As early as the previous night, Jiraiya had keenly sensed that they were being monitored by another ninja. Realizing something was amiss, he secretly tracked the observer back and discovered it was the same man who had approached them in the tavern. So, after the man left this morning, Jiraiya moved in, subdued him, and followed Kyuushin's team, bringing the captive along.
However, when the Rain ninja first launched their attack, Jiraiya wasn't in a hurry to intervene. Instead, he wanted to observe how Kyuushin and the others would react. As expected, the outcome did not disappoint him. Although the Rain ninja consisted of one Chunin and two Genin, they were no match for Kyuushin and his companions.
It wasn't until Minato spoke that Jiraiya finally appeared, throwing the captured man onto the ground. "It's not too late. I've already captured him."
Seeing Jiraiya, the group was naturally delighted, but his face was very serious.
"This mission has taken an unexpected turn," he said. "Frankly, it has far exceeded the genin level. As it stands, the mission rank has reached B-rank. If you wish to investigate further, the rank might increase again. Have you thought it through?"
Kyuushin and his two companions exchanged glances, and in the end, Nawaki said, "Let's still ask. We can't let ourselves suffer this attack for nothing."
Kyuushin and Minato also nodded in agreement.
Seeing the three state their position, Jiraiya dropped his serious demeanor and said with a grin, "As expected of my disciples! But don't worry, if you truly encounter any enemies you can't handle, I will definitely protect you." Although Jiraiya seemed unconventional, having a Jonin of his caliber as an escort was undeniably reassuring.
Jiraiya splashed a little water on the captive's face, and soon, he groggily woke up. After he clearly saw his surroundings, he appeared very frightened, continuously muttering things like, "Don't kill me."
"Tell me, what exactly is the Land of Rain trying to do?" Jiraiya asked.
"This... this..." When asked this question, he suddenly stammered again, clearly having some reservations that prevented him from speaking.
"Perhaps we should use genjutsu," Kyuushin said, his voice cold. "It's a pity. The interrogation will leave you an imbecile. However, there's no village or shop for miles. It won't matter if we just leave you here afterward."
"I'll tell... I'll tell! Please, I beg you, don't do that," he cried. The intimidation was highly effective. He stammered out everything he knew.
It turned out that this person was indeed a disciple of a renowned blacksmith. More than four months ago, the Land of Rain had sent people to abduct his teacher. He was present at the time, so he was also taken to the Land of Rain. Their task was simple: forge ninja tools. But the Land of Rain found the speed too slow, so they wanted to capture more blacksmiths. Intercepting them mid-journey during this turbulent period was the perfect cover.
And he, as a blacksmith's disciple, was extremely familiar with the community. The Land of Rain brought him back to act as a guide. Once a target was confirmed, they would first try to lure them. If that failed, they would dispatch ninja to abduct them. According to him, several craftsmen had already fallen victim.
As he recounted the tale, Jiraiya and his companions gradually understood what had transpired. After finishing his questions, Jiraiya knocked the man unconscious, then discussed the situation with his team.
"From his words, we roughly know what happened. It seems that with the turmoil in the ninja world, even these small countries are eager to expand their armaments," Jiraiya said with a worried expression.
"It might be more than that," Kyuushin said. He now understood what the Land of Rain was truly trying to do. The Second Great Ninja War was instigated by the Land of Rain. Their leader, Hanzō, was dissatisfied with the great nations' domineering ways and wanted to secure the status of a great nation himself. He chose a path of external expansion. But for that, one must first have supplies like explosive tags, ninja tools, and soldier pills. The Land of Rain was in constant conflict, its economy underdeveloped. Lacking the funds to purchase resources, they simply resorted to abducting the talent they needed.
However, just having people wasn't enough. The Land of Rain did not have many domestic mineral resources. Once their current minerals were depleted, they would have to plunder more. The Land of Iron, rich in resources but not a great nation, would be their first choice. This, Kyuushin reasoned, was why the Land of Rain would go to war with the Land of Iron.
Kyuushin selectively shared these speculations with Jiraiya and his companions, including the Land of Rain's possible next moves, but he did not mention that they would eventually go to war with Konoha.
Jiraiya, after listening, let out a long sigh. "I've heard of Hanzō. I heard he is very popular among the people of his country and has gathered many followers. If he has such ambitions, what you've said might very well happen." Finally, he let out another long sigh. "It seems the Ninja World War is truly unavoidable." Jiraiya knew the current ninja world was a powder keg. Once the Land of Rain lit the fuse, other countries would inevitably enter the fray, including Konoha.
For the next period, Jiraiya no longer hid but traveled openly with the team. Fortunately, no more attacks occurred until they reached the capital of the Land of Iron. However, the information they learned had to be reported. The relationship between the Land of Fire and the Land of Iron was quite good, and if the Land of Iron fell into war, it would inevitably affect the Land of Fire.
However, the Land of Iron proved to be quite insular. Even though Jiraiya was a direct disciple of the Third Hokage, their reception was cold. In the end, the Land of Iron's general refused to meet with them. Instead, they met with the most renowned samurai of the younger generation, a man named Mifune.
"I apologize, honored guests. The General is currently occupied with urgent matters, so I will be receiving you in his stead," Mifune said politely, immediately apologizing upon their arrival.
Jiraiya was not a narrow-minded person and didn't dwell on the slight. He directly got to the point, telling Mifune everything that had happened during their mission. After hearing the intelligence, Mifune was also surprised. "Thank you for informing me of such important intelligence. To be honest, the disappearance of the blacksmiths has also shocked everyone here. I never expected the Land of Rain to do such a thing."
Jiraiya opened his mouth, but in the end, he did not voice Kyuushin's full speculation. He suspected that even if he did, it wouldn't be taken seriously, so he held back. As for the Land of Iron's subsequent actions, that was their own business.
The mission was complete, and Jiraiya and his companions did not linger. On the same day they met Mifune, they set off from the Land of Iron and embarked on their journey home.
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