socalfunplaces Chapter 530 In the Cage
Chapter 530 In the Cage
Chapter 530 In the Cage
After warning Nagato to be careful, Jiraiya didn't sit idle. The biggest reason he couldn't accept Nagato's request for his help with the inspection wasn't actually because he was afraid of handling government affairs.
Although being treated like a beast of burden doesn't align with Jiraiya's philosophy, in reality, he was the most hardworking and conscientious of the three legendary ninja.
Tsunade would leave for many years due to personal emotions, and Orochimaru would defect due to personal pursuits. Only Jiraiya could travel around searching for the Child of Prophecy, write books, and still serve as Konoha's biggest intelligence chief outside the village.
His concern was that if he accepted the mission to patrol in place of Nagato, he would be deviating from the core of his mission, which was to protect Nagato.
Therefore, the only thing Jiraiya could do at the moment was to contact the ninjas he had brought out from time to time via letters, trying to ascertain Orochimaru's whereabouts as discreetly as possible.
After gradually ruling out the possibility that his old friend would appear directly in the southern islands, the Toad Sage believed that if Orochimaru had indeed returned, the most likely scenario was that he would appear in the Land of Snow.
That was the most inaccessible place for Nagato, a corner of the world, and a place where Orochimaru had devoted his energy.
Snakes mark their territory in their own way, and even after they leave, their presence remains.
Therefore, after reaching this conclusion, Jiraiya planned to write back to the Konoha headquarters, wanting to ask the Kumogakure (Cloud Village) to assist in investigating the situation in the Land of Snow through the Hokage's office.
As far as he knew, the Akatsuki organization did not have any core members stationed in the Land of Snow. If there was only Orochimaru who dared not make a big show of it, he could obtain a lot of information.
It's raining outside the window.
The dark clouds hung low, and fine rain, carried by the wind, lashed against the glass, blurring the view outside.
He got up and closed the window tightly, which blocked out the sound of the rain, but it still poured down relentlessly.
As they exchanged letters, a knock came at the door. It wasn't the innkeeper's assistant; the subtle aura emanating from the knocker suggested a ninja, and not a weak one at that.
Jiraiya put down his pen, turned the letter over to cover it, took out a stack of manuscripts, and then spoke.
"The door wasn't closed."
The one who pushed open the door was Pain. His twin Rinnegan appeared particularly dark in the gloomy, rainy weather.
Jiraiya immediately picked up the manuscript: "It's really not easy. You came to see me in this weather. Do you finally have time to read?"
Nagato.
"You're lucky, I've already finished writing the last volume."
"Should we take a look before it's published?"
Payne did not respond to this solicitation.
"Jiraiya-sensei."
"What are the Joint Affairs Bureau and Konoha's plans regarding Akatsuki's collection of Tailed Beast chakra?"
"—It must be something really serious, that's the only way to put it." Jiraiya put down his manuscript and put on a relaxed look. "Especially since the first move was such a big one, targeting Rōshi and Takigakure."
Nagato asked, "Besides this, haven't you explored anything deeper?"
He looked at Jiraiya.
Jiraiya said, "The tailed beasts are treasures to every village. Even reaching a consensus on the investigation is not easy, let alone drawing a conclusion."
"I've been away from the village for a long time, so I wouldn't know about any new developments."
He gave a watertight answer.
Instead of responding sarcastically, Nagato kept looking at Jiraiya and then said something that made the Toad Sage's head spin.
"Even Xiao's ultimate goal is the Ten-Tails, don't you know that?"
The white-haired man replied, "Of course I already know about this."
Nagato nodded slightly.
"So, to what extent does Jiraiya-sensei understand the Ten-Tails?"
This is the first time in the past two years that Nagato has proactively brought up the core issues.
Jiraiya didn't know whether this was a test or a confession.
Regardless of the reason, now is not the time to completely refuse to answer.
"What I know is that the Ten-Tails is a combination of the One-Tail to the Nine-Tail, and it possesses immense power."
Nagato affirmed, "Even the Nine-Tails, the most powerful of the tailed beasts, is no match for the Ten-Tails."
He paused, and the rhythm of the rain hitting the window became more rapid.
"When did something this powerful begin to exist, Jiraiya-sensei? Do you know?"
Jiraiya knew he had to say something useful.
