If it weren't for Kaede kazamatsuri locking himself away in seclusion and training for five straight months, his reputation wouldn't be stuck at its current level.
But now, Komatsufuji, who had joined him on a mission, discovered something astonishing:
Kaede Kazamatsuri's physical prowess was explosive.
But how could that be possible? Why did he suddenly become like this?
From his position diagonally behind, Komatsufuji observed Kaede closely. It was clear this wasn't a façade—Kaede wasn't even slightly out of breath, moving with ease and composure.
In contrast, the three Root ninjas who had been through years of grueling training were already feeling worn out. Without a short rest, it would be difficult to maintain optimal combat strength.
"Lord Kaede Kazamatsuri, it seems you've changed," Komatsufuji said proactively.
"My body's in better shape?"
"What I mean is… you're no longer deliberately hiding your true abilities."
"Heh, I suppose that's true."
Kaede didn't confirm nor deny it, but lifted his foot and officially stepped into the borders of the Land of Rain.
From this point on, they had to be cautious. If spotted by Rain ninja, things could get troublesome. They would have no choice but to kill any witnesses, or face escalating reinforcements.
"Lord Kaede Kazamatsuri, though the Land of Rain is a small country, to the four of us it's still massive. From which direction do you plan to begin the search?" Komatsufuji asked.
"Direction? If we search like that, it would be far too inefficient. I plan to finish this mission quickly and get back to training."
With a flick of his arm, the summoning scroll at his waist spun rapidly before landing in his hand. He whipped it out with practiced ease, letting it unfurl midair, revealing rows upon rows of kanji for "corpse" (尸).
"Obviously, we'll cover every direction... Summoning Jutsu!"
Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!
With multiple bursts of smoke, twenty figures emerged from the scroll, silently standing before Kaede.
Each one wore a plastic mask on their face.
"Hmm, not bad. I spent the last few days buying a ton of decorative masks in the village. They barely fit on these minions, but at least now I don't have to look at their faces."
Kaede chuckled.
"Twenty..."
Komatsufuji silently memorized the number. Kaede's strength had clearly advanced—he had never before summoned twenty corpses at once.
But the next second, his shock deepened—
Kaede summoned twenty more.
Forty?!
In just five months?
Most ninja wouldn't even master a single new jutsu in five months, and their chakra levels would barely budge.
But Kaede had already stepped into an entirely new realm.
His secret technique—Shikotsumyaku, the Corpse Release—was beginning to reveal its true fangs, gleaming in the Land of Rain.
"Scatter!"
At his command, the forty zombies dashed off in all directions with precise coordination. Each one clearly understood which area to scout.
Yet Kaede hadn't issued any detailed orders.
The three Root ninjas were shaken. They racked their brains trying to understand how Kaede achieved this, but the mystery remained unsolved.
The value of his secret technique was immeasurable—even Lord Danzō likely hadn't foreseen this, Matsufuji thought.
What struck him most was Kaede's ability to send zombies on long-range missions, which meant Kaede had undergone incomprehensible changes—and that his technique had evolved into a far more complete, elusive system.
Meanwhile, 9 km away, in the rain-drenched wilderness, a house stood isolated.
Jiraiya had just finished a day of teaching.
Between Konan and Yahiko, it was clear his main focus was Nagato. He always found chances to give him extra tutoring—and Nagato's innate talent never ceased to amaze.
Born with all five elemental affinities, Nagato could quickly master any ninjutsu type. This alone took normal ninja years—if not a lifetime—to achieve.
As the possessor of the Rinnegan, his abilities were far beyond the reach of most. The brutal gap in natural talent reinforced Jiraiya's conviction that Nagato was the Child of Prophecy foretold by the Great Toad Sage.
"Sensei, when Yahiko went out for groceries, he overheard people saying the war is still going. Konoha and Iwagakure are locked in a stalemate," Nagato said, his head bowed as he walked. His rain cloak couldn't fully protect him from the heavy downpour.
The sheer volume of water and rising steam had soaked their inner clothes, but no one complained.
No matter how harsh the weather, training must never stop. It was the key to their survival.
Nagato had a vague feeling Jiraiya would be leaving soon. One of the Legendary Sannin couldn't stay hidden in the Land of Rain forever just to teach them.
"War, huh... Konoha has many flaws, but its foundation is solid. As long as they don't make major mistakes, they can afford to wait for others to slip up," Jiraiya said with a conflicted expression. "Of course, that means more people will die as pawns in the process. But in this cruel world, that's unavoidable."
Jiraiya knew full well how his abrupt departure in the middle of the Second Great Ninja War had let down his allies.
But compared to teaching the Child of Prophecy, war was insignificant.
He firmly believed he had made the right choice—not out of fear or retreat. Teaching Nagato required even more courage.
Losing a Kage-level fighter like him would certainly lead to more comrades dying in battle—but this present suffering was for the future peace of many more lives.
"You can do it, Nagato. If it's you, then someday…"
Jiraiya looked at Nagato with hopeful eyes.
"Sensei."
Nagato suddenly pointed ahead. "Something's wrong over there. I sense several unique chakra signatures approaching us."
"Probably not Rain ninja. Hanzō the Salamander has closed the country's borders and withdrawn from the war. It's probably just more rogue ninjas."
Jiraiya sighed, about to intervene personally.
But Nagato gasped in surprise: "Wait! More just appeared… people? Their chakra is strange. They're confronting the others."