"Earth Style: Earth-Flow Wall!"
Uchiha Ketsugou quickly formed hand seals, and a thick earth wall instantly rose from the ground, blocking all the white spikes that resembled senbon.
"Earth Style: Swamp of the Underworld!"
A giant swamp appeared out of nowhere, causing Uchiha Ketsugou and the others to lose their footing and slowly sink.
Immediately after, a sky-engulfing flame swept towards them: "Fire Style: Great Flame Bullet!"
Under the scorching heat, Ay, enveloped in lightning, quickly retreated into the distance.
Killer B, on the other hand, used the power of the Eight-Tails to firmly protect his body.
As for Uchiha Ketsugou… he had already retreated the moment he finished casting the Earth-Flow Wall, so he wasn't affected at all.
"Damn it!"
Ay clenched his fists, activated his Lightning Release Chakra Mode, and was about to pursue the escaping Leaf ninjas.
Uchiha Ketsugou raised his arm and stopped him.
Ay stared intently at Uchiha Ketsugou and said coldly, "Why are you stopping me?"
"It's just a friendly reminder," Uchiha Ketsugou said calmly. "If you want to fight Jiraiya of the Sannin, then go ahead."
"Was that Jiraiya who just attacked?" Ay asked, frowning.
"That's right."
After receiving a definitive answer, Ay gave up the idea of continuing the pursuit.
Jiraiya had already made a name for himself during the Second Great Ninja War and was one of the top combatants in the current ninja world.
If possible, no one would want to fight such a powerful individual.
Moreover, Ay didn't know why Jiraiya was here, nor did he know if there were other Leaf Village powerhouses nearby… He was reckless, but not stupid.
He wouldn't do something that carried such extreme risks.
However… Ay stared intently at Uchiha Ketsugou and questioned, "Why did you deliberately let those Leaf ninjas go?"
With Uchiha Ketsugou's strength, if he had acted, those Leaf ninjas would have had no chance to escape.
One must remember that not long ago, when facing the four Cloud Village Jonin, including Yotsuki Gō, Uchiha Ketsugou had killed them all in an instant!
Hearing this, Uchiha Ketsugou calmly said, "Because I need them to do something for me."
"What thing?"
"Tell the people of the Leaf that the Sharingan can prevent a Tailed Beast Jinchuriki from going berserk."
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"Lord Jiraiya, thank you so much."
"If you hadn't arrived in time, we would probably all be dead at the hands of those Cloud Village ninjas."
"That's right, it's truly fortunate to have escaped with our lives from the Cloud Village's Jinchuriki."
"It's just a pity for our fallen comrades; if only they could have held on a little longer…"
Tachibana Hiko, Yamada Koushi, Hōjō Shinroku, and Harada Tōru bowed to Jiraiya, their faces filled with the joy of surviving a catastrophe.
After listening to their accounts, Jiraiya didn't act goofy as usual, but instead frowned deeply and said, "A perfect Jinchuriki from Cloud Village?"
Tachibana Hiko immediately said, "That's right, the burly guy with sunglasses who was constantly flailing his arms like he had ADHD!"
"He seemed to call himself 'B' and possessed the ability to freely use the Eight-Tails' power."
Jiraiya was a bit surprised: "Really?"
Yamada Koushi, Harada Tōru, and the others immediately said, "Really, we all saw it!"
Jiraiya nodded: "If you have nothing else to do, head back to Konoha first."
"Huh?"
"Aren't you coming back with us?"
"No, I might return a few days later. You all go ahead."
"Understood."
Harada Tōru and the others didn't ask further. After bowing to Jiraiya again, they turned and headed towards Konoha Village.
After the four left, Jiraiya remained seated in place.
After discovering Nagato's Rinnegan, he had been staying in Amegakure.
He had spent three years teaching the child who might be the one foretold by the Great Toad Sage to bring about change in the ninja world.
However, he hadn't expected so many things to have happened in the ninja world during that time.
Tsunade had left the village, the Uchiha clan with Mangekyo Sharingan had collectively defected, and Cloud Village now had a Jinchuriki who could freely use the Tailed Beast's power… One after another, these events weighed heavily on Jiraiya's heart, making him feel suffocated.
He had a premonition that the current peace in the ninja world wouldn't last much longer, and war would come again.
Before that, he needed to make a trip to Mount Myōboku to see if the Great Toad Sage had any new instructions.
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Konoha Village.
Hokage's Office.
Still wreathed in smoke, Hiruzen Sarutobi continuously puffed on his pipe.
Danzo Shimura, Koharu Utatane, Homura Mitokado, Sakumo Hatake, and others stood silently to the side.
After a long pause, Hiruzen Sarutobi said in a deep voice, "Is there really no other way?"
Koharu Utatane nodded: "Lord Mito's life force is almost depleted; she might not make it through tonight."
"Understood." Hiruzen Sarutobi put down his pipe and said gravely, "I don't care what personal agendas each of you may have, but tonight is of great importance, and all matters must follow my arrangements alone!"
A powerful aura emanated from him as Hiruzen Sarutobi's gaze swept over everyone present.
Seeing that no one expressed dissent, he slowly began: "Sakumo, you are responsible for organizing the Anbu members, putting the entire village on high alert, and preparing for battle at any moment!"
"Yes."
Sakumo Hatake left after receiving his orders. Hiruzen Sarutobi then looked at Danzo Shimura: "Danzo, arrange for the Root members to immediately organize the evacuation of villagers if danger arises."
"Understood."
"Koharu, Homura, you two go and notify the heads of the various ninja clans. If the Nine-Tails goes berserk, they must immediately lead their clan's ninjas to support me."
"Alright."
After giving out the assignments, Hiruzen Sarutobi led a few personal guards to a small wooden house outside Konoha Village.
Medical and sealing squad ninjas stood guard outside, ready to be deployed at any moment.
Inside the wooden house, Mito Uzumaki lay on the bed, looking extremely frail.
Seeing Hiruzen Sarutobi enter, Mito Uzumaki struggled to sit up and said weakly, "Monkey, let's begin."
"Yes, Lord Mito."
After speaking, he turned to look at Minato Namikaze, who had come along.
"Minato, have you thought this through?"
"Once you become a Jinchuriki, there will be no chance to regret it."
Hearing Hiruzen Sarutobi's words, Minato Namikaze's face showed his usual gentle smile: "Hokage-sama, I will never regret it."
If he had proposed to the Third Hokage to become the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki earlier, then perhaps Kushina wouldn't have left the village.
Although if Kushina hadn't left the village, his request might not have had a chance to be realized anyway… Seeing Minato Namikaze's determined eyes, Hiruzen Sarutobi said no more.
Minato was an orphan, without any complex background.
He was also Jiraiya's disciple, with a strong, pure lineage.
He also possessed the resolve to protect Konoha even unto death, and his character and talent were both top-notch.
Hiruzen Sarutobi felt he couldn't find a more suitable candidate than Minato.
Thinking this, Hiruzen Sarutobi said gravely, "Sealing Squad, prepare!"
The seal on Mito Uzumaki was released, and a malevolent chakra began to continuously leak out.
At the same time, a large amount of extreme negative emotions continuously impacted the minds of everyone nearby.
Dozens of members of the sealing squad immediately circulated the chakra within their bodies, diligently working to transfer the Nine-Tails' chakra from Mito Uzumaki's body to Minato Namikaze's body.