"It probably existed since the distant era when the Sage of Six Paths, known as the progenitor of all things, was still alive."
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"You should know more about these things than I do, Nagato."
"After all, you have the same eyes as the Sage of Six Paths."
Nagato said, "I do indeed possess eyes like Hagoromo Otsutsuki, and I also have the ability to control the Ten-Tails, so I understand that the Sage of Six Paths' power also originates from the Ten-Tails."
"But where did it come from, and why did it transform from a ten-tailed beast into nine tailed beasts?"
"Excessive power can be intimidating, and power alone cannot accomplish anything. The Sage of Six Paths must have understood this, which is why he did this," Jiraiya said casually.
"Did you abandon the power gained from devouring the ninja world simply out of fear? —"
"Even that progenitor worried about the power he couldn't control." Jiraiya seized the moment and focused on persuading, "Nagato, we also need to be more cautious. Some things, once started, cannot be turned back."
Nagato remained silent for a while, and the rain poured down harder.
He walked out of the room.
"Thank you, Jiraiya-sensei."
"However, I have a completely different view: only those who possess power have the ability to protect the world."
"This world needs a stronger force."
Neji's eyes may possess even greater ocular power than his Byakugan.
This is why Hiashi asked Neji.
This visit has now taken a different turn. Taketori Yoichi has not shown up, the boy named Toneri is indifferent, and only silent puppets come and go in the mansion.
Hiashi needs to find out one thing: where exactly is Taketori Yoichi, and what has happened to him?
Since Shiren was unwilling to speak about or discuss Yoichi's illness, Hiashi could only try to find the answer in his own way.
He instructed Neji to activate his Byakugan and probe deeper into the area, while he and his three guards also secretly activated their eye powers.
This is a tactic that would not be used when visiting relatives, and would even be considered offensive in ordinary etiquette.
But there was no time to worry about that now. Bai Yan's vision pierced through the walls, corridors, and underground spaces of the mansion, peeling back the layers of the entire area.
No. Nothing at all. There were no chakra pathways similar to those in the human body, no faint aura belonging to a patient, and no outline that could be identified as Taketori Yoichi.
One night passed.
Hiashi Hyuga reached the same conclusion as everyone else. His Byakugan could penetrate walls, corridors, and underground chambers, yet he couldn't spot Taketori Yoichi's silhouette anywhere in this mansion.
There were no chakra pathways, no faint signs of life, and not even a shadow that could be identified as a "patient".
Rizu sat upright in the guest room with his eyes closed, piecing together the fragments of the past day and night in his mind.
The attendant said that he was unwell and unable to receive guests. This statement itself can be interpreted in many ways.
But considering the results of Byakugan's investigation, and the fact that there were no other living beings in the entire mansion besides the Hermit, an even worse thought came to mind.
Taketori Yuichi, dead?
This is a possibility that is worse than his sudden physical discomfort.
Following this line of thought, why did Sheren lie and pretend that Yu Yi was still alive to get them to come? With his family gone, he had to come no matter what.
Sheren should not have known that the village valued the news of his life or death.
So, did Yoichi die after returning from Konoha?
So perhaps Toneri's lie was a prelude to waiting for the Hyuga clan to come to him, wanting to determine whether they were involved in the matter.
Now, Toneri may have ruled out the possibility of the Hyuga taking action, but he probably harbors clear dissatisfaction with the village.
But all of this is speculation.
Perhaps Taketori and Kazumi were out seeking medical treatment, or perhaps they were hiding somewhere the Byakugan couldn't see them.
But regardless of the situation, he now only has one path left: to cooperate with the servant's intentions and stabilize the situation.
So, in another meeting, Hitachi put forward his plan.
"To prepare for leaving Konoha, someone needs to return to the village first so that the clansmen can make preparations in secret."
The man did not respond. His handsome face revealed no particular inclination.
Japan knew that the other side would not let them go; this was just a prelude.
"I want Neji to go back to the village first," he revealed his true intentions. "He is the most prominent figure in the Hyuga clan besides my two children. The clan members will believe his words."
Toneri turned his head, his closed eyes lingering for a moment in Neji's direction.
"If he returns first to begin preparations, will the people of Konoha be completely oblivious?"
