in2ebook Chapter 612 Doesn't Look Like a Bad Guy
Chapter 612 Doesn't Look Like a Bad Guy
Destroy Iwagakure's most important logistical outpost? That's the village's lifeline! The danger of this mission is self-evident; Jiraiya himself nearly lost his life on that battlefield. And this very young man is leading the charge in completing such a perilous task?
Shocked, they were forced to confront and treat Zhang Hai as an equal. This masked youth was far more unfathomable than they had imagined.
The four continued their journey and soon found a cave washed by the rain, which they used as a temporary resting place. The cave was dry and sheltered from the wind, and the group sat around a campfire, listening to the patter of rain outside.
Jiraiya gazed at the rain outside the cave, sighed deeply, and said with emotion, "Every time I come here, I can't help but think of that guy... Hanzo." His tone was complex, a mixture of admiration and helplessness. He turned to Tsunade and Orochimaru, his tone carrying a hint of感慨 and relief: "Indeed, Konoha's final victory was just as Hanzo had predicted."
Looking at Jiraiya's somewhat tired profile, Tsunade asked softly, "Jiraiya, what are your plans for the future? The war is over, are you about to embark on a new journey?" She knew Jiraiya; deep down, he yearned for freedom.
Jiraiya gazed into the distance, his eyes somewhat distant, as if pondering the direction of his future. He sighed again, his voice carrying an indescribable sense of destiny: "Perhaps... perhaps I will embark on a journey again. And then... write another book." He was referring to his repeatedly unsuccessful "Make-Out Paradise" series.
Tsunade asked, somewhat puzzled, "Why don't you stay in the village? You're qualified to fight for the Hokage position." She knew that Jiraiya had the strength and prestige to become Hokage.
Jiraiya shook his head, but his deep eyes now gleamed with an almost prophetic light. He answered earnestly, "I have a premonition... that I will meet... again." He didn't say it explicitly, but the premonition seemed to be related to a destined person or a destined event.
Inside the cave, the campfire crackled, illuminating the four faces, some weary, some deep in thought.
"I have a feeling... I'll meet... again." Jiraiya looked out at the endless rain outside the cave, his voice deep and magnetic, as if he were foretelling something.
Upon hearing this, Tsunade's eyes flashed with understanding. She knew Jiraiya too well; she knew that his "we will meet again" didn't refer to a casual acquaintance, but to some kind of destiny-like bond—to the "destined one" he had been searching for, the one who could bring change to the ninja world. Her gaze involuntarily fell on Jiraiya, carrying a complex emotion.
Zhang Hai, wearing a mask, felt a subtle tremor in his heart upon hearing the words "the chosen one." He thought of everything that would happen in the future, the figures propelled forward by history, and the earth-shattering events. He knew that in this era, those who could be called "the chosen one" were few and far between. These words rippled across the calm lake of his heart, and he began to subconsciously wonder, who could it be?
Just then, Orochimaru's golden vertical pupils suddenly contracted, his gaze precisely fixed on another part of the cave, in the shadowy depths shrouded in darkness. He sensed the disturbance; although the chakra fluctuations were faint, they still did not escape his keen perception.
Jiraiya immediately sensed something. He withdrew his gaze from the distance, a barely perceptible smile playing on his lips, and said softly, "Oh? Still just a child?" His tone sounded somewhat teasing, but his eyes deepened.
Orochimaru wasn't as relaxed as Jiraiya. His voice was hoarse and carried a hint of warning: "Don't let your guard down. Even if they're just 'little mice,' they're still part of Amegakure." His tone was serious, clearly showing lingering fear of Amegakure, the territory that had once caused them so much suffering, especially of the demigod Hanzo who had earned them the title of "Sannin." This village, even with just children, might harbor untold dangers.
Tsunade was clearly not as suspicious as Orochimaru. She raised her voice and shouted impatiently, "Stop hiding there! Come out now!" Her voice echoed in the cave, carrying an unquestionable command.
As soon as the words were spoken, a soft rustling sound came from the shadows of the cave. Then, a brown-haired boy, somewhat thin and dressed in tattered clothes, emerged from the darkness with a stubborn look in his eyes. He looked to be about ten years old, and his clothes were covered in mud and rain.
When Zhang Hai saw the figure, his heart jolted, filled with astonishment. Memories flooded back, and he clearly recognized the boy before him—wasn't he Yahiko, the boy he and Kakuzu had met when they passed through Amegakure, the one who had come begging on the street with two companions, his eyes filled with hunger yet clinging to dignity?! He never expected to encounter one of the future leaders of Akatsuki again in this place, in this way. The trajectory of fate seemed more mysterious and intricate than he had imagined.
Yahiko's gaze was mainly focused on the three legendary ninjas who had fought Hanzo. The powerful aura emanating from those three ninjas was far more captivating to him than that of a masked, restrained ANBU member. Therefore, he failed to recognize Zhang Hai, who was wearing a mask, and simply mistook him for one of the three ninjas' entourage.
Yahiko slowly walked up to the four, his face showing a seriousness and a hint of wariness beyond his years. He extended one hand, palm up, his tone pleading yet striving to maintain his dignity: "Esteemed ninjas... could you share some food with us?" His eyes were yearning, yet he dared not look directly at the Sannin, revealing the marks of his long struggle with war and hunger.
Jiraiya looked into Yahiko's longing eyes, and his heart softened. He asked softly, "Where are your parents? Where do they live?"
Upon hearing this question, Yahiko's eyes instantly ignited with anger and sorrow, and his tone became low and suppressed: "They...they were killed by ninjas in this war." Although his voice was still childish, it was filled with hatred for war and ninjas.
Jiraiya's smile froze on his face, then turned into a sigh. He took out some dried rations he had prepared beforehand from his pocket—a well-made piece of dry bread, a rare treat in Amegakure these days. He handed it over, a hint of pity in his eyes.
Yahiko took the dry bread, a flicker of surprise in his eyes. He didn't eat it immediately, but turned and called out into the darkness deeper into the cave, "Nagato! Konan! Come out! They don't look...like bad guys!"