two of them, and were relieved to see that they were both unharmed.

"It's a draw. Madara Uchiha has retreated," Yakumo said directly.

"It's good that you're not injured," Tsunade said.

Now, under Jiraiya's comforting words, Tsunade has regained her usual composure and her eyes are no longer filled with resentment.

"What do we do next?" Jiraiya asked.

The investigation into the theft of Nagato's Rinnegan is not yet complete. Logically, the group should continue their in-depth investigation into this matter. However, the appearance of Madara Uchiha... means that the situation has completely spiraled out of their control.

Yakumo sat on the ground in the cave, took out food from his storage scroll and began to wolf it down. The intense battle had consumed a great deal of his strength, and only by eating a lot could he replenish this energy.

"I think we should temporarily abandon the mission and return to Konoha to report on Madara Uchiha's situation. Uncle Hatake... will probably make a series of plans targeting him."

Jiraiya nodded, paused, and continued.

"Have you found out Madara Uchiha's plans?"

Yakumo shook his head.

Although Tsunade remained silent, she could feel a subtle pressure rising in her heart that was difficult to digest.

Jiraiya's question caused a moment of silence among the crowd.

A peerless powerhouse who came from the Warring States period, he escaped a certain death battle through unknown means. Now he is walking in the ninja world again. What kind of goal does he have?

Slaughter, redemption... war, or destruction?

No one knows.

"He's too dangerous."

After a long while, Tsunade spoke.

Yakumo suddenly noticed that Tsunade's voice trembled slightly, clearly because when she thought of Uchiha Madara, it triggered some unforgettable memories for him.

One question after another welled up in Tsunade's mind.

Madara Uchiha has remained silent all these years, so why did he suddenly appear in front of them at this time? Or perhaps he did appear in Amegakure before and left traces, which is why he was identified.

"I think we can temporarily abandon the investigation into the forces that seized the Rinnegan."

"What's the reason?" Jiraiya asked.

"Madara Uchiha will help us find the real culprit."

"?" Tsunade looked at Yakumo with some suspicion, puzzled.

“Nagato’s Rinnegan originally belonged to Madara Uchiha. He was even more anxious than we were about losing those eyes.”

"???" Tsunade was even more confused.

"Yakumo, why do you say that the Rinnegan originally belonged to Uchiha Madara?"

"The aura of the Rinnegan is the same as that of Madara Uchiha."

Yakumo made up a lie on the spot. Some things can't be said outright, but he can use a false lie to explain part of the truth.

"What exactly is going on?" Jiraiya asked.

"I don't know about that," Yakumo replied evasively.

Can you be sure there's no perceptual error?

Jiraiya asked in a deep voice. Among the group, he had the most contact with Nagato Uzumaki. Nagato had shown his Rinnegan when he was very young, and at that time Nagato could already use some secret techniques that consumed a lot of energy.

“I don’t think I would be mistaken,” Yakumo replied.

"In other words... when Nagato was very young, Madara Uchiha transplanted the Rinnegan into him for some purpose."

Jiraiya responded upon hearing this.

“That should be right,” Yakumo said.

Jiraiya began to recall the details of his experiences with Nagato in his mind. He tried to find elements of human intervention in these memories.

Half an hour later, Yakumo finished eating, stood up, wiped the oil off his fingers, and addressed the three of them.

"Let's go back to Konoha."

“Wait, I want to go to Amegakure to investigate,” Jiraiya said.

This matter involves not only Nagato Uzumaki, but also Konan, who is connected to him, and even Yahiko.

Jiraiya now suspects that Yahiko's death... was not an accident.

At this moment, Jiraiya recalled the sadness and pain he felt when Yahiko passed away. If there really was a mastermind behind all this, he would definitely seek justice for his disciple!

Even if it means being shattered to pieces.

"Let's go back to Konoha first," Yakumo insisted.

The events unfolding in the ninja world have completely exceeded Yakumo's expectations. Whether it's the rejuvenation of the young Uchiha Madara or the mysterious force that stole the Rinnegan, these are all unknown variables.

Sending Jiraiya to Amegakure alone now... is dangerous.

They might even lose their lives as a result. In the original story, Jiraiya's death was a regret that Yakumo could not let go of.

When Jiraiya once again planned to go to Amegakure alone, Yakumo began to worry about the unexpected changes that might occur.

"No, Yahiko is very important to me. There may be some doubts about his death. I must go to Amegakure to investigate again."

Jiraiya wasn't discussing this with Yakumo; after saying that, he got up and walked towards the cave entrance.

Yakumo hesitated for a moment, but ultimately did not speak up to stop him.

"Snapped."

Just then, Tsunade grabbed Jiraiya's wrist.

Jiraiya turned his head in surprise, staring at Tsunade with some confusion. He hadn't expected his best friend to step in and stop him at this moment.

"Tsunade, you know about this... I have no choice but to go."

"I'll go with you." Tsunade's tone was soft, but her determination was unwavering.

For some reason, she had a vague feeling that she would regret it for the rest of her life if she didn't go with Jiraiya this time.

"Okay, let's go together then."

Jiraiya smiled brightly, realizing that Tsunade's actions just now were not an attempt to stop him, but rather a form of support.

After Orochimaru's death, Tsunade really underwent many changes.

Jiraiya thought to himself.

Outside the cave, the morning light rises in the east.

……

PS: Requesting monthly votes.

Chapter 269 High-Level Meeting

Having made their decision, they didn't hesitate any longer and left the cave.

Outside the cave, the group parted ways. Yakumo and Minato Namikaze headed towards Konoha, while Jiraiya and Tsunade went to Amegakure.

That afternoon, the two returned to Konoha Village.

Upon returning to Konoha, Yakumo went straight to the Hokage Building without hesitation, only sending a shadow clone along the way to let Mori Masako know he was safe.

This mission was fraught with twists and turns, and the battle with Madara Uchiha was even more unexpected, with both of them holding back.

There was nothing inherently dangerous about it, but to outsiders it certainly appeared to be a fierce battle.

The battlefields they fought altered the local climate.

Outside that nearly 1,000-meter-deep pit, swathes of forest collapsed, rivers were cut in half, and mountains were cleaved in two.

With a whoosh, Yakumo pushed open the office door.