"Instead of a large-scale troop movement, it would be better for me to send puppets to bring Hinata and Hanabi out of Konoha first. After that," Toneri pointed at Neji, "I'll send him back to inform the others to prepare for their departure."
Hiashi said in a deep voice, "With the head of the main family absent and all possible heirs having left the village, it will be difficult for the rest of us to evacuate."
"Then let's take one person with us first," the handsome young man said calmly, "and leave one behind."
"—I will write a letter." Hiashi lowered his eyes, "informing the villagers that Prince Ichi is unwell and asking Hinata to come and visit him."
The attendant was then satisfied and ordered Rizu to make preparations.
Neji followed Hiashi back to the guest room. Hiashi was writing a letter and didn't look at Neji. He just said something in a low voice.
"Bringing you out this time might not have been the right thing to do."
This was the greatest apology Hiashi Hyuga could offer, given the possibility that his words might be overheard.
Once he sends this letter back to the village, they'll definitely know they're in trouble.
Under these circumstances, Hinata would definitely not be sent away.
The person who remained in the clan and could make decisions was his father.
The old man believed in the Hyuga's fate more than anyone else. If he judged that the situation was on the verge of the worst, he would not hesitate to have the captured branch family ninjas close their eyes under the cursed seal of the Caged Bird.
Including Neji.
As for the child's hope of survival, it lies in what the village has poured into him.
As long as the village still values him and believes he has irreplaceable value, those who remain in the clan will not easily use that cursed seal.
Neji understood everything his uncle hadn't said aloud.
"This is my good fortune, Lord Hiashi," Neji said.
He underwent the experiment and gained his current power not for his own sake. Nor did he want his cousins to face the current situation.
Hiashi didn't say anything, but simply reached out and pressed Neji's shoulder hard.
After the two left the guest room, Hiashi handed the letter to the waiting puppet.
When the letter arrived at the Hyuga clan's territory, the clansmen who remained there read its contents and replied to the puppet that they would arrange its departure as soon as possible and ask it to return to its territory to rest.
The puppet didn't move; it simply told them that it needed to wait for Hinata to set off together.
The Hyuga clan did not insist, but instead settled it down.
Immediately, some people rushed towards the Hokage Building.
By the time the news reached the Hokage's office, it was already night. Shuji had just returned to the old mansion, and the Hokage robe he had thrown down was still warm, so he had to put it back on and return to his office.
This involves not only the Hyuga clan, but also the Otsutsuki clan on the moon.
Then, he couldn't help but feel confused.
Has Taketori Yoichi's condition deteriorated to this extent so early? How did Toneri manage to hold back until after the Fourth Shinobi World War before making his move?
Based on his conjecture and Hyuga Hiashi's previous report, Taketori Yoichi should be able to live until at least the time of the Fourth Shinobi World War.
If Yoichi died at that time, then it would make sense for Toneri to hold back until the end of the Fourth Shinobi World War before preparing to unleash a meteor to destroy the ninja world.
After all, when the elders who can make decisions are still alive, no matter what the servants think, they still have to stay obediently in the end.
After the death of his last relative, Taketori Yoichi, Toneri, feeling empty, lonely, and cold, and because of the ancestral precepts he inherited, went to extremes and chose to find the bride he had his eye on since childhood, preparing to become the creator of a new world. This makes sense.
After all, before the Fourth Shinobi World War, when Pain attacked Konoha, Hiashi Hyuga had taken Hanabi Hyuga to stay with the Kaguya clan for quite some time.
If Yoichi's death had come much earlier, Toneri would have had the opportunity to take Hanabi's eyes back then, instead of having to wait until after World War IV.
Or perhaps Orochimaru truly unleashed some incredible technology, such as the comical mechanical Naruto, which not only touched the moon but also severely injured Yoichi, thus angering Toneri.
No matter how many thoughts he had in mind, Shuji now had to face reality.
What should I do?
Should we let Hinata go?
The premise that Toneri could be defeated by Naruto without Truth-Seeking Balls in the movie is that his enormous Tenseigan was destroyed by him and Hinata, who had received Hamura Otsutsuki's chakra.
In the final battle, Toneri's only reliance was the Byakugan he had taken from Hanabi, but it became less effective in the end because he hadn't had enough time to adapt to it.
In that case, the best option now might be—
"It's time to have a talk with Nagato—"