Leaf Monkey used Body Flicker to appear beside K, his voice urgent.
"K, Captain Fox has found a trace of an Uzumaki remnant. Please follow me immediately."
K nodded and disappeared with him.
Leaf Monkey, eager to maintain appearances, had just drawn chakra from the Ten Seal, making his flicker faster than normal.
K was surprised—not that Fox had found a lead, he expected no less from one of ANBU's elites, but that a seemingly ordinary ANBU like Leaf Monkey had such speed.
Meanwhile, Ironstag had alerted Lynx, and the four squads quickly converged around Yako, rushing southeast through the Land of Rain.
A small town, southeast Rain Country.
At noon, Jiraiya stumbled out of a wooden hut, yawning.
As he stepped down into shin-deep puddles, he cursed.
"Damn rain. Not a single patch of dry ground. I even slipped while spying last night..."
He glanced at his clothes—they were cleaner than he remembered. Must've been Konan who washed them.
Everything was always damp here, but after two years, he'd gotten used to it.
In the clearing ahead, Yahiko, Nagato, and Konan were already mid-training.
Jiraiya waved them over.
"I'm starving. Go into town and get some food."
He tossed Yahiko his coin pouch. Though he was their teacher, when it came to day-to-day living, it was the kids who took care of him.
As they headed off, Jiraiya's eyes narrowed—three ANBU stepped out from the trees.
He frowned. Konoha ANBU?
Fox, Lynx, and K approached him directly.
Jiraiya crossed his arms.
"Did the Third send you to drag me back? The war's over. What does he want now? Tell him I'm not leaving."
Yako replied calmly,
"We're not here to bring you back, Lord Jiraiya."
"Oh? Then what's this visit for?"
"The red-haired child you're teaching—we suspect he's an Uzumaki remnant. We're here to bring him back to the village."
Jiraiya's gaze sharpened instantly.
He could ignore an order to return home. But taking his student? The one he believed was the Child of Prophecy? Absolutely not.
"Fox! I saw you during the Rain War—you were Yellow Dog's squad leader, right?" he said coldly.
"Go tell him this: Nagato is my student. ANBU has no say here.
And remnant or not, if he has Uzumaki blood, isn't that all the more reason to guide him?
Konoha's flak jackets all bear the Uzumaki crest! You think I'll let you drag him off for interrogation?"
Yako's voice hardened.
"Lord Jiraiya, you should return to the village. If you knew what Lord Orochimaru now knows—what lies beneath the surface—you'd understand: Uzumaki remnants are to be eliminated."
Jiraiya stared at him in shock.
"What are you talking about? Does Tsunade know this? That Konoha has to kill the Uzumaki?"
Yako's tone was cold as frost.
"Does it matter? Aren't they already dead?
Tell me, Lord Jiraiya—if we were truly their allies, if we truly meant to protect Uzushio's legacy—why is there only one Uzumaki left in Konoha?
Why is the Nine-Tails Jinchūriki the only one who bears that name?
Are you telling me the entire ninja world has only one Uzumaki left?
Please—stop pretending. The village made its decision long ago."
Yako smirked inwardly.
Ah, the joy of sewing discord. Look at his face—purple with rage.
Jiraiya's world reeled. For the first time, he found himself asking:
Why is Kushina the only Uzumaki in the village?
Why is ANBU here to "retrieve" his student?
Even calling him an "Uzumaki remnant" revealed how far things had gone.
Yako twisted the knife.
"Lord Jiraiya, we will be taking him. If you object—speak to the Hokage."
"...You're not taking Nagato."
Yako glanced left and right. Lynx and K nodded—they understood the mission.
"For the safety of the village—no survivors."
"Apologies, Lord Jiraiya," Yako said, stepping forward.
"I'll hold him off. You go capture the target."
"You ANBU bastards really going to raise a hand against me?"
Jiraiya's geta slammed into the ground—he surged forward like a bullet.
A shockwave of water rippled outward as he launched a devastating kick.
But beneath Jiraiya's foot, a Ringed Snake Construct emerged, viscous and dense like tar. His momentum was absorbed instantly.
His kick burst with water pressure—like stomping a water balloon—but his body halted midair.
Yako grabbed his ankle and spun, flinging him backward.
Lynx and K disappeared in a blur, moving toward Nagato and the others.
Blossom Deer Squad arrived next, taking up position behind Yako.
Blossom Deer was almost giddy. They were fighting one of the Legendary Three today?!
"Lord Jiraiya," he called out, "Lynx and Root already surrounded your students. We will retrieve them."
Jiraiya dug his geta sandals into the muddy ground for footing.
"Nagato might be the Child of Prophecy from Mount Myōboku's vision. I will not let you kill him.
The way you act… it's as if Konoha's become the villain of the whole ninja world!"
Yako smirked.
"Hey… you're not far off."
With a flick of his hand, Blossom Deer Squad surged forward.
Behind them, Jiraiya saw a chain of Explosive Tags lighting up toward Nagato's position.
They're not bluffing—they really mean to kill them.
Jiraiya's eyes darkened.
"I never wanted to raise a hand against fellow Konoha ninja—even my teacher's subordinates. Don't force my hand…"
But Blossom Deer Squad didn't even flinch.
If Fox gave the order, they'd charge even Danzo without hesitation.
The battlefield split—ANBU versus Sannin.
—
Meanwhile, fifteen kilometers away.
Inside the trunk of a massive tree…
"Lord Madara! It's bad! Konoha's ANBU are trying to seize Nagato!"
On a wooden throne, the ancient Uchiha Madara opened his eyes.
His three-tomoe Sharingan spun slowly to life.
White Zetsu, who had been secretly watching Nagato, unnoticed even by Jiraiya, reported breathlessly.
Madara reached for the scythe resting beside him.
"Should I send a few puppets to retrieve him?" Zetsu asked.
"No need. ANBU was founded by that bastard Tobirama—they're no pushovers.
If I'm exposed anyway… I'll go myself."